Gold Coaster

Lucky there's a Family Guy... *dances with top hat and cane* Wow, I find it silly that something allowed at Wet'n'Wild isn't at WWW. Fair enough parents can't go DOWN the slide due to the dimensions but to not even be able to walk them to the top or wait at the bottom is a joke. Particularly when the staff don't do their job. So what does food cost there these days? Haven't been there in awhile but remember the pizza etc being more expensive for the same thing as next door.

Doc Brown , you're really working towards creating a long lasting bad impression in the community. Careful man. And what is it with you and posting non-related images? Just a waste of bandwidth.

Have to disagree. Speaking with Neal Thurman, you get a sense of how focussed they are on turning things around... I am happy to have been there pre-Thurman because I can then appreciate further how the place will change. This will be an excellent addition to the park, I am glad they are getting a modern woodie.

$69 is ridiculous! Have any annual pass costs jumped in price as well?

Yeah! So I hear. And the music certainly did sound half-baked the other day. I only rode once though so aren't sure if just a temporary problem.

Wow. Awesome. You look better (or should that be, worse ) every year. What does the writing on the wall behind you say?

And I just didn't know why it was so noteworthy to bring up. It was just a typo and I didn't want to argue. Whatever, it's over now.

Ash just seemed like he was having a go at my typing up of the article (which I acknowledged in the Random thread as being from the bulletin). FEH. Over this. Ash and I aren't seeing eye-to-eye lately, I don't want to derail threads on this forum with pissy arguments. Come onto MSN, Ash, I've taken you off block. Don't know where all this is coming from but let's not drag the forum down. Want to resolve this maturely in IM.

Like right now, I typed that post up while half-watching a TV show... so was a bit distracted. Big deal. You must be having a very dull Friday night. I'm not going to continue this stupid conversation when - here's a thought - you'd be better off putting your energy into the topic of the article. And you know, Ash, I gave you the time of day when you were new here. That doesn't make me a God but I wouldn't have expected to be repaid by this pissy little conversation & other crap you've been saying lately over both MSN and this forum. Move on! This is tripe and you carrying on like this is part of why I blocked you on IM.

I did that because whenever I type up a newspaper article, I copy the original capitalisation.

^^ Now, now, lad, don't get your knickers in a twist. All I said was that it wasn't up before me posting.. Methinks you protest too much. And no, Richard wouldn't copy. He works which means he can't get always things up straight away. Probably started writing before I even typed up my article. Don't let your anger turn you into a werewolf this Halloween night kthx

And if anyone has a single spare ticket after seeing Kate is covered, please let me know.

^ It's only been up since I typed the article.

I mentioned this article originally in the Random thread due to the GC Bulletin using a picture of Superman Escape but couldn't find an online version. MacLeisure tips dream run in these rollercoaster times [Photo of Superman Escape] CAPTION: Dreamworld offers affordable leisure experiences DREAMWORLD owner Macquarie Leisure Trust Group says its businesses will not be heavily affected by an economic downturn. Macquarie Leisure owns and operates the Dreamworld and Whitewater World theme parks on the Gold Coast as well as AMF bowling centres, Goodlife health clubs, the d'Albora Marinas group and American entertainment venue chain Main Event. The group yesterday reported revenue had grown solidly in the first quarter of fiscal 2009, with all its domestic businesses improving on the prior corresponding period. Dreamworld's first quarter revenue was $23.73 million, up 2.2 per cent. Whitewater World revenue exceeded expectations, increasing by 6.7 per cent from the prior period to $2.71 million, Macquarie Leisure said. The theme parks make up almost 50 per cent of Macquarie Leisure's income. Chief executive Greg Shaw described Macquarie Leisure's businesses as affordable leisure experiences, which were less likely to be hurt by cuts in discretionary spending as the economy slowed. "We would say that we are in the lower-risk category," Mr Shaw said. "There's a lot of things you would probably cut out before you cut out our product." "People are always going to recreate and spend something on leisure, but they might not be able to afford to go on holidays every year." However, cheap air fares to the Gold Coast and Brisbane offered by domestic carriers had contributed to a boost in domestic visitor numbers to the theme parks in the first quarter, Mr Shaw said. However the average per capita spend of customers fell 3.1 per cent to $64.03. International visitor numbers dropped by almost 15 per cent and global economic uncertainty may see that trend continue, despite a depreciating Australian dollar. "One thing that we would be much more confident about is it would boost domestic tourism," Mr Shaw said of the tumbling currency. Macquarie Leisure is also hoping for a drier summer on the Gold Coast in 2009, after last year's big wet in Queensland hurt rvenue over the holiday period. The news was worse for the group's American business, with Main Event's first quarter revenue of $11.62 million down 1.8 per cent on the prior corresponding period. MacLeisure stapled securities closed down 4.5c at $1.03.

Thursday night for me. Anyone going who wants to meet up PM me. And no, I won't bail - I have done that some days in the past but that was while living with an abusive father (in all senses of the word) so on those occasions really had no choice... most likely NOT going in costume as I haven't had the time to really think about one & I doubt I could get one together at this late stage. Looking forward to the event though, MW improves things every time. Hopefully we will have another 'Rock my World' and Scifi Night too.

^ I wouldn't wish Volares on my worst enemy. Was in pain from the moment the cage was locked in place and immediately started doing shooing gestures and mouthing 'RUN' to people I knew who were arriving in the line at the time. Then, I said to them 'Turn around and run as fast as you can' when back in the station. Horrible, horrible, horrible. You'd never complain about Lethal Weapon EVER again as that's like a week at a day spa in comparison. Missing most of those OTHER coasters badly. I'm doing an Orlando trip with a Pennsylvanian friend in May '09. That will coincide with my birthday on the 5th (so I will spend that day hitting some great coasters ... will have to ponder which to do). Consequently I'm hoping to have the opportunity to ride Terminator when doing that SFMM visit (the week before) & due to spending a week in NYC will aim at riding Cyclone again at least a few times. Looking forward to finally getting to do Expedition Everest this time as that was a steel shell last time I was there (February 2005). Superman Escape will NEVER lose its appeal to me & I'm glad it's only half an hour from where I live. I'm moving houses come November 8 and very tempted to find a place just up the road from Movie World so as to have the ability of getting a ride or two in on a near-daily basis

^^^ So long as we don't have to get a clone of The Dark Knight at SFGA Fortunately with Scooby being in the park, I doubt they'd replicate the indoor Mouse format anyway.

^ Nitro is really really solid. Have only had the one ride of it but it's definitely up there... STEEL #1 - Superman Ride of Steel (Six Flags New England version) Sheer Intamin goodness. Awesome layout - airtime, mist, tunnels, fun for the entire ride with no dull spots. The RoS at Darien Lake was my #1 but then I visited this park shortly after & this took the crown. I tell you what, if it had the pre-launch sequence from Escape, that would be the ultimate Superman coaster! #2 - Behemoth (Canada's Wonderland) - smooth, wonderful drops, placement near the water. Here for it's sheer fun factor. #3 - Tatsu - My favourite flyer by far. Height, the ability to look straight ahead and not down at blurred ground/supports (Superman Ultimate Flight I'm looking in your direction) & the layout just gives it a genuine presence to the rider. I miss it and half my reasoning for my '09 SFMM visit will be to reride it again as many times as posssible (that and to do X2). #4 - Kingda Ka <-> Top Thrill Dragster - Still thinking about which I prefer. Both are a one-trick pony (and that one trick is pretty much the whole ride anyway) but offer short & intense fun. #5 - Griffon (Busch Gardens Europe) - Great layout & forceful. It's also a very visually-appealing coaster due to the excellent theming the park offers in general. My favourite floorless. Honourable mentions to Maverick, The Incredible Hulk, Duelling Dragons & Rock'n'Rollercoaster Starring Aerosmith. Obviously Superman Escape is my favourite Aussie coaster but not sure what I'd quite rate it on my overall. WOOD #1 Boulder Dash (Lake Compounce, US) - This woodie hauls major ass. Offering supreme airtime throughout the ENTIRE ride, terrain hugging track and a rocket ride through the trees, this is like Superman Escape Western-style! Night is awesome as you go through the dark tree tunnels. #2 El Toro - Wow. The first day we rode this, it was running kind of disappointingly but then it WAS the morning on a cold day. Our return day was much hotter and it showed us her glory. Great drops, airtime and forces as well as some minor theming touches that added to the appeal. #3 Ravine Flyer II - Insane fun. Coaster bridges over the road, nice Lake Erie view, 90 degree turns and great airtime. Rode it during pounding rain which quickly became thunder and lightning (most relaxed ride ops ever!) Best time on a coaster I've EVER had. #4 Kentucky Rumbler (Beech Bend) - heaps of fun! #5 The Voyage (Holiday World) - Great drops but doesn't just rely on those - great out & back woodie) or Honorable mentions to Knoebbel's Phoenix (surprising amount of airtime for a smaller woodie and tunnel is fun at the start at night) and Colossus at SFMM (my first ever woodie so will always have a special place in my heart) . MOST SCREWED UP COASTER award goes to - Time Warp (Canada's Wonderland) The ride position is weird but also really uncomfortable - it IS fun how you have to run to catch your row and then jump up and climb because the thing never comes to a stop in the station. The fun then ends as you're in this weird cage thing (almost like a coaster Zipper haha) and set off on a layout of pain. WTF AWARD goes to X:\No Way Out at Thorpe Park. A backwards enclosed coaster with some weird computer virus-themed scenes that make no sense. Like, stopping at a point for a few seconds to watch some lights flash or some nonsensical animatronic. Hmm. A definite candidate for the no-doubt-inevitable Dreamworld's Big 7. Me doing the trademark expression:

Dude... how old are you? Not to be mean but the number of posts you make that could be put in one topic is significant. And don't you mean 'who wants to come to the park with me?' Nobody is going to come and just do one ride.

If they did, I'd be moving ooh say somewhere near Indiana Beach ... or Great Adventure.

It's just that having done the amount of woodies I have though, I wouldn't feel the need to do Ghost Rider again. Or really visit Knott's for that matter. LoCoSuMo is one of the most unique coasters I've done and I would love something like that. So long as they did the bear though - not to mention the skeleton near the lift.

^ Obviously. I'm talking about an outdoor one with no theming and block braking in every section like some in the States. I was very relieved to survive Ghost Rider in July last year, it really felt horrible. Never want to have that feeling on a coaster again. Have been on other woodies that actually felt SAFE yet had insane airtime...

What, no Wild Mouse option? Ahem. Having done each of those, I'll comment on the various types. Floorless: Visually more interesting but not overly fantastic. Dark Knight at Six Flags New England is a lot of fun though, wouldn't complain about something of that type of layout going in. http://rcdb.com/ig1549.htm Inverted: We have a couple already but if it had some decent theming ala Nemesis Inferno and was B&M, a new one would be a more than worthy addition. Perhaps to replace Lethal Weapon? Suspended: Would need some decent terrain. Loved Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Europe but that's the only one that stands out for me that I've done. Usually the sensation of speed is lacking & in the case of Iron Dragon at CP, totally absent. Pipeline: Well, haven't done one of these per se but having done Hydra at Dorney & Colossus at Thorpe Park, I can see having heartline rolls incorporated into a normal coaster would be a great selling point for the park that installed it. So long as the layout didn't use it as the sole gimmick, there would be no complaints from me. Standup: They're fun, like people have said the bicycle seat style half-defeats the sensation & while they can be intense on the legs, are more than a worthy type to consider. Really cool to ride. Having one of these in Australia is a strong wish of mine. Love Mantis & Chang. Flying: They're good when it's Tatsu-style - IE, you have at least some halfway decent height and are looking straight ahead. But something like Superman: Ultimate Flight SUCKS for the reason of you being forced to look down at the ground/random supports whizzing by so it's a crappy flight experience. Okay, we'd probably not get something of Tatsu's scale for some years to come but if they kept to that style, it would be #2 on my list. Sitdown: So long as it wasn't an Arrow and had a half-decent layout, I'd accept it but wouldn't be jumping up and down. Perhaps one of these would be good for MW in a few years time: something fairly compact, well themed (ie, something that could maintain interest for awhile to come) & another option for thrillseekers to help compete against Dreamworld... 4th Dimension: Fantastic coaster type but don't see it coming it coming here anytime soon. I don't see any point in putting it on my wish list. As the old jingle used to go, 'Don't say one day, that day will never come!' Bobsled: Having ridden one - Avalanche at King's Dominion, a Mack Bobsled - I think one of these would be cool. Theming at MW would be an issue so perhaps better for DW (so long as they maintained it). Flying Turns looks awesome too so something like that would be my preference. Wooden: The most wanted on my list. We need one BADLY and even if it was fairly compact like Phoenix, I'd ride an Aussie one of these to death. Ideally, we could have something like Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce which has insane airtime and excellent use of terrain. I could see this working very well but it would have to go into somewhere like DW that had the space. Alternatively, something like Ravine Flyer II could go into MW if it ever extended to the other side of the highway because you could incorporate the coaster bridges element RFII has (and wouldn't complain about having NINETY DEGREES either ) I don't think we'd get an El Toro but you could do a compact BD fairly easily at DW.

That would indeed be a fitting and decent theme. I think this will easily trump MDMC judging by what we've seen so far & the fact it couldn't possibly be worse The inclusion of a second launch is very encouraging too.

^^ Behemoth. Ahh. That's one sweet coaster. My #2 I'd say, behind Superman: Ride of Steel at SFNE. I really hope they surprise us and pull an incorporation with water out of their hat. They're being pretty tight-lipped so who knows. Seem to have their heads around offering us something that beats Motocoaster by a very comfortable margin from the impression I get.