Stingray Ride

[clone_tk422]

Just had a look at the profile of this ride because I had never heard of it and I am a frequent Dreamworld visitor - I am born and bred Gold Coaster so I have been going to the park since I was old enough to remember it Anyways I was surprised to find out it it is the old Roulette ride which used to be where the wipeout is now.. I remember this ride vividly and rode on it many times and I am happy it is still at the park... However the profile says it was moved and renamed from the roulette ride and the wipeout location to the stingray in 1994. And so suggesting the ride has never left the park I dont think this is the case?? I am fairly sure the ride was taken away for the wipeout and to my knowledge it never returned any where in the park even renamed... The last time I was there was 2002 and there was no Nickoledon then.. I noticed the stingray is in this area of the park.. So was this ride returned to the park when the Nick area opened up as I am pretty sure this is the case.. I would have remembered seeing it relocated and renamed for the past 11 years as it was one of my favourite rides.. Can anyone else confirm.. if so I wonder where it has been all that time?? Dreamworld must have a huge storage area somewhere if they are storing large rides such as these for 10 years.. Also on another note.. I hope the Thunderbolt is replaced with another roller coaster but an extreme one.. like the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point that looks like one sweet ride and there is also one at Six Flags Magic Mountain now so it looks to be a popular choice and also a nice thrill ride... Straight up and straight down twisting and turning.. If not my second choice would be to have a stand up coaster.. That would be unique for Aus..

[Richard]

When Wipeout opened this ride was relocated from the Wipeout area to what later became Cyclone's entrance area. Its roulette wheel theme was scrapped for the stingray theme we see today, to allow it to fit in better with the newly opened Wipeout and the accompanying "Oean Parade" themed area. For Cyclone's construction it was removed and spent a number of months sitting disused in the Cyclone area (down by the helix). In mid-2002 it was significantly refurbished and reinstalled out the front of Thunderbolt in the area it sits today. Every instance of the Chance Trabant (the make and model of this particular ride) at Dreamworld has been the same installation. And yes Dreamworld do have extensive storage/maintenance areas (the largest storage area is to the East of where Thunderbolt used to be). It's interesting to actually look back at Dreamworld's history. Nearly every ride the park opened with is still there today.

[Zagan]

That isn't what I remember at all, the diver ride as I call it has never moved, where the wipeout was there was another ride like spinning tea cups basicly it was the kiddies rides there were 2 rides here but I can't remember what both rides are now though the spinning tea cups rides was in the exact same spot as the wipeout. That was scrapped moved whatever basicly and the diver one has stayed in the same spot I don't think it was used for a while though, it's sits in a rised stand and the whole ride can be hidden from sight when it's down, so a cover over it is all that's needed to hide it.

[Drewboy]

No Zagan, you're the one who's incorrect. The Stingray was originally where the Wipeout was and it was themed to a roulette wheel. Richard is right. Dreamworld hasn't had a 'teacup spinning' ride. I personally preferred the ride when it was themed to the roulette wheel. I don't know why, it just more appealing to me I guess.

[rappa]

Zagan I think you might be mistakingly thinking of the Reef Diver/Enterprise ride. I remember when Roulete was taken out and sat out the back for a little while. Richard is pretty acurate with that timeline.

[Zagan]

I'll just say that isn't what remember from before the wipeout ride.

[HussRainbow]

No Zagan, you're the one who's incorrect.  The Stingray was originally where the Wipeout was and it was themed to a roulette wheel.  Richard is right.  Dreamworld hasn't had a 'teacup spinning' ride.  I personally preferred the ride when it was themed to the roulette wheel.  I don't know why, it just more appealing to me I guess.

Totally agree Andrew, that is the best looking Trabant theme I have seen, very clever, shame its such a terrible thing to ride!

[rappa]

Well I just happen to have the photo evidence As taken from the official book you used to be able to buy of the park. (as you could from Seaworld and Currumbin, much better souvenirs than available today, full of history and fantastic photos of the park) I would guess this book is no later than the lat 80s, I can't remember exactly when I got it, was too young. Certainly the time when DW pretty much had the original line-up + TB but before the Rapids and Mine Ride were built. Back then the park certainly did look amazing and colourful, nice to have the additions of today but the presentation back then was top notch.

[Flip The Man]

Hussrainbow, Drewboy said "I personally preferred the ride when it was themed to the roulette wheel".. which would mean he does not prefer the "Stingray" theme. I have to agree with Drewboy.. The Roulette wheel theme is really nice. Stingray looks awful. This classic ride is commonly known as a Chance Casino. From what I have heard, Dreamworld do not operate the Stingray ride like they should..and it is not a good example of a traditional Trabant, both in it's looks and it's operation. This is only my opinion from what I have heard though. Djrappa... great historical photo! The Roulette looks nice, they even had the dice as the centrepiece too It really was a much better looking ride back then.. pitty about Stingray.

[rappa]

Here is another photo showing more of the ride in question.

[Flip The Man]

nice photos djrappa :cool: I like this pic the most because you can see just how popular this ride once was, notice how almost all seats are taken? How many more pics do have of this ride djrappa? I'd like to see them.

[rappa]

I think that's it for this ride at the moment. I should have some more in the old brochures for the Park but I will have to dig them out first.

[Flip The Man]

no problem djrappa. Let me know if you do find some more old pictures. I find old pics like these very interesting, that's all. Flip.

[GoGoBoy]

Yeah there was something about the Roulette Wheel that really used to appeal to me too. I remember really enjoying the ride when I was a kid. Perhaps they modified the operation of the ride when it became Stingray? It certainly seems a lot tamer. I actually quite like the way they re-themed the ride to fit Ocean Parade and think it was a pretty clever transformation. You can't say they didn't put any effort into it. I have seen a picture of it recently and noticed they upgraded the op booth when they expanded Ocean Parade - looks good with the nautical theme and big octopus on top

[Zamperla]

The theme of Stingray certainly suits the ambience of the area, but like previous posters, I would've loved to have seen it kept as 'Casino' - defintely more flash value like that. Clearly Dreamworld have remarketed what was once a high-speed thrill ride into a gentle 'family' ride, in an attempt to give it a broader age appeal. Fantastic photo's DJRappa, you've also confirmed something with me, that DW's current Reef Diver is in fact a completely different unit to that original Enterprise.

[LunaParkFanatic]

Hmm well i cant really comment on the ride because i've never seen a photo of it now.. I've only seen photo's of what it used to look like!... If anyone could supply some good photos, that'd be awsome

[Drewboy]

Clearly Dreamworld have remarketed what was once a high-speed thrill ride into a gentle 'family' ride, in an attempt to give it a broader age appeal.  

I don't think that anyone would've ever called The Roulette a 'high-speed thrill ride'. You get exactly the same ride on Stingray as you did on Roulette so they haven't changed it to a gentle 'family' ride, as it has always been a 'family' ride.

[Zamperla]

Well, the original Chance Trabants were certainly considered thrill rides. They were known to generate extreme lateral G's from their high speed, varied sequence, rotations and angles. Ask any carnival-goer of the 1970's. I never did see or ride Dreamworld's Casino, I made the assumption it was capable of operating at the original RPM settings.

[kennykoala]

DJ, the enterprise pic is great, that is a pic from along time ago.....you can even see the imax shed behind the building. i would of not realised it was like that cause the mine rida now covers that shed. just looking at that pic, it really dose look like a country fair, all nice green, and heaps of those nice pine tres:) how differet is ocean parade now:P