WhiteWater World creates online buzz

It makes sense that the Gold Coast's first new theme park in over 15 years is also utilising online technology to create interest and respond to curiosity regarding the park's progress as it goes from dirt to a world-class water park.

The website, which can be accessed at www.whitewaterworld.com.au has started what look set to be weekly updates by Andrew Sharry of Macquarie Leisure Operations, the company which manages the Dreamworld theme park. The updates are short and contain brief snippets of information relating to the latest in construction and development of the new park.

Theme parks in the United States such as enthusiast-favourite Cedar Point have won over fans in the past by creating elaborate web-based construction trackers which visitors to the website can visit to read the latest updates, view extensive regular photo galleries and even view live webcams. Some fanatics have even been known to capture images from the webcams at every interval to create videos showing the rides come together in a stop-motion manner.

Though the WhiteWater World website and updates are a far cry from such international examples, it does represent a bigger focus from the Australian theme park operators on how the Internet can draw interest and create buzz, even well before the park is officially announced.

Warner Village Theme Parks launched a website for Warner Bros. Movie World's newest roller coaster Superman Escape late last year prior to opening. This website featured brief amounts of information relating to the ride's progress and preview video footage of the ride in action.

WhiteWater World opens in two months and major construction is drawing to a close with the focus now shifting away from construction of the dozens of slides and other water attractions, to turning the dry site into a water-based paradise.