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Attended the opening of Rivertown this morning and so I can directly compare Movieworld's and Dreamworlds. Dreamworld opened the doors to the park about 9:55am (and had a small contingent of VIPs and Theme Park enthusiasts in at 9:30am) and then had up to Rivertown gated off. At 10:05am we were then escorted down to outside the Jungle Rush coaster and there was about 15/20 mins of speeches and then the ride was ready to go. From the beginning the rides were open, stayed up for most of the day (Jungle Rush had a few periods of short down time) and the experience was really enjoyable. There were plenty of staff rostered on, the area looks amazing and well themed (and i am sure there is more to come, but it looks pretty much finished) and the radio was there giving out prizes. It felt like a true 'opening'. I really like that Greg acknowledges theme park enthusiasts in his speeches and is so connected to the community needs. It's a much more humble approach to theme park management. His offsider Michelle (I believe she is Ops manager) spent the morning in the control booth of JR then went and helped serve at the Rivertown Restaurant, it is not uncommon to see Greg helping in these back of house areas, it shows that even the exec team will jump on board and help out - it's a really good look. This is in direct contrast to Bikash who was quick to scoop into the VIP fast pass queue at 10:05am for the WoZ rides. Dreamworld was alive today and it's great to see the hard work they are putting in paying off.

New construction wall art has been put up (currently behind the Flash construction wall) The rainbow arches seen in the concept art are now off site (Paradise Country road, bad photo and look better in person) Jaggs also posted a couple of aerial shots in his latest update

It's big!

King Claw went out for tender today. Images from public tender.

It’s these ridiculous comments that are nonsensical. DW has the biggest range of rides, and more importantly - operational rides - of any theme park on the GC. If they are a half day park; then the others are 1/4 days being dragged out to full days by intentionally poor operations.

I haven't seen this before. More information here: https://earthstory.com.au/portfolio-dreamworld-jungle-rush.html

The first supports for Jungle Rush have arrived at Dreamworld. (from auscoasters on Instagram)

Not sure where else to post this, but as a boss, Greg is incredible. What he has been able to do to turn Dreamworld around is brilliant. The car park is full, and the park has an energy again. I am here today, and he is making drinks at Jane's Restaurant. I told him he was and inspiration to his staff, and his response was 'when we are busy, you help out.' I would love to have him as a mentor.

So time to share my impressions Munchkinland/Forecourt the entrance photo op statues look great. Little close to the brake run for SE imo, but I get they working with limited space so will ignore it. The walkway down to the forecourt is great, the rainbow effect is great and the transitional music change is really good. The theming in the forecourt is great, and in the 50mins we were there there was photo op with Wicked Witch, a Dorothy performance, and a photo op with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. All great, however I’d like to see how regular this becomes or even if it still exists in off peak Emerald City Lighting and design is decent. They’ll want to keep those wall projections functional (unlike other projections in the park) or it will be bland and boring. The wizard projection is quite good, though would have been fantastic to have it have more random or lengthy dialogue sets as it does get a little tedious being so short and just on repeat. Flight of the Wicked Witch The internal queue is fantastic with the room of Poppies and then the enchanted forest. You feel immersed in the story, and even my son said “wow this is like a Japan-level queue” and then boom - you walk downstairs and you are in an outdoor cattle run with no shade, and ridiculous slow ops and burning to a crisp in the sun. I can’t overstate how much the experience is wrecked by this. The immersion is gone and you just want to get it over with. You enter the castle for the final part of the queue which does look good, but it’s not air conned so there is no respite from the baking you’ve just had. They only let 1-2 groups into the castle at the time. The ops just seem entirely haphazard. The 2 cycles where I could visually see what was happening has 4-5min waits between guest disembarking and next guests being let onto the platform simply because the sorter is also the harness checker and they didn’t start sorting until the previous ride disembarked. The entrance to the ride gates is in such a close proximity to the entrance, they have to fill gates 4/5 which are directly in front of the entrance last as you wouldn’t get people past them otherwise. the ride itself is punchy and smooth, and a much better experience than similar coasters I have been on, so gets a big tick on that. There is a short jolty break mid final turn prior to the full break run which is a little strange in terms of forces, and the ride photo for mine is far too late in the ride, but aside from that no complaints. Kansas Twisters I could probably copy the same as the previous tbh.. the starting internal queue is great, immersive and fun. Then you are outside. In the sun. The grouper, who is deciding whether you get in the yellow or the orange train queue, had absolutely no concept of counting. We were told to join the orange train queue, which is on the opposite side of the station so you have to head up and over the track inside the barn. After a couple of cycle, it was blatantly apparent he couldn’t count as we were probably 3-4 cycles from getting on the orange train, and there was only 6 people waiting for the yellow. Cue us excusing ourselves back past another 10 plus people and jumping the rail to join the yellow train queue. Did I mention it was hot? And the barn had no air con or fans? Who designed this place? the ride itself is fun on the forwards cycle, but to be honest I found the return journey just too slow to really consider re-riding again. You walk off to look at chain link fencing and the 30 year old back of house offices. We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto… i also didn’t mention that there was no announcements over the speakers on either ride, no “enjoy the ride” or “you’re about to take flight on blah blah”. The only thing said by staff was yelling “don’t touch the seatbelt, we will do it up. Don’t touch the seat belt” on FOTWW. overall if they spent $100m they need their better people making the financial decisions for the park. Whilst it’s clear nothing is going to change short term, they need to drop some money into this thing before next summer to at a minimum have some shade sails over the queue line, and put some air con or fans into the internal queues. Then they need to sort out their ops. promises so much, but just misses the high mark it set for itself unfortunately. It’s not a fail by any stretch, but if it’s a 2 horse race between Oz and Rivertown - DW has is won by the length of the straight

Picoplay also recently uploaded a new video, that features some previously shown Jungle Rush theming - as well as some interesting tidbits if you zoom in on the right frame Above is the layout for Jungle Rush's indoor queue!

Photos from today: Framework has begun going up for the building that’ll enclose roughly half of Jungle Rush’s layout. Look into the (gutted) inside of Billabong: And, the supports: I don’t know what the status of the turntable at Vekoma’s workshop is, but there are visible tags on the shipment that read ‘Platform Supports’, and that tied with the catwalks, and shape of some support columns, has me guessing these are for it.

The Emporium has been repainted to remove the bright red, replaced with a better looking brown which gives it a better vibe. Apparently the whole of main street is being repainted to make it look more timeless. I think it looks great, and am happy to see the rest get painted the same. (thanks to Gold Coast Theme Parks on FB)

I don't think anyone is disputing closing once and doing all the necessary work. The thing that people are pointing out is that they're doing that on SE AND Batwing AND DD (which has other issues) AND Scooby all at the same time, with a lot of unplanned stoppages/late openings/closed seats on GL, Rivals, RR, and WWF. There have been several days where MW were charging $110 single day entry for people to watch HWSD2, and see Batman showcase because every single adult ride has been closed, as well as Road Runner - meaning there was not a single roller coaster or thrill ride operational. That is an unacceptable situation to be in and is 100% due to the park's management failing to invest adequately in the maintenance of their rides, plan maintenance schedules properly, and replace defunct rides in a timely manner when it is clear that they've reached the end of their lifespan (SD, AA, DD). But also due to the types of rides and attractions they operate. A simulator ride like Batman could operate even if one or two simulators failed - just at reduced capacity. The Movie Magic show could still operate if one of the show elements failed, other areas of the show could be padded out and the host could still explain how things work with other demonstrations. It also means that annual maintenance can occur on part of the attraction while it is still operational, reducing the amount of time it would need to be closed. It is also apparent that there are management issues from staff attitudes toward visitors. Staff are not friendly, none of them want to be there, and replies to customer complaints on social media have shown absolute contempt for visitors that just wanted a fun day out with their family. Compare that with DW, where they acknowledge they are in a state of transition, they know most of the park is a construction zone, but the staff are engaging, friendly, courteous, and genuinely want to see people enjoying themselves. I visited DW for the first time since 2015 the other week and the staff were the single most memorable part of my day. The staff issue at MW is what really indicates this is a top-down problem because the front line workers are unsupported and have no power to fix the situation for unhappy visitors. A theme park is a retail business, a service industry business, an art/design and performance business and a heavy machinery business. Movie World was once the stand out performer in Australia for all of these, but it's fallen behind in all of them and completely bungled the last one. People are rightfully pointing out that 2 month closures should be unnecessary, and planned overlapping closures are just bad management. But 2 month closures when you've got so many other closures - planned or temporary - happening in the park to the point that people are paying full price entry and cannot go on a single ride, is what most people in this thread are complaining about. Yes, DW have some extended closures for various reasons, but the difference is in the broader context of the park's offerings and operations.

Bats have just been added to the ceiling for this section!

This thread has been pretty quiet, while over the highway the Rivertown\Jungle Rush threads continue with updates. I haven't been to WOZ myself, and I've no great urge to rush out and do so just yet, but from what i've heard and seen online, the sentiments towards the land are that it was a miss. I watched this last night and the channel has been pretty on the mark with other topics covered. Call it confirmation bias if you like, but a lot of what is covered in this video sounds about what I expected. this video is a big oof.

Dreamworld have definitely put much more love and care into the whole land than MW with Wizard of Oz - every part just looks spectacular. The details placed within each part look fantastic, even a non E-ticket like this looks amazing, and will only get better thanks to weathering and the growing greenery. Good job to Greg Yong and his team for making Rivertown so great, I can't wait to see what is next. Hopefully some enhancements are made eventually, such as retheming Motocoaster into the land and redoing the store's facade to match.

Jungle Rush soft opened again this afternoon, and I got another ride on it! They've actually added a lot in the few days! There's even more theming and audio in the queue and station, and they've added more theming to the turntable room. It's also a lot darker now too, which was a big complaint I had the other day. Also did Murrissippi Motors, which was a lot of fun.

You must be fun at parties.

The whole area looks so different now, track everywhere! Looks great!

Theming is being added to the temple structure. Looks like it's interior theming for the indoor scene Reverse view Also more track!

@Gazza I am responsible for this, I was wondering if someone on here would notice 😂. We installed some long throw speakers at the front of the park and needed some impactful music, there’s plenty of European theme park tracks in there 👌

Oh a Parkz comment hasn’t made me giggle like this in a long time 😂 Here’s confirmation DW read Parkz comments… taken directly from my own comment

You should go check out Rivertown

Some more photos… (spoilers ahead) Flight of the Wicked Witch queue: As you can see, the first section of the queue is very well themed. Unfortunately though, all of the immersion disappears as soon as you walk through the haunted forest and are presented with a bland hallway and a direct view of the studio’s BOH areas. The rest of the area is nicely presented, but definitely not “immersive” as the BOH areas are visible at pretty much all times and no effort has been made to block them out (or at least make them less noticeable). One thing to note is that there is a lot of permanent lighting all through the land, so I’m betting it should look pretty spectacular at night (though I do wish some of the lighting fixtures were more “themed” into the land. Modern suburban street lights do not belong in OZ). Kansas Twister queue: At one point in the queue, you walk through Dorothy’s house. There are a number of effects (such as video screens in the windows showing debris flying past and lights that swing back and forth from the ceiling) that help support the idea that the twister is approaching. You then make your way out to the barn and the ride itself. Overall, I think the rides themselves are good additions to the park and definitely help boost the park’s family attraction lineup. However, the OZ precinct is far from the immersive experience that was promised. Though it’s very nicely presented and there are elements that are quite well done, the overall product sadly feels a little cheap and tacky IMHO.

Rivertown has soft opened. Not sure if the rides are yet available to guests, but you can walk under the archway and the store is open

It is amazing to have true competition back between the parks. However, in my non-expert opinion of someone who hasn't step foot in either new land, Dreamworld takes the prize for the best themed land.

LOL, Wash your mouth out! I've done the Beast, I've done the Zamperla Giga Discovery, I've done the Intamin and the Intamin one is in an entirely different league. See, the issue with these types of rides from cheaper manufacturers like Zamplera and KMG is that they put underpowered motors in the swing, so a great deal of the ride cycle is spent simply getting to full height. On the KMG it takes 1:30. The Giga Discovery takes close to 2:00 But the Intamin? 45 seconds. Its like being strapped to a rocket at the start. Intamin know where to push it when it comes to intensity. and then at the top of each swing, the motors are actively pushing back in reverse, and forcing you downwards, so you get enhanced airtime in the same way Batwing drops down "faster than gravity". More of the time is spent on the fun part...swinging beyond vertical, and less on the crap part....low speed nauseating swings. And the rotation speed is perfect. Its not pretending to be an eggbeater like the Beast. And there are no OTSRs. Cant wait to have one down the road.

Claw is end of life. King Claw will be 50% faster and 50% higher than Claw - will be the tallest in the southern hemisphere 42 metres high, will reach 100km/h. -0.5g and +4.5g Construction starting in February, open by end of 2025. Full collection here

Stopped by after work and had to sit at the roundabout for 25 minutes just to leave, but here's a photo where you can see both in one, hard to get a decent angle of both at once though

Is this the part where we are meant to accept that all these ride closure's are ok and if we argue with you then to start saying we are Village haters. its bs MW is a shit hole at the moment and your off your head if you think its acceptable to run a theme park in its current state.

Seems as good a place as any to post this… nice little subtle dig at the park down the road….

AA closed in 2019, was demolished in 2022 and Groundwork for the coasters started over a year ago. abc kids world closed 5 months ago and groundwork for the coasters is nearly done, with all of the theming being assembled off site. i dont think its really comparable.

^There it is.

Movieworld needs to be open longer due to their horrendous operation and cycle times… that extra 1.5 hours of trading time means guests can fit in 1 extra ride….

Oh cool a discussion thread about something new at the parks! Let me just scroll through the petty argument that happens in every thread between the same people to actually get to what I came here for! Anyway, this sounds like a great investment for the park, assuming the food matches the quality of the theming. It looks like they've gutted the entire building so hopefully that means a new kitchen where they can cook actual meals instead of the usual quick service menu

Theming has started going up on the outside of the temple structure. The Tiger Island angle still looks largely the same as the most recent photos in the thread.

Believe it or not... this was briefly on display on the Tiger Island screen. It's the layout for MM, plus a few bits of concept art! Bye bye to Motocoaster's entrance!

In all honesty, I don't know why parks target openings to occur bang on peak periods. There are inevitably teething issues and the ride's reputation is made or broken in that first peak rush. Open it in the off season, give your operators time to bed down the processes without a 3 hour queue of angry families behind them, and iron out the kinks. Advertise the hell out of it and get soundbytes and reviews from real actual guests, rather than stupid rhetoric from the C Suite for your marketing - anyone planning a last minute trip for the next holidays might see that and decide to go as a result.

I’ve heard on good authority that there is certainly more to come but they’ve had delays with some shipments. We’ll see this land and attractions continue to improve over the next few months.

Wow, the added greenery has really made the world of difference there is no doubt in my mind from an immersive perspective this is the best we’ve seen from a GC park, attention to detail seems fantastic and the weathered look and greenery still to grow in means the area won’t age negatively like many other themes areas we have seen in the past. Jane’s Restaurant looks on par with any themed offerings I’ve seen overseas

DONT HAVE THE HD VIDEO CONVERTED BY I CAN CONFIRM ITS TESTING!!!! IMG_0706.mov

As many have said I really doubt Intamin is dedicating a slot at a major international industry event to say “hey we’re replacing a gyro swing with another gyro swing at a park in Australia”. could we possibly be getting a 2 for 1 announcement. King Claw as per the trademark is clearly happening in the short-medium term, but maybe that’s just the appetiser to the main course….

Some pics from today!

Latest nearmap is up, current as at 02/06/2024.

Image dump from today, in some form of order: Overview of Jungle Rush’s site from Corroborree: Scaffolding/work walls have gone up around the Corroborree: Images of the (soon to be) ride building: (which, basic walls have begun to go up for) And, of Jungle Rush’s track in the carpark: Plus some images of the new Vintage Cars plot in its current state (in case you were wondering, the old one is still seemingly untouched):

I feel like WWW doesn’t get the airtime is deserves. It’s a pretty damn solid little park.

I beg to differ. I've been going to the park for 'decades' and It's never been as bad as what it has been now and in the past couple of years.

I'm assuming that's a wrap on Doomsday. Watch village leave the ride to rot and degrade for 2 years before deciding to get rid of it. Also, Village with this 2-month maintenance bs for every ride has to be about saving money. Dreamworld the only rides that take that long is Gold coaster and if it's a major refurb.