downunder

I didn't ride too many coasters this year, and barely enough new to me ones to fill out a decent top ten: Not in qualitative order, best new ones: 1. Abyss (Adv World) 2. Gold striker (Cali Great Am) 3. Flight Deck (Cali Great Am) 4. Superman (Discovery Kingdom) 5. Joker (new, Disc. King.) 6. Medusa (Disc. King.) 7. Big Dipper (Santa Cruz) 8. Vertical Velocity (Disc. King.) 9. Ghostrider (refurb'ed version new to me), 10. Flight of the Hippogriff (Uni Hollywood)

Back on the coaster, has anyone sighted any significant movement of dirt, appearance of more pillars in the last day or so? Is there construction activity right up to Christmas?

It seems like quite a short notice announcement (correct me if I'm wrong). Shame, I would have liked to have gone, maybe I'll head back up to QLD late Jan if I've got time. Shame those drunken idiots that stole the penguin didn't go for a swim in the main tank at Shark Bay. Elle (the bull shark) and Diesel (the dusky whaler) might have made it interesting (though they are well fed, and might not be interested). I've done the cage dive and they are f***ing huge.

What next, Fright Nights at Paradise Country (disclaimer: I am joking). Interesting move, not sure if they'll reproduce the atmosphere of the main strip at Movie World at SW, but I guess we'll see. Maybe they are doing a lower production cost version of the event, was it profitable at Movie World (I've heard not)? The timing is interesting, get some more visitation at night during peak season potentially.

Greatest attraction in the southern hemisphere, I thought it was supposed to the best in the world dammit LOL! Well that banner is something to be legitimately excited about, it's going to be the most awesome aquaman themed fountain, and they'll relocate all those displaced killer whales from the sea world parks in the USA and thrown in a great white now and then for a death match. Running by Fright Nights 2017, I like that. Might be a good time time for another run on the VIP Star Tour next year.

I've been to Dracula's, good cheesy fun. And Infinity is interesting.

Silverstone Booty Coaster FTW. Personally, an N.W.A. inspired theme might be something different and a bit spicy: "Straight Outta Logan" (sorry, I've never heard good things), and the coaster is about escaping from such a place (disclaimer for people who read everything as literal on here: I am joking).

^And Scooby Doo is such an iconic character and series IMO. I see it's still on free-to-air TV to this day, it must have legs somewhat.

"POP's Coaster of Madness" you heard it here first LOL. Though I would have been happy to ride Harley Quinn or Wonder Woman all day. What the theme will be is almost as interesting as how this coaster will turn out. Flash seems obvious though a little disingenuous as the Iewa World one is called that, albeit not using the IP (I'm still assuming this will be the same "type" of coaster as Flash, but feel free to surprise me Mack). And has people have observed previously, Flash is more appropriate for a launched coaster (maybe this will be a surprise), LOL I don't see the Flash lumbering up an almost-hyper height lift hill. It's a shame Superman seems perfect for such a big (for Australia) coaster, and Flash seems perfect for a launched coaster, theme swap LOL.

Having that big lift hill sweeping across the front of the park will be an impressive sight. I guess those pillars count as the coaster going vertical LOL. Hopefully track won't be sitting on top of those pillars for world's best churro cart themed dragon wagon (disclaimer: I am joking).

If I was doing it to make money, I'd make it appeal primarily to families, but be broad enough to that any age can like it i.e. make it like Disney-like as much as the budget would allow. If I was trying to please myself. I'd call it Mitch Hawker World and buy a carpark and fill it with Intamins and RMCs.

If I remember correctly, Blue Fire had a heart rate monitor with the restraints which was really cool. I concur, so comfortable.

Thanks for the informative report, I've got San Antonio pencilled in for next year and hopefully I'll get down to ZDT. Iron Rattler was closed last time I was there due to the incident at Over Texas so I'm keen to get on that one.

Yeah it's going to be themed after Wendell Sailor, a rather famous Torres Strait islander, and dual international winger. Wendell Sailor's Wing Coaster will be the world's first wooden wing coaster and is bound to thrill his world wide legion of fans. In all seriousness, who knows where Dreamworld's plans are at now, I think they'd be happy to open again. That major coaster down the road might really shift the competitive dynamics with MW.

^I am joking (and stirring), hence the LOL. I would hope that Movie World would aim for something even better than flash.

^Very cool. Maybe MW is too lol.

^That is an interesting case with cedar Point, generally they've announced by now based on history, but it has been observed they may be waiting to see if they can get the project done for opening 2017. Maybe it has a launch like Lightning Rod (we all know how that went), who knows. If it does open when their season starts I'll be adding CP to my itinerary, so I'm watching that situation closely. Back to the 196 foot hyper at MW lol. As others have observed, MW might want to announce this as late as possible so people don't hold off going to the park until the second half of next year. It will be a hell of a kicker for a marketing drive for season passes (and renewals) next year. Remember a lot of potential customers contemplating a visit might not be aware a coaster is being built as they don't follow amusement park stuff.

^I'm cool with riding it clothed too LOL. I must admit the "world's best" PR tag has made my expectations somewhat ambitious - though even an exact clone of Flash would be exponentially better than anything Australia has at the moment (of course that assessment is subjective). Meanwhile, I will continue to contemplate those footers.

^They're both lethal, lol. Though Arkham not so much these days, I don't get off with a subdural haematoma like the old trains. Hopefully it won't be too similar to Flash at Iewa and be somewhat unique in terms of elements and layout. I wonder how far off we are from seeing some supports going up, a month or two?

It could still be one of the world's best, just not in the upper echelons of the world's biggest.

Yeah Sea World San Antonio seems like the most light on of the those parks in the US. Got San Antonio on the rough itinerary for next May/June might check it out for the new coaster, or just stay at Six Flags and ride Iron Rattler another 100 times LOL.

Maybe the drop will be greater than or equal to 200 feet, for instance going into a trough, or maybe even a slight underground tunnel (think: Superman at Six Flags New England). Most of my favourite coasters are under 200 feet, but part of me still wanted something so high that planes would have to dodge it lol. Somewhere a guy in a basement on his computer who resembles the comic book guy from the Simpsons: "that's not a hyper!"

Interesting, I was curious whether it would actually be legal or not to buzz the site. A guy got a $9000 fine for using a drone to pick up a sausage sandwich at a Bunnings charity BBQ the other day LOL. It would have been nice to have an aerial of all those footers and start joining the dots. Oh well there will be a point where they won't be able to hide this coaster, I mean fountain. Ah I remember seeing what became Cyclone being put up at Luna Park every day on the way to work. Have fun locals, watching it grow.

Footers, portaloos, spray painted Mack boxes - there's a very well attired man seen frequently around Movie World possibly laughing his ass off. I'm looking forward to this magnificent fountain. Meanwhile at IAAPA...nothing. Surely someone has a drone in this madhouse called parkz for some revealing aerials?

I've jokingly requested a bit of snooping from peeps who will be at IAAPA. Until then, the festival of footers continues...