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It's just stretching it's legs, something you could never do as a rider. /s

No competition? The Sunshine Coast is basically a popularity contest with beaches, zoos, markets, and theme parks all shouting “pick me”

A steam train isn’t a museum piece, it’s an experience that belongs in a park. Diesel works as transport. Steam works as theatre. Steam breathes, hisses, chuffs, and smells of oil and adventure. Even non-train fans instantly read it as something special. In a theme park, that matters. Diesel moves guests from A to B. Steam is the attraction. People line up for it, photograph it, and react when it rolls past. Theme parks trade in sensory moments, and steam delivers with sound, motion, heat, smell, and visible power. Diesel offers efficiency, not character. Steam also slows the park down in a good way, creating calm, memorable moments. Over time, it becomes an icon. Diesel is forgotten as soon as you step off. Theme parks are memory factories and what Steam train doesn't create a great memory.

Possibly related to the archaeological dig required to reach a single post under 20 pages of ads.

WOW. $20 more than my DW pass renewal. Confident pricing, I like it 🙂

"record visitor numbers"

Dreamworld deserves credit for the impressive feat of never fully shutting Steel Taipan for maintenance. Each train still has to go through its scheduled maintenance, which means sometimes there’s only one lonely train actually earning its keep on the track. As for why two trains weren’t running on the day you visited, who knows. Spin the wheel of plausible explanations: one train was broken, the other was away on its annual spa retreat, there weren’t enough staff to unleash Train #2, or the park decided that running one train pairs nicely with giving away the gate to pump the attendance.

My guess is JJ asked Guest Services for the inside word, and Dreamworld rolled out the usual line: “MC is closing as we prepare for a new chapter.” And “a new chapter” is park-speak for absolutely anything. A re-theme, a new ride, or a freshly mown patch of grass with big dreams.

If you purchased a year pass 30 years ago at DW, it cost more than what you would pay today. 🤣

OK the goal post is slowly being moved from my original post, but I’m willing to go with the flow. Calling the comparison invalid because it’s a different park now is an emotionally driven response 2016 Dreamworld was bigger, trust took a hit and expectations probably need a little asterisk. But markets don’t price sympathy. They price the experience on offer today, not the one in the scrapbook. Guests don’t arrive at the gate thinking: “Given historical mismanagement and a tragic accident, this feels like fair value.” They’re usually thinking: “Is this worth my time and money today or should I just head to the beach and grab a kebab?” Once you accept the park delivers a smaller experience, a few things naturally follow. Lower pricing shifts from strategy to necessity, comparisons to peak-year revenue get a bit fuzzy and you can’t easily dismiss experience comparisons while celebrating record metrics You can’t really say “it’s unfair to compare experiences” and then say “but revenue records still count”. That’s less nuance and more selective optimism. Cheap annual passes feel great while they’re turning goodwill into visits and visits into cash. They get trickier when they start setting the reference price. Once the market settles on, “Dreamworld equals about $99 a year”, raising prices isn’t a gentle step up. It feels more like asking people to climb a ledge. You’re not just asking them to pay more, you’re asking them to believe the park has genuinely changed. That’s a tougher sell than starting higher and discounting with purpose. Value pricing builds volume and it can also teach people to wait for the next deal. (how many people here wait for the $89 renewal price? I know I do) Cheap passes absolutely help bring people back through the gate but they don’t automatically rebuild trust, and in some cases, they quietly reinforce the idea that full price isn’t justified yet. (we’re not going to charge you full price and we’re not going back to full trading because what we are offering, we don’t believe is good enough) Yes, longer hours cost more, but permanently shorter hours do something subtle. They reset expectations. A park that closes early gently trains guests to: Treat it as a half-day outing Drop in rather than settle in Spend less time, and often less money, per visit Your personal example is a good one, but it’s not the average. You’re engaged, you’re social & you’re already inclined to spend. Many passholders: Eat later, use the park as a casual loop & spend lightly because “I’ll be back again” A pass-heavy model works best when there’s a healthy share of people like you. If that mix shifts, the numbers don’t explode, they just slowly thin out.

Cheers. Dapto stays blocked, and his commentary can continue shouting into the void. We are in major disagreement here, Inflation does matter. • $60 million today = $45 million – $46 million in 2016 • In reverse: $60 million in 2016 would be roughly $78 million – $80 million today if just inflation is considered. Dreamworld is setting attendance records while full year-round operations continue to be not happening.

@wikiverse I’m not calling for a price hike. I’m just allergic to spin. Inflation seems to have missed the Coast report entirely, and the fine print shows the revenue boost is coming from cut-price annual passes, while single-day tickets aren’t gaining the same traction. The road back is slow, and Dreamworld returning to full trading will be my hallelujah moment.

You can goose the attendance giving away the gate, but the real flex is returning to full trading hours, full price tickets, and turnstiles that stay calm.

What exactly is wrong with the MC? It’s 18 years old, not a heritage-listed steam engine. Why the sudden urgency to send it to the scrapyard? If we’re talking about rides that have earned a gold watch and a farewell speech, surely the Gold Coaster deserves a look first. It debuted at Luna Park 30 years ago, ran for about two years spread over five, then packed up, moved north, and has been clocking in at DW for another 24 years. By my very unscientific but strongly held scientific analysis, if anything’s lining up for retirement drinks, it’s probably the GC, not MC.

Seems a bit Dr Evil to pay for the IP when the connection’s already doing the heavy lifting.

What crime did Victorians commit to deserve this? @Jobe

I can see where they’re coming from, and it’s definitely a reasonable take. Staggered announcements can work well, especially if the goal is to get people talking, squeezing in a final ride, and speculating about what’s next. That kind of buzz during a busy holiday period can be valuable. That said, I’m still a bit on the fence. Based on DW’s recent history, when something is really locked in they usually hint at it early, even if it’s just a “new attraction coming” tease. A replacement announcement can actually add to the urgency rather than take away from it, giving people both a last chance and something to look forward to. It’s totally possible they’ve got rides ordered but haven’t finalised theming or names yet. The lack of trademarks does suggest they’re not quite ready for a full reveal. But for now, it feels more like plans are still being worked through rather than a deliberately quiet marketing strategy. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out once the ride actually closes.

I’m not buying what other enthusiasts are saying. If Dreamworld had a replacement lined up for the Motocoaster, going by their track record over the last five years, they would’ve mentioned it when they announced the closure.

@Bailz I no longer need this, so you’re welcome to have it.

How hard is it for people to make a new topic?

In the short timeframe MW has turned out an ok show but now MW needs to polish it into a great show. (I do agree with @MickeyD leaving the set was a mistake as the show doesn't make much use of it) Skeet's top tips to make the show sing. Stop fist pumping the guest, the show isn't a FMX event. Barry's introduction to the show requires a rewrite. The second I laid eyes on Barry (before the attention was drawn towards him), I already knew he was part of the show. Barry, nobody is walking around MW on a hot day wearing protective clothing (not even Barry). Barry you put the gloves & helmet on like you're a professional stunt rider. Barry choose a motorbike, (aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) it's not the 80's anymore MW, we see the the small motorbike we know he is going to pick it. The fix. a. Loose the protective flannel to needed. b. Have cast member dress Barry. ACT like Barry doesn't know what he is doing. c. Let the cast member choose the bike for Barry to ride. d. Give Barry either a pushbike or a motorbike with training wheels. The choreography requires work for the chases. It feels like everybody is doing there own thing. You miss moments like Barry got the case over there because I was watching the bike on the jump over here. Build scaffold to the front of the building (blue) and have the fight scene on it. Tucked away in the corner is weird. I see you. Stage crew shouldn't be seen and it gives it away that Barry is about to fall. Remind me again, who is chasing who, you already have the case. . Add effects to the gun. (It looks like they are trying to shake the last bit of sauce out of the bottle). I can't even work out how spraying the aeroguard, won the day. The fire effects need a rethink to tie them into better with the show. The show is still overly centered on cars and bikes which gets old quickly. I want to see less cars and more STUNTS. Throw Barry off buildings. Set Barry on fire. Let Barry take a bullet or 2. Why all of a sudden is Barry is in this car? The story works MW, so with a few changes, you can make it a must see show.

Release the Battle Rig..........................................

Compared to Thredbo's coaster, this looks lame.

Great

To clarify,