DaptoFunlandGuy

For all your verbose analysis, you're ignoring the fact that the Wild West outlet is barely opened year round. If they're not finding the demand to open that one outlet, how the fuck do you think they're going to deal with SEVEN of them? None of what you've said will work for the simple fact that they can't even get ONE outlet right. Outsourcing is stupid, and shouldn't be an option because you're only diluting your profits further - what they need to do is rethink their current outlets, rather than building more that will remain shuttered year round.

New park comes to Village Haikou is another to their park stable Better than the Sydney one

Meat group!

I think you overthink things too much.

I know the construction of Jet Rescue was the nail in the coffin, but i seem to recall parkz updates that were pointing out it being mothballed for a time prior to the construction - i seem to recall photos of the carriages stored under the seal stadium and\or Corkscrew...?

Indeed I think you're reading far too much into it. the title is truth - passengers WERE hanging for two hours. not all of them, but some were. your argument that the title implies all passengers were stranded for two hours is a bit of a stretch...

I'm not saying take the animal attractions away - i'm just saying don't make it the primary focus. As Webslave referred to above... where theme park meets. I am by no means suggesting that the nature of the animal attractions there is what we should aspire to, but if you look at Hong Kong's Ocean Park as a whole - it does the dolphin \ seal \ other aquatic animal thing quite well, but its main focus is the theme park side of things, and while it has some hellish attractions (such as the dragon) even their old mine train is worthy for the view alone, plus a great little B&M and many other rides and attractions that don't solely rely on animals, but still interlink with them. (My personal favourite attraction was their polar adventure. Despite being completely indoor \ enclosed, i found the exhibit to be quite amazing - and just the thought of what Sea World could do with a concept like that had me quite excited) ...But they need a bigger ride stable to bring the punters in so that they can deliver their conservation message. if they keep dropping rides, and only installing animal attractions - they will become 'just a zoo' - and zoos get far less 're-visits' than theme parks do - as has been said numerous times already - sea world isn't a park people will choose to do, and its usually just 'because its included' that most people will go. go back 10-15 years, and that wasn't the case - it was a must-do part of anyone's GC holiday...

As mentioned previously though, the park will struggle with activists and do-gooders causing problems with animal attractions, and TBH I think the park has enough (attractions and problems). I think they'd do well to continue the good work they've done with their current stable, but to expand the park's attraction base to encourage visitation - again as mentioned - more of an 'ocean park' than an 'animal park'

that doesn't make it good.

Surely GOLDOC would've needed to pay market rates for taking over the studios though?

Whilst i can't give a solid answer on all of these, I have an inkling that the answer to many of them might be good ol Froggy. He was also instrumental in many of Wonderland's shows, and TBH, I find most of them leave you wanting. If i'm right, unfortunately the approval process is by the same person as the creator. I've never much liked much of what he has done at any park he's been a party to. Was the Train operating in 2007 @T-bone? I thought it had stopped earlier than that. I wouldn't call the pirate show 'good' and sadly nothing on that lake can compare to the Ski show - much like nothing compares to PASS. I wouldn't call Vikings a 'good family water ride'... it was a water ride, and an old one at that.

When I said 'Monorail' I meant collectively as to the attraction as a whole (ie, the track as well as all rolling stock). I find it somewhat incongruous to refer to it (on the basis that there are two trains) as 'monorails'.

indeed, but don't they have like a 99 year lease or something?

So the $40 increase in price per pass is going to cost Ma and Pa Bogan an extra carton of ciggies for an entire year's worth of entertainment. I remember when 3 large pizzas could be delivered for $21 - and these days you're lucky to get 3 of just the BASIC value range pizzas delivered for around $30... thats a 50% increase! Prices go up. Honestly we're just lucky they stayed as low as they did for so long. It's also bogus to decry the increase for a 'family of 5' - regardless of how many in your family, the price increase is the same - we've got a uni student saying the price is ok for him - but somehow having kids means that it isn't fair? Whichever way you slice it, the price is reasonable, and long overdue. The increase has culture shocked those who were comfortable in their $99 corner, and its scared a few off for a while... they will return - i assure you.

It's been mentioned before, but for reference, the grassed area isn't owned by the park. It's crown land if i recall correctly, and while the park is able to utilise it for parking when they're full, there's a reason it's grass and not blacktop... they can't build on land that isn't theirs. Extending the front of the park out would then eat much needed parking spaces for the park. Making all that extra space at the front is a waste, when they already have so much space out on Corkscrew's old site to make use of... they need to use the space they've got before they start trying to expand the park into an even bigger sprawl. In addition, the existing front entrance buildings are somewhat iconic, and whilst likely not something that'd qualify for heritage listing, knocking them down is short sighted (renovating the pathways into the park and making better use of whats in the buildings would be a far better step IMO. The monorail is old. The park is doing well to keep it running as much as it does, but it requires a huge investment to bring it back up to today's standards - especially since all the others of similar age and style (Sydney, Jupiters) are being removed. Unfortunately there isn't really a viable replacement option, but with such a sprawling park, removing the only remaining transport ride to get from the front to the back is probably a bad move.

In about a year.

Honestly, its not worth watching a video - no way any recording could capture the entire arena, and without it you're missing a lot. With community month on at the moment - those discounted tickets to AOS would be a score - if you don't qualify - find a friend who does and go along - considering the dinner and drinks included, it's amazing value right now...

that was what i meant. I fully support what you were suggesting in terms of 'using it because it's there' not adding value.

So the question begs to be asked - considering the rig for the helicopter is still (i assume) in existence given the logistics of removing it - what else could they use the 'crane' rig for that would integrate well into the show?

But see Tim... THAT is relevant to the discussion, so its the perfect time to mention it!

Yeah... But who wants to sit in a travel agents office for a week? Doesn't sound like fun to me... certainly not worth $99!!!

Whoa there, hold on - for almost ten years we've decried them giving away the gate. Everyone has said they needed to increase prices - and at the first sign of bad news, youre going to point the finger at the pass changes as if they shouldn't have occurred? The games were a shit time. Weather hasnt helped, and sure, Ma and Pa Bogan couldn't get the kids their $99 annual babysitter this year... so decided a good ol aussie boycott *(with associated badmouthing all over social media) was just the ticket. Unfortunately, with both major properties increasing their prices (well - sort of) there isn't much of an option, and those regular visitors will probably take a year off, before they start drifting back for their fix. Young teen thrill seekers of today have never known a world without the $99 annual pass. Give it a little while and ma and pa will realise its worth the extra cash to get junior out of their hair again. The price will normalise, the people will return. Dont panic and give away the gate like you so often have before - hold firm to your pricing model and they will come.

Pedant.

i was thinking the same thing...

It does sound like a little belt tightening, doesn't it?