DaptoFunlandGuy

Particularly if you pick up the Q4U at Dreamworld (obviously theres no need if it isn't busy). Nev is spot on though - DW has the bigger and the faster, but their capacity on a busy day sucks, and can drain away your whole day in queues if you don't plan well.

This is true, however, the whole thing behind a Disney experience was that the creativity behind it wasn't limited by budgets and shareholders when it was first established. This was the dream from the get-go, the way business was done, and so they're unlikely to change now, and if they do, they'll quickly change back. The same applies for these two groups in Aus. They didn't start out with the dream that Walt did. Like everything else, it was started as an ideal way to make money, and the Shareholders aren't about to sit on an investment that won't make money for 10 years while it gets it's dream realised. They'll dump the stock so fast that the banks will drop them too, and without money, they can't very well build the dream. Stagger it, you say? Sure, but in the meantime, you have to raise prices to compensate for your increased expenditure, and without a full-park offering of quality, people will vote with their wallets for the sake of one attraction, and again, you're back to square one. Most people would say that a higher gate price for a better attraction would be ok - but consider this for a moment: Hypothetically, MW contracts to build Australia's first B&M. It's going to be a world first, unique, one of a kind, never before seen in the world design that will blow your mind. It will be entirely disneyfied - themed to the enth degree with an immersive storyline. Cost is US$100M (So let's just arguably adjust for foreign exchange and say AU$150M for round figures. This is based on the cost of Everest, for example) With an average AU$10M cost per annual "Aussie E-ticket" attraction, thats 15 years at current gate prices before we'd need another. If we're going to make the whole park like that.......? Never happen - couldn't happen. Simple as that.

How Krispy Kremes are made Donut Wiki Interesting though that the american company Krispy Kreme spells it Doughnut though, don't you think? I think the issue here is in the description - Hatter describes what is typically called a cake donut - your typical bakery \ donut king cinnamon styled donut (whether it is actually cinnamon or not). Whereas I am describing a Yeast Donut, typically larger, utilising yeast to make it lighter and fluffier. KK also use Dough, as in Doughnut, as opposed to the Batter that hatter refers to. The problem is that the typical dutch doughnut WAS a yeast donut, and WAS proofed prior to frying (whether you call it a proofing oven, or a proofing box, or just a proofer it doesn't matter. Pie Warmers are also called Pie Ovens, and serve the same purpose - controlled heat and humidity. If we're going to fuss that they don't get as hot as an oven, then kilns shouldn't be called pottery ovens, and Skoda's shouldn't be called cars). Active yeasts don't require proofing, but you still get a better result if you do, as the dough - of any baked product - is less rubbery, more fluffy. Donuts are also not deep fried. The oil pans usually used to cook donuts are several inches deep, but this is only to maintain the oil temperature without the need for constant heating. Donuts can be fried in a frying pan with the same result, and a lot less oil. And FYI - most "bakers" can make what their franchisee tells them to make. And if they are family owned (are there still any out there?) then they've made it the same way their parents did before them, and will only accept their way as the right way regardless of what anyone else does. And FYI - i'm open to there being more than one way to make a donut. Are You? And FYI - depending on the reference that you cite, the origins of a donut aren't known, with several different historical references out there And FYI - these little FYI's are annoying, and condescending, aren't they?

I never said "the only way". I said very few business survive with that mentality. There is going to be an exception or two in any industry who do it differently, and make it work for them. One such company was one I used to work for, who advertised "XXXXXX won't be beaten on price" absolutely everywhere. But the minute an issue with the pricing came up (the major products did not have a price tag), the sales staff were trained to sell "the XXXXXX difference", which included many additional extras that the other guys couldn't offer. Having said that, if the customer walked because they were choosing the cheaper price, the salesperson would still knock the price down, sometimes keeping the extras thrown in, to get the sale and stop it walking out the door. Convenience is another issue as well. Gazza you said you bought an iPod - let's throw back to the days when Apple had price control across all their stockists - would you have bought from the same "fast food" style store? That isn't a straight yes or no - it depends - was there a closer store that stocked it? Easier to get to? Better staff service? Less popular therefore less busy, and therefore quicker to get served? Better returns policy in case something goes wrong? There are some exceptions to what I am saying, but the examples you used of cars, theme parks and hotels doesn't work - because they are industries that get quite competitive, and WILL fiddle the pricing, either on request, or each time their competitor does. No Gazza, I don't think i'm confusing anything. When I referred to the Disney experience, I wasn't talking just about the additional efforts on theming and special detailed touches, that makes the "setting" better, just that you pay a premium for Disney because Disney is a completely different product to Six Flags. It's as simple as the difference between a FUN park and a THEME park. Six Flags is a FUN park. Sure, they theme things reasonably, but nothing is cohesive throughout the park (except the local wildlife and trees). You can't confuse those two products because it's like having a roast chicken versus a roast turkey - there are similarities on first inspection, but very little as your carve further. As to MW and DW, at the moment, the product offering is similar. They both have things for kids, things for teens and adrenalin junkies, and things for adults, parents and the young at heart. There used to be an easy difference between the two parks, but that border is becoming less distinct, and this is why the price wars are going on with them - because people will go to whichever park is cheapest, to get relatively the same experience. Now some would say that since DW is offering something better (eg: no blackouts and 12 months from day of purchase rather than a set expiry), however the issue is that they have made this decision AFTER the consumers have made their purchases at the other guy's gate. And those consumers made that decision because MW was the cheapest offering. It was also a special offer which created an urgency about the purchase. Now that DW is making this offering, I can see some people purchasing both, others purchasing this one who for whatever reason do view DW over MW, but for the most part, a lot of VIP holders will say "we've already got the VIP pass, we don't need another one". Gazza, I think we may need to agree to disagree.

Go back to the original KK store opening in Penrith, NSW, where people camped for weeks waiting for the store to open. Where the hot light did not turn off for 3 MONTHS straight (except for cleaning and oil change). Where the Country express trains leaving Penrith for the City was packed with commuters who had bought SHOPPING TROLLEYS FULL of boxed Dozen original glazed or krispy assorted (and these were people who wouldn't even look sideways at an ordinary donut shop). Where the queues ran round the block, round the clock, and the last 200 metres before the doors were enclosed in those big marquee tents (and still damn cold in the winter) Krispy Kreme - the first donut store with a drive through. And KK are "doughy" - "fluffy on the inside" and "crisp on the outside" umm... hello? KRISPY KREME, not to mention, that you are obviously referring only to the original glazed. Krispy Kreme aren't JUST the original glazed, although, obviously, it is one of their signature products. Try getting a boxed assorted dozen, and i'll bet you find one you like. Devil's Food is my personal favourite, although they did a mint chip one a while back that was Kreme filled, and it came a close second. Also, if you read carefully - I did actually say that the krispy Kreme are fried in oil. THey're just proofed in an oven first to let the dough rise, rather than baking the raw dough. Most bakers will proof a dough before they bake it - or didn't your FYI friends tell you?

Sorry Gazza, but you're still wrong there. Luxury hotels advertise their specials, standby rates, and leftover rooms on wotif.com or readyrooms etc. Luxury cars still have price reductions and sales blitzes. I didn't say there weren't some such examples - and your point about the quality theme parks is one such example that came to mind when I wrote that. However no consumer is going to spend more on something if they can get it someplace else for less. You cannot get the disney experience at Six Flags. It's not just the quality, it's the overall experience. Much as I hate to say it, DW and MW are very similar in experience, that it really does come down to bang for your buck. I once had a client that wanted me to match a price advertised on a product in PERTH (this was in Sydney). The difference? $40. The reason? it was manufactured in Perth. Like I was going to discount it hoping that they wouldn't shell out $200 on an airline ticket to buy something $40 cheaper... but that is the mentality out there, and the consumer rules in the end. If the consumers don't pay, then the supplier either drops the price, or goes bust. Eventually, a low price will sell anything, hence why ebay has so many $1 NR auctions. Consumer rule isn't the only rule, but it's one of the bigguns.

Same reason why McDonalds and Subway charge the same for a Juice as a softdrink, because people will still take the cheaper option. If it is the same price, then the "healthy conscience" will win and buy the healthy option. Better than getting smacked for not offering a healthy option, or charging more for a healthy option altogether.

And so they should. They can't offer an inferior product at twice the price, and expect people to keep pouring through the gates when the competitor is doing it better or cheaper or both! Warner Village starts a price war? Maybe so, but one could draw the line to say DW started it by constructing WWW? They established an offering in direct competition with another of WV's parks, and WV fought back with cost cutting? Focussing on the quality of offerings - rather than slashing prices? There are very few businesses that survive with that mentality. The problem is - it is the consumer that has driven down the pricing, and therefore the quality of the product suffers as well. Don't believe me? How many people do you know that say to a salesperson - in any retail store "is that your best price?" Every business out there now has a price matching policy - from bunnings to officeworks, "if you find a cheaper advertised price elsewhere, we'll beat it by XX% . It is the consumer's fault, nobody else's. As to being temporary - the problem is, if it works, it will stay. so unless these pricing discounts result in poor attendance, poor feedback etc, it will continue. And it won't change straight away either - there will always be a hesitation - should we change it now, or wait a bit more and see if it gets better? - no, this kind of thing is going to go on long after the economy turns around. (and thats only if it isn't already pointing in the right direction, because as I have said before, GFC isn't the all consuming financial monster that the media would have us believe.

And thats because you've been corrupted by the Donut Kings and the local bakeries in Aus who all cook their Donuts by dropping a scoop of raw dough directly into boiling oil. Krispy Kreme have been around a lot longer than that, and they do it the right way - the dough is prepared fresh, and proofed in a moderate proofing oven until the dough has risen. THe dough is then slid into the oil pan, flipped, and then slid out of the oil pan, through the glazer, and voila. If you've ever had a Krispy Kreme fresh out of the oven, THEN and only then, would you know what a real donut tastes like.

Well - the meal combos normally are cheaper than buying everything separately. The soft drink is normally the cheapest thing in the combo (post mix is normally only a few cents per cup), so when you change to a pre-packaged Juice, they have to make money on it, and hence the extra charge.

Alcohol and heavy machinery? I'm all for it guys, but how many people does WVTP employ who hold RSA? And how hard is it going to be to get them all to work the halloween nights? Because all you need is one dumb freak to get sloshed off his nana with a few too many, and somehow make his way into a restricted area after dark and lose his head to a coaster train And Dj, i'm surprised that you of all people would say that WPH&S needs to step back... I would have expected you to be for it "so long as it's safe". Having said that it actually sounds like something I would want to go to this year, so we will see how it ends up.

Space Mountain at DL Cali. for me. I've never experienced matterhorn because it was closed, but a WD Coaster design? Love it. If we're including "experiences" as well as rides, then it would be Mystery Lodge at Knotts.

There are several with Black Angus beef - some marinated, some plain, my favourite would be the bonanza, but the gulf of mexico is a real treat if you like it hot.

But the bush beast isn't that hard on your back, unless you're in the back seat. Well, it hasn't been mentioned so much in this thread, but there have been instances where it's been said...

If you read closely Paul, nobody was knocking planet SOS, just the movie that they have replaced it with.

I think we need another on that list - i've started to notice an explosion of pizza capers stores in our local area. I happened to try their "Bonanza" on barbecue sauce. 9 inch bases (bigger than a PPP) cost $10 - with thick sliced, marinated, certified black angus beef. *homer drool* I'd take them anyday.

Well in my opinion, it's no different to pizza hut express. We should see the typical combo of a personal pan pizza, a side (garlic bread, gems, maybe even a salad???) and a small drink for (excluding the salad - it would cost more) $7.95. If the pizzas are as big as the ones at Pizza Hut Express, then the pizza, along with a small drink, and some form of side should not exceed $10, and if it is WVTP are robbing us blind.

It took me a while to figure out what was wrong with my post up above, and then I realised... So Joz, I'm curious why, after what I think has been a long time with 's name showing in his signature, that me mentioning it in a post needed to be edited out? You guys are the biggest drum beaters for following the employment contract, and you know that this is both an open forum, and one read by management of WVTP - so if you haven't said, or will say, anything that may get you into trouble, why the need to edit the names?

Well you do make some good points, but most retail studies on new launches into the marketplace have generally favoured Sydney being the better indicator of overall market trend. It is also generally considered that it is more likely to succeed in Sydney, and therefore, the owners don't go broke before they establish their first store. I worked with a number of retail chains over the years, and with the exception of two (one which came out of melbourne, and one which came out of brisbane), all started in Sydney. The one that started in melbourne established 12 stores in sydney in the space of a year, and in less than 2 months, Sydney was covering the costs of the entire operation nationwide, including an explosion of advertising across the NRL 12 months later. I had the privilege of managing their flagship store - which happened to be in Penrith, which made more profit in some months than some of the Melbourne stores made in an entire year. The other company from Brisbane was a similar story. And yes, they do wind up operating in most capitals anyway, but Sydney is always going to be the biggest market, and therefore the most diverse demographic to address - you can learn some lessons about what Aussies want, without losing out too much because you will have a part of the population already receptive to what you offer, and while they pay your bills, you can adapt your business to suit the others. You can't do that in some other areas as the demographic isn't as diverse, or as populous. Now I know we are going to drag out the success stories of organisations like Boost Juice etc, and I am not discounting them, nor am I defending Sydney because I used to live there. I am only speaking from the experience I have garnered during my time in retail management. As for Aldi - another chain that started out of Sydney, in a little place called Minchinbury. Part of their business plan is to target high population, low income, high convenience areas, with a gap in the market for a competitor. They have avoided Adelaide and Perth to date because it will be difficult to break into the market, with a smaller population that already has a plethora of choice with Woolworths and Coles. Once their recent marketing campaigns show some promise (Aldi until recently did not advertise on TV), they intend on looking into expansion to the west.

Of course, I attacked him. Other than narrative, my only comment was "please, take them to the gallery" - I can't see how you could consider that an "attack". Don, you are very quick to come to the defensive whenever I make a comment that is in any way negatively geared. I'm going to say no more, because i'm not going to have another underwater biodome discussion, but all I said was that if we were just going to have photos (images), and no thought provoking commentary (discussion) then it would be better that the photos (images) be put into the image gallery, than on a forum, a place for discussion I am fairly confident that Richard's first reply was along those lines, while doing it in a "public relations" way of reminding him "don't forget" rather than an exasperated plea of "go and post the photos in the image gallery as well, so now my servers are hosting the exact same data twice!"

Although, to be fair, I don't think i've ever looked at something in dreamworld and said "oh, what a cool piece of theming..."

So this is purely an image thread? Isn't that what the image gallery is for? I mean, if there were a story to it, or if the images were illustrating a point or displayed to enhance a post, i'm all for it, but just loads upon loads of images? Please, reanimated - take them to the gallery. Although, I haven't attempted any uploads to the gallery for a while, because I found the grouping and coding to be quite time consuming...

I know, but ELM's are still making the rounds, and they'll always have a "special place" for me. Can't wait to see what you've done with the place....

Somebody get me a towel....

Well to be true Bussy, It was Sea Daemon. Used to be between Bounty's and Jousting Ring before the Wildlife Park was built - then it was moved to the site of the old funnel webb, and renamed HMS Endeavour. You will notice it on page four of the 1985 Souvenir Book sold out of the park - on the park map. I'm not going to supply the link, because we all know that the site is banned off the forums. However, given it is relevant, I don't see that there will be any objection, so i'll type it out - www . wonderland history . net / 85sb / (just delete all the spaces)