DaptoFunlandGuy

2020.

I think there's a middle ground. Let's take stock: It is clear from what is happening elsewhere that long-term viability for hydraulic launches just isn't there as more of them have long-downtimes or close altogether It is unlikely they would engage with a third party company for retrofit after TTD We know intamin's retrofit is expensive It may not be in the short term budget there may not be a build slot they can't afford to have another 'scooby' situation where it's down for multiple years. Scoob is out of sight, but Superman smacks you in the front gate. Cobble together a fix that buys you time - keep it running until the build slot is reached So I think an intamin-provided LSM retro is on the cards, but won't be ready for a while. Superman is on an unplanned downtime - so they just need to keep it going a little longer and the parts they've ordered are intended to do just that - buy time - rather than signify any commitment from the park to maintain the hydraulic launch on an ongoing basis.

On the one hand, the calibre of some of the shows they list in their projects is high, and therefore promising, but on the other, the website is absolute dogshit and there's very little information about the work they actually did on those shows. Yeah they also produced shows for Sunway lagoon. Many of their productions are middle east and asia. Looking closely, the 'lion king' show they feature doesn't look like it's Disney... I think there's a balance to be had here - PASS did the audience participation very well. It introduced the show slowly, allowing stragglers to take their seats while some of the character building was done. For those selected, it was a special experience (I was picked in 1994), but additionally it gave the illusion of the audience plant 'Rodney' being 'just another guy'. Once chosen though, the 'recruits' were briefed by 'Proctor' quietly while 'Harris' continued to play to the crowd with further exposition. HWSD lets this down because it drags on too long. The 'director' first has to choose everyone, and then the crowd sits around while those people make their way to the filming spots and react for the camera, all happening live. it's too slow, especially after the show already kicked off with high energy vehicle action. It's the innovator vs. the imitator. ETA: This is one of their shows out of China - and it's very HWSD-esque. Still donuts, still drifting, but promising with the inclusion of other stunts too.

Looks like the minister has finally deigned to get involved... apparently at the request of King Tom himself...

I mean credit where it's due - they've lost an attraction unexpectedly and they've stood up another in it's place. I had assumed that they weren't opening west due to the noise issues they have at night, but if they're opening it as a sub for superman, this doesn't wash - which does make me think they should have had it open from the beginning then...

I'm leaning towards a new show in the stunt arena, but with the overblown puffery we've had from the park in the past 'new entertainment offering' could easily just be a new character appearance with a new background...

With all the other accelerators around the world going down or getting retrofitted, I'm wondering how long Superman has left.

Yeah thats the spot. pretty sure the old buildings were HWSD service facilities as the EVOs were stored out there a lot of the time. Pretty sure the new building was intended for float storage or something - it's got a pretty high clearance. I had thought they'd build that next to the service facility on the grass (I haven't been to the park in a while) but Skeets image shows they replaced one with the other so the effects \ pyro area looks like it's still intact for now.

Is it still possible though? Didn't they build a big shelter \ workshop right out behind the arena where the effect systems were?

it was - as a fully electric and disability accessible attraction.

Wasn't that on the book last year?

No, people are getting excited that the care and attention the current management have given the park is having a positive effect on the bottom line which in turn will encourage them to show more care and attention to the park.

Another example of using an effect ' because it was there ' - pretty certain the fireball effect was the same effect used when the helicopter crashed in PASS. Yeah it was the lower door being referenced here - As Shack said - in later iterations, the brick wall was replaced by what looked like a vinyl sheet with an image printed on it. Which would still be fine except the sheet wasn't attached to anything (not even velcro) at the bottom so it would blow back and forth in the breeze, ruining the finale effect (and also providing a view backstage where one could see the car staging into position before the end)

100%

Except, of course, as we all know, the decision to switch doomsday to neutered B-mode was entirely and exclusively due to guest feedback. /s

i've been 3 times - only when there's been a new show i've been interested in. The earlier shows were better than the later ones, IMO. When you design an arena to suit a specific show and storyline, and then you change the show, elements of the old show remain - like the homestead and the helicopter. The same thing happened with HWSD - the little italian streets are now apparently just a city street for some bogans in utes. I'd love to see them completely redesign the show from the ground up rather than finding new ways to use the same house, helicopter, quad bike jump, etc.

Nobody is disputing that. What's your point?

Correct me if i'm wrong, but Universal didn't do a deal with Warner Bros - the deal was between Universal and JKR. While theoretically possible - the standards required for Wizarding World related attractions would be out of MWs budget. I love the idea, but the world of HB simply lacks relevance. I'm pretty sure the last Flintstones movie was 2000. The Jetsons was 1990. The only HB IP that have any level of recency is Scooby Doo, Smurfs and Tom and Jerry. And the park has 2 out of 3. Not sure they'd get the modern take on Smurfs as that's a Sony\Columbia production, and i'm not sure the cartoons would hold up today against that modern look.

Like that would ever stop them. Like any external group, they'd have a contract. the contract could be up.

I'm pretty sure the DCR painting got postponed last year because Superman shit the bed and they wanted DCR back online to fill the hole. So the locker upgrades got put on hold. This doesn't mean they've abandoned the idea... (although it doesn't mean they haven't either - if the money allocated for it in last year's budget got spent elsewhere, and they didn't allocate funds for this year, then it's stalled indefinitely.

The current stable arrangements are untenable, and unsafe. I've had animals in these facilities and the upgrades are overdue. Moving animals into the arena via the current vomatorium is alsodangerous as it is a major thoroughfare for crowds moving from gregory terrace to access the train, the parking station and the precinct on the north side of the arena. The multi-storey stables are part of the arena upgrade to machinery hill, which means arena animals can be kept within the arena envelope and not have to shut down accessways \ block patrons in the middle of the event. While we're on the topic of arena upgrades - the current disability access is fucking woeful - something that has long been fobbed off on the basis of legacy or historic excuses, while the RNA sold off parcels of land for development without bringing its main facilities up to modern standards. These changes are also well overdue and about fucking time. Look, I personally like the idea of building a new purpose built venue like they did in Sydney. The main issue with that is that many of the facilities the RNA has here are heritage listed - so even if you move RNA to a new home, you can't do much with the heritage buildings that remain. QGOV has committed to keeping the Ekka here and they've committed to upgrading it, so its a done deal. They're going to make more efficient use of the north eastern facilities around the arena, which allows them to condense some older facilities that are no longer suitable and turn those old facilities into housing, which - in case anyone hasn't been paying attention - is sorely needed across the country. It's not the outcome I would have preferred, but it all makes sense.

I think what you meant to say is that they’ll shoot themselves in the foot if they take the Village Roadshow approach

Now you've gone and done it.

The RNA did this to their own grounds. The Ekka deserves its fate.

Not necessarily. This isn't a refurb. this is an entirely new ride. There's no guarantees it commences testing and they have problems. I'd suggest until Mack hands over to the park they're staying quiet. Once it's handed over, they'll start shouting it loudly - and in the meantime it can have a few weeks of technical rehearsals prior to an official opening to train staff without setting guest expectations too high. At least I hope that's what they do and not have a grand opening on boxing day with minimal staff trained and a line going back to WWF...