DaptoFunlandGuy

I think that suggestion is about 26 years too late.

I think the all-day lockers are a little more than $9 now. Don't think any of them sell bum bags - and they won't do you much good on the rides where they have lockers etc. A backpack is more useful.if you're going to carry things around. There's no benefit to having a bumbag as the loose items rules won't allow it on anyway. If you're the kind of people who can drop all their stuff in a locker, and then go riding for an hour or two without needing to go back - then do that. All-day lockers may not be the best value (as only some rides REQUIRE it) but they are secure, and you're not hauling crap around all day. If you're the kind of people who need to constantly dive into your bag for a drink smoke whatever - then take a bunch of gold coins, and be prepared to spend time at the lockers at Sea World and Movie World. Dreamworld doesn't really require it much at all, unless you don't want to get them wet on the water rides. The alternative is if someone isn't the 'go-getter' everyone else is you can tag-team with someone minding the bags. You will however need a locker at Wet N Wild for your valuables at the very least (although your towel is usually safe on a sun lounge around the wave pool). You can get splash cash wristbands at the outlets and then can use the band to pay for and open the locker, however there are coin operated lockers in the bank i think second to last on the way towards Mammoth River, which means anyone can open it with the combination, rather than needing the same person wearing the wristband to open it up everytime. Enjoy the parks!

Some animals NEED to breed in order to keep them healthy. An elephant for instance MUST have a mate, and together, they're going to try breeding naturally, whether you like it or not. So captive breeding be-damned. An animal bred in captivity doesn't know any different to what it means to be in the wild - like a dog or a cat - this is the only reality they know... The point of blackfish is all of the Whales were captured from the wild. Few of them (None of the ones with problems)were bred in captivity... An animal that is rescued, and is able to swim, interact, play in the water with guests, but is unable to defend itself in the wild means it's better at Sea World in a safe environment where it has the best food and veterinary care, protection from predators, and all the while at the same time raising funds (through ticket and merchandise and animal encounters) to support more rescue and rehab at the animal hospital. Nobody is crying over Alma Park or Australia Zoo... why are marine animals different? So it's ok to lock them up if they're the last ones? You can't have your cake and eat it too - if the animal is land or water, endangered or plentiful, beautiful or ugly - why do any of these factors matter as to whether you're 'comfortable' with it. You're either ok with captivity for wild animals or not....

I think you're a bit off mark Jeffrey. Just based on timing (I believe this was a proposal around 9900), closure was 5 years off... unlikely.

I'd suggest creating a 'keep it open' petition and accompanying facebook page, but the apathy of most would mean it wouldn't go far. What has been said above is pretty much spot on. As most of you know, I have a close friend who has been VERY involved with the dolphins for a long time, and they are the first person to call one of the dolphins 'lazy' - but with every word spoken you can see how much love and compassion and care he has for those animals. Nobody can say these animals are kept in 'pools'. Nobody can say any of the animals have food withheld as punishment. And although it may not always have been the way, Sea World's current program only sees animals bred in captivity, or those injured and unable to re-enter the wild within the park. I just wish we could find whoever was behind this petition, and slap them upside the head with a 2Kg frozen trout... repeatedly.

But that's dangerous - replacing an old favourite that has lost some popularity with something similar??? Won't most people get tired of it almost as quickly when they realise it's just Reef Diver 2.0?

Headline reads: Giant Monster Terrorises Southport Best photo angle ever. Anyone have any idea what the large purple thing with a hole in it is? I can't see it in any of the other shots

Yeah I get that - but we've got all these e-tickets with capacity sub-par to a portaloo at soundwave, and all these old-school flats that just don't pull a crowd... its a shame that they're ripping out these big capacity rides because they've lost popularity, while at the same time installing all these 'big-wow poor-capacity' substitutes. Eventually, they'll get to a point where you won't get a ride on most things you want to ride without a Q4U... even on quiet days.

^The unfortunate reality of that, though - is that these low patronage flats have better capacity than some of the Big 47.

LOL. I'm sorry I didn't mean that to come off like an attack - it was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek. Yes you do make positive observations, and I don't mean to spin a negative into a positive - but it just seems to be a shit list most of the time. I'll be the first person to bag Dreamworld for poor operations - but when you're looking at staffing - of course you're going to have merch staff on board - thats where you increase your per cap - not on rides! And you've said people are queueing and complaining about queueing, but you're also saying rides are cycling half empty... it doesn't make sense that the two occur at the same time... Again, i'm sorry - re-reading it was worded a bit harshly - i wasn't on the attack, it just seems you always seem to have the worst bloody day at the parks (regardless of the positives) and I wanted to jokingly say that perhaps it would be better if you stopped going...

Yep thats where i got the text from in my post yesterday - but can't access facebook at work to link it!

Sounds like a 'premium member video'

Correct me if i'm wrong but I don't believe Claw can run with one operator, due to the safety system requiring both to press simultaneously to begin the cycle? Of course that can be re-wired, but last I checked, the opposite ops booth was still manned. Wyn - I don't think you should return to the parks anymore. It doesn't matter which park you go to, all you ever come back with is negative experiences, and nitpicky little flaws. You're saying it seems like Wonderland, but where all rides are dispatching half full or with no wait times, how many staff should they have on? How much money should they waste? Sure, i'm just as much an advocate for saying if the park is open, then everything should be open, but at the same time, smart business sense suggests you're not going to be in business long if you keep pouring money down a wages black hole, and having them all sit around waiting for someone who wants to ride. As for concessions like hair braids or sketches, whilst i'm not aware of the actual arrangements, I know from my experience at Wonderland that stalls like that are usually external contractors working within the park's boundaries, so the expenses for them aren't costed to the park, and they'll open every day to try and earn an income. This would ring true given only a couple of food outlets were open (which you usually have a much higher margin on and would want to make as much money as you can)

Nobody's interested in Wild anymore by the sounds of it.

TBH I always thought it was a HUSS and never bothered to look any closer. It will be interesting to see whether Dreamworld have plans for the StingrayReefDiver area already, or whether it's just another block of land inside the park's boundaries that will sit and rot - like Skylink and Eureka.

Each experience has it's pros and cons. I'm not sure which one I preferred to be honest - but i think ToTII has the edge as the reversed launch permits the lighting special effects that give it that little extra in the experience.

The billboard at the park never named it - just said: "DROP BY... <picture of screaming cartoon face> Everyone will hear you scream COMING SOON The world's most thrilling ride, the only one in the southern hemisphere" it was set on a tiny piece of grass all dressed up inside a brick garden bed near lakeside. It would have been a nicely placed attraction, and a great experience...

True, although most USA parks with seasonal operation do so because of the colder climates, and I daresay a lot of their staff might moonlight on the Ski-Fields in winter - that isn't as practical over here for Western Sydney employees... firstly because they're too far away from the ski fields, and secondly because it isn't as big of an industry over here.

Ok - i think we're done with Wild West Falls now. Can we go back to Wild?

Re: turbines, see: cyclone queue ToTII queue TOTII ride experience (in front of you before launch) TOTII exterior theming (tunnel exit near GD0 Shockwave exterior theming Any i missed?

I think the only reason we got onto WWF was because it was put forward that the land at MW being what it is would be better suited to multiple flats (puke). I don't think anyone really wants to see that go as almost every response to that suggestion was in the negative. I also don't think MW needs to expand through the ShowStage (but they do need to do something with it!!!) and there is plenty of room in the 'Wild West' for small footprint attractions to 'round out' the area.

More likely, they were too cheap to have an artist draw a 'map for DW' a 'map for WWW' and a 'map for both' so they've just taken the two standalone images and placed them side by side... An uniced cake is likely to be a dry block of bread-like substance. Its edible, it has taste, but theres no 'wow'. Its subsistence, not extravagance... Hence the expression 'thats the icing on the cake' - it's what really 'makes' your day. I hear your point about not noticing the theme for Shockwave - part of that may be because it wasn't important to you, but part of that was because they did a piss-poor job at theming it (painted woodchips anyone?). Take a look at Aussie World's Redback (a similar model from the same manufacturer) and you'll see some great theming, with a full lighting-package included. All this from a third-rate park trying to improve itself. but compare shockwave to batwing (which I'll admit is one of MW's most poorly themed rides). We still have 'bat-vehicles' around, and in alignment with the justice league compound, it's not hard to visualise you're in 'superhero' area... green lantern, JL3d, Superman - even Arkham around the corner with Batman standing atop of it... Even though the area straddles main street and the fountain, it's still a clear 'superhero' zone. My only disappointment in MW's theming is that you exit 'Spooky Island's Spooky Coaster' in a western area. I would have loved if Boot Hill was made into more of a tropical island feel on one side (similar to the scenes on the Quad Bike in the movie), with the associated western area still reflected on the other side - maybe divided by a hedge or other thick bush. That said, on the topic of MW's theming - it is obvious effort has been put into the blank wall blocking chinatown off from Main Street, as the panels are aligned matching with the bank - but it's still just a blank wall - even Sea World's 'green bush' wraps on their construction fences had more effort put in. I realise the gates are in use and all - but can't they turn that blank wall into something more? Even just a perspective wall, like the Western Saloon or Perspective Alley - just a mural that fits with the rest of the area would have been nice...

This has got to be the smartest idea i've ever seen them come up with - get your money before you see the place.... sounds smart to me... once you see it, you're unlikely to spend money...

Make up your mind. I'll take your first unsolicited statement - that only SOME areas are themed. How is a zombie invasion suited to an Ocean themed area? How is an Oil Rig suited to... I don't even know what area it's supposed to be in now. ***********BREAKING NEWS****************** Even Dreamworld have given up - There is no 'Ocean Parade' anymore. The park map shows three categories - World of Thrill, World of Family and World of Kids (plus Tiger Island and Corroborree). Dreamworld Park Map And nobody can argue that those are 'themed areas' as Shockwave, Ogre-Go-Round, Thunder River and Vintage Cars are in the 'World of Family' section, despite being in 4 different sections of the park. It's official - Dreamworld is no longer a theme park. Based on these ' Worlds ' you could sell tickets based on whether you're riding 'thrill' 'family' or 'kids' and sell wristbands like Luna Park Sydney: Unlimited Rides Pass - Yellow (130cm+) Unlimited Rides Pass - Green (106-129cm) Unlimited Rides Pass - Red (85-105cm)

We've been over this many times - but on that basis - Luna Park Melbourne would be classed as a theme park. Dreamworld having 'some themed areas' does not make it a theme park. Having 'all themed areas' would.