DaptoFunlandGuy

It's funny you should use that as an argument on why they should have gotten rid of it sooner - put it this way: The PASS first performed in the hey-day of the show, and remained popular with guests for some 17 years. Now the franchise itself probably waned a little in popularity by 2000-2001, but the show itself was still solid, had great backing and a great script, and a solid bedding in the history of the park, and the performances were still filled to the rafters right up to the last day. Now that it is "too late" because the "popularity of these possible shows" have passed means that that in itself is a good reason on why they should not have changed it. Because whatever they changed it to would have expired long before now. Basing the show around a series of long running, long popular 7 episode movies based on a central theme gave plenty of ammunition, and a diverse demographic. I grew up with the police academy movies, rented at least one of them out every weekend when I was a kid, and now own the full boxed set. Kids younger than me would have been introduced to it by their older siblings, and parents would also remember the movies as it would have been a big cult icon for them when they were younger too. For a lot of kids\teens in the 80's it was their first movie with full frontal female nudity, because mum and dad would let you watch it as a family movie. These days that kind of gratuitous nudity would carry an MA rating. I also believe it is great that the movies provided so much ammunition. Captain Harris on stage had a lot of ammunition to use in his introduction, and he was allowed to make off the cuff remarks while remaining in character because he had 7 movies to draw his inspiration from. I have come home from MW some days to pull out one of the movies just to look up the statement he made on stage that day and check to see if his facts were right - and they always were. Those guys would live the characters, and would have seen every one of the movies over and over again. What possible franchise is out there that would allow the actors to immerse themselves so well into character? Please point out to me one possible show that movie world could have changed the stunt show to in all its years of operation that could have possibly had a remote chance at the success that PASS enjoyed? Having said that, I think Movie World making the change to a generic theme is dangerous in some aspects, but great in some others. A generic theme means they won't be restricted to certain characters, and can change the act as it becomes necessary. They don't have to live up to any certain expectations, except of course the memory of PASS itself. I saw it happen at Wonderland too - the Action Man stunt show was written in based on the story and allowed no flexibility to change. Fortunately for Wonderland - that show didn't need to run nearly as long.

Well no there hasn't been a movie, but a 27 episode long TV series was made by some of the original cast and crew. Police Academy: The Series first aired in 1997, and featured Tackleberry's younger siblings, and returned Michael Winslow as Larvelle Jones. Paul Maslansky returned for a short time as executive producer, having worked on EVERY police academy movie ever made. For a bit of trivia, lets see who can guess this one, just to keep the thread going a bit longer. The PASS lasted for over 17 years. Which characters lasted throughout all of the Police Academy movies and featured in each one? a: Captain Harris, Commandant Lassard, Kerry Mahoney b: Lieutenant Hightower, Captain Harris, Sergeant Tackleberry c: Sergeant Jones, Sergeant Tackleberry, Commandant Lassard d: Captain Callahan, Sergeant Hightower, Lieutenant Proctor I also want to point out how amazing it was for the cast and crew to pull out the movies as fast as they did. There was very little in the way of special effects for usage back then, especially for the kind of movies that they were, so for the most part, all of the action, stunts etc were all done the old fashioned way, by blowing stuff up. The first movie was released in 1984. Another sequel was then released each year thereafter until 1989 when Police Academy 6: City Under Siege was released. 6 episodes in 6 years is amazing. They followed it up with Episode 7 in 1994, 5 years later.

Thanks Gazza, While I didn't research it, I made the presumption that it would be a nicktoon, as it sounded like half of the crap you already see on Nickelodeon already. It was just me taking the p!ss out of the show, the storyline, the network, the viewers and the suggestion as a thematic element. 5 in one paragraph... nice eh?

The park's management itself could also be good. I know WVTP own the park, however looking back at Wonderland, and the number of owners it had, in the fire sale, they were still clearing a lot of memorabilia, and old video tapes from the first seasons. It is possible that the park itself maintains copies. I'm sure there would be some form of recourse for you to contact them with your story.

The unfortunate fact of life is that regardless of how you tell them, those who are incapable of properly constructing a sentence in a forum style, rather than chat, instant messenger or txting, are victims of the modern world, and a poor school system, and rather than recognise the message for what it is, it will usually boil down to aggressiveness or defensiveness on their part due to the lack of education and proper schooling. But I digress, and this discussion has not only been done before, it also belongs in a different topic. On this topic, It is a good filler attraction. We all talked about WBMW a year or two ago, when batwing was announced. A low budget attraction that came with a difference, a year after a new coaster had been unveiled. It is an attraction to "fill the gap" between coasters. A low expenditure (comparatively speaking of course) attraction to bring crowds in who have tired of the last attraction, and need a reason to come back, without the park spending millions on a new coaster every year. (much as we would like them to). It is a smart move by Dreamworld (who woulda thought?) and while it is a Nick Central attraction, I have a feeling its unique experience will draw the bigger kids too (like Reptar). I've seen this style of attraction at the royal shows, but never felt like paying $6 pr $7 a ride, especially when the last time I saw it I was on a photo shoot for the Royal Easter show and snapped quite a few pictures of it broken down and leaking copious amounts of hydraulic fluid. I guess so long as dreamworld's maintenance doesn't make a similar mistake in their upkeep , i'll get the opportunity to ride it now.

I am at a loss as to what you are referring to - Scenic world has only 4 attractions, or 5 if you count the counterweight discussion. Scenic Railway Scenic Skyway Sceniscender and of course Orphan Rocker (under construction ) Since both Railway and Sceniscender are the only ones that transport from the clifftop to the valley, I presume it is the sceniscender you are referring to. As far as it being pointless, there are a number of attractions that you could term pointless, right around the world. The railway certainly did "do the job" but it is an archaic system, that drives straight through the cliff face and takes seconds to complete. It is certainly a fast way of getting down the mountain but as far as perspective, you leave the station, go near vertical (or at least it feels that way) before shooting out of the mouth of the man-made cave seconds before arriving at the lower station, where you have a momentary thought of "will we stop before the end of the track?". The sceniscender on the other hand provides riders with a unique sense of flying - The gondola departs the station by leaping off the launch platform, and gently gliding down into the valley, providing many with the opportunity to take a unique photograph of the Blue Mountains from a perspective many never have before. It is a more technologically advanced ride, which would no doubt allow for far easier maintenance and control. Guest comfort is also a plus, where on the railway you could frequently get rained on, with only thin shadecloth as protection, and open sides of the car, where the propensity for injury is high, given there is only a weak plastic chain, more for show than protection to stop people attempting to leave the car. The sceniscender is completely secured by the operator, meaning less possibility for injury, and therefore lawsuits. Having another way to make it into the valley is also helpful. If maintenance is required on either attraction, visitors can still venture down to the floor without taking the staircase. Another plus is that visitors can enter the valley by the railway, tour the boardwalks of the valley and leave using the sceniscender, meaning that the entire tour of the valley is conducted downhill, and therefore more accessible for the less mobile or elderly. Lastly, it provides for the operators of Scenic world and those who maintain and construct the valley floor attractions a far easier way to get equipment and supplies to the floor to maintain those attractions. It would also be much easier to evacuate in case of injury or illness on the sceniscender with a fairly level floor and open space, rather than the individual seating and cramped cabin of the railway. Have I shown enough POINTS as to why the Sceniscender is not POINTLESS? Insofar as you say that the railway is more superior - well thats an opinion, and each person is entitled to their own. The railway is a classic katoomba attraction, just like the skyway, but the skyway was recently updated, replaced with a gondola more accomodating to the modern guest, just like the sceniscender itself. The railway is fairly restrictive, and would not allow for similar modernisation simply because the railway was designed to haul coal up the mountainside, rather than Japanese tourists, and there are size, height and width restrictions on changing it, not to mention the historical significances. I fail to see how it could be "superior" as each attraction is designed with different merits - the railway on "how they used to do it", to immerse you in the history of the attraction, and the sceniscender on "travelling in style and convenience". Could you expand more on what you mean by Superior so that I might better understand what you mean?

Dont forget the cyclone... Oh and while you're at it - DON'T FORGET WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BLOODY NICK CENTRAL AND NOT OCEAN PARADE - nit wit. I'm struggling to find just one cohesive idea there... let me see... Nightmares.. ok so were... woops hang on - next line... Bumper boats - ok so we're in ocean parade... yep sounds like it - RC speedboats is on the same track... Unless they go to get rid of the swings - wait thats in Nick Central... weren't we in Ocean parade? So now we're talking about some firelord sozen - now either thats a reject from the power rangers, or you are too young to be surfing the net alone... and yet you claim to be in high school. We're also talking about Avater, or is it Avatar? you've spelled it differently both times. What kind of name is that anyway? You want Avatar? Its the little picture on the top left of my post. It's a roller coaster, and since you can't be over 5, you wouldn't recognise the coaster - so to help you out - heres a link to the database - Its a Roller Coaster - something people ride when they get older. This one is a Wooden one, bet you didn't know they made those? This one specifically closed 4 years ago, around the time you were learning to talk. Don't worry, i'm sure you will learn to use the english language a little better over the next year of primary school \ state school \ preperatory school \ whatever they call it in the state you're from.

The problem is the majority of Nickelodeon movies out there appeal to those sub-primary school. You're talking an adventure ride in the likes of wild west, scooby doo, etc... You're not getting most 7 year olds on it, and that would be the target demographic of that kind of theming... With the exception of intellectual retards in Junior Highschool that still idolise Spongebob (for girls, its cute... for guys its just complete idiocy.) It would appear as a childrens ride, and you would not get your main demographic riding it - so that kind of attraction would be a white elephant. Don't get me wrong, i'm not trumpeting thrills and all that jazz. I know a park needs a good mix of rides, what I am saying is that you can take something like say - Scooby Doo - a movie that appeals to most age groups, theres the cartoonish aspect for the kids, the double entendre for the adults, the token gorgeous gals to get the teenage boys hooked, and the spunky buff guys to hook the teenage girls, and you've got a well rounded movie that appeals to all age groups. Shrek is similar - the kids don't get the adult jokes, and love the kids aspect that it is set in a fairy tale land. The adults enjoy the double entendre, The teen boys go for the dirty jokes, and the teen girls go for the love story. Both of these movies lead the way into a well themed attraction that people of all ages will flock to. Wild Thornberry's are assimilated with the Rainforest Rampage a ride that by dreamworld's own description is Not the kind of thing I can see anybody going into over the age of about 8 unless they're watching a younger sibling. The only possible thing that dreamworld could do would be to theme like Wild West is - no specific franchise to attach to it, just a well themed, good quality ride. Now first - we need to consider well themed - even if the theming IS done well, which is a stretch at the best of times for dreamworld, it will not be maintained and fall to pieces in a few years, so forget the well themed part. Now we consider good quality - all you have to do is take a look at the history of dreamworld to see what will happen there - and again due to the maintenance as i've already said, anything OF decent quality won't last long. Dreamworld should stick to bought-off-the-shelf thrills with as little to maintain as possible, because they're not going to spend the money to keep it running at top notch. They should also stop going for the record-holders, because record holders are usually one of a kind, which also means more difficult to maintain as the parts are usually a lot harder to come by. The only record holder i'd like to see them go for is a woodie - because while it would be a bitch to maintain, it would be good to have another woodie around.

At first I thought it was another teacups. The mechanics on it would be really interesting. Reasonable footprint, good solid ride, suitable for the kiddies but still fun enough for the big kids... thats a reasonable ride you found there Gazza. I realise its Zamperla, but is it available? As in the design isn't a custom for Disney\Pixar? wI know it would need to be themed another way, because Cars would be out of the question... what could you theme it to? Animaniacs? Pinky and the Brain? Animaniacs would be good - you could even do the turntables with each of their faces on... that'd just freak me out - yakko wacko and dot all spinning around in front of me...

Well it DID expand last year.....?

And by doing so, would once again make themselves out to appear copycat. Dreamworld are the ultimate imitator, while Movie World are the innovators. The problem lies with immersive theming. Movie World can pick a movie off the shelf, theme a ride to it, and it is already immersive because the plotline and story are well known, so it doesn't have to be sold. Dreamworld on the other hand have no franchises other than wiggles, nickelodeon and big brother. Unfortunately, this doesn't leave much to theme with. Dreamworld are better doing what they do which is throwing mediocre dollars at mediocre attractions and hyping them up to make it better than it is.... and then poorly maintaining them until they need to be removed. ***Make it last at least a minute? Cycle times of most of the flats in the major parks go for at least triple that. Bermuda is about 6 or 7 minutes... a more realistic timeframe would be good. Something going for a minute - geez... immersive theming? more like McDonalds drive thru (although it's rare those guys hit 1 minute either).

I wasn't referring to the topic in general, just Shadows last post as it seemed very very disrespectful. I understand his position, can see what he meant and retract most of what I said, so long as there is no screaming on the batwing - it is a moment of silence after all. There is a difference between extended trade in a screamworld style event, where the rides have already been inspected, some staff are already at the park and can double shift\extend shift it. For Utopia at Wonderland I would start at about 12 or 1pm, and go all the way through to close, thereby maximising the park staff with similar working arrangements. The difference between a screamworld and a 4.5hour Anzac day trade is that the cost of operating for just 4.5 hours, rather than a 7ish hour standard trade, a short closure and then a reopening for another 4ish hours is massive. The maintenance expense on a screamworld day would be cheaper, because the rides would operate for over 11 hours on the one inspection, as opposed to 4.5 hours operation on the exact same cost. Same costs to inspect the rides, lower operation time, lower income to be made. Staffing wise, most awards covering the themepark \ hospitality would dictate a minimum 5 hour shift. Most staff would make this extra half hour with arrival\start times before the park opened, but the parks generally need relief staff, and so would be "overstaffed" with their regular contingent, and so are faced with two choices - have the staff required to cover shift relief, OH&S breaks etc, or understaff to reduce their wages, and pay the price in capacity, and of course the reduced staff means fewer outlets, stalls etc open, and therefore less money again. If you really don't understand this, and want me to do the math on it - say so and i'll lay it all out for you in an easy to understand way.

Heartless, unpatriotic, immature, and completely inappropriate. The values we have out there in society today disgust me. If you have no dignity, no respect for those who fought and died for the country that we have today, fine. You are entitled to your own opinions and views but a blatant disrespect for those diggers is offensive, and I would hope you feel very ashamed for that comment. In regards to dreamworld; The cost of operating the attractions even for a shorter period that day, coupled with the fact that the park would not receive as many guests as they would on a weekend simply because of the trading hours reduction (which by the way is a LAW, not just a choice by the parks to operate for half a day), means that the park cannot operate with a reduced entry fee. If you aren't happy with the same fee for reduced hours, don't go. The park obviously cannot sustain the operations of the park without the full price admission fee.

At the going down of the sun, we will remember them.

Even Wonderland did this on ANZAC day. No other place closes later just because they open later to "keep the customer happy". My local westfield opens at 1:30pm and closes at 4. That's two and a half hours - I feel sorry for the employers that have to pay their staff a minimum of 5 hours at public holiday rates and only getting half the time out of them. I also feel sorry for those employees who for the sake of two and a half hours - have to go to work. Point is - let's not make this out like its big bad macquarie leisure cashing in - Just because MW decided to stay open a little later, doesnt mean its Macquarie who is the greedy one... MW is just as greedy - staying open longer to get more money through the turnstiles and in the cash registers. (and I just want to point out here before I get flamed, I am an avid WVTP supporter, and am not usually in favour of DW... im just trying to be unbiased here)

I don't think this is going to generate much discussion, but I just thought I would point out that Sea World is featuring in a new NRMA commercial. For those who haven't seen it yet, basically it is an NRMA guy pulling over to provide assistance to people - A guy bringing newspapers into a newsagency by the bundle, A couple trying to set up a tent at a camp site, A family struggling with luggage outside a travelodge, and then diving into Dolphin Cove and launching into the air with two dolphins? Now the travelodge and sea world appears to be a bit of a shameless cross-promotion. The travelodge kinda ties in with him providing "roadside assistance" and "h-e-l-p", and they spend a few seconds on JUST the travelodge logo. They spend a few seconds on the Sea World logo as well, but I don't see a tie-in with a guy being launched into the air by two dolphins as being anything to do with the commercial's catch phrase of "here to help". I mean its always good to get the parks exposure - the more people go, the more money the park has to spend on improving the park, but it seems like a subliminal message to go to queensland, stay at travelodge, and visit sea world....? (and buy a local newspaper about a guy who killed himself trying to set up a tent at a local campsite) Open for Discussion...

Good way to go through tyres quickly

It's been done. another good youtube search is RCT BOWLING

Gazza, much as I hate to admit it, I do understand that sentence. As in i've identified something that makes you jealous, so I say "jealous much?" Of course, Pixel omitted the ? at the end of the statement, but essentially he's saying one of two things: 1) it was a good piece of investigative journalism, and you should be commended by your peers and fellow reporters within the industry for such super-sleuthiness 2) it was crappy sensationalistic "report it because it's there, make it up if it isn't" current affairs style trollop that isn't fit to be called journalism, and at best qualifies for mildly entertaining material to have the fun poked at it by numerous satirical news\comedy shows such as Chaser or Good News Week. Now maybe i'm just taking a dig at Channel 7, or maybe a dig at pixel, I don't know (by the way option 1 was intended to be incredibly sarcastic... just for those slow ones out there that would believe it) But to answer your question he made a poor attempt at likening you to the television sitcom known as Today Tonight.

Yes, I believe someone did think that.... My last post before this one was one of exasperation, as I had given the most simplistic (and most likely correct) answer (Winter setting) and had some dousch claim he called the park where some most likely junior relations cast member told him the innermost workings of a fault in one of their attractions... so I proceeded to pick it to absolute pieces, and am currently awaiting a response.

I think I said in my original TPR that Rock N Roll Rebel was a highlight. I think I praised it enough before, so all i'll say is 'nuff said.

The best coaster I have ever ridden, despite all of the new technological marvels and new rides out there, Space Mountain CA Disneyland, with it's original Carnival De Animeaux theme music. For me thats perfection, and I don't think i'll ever see it surpassed. A score derived from a commercial track, and mixed nicely with some "for the ride" guitar just made it perfect.

Its odd, though, Movie World especially, but most theme parks, won't generally discuss the inner workings of their attractions, especially if theres a possibility of a fault, and especially since anybody answering the phone at movie world isn't going to have much of an idea when it comes to the technical operation of a flume ride, seems to me that that statement is either complete crap, or an uneducated guess made by a junior guest relations member who doesn't have a clue. Besides this, it would appear to me that a sensor on the bottom of the track, that can be triggered by weight, and the weight of a lot of water running down the chute is enough to trigger it off prematurely sounds very unreliable, and not the kind of thing you expect out of a very expensive attraction. Unpredictability is certainly one thing the designers would have preferred not to include. Who cares how long it takes for the gondola to go up the lift hill? The Turntable at the top is going to wait for the boat to arrive and stage before it revolves - or else you have a safety issue - so the lift hill "delay" is out. The turntable is then going to spin around, at which point a sensor, either by timing with the turntable or otherwise is going to trigger the doors. Now it IS possible that there is a pressure sensor on the turntable - but considering water doesnt make it that far up, theres no possibility that that could be triggered by anything other than a gondola. I can't see the designers of multi million dollar attractions using something like an underwater pressure\weight sensor, that has so many variables, to set off the attraction's finale effect, when the rest of the attraction utilises an infra-red beam sensor to detect the gondolas. It's just not going to happen. Free-motion gondolas (those not "connected" to a track) just can't use PLC's. The effects on Looney Toons River Ride are also triggered by infra-red beams (watch the walls and look just above the water line just before every effect is triggered) The fountains on Snowy were the same - Infrared sensors placed above the water line, whose beam is broken by the side of the gondola triggers the fountains. Winter setting meant they triggered earlier\later to avoid soaking you, Summer meant the timing was spot on to get as much water in the boat as possible. Free Motion Gondolas are not going to be monitored (because remember, not only are these things used to start and stop effects - they also maintain the safety of the ride by keeping safe gaps) by things as unreliable as a pressure sensor that only needs a little extra water to wash over it to fail. More likely, someone is talking out his ass. Next you will be telling me that scooby doo's coaster cars have fire sensors in their eyes, and have their own motors to reverse back down the track in case of emergency. ***Edit*** Oh and another thing I want to add - some people are talking about water being heated. Now the feasibility of this needs to be looked at - Wet N Wild heat most of their attractions in the cooler months as thousands of people a day go swimming in their pools and on their slides. Dreamworld have a rapids and a lake for rocky hollow, Movie World have WWF, and these are apparently heated? we're talking hundreds of thousands of litres of water that nobody will ever SWIM in if they're lucky, all open and uncovered and exposed to the elements. Runoff from rain is going to damage that and for what - so you don't catch a cold? If the weather is that bad you shouldn't be on those sorts of rides anyway - and if you throw a bucket of hot water over someone, 5 minutes later they will still be shivering cold - the heat would only be temporary, and 4 degrees on a body of water that size? it would cost a fortune to keep it heated round the clock, and thats even WITH solar (last time I checked - there aint no solar heating hoses on the roof of the queue lines.) Neither park is going to be bothered heating water when so much heat will be lost through exposure to the elements, especially considering it is unlikely, and not intended that anyone would ever enter that water, and if you DO get wet while on the ride, you'd be just as cold when you got off the ride no matter what the temperature was. Once again - someone is talking out their ass.

You never cease to amaze me Gazza. I am always curious to see what Idea you come up with next. Sure its based similarly on other established rides, but you've gone to lengths to ensure it is "unique". You've also done the marketing departments work too by working out the ads for it. I swear if a themepark doesnt pick you up, they're idiots.

To a point I have to agree that spending more money on a show can increase its viability. It's not the be all and end all - but a higher expenditure can be used on - Better Talent - actors Better writers (outsourced even as was mentioned earlier) Better Sets Better Effects To explain a little more - consider Wild West Falls - yes it is a ride, but much of it can be likened to a show. Pre-Fire, the final lift hill was abounding in special effects which really made the finale of the ride. The lack of effects in the final lift hill now dampens the ride. If you've never ridden it before, you wouldn't know, nor care about the difference, and still feel it was a good ride, mainly because the thrills and splashes are still there - But thrills and splashes can also be achieved by jumping off a rock ledge into a river - it just comes down to the quality of the effect and that can only be achieved by throwing money at it. The show is the same. There have been many shows i've seen at theme parks with varying quality and expenditure. Quest for the golden seal had a great set with a poor story line. (better sets) Action Man at wonderland was written for younger kids so it was a little more corny, but there was one felix in the group who really made the show (better talent) Milennium Magic \ Spellbinding Sorcery at Wonderland was mostly "stunt" based (for want of a better word) and did not have much of a script other than what Tony wrote himself - but the money spent on designing the special effects made the show (better effects) Casting my mind way back to the show Sea World had before Golden Seal - I think it was friends of the sea or something - this was written very well - like dolphin cove also - yes I know that the majority of what is written is based around what the animals can achieve but the writing was good - not corny like golden seal. There was one show I watched at Disneyland that aced it, but I can't for the life of me remember which one it was - and this all comes down to the quality of the writers (better writers) So you can throw money at a show and make it better - but you have to throw it very carefully, and with a good, experienced, practised aim. Miss the mark and you might as well throw the money straight down the toilet - Just pray it isn't written by the guy that used to head up the entertainment division at wonderland - his name was Michael I think but I can't be bothered trying to remember his last name - he was responsible for the corny scripting of golden seal, among other in-house shows at wonderland. The only good thing I saw him do at Wonderland was the Celebration street show.