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I remember a time when the park had a real "magical" feel to it, it was something you couldn't put a finger on but it was there. I remember when mainstreet had working fountain and used it as a centrepiece and all the surrounding building were painted in appropriate colours. I remember when the park had iconic entertainment roving the park, Goldie the clown, a singing quartet, Kenny the Koala and the wizard. I remember going to the park with friends and having them run to other side of the park crying because they saw a clown. I remember riding the Captain Sturt when it wasn't painted bright colours and you would get to watch a really cool (what I thought at the time was a) bushranger show. I remember going to Blue Lagoon to cool down in the afternoon, and going down the slide in tandem with family members. I remember hearing the roar of ToT and when it first began testing causing blackouts at our school and giving us melted ice-creams every lunch. I remember when the park had an iMax theatre, vintage cars and while I may not remember but a mosaic floor which apparently still exists but has been recovered with a laminate floor. I remember when I was kid riding the octopus ride next to the Wipeout. I remember when the park didn't have random attractions such as the AVPX, and V8 race cars, or a motorcycle roller coaster in Rivertown that is a pretty dull ride, but has been made up for it with colours that was used on it and the restaurant next to it (where we would eat lunch every year). I remember the GD back when it first opened and it had a themed uniform. I remember standing on my toes to pass the height on the mine ride. I remember when it was actually operating. I remember going on the skyride and going past the GD and ToT as they roared past. I remember going to the lolly shop and having someone from the family buy me smarties even after my mum had specifically said I wasn't to have them. (Although that shop still exists). I remember when the Wipeout actually had the water underneath it, as well as the circling shark. I remember we used to go to DW once a year, on boxing day, as it was the only day everyone in my family would have off. I would always go on the plane ride in the kids area and watch other family members go on ToT as I was too short, do the rapids with everyone, watch with fascination the helicopters take off and land. I remember a day when Dreamworld really was a place that felt like dream, like it was a place where our whole family could take a trip away from the everyday, forget everything outside and just have fun! Now when I visit, I feel like it was a lifetime ago, I don't even feel like I'm visiting the same place. Don't get me wrong they have made some good decisions, ToTII, The Claw, Dreamworks; some executed well, others not so much. Dreamworld just does not have that same "magical" feel to it anymore, we as a family went there a few years ago, the end feeling everyone had when they walked through the exit gates was "I think we can leave that again for a few years". I hope someone from Dreamworld actually has some passion in the place, and they have decision making powers, that they can actually turn Dreamworld into that place again that I couldn't wait to get to every year and would have the best day of my life. Did I leave anything out that people remember from back in the day about the park.

^ Well I for one can't wait for this ride! I'm coming up soon and I'm going to the parks; however, now with this ride I'm planning on coming up again soon after it has opened for both the new ride and Halloween.

Sounds good, good to hear from you as well Richard, feels like I haven't heard from you around the forums for some time!

The Bulletin article, while the newspaper may not be the most reliable, the article on the new ride did state that Sally Corp. would be building it!

Looks like as many people guessed from the IAPAA interview with Sally Corp. that they were going to be building a dark ride. Including me My question now with those stats realised what will capacity be? Has it been realeased? Regards to track I could see it running on some sort of single rail.

^ The Wiggles ride at DW, while it isn't a shooter and if memory serves me right has no track?? I think from that photo it is part of the ride and I can see where in those rectangular sort of slots there would be projection screens for you to shoot at.

They manage to do this during Halloween, Christmas and WnW summer night time trading hours and DW's Sreamworld. My guess is, not sure, but wouldn't there be buses running after Outback Spectacular as well?

^ that's just what I was saying our parks should do! I was saying I think MW could really pull something like the Mad T Party that just opened at Disney California Adventure. Put a bar in All Stars and have shows/bands/DJs in mainstreet with entertainment and the rest of the park has the rides going! SW have the whole lake to play with and not really have to worry about neighbours. WnW already open late in summer and DW have their front entry plaza to do some sort of late night offering. Also if you something like Mad T Party theme you'll get food and drink sales plus the sales from The bar at All Stars and then offer merchandise themed for the event, plus all the normal merchandise and create a profit off that!!

^ Which I've always thought our parks should do some sort of late trading hours, especially in summer. MW could always work something like DCA's Mad T Party, you can then get ticket sales late at night, people will buy food and drink for the night time as well as merchandise for the event especially if they are all having a good time by the entertainment provided.

Moving a little off topic, my guess is, the LT area will get some love from MW next, especially now with DreamWorks down the road. Then move onto the Wild West area to try and spread people out more and so WWF isn't on its own! Back on topic, my comment about the aliens from BT was a joke, but now djrappa mentions it, just one of them added in there could be a cool little touch or throwback to one of Australia's best dark rides and some nice memorabilia for people who do remember BT and let a small piece of it continue to live on. My next question is, will there be facade change? Or will it continue to be Wayne Manor and will the queue still be outside or moved inside? I guess time will tell.

I think once upon a time a 3D and now 4D movie could shown in the park for a lengthy period. Nowadays though 3D technology is becoming more prominent, nearly every film has it and you can now buy TV's with it. I think today the novelty of going to watch these type of shows at theme parks are wearing off and therefore parks are less inclined to spend a lot of money on these movies for fear people are just going to get bored really quick. Instead they are opting for movie that can be changed out and refreshed every 2 years to keep it interesting for guests. I for one am all for something different every time I visit as well.

Great! Can't wait! Can't say I'm surprised though... like most people on here we already guessed this. I've always wanted to try one of these things out and now I finally can, its also a great addition for families to the park as well. When I read about this ride and the whole alien invasion, I can't help think.... recycling of the BT aliens?!?!?! Have the volcanos in the Bermuda Triangle finally flooded and they have found their new home in a MW shed and decided to go from helping people from danger to getting angry and wanting to take over Earth

Haha yes, I am person that tends to talk a lot and fortunately/unfortunately, depending on the way you look at it!! It tends to translate with what I write as well!!

Cool video, however, my experience on Cyclone was never a short line, even when the park is dead, due to awful operations, a short line has equated to a massive wait time. A better loading/unloading procedure and second train for peak times wouldn't go astray and may even attract more people to the ride for the fact they can a re-ride quicker!

Wyncenuros really, come on, if it was going forever, maybe yes I could agree. However, it will only be for less than a month, while a brand new movie will take its spot. Because after all, they can't just swap it over for a new movie, they will have to change the pre-show area. You are getting something new, you couldn't just keep replaying Journey forever, be thankful they going back again and spending the money to freshen up your experience, instead of seeing the same old thing every time! I know you do praise things in the parks where you see it, and as much as I hate saying this cause it always spark some petty argument that annoys me. But this time it really does appear that you whinging about something for the sake of whinging! We don't even know what the movie is going to be on yet In less than 1 month your wife will have a new attraction that she hasn't seen before, be thankful the park is investing in the Roxy Theatre specifically for people like your wife who can't do things like SE at the moment. At least wait until you've seen what the new offering is until you pass judgement.

Thanks Internet for posting what I wrote :angry2: Anyway, what I said was, in no way do I want LW back, every time I rode that thing I came off with a thumping headache and ears that felt like they were bleeding, that could sometimes last a whole day. This was not matter what I did, brace or not brace, didn't matter, each experience was the same, pain! I think Wyncenuros, you just had a bad day riding it. I've had them before; I've been on ToT2 10 times in a row when it first opened before I started to feel a bit under the weather and then went a week later, did one go on it and feeling not very good at all. I know with the The Claw, as much as I love it twice in a row in my limit, a third go in a row and it is not a pleasant experience. However, one day I did at least 10 rides on Cyclone, ate breakfast then did Wipeout twice with fairy floss and Krispy kreme in between the 2 and then a go straight after on The Claw, I was fine up until my ride on The Claw, needless to say I needed some time out after that Hell I even blacked out once on the Corkscrew (back before it was SV), I blacked out just after the first loop and came to when it hit the brakes. I've done SE once at least 10 time in a row, the park was empty and raining, yet SE had 2 trains going and even chalked up a few rides on batwing straight after and didn't feel a thing. So Wyn, I may not be a doctor, or have any idea about your ride; but from the sound of things I would just chalk it up as a bad day/experience and have another go later and report back again

If memory serves me right, wasn't there three stations, one outside the Sea Lion Theatre, one for the water park and another one for the resort?? I always thought, if there was enough room, for a station where the coaster are. Would also give a point of difference to the monorail, if the train line was ever brought back.

Well am I imagining things, or was there talk of a second train when the ride opened, however this never eventuated??

I think I remember for the Dinosaurs it was stated it was going to hang around for something like 15 months?? My point with the monorail is for years until recently it ran with 3 trains, 2 on the track one in maintenance, now imagine in the peak period they find something wrong with the second train and its taken out of action, not good. My point with these things as I've said before these parks aren't seeing declining numbers, they are a lot stronger when what they were when they had; so why now do they think they can get by on 2? Some air-con I agree wouldn't also go astray.

Liked the review, so BT is finally getting gutted, which good, maybe some new construction soon! I still think would it be possible to open a new ride in there by Christmas? Or would be too much work? SW was always my favourite park, but it did drop the ball. But they seem to have made some good decisions as of late; the news jet ski show, Penguin Encounter, the parade and I think anything to get people over to the lighthouse that has been dead for years is a good idea. Plus maybe its just me, or I'm not as picky but the dinosaurs appear to look fine and I'm sure its target market of 5 year old boys are going to be that picky about how the dinosaurs look and therefore will be hit with the park as a family attraction. I like to hear that the Skyway is running good again, I was worried about that ride for a little while; SW also can't help whats happened with SV but at least they aren't letting it sit there and rot, they are attempting to fix it and offering free peddle boats and SkyClimb as compensation is a good idea. Now all thats needed in my eye is something to be done with the train, fix up the empty spot in the kids area for the helicopter ride and put a new ride into where the Pirate Ship ride was, order a new monorail train so it goes back to how it was with 3 along with a BT replacement which appears to be on the way and the park will be on its way to being my favourite GC park to relax in. Also, the games area in the courtyard where the food and gift shops are, does it still look cheap and temporary? Because, my other gripe would be if it wants to stay there; which from all accounts it makes money, so its not going anywhere, give it a proper looking home that ties in with the rest of that area and with SW as a beach side theme and not what it is now. Anyway, good review, because it sounds like management are now turning their focus to SW and are slowly improving it back to the standard it used to be and with it hopefully the charm of the park returns!

I think no matter what you build, people will always find something to complain. I remember when SE first opened I heard people complain the pre-show (earthquake) part was boring and wish it was just the ride. You can't please everyone and now we live in a world with the Internet peoples opinions get heard a lot more. If a park could build a ride that EVERYONE was happy with and loved I think it would have to be a first for a theme park globally!

I've always found Westcoaster and its humour to it all in perspective. Back on topic of 2012 addition Verbolten is currently running some soft opens and from the reviews people are really loving the ride. One new fact about the ride now is that the dark ride consists of 3 different "stories" 'Spirit of the Forest' 'Thunderstorm' and one that pays homage to 'The Big Bad Wolf' the ride that Verbolten replaced!

But I thought the official BB page has posted photos of the old house being gutted.

^ Is that the spot where when you stood in line and looked to the left the air-conditioning motors were?

Actually, I found our Coke and the Coke in America to taste completely different. I think it was something to do with the fact we used sugar cane whereas Coke in America uses corn syrup. Personally, I preferred our Coke with sugar cane.