Everything posted by MickeyD
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Dreamworld no longer a Theme Park
I for one loved it! For me it was the most intense ride in the park, but yeah it can leave you feeling pretty wooozie
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Dreamworld no longer a Theme Park
Tbh I never saw an ad actually showing Pandemonium off. Last time I visited DW it was new and I was there for a business planning day, Noone in my group of 20 new it existed up until that point, except me. The ride had a rather negative effect on quite a few in the group, who chose to make it their last ride for the day.
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Australian ride deaths/accidents
There have actually been a number of accidents at DW over the years. As far as I can think of all of them could have been avoided with the proper training and better systems in place. Despite the Park's age and numerous owners over the years, they have always maintained their 'private' and in-house ways of doing things their own way. The 'competition' on the other hand have always very much learned and educated themselves following the success of overseas parks, ensuring they are ahead of the game. I believe it's something to do with core values of how they run their park. They have always maintained their beliefs that their park is the best and they are the market leaders, so never saw the need for help or guidance from others.. Hmmmmm. ?
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Australian ride deaths/accidents
Yes Mista Reanimated35?
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Australian ride deaths/accidents
Regarding the chairlift accident, I can tell you step by step what happened but I won't bore you. Surfice it to say the accident involved 2 people (attendant & female guest from Singapore) which were not killed, but both hospitalised. They fell a fair height onto a rather hard surface - the kangaroo enclosure after an alarmed tourist alerted a nearby shop keeper who ran up and pressed the estop. The ride attendant, sighting the passenger trying to get off barely two metres before the end of the platform, left her post, ran to the chair and grabbed her from behind, attempting to restrain her by grappling her arms around the riders chest. They both fell shortly after the estop was pressed and the attendant lost her grip. The Attendant broke her wrist I believe while the passenger had a few broken ribs and shoulder. I am sure she has vivid memories of her Dreamworld one day holiday experience as no doubt does the injured staff member Now Class, would somebody like to tell me how this whole messy accident could have been avoided?
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Sea World's Sea Viper closes after 32 years
^ interesting point of view however please tell us how/why you came to such a dire fait for Sw? Personally I can't see anything but the opposite? Remember SW is hardly some stand alone park that isn't part of a major multinational corporation and market leaders for Australian Theme Parks?? Best you back your pov up with facts dude otherwise prepare to cop a roasting
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Sea World's Sea Viper closes after 32 years
Very excited to see what big and exciting things are to come to sw in it's place I never liked the kumback trains. So uncomfortable and unnecessarily restrictive for a ride that barely even needed restraints (a simple lap restraint would have been ample) anyway, rip corkscrew (always to me) after literally hundreds of rides over the years I look forward to an exciting future for sw more than I do mourn the loss of a hasbin ride. No offence but let's move on
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Diagon Alley
^ as a fellow DL nut Alexb, when it comes to expansion locations, there are just a few valuable pockets of real estate left: - Old motor boat cruise site (perhaps ideal for a new dark ride style) adventure, 'Frozen' - a favourite theme - big thunder ranch area and going beyond the berm to the stables (WDI rumoured to have an awesome Oz concept designed for the area, alas the film was terrible) - Perhaps a better configuration of Tl (been an issue for years) and NO,I don't believe Star Wars land is the answer for the area either
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
Algae generally doesn't grow too well in the colder months. Anyone with a swimming pool can attest to that. I guess it has somewhat died back a little, come summer expect that to change grossly unless of course something is done about it
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Ideas or thoughts of mazes, themes etc for 2014 Fright Nights?
I would love to see them address capacity this year. I have been to fright nights with groups the last few years and it was challenging to enjoy all the mazes whilst stopping to enjoy the shows and other attractions. Last year we did no rides (what's the point when you can anytime at a fraction of the wait!) If a scare zone was added to the line up down the alley and perhaps leading into a short Maze of its own, wrapping around superman, that could take the heat off things. I get that they want the opportunity to sell more front of line tickets, truth is most ppl (including me) won't buy them and after waiting for 1hour+ for two mazes, most ppl get sick of waiting in lines.. I wonder if they have any knowledge of what the average FN guest is getting to see on a typical night? An attendance of 10000+ on a typical event warrants more entertainment Imo. I absolutely love what is done with fright nights at MW, it juat gets better every year. The event is exceedingly popular, perhaps if more mazes/zones could be added then more nights could also be added to the calendar to make it more viable?
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
Are there disc shaped covers to go over them? Thanks for the ongoing updates WipeoutDreamworldFan and Downunder196 for your continued updates, i am thrilled at the level of effort dw are putting into this.
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What's coming to Movie world?
Not at all however that perhaps is/was a concept. Taken seriously you bet. Are there other concepts under consideration? Guaranteed. And most will never see the light of day. I don't think this doomsday tower idea is a good fit for MW.. Something like this would work better at SW to take advantage of the spectacular views.. MW looks better at ground level and IMO at its best from indoors. Half the gag of the place is it's feature facades that help create immersion when viewed from the desired angle. From 300 metres up, the far less aesthetically pleasing back of house areas are revealed. Just not a good show choice and I'm quietly confident that notion may have already helped put a stopper on this such a project happening here
- Sea World Wild: What Could It Be?
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
MW could do worse spending 10k - heck, landscaping and redressing it would probably cost em more! Truth is, I reckon sw could use it too
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What's coming to Movie world?
Evening peeps Look I hate to be a bubble burster but please don't go getting your hopes up on this news.. For one, they have said 'attraction'.. They haven't used words like 'ride,thrill,adventure, blockbuster, experience etc.. Attraction casts a pretty wide net but I think the clue here is this very choice of words If a another new ride of any kind was also being planned for MW, don't you think they would have atleast told us that much? Afterall, they are promoting the kiddie cars as a new ride. I'd be more expecting a minor new addition such as a new western stunt street show or new looney tunes stage show. Perhaps even a new roxy 4d adventure or rebooted day parade? Attractions.. Using the Chinatown space as an entry /exit /queue to a new spin and spew flat in the old Lw/now asylum space is obvious and I reckon that will happen next year - once the current arkum exit gets reconfigured to leed back out by superman, thus providing an existing store space to promote the new spinner in an appropriately themed environment unique to it's own.. They've gotta save their pennies up first and if it's not in current capex (I highly doubt it!) then will have to wait till midway nxt year before such a blue sky plan gets approved - or something else takes priority? Question is What theme?
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
I'm gunna bet dollars for donuts Giant Drop is the other TLC Ride they've been talking about. It's even been talked about on here quite a for months now on what they might have planned and I'm thinking those of you who have speculated are on the money. Im sure it won't be long now but I guess we'll just have to wait and see if a certain Falcon's Fury has gotten enough attention to rattle an Eagle's nest high atop our very own Tower of Terror?
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Favourite US Theme Park Blogs
My online staple (and in no particular order) -miceage/micechat -screamscape.com -parkz.com.au Between these 3, I get all the info I need
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
I wonder if they have just bought a second hand Power Surge straight off the midway circuit?
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MW Mini Driving School - Officially Confirmed
^ I reckon a collection of multi coloured horse statues dressed in hoopskirts would be better than this, but what would people like me know? So if this is such a moral issue amongst our tiny Theme Park fan community, how do we suppose the general public will respond/react to this internal catastrophe? My guess is they most likely won't even notice them -specifically because they won't care. So why go to the trouble of building a new attraction that's unattractive? Bottom line, I guess that's the question many of us are begging for explanation? Is this just a stubborn idea cooked up by a creatively challenged member of senior management? I reckon there could be a wiff of truth in this. It is obviously a cheap filler kiddie ride that's being added to appeal specifically to it's target audience and by doing so, empathising with the paying public by connecting with Mum and Dad's wallets and show that they really do care about providing a variety of (relative to demographic in this case) quality entertainment for all creatures great and small. OR This is a cheap and nasty alternative to building a quality immersive family blockbuster experience, which and also relative to target demographic would possibly cost 10 times the price.. but would it offer 10 times the return? Shortly after the 2012/13 fin year the today practically faceless group of high-ups, pencil pushers and bean counters gathered for the annual budget or 'event of the year for very few.. A time to pitch department Christmas wishlists, to review the data, success, failures and observe the all mighty....profit margin -ABSOLUTE VAST MAJORITY of which gets sucked up into the mouths of the shareholders, coffers and not forgetting the potentially hefty Management bonuses - rewarded for successfully hitting targets plus a carrot of even higher bonuses offered for greater cost saving measures. Result: Frontline staff hours continue to decline with now the vast majority on casual or at best PPT provisions, Employee of the month gala awards nights and similar Park cast community events have been scrapped, strict computerised Cast member adherence systems have been fully rolled out across the Stage while more and more new Contract opportunities are outsourced beyond the front gate. Oh and please dont you feel left out on all this Mista Customer - Management just know that you absolutely will not notice all rides open late, being tested from 10 AM -possibly too with insufficient units (trains, staff, sessions, boats etc) no longer made available for predictably busy days. Surely they are doing guests a favour by pushing more out of oversized ride queues and into a nice, cool shop for some retail therapy on a hot summers day? That is of course assuming the said shop is open? Quite possibly not! OK so I've gone off on a tangent.again.. sorry about that. Maybe this needs its own thread? QUESTION How do you run a Theme Park without staff? ANSWER YOU CANT QUESTION How do you bring out the worst in your ThemePark staff? ANSWER You treat them like shit QUESTION How do you successfully shut a ThemePark down? ANSWER Treat your Customer like shit I hope you have made it this far guys coz here comes a cruncher that might make some people's hair stand on end.. for this reason whilst hearing it come straight from the horse's mouth - I'll add a little disclaimer by starting with: MANY YEARS BACK IN ONE SUCH ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING, IT WAS ALLEDGEDLY SAID BY THE TOP DOG "PAY EM PEANUTS, TREAT EM LIKE SHIT AND THAT'S HOW YOU'LL GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM" Wow.. But its not all doom and gloom.. Management systems in successful businesses around the world are dumping such dark age models in favour of one that is focused on putting the people in the business First, the customer next, profit thirdly and using strong values focusing on leadership, career progression, egalitarianism and a noble selling purpose Apple can take honors for bringing this concept first to the world stage, since then Google, more locally Telstra kicked things off, more recently optus added more fun and flair and later this year Flight Centre Travel Group is going to take it to the next level -rolling out a drastically new interactive design and revolution to the retail travel experience. Such enormously successful businesses acknowledge that if they keep doing things the same way, they won't survive in a super paced future where the customer is Paramount To the Runner's of our Park's, pull your head out of the sand and go and visit your Park's. Talk to your people and with your customers. Get to know them. Ask questions. Get their input and listen to what they are asking for. Read books and learn from success of others.. That's a good place to start and considering I don't even work there, reckon I could run the place a down sight better PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES IF THIS HAS OFFENDED ANYONE OUT THAT IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH THE SHOW. YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR LOVE OF PARKS, I BELIEVE YOUR PARK OWES YOU A BRIGHTNESS OF FUTURE FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENTS
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MW Mini Driving School - Officially Confirmed
^ best idea yet.
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MW Mini Driving School - Officially Confirmed
^ sadly there are a few stages to 3d glass washing (stack/sonic wash/rinse/hot wash/dry) really not a fun job and maybe the best way to staff the mini cars is not to - instead let the parents take care of things and watch the chaos unfold
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MW Mini Driving School - Officially Confirmed
Yes well wouldn't that be a good start? - speaking for Spotty, myself and anybody else out there who have suffered a shift on taz cars or god forbid, dreaded Roadrunner (as was in my day).. "just push down on the button on the floor" the CM would direct with hand to the clueless infant who would then reach their own hands down to the peddle, whilst proudly smiling up at their waving camera crazed parents, possibly of whom by now are standing inside the garden precinct of the ride. Hooray!! The child has FINALLY worked out how to activate the peddle, unfortunately still very much distracted by Dad waving madly in front, the kid continues to ram the curbside again. And again. And again. And again. With that, the CM suffers a minor stroke, seemingly without anyone else noticing..or caring to notice, perhaps more accurately Meanwhile, the 4 or so other working (at varying speeds depending on battery life at the time) have no doubt banked up behind you or if you're REALLY UNLUCKY, you now have yourself up to half a dozen clueless infant/parent combinations - guaranteed to send even the most patient of MW ride op's scurrying for the next available counseling session. So from an Ops perspective, the new triple treat of shit shifts would have to be: 9 - 945 turnstiles 10 - 1230 "Speedy's gone shitbangbonkas cars" 1 - 230 "Tazzie takes you around the twisted ankle nightmare dodge ball dodgems" 245 - 5 "have I now just lost my shit completely Driving me Mad school" 5-530 washed down with 30 minutes of washing/stacking/drying 3d glasses 6-7 arrive home, slash wrists - highlight of the day Oh and one other thing, if we are going to resort to discussing mindless topics such as this - the most pathetically executed ride since DW did the Australian wildlife cruise, can we at least make it interesting? Funny? Sarcastic? Speculation on whether miniature versions of Green Lantern etc will be featured in the ride, or future rides added please ppl.. stop!! It's all just a bit shit, really
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2014 In Dreamworld - Tail Spin construction, Wipeout refurbishment, Triple Vortex construction
I believe you're correct again, WhipeoutDreamWorldFan - showing my age again here, I recall the excitement surrounding the construction of the ride when I was about 17 at the time, it had been too many years since DW had added anything major. I visited on the ride's opening day, media were everywhere as were some then, now perhaps forgotten aussie tv personalities of the era. "Like windsurfing inside a washing machine" - the phrase was coined by one who sat on the edge of the gondola, directly in the firing line of one of the water jets. As the gondola swung forward, the jet would reach up and absolutely blast the shit out of one rider in particular. As the carriage flipped it would flick and spray all over, soaking it over again and again. It was a fun and impressive sight that was very much controlled by the ride's operator. It was also pretty daft for DW to think the ride could be run in such a way long term without falling to pieces. I have no doubt this gimmick will return but next time more of a tease, largely missing riders as they ebb up and down out of harms way of a good drenching.
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SFMM - Colossus to close August 16, 2014
Agreed. Makes recent decisions back home pail in comparison
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MW Mini Driving School - Officially Confirmed
But if the Preshow area was the issue wouldn't it have been easier to just change that part?