Zanstabar

It's good to see that they're looking at investing into areas other than just the mazes, but it doesn't feel like enough of a change to warrant purchasing a ticket. What a shame

Carnivale 2021 could be described in one word: Generic. 
 I want applaud them for taking a new approach this year and trying to implement themed areas with specific entertainment and food offerings. It is really refreshing to see a park attempt to give the event a cohesive feel, it just disheartens me that it was executed in the cheapest possible manner. Each area was a small collection of vaguely relevant performers, a printed canvas sign and an often out-of-sorts float. Boundaries between each area were more often than not an afterthought. Why is the Tex-Mex truck in New Orleans and not in the relevant Mexico section of the park? Why is the Bayou float located in Africa? Why is Rio’s defining feature a set of wall lights and a third-party vendor? Rather than standing as strong individual experiences that come to together to form the pastiche that is Carnivale, each world is a hodgepodge that stems from a desire to market the event in a different manner. Within each section there is one thing I must praise: the food. Like the years preceding it, Carnivale 2021 has some great food. Options stem from traditional theme park fare of burgers, fries and hot dogs, through to curries and grill plates. As a more adventurous eater, I would’ve loved to have seen a few more “exotic” options through the park. A missed chance from some jambalaya and beignets.
 Aquacolour stands as what may be the only attempt at a nighttime finale in any Australian park, and I think it the type of show that can really cap off the night and leave a lasting impression in guests before they leave. It is a real shame to say that I didn't enjoy the show this year. While they dropped last years vague attempt at a narrative, they also dropped any personality or unique identity the show had. Royalty-free EDM and Dubstep scores the entire performance, seasoned with plenty Dramatic Rise sound effects for good measure. Clip-Art covers each and every foundation of water, so much so that I can't even recall what was projected. 
 Aquacolour grabs your attention right at showtime with a literal bang; fireworks. It is a move that reminds me of the former Illuminations at EPCOT, one of my personal favourite shows of all time. Unlike that show, Aquacolour doesn't maintain your attention. There are no peaks and valleys, no variation between scenes; it stays at a constant, middling pace as if it was put in cruise control. While I understand that it may be hard to pace a show when you have no narrative or dramatic arc, it can still be done, and it must be done to make an engaging show. Simply put, contrast is exciting, monotony isn't. Aquacolour 2021 doesn't carve an identity or leave a lasting impression, it just simply exists. I wanted to like this year, believe me, and there's plenty that I did enjoy. It such a shame to say that Carnivale 2021 just didn't leave an impression in the slightest. For whatever happens to the event in the coming years, I hope that Village can push themselves a little bit further and make an event that doesn't just satisfy but exceed.

After visiting the park and going for a quick ride, I must say that I enjoy the presentation of the Gold Coaster. From the pastel colours to the plant graphics, it feels like a postcard vision of the Gold Coast with a dash of Golden Girls. With all that said I do wish that they could've done something bit more substantial. The renovation, while aesthetically pleasing, doesn't do anything to change the existing problems with the ride and it's queue. My biggest gripe might just be the sign at the entryway. I'll commend them for going for a Googie inspired design but the execution is just a bit too flat. Would've been great to seem some more depth or maybe even some texture to break it up. At the end of the day, it's great to see them tie this attraction back into Ocean Parade. When my only sensible comment is about an entry sign, I think you've done well.

Man, the event just keeps getting more and more lacklustre each and every year. I understand that our parks aren't powerhouse of themed entertainment and are operating on a smaller budget, but it's reaching a point were every element has been regurgitated so much that any fun has been sucked out. Each show seemed repetitive with very little differing from day trade. Wheres the spectacle? Wheres the wow? I was holding out hope that the parade might've offered something unique but what I witnessed was the same as the Day Parade sans Looney Tunes. Now maybe I'm a cynical adult, and you might be correct, but shouldn't we be asking a little more from the parks than just the same old things?

It’s as if they’ve taken the spirit of minimalism and turned it into the most bland and uninspired end result possible. Let’s hope this isn’t the final result.

The most exciting thing about the website is that they seem to be moving away from the term "precincts". Worlds and Destinations sound a whole lot more exciting and a lot less clinical than previous years. It'll be interesting to see what the rest of the food offerings are. The Mexican Feast does seem like a nice offering and the pineapple churros has certainly piqued my interest. I wonder what the chances of seeing Jambalaya on the menu once again...

This is the best advice you’ll get. There’s no real objective statement of what rides are scary and what aren’t because everyone has different fears. I’m scared of heights, conflict and @AlexB so Giant Drop is a nightmare for me, but for some it’s a cakewalk. I ended up finally riding when I finally felt ready to do so rather than forcing myself, and now it’s one of my favourite experiences on the Gold Coast. To echo Prequel, take your time and exposure yourself to similar but smaller experiences.

The park would need to have a bigger range of Fright Nights and Halloween/Horror specific merchandise to make it viable. Hasn't there only ever been a small handful of FN related merch each year? As a fan of all things spooky, would I love to see it? Absolutely, but I don't want to see it unless they fully commit and provide more than the bare minimum they normally do.

There's nothing truly Atlantean in New Atlantis. I want to root for our local parks and be able to shout "world class" unironically, it's just so hard to do so when they give you such poor products. I want to speak of Sea World the same way I speak of Islands of Adventure but I can't when you're giving us Six Flags. This. I truly wonder the logic behind some decisions. Coming from a creative background, some of the decisions seem very baffling and makes me curious as to what happened behind the scenes.

My visit to the park yesterday was my first experience seeing Vortex and The New Atlantis since construction had gone vertical, and the lack of anything "natural" was immediately apparent. The entryway to New Atlantis and the dolphin lagoons no longer feel welcoming as they once did, as giant concrete forms aren't as charming as a well maintained landscape. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think there is any charm, soul or personality to the New Atlantis. It just feels so very clinical, which feels so weird for a theme park.

The old Parkz hits me like a brick, almost as much as finding Roller-Coaster.com.au again

This report makes me miss USJ a whole lot. How do you think it compares to the rest of the Universal Parks?

How many rides showcased in the countdown will open with the park?

Given the sorry state of the event in recent years, I'm hoping that the resources that would've gone into Fright Nights 2020 can be used to improve it for the next.

"...fully immersive precinct..." "...the ultimate Atlantean adventure" "...world-class attractions..." All quotes from Clark Kirby, found in a Blooloop article about New Atlantis. I'm aware that Marketing and PR are always going to try and spin things in their favour, but I never expect them to deceive us. If New Atlantis was never going to be "fully immersive", then don't claim it to be.