Zanstabar

A giant spiral really suited the theme of a cyclone. For Hot Wheels, perhaps not. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject, but would it really be too difficult to enclose and air-condition the building? They do have a whole heap of time at their disposal, it might as well happen

This may sound insane, but I think sometimes a tasteful presentation of crashes before boarding could build tension and hype before a ride. Think videos of crash test dummies coping a beating. Oblivion at Alton Towers does that to some degree, and it could easily be added to the Tower Of Terror. In saying that, I don't think Hot Lap is the place for anxiety and tension. Do we have any clue what is going to happen to the queue? Will we finally see it return to the interior of the building? Will there be some form of theming? Will we actually see the other side of the station open up?

If you care so much about these majestic creatures, why don't I pose you this question. Would you release a dolphin into the wild, who is unfit for survival in the wild?

I actually had to study this film a little while back. I don't think that the captivity of Orcas is a good business practice, as well as the neglect that is brought onto those poor animals. But what I think you would find, if you actually chose to research the practices of Sea World Australia rather than make false assumptions, is that Sea World Australia not only prides itself on rehabilitation (as other posters have mentioned) but also the design of the facilities. Rather than just placing these creatures in a simple pool, Sea World tries to recreate their familiar environments. Don't believe me? Why don't you hope onto Google and just have a look at what Sea World has to say. Boycott SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment all you want, but don't bring Village Roadshow into this due to the lack of information on your part

Wouldn't that become a bit convuluted? Since it's an anthology series, you've got different characters, settings and even time periods. Cramming that all into one maze might end up being a bit too much. You would be jumping from season to season without anytime to actually realise what's going on.

I can't believe I'm saying it, but Totta3 is actually correct. Source: https://www.dreamworld.com.au/things-to-do/motorsport I don't know how to feel about this. As a kid, Hot Wheels was something I was into completely. As an adult, not so much. Probably the only thing that intrigues me about this information are the trains. Will they actually be themed to a detailed degree? What is meant by a "Racing Style Harness"? Is that just promotional speak for a seatbelt? Will the track be repainted bright orange to be visually similar to the classic Hot Wheels tracks?

Wasn't the reasoning behind HKDL that the local audiences aren't too big on attractions? I believe I read that somewhere as an explanation for the lack of any major attractions. So you're basically saying that if they invested in Australia, we would see a re-hash of DCA? Bring on Superstar Ute!

Gotta agree there, Slick. I haven't been to any similar experiences in my life, and there's no way in hell I'm going back. I actually coerced a couple of non-enthusiast friends of mine to join me on the tour by highlighting the buffet and Fast Track tickets. Now they've joined the ranks of FN Fans. For those that attended the tour last year, how do you think it compared to this year?

I feel that the fog is one of the most biggest elements at Fright Nights. When I wander around the event, walking through the clouds of smoke makes me feel as if I'm walking through Silent Hill, and it even gives the same feeling I had when playing that game; a fear of the unknown. As much as I love it, I do believe a safety issue is present. When I walking through Zombieland, I got caught in a giant cloud of fog. With my arms stretched out in front of me, ala Velma Dinkley, I still managed to lose track of the curb and almost stumbled into other guests. There is a clear issue with the fog, but I love the atmosphere that it brings. I don't think this will be a problem that can be solved in a five-minute meeting. This seems to me to be the type of problem that needs some thorough thought put into it. The fog is an integral part of the event for many other guests and me, and I do not want to see it turned down.

Hit the nail on the head. No Disney coasters have ever topped my "most thrilling coasters" list, but they are leagues ahead in terms of experience.

Seeing how a lot of us think that the Whirlpool is in dire need of redevelopment or removal, what do you guys suggest to replace it? I can't really think of any decent attractions that could fit within that small footprint. Perhaps they could use it as retail, as per TheMagician's suggestion?

Ryan Murphy is allegedly very protective of this show. Rumour has it that the team from Universal Orlando has pitched an AHS maze to him for the last few years, and he's turned them away. If what is arguably the biggest Halloween haunt in the world can't get the rights to it, then I doubt Movie World would be able to.

I would say that this would be a similar situation to if you have a faulty phone. If it breaks due to a design and manufacturing issue, then I tend to find that the manufacturer will repair it or replace for free or lower cost because it was their fault and their fault only. If I drop my phone in a pool of water, then it suddenly starts short circuiting, the manufacturer won't replace it at a cheaper rate because it was my fault and my fault only. I would love to hear something about the cause of the accident, but I guess we've already covered that.

I only remember a mannequin in Friday the 13th, and I would be lying if I didn't say it was larger than life... The trip through Friday the 13th which I had complained about earlier, the kids behind me couldn't stop shouting "Boobies!" once they saw the mannequin. Not sure why it was the way it was. Maybe it was something they found in the warehouse?

Great review Reanimated. Good to see your thoughts... I wouldn't say that I'm completely devasted by this news, but I can't say I'm ecstatic. While the maze that was in SDSC always felt cheap, I never felt that the Show stage was all that bad. Does this confirm Friday the 13th and Wyrmwood for next year? This really intrigues me. I have a gut feeling it might be John Carpenter's Halloween. I think we can rule out NOES as they've done it previously, and Exorcist just because there's not much content for a full maze. I wish we could get Psycho, though... Rumour has it that a more immature guest took one of the branches of one of the trees in Wyrmwood and hit someone in the head with it. Can't confirm whether it's true or not, but just something I had heard from some staff.

I have to say, after going to the event a few times a lot of things have grown on me. Last night I saw the Friday the 13th 4D show, and it was great to see it before rope drop. It was nice to finally have some context for some of the scenes in the maze, as I've never seen the film previously. However, I would not bother with it during the event. The time spent could easily get you almost to the front of a maze. I will also admit that the Freaks zone is also starting to become a favourite. The performances are quite unique and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I just think that if this zone returned in some form, try and ramp up the scares. One last thing that is kind of irking me is the detail in some of the mazes.

My idea was just that; an idea. It wasn't fully fleshed out. In fact, it came to me when I was reading this thread on the train. I'm sure there're better options out there, but this is just what I thought of on a whim.

I just think if it negatively impacts the event for most guests, then I should be taken into consideration for the next. I'm not petition to ban those who are under the recommended age, but rather try to stop those who ruin the event by having a bad attitude. Maybe this could be solved by having a children's Unlimited pass that does not include Fright Nights, but rather an extra trip to White Christmas or Carnivale. This could alleviate some of the problems with younger guests, while also gaining some revenue by those who, while under the recommended age, actually want to attend.

I wouldn't say it's meant to be "Good Guy" Doll (ala Chucky), but rather an existing piece in the MW wardrobe department. I always love seeing the re-use of previous props and pieces in the parks. It's like an easter egg hunt, except the answers always lie right in front of you. I have two reasons for saying that statement. Firstly, I was with a group of immature 10-year-olds during Friday the 13th. There's nothing pleasant about a group of 10-year-olds telling the female scare actors "I wanna f**k yah c**t". I remember Michael telling us during the tour that they tried to keep you moving in order for you to suspend disbelief. Most times this works, except for when I was with these kids. The obscenities and general bad attitude ruined absolutely everything about that run. They even started to hurl abuse at another guest who was going a bit slower due to the fact he had a prosthetic leg. It was just appalling. The second is the children who are too young for the event. These are those kids who are in strollers or in their little "Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz" costume walking through Zombieland, with a facial expression that could only be described as petrified. They are clearly not enjoying any of the events. It just makes my heart break seeing these children live their worst nightmares. Some investigation into this would be highly welcomed It doesn't just have to be locking out all underage children, but just investigating some options to make the experience for all guests as good as possible. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has felt this way...

I'm at the event tonight and I just had what would have been a great run through Friday the 13th. The one thing that absolutely ruined the experience was the 10 year olds behind me. If you're scared, I kind of expect swearing as a knee-jerk reaction. But just shouting out vulgar comments for the sake of doing so? I'm really started to hope they really enforce the age restriction. It was a really unpleasant experience.

A half hour wait is acceptable IMHO. It gives you enough time to get ready for the day while also letting the park fill out a little. An hour though? That's stretching it big time... Now, I haven't heard anything confirmed about this and I'm hoping that someone might be able to inform me about it. With this refurbishment of the Cyclone, will we see it be thematically changed to V8 Supercars? And if so, could we possibly see a rebranding effort done for the ride? The progress Ardent have made in the park over the last few years has been a welcomed improvement, but I feel leaving the Cyclone as-is (in theme and name) would be a big step back.

Well, I just made an impulse purchase and got myself a season pass to the event, rather than just going once more this season. I'm excited to see if the event changes from weekend to weekend...

If find it odd that you chose this as a concept. If history is any indicator, mazes based upon tension and paranoia hasn't been received all too well. Just have a look at some thoughts on Dragon Alley and The Darkness. History can be the greatest tool when it comes to creating designs. If MW have tried a similar concept twice before and it received negative to lukewarm reviews, what makes you believe it could be successful a third time around? Sorry if this comes across a little harsh, but I've spent the last couple of weeks writing about the concept of historic recurrence in the field of design (and it was of a better quality than my review, I might add )

Sadly, I don't recall Michael mentioning any new designers taking control of the soundstage mazes.

I think I might know why the Soundstage mazes are a lot smaller this year, and it's not just because of the Secret Room. When I was in the secret room for Friday the 13th, I was spending much more time admiring the reference images and technical drawings for the maze. From what I saw, the back-left corner of the maze (assuming the entry point is the front) was the break room, and it took up a large chunk of the maze. This may also be why we don't see any cast changes from outside the maze, as it all occurs within. After looking at some photos of previous years, I felt that this year's event felt a lot more cramped. I remember the Walking Dead from 2013 having quite spacious and large sets while this year contained very claustrophobic hallways. Maybe in preparation for the next event, they could look at some guest feedback and see whether the smaller and tighter mazes are better than the more open and spacious mazes. I do miss the more grandiose sets of previous years, but if they weren't as well received than the current designs, what's the point of changing it back?