joz

Sea World would be a top candidate after the US Wet 'n' Wilds, and Paradise Country were sold and closed. The biggest risk Sea World faces is in about 55 years when the lease runs out.

Like all all websites/Facebook pages, theme parks a go-go have ambitious plans of domination over park websites. Obviously our goal is to overthrow Parkz, and we don't need other sites around to do it for us. Down with Parkz! Seriously though, are we still getting new sites trying to do what we already do? I thought we were starting to get over that phase. As for it being competition, yeah no on that one. I don't wish to sound arrogant but we've got the content, and all the people who know what they're talking about post on this forum (thanks again for that guys, we're well aware that without you the forum is nothing!), so understand that I'm not being mean when I say we're not looking nervously over our shoulder at your site. By all means, have fun though

I don't want to say this too loudly, but alcohol prices are the one area of the revenue department that I'm quite pleased with. I mean, sure it's more expensive than the local pub, but it's far cheaper than Surfers. I wouldn't be upset if they pushed the grog sales more, and when I go to Fright Nights I intend to spend lots of money in club blood, and I encourage everyone else whose old enough to do the same.

Now now, play nice dave, just because the outsiders are under 18 doesn't mean they aren't professional adults (lol). Also, let me know when you want to have that beer or three at Dirty Harry and I'll be there Dave, been a big fan of your work since June last year.

All i'm hoping for is well presented, lightly themed ride for Green Lantern. Having said that, I'm also hoping for a well executed dark ride with no height restriction and a good story as BMA: TRa replacement. Different types of ride, different ideals for me I guess

Yeah it honestly works better than on paper you'd think it would. It's only for the 'return half' of the parade, and it gives the second half of the parade a street party atmosphere. Admittedly, it worked better for the night DC parade last year, but that parade was so good I'm not dissapointed to it reused for the daily parade. The daily parade that they were running before the 20th is one of the better incarnations the parade has had for a long time so yeah, the song works. I'm yet to see the special 20th birthday parade but from all accounts it's pretty good, and theme park fans particually should make an effort to see it while they can.

Of the current active members, I have only met Flea, Djrappa, Richard, and Gazza. I'm not adverse to meeting others in the future, but my schedule isn't easy to work around, as I'm pretty much nocturnal.

^ What?? Just because it's not a B&M doesn't mean it's the bare minimum, and have you noticed how cheap it is to get into the parks these days? Both the thing you're saying are wrong. Just letting you know so you don't make the same mistake again. Just part of the service we offer here, have a nice day

Gazza summed it up perfectly for me. Movie World IMHO has just gone from badly needing a family friendly ride to desperatly needing a family friendly ride that everyone in the family can do. I've pointed this out elsewhere on this site, but even before Batman closed, there were literally no rides that all members of the family could go on together at Movie World. For a theme park that targets families, that's extraordinary omission, and one that I think urgently needs rectification, and the closure of Batman just brings this omission even sharper into focus.

Yeah, I think the point is that with most coasters the themeing ends at load, except for a few exceptions like Superman and Mystery Mine.

It is a sad state if affairs when a, you agree with Julia Gillard, and b, when ThemePark news direct has more accurate information than a major newspaper.

Well, they only ever said it was 'believed' to cost $10million, and I think we now know what 'it is believed' means on the Gold Coast Bulletin, so yeah, I would say you're spot on.

From todays Gold Coast Bulletin: An interesting stab at journalism. I'm not normally one to jump up and down and point out nerdy mistakes (The fact they linked to a Six Flags Great Adventure ride while captioned Six Flags Magic Mountain angers the nerd in me greatly, mostly because they are totally different rides, and the ride type is the entire point of the article, but I can see how they could make that mistake and am not bothered enough to complain), but I did have to comment on the sloppy journalism that allowed the sentence, "It is believed that the ride will be like Green Lantern at SFMM" to be published. No, that's really not believed at all by anyone outside the Gold Coast Bulletin. Word must have got out that Movie World are building a Green Lantern coaster, and someone at the Bulletin has made up their own conclusion, but have included the phrase "It is believed" in a weasley attempt to cover the fact they hadn't put in any effort to check. If they had have said what actually is the case here, that sentence would read "We took a wild stab in the dark and think it could be like this". It annoys me when newspapers/ tv news just say "It is believed" followed by which ever "fact" they couldn't be bothered checking that day, and the thing is, this isn't a hard topic to check. Here, rcdb, screamscape, heck even all the other face-book groups say what the ride will be, I hate to think how much research goes into news where the information isn't freely available on numerous sources. /rant

Was wondering who was going to be the first to make an 'erection' joke, pleased to see it was a moderator. Well done Gazza! lol Also guys FWIW, the photos here have been cleaned up, and are now on the main site here. We'll also be doing another construction update in the next few days.

I like the idea, but my gut is telling me that this rumour is a non-starter. Would love if it were true, but I just don't think it is.

Stopped by Movie World to check on the newly announced Green Lantern coaster. Most of the footings are completed, and vertical construction should commence very soon. Welcome to Movie World! In order to speed the process, Movie World are now storing the ride pieces in the car park closer to the ride, and the through road that runs along Movie World's entrance has been blocked off. Through traffic now has to turn right into the car park like everyone, before turning into a temporary through road. It's a bit confusing, but I think Green Lantern will be worth the minor inconvenience! Meanwhile closer to the main entrance, the construction walls have retreated slightly, giving a good look at some of the finished footings. This gives you an idea of how close the ride is to the entrance. Some supports still in their packaging. The bottom of the lift hill, or as the average guest will think of it; the point of no return. Close up of the lift More coaster pieces have been delivered and await erection Other assorted coaster bits Same coaster pieces, different angle Hope you enjoyed the photos! Oh PS, and if you run a facebook group, and steal these photos, please do the decent thing and include a link to this post on each photo! Thanks guys

Off the top of my head, it would be Wild West Falls which came in at something around $18-$20million. Scooby, Bermuda, ToT were also more expensive than Superman. Personally themeing is all fine and dandy, but I don't really get the point of an overly well themed queue with an elaborate back story that all stops the second you get on the ride, and with an outside coaster, there is always an element of that. Superman works because the story and theme is carried on when you're on the ride, and even the outside coaster bit fits with the story. IMHO, for a coaster like Green Lantern, all the themeing has to do is build excitement for the ride, be pleasant to look at, and be vaguely related to the name of the ride. It doesn't need to set up the back story that crime is out of control and you must help Green Lantern by riding this coaster. Hell the back story that Green Lantern made this extreme thing out of energy and you get to ride it is more than enough story for me. BuzzSaw looks like it struck the right balance to me, and the story on that ride seems more a transition from well themed land to random roller coaster than anything, which is fine and fits the park. That's the thing for me, it does depend on the ride and how the ride fits into the park. If Movie World have gone with thrill over themeing on for Green Lantern I won't be too disappointed. It'd be great if they get the themeing/story level to the Superman/Jet Rescue standard, but I'm OK with them if they don't. On the other hand, if the were to build a shooting dark ride that didn't have a solid story but was just a random collection of scenes and seemingly unrelated targets then that would be very disappointing. Thoughts?

^^ FWIW, It's not that far to walk. Sound stage 1 & 2 are next to each other, and are just past the first drop on Lethal Weapon. It's no further than the walk from Scooby to Wild West Falls.

Great report, and well done Movie World! It's great to see this event growing every year, we're now up to 4 mazes, a nightclub and new shows as well as actors in the street and the park dressed up. This is going to be seriously kick ass this year, and if you haven't bought tickets yet then you really should.

Yeah the riddler's lair was part of the studio tour for a while, and the Riddler featured with some dancers there, and I'm pretty sure there was a Riddler face character or the park as well at sone tine or another.

I think it's all pretty normal, and if the comments on the article are any gauge of public opinion (which we all know they are) then it seems most people support the park. There's always an element of 'not in my back yard' and these type of articles always come out, but I don't think this opposition will amount to anything. Also it will dissapoint the Community, any one else got images of depressed families walking around?

Some shiney Green track has just arrived at Movie World. Would you like to see? Of course you would! First drop S-bend for before the first drop? Some curvey bits and what looks to be a transfer track A look at how track peices fit together. Here is the 'Male' end The 'female' end of the track Some more of the first drop and with what looks like mountings for the brakes (and with a drop that steep it's just as bloody well) Still lots more room in the carpark.

^^ Glad you enjoyed the update, and good to see another person not just lurking and posting Have fun!

It's hard to make out in the pictures, but I've been told that the facade has been painted. While overcast weather can do amazing things, this comparasion to earlier in the year would suggest that there has been some painting going on. Mainly that the mountain isn't grey this month Yeah, it's pretty normal to replace the drops on these rides about that often, at least at Village Parks anyway. It may not seem like it but the drops on water rides put up with quite a bit, when you think there's 2 or 3 boats going over every min for 7 hours a day, with heavily clorinated water flowing over them the whole time you see it starts to add up.

Of course the reason you're all reading this update isn't the interesting things that are happening in the park, but the things that are happening outside it. Work is progressing on the parks new coaster, but while Dreamworld's Buzzsaw is in testing stage, Movie World is still doing the ground work for it's new ride. There really isn't too much to it so far, a bit of Earth moving and heavy machinery and drills for the footing, but nothing terribly exciting to see here. Told you there was machinery here. The drill digs the holes, the footings go in. I wonder if they considered using the now unused Earth drill on stage 2? Some supports. Still not terribly exciting but more exciting than dirt. Some people have "guessed" that the ride will be an S&S El Loco based off "Looking at the supports" Good on them. Heading back in the park, work is continuing on the new shop by the main entrance. This gives you an idea of the size of the shop. While it's much bigger than the old Bat Shop, it's still not huge. The building is basically done, with only finishing touches to be done. Having said that, there are a ton of finishing touches to make, such as a path to the back door Looking straight through the shop. Clearly the plan is to have this be used as an exit from the Bat Ride/ New Coaster. In Health and saftey news: A ton of these signs have appeared around the park in various queues. While we understand the need for safety signs (sort of) it is a shame that they haven't been themed to better blend in with the queues they are in. This one was taken in Scooby, and there are 10 or 20 the same just like it in the Scooby Doo queue alone. Have we mentioned though that Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster is still an awesome ride? A couple of things on the ride weren't working properly today, but they are different to the effects that weren't working on my last visit a couple months ago. In other words, yeah stuff breaks, but things are most definitely being fixed, and on the whole the ride looks better than it has for years. Well done Movie World! Phew! That's us pretty much caught up on everything since our last update. As you can see there's been heaps of stuff happening in the park over the last couple months, and while there are a couple negatives, the park is overwhelmingly looking great. Aside from the new ride and parade, there are new shops, shows, Halloween, Xmas as well as other projects moving through the pipelines and the continuing refurbishment of existing attractions. They've really got a lot on their plate at the moment, but despite all this the park is looking amazing, and kudos to them for keeping on top of everything. Thank you for reading, and putting up with what I'm calling "the iPhone months". The next update will be with a real camera Richard promises See you at Movieworld!