Jobe

Yeah the really seem to have "grown" on you eh??

Vale Tower Of Terror!! I remember riding this in 1997 not long after it had opened and it set the thrill benchmark for Australia and made the world sit up and take notice. I am a little bit bittersweet at this announcement-especially the timing- as I am due to take the family to the Coast and visit in January. Both my kids are fairly devastated at this news, having not had the opportunity to ride this before now. Its very true that this is better managed closure than Wipeout- but not by much. A far better scenario would have been announcing the rides closure now but giving it a decent length of time to farewell it- lets say the end of Xmas school holidays. This then would have allowed Dreamworld to really ramp up the rides closure, provide people with a must do , last time attraction/ ride experience over the January/Xmas school holidays and really give it the send off that a ride of this iconic status deserves. Would also have liked a ride replacement announcement to go with this - this then would have indicated that at least management have really learnt from the Wipeout fiasco, but perhaps given the small lead in time for the closure of the ride, this says more bout the reliability and viability of the TOT remaining open than the general public have been led to believe. Fingers crossed that a new , dynamic and substantial replacement will be announced very soon!!

Here is an article from Australian Leisure Management regarding Merimbula's Magic Mountain, a small park on the Sapphire Coast in southern NSW. This park is rarely mentioned on these pages but its great to see that the park is doing extremely well. With its new owners investing in new attractions, it proves that small parks like this can not only survive, but thrive when they are well run, offer good value and see modest investment year on year. I have myself have never ventured to Merimbula , but the area looks absolutely beautiful and looks fantastic for a family getaway. The park was visited most famously by Theme Park Review a few years ago, on their first trip to Australia. I think they described it as being one of farthest they had ever traveled to reach a credit!! Here is the link to the article: https://www.ausleisure.com.au/news/merimbula-magic-mountain-prepares-for-peak-season/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=17th October&utm_content=17th October+CID_4171bef0a70458325492470ae1ba7f5a&utm_source=Email marketing software&utm_term=Merimbula Magic Mountain prepares for peak season MERIMBULA MAGIC MOUNTAIN PREPARES FOR PEAK SEASON OCTOBER 17, 2019 ATTRACTIONS / RECREATION / RETAIL / TOURISM Opened after its winter closure on 21st September, the Magic Mountain amusement park in the NSW community of Merimbula is gearing up to seven-day operations during the peak summer period. The much-loved NSW South Coast attraction has been a staple summer holiday destination since the 1980s, attracting around 50,000 guests a year. Opened in 1983 with a waterslide and old Melbourne tram - fitted out as a cafe - the attraction's centrepiece for many years has been its toboggan ride and Diamond Python rollercoaster (recently renamed as the Sapphire Speedster). With other features including the 18-car grand prix dodgem cars, jumping castle and magic carpet slide, significant investments in the last five years have seen the addition of a Tree Climb Challenge in 2014, the Tube Rider in 2016 and a new maze with viewing tower in 2018. Imported from Italy, the Tube Rider is a secure and fun dry tube ride from artificial ski slope experts Neveplast. The winter season has seen the park's rollercoaster given a face lift and rebranded as the Sapphire Speedster, while Magic Mountain's eating facilities have been renovated and a new gift shop created. 2019 has seen Magic Mountain listed on TripAdvisor's Traveller's Choice awards as being one of the top 10 amusement and waterparks in the South Pacific region - achieving this recognition for the sixth year in the past seven. Acquired by the Blyton Group in February 2018, the new owners have invested in the off-season improvement and, in the coming weeks, will be announcing the installation of a new ride for the 2019 summer season. Open every day during the recent school holidays, the attraction is now open most days of the week other than some Mondays and Tuesdays and will be operational every day over the peak summer period. During January it will offer extended trading hours with live entertainment, face painting and other activities. For the current season Magic Mountain is offering an $88 season pass, unlimited entry all season and offers a $6 per person discount for online purchases. Images: Magic Mountain's rebranded Sapphire Speedster (top) and Tube Rider (below) Below is a video highlighting the recent improvements to Magic Mountain and the attractions listed in the above article. It will be interesting to see what the new attraction for 2019 will be.

Maloney's Corner is definitely a zone in the park that they are approved to install new permanent or temporary rides under the new conditions signed off by the state government. If they want to put attractions there, and they comply with the current restrictions, then they have every right. I never heard that Flying Carousel was meant for Maloney's Corner- as far as I know it was always destined for the Flying Saucer site- this is where it made the most sense. Source? I am more than confident that a Maurer SC 2000 ( the model that Pitt and Sherry did preliminary work on ) would comfortably fit in behind Coney Island and running adjacent to the building itself. The Mystery Manor could be removed to free up space in this area for this very reason. Please note I have no idea if this is what is going to occur or actually coming to LPS- its supposition on my part based on the information we have been able to glean. I know for a fact that Brad Loxley, former Operations Manager, hinted strongly to me that LPS would be receiving another coaster- I am confident that a new coaster will be arriving in some shape or form. The question is the when and the how. Lets keep our fingers crossed that it is in the near future. It looks like you are correct here. The U Drive was replaced a couple of years ago with a new version, but all that is showing on the website now is the U Drive, the Whirly Wheel with the Crazy Car in this space as a holiday ride. This could also be further indication of imminent change. Interesting. Good find. Time will tell what will happen with this space. I cannot see them not expanding their kids rides- they do need a small precinct of 4 rides- that has served them well in the past.

Just a quick update and some interesting info- Mystery Manor will close permanently at Luna Park 3rd of November. The appeal and popularity of this attraction surprised even Luna Park- this was meant to be a temporary Halloween walkthrough attraction , however, it proved so popular that it has stayed open for close to 4 years now. The quality of the theming, the excellent actors all made this in house attraction a winner. Now that its closing for good, it certainly augers well for a new attraction to take its place. Given its location at the back of Maloney's Corner, it occupies a fair bit of real estate that could be used for a substantial attraction. ( hint hint Maurer Sohne Spinning Coaster) Given the success of Volare, its time for LPS to once again move forward with their $25 million ride reinvestment plans. Here's hoping that this is the first signs of that coming to fruition. Fingers crossed!

Great trip report Gazza, as always!! Kennywood is on my bucket list of parks to visit, due to its mix of heritage and old time feel and new world thrills!! I am happy to see a trip report from someone that I trust stack up to my expectations!! Had to laugh at your description of the Turtle ( old time Tumblebug- made by Traver engineering) I rode the example at Blackpool years ago- it has since been removed. I do believe that there are no more than 2 surviving Tumblebug rides left- the Kennywood example and one at Conneaut Lake Park. There are none left outside of mainland US with the demise of the Pleasure beach example- a tragedy as it was destined to be gifted to Margate park for its reopening but it never occured. Its whereabouts is unknown, most probably scrapped. Similarly,the Whip is also from the same timeframe and also a rare ride as well. Once again, the only example I have ridden was at Blackpool but it has also since been removed to whereabouts unknown. Examples of both of these rides were found at Sydney's Luna Park until the early 70's. I would be keen to ride a Bayern Kurve again. I was surprised to see that you hadnt ridden one before- you must have missed the Wizards Fury at Wonderland before they removed it. Again another example of a rare ride being looked after. Really want to ride one of those Kangaroo rides- there seem to to be quite a few examples of these in the US and from your description, they sound well worth the effort The coasters look excellent- something for everybody. I am most interested in riding the vintage woodies but also Phantoms Revenge. Its got an interesting backstory and its great to see that from its troubled beginnings, a decent coaster emerged. What was the atmosphere like at the park? Was it busy the day that you went?

Just when you thought that there was a Museum for everything, life comes and slaps you in the face. The World's First Vagina Museum will open in London on November the 16th. Please see the below link for the full story. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/uk-vagina-museum-london-scli-gbr-intl/index.html I must admit, when I first read this I cracked up. I mean seriously, a Museum for Vaginas!! But the more I thought the more I could see that there is a hole in the market for something like this. Someone has worked years to get this off the ground, beavering away tirelessly to make it happen. Now it is here and they are ready to pull apart the beef curtain and let visitors enter. Oh i am sure this will have its detractors- there is always someone caught up in a flap but I reckon this will be a massive success. What do you guys reckon?? 😉

Seriously? Thanks AlexB - not sure why that particular post was offensive to ole Push - he wasn’t mentioned, it wasn’t even directed at him!! He is officially a cockwomble.

Looking good!!! Thanks for the report guys!!!

Wow. Not sure why my post would attract a nauseating emote. It was a fairly inoffensive post I thought. Seems a bit petty to me.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has a good collection of coasters, some that are historic and some quite good recent additions. The Big One is a bit of a snore fest after the first drop, but Big Dipper and The Grand National are both excellent historic woodies. Although I haven't ridden it, Icon by all accounts is an extremely good coaster and worth the trip alone. The park also has some other great attractions such as Valhalla ( one of the best dark ride /water rides in the world) and also historic attractions such Sir Hiram Maxim's Flying machines, The Ghost Train, and the River Caves . Unfortunately, when I went ( admittedly a few years ago now) they also had great historic attractions such as The Whip, The Tumblebug, Noahs Ark ( still there just a static attraction) and the much lamented Wild Mouse ( with its unique layout - quite different from LPS) Well worth a visit and I would definitely put it on the list if you are visiting the UK.

Well I was going to post who really gives a flying fuck on who gives what rep and for who but clearly I do since I have just commented on it....... I will see myself out. Thanks. Carry on.

Ha!! Didn’t realise they were gone???? Honestly did anyone on these boards ever watch them regularly? I watched a couple of episodes and the one that did it for me was when they asked for serious questions from their “viewers’ and they treated serious questions with absolute contempt. I lost all respect for them at that point. Their efforts to be taken seriously as a theme park chat show just fell so short. Terrible IMHO. No mourning here if they are truly gone!!

Is it a standard Mouse Spinner or something a bit different?

Hahaha...I totally didnt get that reference either...now it makes 100% sense!! Should have known better......lol

Really? I find it pretty inoffensive myself.

Looking good!!! Despite its obvious design shortcomings ( a big letdown from the first concept art released) this park COULD be a great waterpark. A slide like this is definitely needed - the Aqualoop it replaced was rarely used and this makes much more sense and better utilisation of the space. This will help to disperse crowds that much more with another attraction to filter crowds off to. Lets hope that Parques Reunidos , with their vast experience running international parks, can bring about a far improved and consistent experience to the site. Hopefully , we will not see a return of the Season Pass debacle that plagued Wet 'N"Wild in their opening years. Its all looking positive for this park , for now.

Yeah that was my recollection as well. Fully 6 is a great name. Its a bit irreverent , cheeky fun and ties in with the Aussie vernacular. Whats not to like????

Whilst we are awaiting the opening of the SX360, I found an article on the Octopus accident at Aussie World that led to its removal and subsequent replacement by the Wasp ride. Aussie World were certainly lucky in this incident that no one was seriously injured and their good safety record set them in good stead. Of course , this was just before the Dreamworld TRR incident, and it would be interesting to see how this incident would have been dealt with in the aftermath of that tragic event. Certainly the delay in commissioning of the SX360 has its roots tied in with the TRR findings and safety overhauls of the amusement park industry in Qld following the incident. The link to the article is here. https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/aussie-world-cops-25k-fine-after-ride-car-breaks-l/3065602/ Aussie World cops $25K fine after ride car breaks loose by STUART CUMMING 21st Jul 2016 6:46 PM | Updated: 22nd Jul 2016 5:46 AM AUSSIE World has been fined $25,000 after a carriage holding two teenagers broke free on the Octopus ride while it was running. The theme park's operators Timevale Pty Ltd pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday to failing to comply with health and safety duty. Their strong safety record and the significant efforts made in the 15 months since the incident to improve the park was looked on favourably in sentencing. Improvement efforts have included spending about $650,000 on new expert staff, ride upgrades and training procedures. An 18-year-old woman suffered a cut to her forehead and an 18 year-old man was uninjured when their car-shaped carriage broke free about 3.20pm on April 7 last year. It separated from the ride's arm about a minute into the ride and dropped to the ground, skidding about six metres before coming to a rest among other moving cars. Both occupants were still secured inside. Magistrate Annette Hennessy noted it was fortunate the carriage was quite close to the ground when it separated. The court heard the ride had been purchased from Luna Park in New South Wales in 2002. An agreed statement of facts tendered to the court said an Aussie World ride technician had carried out a maintenance check on the Octopus on the day of the crash and that nothing of note was reported. Defence barrister Andrew O'Brien said the cause of the incident was not something addressed in the manufacturer's maintenance manual. Mr O'Brien said the manual did not alert Timevale to the need to tighten concealed bolts on the ride's arm. He said external engineers had also not alerted the company to the need to tighten the bolts. A report from December last year by a senior Workplace Health and Safety mechanical advisor said it was likely that tapped threads could have been damaged as a result of insufficient tightening of the screws, which catastrophically failed after a hexagon screw broke. The ride has since been removed and replaced with another. Timevale's full cooperation with the Workplace Health and Safety investigation and early plea of guilty went in their favour. The court also heard Timevale or its parent company, Presida Group, had not previously faced a prosecution of any kind, with Timevale having run Aussie World since 1995. Timevale also already had considerable maintenance measures in place, including a dedicated eight-person team as well as daily, weekly, monthly and annual ride inspections. Ms Hennessy noted the significant changes in ride maintenance but noted that was not to say the previous procedures were insufficient. Timevale was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay a further $1079.40 in legal and administration costs. Aussie World Chief Operating Officer Aaron Flanagan issued a statement after the sentence. "Aussie World has proudly maintained an impeccable safety record over its 26 year history," it read. "Whilst it is regrettable that this incident occurred some 15 months ago, it was acknowledged today that Aussie World had a comprehensive maintenance regime in place, undertook extensive engineering testing annually, conducted independent engineering inspections and maintained quality operator training systems.　 "It was also accepted that the fault that lead to the mechanical failure was not addressed in the manufacturers ride manual.　 "Over the last year we have invested significantly in people, systems and ride refurbishment programs which today was positively recognised by the authorities.　 "We are focused on developing a best in class theme park for the Sunshine Coast.　 "Two brand new rides have been purchased recently and we are currently in discussions to buy additional new rides to enhance the family entertainment experience." 　 No conviction was recorded. Improvements since the crash have included: - Restructure to the technical services department to create a specific, dedicated rides engineering department - Recruitment of an internationally experienced rides engineer manager - Recruitment of a new rides engineer supervisor - Refurbishment of four major rides - Recruitment of a new independent engineer to undertake annual ride inspections - Additional workplace health and safety training for managers and ride engineering staff - New workplace health and safety management system with annual audits.

Excellent pickup and great to see this park adding to their lineup year on year. Cant help but feel a little sad at the demise of the Burnout ( The Old Dreamworld Stingray) . We rode this as a family in January of this year and the ride certainly looked well maintained and in good condition. It certainly did not have the look of a ride destined for the scrap heap! Shame to see a Dreamworld original disappear from the Aussie theme park landscape. The new ride Dragon's Revenge looks very similar to the The Wasp at Aussie World on the Sunshine Coast. This is a medium thrill family attraction and should be an excellent addition to the parks offerings. Great to see Funfields continue with their expansion plans. With the gauntlet being thrown down by Gumbaya World and new attractions at Adventure World being announced, the mini Victorian park arms race is certainly heating up!!

Excellent!!! Will be visiting this park in January so looking forward to returning!! Haven't been there for 7 years- will certainly miss the Wild Mouse coaster they used to have!! Looking forward to seeing all the improvements that have been made since then and of course the opening of the SX360. Their new spinning Wild Mouse coaster, will , unfortunately, be open mid to late next year.

No the response came after Speedy Beetle's installation and they were definitely referring to long term plans to attain a second signature coaster on the Metropolis site.👍

Wow mate. Never thought I would hear the day where you dissed a Huss product!!! 😳

I never stated that they should utilise the entire footprint that Big Dipper occupied. I am merely saying that there is enough room for a second coaster on the existing Metropolis site. Yes the Pinfari Zyklon is a compact coaster , however the site is now sitting empty and dormant. It is used as a space for temporary attractions for the moment. This space could more than handle a small Eurofighter, Maurer Spinner, S&S El Loco, Premier Rides Sky Rocket II, Custom S & S Mine Train Coaster, Custom Mack Big Dipper Coaster, Custom Zamperla Thunderbolt, Custom Mack Wild Mouse- need i go on? The fact is that the public find coasters, on the whole, as the most thrilling exponent of any amusement park. To have a new coaster would be a far bigger drawcard than settling on 2 or 3 unremarkable flats. The introduction of any 2nd coaster would not precipitate the loss of any space currently utilised for flats so the number of rides within the park would be unaffected. And as I stated before, if the park is clever, you can certainly succeed in having another flat within or close to the ride envelope. Potentially a Drop tower could also be ideally situated in this space, depending on what coaster was actually installed. Either way, its a moot point. LPM have confirmed that this space will eventually be the home of a 2nd coaster as a direct replacement for the long gone Metropolis. They have signalled that this is their intention and that , although there is no timeframe for this at the present time, they have been investigating options for the site.

A new video has been uploaded to Youtube on April of this year that shows footage from Luna Park Sydney from 1972. This footage is some of the clearest I have ever seen of this time period - for its age the quality is excellent. Highlights on the 3 minute video include: Excellent footage of the rare Calypso- an early version of the Spider. This was an early Mack ride and an example can still be found at Cedar Point Good footage of the Tumble house attraction in action. Excellent profile on LPS's Rock O Plane Excellent footage of LPs's historic carousel- now sadly lost to Australia. Never before seen colour footage of LPS's original Tumblebug ride. This would have to be close to just before it was replaced by the Hurricane. The Tumblebug was an original ride from the 1935 opening. Sweeping footage of the extent of the Midway from this period showing Davy Jones locker, The Wild Cat and The Ghost Train. The best POV of The Big Dipper in colour that I have ever seen. @19Michael96 mate I think this will interest you greatly. Consider how quickly the park changed from this video in 1972 to 1978 comparing the footage below. Gone is the Tumblebug to be replaced by the Zipper. The Calypso is also gone, replaced by the Roundup. There is also the introduction of the Hurricane and several other travelling rides within the park like the three armed Octopus. Some of LPS's original charm had been lost by this stage. Blink and you miss it but there is footage of a flying chair ride in the 2nd video that only arrived in the park in the late 1970's. This ride stayed until the park shut down in the aftermath of the ghost train fire and was sold in the fire sale in 1980. Its speculated that this ride was picked up second hand and found its home at Dreamworld where it has been refurbed and still resides today. Its been moved around the park several times - it was called the Zumer at one stage and now is the Puss In Boots Swing. If this is the same ride that came from LPS, it has not been 100% confirmed , however, the timeline certainly does fit.. See the below fairly rare footage from the 1980's incarnation for comparison that highlight the changes to the park in a little over a decade.