Jobe

That is very funny for soooo many reasons. It also appears that this post has been removed from the page as well. Interesting!! Thanks for posting!!

Even a slow news day garners comments.... 😊

Now THAT is scary!!!!! And very true.........

Mmmmm....saucy!!!!!!!!

Well at least we now know why they removed 2 of the Aqualoop slides on the left hand side of that tower. Makes perfect sense. Good option. Will try and visit in Summer to check it out!!

I think that this is a positive step in the right direction. As AlexB has pointed out, this lets Parques Reunidos clear the slate on the previous era of Wet and Wild Sydney and start anew. They can now forge their own identity and their own path with the park. It is interesting , though, to note that Parques Reunidos is still up for sale. What effect this will have on the property at Sydney or their other international parks is up in the air. However, its also positive to see that they are announcing a new slide for the upcoming season, which is something that the park has needed for a couple of years now. Time will tell what their strategy is in bring people back to the park, but lets hope that they resolve the issues that Village experienced with their operations. Maybe a little overly pessimistic mate? I would like to see how the park performs under the new owners before predicting the end of the world, although I get how you could think that this could happen.

Not a bad idea. I think I am over these puns anyway.... I am feeling very insulated to their effects........ Carry on!!!

Whoa 😮!! This is story certainly has legs!! It really needs a new arc.......😊

On a more serious note, if Dreamworld were to look to purchase one of these, it wouldnt be the worst decision in the world. https://www.zamperla.com/products/thunderbolt/ They look visually appealing and by all accounts, the Thunderbolt at Luna Park New York is popular and has garnered positive reviews.

Watt happened here was terrible!!!! It looks like everyone had to go ohm........ I really hoped they were juiced before they left... I guess this post will spark a few replies......... 😁

Yeah its definitely strange. It could just be a coincidence that both rides have been stalled from opening when both are practically ready to launch but I think they may be somehow linked. It will be interesting indeed MickeyD to see how SeaWorld's new rides progress. The timelines for the new rides do not leave a lot of room for delay of any sort so it will be one to watch very closely. I guess its going to be a bit of a race to see which attraction opens first- SX360 or Sky Voyager? My bet is on the former.......

Whilst nothing to do with Sky Voyager, this is a loosely related question. Given that Dreamworld are having issues getting the certification rights to opening Sky Voyager and the new tighter safety laws in the wake of the TRR tragedy, I wonder if this issue is also affecting the opening of Aussie World's new 360 degree swinging pendulum ride, the SX360? This was supposed to open before Easter but the website still advertises it as coming soon. There have been social media reports of some people having got to ride it in some sort of soft opening , but since then, the park and news of the ride has gone very quiet. Has anyone else heard anything to the contrary or have updated news?

Apologies- my bad. Just looking at the official RMC website, there is no mention of T-rex track or product anywhere on the website- not in products offered or even as an addendum under the Raptor track section. Whilst that may not mean that much in the overall scheme of things, it could mean that they have gone cold on the concept for now . Of course ,it could also mean that they simply will not add it to their product range until there IS actually an installation. Also RMC have been extremely busy over the last 2 years, with significant projects being completed and upcoming. This could impact their marketing of the new concept and their willingness or ability to deliver one in the next 18 months or 2 years. Given that the Raptor track and concept is still relatively new with only 2 coasters built, this could be a matter if waiting until the right concept and park comes a knocking. As has been stated, it would be great if that park was Dreamworld.

Thanks for the reply and review @DJKostya. Sorry I missed your original trip report- I will hunt it down for a complete look. Yeah I cannot disagree with you here Skeeta- the RMC Hybrid would definitely be the more visually stunning vista for Dreamworld. Its funny that you mention that there appear to be no plans to build further Raptors. Both rides are legitimately qualified successes in their own right- not including DJKostya's excellent review- but I have seen many others extolling the fantastic ride that this coaster brings. Perhaps parks are a little reticent due to its low throughput compared to other coaster models? It could also come down to price and perceived bang for buck? Maybe Dreamworld would be better off signing an exclusive deal with RMC to build both coaster types- with the Raptor coming first and then the larger Hybrid being the cream on the cake......

Yeah not exactly what I stated and I did say that it was in my opinion and then gave reasons for that opinion. I have read a lot of reviews on the RMC Raptor and this has helped formulate said opinion ( hence the "by all accounts , a great ride" statement) As I havent seen anyone on these boards stating that they have ridden the two Raptor's in existence, Wonder Woman and Railblazer, I did think it a pertinent question to ask. Not 100% sure if Slick has ridden one either ( although I bet it may be likely- for context have you @Slick?) , but you certainly didn't question his choice of ride at being in his list. Just saying Mind you, if Dreamworld WERE to build an RMC Hybrid, then I , and most likely everyone on this board, would be suitably impressed. Either way , to reiterate my earlier point, it is a great and logical list.

Great video and a great list of rides!! There is so much sense and logic here that we can all hope that someone with any pull at Ardent or Dreamworld watches this video and takes note. Unfortunately the Manager's at Dreamworld lately have only been having a very big pull- at the public's expense. The replacement ride for the Wipeout is the one that's the most puzzling for mine. As Slick effortlessly showed, the Zamperla off the shelf option would have been the easiest fix for the park and would have replaced the Wipeout with an improved , newer like for like ride that the public WOULD have appreciated. If a small park like Luna Park Sydney can replace an aging , popular ride like the Tango Train with another almost identical attraction , keep public sentiment and goodwill, then why the hell cant a large themepark with far more resources like Dreamworld do the same thing?? Its positively inane and really highlights the lack of foresight and experience in running a theme park that the current level of Dreamworld management obviously lack. Having ridden Manta at Seaworld Orlando I can positively say that a B & M flyer would be a brilliant addition to Dreamworld but as Slick pointed out ,highly unlikely due to the cost. Would be awesome to see one winding around Dreamworld though! I think one of the Intamin coasters mentioned would be too similar to MovieWorld's offering , as good as they are. The Vekoma options look excellent but an RMC Raptor would be the best choice for Dreamworld , IMHO. They would be an Australian first, would be clearly definable as being unique and by all accounts, a great ride. Most importantly, however, they would not be horrendously expensive and should be well in the realms of possibility for Dreamworld to afford. Does anyone know the difference in prices for an RMC Hybrid versus an RMC Raptor? Also has anyone on the pages actually ridden a Raptor? I would like to hear first hand of the ride experience!

Great video thanks for sharing!!! 👍

Interesting theme park news that could affect Wet "N Wild Sydney. Parques Reunidos have received a $703 million dollar takeover bid from a Swedish Private Equity firm. As well as recently taking over Wet'N Wild Sydney, they own over 60 theme parks, water parks and Zoos/Aquariums across the globe. These include; Amusement parks Dragon Park Ha Long - Quảng Ninh, Việt Nam Bobbejaanland - Lichtaart, Belgium Dubai Parks and Resorts - Dubai, United Arab Emirates BonBon-Land - Næstved, Denmark Mirabilandia - Ravenna, Italy Movie Park Germany - Bottrop-Kirchhellen, Germany Parque de Atracciones de Madrid - Madrid, Spain Parque Warner Madrid - Madrid, Spain Attractiepark Slagharen - Hardenberg, Netherlands Tusenfryd - Vinterbro, Norway Kennywood Amusement Park - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Idlewild and Soak Zone - Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States Miami Seaquarium - Key Biscayne, Florida, United States Castle Park - Riverside, California, United States Dutch Wonderland - Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States Lake Compounce - Bristol, Connecticut, United States Sea Life Park - Waimanalo Beach, Hawaii, United States Story Land - Glen, New Hampshire, United States Mountasia -- Marietta, Georgia, United States Zoo and nature parks Zoo Aquarium - Madrid, Spain Selwo Aventura and Selwo Marina - Estepona, Spain Delfinario Costa Daurada - Costa Daurada Mar del Plata Aquarium - Mar del Plata, Argentina Marineland - Antibes, France Lakes Aquarium - Lakeside, England Blackpool Zoo - Lancashire, England Bournemouth Oceanarium - Bournemouth, England Sea Life Park - Waimanalo, Hawaii, United States Miami Seaquarium - Miami, United States[citation needed] Water parks Aquopolis Costa Daurada Cullera San Fernando de Henares Sevilla Cartaya Torrevieja Villanueva de la Cañada Bø Sommarland - Bø i Telemark, Norway Aquasplash Marineland - Antibes, France Mirabilandia Beach - Ravenna, Italy Aqualud - Le Touquet, France Noah's Ark Water Park - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, United States Raging Waters (3 Locations) - Sacramento, San Dimas and San Jose, California, United States Splish Splash - Riverhead, New York, United States Water Country - Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe - Greensboro, North Carolina, United States Sandcastle Waterpark - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Wet'n'Wild Sydney - Prospect, New South Wales, Australia The board of Parques Reunidos are meeting to discuss the offer. The article on the sale can be found here: https://skift.com/2019/04/26/theme-park-operator-parques-reunidos-gets-703-million-takeover-approach/

Yeah well I was referring more to the Melbourne one as that is the one I have experienced and can safely say wasn't shit. But each to their own. As I stated earlier, i think the fact this this experience appears to have been not well advertised or well known , even amidst some of the posters on this board, would have to be a major reason why this appears to have failed. A number of other factors could have contributed- high rent, poor cashflow, parent company had other financial issues. Who knows?

Ahh!! What a shame it closed. There are similar venues across Australia - there is one in Docklands at Melbourne of which I had the pleasure of visiting with the family. This is called ArtVo and is thoroughly recommended. http://artvo.com.au/ They are basically an immersive art gallery where you stand in front of these huge art and wall murals and insert yourself into the frame for amazing 3 D effects. Depending on how you shoot the picture, the effects can be awesome. They are huge amounts of fun and are great for the entire family. I would have thought that an example on the Gold Coast would have been a well attended attraction, but perhaps this comes down to the cosmopolitan crowd that live in Melbourne. It doesnt sound like this one was well advertised though? I was a little wary of the concept at first but i found the experience to be awesome- the whole family loved it. Its definitely not shit

Bit like Park Chat Live? 😂😎

Awesome video mate great job!! Filmed on a GoPro?

No love for Intamin or Mack? Vekoma?? 😂

Hahaha yeah I remember that guy!!! Obsessed isnt the word!!! It was unhealthy!! Yeah thanks @djrappa, you are absolutely right. I had meant to post originally that the actions of the guy in the video are not exactly legal- if you view the video there are several instances of trespass which cannot be ignored. Please dont take this as any way shape or form that anyone on these boards condones such actions- play it safe people!

Here is a great article on Tony Maloney ,from late last year. He is currently serving as the chief ride mechanic and Maloney's Corner was eponymously named after him. Luna Park mechanic who knows every nut and bolt still on the job JANET FIFE-YEOMANS, The Daily Telegraph November 17, 2018 12:00am Living in Sydney has been a merry-go-round for Tony Maloney. The 71-year-old started working at Luna Park as a wide-eyed 13-year-old and he is still there. He literally knows every nut and bolt of the heritage-listed fun park, having numbered, dismantled, removed, refurbished and then rebuilt every ride twice, in 1993 and 2000. After keeping the park safe for generations, the master mechanic tried to retire a few years ago but couldn’t leave the magic behind. Tony Maloney checks up on a merry-go-round. Picture: Justin Lloyd After a few weeks away from the fun park that has been his life, he was on the phone to the park’s managing director Peter Hearne. “I rang Peter, who said ‘why don’t you come back two or three days a week’,” Mr Maloney said. He has been on every ride in the park countless times but Mr Maloney remains a rollercoaster tragic and looks back with nostalgia on the days of Luna Park’s wooden rollercoaster, its original Big Dipper. “We used to have to walk the whole ride every hour because the rails would move,” he said yesterday. Tony Maloney is the longest-serving employee at the park. Picture: Justin Lloyd There was a narrow boardwalk the mechanics used while the trains were going — and for the record there were three carriages carrying up to 72 people at a time. Mr Maloney has since ridden some of the world’s biggest rollercoasters but nothing can scare him. “I love coasters, it’s the adrenaline rush,” he said. The 83-year-old park has had its own rollercoaster of a history. It closed after the fatal Ghost Train fire in 1979, opening again in 1982 only to close again and reopen in 2004. Mr Maloney wasn’t at work the night that a father, his two sons and six school students died when fire destroyed the wooden Ghost Train building, but he still felt the impact of the tragedy. Firemen battle the blaze at the Ghost Train ride on a tragic night in 1979. Luna Park’s Ghost Train building as it appeared in the 1940s. Inquests have since failed to determine a cause, ruling out an electrical fault and reports of arson and finding that, on that night, there was no attendant patrolling inside the building “in case of fire” as had been the practice. Mr Maloney grew up in Milsons Point, not far from Luna Park, and his grandfather drove the steam trains that dropped off passengers to catch ferries before the bridge was built. He remembers when huge queues waited to get into the park and the first 500 kids into the park got a bag of lollies and free tickets to four rides. “We used to go swimming in the morning and then to the park to spend Saturday afternoon and it was fantastic,” he said. The dance hall and bandstand from the 1940s at Sydney’s famous attraction. Sliding thrills at Luna Park in the 1950s. Luna Park Udrive and Coney Island kept them queueing in the 1960s. He was almost a “Luna Park baby”, following his parents Joan and Alan Maloney working on sideshows such as Hoopla and the Laughing Clowns from the age of 13. He started full-time as a fitter in 1961. Mr Maloney met his wife, Wendy, when she worked as secretary to Ted Hopkins, the showman who transported the original Luna Park rides from a failed amusement park in Glenelg in South Australia to the former bridge work yards. The couple’s three children worked at the park and there is even one site, Maloney’s Corner, named after Tony. The original face was painted by artist Rupert Brown around 1935. The park’s fifth face, designed by artist Arthur Barton, circa 1950. The face of Luna Park catches a ride during a 2001 re-fit. Children ride the Wild Mouse after the 2004 re-opening. NSW / Amusement Centre Lefties make about as much sense as a goose’s Mr Maloney knows all the tricks and secrets that make the rides a thrill but his “baby” is the Wild Mouse rollercoaster, which arrived the year before he did. For years he took it to pieces and rebuilt it at the Easter Show, when the show was held at Moore Park to the background of singing by three brothers better known as the Bee Gees. Mr Maloney has overseen all types of dismantling, such as this one in 2003. Picture: Scott Hornby Jordan Stenmark and Dancing With The Stars partner Jessica Prince went on Luna Park rides for Jordan to overcome dizziness. Katy Perry tries a Luna Park dodgem. Night-time magic at the timeless fun park. Mr Maloney loves hearing customers come back and reminisce. Picture: Justin Lloyd He even took the Wild Mouse up to Brisbane and on a train over the Nullarbor to Perth. Mr Maloney is unashamed about his love of the whimsical amusement park and even its old daggy rides such as the River Caves and Noah’s Ark. “I love seeing people coming back. They go on the slippery dips and swear the slides were much higher and longer when they were kids,” he said. Now required to get development approval for new rides, the park is lining up some Christmas specials including the Power Surge and the Wave Swinger, which have a perfect spot in Maloney’s Corner." What a great article on such a living treasure as Tony. His memories and experiences for the park are priceless and I am sure he could tell some great stories!! Characters like these are now found few and far between- its great to see LPS still utilise his experience and expertise in operations. What a great poster child for the older generation still working and contributing significantly to society. Here is another very interesting article that shows the worth of the amusement park to the local economy. Dating from late last year, it was published in the height of the DA application standoff with the state government that has since been resolved in the parks favour. Luna Park worth $683m to economy over five years NEW data has revealed the massive worth of Luna Park to Sydney’s economy as the iconic harbourside attraction faces as uncertain future. Independent research estimates Luna Park will contribute $120.6 million to the Harbour City’s economy this year and $683.4 million over the next five years. Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe said the embattled park was more than just a place for fun rides and fairy floss. Sydney Business Chamber’s executive director Patricia Forsythe. “It also employs about 1000 people a year in a wide range of positions including in the amusement park, catering staff functions and events roles,” Ms Forsythe said. “It actually plays a big role around business events. From a business point of view, we’d be lost without the sort of space it has to host the large corporate events for thousands of delegates.” The latest data on the park’s economic impact follows a recent Land and Environment Court ruling which threatens the long-term viability of the attraction. Luna Park, a harbourside institution since 1935 which attracts a million thrillseekers each year, will now have to seek lengthy planning approvals for every new and moved ride and attraction as local residents gain a greater say in the process. Luna Park is a big money spinner for Sydney’s economy. Ms Forsythe this week reinforced the concerns of the park’s operators where it could get caught up in red tape. “Luna Park plays a really important role in the overall Sydney visitor economy,” he said. “It has been there, dare I say it, longer than almost any local resident. Too many people take it for granted. “It already conforms to standards that have been developed with the neighbourhood in mind (since it reopened in 2004). This was a way to respond to residents’ concerns. “The park is too important, and the NSW government has got to resolve this issue as soon as possible.”