Jobe

Funny I was thinking the exact same thing. The former Led Zeppelin B & M would be great addition to Sea World and it would certainly fit in the footprint vacated by Sea Viper. However this idea does present some problems. Village Roadshow traditionally do not invest in 2nd hand rides-if I am not mistaken this would be a first? Also Led Zeppelin might not fit into the target demographic that SeaWorld is trying to reach-it certainly cannot be classed as a family attraction. I think that this decision to finally remove Sea Viper has not been a snap decision or one taken lightly by management. Sea World must be applauded for maintaining Sea Viper for the 32 years it was in existence. However its its final years it was plagued by long periods of maintenance,so in the end, this decision really does not come as a great surprise. The decision to remove the iconic ride could also be tied to Wild's deferment/cancellation as Sea World reevaluate the use of its first large available parcel of land at its disposal since Jet Ski was installed. I personally would like to see several new attractions be introduced into this area-with a new family coaster being the anchor. Echo the calls for a Firestarter type family coaster with 2 or more other rides to be integrated into the area. I certainly think that Seaworld already has definite plans for the area involved-the decision to remove is clearly calculated , however it may take some time for these plans to come to fruition. Whatever they decide upon, it is certainly exciting times for fans of Seaworld and hopefully we will see another world class attraction rise from Cork Screw's shadow.

Freak Out only has lap bars-its a great ride!!

Yep it's a shame to be sure. The question has to be asked though-is the act of closing Sea Viper linked to the cancellation/deferment of Wild? I think that they might be- please be aware this is purely my own speculation and not based and any solid fact. I am sure that with the forced retirement of Sea Viper, and given that real estate in Sea World is of utmost premium, this forced Seaworld to reevaluate their plans for the land encompassing this area. As I said purely wild speculation on my part.

I agree Slick. Although the Wacky Worm is not the major coaster addition that we have all been hoping Aussie World would announce, this addition of the Wacky Worm will further broaden their appeal to families. I cannot see it anything but a success. Thanks for the latest nearmap showing the stage of construction rac2703. The placement of the Waveswinger is interesting. As the pic shows, it is at the top of the small hill near the plunge. This height, plus its proximity to the apex of the plunge's first drop will certainly add to the thrill factor of the ride!! Great placement!! Your right AlexB about the narrowness of the walkway. In its current state it certainly doesnt appear to be well serving for future expansion. However, there is certainly room for alternative access to the left of the Plunge and I am confident this is the path that would be taken if Aussie World decided to expand in this direction further. Fingers crossed that the Illusionarium is a worthwhile addition as well!! Well done Aussie World!

Yeah your right Joz. After I posted I went looking for some info to back this up and could not find anything definitive. As you said, probably same manufacturer , but definitely different wheel. The mystery is -where did the Seaworld Eye eventually end up?? Was it the same wheel that was installed at the Gold Coast transport interchange that was removed last year?? Can anyone shed some light??

Pretty sure your correct rac2073 and the Brisbane Wheel is the former Sea World Eye.

Ah!! A Wacky Worm......I know its only a junior coaster but I was hoping for something a little more unique.....

Looks a little more intense than the first video posted I must say!!! The impression of speed is far greater.... Looks like an adrenaline rush!

Yeah agree It should not and would not be on Movieworlds radar in the slightest.

Bang on MickeyD,I agree 100%! Seaworld, almost as much as Movie World, is in dire need for one or 2 quality flat rides to broaden out their attraction offer. Surely there is space left in the park somewhere as to where 2 family flat thrill rides could operate?

Thats a good point Flea but the exact opposite of that COULD be the reason for Wild's ultimate demise or deferral at the very least. There could be an unforseen problem with the animals themselves ( either in the acquiring, legal or technical aspect) that were required for the attraction, and this is the reason that Wild has quietly slipped off the radar for the present.

As an aside to this, the Reef Diver will not be going to Funfields in Victoria, home of the ex Stingray from DW and ex Pirate Ship from Sea World. It was offered and looked at very closely by the park on purchasing, but in the end the decision was made that the ride was too old and that it had run its course. Funfields have stated that they will continue to look at other major attractions in the very near future as the park continues to grow. So Reef Diver, AFAIK, is still unsold. I have a feeling that it may be a while, if ever, that the ride will be off loaded. Perhaps Aussie World may pick up another bargain basement ride......

Really enjoying these images Reanimated!! Very good indeed!!

Surely there would be a way to angle the camera from the top to capture the riders faces without being obstructive of the view?

From what I have read, there was no egress at the top in its initial design. They did have to retrofit a doorway at the top after someone got stuck and could not get out. From all accounts this slide was brutal. It really knocked you about. It was lucky to last the time it did.

Great pics!! Thanks for posting!!

I just recently watched this short documentary on Action Park, New Jersey. I must admit to being intrigued by the stories and the infamy that this park has garnered since it closed in the mid 90's. I had certainly seen the pic below of the world first "true" Looping water slide but I was not aware of its torrid history or the fact that it was built for Action Park. Forgive me if this has been posted before or mentioned, but I was not aware of its existence and I think it would be of great interest to theme park enthusiasts on this site-especially those with practical experience of working in one!! Here is the YouTube link for you guys to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb1h2XqKsIY It only goes for 14 minutes but it makes for very interesting viewing!!! Enjoy!!

For those members in Melbourne , there has arisen a great opportunity to do a backstage tour of the inner workings of the historical buildings and rides of Luna Park Melbourne. Positions on the tours are extremely limited and places will be allotted by ballot. Here is the link: http://www.openhousemelbourne.org/buildings/luna-park PORT PHILLIP PP02 Address: 18 Lower Esplanade St Kilda Opening Hours: Sat 3pm - 4pm - Via Ballot below What's Open: The Scenic Railway motor room, the heritage listed Scenic Railway maintenance shed, the Carousel and Carousel motor room, the Ghost Train Special Note: Ballot only - enter below Frequency Of Tours: Organised, 10 people per tour, 3 tours will run at a time beginning at 10am and 11am. Building Type: Retail/Consumer/Tourism - Amusement Park Year Built: 1912 Architect: TH Eslick Web: http://lunapark.com.au/ Tram Stops: Trams - 3, 3A, 67, 79, 96 - stop Luna Park 112 - end of line walk around down Esplanade to Luna Park Photo Credit: Luna Park × PP02 Luna Park Ballot Registration Due to the limited number of spaces available on select tours during Open House Melbourne, registrations will be taken for this building. Each person who enters their details has a chance to go on their selected tour as the places will be allocated via a ballot system (random draw). You have until 5pm Friday 18 July to enter your name in the ballot, and successful entrants will notified via email by July 20. This email will be your 'ticket' for the tour, and you must bring this with you on the day. This would be a fantastic opportunity to see the inner workings of some of Australia's greatest historical amusement park pieces. I for one would love the opportunity- hopefully someone on these boards can attend and get some great pics for the site!!

Not really no,hence my light hearted dig about semantics on this board at the end of the post ( did you even read that???), but it IS the Off topic topic thread. Seems appropriate enough here than anywhere else on the board!

Really?? Even if we could argue that these services,that are to operate twice a day, 7 days a week, 352 days a year,would become a "regular" service?? That does seem the right word usage to me....occasional IMHO would be only be on public holidays or school holidays.....these new changes are a direct change to a pre existing route that is to occur twice a day 7 days a week-its a permanent daily extension to this service. I think here that "regular" is far more appropriate than ocassional and all that both words imply. Its a great case of semantics really, something that pops up quite "regularly" on these boards, as opposed to occasionally!!! Lol!

After making some enquiries directly to Aussie World this is the response I received. "I can't go into specifics but it's safe to say we've had continued growth over the past few years and we hope to continue this with further investment in the property" I am not surprised by this response- I certainly didn't think that I would get any hard data, but the statement certainly makes sense when you dissect it. Since the introduction of Plunge and Redback the park has certainly gained a higher profile which has obviously translated into greater patronage. This greater patronage has lead to further investment in the form of the 3 new attractions about to open- The Ballroom Blitz, The Illusionarium and the new Junior Coaster. These are all signs of a healthy, growing business and one that is willing to invest in itself and grow. As AlexB said in another thread, I don't think they are quite ready to add an attraction like Abyss at Adventure World but if the business keeps growing as it is today, it certainly will not be very long before a major new attraction is installed at Aussie World. Lets not forget that this is a business that only a few years ago was planned to be sold and redeveloped as a Wet and Wild. What they have done in the intervening years to build a strong business model is very admirable.

Joz I am not sure as to the answer to that question- but I will make enquiries to find out!!! Also, the name for the walk through I posted earlier is incorrect- it's actually Illusionarium, and it appears that this will be the official name.

Just a small update but a important one. Aussie World have confirmed to me that the new coaster is indeed a kiddie/junior model- however the manufacturer is still unknown. However you can bet that Pinfari is a fair guess. The other new attraction, the walk through in the Town Hall was coined by Aussie World as The Illusiorium( not sure if this is going to be the final name) but it does give clues as to what form this walk through will take. No set opening date as such but they will both be open in the remainder of the year- definitely before Xmas!! All in all this is shaping up to be a very good year for Aussie World!!!

Two services per day in both directions will visit the theme park seven days a week....... This is a little more regular than just "occasional".............. Great idea and good for the park though.

Thanks for the tip djrappa- this park has long been on my radar to visit and its great to hear such positive reviews!! What was your favorite attraction at the park?