CR4ZE

Have ridden a handful of woodies (both good and bad) and I think there's good reason to see palpable excitement increasing as we draw closer to opening day. As @Baconjack said, by virtue of their design materials, wooden coasters have a little more "jank" in them that you really feel through the heavy lateral and air time moments. Levi (that's what I'm calling it now) is going to really distinguish itself well and offer a ride experience many Aussies have never had and may never have anywhere else. It's also interesting to note that RCDb originally listed Levi as a "thrill" coaster, but it was upgraded to "extreme"; I assume this was predicated on NL renderings/concept art that project a pretty intense experience. Hold on to your bootstraps, kiddos. I expect to ride this and ST (still haven't had the chance) when I'm up again in January, and I have fairly high expectations for both (by God, if VRTP don't get into gear and have Levi ready by then.....) Haven't ever been on a Gravity Group woodie, but have done a GCI (Wicker Man) and wonder if the ride experiences are comparable? You haven't experienced the wave turn or the second zero-G inversion on Zadra. 😎

Seriously? How on Earth would a Raptor ever be the right fit for the park? If VR went ahead with something like that, it'd be a complete misread of their target demographic. SW has always positioned itself as a family park and they've endured for more than 50 years because of it. Obviously, they had the Sea Viper there for a long time (tame and antiquated by modern standards), but I think the addition of Leviathan plus two decent flats more than fills that niche. I'll say it time and time again, as an enthusiast, I'd love to see more cutting-edge, extreme rides to come to Australia, but they need to be positioned in the right place at the right time. Would MW benefit from another big coaster in the not-too-distant future? Absolutely, build your Raptor there, minding they'd probably benefit more from another show, dark ride or water ride first. DW? Same story, build a new water ride as a matter of urgency and then go for another coaster. If I had the big golden key to SW, on the Vikings' site I'd probably do some kind of walk-through attraction, a smaller themed area with a couple of good flats, or even a modern flume ride a la Phantasialand.

Agree they must now have a clear picture of what will become of the site. Although we'll have to wait and see, I'd be surprised if they just leveled the entire area and will assume they'll incorporate at least some of the structure already there. I'd say an announcement is imminent, but that surely won't be coming until Leviathan/Trident open just in time for the Olympics very soon.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention! 😂 I've removed this, pending official confirmation.

Justice League: Next Generation? *shudders*

I know we don't like to give VRTP too much credit here when it comes to logistics/planning, but surely they have thought of this. Look carefully at the top-left corner of the concept art. I know that's not quite where the cafe area is (I believe you would need to make a left at the end), however it seems intentionally drawn to look like an opening. I'd be shocked at the level of oversight if they didn't open up the path back to Gotham, because you'd essentially create a high-traffic area right at a dead end. I'd expect it to dwindle in popularity when Oz opens, and I doubt they'd want to continue funneling money into it in the long-term. Put it this way, it really wouldn't be any major loss if it was torn out for something newer, and it's not exactly a capacity monster. I'd prefer a moderate GCI or a couple flats, but it certainly seems easy enough to extend behind the Showcase. More like, since a decade ago ...

Unless they're doing backwards-facing seats on the whole fucking ride and charging $25 a pop, I think you're right!

Lethal Weapon had $2 million invested in it and it lasted seven years as Arkham. Spot the difference.

The second-biggest issue besides cost is space. How can the park expand beyond its footprint and where would all these pie-in-the-sky attractions be built? I've always wondered, and perhaps someone with more local knowledge can answer; what is the feasibility of reclaiming some of the swampland adjacent to (south and west of) DC Rivals to use for future park expansion? We're looking at a sizeable area, and if a portion of that was reclaimed, the footprint could potentially expand by up to 30%. Don't tell me it's impossible because 40 years ago, that's what the entire site looked like. There's also room to extend out the back between WWF and the Wizard of Oz land , behind the Showcase building, creating another much-needed loop in the park's overall layout. Move a couple sheds and shipping containers and, bam, plenty of room out the back there. Dark ride, stage show, Mad Max coaster... you know the drill. The grassy strip next to the park entrance (opposite side to GL) between the back-of-house and carpark is plenty large enough for a thrill ride or compact coaster. If there was ever a prime spot for an RMC single-rail, I'd say this would be it. Remember the Intencity dodgem hall? And before that, it was the Matrix building? What is that space used for now? It's obviously far too small for a proper ride or show, but another walk-through exhibit could be of real benefit and help in some capacity to soak up the crowds. I predict the Road Runner would go well before Scooby-Doo; especially now with an SFC joining the line-up, Road Runner will be pretty redundant in a few years. Axe it and put in a kiddie-sized water ride. Also, would it be impossible to repurpose the two operations buildings behind JDS? What's in there and could it be moved into the hotel complex? Would it be infeasible to expand the WB Zone out that way? Just some ideas about spaces that could be utilised, although a 500-ft T-Rex and a B&M Giga would of course be welcomed. 😏

Here's my analysis: 1) A barnyard-style building that serves as the entrance from the Superman plaza, rebuilt from the former Arkham queue building. 2) An enclosed walk-through of the woods area ("Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!), rebuilt from the Arkham loading station. The path continues, weaving through the SFC. 3) SFC entrance. Clearly, the SFC is themed to the Wicked Witch's castle. Guests will climb up and into the towers to board and exit through the gravel pathway just below the banked turn. 4) Another (?) barn-style building, split in two, for the dueling Boomerangs. I believe the station would be on the left side, with a fork-off from the main road (the one that goes towards the SFC). 5) Emerald City plaza, with lots of things for the little ones to see, do and touch. Possible "yellow brick road" alleyway back to Main Street. Could be off by a bit but that's just my two cents...

Bought the article too. I have to say they've done well to squeeze everything in but it does look pretty cramped. I'm surprised they didn't extend further back towards the Fright Nights shed and try to complete the loop towards the Wild West. Anyone have an idea what we're looking at in the Emerald City section? If I squint really closely, it looks like a seating/play areas with some shops/amenities.

Yes, I think it may be an error. The concept art is definitely an SFC with traditional lift hill...

Somebody for the love of Christ share the article! 😃

Maybe they can market SW as the only park in the world with two water coasters?

So the parents are going to have some greater sense of nostalgia for a film that came out just before World War II? I think you're underestimating the cultural ubiquity of the IP; franchises such as Oz, as well as Star Wars, DC, Jurassic Park etc. have endured for so long because they have inter-generational appeal. The Oz stage musical toured Australia four years ago and it was a knock-out success. I went and I can tell you the audience almost entirely comprised families with young children, many dressed in costume as their favourite characters. Oz is just as popular today as it was 80 years ago, and I've no doubt it will endure long after we're gone as well.

Ah, my mistake. The Scooby entrance is the one (I think) I'm referring to. To my original point though, that's all sealed off now, no?

Wouldn't this be too disruptive to the Super-Villains precinct? If my memory serves me correctly, the entrance to the alley you speak of is now blocked off by Killer Croc...

To add to that, I believe this would be the first ever non-Disney park to add an Oz-themed attraction. 🌈

Genuinely excited if it is Wizard of Oz-themed and hugely relieved they're moving away from DC Comics. Ties in nicely with their recent efforts to capture the spirit of the "golden age of Hollywood" as well. My money's on (and fingers are crossed for) a fully themed Oz precinct (yes, the dirty word) headlined by the new coaster/s, with a couple of small, family-friendly attractions in the supporting cast. Despite the apparent foreboding pessimism of the Parkz community, I'm stoked to find out more.

Right... but you're the one who specifically brought up Zadra, not me. 🙄 Agree. It seems there's several Vekoma models that would work well in this plot of land, the Wildcat being one of them. Five or ten years ago, who'd have thought that enthusiasts would be holding out for a new Vekoma to come to their park? 😉

Last time I rode was in January '20 and the water was working. Maybe their plumbing miraculously starts working again for peak season?

I tried to find an accurate estimate of F.L.Y.'s total cost and couldn't, but I will say that the price tag of the ride itself would be well within VR's means. The issue would be budgeting to theme it to the standard of a F.L.Y./Taron/VelociCoaster attraction. Not going to happen. Even if VR slipped and fell into a pot of gold, given the Gold Coast parks' recent propensity towards shed stations and carpark coasters, I wouldn't hold my breath. Zadra's height limit is 140 cm, which is not that short, and taller in fact than DC Rivals. Although when I was there a couple weeks ago, I met this lovely Polish guy who was taking his ten-year-old son on it (it was the kid's birthday!). When we got to the station, the kid literally stretched for the heavens and just scraped the requirement. He made it back in one piece. I told the guy to ask the kid if he was scared, and he gave me a big, enthusiastic "Nie!". What that height limit tells me though is that a medium- or large-scale RMC hybrid (which may be within the realm of affordability) may not be that desirable. They'd need a 120 or 130 cm ride to really fill the void in their lineup. F.L.Y., by the way, is 130. I remember a couple years back seeing a boy about the same age in tears outside Superman because he was just shy of 140. The mum was like "we'll come back next year" but you gotta feel bad for the kid. Safety be damned, I'd have let it slide by a centimetre or two. To be fair, those height limits exist because of the technical limits of the restraints. There's no way a seven-year-old can be held in place safely on a big coaster, so you can't blame park ops for being strict. Yes. Although their currency has lower buying power, so that would inflate the price tag, no?

Heartbreaking news. While there's about a one in a billion chance of an accident like this this happening, the rare occasion that it does is still an absolute tragedy. Fourteen is far too young. Thoughts are with her family. I hadn't heard of this manufacturer before. Anyone know what their track record is like? It'll be interesting to see what becomes of this and whether the fault lies with park ops or the manufacturer (or a combination of both...)

Can confirm. I suppose not many enthusiasts have had the chance to experience these yet... I've recently returned from an overseas trip and paid a visit to Energylandia (!!!); I nearly missed the Dragon SFC but got one ride in just before park close and it was a huge surprise. It is a very decent family coaster with great theming, a good kick on the first drop and some nice positives on the helices; naturally it's not super-intense but it fills the niche between all-age attractions a la SDSC and the big thrills of Rivals et cetera. If it's themed well and can pump out a decent capacity with at least two trains, an SFC could be the big sleeper hit we didn't know MW needed. The only question is whether it would be able to "distinguish" itself enough from Escape from Madagascar; the new generation is obviously far superior but they are still of the same family... (No pun intended). Just curious, how would building close to the ground specifically negate a noise issue? Noise is determined by speed not height, and naturally you're going faster when closer to ground level. I agree though, based on first-hand experience, that the hybrids run loud, especially as they get low to the ground. 😎 I wonder how much difference would, say, a Raptor make? Would be interesting if anyone has first-hand knowledge of the decibels a Raptor's "roar" produces. To me, they seem to run quite loud as well, although I can't imagine they would be significantly louder than a rickety old SLC... Except that these are very different ride experiences, so MW has lost something that won't be replaced in its line-up. Where else in the line-up are you going to experience multiple inversions, high positives and a shoulder fracture all in the one ride?

Luna Park Sydney. KUWTA! (Keep Up With The Acronyms) 😃