CR4ZE

I, for one, look forward to sipping on a mojito whilst kicking back in a chair on said slab.

Me too. Never hit an "Unsubscribe" button so fast in my life!

I don't see equivalence with the Scooby-Doo screens at all. Station theming looks pleasing and the graphics of the screens are good. Agree the statue is a peculiarity; remove the logo and respray the hands/face aqua to be uniform with the rest of the body, and it's already improved 50%. Given the regular daytime testing, we could expect an official POV any day now, right? Better, a late-November soft launch?

Depends also if you count the masterpiece that is the Next Generation refresh of Scooby-Doo.

Over the years since the announcement, there's been a general thread of pessimism that VRTP would shortchange the initial vision for the project. I think it's fair to say we're all glad to have been proven wrong. I'm not only stoked to see the final result very soon, but have high hopes for the Oz precinct and beyond.

Yes, quite possibly. The angle and positioning looks odd to me though.

Looking fantastic! ... Am I the only one bothered that the hedge wall is just slightly shorter than the top of the logo? It's going to grow a bit taller, right? It's also not parallel with either the archway or the top of the wall.

Still, the sentimentality of having retired attractions included could be a nice way to celebrate the park's legacy. Plus VR would get props simply by being lazy and tardy. If anything, they could add Gremlins/LTRR/Batman Adventure/etc to the ride and theme it as a trip down memory lane. Actually... that's what they should've done with it in the first place.

They're not dumb questions. Like with any steel coaster, there's the long-term cost equilibrium with regular upkeep versus reinvestment. Properly maintained, there's no reason wooden coasters can't last a very long time. Look at the Scenic Railway at LPM. It's already been noted how GhostRider at Knott's runs these days. The important distinction with woodies is that routine maintenance runs a higher cost, compounded by the retracking Levi would likely need every decade or so. Wood is more susceptible to the elements. It's a matter of how much VR is willing to allocate towards that 30+ years down the track until it's time to call it quits and build, say, a PolarCoaster or 500-ft T-Rex. The modern GCIs (I've done one) are phenomenal, and I'd imagine Gravity Groups would feel similar. Great laterals and airtime with just that little bit of a rattle adding to the danger. In terms of ride layout or track design? RMC have family hybrids in their portfolio now...

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.