Whombex

My $40 thoughts were based purely on their current price for photos. I couldn't see individual photos being stopped because of a DVD of Rides/Park/Shows/Attractions. So, repricing would obviously be required for the photos if a DVD were to be introduced. Great point Gazza. With entry to, say, Dreamworld, being $60, and with a $40 DVD, (that's excluding food and other souveniers), it's getting out of the price range of many visitors (who want a DVD, that is). I'm getting in on an "Adults at kids prices" offer. So I'll spend the $22 on something inside the park anyway. Although I have ride photos from all the rides already, unless they're doing it on The Claw? Would I have put the $22 I saved from the entry on a DVD? Definately.

Well, one more sleep to go. [chair dance] I'll be snapping like crazy with my camera, so I'll get a pic or 2 of the dragsters (near/part of ToT???). To be honest I'm surprised there's so many people here who really like Wipeout. Sure, it's a great ride, but I'd have thought all of it's breakdowns would have made people here more critical. Today I had a brainwave for a new ride for the park (don't we all get those!!), and I'll spare a few pics (300 at 3000x2000 on my 1Gb card) of the area I'd like to see it built. I'll explain a bit more after I've been to the park, after checking to see if there's enough room... (It involves the possible removal of Model T Lane and possibly replacing Captain Sturt with something a lot smaller). The area near Model T Lane and the Dreamworld Tower has a lot of TALL trees, right? I'll spare some time for that Imax movie. I miss the Brisbane Southbank Imax, but like seeing normal movies there these days!

This is a great thread! It's good to see people's creative juices flowing. Scott, it's good to see that there are some people who are nonplussed with the idea. I had to stop to consider reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea, and the few thoughts that came to my head were: - Acting up to the camera. - The feeling that the ride isn't as personal. Especially when you ride a new ride (or one you've never ridden before), the feeling you want (and get) is special. "Oh! A Twist!" "Look out for that tree!" "Look at the ride's view!". This said, these can also be good to review on a video, but there may be some people wanting that intimate "Just the ride and I" feeling. I can also see the negative in the "last minute rush" for videos as Alex mentioned. Self-serve might deal with that, or even additional services outside of the park may help (all recordings kept for 48 hrs?) Overall, it's a potential goldmine for parks. If they can charge $15 for a photo they can charge $40 for a DVD. (I voted $20-29.95 but didn't consider the photos' price. I'd revise it to the $40s. But want it at $19.95!! )

*sigh* 2004 for me (coasters): Corkscrew. 2004 was the first year since 1998 I hadn't been to DW on a yearly basis. I intend on going to MW at the end of this year, and Dreamworld in... 3 sleeps.

As I'm heading down to Dreamworld on Tuesday, I might head a few more minutes down the road to have a look at MW (from the outside). Will I be able to see any of the area where the Superman Ride will be, from the carpark? I might snap a few pics before I go to DW, but only if there's some sign of Superman under construction, and visible from outside of the park.

Ahh... Now your post makes sense...

So I guess a 270° Vertical Spiral after the top hat (read: Top Thrill Dragster) is too much to hope for?

I'm going on Tuesday, and I'd been building the Park visit up in my head, but I will be keeping these issue in mind when I visit. Maybe I'll think "it's not that bad", or maybe I'll think: "Perhaps it's Movie World from now on". Either way I'll be wasting a Gig of photos with my new Digital SLR camera (in preparation for my first Formula One attendance). I'll be looking forward to the Claw, Giant Drop, ToT (Dang it I hope these "too far back" bugs are fixed by then!!), and Cyclone. Even with the previously mentioned problems, maybe I need to ride it again to reinforce how good Superman will be (whenever it is I get to ride it - 2006?). The Log ride, Bigglesworth, is indeed nothing in comparison to MW's WWF. But note that there is seventeen years between the construction of Rocky Hollow (1981!!) and WWF (1998). I guess I'll spare some time to pay respects to the Thunderbolt Graveyard. Bigglesworth, do you know what IMAX movie is screening atm?

I'm all for it! Good point Gazza. On-Ride camera linked back to the que. I recall seeing a VERY PRIMITIVE version in a video game arcade. There was a 2 person simulator with an "inside" camera there for, I guess, stopping people doing naughty things inside, but it was always watched by the riders' friends/family. Imagine a family visits a park, but some members are too old, or unable to ride. They usually stand around and watch the ride, but they could be watching a camera shot of their family on the ride! As I said, I'd like it, but as long as a "forwards" shot was included. For example, if it was sold to the rider post-ride on a DVD, one "camera" could be the riders, the other from the "front" or "nose" of the ride. That could be a generic, pre-recorded video they drop into all the buyers' DVDs. *rubs chin* This seems to be mentioned in the article, so cool! I'm going to Dreamworld in a few days, dammit I want a DVD of me on the Claw/TOT/Cyclone/Drop. My Park visit on one DVD. Awesome. I would take the reference numbers (as is currently done on rides) from all my rides to a shop and have a DVD burnt "one hour photo" like (or mailed to a home address).

Hey... Not everyone hates Wooden Coasters... Thread in General Thrills. Richard?

Adam: A few weeks back rabid posted the "I got to meet Robert Patrick" thingy, which linked back to OzCoaster. People might have known before then, but that's where I learnt it (having only just signed up to Roller-Coaster.com.au at the time).

Curious... Have any of the "big 3" Parks used any Aboriginal references? I can't recall seeing any...maybe some souveniers in their shops but that's it. Um, how about Wonderland?

Brutally honest about the Aussie Parks/Rides I noticed. Oh, and I'd forgotten about the Fabio thing, too! Nice photos, where did they leech them from?

Ick, having been offline a few days it's almost 2 pages since Bus replied to me! Bus wrote: How many times do you go to theme parks? Dreamworld every year, and one other (Qld) park every second year. You made a good point regarding Space Probe Seven. The "regular" visitors may have to accept the same pre-ride stuff, but aren't these parks partially relying on the people with "year-round" passes? Joz, thanks for the pre-Drop video reminder. I remember it now! Hence them only letting 8-16 people into that area at a time. Last time I was there, there was no staff on the que, so the line started there and went back into the "arch" along the ramp. The "video/computer" room had almost 30 people in it. :mad: I hope that's not something that happens with Batman/Lethal Weapon. With regard to Space Probe Seven, I think something that made it (pre-ride) "enough" on my first/only visit was that the line was so long we saw the same stuff about 3 times over. The pre-ride stuff may have been lengthened since I went on it (mid-late 90s). Adam wrote: The question is not whether Disney continues to do what they do; it’s whether Australian parks will continue to grow and strive to reach world-class expectations. I believe it's possible. I agree Adam, however there needs to be a mentality in the parks that they may have to tear old stuff down to put better theming in in future upgrades. It seems Movie World has reached that point, if them removing the Sound/Effects tour for the Superman Coaster is anything to go by. Seaworld has too, regarding the Shark Bay (and north of) area. I note, over many posts above, that money is the biggest problem. I sadly agree. I seriously wouldn't believe it to be a case if unimaginative designers.

Big Brother was very appealing to me in its first few years, however the 'concept' I am now over and the wool has long been taken off my eyes. Big Brother as stated above does draw people to DW, and that's a positive. Ick, I'm repeating myself. I'll move on to the reason I wanted to post: I'd much prefer to see The Mole utilise Dreamworld for an episode or two. My Fave "reality/contest" show and one of my Fave parks... [face=drool] And I'd be interested in visiting the 'community' precinct outside of DW's gates, whenever I went down to the Gold Coast I'd drop by for lunch etc. Nobody seems to have mentioned that it's something that the other Qld parks haven't done. The next gimmick to use against the opposition.

Just to add a different perspective (after reading the entire thread): I get bored very quickly of pre-ride "storytelling". Once I've ridden the ride on two or three separate visits to a Park, I am just saying "let me through, I know the story!" in my head. What's the lastest on Lethal Weapon? Do you still have to sit through the pre-ride video? (Note my last trip to WBMW was before LW opened.) The only exception was the Gremlins Ride, although every time I went on/in it I was expecting a new bunch of clips. Which never happened for me, unless they changed it in it's last few years of operation? I know it's risky talking about Dreamworld in the Movie World Forum ( ), but notice that the "pre-ride" storytelling on the Giant Drop and Tower of Terror got tedious very quickly. Last time I went to Dreamworld there were quite a few "blank screens" in the Tower of Terror que (Which still had its entry on the west side, under a large white sailcloth). I only went to Wonderland once but get tired of the "Channel Seven News" thing very quickly as I went on the Space Probe throughout the day. So for me, I'd prefer to see a ride's "pre-ride story" either not exist at all, or be changed/refreshed every two years. But the latter costs money, dosen't it?

With all due respect to what has been posted above, more poeple regard the association of "Big Brother and Dreamworld" as a positive than a negative. Ref: one of Joz's posts last year.

They also had a Swinging "Pirate" type ship. (Rocket?) At the top of its swing you could see down to the food court, what, 6 floors down?

I can't see that, seeing as though Dreamworld already has a cinema, actually Queensland's only remaining IMAX Cinema (we had 3 at one point!)... As for the coasters in the place of Big Brother, does anyone actually know if BB5 is going to be at "Dreamworld Studios"?

I got 10/10, sorry for not creating an account. My only stumbling block was Captain Sturt, I had initially thought Cook but changed it before submitting. And Thunder River Rapids. Almost called it white water.

I have RCT2, so count me in. /me looks nervously at Matty O...