Tiger Island Redevelopment - STAGE 1

[New display name]

Dreamworld has tendered out the first stage of the tiger island redevelopment.

I'm not going to post every image as much of the work is back of house all minor upgrades like added roofs.

 

 

 

[themagician]

This Tiger Island redvelopment was not what I was expecting. I thought it was just back of house works so the handlers don't directly interact with the tigers, and then I thought they were going to do stuff on the island to stil allow for presentations of some form.

I am confused by where the development of the images above are? Is this replacing the exhibit/kindry area to the left of the island, or is to the lair area? And there constructing waterfalls and a play structure?

@New display name is there anymore information of what this is in the tender?

[New display name]

The new thatched roof is within the lair area but there are changes for both the lair and kindy.  This layout might clear it up for you.

Part of the tender also includes refurbishment of the platform within the island so I would say the show is staying for the time being.

[franky]

From that overview it mentions a cougar day yard (bottom right), do they have cougars now or are they foreshadowing them?

[New display name]

DW have cougars but I haven't seen DW bring them out for many years.  Maybe somebody else has seen them out in the park and I have missed seeing them.

 

@themagician I should clear this up more.  The new exhibit is in front of the lair area and the tigers get to the new exhibit by a tiger walkway 3m above the ground.

[themagician]

@New display name cheers, that does indeed clear it up a lot more. It’s still surprised me a lot that they’re doing all this additional work to what seems to be adding new ways to get up close to the tigers.

I’m sure this will be the case, but I do hope the new additions meet the same standards of how tiger island currently looks, because it’s definitely still the best themed area in the park.

Was there any indication of timeframes for this to be completed and if this is stage one, how many stages are there and what else will this include 

[New display name]

I'm not sure about time frames and how many stages. 

I find it a bit strange after this -

Park owners Ardent Leisure last week announced it was phasing out the interaction – a hugely popular attraction for patrons – on Tiger Island because of “shifting public sentiment” around performing animals.

I would have thought sticking tigers in two 3 by 3 cages would be worse for public sentiment than a show. 🤷‍♂️

[Michelangelo]

If you visit Aus Zoo you’ll get a taste of what the new Tiger Presentations without interaction will be. Doesn’t compare with what the DW tiger show is now, but I guess they’re getting with the times… 🙄

Not sure if Aus Zoo are always doing this now or just for my visit, but essentially they’ll just scatter meat all around the empty enclosure, leave, and then let a tiger enter and walk around finding the food. If the Tiger wants to they’ll climb the pole for the food at the top, or jump in the water for the food on the end of bamboo hanging over the water. Meanwhile, a handler will stand out front giving the presentation.

I wonder if this redevelopment will allow for more/better paid experiences like their Tiger feeds, or if that’ll be phased out too…

2 hours ago, New display name said:

DW have cougars but I haven't seen DW bring them out for many years. 

DW don’t currently have cougars at all. They did have a couple late 90s to early 00s. That area is just a BOH yard and has kept the name “cougar yard”

[New display name]

47 minutes ago, Michelangelo said:

DW don’t currently have cougars at all. They did have a couple late 90s to early 00s. That area is just a BOH yard and has kept the name “cougar yard”

Last I read on here is the Cougar's were still at DW, but if you are saying they have gone, I'll accept that.

 

On 15/05/2020 at 5:35 PM, T-bone said:

One thing we do understand is that the final room of that ride is where the enclosure was for the Cougar Cubs (Inca & Sierra, which are still at the park today). 

 

[Whombex]

3 hours ago, Michelangelo said:

DW don’t currently have cougars at all. They did have a couple late 90s to early 00s. That area is just a BOH yard and has kept the name “cougar yard”

I have a memory of being near Central Station and seeing a Cougar scratching and spraying on a tree. The two handlers were keeping it on a solid chain, but it was pretty docile, happy to wander and spray. My memory was of a Mountain Lion, but it's probably the Cougar I'm thinking of. Google says they're in the same family, so easy to mix up.

[Brad2912]

10 hours ago, Michelangelo said:

Not sure if Aus Zoo are always doing this now or just for my visit, but essentially they’ll just scatter meat all around the empty enclosure, leave, and then let a tiger enter and walk around finding the food. If the Tiger wants to they’ll climb the pole for the food at the top, or jump in the water for the food on the end of bamboo hanging over the water. Meanwhile, a handler will stand out front giving the presentation.

When I was last there in January the keepers were in the enclosure with the tigers doing the milk carton feeding etc 

[Slick]

Cougars haven’t been around for many years now. 

[Gobbledok]

Beg to differ just pop down to the grand hotel

[jjuttup]

So this is the what? 5th reno in like 15 years?

 

1 hour ago, Gobbledok said:

Beg to differ just pop down to the grand hotel

Surprised it took this long for a cougar joke.

[New display name]

Construction for the first stage of the Tiger Island redevelopment has commenced.

 

 

 

Edited February 26 by New display name

[Tricoart]

2 hours ago, New display name said:

Construction for the first stage of the Tiger Island redevelopment has commenced.

 

 

 

Where are these photos from?

 

Edit: nvm, found ‘em

Edited February 27 by Tricoart

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

2 minutes ago, Tricoart said:

Where are these photos from?

From @New display name, as posted to Parkz, of course.

[themagician]

6 minutes ago, Tricoart said:

Where are these photos from?

The building contractor for the project posted them on their socials 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

7 minutes ago, themagician said:

The building contractor for the project posted them on their socials 

😮 But @New display name doesn't use social media!

[New display name]

New Tiger jail going up.  //s

[RobMac]

In general, the merging in of [non marine] animal based attractions, is a mixed bag (at best) for theme park operators. Is the park a theme park, is it a zoo....personally, I'd suggest DW sticks with TI but does away with the mini-zoo down the back....maybe set a medium-term plan to develop that area into a "nextgen" Rocky Hollow type section, with new dynamic log ride attraction etc etc

TI seems like a relatively popular, fairly novel animal attraction.....the mini zoo is now rather pointless from the "DW going forward" perspective.

Edited March 15 by RobMac

[westical]

46 minutes ago, RobMac said:

the mini zoo is now rather pointless from the "DW going forward" perspective.

Depends if they still want to attract the Chinese tour groups. 

[themagician]

55 minutes ago, RobMac said:

TI seems like a relatively popular, fairly novel animal attraction.....the mini zoo is now rather pointless from the "DW going forward" perspective.

The whole animal area is still just as popular as tiger island (even for the non-international tourists). I think it’s a great way to break up your (full day) visit to the park. It offers something different to the other parks and as the park are pushing more towards being family focused, it’s perfect for that demographic. They’ve got plenty of other land for plenty more rides.

[Tricoart]

13 minutes ago, themagician said:

The whole animal area is still just as popular as tiger island (even for the non-international tourists). I think it’s a great way to break up your (full day) visit to the park. It offers something different to the other parks and as the park are pushing more towards being family focused, it’s perfect for that demographic. They’ve got plenty of other land for plenty more rides.

 Yeah, Dreamworld is the only park I’d even consider calling a full-day park here, and that’s directly due to them offering a good variety in rides, shows, animals, and animal presentations (SW being second for the same reason, but lacking rides). If anything were to be done to Corroboree in the future, I’d hope it’s an improvement/expansion of the area (with the space freed up post-Vintage Cars), and not a removal of the area for some other attraction. And, with the somewhat newly redone Twilight Trail, and them repurposing the store nearby the Saltwater Crocodiles into a larger space for Bilby, Dunnart, Tree Frog, and Pythons, as well as their ongoing conservation efforts for many species via the DWF, a future expansion does also seem more probable than a future erasure.

Edited March 15 by Tricoart

[ShakeShack]

22 hours ago, themagician said:

The whole animal area is still just as popular as tiger island (even for the non-international tourists). I think it’s a great way to break up your (full day) visit to the park. It offers something different to the other parks and as the park are pushing more towards being family focused, it’s perfect for that demographic. They’ve got plenty of other land for plenty more rides.

Just as popular hey? What's your source for this?