New Ride destined for Luna Park a first for Australia!

[Slick]

You gotta love how the lighting on that ride really illuminates that block of appartments as it swings past.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

oh yeah... amazingly, while riding, it felt like one came close enough to jump into the apartments. we could see straight into their rooms, and every detail. Ill keep this G rated, but there was something worth looking at in one of the rooms! I dont see the noise issue with the ranger, and honestly, my shouts and screams while on the extreme speed machine were the loudest noise coming from the park... I bet the residents are loving this ride over the summer...

[GoGoBoy]

I think the residents have every right to complain about the rides in Maloney's Corner. Especially this latest temporary addition. It is just so intrusive. While I think the residents don't have a leg to stand on regarding the rides within the main park boundary, Maloney's Corner is an exception and shouldn't have been allowed. The residents would never have expected any major rides to be placed in this area, as they never were in the past. The park should have spent a bit more money on proper planning and avoided this. All those people who come out with the typical statement "but Luna Park was there first!" don't realise the full situation. Maloney's Corner was NOT there first, the residents were

[HussRainbow]

I agree on the planning situation... When I visited last year in April, Maloneys Corner was nothing special, and it felt as if the Ranger and Breakdance were just temporary attractions... I would have loved to see Ranger in another area of the park, and even see the breakdance with the proper platforms and theming. Its a wonder SPEED got put where it is, because I thought LPS, would want to avoid any complications.....

[LunaParkFanatic]

I'd love to see luna park go back to how it was in the 1990's. It really looked alot better & the theming was alot better for the tumble bug, spider etc. I notice that they can't have the big dipper, but mayb they could build something like alittle kiddies coaster or something & have it go around where Maloneys Corner is.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

ok i now have high-res still shots (originally film) of the extreme speed machine and i will be posting them as soon as i get them watermarked. If you would like prints, enlargements (even framed), I will be offering this in the near future for this and many other photos thrill-related.

[HussRainbow]

I really hope the ride does well at the royal shows.....I think it really will, since thrill seekers pay $30 to have a go of the Slingshot...and honestly... I know that $15 is a fair bit... but its not too bad..... They love upping the prices for the taller the ride...strange.. chris

[Jobe]

GoBoi, I dont entirely agree with your earlier post. Whether you like it or not, Maloney's corner is now as much a part of Luna Park as Coney Island is. Your argument that Maloney's Corner was not there first ,the residents were, is flawed as this entire area of land was where the former Big Dipper's helix was located. These plan's go back to the early 90's so there is at least 14 years of a thrill ride in this section of the park. Now of course we know the fate of the Big Dipper and its associated problems. However with 14+ years of this land being associated with the fun park and it having previously been the site of a thrill ride really puts the objections of the residents and your argument in question. Couple with this the fact that the accompanying plans for the re-opening of Luna Park in April 2004 ALWAYS had slated for this area thrill rides.(The plans were released to the public at least 12 months previously) The residents had ample time to object and should have not been surprised at any form of ride being placed there. As the managing director of LPS Peter Hearne stated in respect to the cliff top area, this land is owned by the park and by rights they could put rides anywhere within that boundary. (This definitley applies to Maloney's corner) I am sorry but I most certainly do not believe the residents have ANY right to complain, given the historical precedent of a 75 year old fun park being there long before any high rise towers. Remember, its the residential towers which are encroaching on Luna Park Sydney's 75 year old boundaries, not the other way around. The park has existed on the same footprint and should be allowed to flourish on that same footprint,free of any latter day,come by night residents who have no respect for a valuable piece of Sydney's and Australian history. Now I most certainly agree with your sentiments that Maloney's Corner is under utilised and mis-managed. This area COULD be so much better that it is currently. I feel that this is probably the area where we will see any major rides be placed for LPS but they need to done tastefully and with some semblence of theming. Also there are much better ride options that a little bit of cash injection and planning and foresight could provide. LPS has so much potential but in its current form, falls way short of the greatness that it could be. Cheers Jobe

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I feel that this is probably the area where we will see any major rides be placed for LPS but they need to done tastefully and with some semblence of theming. Also there are much better ride options that a little bit of cash injection and planning and foresight could provide.

The only objection to this argument (a good one by the way) is that luna park is not a themed amusement park. it is strictly a spin and spew style park with rides to chuck you around, and none of them are much better than your typical easter show attraction. Coney Island and the Rotor are really the only fixed rides, and Rotor has been relocated from its previous position anyhow. Let's leave theming to the theme parks, and let luna park continue with its typical standard of low budget, low themed carnival rides.... that is not a bad thing, before anyone gets their back up - because that is luna park's heritage. to put in a ride like say - superman or claw would be completely beyond the scope of what luna park is trying to do, and Peter Hearne has also stated the same sort of thing. When in an interview regarding the closure of Wonderland, he stated that it is such a shame that Sydney is unable to support a single themed thrill amusement park.

[Jobe]

Alex B, When I meant theming ,I didnt mean elaborate theming in the Disney sense. Rather I would like to see a return to the classical old style of having a "Bridge" or elaborate facade for each individual ride. This would give each ride a unique feel to it and would less make it feel like a travelling ride and a more permanent addition. As has been brought up in these forums before, I would definetly like to see a return of the "bridges" to the Spider and the Tumblebug from the '95 incarnation of the park. This tradition of having elaborate facades for each ride goes back to day one for Luna Park and would go a long way to restoring that unique feel and charm that LPS used to have in abundance. I agree with you to some extent about LPS having a rotating roster of rides for different seasons.This is not unprecedented in the parks history and every couple of seasons David Hopkins would introduce a new ride to the park line up in order to keep the park fresh and appealing. If this didnt happen the Wild Mouse and The Rotor would not have been introduced to the park and now these are both considered classics. However LPS still had its core rides of the Big Dipper, Ghost Train and River Caves. I would like to see at least 2 rides that could equal both the Big Dipper and The River Caves in thrills and appeal introduced to the lineup. There is so much that could be added or done to the park now that it seems to be free of any legal impingement from the residents(As long as LPS stays within the set noise guidelines). It would have been interesting if this bill had been introduced 10 years earlier when the Dipper was still around. A case of what could have been eh?? Comments? Cheers Jobe

[Nebuchanezzar]

Definately. Everytime I step into LPS, I love what it looks like along the midway for the most part. Especially the placeing of the Tango & Rotor. Each of these rides has their own unique building and entrance, and these serve to enhance the rides attractiveness to the customer. If the Ranger was put back on top of one of the food buildings, or perhaps the Rotor, it would be great. I loved the way you used to have to go behind certain buildings and such to get to the Tumble Bug and Ranger. It's certainly a pity what happened to these rides, and Makoney's corner.

[GoGoBoy]

Let's leave theming to the theme parks, and let luna park continue with its typical standard of low budget, low themed carnival rides.... that is not a bad thing, before anyone gets their back up - because that is luna park's heritage.

You are wrong there Alex. That is not Luna Park's heritage. As Jobe said, Luna Park was once an elaborately themed fun park. Every ride had detailed facades and entry ways. People always used to say it was like entering another world. There were never any randomly placed carnival rides, certainly not until the much later years anyway. And while the park may never have been a theme park like Disneyland, the excellent dark rides like the River Caves and the huge Ghost Train were really well themed. There was a massive amount of effort put into creating the original fun park compared to virtually no effort for the current park

[willsy]

Times change.

[GoGoBoy]

I think it's a common misconception among the general public that the way Luna Park is now is the way it always was. That's why you have all these families taking their children to the park, thinking they are letting their kids experience the same thing they experienced all those years ago. The new generation isn't getting anything near as good. I think that's why Luna Park is doing so well, it's trading off memories

[LunaParkFanatic]

ok well i'd love to see luna park shut down for alittle while and FULLY re-built. Like i said, I think lunapark should FULLY go back to how it was in the 90's, theming, rides, buildings etc. Although, I understand we wont get another big dipper back. But maybe they could try a Scooby idea? Build a roller-coaster in-doors, Not another wild mouse but another coaster. I also really dont like the big top idea. It takes up too much room which could be used for some good rides or something else. Plus it looks just a shed with a painted and a wavey roof ontop. Luna Park Sydney really needs to go back to the rides/attraction style! Stop the building over cafe's, show venue's etc.

[Nebuchanezzar]

It's making them money, why would they bother?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

took another trip out to LPS on wednesday - and its disappointing what they have done to the extreme speed machine. It has apparently (according to an operator) been "toned down". They are now charging $10 per ride, or pay an extra $10 on top of your unlimited rides pass for unlimited rides on ESM. Whereas my initial ride pre-christmas was a good 3-3.5 minutes, with 3-4 direction changes, the new "toned down" version runs for less than 2 minutes, changes direction once, and half that time is spent not moving while they load at the other end. Very disappointing Luna Park... Very Disappointing. I look forward to seeing this one make the rounds at homebush bay when it might (hopefully) be running full tilt once again.

[stdragon03]

I was out at Luna Park on Friday afternoon. I had a ride on the Wild mouse and a bit of a look around. The Wooden Wild mouse surprise me a bit. It was running good i manage to get some airtime over some of the dips. With regards to adding New attractions goes, decent Bumper cars i am thinking Lusse skooters. Maybe some flyers. A retro Dark house. Maybe an S&S double shot tower. I would hate to see Luna Park go theming rides. It would not be necessary because of the location and good decent amusement rides sell themselves.

[gheko]

These Booster rides are very common in Europe and the UK. http://www.atfotf97.com/booster.html

[Nebuchanezzar]

Nar, what LPS needs is a few more flatter, ground oriented flat rides. Much like the Breakdance or the Claw (travelling). The HUSS Booster (much different from the one above) would be a fabulous addition to LPS if they found the space to add it in. If not the Booster, perhaps a KMG Experience. They'd both be excellent additions to the park.