Mach V on Sunrise

[GoGoBoy]

I thought there was already a post about this somewhere but couldn't find it. They showed the new Mach V attraction on Sunrise this morning. Once again it was great coverage by Sunrise who are really starting to deliver some excellent footage and stories on our latest attractions. Anyway, the slide complex itself is pretty average, as I suspected. I mean it looks like a bit of fun and will soak up a bit of capacity but it's nothing special, know what I mean? Even a friend I was sitting with thought the colours they used for the slides were ugly and boring. I am surprised they haven't given this attraction some great colours and theming considering it's meant to be an 'extreme' zone. It certainly helps to confirm the theory that WnW is only doing this as a last minute thing to compete with Dreamworld Waterpark. I'm sure DW will pull out something with a lot more thought put into it than WnW's latest area

[scott]

It looked alright, but yes I agree the colours look fairly boring. It's good to have a freefall slide after seaworlds one dissapeared. In any case I'm looking forward to Black Hole alot more.

Edited January 20, 2006 by scott

[Ian]

It certainly helps to confirm the theory that WnW is only doing this as a last minute thing to compete with Dreamworld Waterpark. I'm sure DW will pull out something with a lot more thought put into it than WnW's latest area

Wet n Wild had this H2O zone planned well over a year ago and didnt even know about Dreamworld's plans these new towers Mach 5 and Black Hole were from Wet N Wild in Brazil as they were selling them as they were closing. So I would call that a wise business move money wise rather then worrying about what the competion is up too. As Samuel L Jackson said in Pulp Fiction Assumption is the mother of all F***Ups!

[thunder001]

I was informed about the upgrades for Wet'n'Wild in Febuary of 2005 and was told to keep this under my hat. This was about the same time that I was told about the new coaster for Movie World and to get my camera gear ready. The first we had heard about a water park for Dreamworld was around June of last year, with it being confirmed late last year. The parks plan these things a long time in advance due to council permits, construction requirements and bookings in advance, materials required on site..etc. To think that the park has planned the upgrades just to compete against Dreamworlds new water park and planned them in that short of a time frame is a bit to much to expect..

[Slick]

Haha, what a way to steal my information kids. Bear in mind that alot of new attractions are always planned in a year's advance and most likely more in larger attractions. Think about design, council approvals, construction, it's all a long process. As knowledge serves me WnW were looking for a series of new attractions when council submissions from MLO surfaced. Basically, as luck would have it, this quiet little park in Brazil was going belly up so the park opted to take the Mach 5 Zone slides in conjunction with its Black Hole Tower purchase to compete with Dreamworld's new waterpark. Bear in mind though that the funnel/bowl/whatever it's called ride is in fact brand new and won't be in until late this year. Also, cheers goes to Matt who's probably reading this for providing us with the little Brazil tip-off.

Edited January 20, 2006 by Slick

[Gazza]

When you think about it though, Mach V is really just replacing what the park has had in the past (Eg speed slide and river rapids). Black hole should be good (But as for the naming, it seems every park with a dark waterslide calls it the black hole). However, i dont really consider it that extreme, it just seems like a longer version of a slide found at an aquatic centre. Tornado will provide some great thrills and i am looking foward to it, but IMO they should have tried to place it where it could have been seen easily since a ride like that is the sort of one that would generate interest from passers by. If at all possible i would have built it over a section of carpark near mammoth falls (since it is a similar style of ride and would be visible from the freeway) IMO basicallly the whole place is pretty cool and it will add more capacity (according to the park 50% more) which is great, but the whole area is not really ground breaking attractions (apart from tornado), and apart from the freefall and speed slides, its not that extreme. In the future i would like to see the extreme h20 zone have a pair of toilet bowl slides added and a couple of steep, enclosed slides similar to these added. Since these rides are more worthy of being called Extreme.

Edited January 21, 2006 by Gazza

[GoGoBoy]

The pic of the slides Gazza posted looks way better than the Mach 5 complex, it's a shame WnW isn't getting something that looks like that. Very interesting to hear that these new slides are in fact 2nd hand... it certainly explains a lot. I think they would have been better off theming each slide individually rather than calling the whole place H20 Extreme Zone. They are 3 completely different rides all being brought together and most of them aren't very 'extreme'

[rappa]

Okay here we go... The reason that the entire Extreme H2O zone is being built is because WnW has simply reached a point where it can no longer handle the attendance numbers it is getting. The park had reached capacity. WVTP determined a major expansion of the park was needed to ensure the parks future because of the previously mentioned problem with capacity. The closing of the Brazil park was more a case of good timing. The park offered the kind of slides WVTP were after at an attractive price. The entire tower has been repainted and all the slides refurbed. You wouldn't even know they are second hand unless you were told. Say what you want about the colours but I can tell you Mach 5 has a VERY IMPRESSIVE appearance both from within the park and the freeway. It was actualy a very smart move to put the new slides 'out the back' as it gives the park enormous depth and it really does look huge now when standing out the front of the park. IMO these slides are exactly what WnW needs, body slides. Most of the rides at the park now are tube based and require an even number of people to ride. This means two things; Firstly you don't actualy get that wet which really anoys me on a hot day, with a body slide you are IN the water and its cools you off a lot more IMO. Secondly if you're there with your family and only you wants to ride or you have an odd number in your group you're kind of stuffed. This who area when complete will be a great addition to the park, if you don't like it, pretend it's not there, don't ride and take advantage of the shorter waits it will provide for the existing rides. Why complain about ANY addition to a park?? I really don't understand. Oh and whilst you're all off bagging out WnW for just trying to compete with DW think about this. WnW created the water park market up there, all DW are doing is cashing in on that and hoping to draw some of the market share away from WnW, who is 'just trying to compete' with who here? Can't wait to go try out the new slides next weekend myself...

[Ian]

As Clint said. The past few summers Wet N Wild has blown every park away attendance wise I talking 6 to 8 thousand a day constandly. So Dreamworld and Movieworld have been second fiddle I guess the heat, price and locals have alot to do with wet n wild. So the park knew that had to expand, and as for second hand if someone offer you something at way under value would you say no? So as fans just be happy when all our Gold Coast parks add new things because its great.

[GoGoBoy]

No I won't just be happy when parks add new things. Yes I certainly think a new attraction is better than nothing. There's no doubt about that. But I refuse to say "it's great" about every new attraction even if I don't think it's nearly as good as it could be. I will give credit where credits due and I will give criticism when I think it's deserved (my personal opinion). I will not join in with the mindless "whatever they build is excellent no matter what" brigade. If a park is going to spend millions of dollars on a new attraction and use up valuable land I want it to be worthwhile and right for the park. What's the point of these forums if we can't discuss the pros and cons?

[Adam]

I’m with GoBoi. Wet ‘n’ Wild has certainly let itself down with this attraction. It doesn’t reflect the quality we’ve come to expect from WVTP (i.e. it has no themeing whatsoever, compared to the rich themeing on both Buccaneer Bay and Terror Canyon). It’s blatantly obvious that this pathetic half-baked addition to the park is merely there to compete with the up and coming Dreamworld Water Park. The new area offers nothing more than capacity improvements and a few mild thrills. While I'll agree that the actual slides look fun, I'm annoyed at the lack of themeing and creativity. At the very least, let’s hope they put a nice garden around it.

[rappa]

Adam do you have a reading comprehension problem? I explained the reasoning for building the slides and you still say it's "merely there to compete with... dreamworld." NO IT'S NOT! WE TOLD YOU THE REASON, AS HARD AS IT MAY BE TO BELIEVE, THAT IS THE REASON! I'm not saying you have to think it's great but there really is nothing to complain about, it's adding some thrill slides to the park, which is what they wanted to do, so it's kind of achieved it's objective. It's not like they said they were going to build a highly themed, one of a kind attraction. They said they were going to put in a new slide tower with thrill slides. That's kind of what they've done. Since when has WnW ever said it's a 'themed water park'? Last time I checked the vast majority of it (and most water parks) is some towers with fibreglass hanging off the sides. They may build a themed attraction like they did with terror canyon and buccaneer bay and when they do, they do it well IMO. But they also just have regular slides for the sake of having them (eg mammoth falls, speed coaster, super 8, etc, etc. In this case they announced they were building a thrill slide area and that's what they are doing. I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, but I am saying your argument is somewhat invalid. This attraction is going to: -improve capacity -increase attendance -increase the parks ride line up -cater to the thrill market I'd say those reasons are pretty worthwhile and right for the park. I seem to remember everyone screaming when DW went and built a themed kids attraction over a teen thriller ride when they opened Wiggles World. Now WnW has done the opposite and you all whinge again. I think maybe everyone just likes to winge.

[Adam]

While I do respect your (slightly biased) opinion Clint, I still don’t agree entirely (regardless of any problems with comprehension). Wet ‘n’ Wild has been under-capacitated for ages. Why do you think they’re only acting upon this now?

Even with Wet'n'Wild, we wouldn't be seeing a $20 million investment right now if Dreamworld's water park wasn't in the pipeline.

It certainly helps to confirm the theory that WnW is only doing this as a last minute thing to compete with Dreamworld Waterpark.

Now I’m not saying it’s bad that they are trying to compete with Dreamworld Water Park, I’m just saying it seems a ‘rushed, last minute’ addition. Would it have killed them to add some paint or trees? I think the only reason why the area is so bland is that it's been hugely rushed. Only my opinion though, and the great thing about opinions is that we can all have our own. As you have said, I'm sure this ride will do wonders for Wet 'n' Wild (capacity & attendance wise).

[rappa]

I hope you're not trying to suggest my opinion is biased because it has been 'bought' because that is certainly not the case. I understand how much it does look like they are trying to compete with Dreamworld (and I'm sure in years to come we will see some intense competition between the two parks) however what those of us that know (as we have been told by the company) are saying is the reason really is one of needed expansion. Yes the thing has been rushed, I 100% agree with you on that point. I think we will see landscaping to come. They have painted the ride though, I can tell you that much. For some reason WVTP always seem to set unrealistic goals for opening dates. Superman was rushed to be finished, and now it's having frequent breakdowns and some of the elements inside still remain to be finished (like the station doors). Likewise these slides had to have their opening date pushed back a couple of times and it was still a mad scramble to get the open by this weekend. You will also see the same thing with Outback Spectacular, although we should be well and truely finished by opening, we are currently still a construction site and were meant to be completed a while ago.

Edited January 21, 2006 by djrappa

[willsy]

Some how i can not see how people can say its to compete with DWWP as DWWP isn't even open or near open, By the time DWWP open these new rides at wnw will be old, They will most likely have newer slides when dwwp opens.

[Gazza]

So where is the black hole from?

[willsy]

I dunno

[GoGoBoy]

By the time DWWP open these new rides at wnw will be old, They will most likely have newer slides when dwwp opens.

They are already old. They are 2nd hand so that would probably make them quite a few years old already. I'd never heard of 2nd hand waterslides until now. I always thought slides were relatively cheap to build anyway, so these should have been super cheap for WnW. I definitely agree with Adam. If H20 Zone really was planned so long ago, what is the excuse for such poor execution? I'm talking about concept, opening date(s), theming, landscaping etc. etc. Don't get me wrong either, I am looking forward to riding them (not so much Mach 5 as that is very stock standard but the Black Hole) I just think WnW could have done a bit better overall

[Gazza]

Its actually fairly commonplace to have second hand waterslides, i can think of 3 off the top of my head in victoria alone.

[shootmagpies]

May I say, the new attractions look fantatic from the motorway, and I hope to ride them in the upcoming weeks. All this complaing about lack of theming, thrills, etc. is not needed. These so called stock standard rides are what Wet'n'Wild are missing, you need the full experience. Theming doesn't increase the ride experience too much when your going down a tube that you can't see out of. I guess everyone was expecting slides like rollercoasters at WnW. Waterslides will never be as thrilling as rides such as the TOT, GD, Claw, etc. at Dreamworld and LW and SE at MovieWorld. But seriously, you pay a very good price to enter and you get what you paid for, waterslides and a free movie (on Saturdays). What else do the people want?

[willsy]

Well said^

[T-bone]

Oh for crying out loud. It's a bloody waterslide. IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEMING. Landscaping yes, but not theming for crying out loud. A waterslide is a waterslide. For crying out loud, stop crying over spilt milk.

[Gazza]

And apart from White Water Mountain, what theming do slides have there anyway? Its a bit late for WnW to be themeing now because its more of a whole park thing when you do it (Eg like the disney theme parks, wild wadi, the one at AT ect), i think as long as they put in some tropical plants it would tie in well with the rest of the park.

[Adam]

When I say “themed”, I’m talking about anything other than the bland area we see today. If it was my choice I would’ve added some big trees and a nice garden with some minor themeing elements around the splash down pool (to compliment the trees – i.e. fake rocks). I'm sure they'll do something nice with the area in the next few weeks though.

[scott]

I'm sure they'll do something nice with the area in the next few weeks though.

The why complain?