Dreamworld Annual Passes - 2024 Price Increase

[Prequel]

I recently swapped passes from Village to Dreamworld, due to not having been to the park in more than a decade, and the sale they had on passes during Black Friday. 

I feel like Dreamworld should remain the priority to build up. Neither W&W and WWW see frequent slide investment and offer pretty similar experiences. 

Dreamworld really only lacks in the coaster department (and a water ride) when compared to Movie World. They have a superior flat ride selection (by far) and a flying theatre which is better than the Roxy Theatre at Movie World. 

I think if Dreamworld gets an airtime focused thrill coaster, with how much less an annual pass costs compared to their competitor, a lot of others might consider switching passes. 

[Levi]

27 minutes ago, Prequel said:

I think if Dreamworld gets an airtime focused thrill coaster, with how much less an annual pass costs compared to their competitor, a lot of others might consider switching passes. 

i agree, another stand out coaster is what the park now needs, something like an Intamin Mega Coaster. after that it’s only little things here and there (Motorcoaster sticking out like a sore thumb for example), that they need to work out. as it is, the parks already much more bang for your buck compared to down the road.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

15 hours ago, New display name said:

DW management have previously said they are not looking at building a Lazy River because blah, blah, blah, DW likes to have unique experiences, blah, blah, blah.  Anyway, something like that.

Yeah what Tim said. You're contextualising it to suit your narrative. They don't want to build something that will just be the poor man's version of what the guy down the road already had (See also: Vortex vs. Wipeout), but they will do it if it can stand out with a point of difference - something better than the existing standard.

[WalleyWorld]

On 14/01/2025 at 9:58 AM, themagician said:

Not sure how long this has been the case, but the single day tickets for both parks have all had a price increase.

I'm really not a fan of the Afterpay pricing front and centre as the first number you see for the entry price. It feels a bit disingenuous. The hierarchy should be the full price, in bold, bigger sized text, and then below that, the "4 payments of $xx.xx with Afterpay". Australians don't need any more encouragement to take out microloans and become more addicted to debt than we already are.

[Naazon]

53 minutes ago, WalleyWorld said:

I'm really not a fan of the Afterpay pricing front and centre as the first number you see for the entry price. It feels a bit disingenuous. The hierarchy should be the full price, in bold, bigger sized text, and then below that, the "4 payments of $xx.xx with Afterpay". Australians don't need any more encouragement to take out microloans and become more addicted to debt than we already are.

This discussion has already been had a bit ago. but since its back I'll throw my skewed opinion in.

 

I don't mind Afterpay being front and centre for annual passes, but I don't like it for day passes. At least with an annual pass, you still have access to the park as you're paying it off.

[New display name]

10 hours ago, Tim Dasco said:

Very much taking whats been said out of context. Greg has said he will only do a Lazy River if its gonna be something special and not just an of the shelf lazy river that is considered the shitter option. 

When WWW gets investment it will most likely get a lazy river at some stage. Dreamworld just needs a lot more $$ spent on it in the short term. 

On the contrary, it is DW taking the theme park enthusiast, who want a Lazy River out of context, no theme park enthusiast wants a barren concrete Lazy River.

10 hours ago, Prequel said:

I feel like Dreamworld should remain the priority to build up. Neither W&W and WWW see frequent slide investment and offer pretty similar experiences. 

WnW:    by all reports, about to install new slides.

WWW:  🦗

1 hour ago, WalleyWorld said:

I'm really not a fan of the Afterpay pricing front and centre as the first number you see for the entry price. It feels a bit disingenuous. The hierarchy should be the full price, in bold, bigger sized text, and then below that, the "4 payments of $xx.xx with Afterpay". Australians don't need any more encouragement to take out microloans and become more addicted to debt than we already are.

If your using Afterpay for anything, you're living above your means.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

28 minutes ago, Naazon said:

I don't mind Afterpay being front and centre for annual passes, but I don't like it for day passes. At least with an annual pass, you still have access to the park as you're paying it off.

Yeah for annual passes, I don't really see it as any different than say - the Village memberships that were pay by the month on direct debit. 

13 minutes ago, New display name said:

On the contrary, it is DW taking the theme park enthusiast, who want a Lazy River out of context, no theme park enthusiast wants a barren concrete Lazy River.

Who said barren concrete lazy river? 

WnW has a lazy river. it's landscaped with lush gardens, and at various points had a few structures and props from movies. Structures created waterfalls and such, as well as a 'beach house' vibe at one end, but otherwise its just a long winding river that is nicely landscaped. 

If Dreamworld were to install a lazy river, with nice landscaping, a waterfall or two, some bridges overhead, maybe a few cabanas - the wouldn't really be offering anything different or better than WnW. So they'd be building something they already have down the road. 

However, if they built one with a wave machine (wave or extreme river), or a water dump,

Or built it next to an aquarium of turtles and stingrays

Or have it go through a tunnel of an acrylic aquarium

(Those last images are from Singapore's Adventure Cove. In addition to the Aquarium aspects, they also have a water dump, and there is also a section of flume that is elevated over lower ground levels, and that flume is clear acrylic so it also has a see-through floor.)

 

I'm not saying Dreamworld should copy what they have in Singapore either, i'm just saying there is more than one way to do a lazy river and plenty of additional effects and add-ons that you can put in that would give your product a point of difference people would want to try. 

Heck - provided they do all due diligence to determine if animal welfare is an issue, I'd be totally fine with them having an acrylic wall between lazy river and a tiger enclosure with a similar pool inside. Imagine swimming with Tigers - that would be a drawcard over Oxenford's "nice plants". The point is - they didn't rule out a lazy river because WNW has one, they said they don't want to build 'the same thing'.

31 minutes ago, New display name said:

WnW:    by all reports, about to install new slides.

WWW:  🦗

Yeah this conversation has been done to death. Nobody cares right now - the priority is the dry park. once they've got it on solid ground, i'm confident they'll look to improve the waterpark, but that. isn't. right. now.

32 minutes ago, New display name said:

If your using Afterpay for anything, you're living above your means.

Well haven't you got your judgy pants on. Afterpay costs nothing to the consumer to use. Why in the hell would I pay $1000 today if I can split that into $250 payments every couple of weeks, thereby earning more interest on the money I have in my account rather than in theirs?

I put most things on a points-earning credit card for points, but the credit card has 'up to 45 days interest free' and the 'up to' just means 'depending on the statement issue date' - so there is potential for the interest free days to be lower. I always pay the card off in full before interest accrues, but because the interest free days vary, sometimes i'll use a BNPL option because I get more time interest free.

Yes, the system is ripe for abuse and there are people who use it because they can't afford it otherwise, and microloans can be harmful to people who overextend themselves...

but being so generalised over every person who might choose to hold onto their money rather than paying in full is a stretch. You might as well tell people with a car loan or a mortgage that they're living above their means because they don't buy them outright.

 

[New display name]

I hope you're not wasting your time by replying to me.  🤷‍♀️

 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

6 minutes ago, New display name said:

I hope you're not wasting your time by replying to me.  🤷‍♀️

 

Jesus you're bipolar. You can ignore all you want, i'll continue to reply to your dribble so others can see there is an alternate viewpoint than your own shareholder-motivated shitposting.

[themagician]

1 hour ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

If Dreamworld were to install a lazy river, with nice landscaping, a waterfall or two, some bridges overhead, maybe a few cabanas - the wouldn't really be offering anything different or better than WnW. So they'd be building something they already have down the road. 

However, if they built one with a wave machine (wave or extreme river), or a water dump,

Agreed! Just look at the 3 lazy rivers in Victoria as an example for this.

- Adventure Park Geelong's is pretty simple, but it has a rapids section and is planted out nicely. 

- Gumbuya World has rapids, tunnels and landscaping. At times it is concrete trough that doesn't feel well integrated, but overall nicely done.

- Funfields have just own theirs and from photos it is also landscaped nicely, has bridges, a small tunnel and a rapids machine.

I honestly think that if WWW did one similarly to WnW in terms of scale, making it feel like an oasis/destination that some people will spend all day at and then adding a section of rapids, waterfalls and tunnels, that would be enough of a difference and offer that 'Dreamworld Difference'. We've just seen what the park (with PicoPlay and the other consultants) can do with Rivertown, imagine taking that and making it into an entire new precinct for the water park that has a lazy river connecting it all together.

[New display name]

@DaptoFunlandGuystop direct messaging me.  I gave you the opportunity to say your kind words to my face, but you wouldn't have a bar of it.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

28 minutes ago, themagician said:

I honestly think that if WWW did one similarly to WnW in terms of scale, making it feel like an oasis/destination that some people will spend all day at and then adding a section of rapids, waterfalls and tunnels, that would be enough of a difference and offer that 'Dreamworld Difference'.

But that's just building Calypso again. that's the whole point - that's what Dreamworld have already said they don't want to do - it has to be a unique offering, not just immersively themed gardens because that's all calypso is!

12 minutes ago, New display name said:

@DaptoFunlandGuystop direct messaging me.  I gave you the opportunity to say your kind words to my face, but you wouldn't have a bar of it.

oh sod off.

[New display name]

12 hours ago, Levi said:

i agree, another stand out coaster is what the park now needs, something like an Intamin Mega Coaster. after that it’s only little things here and there (Motorcoaster sticking out like a sore thumb for example), that they need to work out. as it is, the parks already much more bang for your buck compared to down the road.

I believe DW have other ideas.

[themagician]

12 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

it has to be a unique offering

Rapids, waterfalls and tunnels!

I know they used to have a small tunnel and a waterfall, but they don’t anymore

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

24 minutes ago, themagician said:

Rapids, waterfalls and tunnels!

I know they used to have a small tunnel and a waterfall, but they don’t anymore

It's still 'just a lazy river'. I don't think Rapids are going to be the big blockbuster feature that will tip in their favour. It's the equivalent of Malibu Stacey's new hat.

There needs to be a REAL point of difference. 

 

[Brad2912]

4 hours ago, WalleyWorld said:

Australians don't need any more encouragement to take out microloans and become more addicted to debt than we already are.

It’s a free country, no one is forcing someone to use BNPL services. 

3 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

I put most things on a points-earning credit card for points, but the credit card has 'up to 45 days interest free' and the 'up to' just means 'depending on the statement issue date' - so there is potential for the interest free days to be lower. I always pay the card off in full before interest accrues, but because the interest free days vary, sometimes i'll use a BNPL option because I get more time interest free.

I do the exact same thing, if anything it’s a financially responsible way of managing cash flow. 

[New display name]

21 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

I do the exact same thing, if anything it’s a financially responsible way of managing cash flow. 

The responsible management of cash flow is, don't spend more than your pay packet. 🤷‍♀️

Don't care if you're using Afterpay, none of my business, but you're lying to yourself if you believe it's a responsible way of managing cash flow.

Edited Thursday at 03:14 AM by New display name

[Brad2912]

38 minutes ago, New display name said:

The responsible management of cash flow is, don't spend more than your pay packet. 🤷‍♀️

Don't care if you're using Afterpay, none of my business, but you're lying to yourself if you believe it's a responsible way of managing cash flow.

Not lying of myself at all. Paying something off without paying interest - ie the cost to acquire the product or service is identical - is no less responsible than not buying the product until you have all the money in your hands, it just means you get it sooner. 
 

some people cannot manage their money to pay off a credit card or a BNPL and those people shouldn’t touch it. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

12 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

Not lying of myself at all. Paying something off without paying interest - ie the cost to acquire the product or service is identical - is no less responsible than not buying the product until you have all the money in your hands, it just means you get it sooner. 
 

some people cannot manage their money to pay off a credit card or a BNPL and those people shouldn’t touch it. 

You're playing pigeon chess here Brad. He's got his opinion and nothing is going to change it. 

He's assuming that a user of a BNPL service doesn't have the money available elsewhere to pay for those services, and that is the reason why they use the service. 

He clearly doesn't comprehend that many folk keep their money in things like Mortgage Offset accounts, so it is beneficial to leave the money in the offset account, rather than paying in full.

Like - really - even if you have the money - why would you pay in full for anything, if the supplier permits you to pay it either by instalment or at a later date?

Many large businesses that have 90 day accounts with trade suppliers don't pay until day 90 - because that's what is allowed and it's simply IRRESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF CASH FLOW to pay things before they need to be paid.

[New display name]

@Brad2912It's debt.

When you apply for a homeloan banks take the view people who use Afterpay can't manage money and it can go against you getting a loan.  Some banks have been known to ask you to close your Afterpay account before they will issue a loan.  Afterpay even has a whole Q&A on how to shutdown Afterpay when asked to by your bank.

Edited Thursday at 04:16 AM by New display name

[Brad2912]

37 minutes ago, New display name said:

@Brad2912It's debt.

When you apply for a homeloan banks take the view people who use Afterpay can't manage money and it can go against you getting a loan.  Some banks have been known to ask you to close your Afterpay account before they will issue a loan.  Afterpay even has a whole Q&A on how to shutdown Afterpay when asked to by your bank.

The banks will also tell you if you order Uber eats or deposit money into a Sportsbet account periodically that you are mis-managing money.
That doesn’t make them right. 

Afterpay only becomes debt if you don’t make your payments. In the same way having mobile phone plan that includes handset repayments isn’t debt unless you don’t pay your bill. 

 

[New display name]

Afterpay becomes a debt the second you owe Afterpay money.

Owing Telstra $1400.00 for a phone is a debt.

The moment you put your theme park tickets on Afterpay you are in debt to Afterpay to pay that money back.

 

AI tells us.

Debt is when one party, the debtor (@Brad2912), owes money to another party (Afterpay), the creditor.

[Naazon]

Actually to a bank, having an Afterpay account is debt, regardless of if its used or not.

But that same bank will ask you to close credit cards before issuing a mortgage and then just issuing you with one of their credit cards.

Banks love when you have debt if the debt is with them.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Spot on. Afterpay is not it's own risk factor - its the same as having any other line of revolving credit. 

Banks will want to see that you have capacity to service all of your credit at the maximum limit possible, regardless of how much you owe on each of those services. 

Most take the position that - assuming you used every dollar of credit that has been extended to you - could you pay it back in a reasonable time. 

For someone living above their means, closing out accounts that could rack up extra debt is a smart decision for the bank as that line of credit is no longer open to them.

Hilariously, Afterpay doesn't perform credit checks and doesn't generally report missed payments to CRAs (though it is unclear what they do if you default entirely) - anyone who signs up can use the service regardless of financial history (though the limit they allow you is quite low), so you could close your account to meet the bank's request and then immediately sign up to the service again without barrier (some other BNPL services do require credit checks though).

So it would seem the only way a bank would even know you owed money to afterpay is if either:

• you list it as an active credit facility you have (most loan applications don't really have a category for BNPL options that aren't credit or store cards, so this isn't always required to be disclosed), or
• they see it on your bank account as an outgoing (which they won't, if your afterpay payment comes out of a different bank)

 

End of the day, a bank is only going to take issue with you using afterpay if you're already a risky decision. If they've got an issue with you having a $500 afterpay account when considering your half-a-million-dollar mortgage application, you've got bigger issues.

[New display name]

53 minutes ago, Naazon said:

Actually to a bank, having an Afterpay account is debt, regardless of if its used or not.

But that same bank will ask you to close credit cards before issuing a mortgage and then just issuing you with one of their credit cards.

Banks love when you have debt if the debt is with them.

@Brad2912doesn't care what banks say.