What is next for our parks?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

19 hours ago, HarryHeHe8 said:

I'm sorry that I'm not allowed to have my own opinion. Sure Levi is forceful and Jet rescue is fast, but IMO they aren't that thrilling. (maybe ive just been on too many crazy coasters). All I'm saying is I doubt an inverting coaster will be installed in the park in the next few years. (Also I had no intention of parroting your statements, it's just my observations lead me to saying things similar to yours).

You are allowed to have an opinion - just as I am. You stated that "They (Sea World) ended their thrill era in the mid 2010s" and the demolition of Sea Viper is when it "died" (though notably you didn't state it as opinion at that time, you stated it as if it were fact).

I disagreed and offered support for my position. End of story. 

As for whether SW will install an inverting coaster in the next few years, probably not, and that was not Spotty's position either - there were several attractions he suggested needed to come first, and then a coaster, possibly with inversions. All of those are good suggestions, and they are all possible. However, I find the suggestion that inversions don't fit the park preposterous, and the argument that inversions belong in MW because the park doesn't have many inversions (when SW currently has none) even more preposterous.

Have a good weekend.

12 hours ago, Lakyn17 said:

Why? More for kids. Look how great the HB stuff looks at the Abu Dabuai park. With WoO adding two new family coasters, give something for the kids. 
More than enough adult rides as is. Add a stage there to have similar shows like sea worlds paw patrol and turtles show. With excellent theming it would be a great draw. 

There is no doubt that Movie World's lineup for kids is in dire need of an upgrade, but they don't need to give over more space to kids attractions - they need to improve the current offering. They still have an opening day attraction operating more than 30 years later, and much of what is on offer is poor, old, tired, and not suited to a wider audience. Retire the cages, the train, speedy cars and the Taz rest stop space (parents room \ sensory space needs a better facility in a better location anyway) and redo the entire land with new, themed attractions. 

And at the risk of sounding like a broken record - the park needs to sort out their maintenance and storage requirements to a better, new facility and give back the other half of the LTRR showstage building.

Doomsday and the Western Showstage need something new - preferably the stage returns to being used as one, and Doomsday can be repurposed into a new family or adult level flat ride (or several flat rides depending on the size).

9 hours ago, Tricoart said:

/debatably a 2nd kids one

I think it's a difficult argument to say a land made up of 3 coasters - even 3 targeted at families - is a kids land - i think wicked witches and flying monkeys and tornadoes aren't going to appeal to the same demographic that are riding sam train and tweety cages and WOZ skews older, but I still agree, WB Kids needs a refresh rather than taking over another area for another kids attraction.

[TV15]

I feel like the lands/precincts in the park are thematically confusing at Movie World. For example, Gotham City Cafe is located next to an Ice Cream Parlour on Main Street, opposite Dirty Harry’s and beside Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster. While this might have made sense with Arkham Asylum's connection to the area, it feels out of place now.

When you enter the park, you immediately see the DC Rivals sign on the left, Superman Escape straight ahead, and the Hollywood sign to the right. However, what's missing is an actual Hollywood section. The park loves its fake soundstage buildings like Stage 14, but it needs a fully fleshed-out Hollywood area. Plus, the park is overdue for a family-friendly dark ride coaster that’s tame and suitable for everyone.

I propose splitting the park into six distinct sections:

1. DC Super Heroes (Purple): This area is already a cornerstone of the park, but it could really benefit from having a dedicated restaurant. Maybe relocating Gotham City Cafe to this section would make more sense thematically, helping the area feel more complete.

2. Wizard of Oz (Green)

3. Main Street (Yellow): This area is classic and works well as long as it remains free from any specific IP theming. It’s supposed to be the heart of the park, so keeping it simple and welcoming is key.

4. Kids WB Fun Zone (Red): This area is in desperate need of an overhaul. It's frustrating to see former attraction spaces just sitting unused, especially when the existing styles — like Road Runner, Cosmic Boom, the new arcade, and the original buildings — clash so much. This area could be reimagined to be more cohesive and engaging for families, possibly by updating or replacing some of the older elements.

5. Hollywood (Orange): This is where the park could really shine. Imagine walking into a more authentic Hollywood, with soundstages, street shops, and film-related stuff everywhere you look. The hideous midway games could either be re-themed or just removed to make space for new attractions. Honestly, a new flat ride or a coaster in this area—something like Movie Park Germany's Studio Tour—would be awesome. If they pull it off right, it would finally make that whole area make sense thematically. I wouldn't be mad if they demolished the Show Stage Building to make way for this attraction; however, looking at it, there seems like that there is enough space to fit a ride like the Studio Tour in there. Adding a flat ride on top of this would really make this part of the park perfect.

6. Wild West Falls (Brownish): This area is already well-done and doesn’t need to be changed. It should stay just as it is.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

14 minutes ago, TV15 said:

I feel like the lands/precincts in the park are thematically confusing at Movie World. For example, Gotham City Cafe is located next to an Ice Cream Parlour on Main Street, opposite Dirty Harry’s and beside Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster. While this might have made sense with Arkham Asylum's connection to the area, it feels out of place now.

Do you know what a movie set is?

 

This is at Universal Studios Hollywood:

Do you know what is less than five metres to the right of it?

The Psycho house. 

 

Do you know what's right around the corner?

 

That's the plus side of a 'movie park' - everything is a film set, so nothing has to be real. it's only "what the camera sees" in the shot. You're going "behind the scenes!"

14 minutes ago, TV15 said:

DC Super Heroes (Purple): This area is already a cornerstone of the park, but it could really benefit from having a dedicated restaurant. Maybe relocating Gotham City Cafe to this section would make more sense thematically, helping the area feel more complete.

There is nowhere in this area that you can fit a restaurant.

 

14 minutes ago, TV15 said:

Main Street (Yellow): This area is classic and works well as long as it remains free from any specific IP theming. It’s supposed to be the heart of the park, so keeping it simple and welcoming is key.

So, no batman store? No looney tunes store? Does Rick's Cafe get to stay, given it's themed to a specific movie?

14 minutes ago, TV15 said:

Hollywood (Orange): This is where the park could really shine. Imagine walking into a more authentic Hollywood, with soundstages, street shops, and film-related stuff everywhere you look. The hideous midway games could either be re-themed or just removed to make space for new attractions. Honestly, a new flat ride or a coaster in this area—something like Movie Park Germany's Studio Tour—would be awesome. If they pull it off right, it would finally make that whole area make sense thematically. I wouldn't be mad if they demolished the Show Stage Building to make way for this attraction; however, looking at it, there seems like that there is enough space to fit a ride like the Studio Tour in there. Adding a flat ride on top of this would really make this part of the park perfect.

This area is already pretty authentically themed - with the film set lights overhead, and sets from Dirty Harry to Gotham to Spooky Island. The doomsday area has got to go and it will in time, but the games aren't likely to go while they're still making money. I think labelling this whole area up to hollywood is overly restrictive if they want to try doing something else with it, and the whole 'backlot film set' theme they've got through most of the park works well enough.

14 minutes ago, TV15 said:

Wild West Falls (Brownish): This area is already well-done and doesn’t need to be changed. It should stay just as it is.

Wild west is largely underutilised and takes up way too much space for a single attraction. Western town needs life - a themed retail store, midway or some other activity CLOSER to the ride would bring the area to life and make it useful again.

Edited August 15 by DaptoFunlandGuy

[HarryHeHe8]

2 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Wild west is largely underutilised and takes up way too much space for a single attraction. Western town needs life - a themed retail store, midway or some other activity CLOSER to the ride would bring the area to life and make it useful again.

I definitely agree with you there. However, I feel like what MW should do is maybe shrink the area a bit and move the entrance sign back a bit, maybe up to the photo op where the show is. This would make more space if they were planning something for the doomsday destroyer plot after WOZ. With that said, there would still be plenty of space to add all the things You suggested, but there would also be space for a whole new area where the games/Doomsday are.  (google earth isnt working for me right now, so I've drawn it on maps)

[TV15]

I knew you’d have something to say, and I appreciate the perspective.

3 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

I think labelling this whole area up to hollywood is overly restrictive if they want to try doing something else with it

Maybe the whole "Hollywood" name isn’t the best fit for the precinct; instead, it could be called the "Studios" section of the park. This area could feature a behind-the-scenes show about what goes into making movies, along with a family coaster that delivers a great storyline without relying on IP—something like Jungle Rush, which has an entirely in-house storyline and theme.

I get that movie parks have that “anything goes” ideology because everything is supposed to be a film set—Universal Studios really embraces that "what the camera sees" approach. But at least for my idea, focusing on the “Movie Studios” aspect of the park’s name would be a good direction. Imagine flagship attractions like Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster and something similar to the Movie Park Germany Studio Tour Coaster going around the area.

3 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

So, no batman store? No looney tunes store? Does Rick's Cafe get to stay, given it's themed to a specific movie?

On Main Street, I wasn’t suggesting that IP-themed shops should be removed. Selling IP merchandise is what a Main Street does, and that’s perfectly fine. My point was more about keeping the overall area free from IP-specific theming, like Gotham City Cafe being right on Main Street. 

3 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

a themed retail store, midway or some other activity CLOSER

Did you forget that Rio Bravo Outfitters is already down there? Honestly, Wild West Falls is fine as it is. The time will come when it eventually goes, but I’m not looking forward to that day. Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster isn’t even permanently closed, yet people are reacting as if it is

At the end of the day, these are just my thoughts on what I’d like to see and what I think the park needs. I'm allowed to have my own opinion/thoughts at the end of the day right?

[Tricoart]

33 minutes ago, TV15 said:

Did you forget that Rio Bravo Outfitters is already down there? Honestly, Wild West Falls is fine as it is.

As is the case with most Movie World rides, it as a ride is deteriorating, and the area surrounding it has already done so. Rio Bravo Outfitters exists, as do the 2 food options in the area, but the only time I’ve seen any of those operational in recent visits was 1 occasion where the ‘Wild West Roadhouse’ (an almost exact copy of the Gotham quick service) had a skeleton crew & no guests.

[Gazza]

Im not going to speculate on what goes where, but these are what I'd like to see crop up in Aus

-Zamperla Nebulaz - Decent capacity, a crowd pleaser, and a certain hypnotic visual appeal

https://www.zamperla.com/product/nebulaz

-MadHouse. I love these rides. All the appeal of a dark ride, but less space and quite good capacity. Plenty of opportunity to tell a good story.

https://www.vekoma.com/mad-house

-Powesplash. We havent had a new water ride in a while, and these are actually excellent. Ejector airtime, not too soaking, and the water level is adjustable so you can make it wetter in the warmer months.

https://mack-rides.com/en/products/water-rides/powersplash/

-Wing Coaster (Family or otherwise) I like these because they are highly accessible, an enjoyable thrill ride (much like what corkscrew etc used to be like), not necessarily insane intensity, but just a nice feeling of flight and the possibility to have near misses. Id even settle for a smaller one like the one at Legoland Germany, with a couple of inversions as a good intermediate coaster.

https://www.bolliger-mabillard.com/product/wing-coaster

-Gerstlauer Bobsled large model 610. Basically its 24m high, and has quite a twisted layout. You could put one of these anywhere and it would be a real focal point. Its kinetic.

https://rcdb.com/18298.htm#p=124471

-Flying Scooters. Just wish a smaller park here would add one of these, a fun family flat with a bit of interactvity.

https://larsonintl.com/ride/flying-scooters/

Edited August 15 by Gazza

[TBoy]

22 minutes ago, Gazza said:

-MadHouse. I love these rides. All the appeal of a dark ride, but less space and quite good capacity. Plenty of opportunity to tell a good story.

https://www.vekoma.com/mad-house

I've been thinking about this one specifically for a bit and it would be a good fit. It doesn't take up much room so land shouldn't really be an issue, and it would provide an experience that the whole family can enjoy. For themes I was thinking Beetlejuice, its a classic that is still enjoyed 36 years on. Possibly do a madhouse based on the dinner party scene?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

16 hours ago, TV15 said:

Gotham City Cafe being right on Main Street

Gotham City Cafe is no more on Main Street than Dirty Harry Bar or Scooby Doo.

16 hours ago, TV15 said:

Did you forget that Rio Bravo Outfitters is already down there?

No I didn't. What I did notice is that the closest 'all season' operating food outlet (Dirty Harry Bar) is 162m from RB Outfitters, and there isn't another retail store for 212m (HWSD main st store)

After you pass the skill games, outside of peak season you're walking past nothing for more than 100m to get to west.

Now just to put that distance into perspective - 100 metres is approximately:

• the entire length of the main street roof, from daily planet to the WB department store including multiple food outlets, retail shops, entrance to an arena show and a cinema attraction.
• From the fountain of stars to the entrance for the Land of Oz (past two other attractions)
• From the fountain of stars to the entrance for DC Rivals (past 3 other attractions)
• From the daily planet to the carousel (past several retail outlets and a sometimes operating restaurant
• For the most part, the length of the carpark (measured gate to exit road direction)

My point is the western area past the skill games is mostly dead space. In peak season west burgers and the small food outlet open up, but that's still a solid 70 metres of absolutely nothing. They need something in that space - even a waterwheel being fed from an overhead "watertrough" would give the area some kinetics or beauty to admire as you make the trek back there. The whole area feels abandoned (and not in a 'it's themed this way' kinda way). The area worked when Boot Hill was beside Scooby. Blazing saddles -albeit a little cheesy - formed part of the land and there was a level of cohesiveness to the whole thing. As an area, you had an arcade, a 'rest area', at least two food outlets, entrance to a stage show - and much as I hate to say it - the timeshare people. Doomsday took away the arcade, the rest area, the stage show entrance.. the timeshare people left (thankfully) and the food outlets rarely open outside of peak - and so we're left with.... not much.

As for Scooby - it's closed, and has been for some time. In winter there is no reason to turn left at the top of main street, so you might as well consider it gone, until it comes back. I'm not suggesting the same will happen - but I still keep in the back of my mind the fact that two years ago the COO of the company assured us Monorail wasn't going anywhere and now we have a big VC announcing just that. I've every confidence Scooby is coming back up next year, but until it opens, there's always the possibility it doesn't.

16 hours ago, TV15 said:

I'm allowed to have my own opinion/thoughts at the end of the day right?

Are you suggesting that I am not?

[New display name]

@Gazza A wing coaster would bring more variety to the Australian lineup.  The more diversity, the better.

[Spotty]

2 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

As for Scooby - it's closed, and has been for some time. In winter there is no reason to turn left at the top of main street, so you might as well consider it gone, until it comes back. I'm not suggesting the same will happen - but I still keep in the back of my mind the fact that two years ago the COO of the company assured us Monorail wasn't going anywhere and now we have a big VC announcing just that. I've every confidence Scooby is coming back up next year, but until it opens, there's always the possibility it doesn't.

Are you suggesting that I am not?

At least with Scooby, we know for a fact that parts have arrived for the coaster. If anything it might be delayed to 2026 but yeah. I get what you are saying. However the lack of parts comment they made I feel is a bit incorrect. Von Roll was sold to Adtranz (now bombardier) and was fairly sure they still made parts for the rides, much like how S+S brought the rights to Arrow Dynamics designs to be able to still support them.

Either way, we all knew the Monorail wasn't coming back much before village "knew". Lets just hope they don't leave parts of it to rot any further, and hopefully they have something else in the pipeline to replace it.

[HarryHeHe8]

24 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Either way, we all knew the Monorail wasn't coming back much before village "knew". Lets just hope they don't leave parts of it to rot any further, and hopefully they have something else in the pipeline to replace it.

I hope so too. With the area the stations fill up though, I have no idea what they could possible fit in there, unless they use the VR castle and plot. Even then it's not a great space, especially considering the abstract shape. I'm curious as to what ride they could use for that space, if they decide to put a ride there at all.

(the area in the red is only 0.3 km squared. Enough space, but not a great shape).

Edited August 16 by HarryHeHe8

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

35 minutes ago, Spotty said:

hopefully they have something else in the pipeline to replace it.

I think Bikash may have suggested that they've got options they're considering in the comments on one of the social posts. not sure how much substance that has, but at least someone in the company is saying something is being considered.

[STRAWS]

8 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

I think Bikash may have suggested that they've got options they're considering in the comments on one of the social posts. not sure how much substance that has, but at least someone in the company is saying something is being considered.

Maybe im inncorrect but I swear I heard  somewhere that the monorail station where the old train sits currently is being made into a restraunt or cafe type thing but Im in inncorrect I aploglise. 

[TV15]

15 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Gotham City Cafe is no more on Main Street than Dirty Harry Bar or Scooby Doo.

I get your point, but I still feel that its location could be better utilised elsewhere to improve thematic cohesion with this section of the park. What ever happened to that restaurant we were promised in that park update?

15 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

My point is the western area past the skill games is mostly dead space. In peak season west burgers and the small food outlet open up, but that's still a solid 70 metres of absolutely nothing. They need something in that space - even a waterwheel being fed from an overhead "watertrough" would give the area some kinetics or beauty to admire as you make the trek back there. The whole area feels abandoned (and not in a 'it's themed this way' kinda way). The area worked when Boot Hill was beside Scooby. Blazing saddles -albeit a little cheesy - formed part of the land and there was a level of cohesiveness to the whole thing. As an area, you had an arcade, a 'rest area', at least two food outlets, entrance to a stage show - and much as I hate to say it - the timeshare people. Doomsday took away the arcade, the rest area, the stage show entrance.. the timeshare people left (thankfully) and the food outlets rarely open outside of peak - and so we're left with.... not much.

The Doomsday Destroyer store also exists, but it seems to have met the same fate as the other locations you mentioned - underutilised and mostly forgotten outside of peak times. I haven't seen it open since late last year and even when it was, it was only open for a few hours a day.

The Wild West area past the games can feel like dead space, especially when those outlets aren’t open, although it really doesn’t feel that way when the ride is operational. It only seems dead when the ride is closed. That said, I agree that something more could be done to bring life to the area.

As for Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster and Wild West Falls, this does make the left side of the park feel like a ghost town in winter. I've visited the park numerous times during those closures and so many people still walk up there only to walk back down... with nothing to do.

However, I’m confident that the ride will reopen next year, and while I agree there’s always a chance things don’t go as planned. It's also important to consider that temporary closures, while frustrating, don't necessarily mean permanent closures even though we've seen it with the Sea World Monorail.

15 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Are you suggesting that I am not?

Of course you’re entitled to your own. It’s just that the way you delivered your ideas came across as very condescending, which felt like - and reads as - an immediate dismissal of my suggestions.

[Narra]

10 hours ago, TV15 said:

I’m confident that the ride will reopen next year

If Scooby doesn't reopen its game over for them IMO, they cant afford that backlash

[HarryHeHe8]

4 hours ago, Narra said:

If Scooby doesn't reopen its game over for them IMO, they cant afford that backlash

Definitely true. I highly doubt it’s not reopening though, because it is one of if not the most popular rides, and it’s having a Reno done to it, so IMO, village would have to be on drugs to even consider that as a possibility right now.

[Brad2912]

When it comes to VTP of late, I don’t think anything is off the table or any previously made announcement is beyond change/backflip given what we have seen with the monorail, FNs and Sound Stage. 

[themagician]

On 15/8/2024 at 10:48 AM, TV15 said:

I propose splitting the park into six distinct sections

I really like this concept! Most of it is already there, it’s just the ‘Hollywood’ section that all over the place right now. If they demolish the villains area and whatever attraction replaces it, I hope they theme it to be either western or something more general that could tie into this idea of Hollywood.

[jjuttup]

On 16/08/2024 at 8:10 AM, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

They need something in that space - even a waterwheel being fed from an overhead "watertrough" would give the area some kinetics or beauty to admire as you make the trek back there. The whole area feels abandoned (and not in a 'it's themed this way' kinda way).

Thats what i was thinking when i went just before school holidays. A ghost town would give the feeling everyone all of a sudden up and left, and not like they packed up and left. For example, under the water tower is an area that had a purpose, but i have no idea what that purpose is or was, but it could either use seating or a stage.

The whole area needs a total thematic makeover and not just installation of something that exclusively runs during school holidays, and/or is an upcharge. I think we would all be onboard if the upcharge made sense ala gold panning at PC/Thunderbird Park/IAAPA every year. But it also needs its own free flowing story and experience. Do i have ideas? Absolutely not, but give the parks creative boffins enough coffee, ritalin, and budget, then watch people flow down that end for reasons other than "daddy wants to ride the mountain boat ride".

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

21 hours ago, TV15 said:

What ever happened to that restaurant we were promised in that park update?

short answer is.... it's still coming.