Has Dreamworld lost its 'Magic'?

[skystar_a320]

I personally prefer the older style DW, where Kenny & Belinda wernt size 2 clothes! Where the charectors werent dancing to rap music? When the "Goldrush" area was in fine glory! I used to love it! its crap now! I personally dont like the commercial branding, all the surf brands playboy etc.... Dont get me wrong the rides have gotten better over the years but the themeing............ What do u think?

[jetpilot96]

as time moves on so to people i mean i work at lps and people really dont care about theming,there after the thrill of being on the rides.I think its s shame that theming dosent get the attention it deserves but these days its all about ticket sales to pay for wages,servicing rides ect maybe in the near to distance rides might look like what we want.But i personally dont think oits gonna happen.when u do theming even that needs attention and even if a ride is closed for a couple of days while they give is a coat of paint its time and money lost.

[Troy81]

I was at Disneyland recently and they had a quartet singing in the main street. Now I remeber as a kid that dreamworld had a quartet - its the little things like that that make the atmosphere. Dreamworld needs to get that feeling back. Spending their money on rides doesn't necessarily make it a great place to go. It helps, but people are more likely to spend the money their if they are having a feel good time, not just lining up for ride after ride.

[Swanny]

Who prefers the older 'Rustic' Aussie Feel? (From Poll) I personally prefer the older style DW, where Kenny & Belinda wernt size 2 clothes! Where the charectors werent dancing to rap music? When the "Goldrush" area was in fine glory! I used to love it! its crap now! I personally dont like the commercial branding, all the surf brands playboy etc.... Dont get me wrong the rides have gotten better over the years but the themeing............ What do u think?

You've summed up really well exactly what DW's current problem is. I especially like the term 'Rustic' Aussie Feel. That's a really good description of what so many long-time fans of DW have been longing for ever since it started to change to the new modern park with carports for queue lines ...

[Gazza]

^Didnt they have a Carribean metal drum band too? Anyway, yeah, I preferred the rustic feel, Its a point of difference for DW that made a uniquely Australian take on the theme park. Now it is pretty much like any other theme park out there.

as time moves on so to people i mean i work at lps and people really don't care about theming,there after the thrill of being on the rides.I think its s shame that theming doesn't get the attention it deserves but these days its all about ticket sales to pay for wages,servicing rides ect maybe in the near to distance rides might look like what we want.But i personally dont think its gonna happen.when u do theming even that needs attention and even if a ride is closed for a couple of days while they give is a coat of paint its time and money lost.

I wouldn't mind having a good old discussion on theming, Ill go start a new topic later, but Ill put something related to what you said. I think with Luna Park the situation is more to do with the type of park it is and the owners willingness to spend. It aims to be a Coney Island / fairground type park where theming isn't the go. And as you said the nature of the parks operations means closing the ride to touchup theming directly affects the bottom line (whereas pay one price parks can close stuff willy nilly) I don't so much think the fact people don't care about theming, its just that the Australian public isn't really exposed to it much so parks can get away without it. Im sure if a park opened up on the GC (forget all other market forces) with a similar lineup to the other parks, but a huge amount of theming it could be more popular. People these days are preoccupied with how things look anyway...maybe thats what we need, a designer theme park.

[skystar_a320]

Yeah Dreamworld have added new rides but the theming is almost non existant. I mean look at the theming for the cyclone whilst you wait to ride, I laughed the first time i saw it! I really want DW to focus on the 'Goldrush' area and bring that back to life + Add more rides and scenery. International Tourists can see Nickelodeon and stuff back in there own countries, Yes its bright and funky for kids, but kids arent DW's only patrons.

[Gazza]

International Tourists can see Nickelodeon and stuff back in there own countries, Yes its bright and funky for kids, but kids arent DW's only patrons.

Just on that, I have always thought it was a crying shame that no Australian park has tried to adopt ABC characters for a childrens area. Wiggles world was a good start in terms of using Australian content, but give me Bananas in Pyjamas over Jimmy Neutron any day. Most kids wouldn't have pay TV anyway....(Only 20% of households) Edited July 20, 2007 by Gazza

[Swanny]

It's just a sign of the times. I'm sure if you ask most youngsters what they'd prefer to watch, they'd rather see an action-packed american cartoon over a classic australian kids programme.

[stardust]

Bananas!!! I loved that show! Anyway saying rustic aussie makes me think of how travis (bb) is the typical aussie bloke. so then if people say something is aussie i go off it. i voted i do not mind. though I have been to disneyland and they had different worlds as well, forestly, kiddy, spacey, different areas. i do prefer that. but i don't want a run down park.

[wondercam]

don"t mind at all! if dreamworld want to be moden thats fine with me aslong as it has good rides!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

So what you're saying is that you currently have a huge issue with dreamworld? Because dreamworld want to be "moden" and have rides that are poorly chosen, poorly maintained, and have ridiculous capacity.

[Guest dreamworldfan]

Dreamworld needs a face lift and im aware there undertaking a large one to commemorate there 25 years, but whats the chances they will actually make it look better? What steps need to be taken? And If theres more than a few posts about wooden coasters, you fail, it wont happen.

[Rollercoaster13]

Perhaps a fresh coat of paint?

[Guest dreamworldfan]

like dropped by a helicopter across the entire park? would make for an interesting day I think:- The Claw and Angry Beavers Spooty Spin Need Repainting The Cyclone and Tower Of Terror need to have their story line returned! Log Ride needs to have its Inny bits fixed (Underway i believe) The Rapids needs more rapids, apart from old people and teen girls, everyone likes getting wet, its the highlight of the day! A ride like Indiana Jones at Disneyland, except doesn't break down so much. Screw the Dream Room, Put a ride there. Pull Down The Chairlift Poles, OR REOPEN IT, put the lights somewhere else.

OH MY FREAKING GOD THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN DONE TO DEATH!

But this ones today! and thankyou for your valuable input. Edited May 18, 2008 by dreamworldfan

[TheMightyBoosh]

I agree AlexB. I'm sure we have covered this all before - coat of paint, do up this, do up that.. yadda yadda *Yawn*. Anyhow after the above ramble I think Dreamworld should just work on bringing back the 'magic' the park used to have. I have wondered whether it was just me growing up, becoming more cynical and losing that child-like ability to be excited by anything OR it was Dreamworld becoming a little run down and more revenue driven? I guess that the simple things like bringing back the bush ranger show or the old convicts that used to walk around with ball and chain, or the old quartet singers (they wore red and white stripes from memory) would go a long way. I can remember watching the bush ranger show quite clearly and how the guns used to scare me yet I can't even remember my first ride on the old thunderbolt or enterprise (reef diver)! Any theme park can throw a few cool rides together, however your first experience on the ride is often the best. It's incorporating the more 'human' element which entertains you with unexpected experiences that is as important as the rides. It's these small original human elements which are constantly changing to provide that unique experience and keep you guessing and coming back for more. It would be interesting to analyse the effect of a new $5 Mill. ride or spending that money on a new bush ranger show or various forms of original entertainment (character actors) throughout the park. Would the ride increase attendance over a few months and then leave people with the 'been there, done that' attitude? Would more character actors/shows and other entertainers leave people with the same lasting impressions left with me by the bush rangers. I remember wanting to go to Dreamworld just to ride that 'boring' boat just to see if the bush rangers did something different (not to script), which often happened. It all comes down to the age old clash between the mechanical (ride) vs. the organic (human/animal element). Just remember that 'theming' is just an attempt to hide the boring,repetitive mechanistic nature of a ride with an interesting 'organic' coating. Without sounding too cynical I guess that previous posts have commented that Dreamworld is no more a 'theme' park than Mick Doohan's motocoaster is a 'thrill' ride. I agree that Dreamworld has become more of an amusement park. Would more characters and entertainers add to the theming to return it to what it once was? Personally I think so. TMB

Edited May 18, 2008 by TheMightyBoosh

[cadboy]

I voted I don't Mind because, I think both the new and old Dreamworld had there Ups and downs. Now I am not an expert when it comes to the 'old rustic Dreamworld' since I only went for the first time like 6 years ago but from what I am reading it seems to me that Dreamworld used to have far better theming and more charm. But then again the old dreamworld didn't have Claw which is a great ride experience or Motocoaster and cyclone both which suck so thats no real loss (Although I have never been on MDMC I can tell that it is a bad ride), however, todays dreamworld has poor themeing. Both eras have their ups and downs and as I have never experieneced the old Dreamworld I really don't no which I like more. Cheers

[Guest dreamworldfan]

Main advantage of Dreamworld over Movie World, If you ride every ride, some twice, it will take almost all day. Movie World your bored by one o'clock (Particularly when superman escape is broken) Movie World Does Have better theming and rides of course but wont keep you entertained for long and Cyclones an okay ride, not great but good enough for mild thrills

[Gazza]

Yeah, but if you visit Disney's Animal Kingdom, and you ride everything then you are done before lunchtime there too, but I sure as hell wouldn't say DW is better because of it. I don't really care if one park has more rides than the other, because if they aren't memorable or high quality then what's the point.

[Guest dreamworldfan]

Disney Parks cannot be compared to other parks. It's just Not Fair. But Your Right