The day is finally here!

Post from Dreamworld:

Motocoaster is revving up for its farewell at Dreamworld, with the iconic thrill ride set to close on Monday 2 February 2026.

Since 2007, Motocoaster has delivered high-energy fun for nearly two decades, including its legendary years as the Mick Doohan Motocoaster 🏍️

Whether you’ve ridden it a hundred times or you’re yet to jump on, now’s the moment to buckle up, soak up the nostalgia and take a victory lap (or two) before Motocoaster takes the chequered flag.

Your last chance to ride: Sunday 1 February 2026.

Dreamworld once again cooking with there developments. This is a great decision to remove this ride and I’m excited to see what they have planned

Will admit... I was expecting it to be around for a little bit longer than this. But either way, I'll be curious to see what happens. I guess it explains why they kind of half assed the theming of the old shop as they likely knew its days were numbered. I guess it's safe to say this will likely be an expansion of Rivertown.

What would people like to see in its place? I'd normally say a family coaster but I would say Jungle Rush is a good replacement for it. I'd love to see a dark ride or a water ride in it's place, but I don't really think we will see a water ride based on what Greg recently said in an interview (Unless he was being sneaky and throwing us off the trail!).

I'd personally love a dark ride in the style of Danse Macabre like at Efteling (obviously a smaller version to fit Dreamworld, and probably not quite as elaborate) Or even a mad house style ride. Something the whole family can enjoy in this section of the park. Although, a second simulator style ride might be a bit too close to Sky Voyager.

Either way, It will be interesting to see.

Nothing in that email Ash to say it is being removed.

I'm not sure which Dreamworld Deity I need to pray to, but please don't reskin the ride.

I'm still very, very keen for them to put in a dark ride.
Preferably a trackless car ride, but a coaster, dynamic motion stage, even an omnimover would do.

Edited January 15Jan 15 by Whombex

Hoping a dark water ride. Really reflects on what they were/are trying to achieve with Rivertown. The theming they have been doing of late is amazing, the attendance over the holidays has been massive also. With Greg at the seat this could be amazing

Surprised that the whole ride is being removed and replaced, would’ve thought a re-theme and change of the bikes would have sufficed considering Coast Entertainment Holdings needs to concentrate on cash preservation for their upcoming multi hundred million dollar land development project.

I guess with improved crowds coming back into the park leading to potentially improvements in revenue and cash generation, they may feel confident to be able to manage both the mega land development project and continue to rejuvenate the theme park.

Regardless, this is good news, just hope they maintain the same standard of theming and continue to tie the whole story together.

Any ideas what type of ride could be the replacement for motorcoaster?

No big loss this ride sucks. Thought they would have rethemed it as opposed to pulling it down. I suppose in a way the door is still open to that until we see construction equipment on site, but they wouldn’t make a song and dance about this coaster closing if they were just going to reskin it.

Well done to dreamworld for having plans for their park done ahead of time as opposed to closing a ride and figuring out a replacement later. Their neighbours down the road should take notes

3 minutes ago, Spotty said:

but I don't really think we will see a water ride based on what Greg recently said in an interview (Unless he was being sneaky and throwing us off the trail!).

I listened to that podcast this week, if I remember right he said he wouldn’t build a water ride unless it was something seriously special. Wouldn’t rule out a highly themed flume or shoot the chutes for the space. But generally agree with your point whatever replaces motocoaster should be a ride that cools off guests on a hot day, whether that involves water or air conditioning (or both)

Edited January 15Jan 15 by Baconjack

5 minutes ago, Baconjack said:

No big loss this ride sucks. Thought they would have rethemed it as opposed to pulling it down. I suppose in a way the door is still open to that until we see construction equipment on site, but they wouldn’t make a song and dance about this coaster closing if they were just going to reskin it.

Well done to dreamworld for having plans for their park done ahead of time as opposed to closing a ride and figuring out a replacement later. Their neighbours down the road should take notes

I listened to that podcast this week, if I remember right he said he wouldn’t build a water ride unless it was something seriously special. Wouldn’t rule out a highly themed flume or shoot the chutes for the space. But generally agree with your point whatever replaces motocoaster should be a ride that cools off guests on a hot day, whether that involves water or air conditioning (or both)

Correct he did say that and I’m pretty Mack or One of the major ones have a new water/rocker coaster now. I don’t think we will get that but here’s hoping

14 minutes ago, Whombex said:

Nothing in that email Ash to say it is being removed.

Them saying it’s permanently closing is them saying it’s being removed. If it was being refurbished, they would’ve said that. Motocoaster is gone for good!

5 minutes ago, Ash said:

Correct he did say that and I’m pretty Mack or One of the major ones have a new water/rocker coaster now. I don’t think we will get that but here’s hoping

Yep is a new Mack ride.

Pretty sure there’s one that’s been built already. Looks like an awesome concept, but I’ve been huge on a well themed shoot the chutes for Dreamworld for a while now. Something like Jurassic park on the coast would be awesome.

It’s going to be weird not having Motocoaster at Dreamworld anymore but it’s no loss now that a family coaster that’s better in every regard is just across from it. Gonna pop down on the Sunday for last rides on the Motocoaster to go see it off, R.I.P Motocoaster.

Edited January 15Jan 15 by Smol bean

Whatever attraction they choose to replace Motocoaster with will surely be better than its predecessor, but what I'm most excited for is the possible re-establishment of a proper 'bush/outback' area of the park to exist alongside (new) Rivertown & for them to incorporate Steel Taipan/Giant Drop into, so that neither feel like complete dead-ends anymore & their section of the park's main loop (between ST/MDMC, otw to GD) is given a purpose once again.

1 hour ago, Spotty said:

I'd personally love a dark ride in the style of Danse Macabre like at Efteling (obviously a smaller version to fit Dreamworld, and probably not quite as elaborate) Or even a mad house style ride. Something the whole family can enjoy in this section of the park. Although, a second simulator style ride might be a bit too close to Sky Voyager.

As such, unless it is much better hidden & routed around than JR's has been (which would be significantly harder to accomplish without Tiger Island effectively blocking off most of its backstage area), a significant show/dark ride building in that location of the park would be a rather hard task to perfect.

Edited January 15Jan 15 by Tricoart

Nothing in that email Ash to say it is being removed

ahh yeah they definitely said it’s being closed permanently. I still believe the paddle steamer will come back, the Easter eggs in Jungle Rush and King Claw are a good indication it could be back, the way the Rivertown Store is (basic as hell) is imo because they knew the plans. I think this whole area will be themed to Rivertown.

The whole concept of 'Rivertown' kind of demands a boat ride on the river. It's just a massive dead-zone in the park and a barrier to get around right now. Might as well use the space.

Personally I'd love to see the return of Paddle Steamer (with a show element) or even something like a Jungle Cruise.

Water rides need a lot of space to execute well, so I don't think this is the place for that. I'd rather see that in RHLR area or in the Thunderbolt plot to bridge the Wet/Dry parks (or both).

I wouldn't be upset to see a single-rail coaster (Raptor) to fill the thrill/fear gap between JR and ST. Or maybe a Wild Mouse. I know a wild mouse isn't that exciting as a concept, but Scooby is extremely popular and either type of coaster would be a good replacement on a smaller footprint.

I'd also like to see another family friendly flat - something like a Zamperla Demolition Derby. I know they're kind of lame, but they're visually impressive to look at if themed well, and they're a great ride for little kids to ride with grandparents.

Then the park has Dreamland for little kids, Rivertown for Families/Everyone, Ocean Parade/ST/GD for high thrills.

I'm going to say they need to do some sort of thematic walkthrough. Like Moana at EPCOT. Something that can sell the story more than some cards on a board. In addition to extending RiverTOWN to look more like a town.

Very excited by this, definitely thought they would be operating it for a few more years. I'm firmly in the would like to see a water attraction or dark ride (ideally both) as what I want to see from the park.

I'm confident they wouldn't be closing it without immediate plans for the area, it's not that old and they got new trains not that long ago IIRC.

I'm not on the "easter eggs must mean the Captain Stuart is returning" but it was interesting to note they did that new boardwalk are part of the Rivertown initial works.

It wouldn’t be the first time a park said a ride is permanently closing only for a re-invented version of that same ride to reopen a year later.

Until a bulldozer rolls in or the word demolished is used I will keep an open mind.

51 minutes ago, rappa said:

It wouldn’t be the first time a park said a ride is permanently closing only for a re-invented version of that same ride to reopen a year later.

Until a bulldozer rolls in or the word demolished is used I will keep an open mind.

I’d think that would be taking the GP for mugs tbh, and would undo all the good work DW has done in recent years on building its PR. Lying or “disguising” a rebrand as a new ride just wouldn’t fly imo.

5 hours ago, Gold Coast Theme Park said:

Coast Entertainment Holdings needs to concentrate on cash preservation for their upcoming multi hundred million dollar land development project.

It’s not approved yet, and any development will be in conjunction with other development partners and not funded fully by CEH capital

While I want to see dark ride at the park, not in the location please, its right on the water, I think the area should take advantage of that, like how Rivertown does, with the rides pushed to the back. I don't want to see a show building on the banks of the water, especially if the paddle steamer is to return someday. Just remember not only does the park have Easter Eggs to the paddle steamer, but Greg in one of the Dane podcast interview said they looked into bringing the paddle steamer back with the launch of Rivertown but instead went with the vintage cars relocation and glow up.

2 minutes ago, Original said:

I don't want to see a show building on the banks of the water

Exactly this. If they’re going to build a dark ride they should be doing it in either rocky hollow or ocean parade. Or even better, use the big shed that was formerly laser skirmish for it.

I’m not buying what other enthusiasts are saying. If Dreamworld had a replacement lined up for the Motocoaster, going by their track record over the last five years, they would’ve mentioned it when they announced the closure.

2 hours ago, New display name said:

I’m not buying what other enthusiasts are saying. If Dreamworld had a replacement lined up for the Motocoaster, going by their track record over the last five years, they would’ve mentioned it when they announced the closure.

Staggered announcements are the better marketing strategy.

People will talk about it closing, getting in a final ride and start speculating about what is next. The word-of-mouth marketing in a peak holiday period is much more likely to bring visitors into the park prior to closure than the announcement of a replacement. If they're smart they won't announce any replacement until the ride is closed.

They also might have the ride(s) ordered, but still haven't finalised their plans for theming/names, etc. They haven't got any new trademarks pending, so they're clearly not ready to make a full announcement. But that doesn't mean they don't have the actual rides lined up.

I can see where they’re coming from, and it’s definitely a reasonable take.

Staggered announcements can work well, especially if the goal is to get people talking, squeezing in a final ride, and speculating about what’s next. That kind of buzz during a busy holiday period can be valuable.

That said, I’m still a bit on the fence. Based on DW’s recent history, when something is really locked in they usually hint at it early, even if it’s just a “new attraction coming” tease. A replacement announcement can actually add to the urgency rather than take away from it, giving people both a last chance and something to look forward to.

It’s totally possible they’ve got rides ordered but haven’t finalised theming or names yet. The lack of trademarks does suggest they’re not quite ready for a full reveal. But for now, it feels more like plans are still being worked through rather than a deliberately quiet marketing strategy.

Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out once the ride actually closes.

Quite a few possibilities open up if Motocoaster is removed. If new attraction development was centred on a reimagined Rocky Hollow, it would allow for a nicer transition with Rivertown. A revived RIverboat attraction would be a great fit for the park's target audience and make good use of currently dormant space. If they wanted something that could load continuously one of those gentle raft rides (similar to https://darkridedatabase.com/rides/dschungel-flosfahrt/) would also work well, and probably come at a reasonable price point.

Seeing as they just used Intamin for King Claw, one would imagine they struck a deal to order another ride with Intamin?

Also agree in regards to the show building hindering the view of the river too.