2008 New Attractions to keep crowds coming

[mattcrombie]

I read an article in the Local Hinterland Sun Paper About all the Warner Village Parks John Menzies was talking about how they won the award for the year for The Out Back Adventure and how the parks will be changing each year to keep drawing customers back each time. So do to that, they mentioned they will be adding the latest and cutting edge attractions to keep up with there standards. He mentioned 2008 would bring a HUGE year with alot of changes and developments in place and exciting new rides, attractions and exhibits will be coming. They said they are in the process of choosing the correct rides for each park, and there will be information about them in the next few months. They didn't mention any rides or anything in the article, just a picture of John in front of the Seaworld eye, saying its time for old to go, and time for the new to come. I think this would have been decided a while ago with the rides and attractions choice, but this is for the paper and general public, so they just keep it quiet.

[Gazza]

They said they are in the process of choosing the correct rides for each park, and there will be information about them in the next few months. They didn't mention any rides or anything in the article, just a picture of John in front of the Seaworld eye, saying its time for old to go, and time for the new to come.

I suppose in a few months time the rides would be well into construction anyway, and before that we probably would have guessed what they were anway. Can you scan, or take a photo of the article? Still, I have a fair bit of faith in this, 2005/06 was huge also, and all the attractions that have come out of that have been pretty good. If they are trumpeting it this much I'm expecting stuff bigger than what they have done in the past. As long as they go back to good theming I'll be happy. Edited November 23, 2007 by Gazza

[T-bone]

its time for old to go, and time for the new to come.

Goodbye Police Academy anyone?

[MickeyD]

Goodbye Police Academy anyone?

well we already know that PA is on the way out - with plenty of coasters up their sleeve at the moment, I'm hoping for something great (and indoors) to be built in it's a place and for the new Hotwheels show to go in over somewhere near Scooby/Lethal way

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

If they are trumpeting it this much I'm expecting stuff bigger than what they have done in the past. As long as they go back to good theming I'll be happy.

Don't get too excited Gazza, let's remember how much Dreamworld trumpeted MDMC! Of course, I doubt WVTP would make that kind of mistake...

[mattcrombie]

Hey Gazza I tried looking for the Paper from Last week, but its been thrown away. It was in Last Weeks Hinterland Sun if anyone still has it. I should have cut it out, but i read it when i was at work.

[dreamworld_rulz]

Hey Gazza I tried looking for the Paper from Last week, but its been thrown away. It was in Last Weeks Hinterland Sun if anyone still has it. I should have cut it out, but i read it when i was at work.

You should be able to go the paper office and get a copy. Or just ring them up and they'll send it out. That's what they do here with the Herald Sun.

[sonic123488]

Well all I can hope is that it's something bigger (and a better ride expierience than the batwing). For Sea world another coaster please. And Wet'n'Wild I would enjoy something like this http://www.proslide.com/rides.php?mainRideID=5 Terror Canyon 3 anyone?

[Gazza]

Terror Canyon 3 anyone?

LOL no thanks, I think Terror Canyon 1&2, Speed Coaster, Black Hole and the Mack 5 sidewinders has us set for raft slides. They should build something...how should I put this...NOT IN THE PARK ALREADY!

[TOT]

LOL no thanks, I think Terror Canyon 1&2, Speed Coaster, Black Hole and the Mack 5 sidewinders has us set for raft slides. They should build something...how should I put this...NOT IN THE PARK ALREADY!

Just out of curiosity, what other slides are there that www don't have/aren't installing soon that are mildly thrilling/worthwile? Should probably exaplain what i'm asking here. Not in WnW either, but for competition purposes if you get what I mean. I wouldnt mind the looping waterslide from action park... if it was safe that is. Back on topic. I think whatever movieworld chooses to do, they'll do it relative style. Well better than anything dreamworld has done anyway. Edited November 26, 2007 by TOT

[myk]

I think Wet'n'Wild's next move should be an enclosed bowl slide of some sort - something that differentiates from WWW's version. I've always loved the DiscoH2O concept; I think something like that would work well.

[Gazza]

Just out of curiosity, what other slides are there that www don't have/aren't installing soon that are mildly thrilling/worthwile?

-Turbo Tunnels -Dark Mammoths -Body Slide Toilet Bowl -Pitch Black body slides (ridden with headfirst mats) -Future developments by manufacturers A master blaster is another option, while these uphill slides are nothing special, the GP love them, and the novelty of water flowing uphill seems like enough of a point of difference to what WWW has. Now that surf rider is in I wouldn't really object to wet versions of 'iron' rides now, they have the visitors to make it worthwhile, and they have the space to do it. The splash battle is a ride popping up everywhere, and A water park version reportedly costs around $2mil. A Vekoma splash party could complement this ride, perhaps even being built directly above it...those on the Splash Party could bomb water on those below on the splash battle, and those on the splash battle could fire back. Naturally these rides would give a much needed capacity boost. Edited November 26, 2007 by Gazza

[TOT]

I'm not sure. I don't think the splash battle is all that exciting.You would probably need a pretty large pond for it or else there would be too much water wastage I'm guessing. An enclosed bowl sounds pretty good, though i'd like something along the lines of wild west but in a smaller form. Perhaps put in a normal Amusement park ride like the rapids ride or a log flume.

[Gazza]

^By default splash battles have a pond that is under the whole ride area as a standard design feature, so water wastage would be reduced. Ill admit that this would hardly be the most thrilling ride in the park, but at the end of the day you cant just cater to thrill seekers, families are important too. Im sure everyone back in the pre water restriction days enjoyed having a water fight on the back lawn when they were younger, something like this would be just as appealing.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Gazza

[TOT]

^By default splash battles have a pond that is under the whole ride area as a standard design feature, so water wastage would be reduced. Ill admit that this would hardly be the most thrilling ride in the park, but at the end of the day you cant just cater to thrill seekers, families are important too. Im sure everyone back in the pre water restriction days enjoyed having a water fight on the back lawn when they were younger, something like this would be just as appealing.

Question, how is the pressure on the "guns"? I don't know, they just don't float my boat. Genius (sp?) Pun ^.- I'd rather they just built another double screamer. I loved that thing. Why did they get rid of it? Edited November 26, 2007 by TOT

[Churros]

This sounds like pretty good news to me. I will have to admit that I think this is an opportunity for Movieworld to get back to its story-orientated roots with future attractions. I have said this a couple of times, but I think the way Movieworld is moving, they will install mildly themed, yet attractive thrill rides. Or, they will install well-themed less intense rides.

[New display name]

I just pulled this from the Gold Coast Bulletin web site. I like the bit of information that I have bolded below. If dreamworld does not take this shot across the bow as a warning then they have major problems. VILLAGE Roadshow yesterday said it was going to 'surprise and dazzle' the Gold Coast, after a year when theme park success brought the company back on to the red carpet. The showbiz and theme park company -- which produced a profit of $45.1 million after a dismal $40 million loss the previous year -- yesterday indicated grand plans for the city in the coming year. Speaking at the group's annual general meeting at Sea World, chairman John Kirby told applauding shareholders that theme parks were the future of the company and it was looking at further parks, both here and abroad, as acquisitions. He said the parks Village Roadshow owned -- Sea World, Movie World and Wet'n'Wild Water World -- were the big winners for the company's turnaround, injecting $82.8 million into the company. This was up from the previous year, which produced $54.6 million. "Following the implementation of several innovative marketing campaigns and tight management of costs, the three main theme parks, Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World and Wet'n'Wild Water World, continued to gain momentum, enjoying annual attendances of over 3.7 million," said Mr Kirby. "In particular Wet'n'Wild Water World, with its new H2O Zone and Tornado, attracted over 1 million attendances for the first time, making it one of the world's top water parks. "Australian Outback Spectacular continued to trade above expectations with occupancy running at over 95 per cent of capacity. "These excellent results go to show that with all the new technological and media innovations in entertainment, there is simply no substitute for the thrill of live attractions and rides. "The theme parks, now that we own them 100 per cent, are a large part of the company. They are a heritage within the company. "We will look to expand Sea World, Warner Bros Movie World and Wet'n'Wild and keep refreshing them because that's the key to keeping people coming." Village Roadshow managing director Graham Burke said while the last financial year was 'big', this one would be bigger -- and the Gold Coast remained firmly in its sights. "We are going to surprise and dazzle you (the Gold Coast)," said Mr Burke. "We have some big announcements in store for the Gold Coast."When the Gold Coast has success, Village Roadshow has success and when Village Roadshow has success, the Gold Coast has success." The company's film distribution arm delivered $38.4 million before tax, a 37 per cent increase. Mr Kirby did not give an update on the progress of Village's film production division, which posted a $55.8 million loss in the 2006-07 financial year. He said the group's cinema division was in the advanced stages of expanding its Gold Class concept in the US. The company is also in the midst of a takeover bid for Sydney Attractions Group and has a 30.34 per cent stake in its target, making it the largest shareholder. In September, Village launched a $6.01-a-share bid for the Sydney Aquarium and Wildlife World owner, which was unanimously rejected. It increased its bid to $6.50 a share and reduced the minimum acceptance threshold from 50 per cent to 35 per cent. Village shares last night closed at $2.99, up 20c.

Edited November 30, 2007 by skeetafly

[GoGoBoy]

Wow thanks so much for posting that article. This looks like big news and I'd say we are looking at good times ahead for the Australian theme park industry. Nice to see these companies are finally realising what huge demand there is for rides and themed entertainment in Oz. We will have to wait with anticipation to see what Village Roadshow announces but it's sounding promising and Dreamworld is going to need to step up or risk being trampled on

[mattcrombie]

Very Interesting I Have attached the article from the paper. Sounds very promising.

[Gazza]

This really does sound promising, even in the bonanza for park fans that was 2005/2006 there was nowhere near the amount of publicity we are seeing now. But what we need now is less rhetoric, and some solid announcements. Who knows, this newfound openess could see new rides being announced months in advance like overseas. Somehow, I think the fact VRTP 100% own everything means we could see a greater willingness to spend on their part, they after all are an entertainment company, and when it comes to entertainment you cant really cheap out on the audience. And hey, the shareholders support this strategy, so maybe within them there is a greater level of comfort with respect to large investment. In any case, it sounds more promising then anything Macquaire can pull off. Definitely looking foward to the year ahead.

Edited November 30, 2007 by Gazza

[Richard]

Not to be a buzzkill, but this openness is nothing new from Village Roadshow. Over the past decade or so they've always been reasonably up-front about what's coming from a corporate and financial perspective. This info is coming from Village Roadshow, who use this sort of stuff (rhetoric and hype etc.) to keep up interest in their shares and instil confidence in the future of the company. Unfortunately it's pretty unlikely that it'll translate over to WVTP and more importantly their marketing department, who will most likely market future attractions in a similar manner to those in the past, for no other reason than it's worked well in the past.

[Gazza]

What I was sort of getting at is that in the past it doesn't really seem like VRTP have trumpeted themselves in the general media as much, as you said they have been reasonably upfront about the buisness side of things, but with that it still takes a bit of research on the indiviuals part, and for the most part the GP would have no idea. With this it could end up being on the lips of locals.

[Richard]

That's true, but this coverage is in the business section and the article stems from the annual meeting; you'll find most papers around the country are covering the same general meeting in their own way, as they always have in the past. The difference here is that the Gold Coast Bulletin has focused on some of the pro-Gold Coast aspects of the meeting. Nothing has really changed with the way Village Roadshow releases information, and WVTP have played no part in it. I agree though that this sort of stuff is definitely good to start drumming up hype, but in this case the hype is coming from the newspaper, not Village or WVTP.

[New display name]

I think the hype is coming from village people because of what they have been quoted saying. "We are going to surprise and dazzle you (the Gold Coast)," said Mr Burke. "We have some big announcements in store for the Gold Coast." It does not say, said the Bulletin. The reporter quoted what Mr Burke said. I do not think village will release any further information then what they released at the meeting about any new attraction till the new attractions have been completed.

[Richard]

Yeah absolutely. I have little doubt that those teasers were thrown in than to do anything but build hype, but remember he's talking at the annual meeting to an audience that is interested in the company's corporate achievements/future. This is totally separate from any conscious marketing efforts by either Village Roadshow or WVTP. I don't think I really need to add that I have little doubt that WVTP will "surprise and dazzle" us (well, hopefully not surprise if I do my job correctly); all I'm really saying is that what's been said here is the same sort of stuff that they have said in meetings or financial reports in previous years. The difference here is that a newspaper has picked up on it (which also has happened plenty of times in the past), and that it's then been posted here (which didn't happen all that often in past years).