AMF Bowling Confirmed for Dreamworld

[dodge53]

Now confirmed AMF Bowling will be coming to dreamworld. This has come from a guy I work for who's mother works for AMF. Aparently the slab is already there.

[JD_bunnies_supporter]

Wow, thats pretty cool!! They would need a few lanes tho, it would b hell popular.

[dreamworld_rulz]

Where is it going? That'll be really cool as the last time i was bowling at DW was when they had the BB one.

Edited December 3, 2007 by dreamworld_rulz

[Gazza]

Seems a bit silly to me, why waste the 7 or so hours your ticket gives you in the park on something that you can do at plenty of other places on the Gold Coast? Perhaps even in the evening after your day at the park. While arcade games are also something I don't do, they aren't so bad since you can play for as little or as long as you want, Bowling on the other hand is more involved. If the costs to play were lower than centersoutside the park It could be worthwhile for obvious reasons, but of course we could probably expect the exact opposite. Hey GoGoBoy, looks like another sports related attraction for ya

[Gold Coaster]

Thought as much. Still... it's good for wet weather and people who have passes can just go there, do a bit of bowling and hit some rides in the rest of the time... better than going to Surfers and doing the overpriced (though fun) rides there.

[dodge53]

This will be going near the exit of dreamworld near the gift shop. The slab is apparently already there there???

[GoGoBoy]

PATHETIC. Knowing Dreamworld they will bill this as their next major attraction. Looks like the CEO is getting even closer to converting Dreamworld from a theme park into his own personal dream of an 'Entertainment & Sporting Recreation Precinct'

[dreamworld_rulz]

Seems a bit silly to me, why waste the 7 or so hours your ticket gives you in the park on something that you can do at plenty of other places on the Gold Coast?

It depends on how long it is. The BB one was pretty short and you could finish a game in about 10 mins. (1 player of course)

[Ninja]

Awesome news. 7 thrills in the one park. Take that Movie World!

[BNErider]

Seems like Dreamworld's version of Intencity.

[saberon]

MLT owns AMF bowling and Kingpin Bowling. It sounds like a pretty reasonable idea to me, I think it would be good place for people to relax in the mid afternoon, have a drink and play a game or 2 of bowling and slow the pace down a bit for the rest of the afternoon.

[New display name]

Another flowrider is you ask me. I would bet on it that the bowling will not be included in Dreamworlds entry cost. Going by Dreamworld record it will cost the same as AMF Bowling Centres prices + Dreamworlds 100% surcharge.

[dreamworld_rulz]

I think the BB one was about $5 pp.

[Richard]

FlowRider to me was an appropriate investment. What was ridiculous about it was sticking it in the dry theme park instead of the water park. Evidently, they are very eager to hold onto and grow the incredibly high operating margins that the park currently has. I understood FlowRider because by its nature it is an attraction. Ten pin bowling however is not, and I find it crazy that they would even consider going down this path. The fact that AMF is owned by the same company is obviously a big factor in it, but it doesn't lend any sense to the idea as the two are very different products that don't exactly go hand in hand. There are countless other upcharge attractions available within the theme park industry that would have endless marketing potential and I would guarantee offer far greater return. I totally understand that most parks, especially those operated by public companies with a need to maintain growth, need upcharge attractions to maximise profits. I just don't understand why our parks don't take a page from overseas parks who invest in such attractions that are just as much a drawcard and spectacle as any other 'free' ride in the park. I'm of course talking largely about the "extreme thrill" style rides. Though certainly a sizeable investment, the ROI on these things is quite staggering -- certainly compared with the pittances a bowling alley would make. Bowling is no more suited to Dreamworld than a fitness club or marina would be -- both other businesses Macquarie Leisure own.

[Churros]

Is this actually going to be a part of Dreamworld, or just on the Dreamworld site? While I agree that it really has no place in a theme park, it isn't such a bad move to put it in the area... and again this comes back to the argument of MLE developing the entire site into a Leisure centre. In saying that, I am not sure this is the greatest place to put it.

[greendog]

Cool bowling, hotdog, coke and shoe hire thrown in. Love it.... Dreamworld should also get a jumping castle. Even better.... Why not consturct a tunnel of love?.. Perhaps it could go under they highway and go to MW... a real amusement park... Wake up DW.. and smell the coffee..

Edited December 4, 2007 by greendog

[Chesty]

I find this idea crazy by DW. Gives more credence to the fact that they dont put much thought into the bigger picture. They just throw attractions in willy nilly.

[rappa]

Is this much different to Intensity going into Movie World? VR own Intensity, ML own AMF. I don't really like the idea of Intensity at Movieworld either but it just seems a bit sad that all DW can do is pretty much copy the concept Village Roadshow had with putting Intensity into their park.

[Richard]

To me the difference is arcades aren't really out of place in a theme park. Not my cup of tea at all and I'm also not really a fan of how Intencity turned out, but it's nonetheless a commonplace in most parks. They're cheap to install and maintain so why not as far as I'm concerned (not that I'd ever drop a cent in one). Afterall no one would fault Dreamworld for operating theirs all these years. On the other hand, bowling? Is there honestly research that would suggest that bowling is the best allocation of resources and offers the best rate of return for a theme park? To me it just creates the image of an organisation that's so creatively stale that they aren't prepared to invest in something that will contribute to Dreamworld's image and product offering as a theme park, but rather reliance on affiliations in any capacity to strengthen the company at a coprorate level above all. At the end of the day, most theme parks would have a portion of capital expenditure to put towards upcharge attractions. The fact that Dreamworld has chosen ten pin bowling speaks volumes about their concept of a theme park.

[Derwan]

I'm with Churros. I have a feeling that the ten-pin bowling complex will be built outside of Dreamworld - where patrons of both Dreamworld and WWW can go if they choose. It will possibly be open 'til later in the evening meaning you can go bowling after a day at either park. (Although I'm usually stuffed and can't wait to get home!) People not actually going to Dreamworld or WWW could also go bowling, but there will probably be discount offers for holders of Dreamworld or WWW tickets.

[saberon]

You all forget, MLT's intentions isn't just for a themepark, it is for an entertainment district including shopping centre and hotel. so putting a bowling alley in the area isn't so stupid.

[Richard]

Every indication so far suggests that it is going within Dreamworld. The fact that their master plan for the overall area has been rejected and Macquarie Leisure have given no indication that they are proceeding with it at this stage would be one very good reason as to why it wouldn't be a separate attraction. I don't think anyone would care at all if it were built as a completely separate attraction.

[myk]

I hate Dreamworld. One stupid, money-driven move after another. I know they are a business, and I expect them to make money, but maybe they should realise that if they continually install these cheap upcharge attractions and don't focus on rides - which I'm sure 99% of Dreamworld's customers visit the park for, the park is going to find themselves on the same route as Magic Mountain or a park of the like. They can't just expect to plonk anything anywhere and wait for the cash to come in. I think I've said this before, but soon Dreamworld will have to start making the right decisions and not the easy ones. I'm sure MLT could build an entertainment precinct elsewhere; so why do they have to wreck any 'spirit' Dreamworld once had? It's an absolute joke. This time 10 years ago I loved to visit Dreamworld but now I would rather just go to the shops or stay at home.

[Churros]

Well, I am still trying to figure out exactly where this thing is going and how long it would take to complete construction. As far as I know if it is located near the exit it could only be outside the park? If that is the case, then it will probably just be marketted as an additional thing you can do in the area. ie, like Australian Outback Spectacular but really not in the same ballpark. They could say something along the lines of visit Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and try your hand at AMF bowling... like afterwards. Or they could just market it as a new bowling centre... located next to Dreamworld. Correct me if I am wrong, but there isn't a Ten Pin bowling centre in the Coomera/Northern Gold Coast area at the moment is there? In saying that, would that not then apply even more pressure to the Dreamworld carpark, etc? If it is located inside the park itself then I am just as baffled as you are. Personally, I don't mind the idea, but I don't think it is the smartest thing in terms of how other visitors to the park warm to the idea. Ultimately I am not sure it is the greatest idea, but I will see how things pan out before I make my final judgements.

[flyonthewall]

Err- I believe the concept is to be able to open a portion of the park to after normal hours trade. Within a short distance you would have a movie theatre, food outlet/restaurant,bowling alley and whatever else you want as an entertainment precinct for the locals. It's indoors and weatherproof, and doesn't create an undue noise problem for the neighbors at night. They don't call Coomera "Boomera" for nothing. The local population expansion is just nuts, with the Gold Coast now Australias fastest growing city, and tipped to be bigger than Melbourne sometime around 2020. The nearest bowling alley that I know of is at Ashmore, and there are plans for a biggie at Nerang too I think. I don't think you can deny the locals the chance to go have a beer and bowl, or go to the movies of an evening. It would not be such a great leap to make use of the studio facilities to televise a competition either. I could imagine a national league competition final being hosted and televised from there, or even an international one for that matter. Lets face it- If big brother works from DW studios, then why couldn't an international bowling competition with megadollar prize money? It only takes a bit of vision.

Edited December 10, 2007 by flyonthewall