Strange things happening at Wonderland

[DJKostya]

Me and Muke spent today wandering around wonderland. After about 1pm when all of the school kids left the park was practically empty. There were 3 of us on the Bush Beast at one stage!!! You didn't have to get off anything if you didn't want to because their were no lines. But the strange thing was there is a section of bush land that is slowly being cleared up behind the river rampage. We also saw 3 people walking around the Bush Beast pointing and taking notes. 2 of these people were guests. The park has relocated most of the little wonders rides but the beastie still stands. Most of the rides have also been cleaned and repainted. Can anyone elaborate on any of this? Hey Wonderland Op's did we happen to run into you at all today I wonder????

[Psycho]

I thought I spotted some temporary construction sheds as well in that area of the park off the freeway a little while back...

[muke]

I like the sound of Wonderlands latest set of media releases - especially the release announcing a major licensing deal with Marvel. The post goes on to talk about.... "The future may see Wonderland Sydney enhance the relationship to include Marvel-inspired rides, lands and shows." Mmmm, I'd like to meet "Spider-Man™, The Incredible Hulk™, The Green Goblin™, Captain America™, Daredevil™, Elektra™ and X-Men™ characters Storm™ and Wolverine™" at wonderland.... see the post for yourself if you havent already.... :!: :arrow: http://www.----URL removed for non-compliance with Community Guidelines----/mediasponsors...pr_page_34.html

[Richard]

That is very good news. I'll be sure to contact the park soon to see what is going to become of that. Marvel is one of the big players in the whole character industry, they'll want something more than a few costumed guys wandering around the park - with a bit of luck, some nice big rides that are worthy of the Marvel Comics name.

[Jaggie]

Yer there is some clearing behind the snowy river rampage but i think that has been there for a while i am thinking that they cleared that certain bit of land for the helicopter to take off clear of trees (yes wonderland now has helicopter flights) or you never know. Ive also heard rumors when some staff have been chattering away and i asked the ceo when he was walking around in the park if they were planning a space themed land to revolve around the space probe and he said there is a possobility but nothin is official yet.

[Wonderland Operator]

Hi peoples me here Marvel comics is going to have a spiderman show at wonderland by Xmas 2003 !!! DJKostya : you may well have run into me when u and muke were there. I would tell you how but my supervisor reads this forum . Im not sure if he's registered here but on Theme Park Insider he calls himself wonder boy !

[Psycho]

A show? Sorry if this sounds ungreatful but I was expecting something a bit more to come out of the Marvel deal.... I mean, shows at Wonderland just don't seem to interest me (perhaps because i saw Action Man Lives - UGH!) Here's hoping that there's some sort of rides that will come out of the characters as well at some stage. Thanks for the new info

[Wonderland Operator]

New rides would be great but unfortunately it seems that it wont be in the near future. The spiderman show is rumored to be developed by Marvel in the USofA unlike action man wich was totally developed inhouse , i hope the rumor is true because i thought action man was dissapointing as well.

[Richard]

I'd think that rides are to come eventually. From all reports, the shows that they've been holding for children have been a great success. The park has been incredibly crowded over the summer holiday. As I'm sure you know, young children can ben quite persistant in what they want. Develop a (corny) show with Spider-Man in it, pop a few ads on TV during Cheese TV or whatever, and you've got enough kids bugging their parents to get a heck of a lot more attendance than a new thrill ride will get. Of course, the novelty wears off very quickly. Rides on the other hand, won't have as much of a sudden boost in attendance, but of course they remain popular, consistent crowd-bringers for years. As you know, I'm all for Wonderland (or any park) improving what they've got, before going and adding thrill rides. If Big Dipper didn't come onto the market, Dreamworld wouldn't have added anything, and more of that $5.5mil could have been spent on improving the entire park (a good park, but from about 1986 onwards, corners were cut in much of the aesthetical/cosmetic work done to the park). I'd rather Wonderland, who already have a great thrill ride selection, put more into giving families more to do. I think that the future will almost certainly hold more in the way of thrill rides. The idea of the Marvel Contract being used for a single show is absurd. I know it's been a long time for Wonderland, but you've got to look at what they've already got, what they've got not enough of, and see it from their perspective.

[Richard]

The spiderman show is rumored to be developed by Marvel in the USofA unlike action man wich was totally developed inhouse , i hope the rumor is true because i thought action man was dissapointing as well.

Disappointing I think is a bit of an understatement. I'm going to contradict my last post, and talk about shows specifically. The Action Man show, was designed to be an easy to perform, yet visually stunning show. It used annoyingly bad techno beats, and some recorded sound effects and voices. What you get is a show that doesn't require any significantly great talent. It uses the consistency of the sounds & effects to create a show that though easy to perform, isn't much to watch. I just don't find it entertaining to watch people dance around miming. I'll compare it to the Police Academy Stunt Show at Movie World. It is a show from a decade when technology only allowed them to actually 'perform' the show. Every line said is from the actor's mouth, every action is real, and every mistake is real. I've seen that show about 25 times. I know every joke, I know every routine, but the show is always fun and entertaining to watch. It is satisfying to watch, because you know that what you are seeing is genuine performing. If such a show is developed by Marvel, let's hope that they give us something good. If you've heard of the Spider-Man Rocks! show, you'll know what I mean. I don't know if it was done by Marvel, but it was done by them, or Universal - and if that's the best that can be done by them, I'd be worried.

[Wonderland Operator]

sorry richard i dont think i explained too well :oops: , the spiderman show is definately not the only thing in the future. Its just the first of things to come. Its late to come to the park as staff were led to believe it would be for xmas 2002 but the stage for the show (formerly the Action Arena) is still being redecorated. Some portions of the show are performed on reherasal mats located near the park entrance before Photo opportunities.

[Richard]

Yeah - I began writing that post probably an hour before your post came up, so I was addressing the post above. It does read as though I were addressing you though. If the new show is more of a childrens show a la Action Man, then I doubt we'll see a Spider-Man thrill ride in the park. It just seems a bit odd to market the one character as a childrens attraction and thrill ride at the same time. Hey - there's always The Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure's B&M is no short of amazing. If we got something 1/10th of that thing, I'd be happy. (Seems I've become a bit more eager for thrill rides since my last posts)

[Psycho]

Well, even so, I'm still excited. Considering the number of Marvel related movies coming out this year and next, it seems like Wonderland would have to have more up their sleaves than a simple show or character appearance for each........surely? The sequel to Spiderman, The Hulk, Daredevil, X-Men 2 etc etc. Surely a ride could be made out of one......PWEASE

[Richard]

There is one problem with that, it isn't a big one, but it could be seen as significant. Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men 2 etc. are made by various film production companies (X-Men and Hulk are Universal if I'm correct, Spider-Man is Sony). The problem is that while they will be able to use the release of the corresponding movie to draw attention to their own potential attraction, it won't be tied with the movie at all. Wonderland will be limited to generic Marvel stuff - they won't be able to theme it directly off the movie, such as Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster at Movie World, which is in every way similar to last year's movie Scooby Doo, and completely different from the cartoons. Meanwhile, Six Flags and Paramount's recent dark rides (shoot-'em-up things from Sally Corp.) have absolutely no similarity to the movie, but are easily associated with the cartoon shows (not so much the original Scooby Doo, Where Are You? shows from 1969, but more the video-release cartoon movies that were released in the late 90's). I understand Universal were in the same situation with the huge Spider-Man ride at Islands of Adventure, and the Spider-Man Rocks! show at Universal Studios Hollywood. The costumes are very different, most noticably is the Green Goblin's old-fashioned suit. The stories are also not like continuations of the movie or anything, just generic Spider-Man stories. I'm not sure if this holds true for The Incredible Hulk at IOA too, though I suspect the case is the same, even though Universal is the production company doing the movie (with Eric Bana playing Bruce Banner). This shouldn't mean the quality of the ride is any less, though don't get your hopes up on a ride that is a continuation of the movie, like Scooby-Doo. Think more ride themed in a more generic way, such as Wild Wild West/Wild West Falls at Movie World.

[Wonderland Operator]

Latest news : A tiger has been seen at wonderland , rumors are that it will be used as part of the spellbinding sorcery magic show.