Ardents latest: Illuminate & The Wedgie

[Intamin]

Anyone going to go to dreamworld on friday 2 to check out the wedgie and illuminate? I know I'll be going on Saturday 3 as school holidays is starting. I hope to get many rides on the day after opening day. A bit off topic but did anyone else go to the annual pass holders exclusive opening day to www the day before it opened to the public. It was really awesome.

[Gazza]

A former marketing boss at a certain theme park once told me that they were reluctant to get into vlogs/blogs because too readily they come off as corny or stifled

At the moment all they are is just the 2 presenters mucking around and making jokes. They are not actually revealing any inside info or showing you anything to do with the new attractions. There is not much point

Come on, don't all the kids these days like the Hamish and Andy style, 'random' humour But yeah, credit for trying anyway. The facebook fans seem to like it, but GoGoBoy is right....They need some actual content or the novelty will wear off.

[themeparkgc]

A bit off topic but did anyone else go to the annual pass holders exclusive opening day to www the day before it opened to the public. It was really awesome.

Yep, I was there on the media day / annual pass preview day (3 days before the park opened). It was the one and only day that I have seen them use a helicopter for a rescue; and the only day I have seen enough tubes for everyone in the Cave of Waves.

The facebook fans seem to like it

I'm sure if these videos actually had content new to us on the forums we might like it more - but because we've already seen the development application etc the videos aren't interesting. Regardless, the entertainment value is pretty bad.

[Intamin]

Yeah that was awesome. I was seatin right next to cave of waves when the helicopter came and all my things went flying as well as all the plastic chairs. I got a pic exactly like yours.

[GoGoBoy]

I noticed in most of the marketing for the Wedgie the copy states 'Australia's first looping waterslide!'. I think this is fairly questionable. First looping waterslide? I can think of many waterslides in Australia that have loops in them. 'First drop and loop waterslide' might be more acceptable but they only refer to it as this on the official website. Everywhere else I have seen the promos it just refers to the loop. This would make sense if it actually went upside down but we all know that it doesn't. The trap door/drop component is the only part of this slide which is new to this country

[Gazza]

^Worse still, if you watch the TV ad the animation makes it look like a vertical loop. Ah well, we can all take comfort in the fact that when Aqualoop opens it will be clear as day to the public that one (Well, 4 actually) does a loop, and one clearly doesn't.

[GoGoBoy]

Ah well, we can all take comfort in the fact that when Aqualoop opens it will be clear as day to the public that one (Well, 4 actually) does a loop, and one clearly doesn't.

And this is where, as I have said before, Dreamworld is making a mistake by always trying to introduce attractions that are 'unique' and 'never before seen in Australia'. People want something that is FUN and impressive - it doesn't necessarily have to be never before seen in this country. We don't even have that many rides and attractions as it is, so most new rides are new to this country anyway! This is the 2nd example I can think of where this approach has backfired on Dreamworld in recent years - first was the motocoaster and what a dismal failure that turned out to be (giving Village a chance to learn from DW's mistakes and create a similar but much better ride) and now with Village hijacking DW's attempt to bring over the first slide that goes upside down

[themeparkgc]

Some more information has been released about Illuminate. Dreamworld will be open until 7pm over the school holidays with some rides and upcharges operating. http://www.dreamworld.com.au/Attractions/I...e-Itinerary.jpg

[joz]

I'll start with the positives: 2 Shows? Open till 7pm? Cool! And onto the rest... Whats with having no rides open? I like that they're opening later, but without rides whats the point? I mean I know the bumper cars, a kiddie ride and AVPX are open, but if the idea is to keep people in the park longer why not use a couple of the big rides to anchor the event? I think they're making a mistake by not leaving Claw, Cyclone, Wipeout and Reptar open at least to 6pm to give people a reason to hang around and wait for the shows to start. Also I assume more shops will be open than just Surf Central. You'd think that the 'give a crap about surf brands' crowd will leave when all the good rides close leaving the families who probably want more Dreamworld/Nick related gear lingering. Given the whole idea is to keep people around spending money you'd think The Market Place and Emporium as a minimum would be open, with perhaps Nick Stuff and the Ice Cream parlour also staying open later. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[cerberus584]

There were some images of the Spongebob illuminate show and The Wedgie this morning on Sunrise. Illuminate basically looks like projections onto a screen of water mist. It looked quite clear in the middle of the picture. I mostly enjoyed the fact that they called White Water World, Wet'n'Wild 3 or 4 times

[themeparkgc]

I mostly enjoyed the fact that they called White Water World, Wet'n'Wild 3 or 4 times

I noticed that too. I'm sure WhiteWater World is annoyed that Wet'n'Wild is getting publicity for it's own new ride. I only saw the 8am segment but did he actually go on the Wedgie earlier in the morning?

[GoGoBoy]

Given the whole idea is to keep people around spending money you'd think The Market Place and Emporium as a minimum would be open, with perhaps Nick Stuff and the Ice Cream parlour also staying open later. Anyone else have any thoughts?

I totally agree with you joz and it's the first thing I thought too. Especially considering Dreamworld per cap spending has decreased lately you'd think Illuminate would be the perfect opportunity to keep more of the shops open later and get people spending more. I just can't understand the logic. Everyone is going to be just sitting around on benches waiting for the shows. Weird

[Gazza]

Plus of all the rides they could have decided to keep open, they chose the Dodgems and Spongebob Oh, and the Wedgie is done now too: Looks cool, but I reckon Aqualoop will be better simply because the drop from the trap door doesn't level out straight away, but rather goes right down to near ground level before looping up.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Gazza

[New display name]

I find it all very weird. I think Dreamworld has blown a great opportunity to test out later trading. As for the wedgie and a park that prides itself on the environment there looks like a lot of water wasted here but I will still give it a go.

Edited March 31, 2010 by skeetafly

[Intamin]

So where is the wedgies queue line. Is it merged with the green rooms, because if it is I will be frustrated. The amount of times i have gone to go on the little rippers and there are people saying, "Oi you don't push in!" And I tell them they are waiting for a totally different ride. "Oh sorry mate". It gets really annoying. Also was the Wedgie open today or is it openeing on friday 2 april. Cheers

[GoGoBoy]

I have to say the Wedgie looks better than I was expecting. It is a nice design and certainly looks like a modern waterslide... if that makes sense. Good to see they have kept consistency with the rest of the park and presented the ride well including decent signage. The drop and loop look like fun and it definitely looks like a thrill slide. Now bring on the lazy river (with waves) and family raft slide!

[Randy23]

hey looks like a normal water slide to me!, i guess WnW will have better ones with angle loops

[themeparkgc]

Is it just me or was anyone expecting the first drop to be a bit bigger? It does still appear to be a good ride though. From the photo, it appears that a new section has been added to the Green Room's platform to accommodate the ride and since there are no new stairs it is safe to assume the Wedgie will share the Green Room's stairs. This article appeared in the Bulletin this morning:

Wedgie is Gold Coast's latest thrill ride Tanya Westthorp | March 31st, 2010 Bulletin reporter Tanya Westthorp tries Whitewater's new ride, `The Wedgie'. Picture: Michael Ross ONE minute you're standing on solid ground, then in a split-second it's gone and you're barrelling vertically through a wall of water before being spat out the bottom with a wedgie up to your eyeballs. Welcome to Whitewater World's new million-dollar extreme waterslide -- The Wedgie -- where riders shoot feet-first through a fivestorey trapdoor-style slide at up to 45km/h. The Bulletin was given a test ride on The Wedgie yesterday before its public debut and I can tell you, it lives up to its name. After my fourth ride down the slide -- and fourth mega-wedgie -- my bikini bottoms are now permanently bent out of shape from acting as a high-speed braking system. It all started five storeys above the Whitewater World masses as I stepped into a capsule where I stood on a trapdoor. I'm a waterslide addict but even my heart started pounding as I stood waiting for the trapdoor to drop and send me hurtling vertically through the fibreglass tube. Three, two, one ... and I was on my way. Oh, my God! It took the first four seconds of the seven-second ride to get the swooshing water out of my face and get my bearings back. Then I was shooting around a half coil at top speed before smashing into the splash pool at the bottom. That is when I realised my bathers now resembled a g-string. And ladies I can tell you it is almost impossible to gracefully extract your togs from the astonishing heights they climb. This ride is not for the faint-hearted. It was almost too much for one little tyke, who snagged a sneak peek but began freaking out in the launch chamber and was stopping the water slide attendant from opening the trap door. Eventually he plucked up the courage to take the plunge but afterwards ran off the slide at the other end, yelling to his mates waiting at the top: "Don't do it!" Canadian waterslide designers and installers Jamie Ruddick and Andreas Tanzer, from Proslide Technology, created the ride and said Whitewater World was the first waterpark in the world to get it. "They wanted something very unique," said Mr Ruddick. "The launching style is one of the first on the market. "The trapdoor is what gets the reaction -- it's the thrill of not knowing." Mr Ruddick is right. Disorientation prevails for a large chunk of the ride, but the thrill is unparalleled to any other waterslide

[tipsy_bella]

I've been on the ride quite a bit now - a perk of working in the park. I too initially thought the drop was small but it's definitely intense. The rest of the ride holds its pace well and a real rush. You need to go on it a couple of times to realise what has just happened. The looping section is awesome - If you ride on your ankles and shoulder blades with an arched back you get quite a bit of speed and ride above the equator of the slide - really good. As for the water wastage - the cement is actually graded toward the grate and splashdown water rarely goes over the section where it would get wasted and runs into drains. The queue line will still be an interesting aspect though and summer is going to be a full test. Configurations are still being worked out. but currently half of the stairs are painted green for the green room and the other half yellow for the wedgie. I urge you all to get to the park and try it out for yourself. It is what WWW has been missing - a high thrill speed slide.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Then I was shooting around a half coil

I love it - obviously DW\WWW's PR department teed up the press visit, and to have the even the media refer to it as something other than a "loop" just cements the mistake in their marketing propaganda.

[GoGoBoy]

Another article... http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/how-...00331-re8s.html This reporter gives it a rave review and calls it the fastest, most exhilarating water ride he has ever been on

Edited March 31, 2010 by GoGoBoy

[Troy81]

I noticed that too. I'm sure WhiteWater World is annoyed that Wet'n'Wild is getting publicity for it's own new ride. I only saw the 8am segment but did he actually go on the Wedgie earlier in the morning?

I wonder if they got in trouble calling it Wet n Wild. He did ride the Wedgie early in the morning, along with Warwick Capper. The early segment on the show was very entertaining. They had the ride open today but the line was nearly to the bottom of the stairs both times I drove past. It would be interesting to know the capacity figures of this slide.

[themeparkgc]

This reporter gives it a rave review and calls it the fastest ... he has ever been on

So he hasn't been on the BRO... The Wedgie

SPEED 45km/h

The Bro

SPEED 50 km/h

I must admit the key to the Wedgie is acceleration, it reaches it's top speed in 2 seconds. Edit:I just noticed Wet'n'Wild's Aqua Loop will reach 60km/h (see their website) Edited March 31, 2010 by themeparkgc

[cadboy]

This reporter gives it a rave review and calls it the fastest, most exhilarating water ride he has ever been on

Haha if he thinks that was very fastest I can't wait to see what they say about the Aqualoop slides. Looks like a winner to me.

[tolly1804]

Wet 'n' Wild isn't taking this lying down though. They just launched a competition to name the ride and have redone the Billboards out the front to say something similar to "Australia's first truly looping slide". They also seem to be advertising what has been said on these forums, mentioning the trap door. First prize for the competition is a breakfast launch with 19 of your friends. Perhaps we can continue this in another thread?