Tower of Terror Update

[Linus1995]

Jordan M if its not too much to ask can you tell me everything!! like what goes on inside and whats been changed and stuff, im so excited to hear this. and what the actual ride experience is like

[Park Addict 93]

I did not get to ride, nor attend the media event. I left the park around 4:30. Will be there tomorrow According to Guest Service's TOT will be open tommorow during the day.

[Linus1995]

ahhh okay, well lets hope its open! how cool does the end bit look that they've built?

[Gazza]

Now djrappa if anyone else here would like to provide a correct statement about construction of the cart id very like to here it because in this thread all ive seen is incorrect bullshit,

Hey, I made a good guess for one aspect: When people were speculating on why the back row was sans 2 seats I said. As for why the back row only has 2 seats. My guesses are that either -The new seats are heavier than the old ones, so something had to give. -There is something at the back of the car that eats into the footwell space, preventing seats in the outside positions. Dreamworlds final answer "Total weight considerations." How does this relate to your theory that the seats were absent due to air resistance issues? Now who is the one bullshitting?

i bet noone of you so called ride experts could tell me what series of steel coasters are made out of and why.

Of course they couldn't, because people on here are interested in rides, not metallurgy. Good, great, you can quote some discipline based technical knowledge in an ad hoc manner, but that's just one aspect of ride design, and doesn't give you the right to be arrogant. By all means, if there is a bit of detailing or whatever that people see and ask about and you can give a definitive answer then go for it, but to go around telling everyone to shut up and not give opinions because you're a boilermaker and they're not, and that puts you on a pedestal above them, is defeating the purpose of having a discussion board. People are only going to know bits and pieces, and it would be a pretty lifeless board if people if people were only allowed to comment on things they had in depth knowledge of. PS, why are you a boilermaker, and not an engineer? Edited September 16, 2010 by Gazza

[New display name]

Anyone for some whiplash? And information released last night is quote "The old Tower of Terror cart has been replaced with a new one that is an entire tonne lighter and with lower sides so you feel there is less keeping you in." SCOTT "Yeah but the ride isnt going to be that much lighter, thats what ive been saying all along the weight difference is probably only a couple of hundred kg max" Sorry to say but we are all just speculators, even boilermakers the difference is I will not tell you to shutup. Edited September 16, 2010 by skeetafly

[themeparkgc]

Gold Coast Bulletin article released this morning:

Dreamworld launches new Terror I HAVE been told on numerous occasions the best thing I can do about fears is face them. I would rather cower in the corner. On solid ground. Despite becoming so terrified I rolled myself up in a ball on the ground of a rainforest fly walk only last week, I told my Chief of Staff it would be no problem for me to try out Tower of Terror II. I have been on the Tower of Terror, at a rough estimate, about a thousand million times...or so it feels like. I was nine-years-old when it first dominated the Dreamworld skyline from the M1 and it was a must every time I have been to the theme park since. Gold Coast school holidays guide Photo Gallery: Tower of Terror II launch Have your say on the feedback form below And it was a piece of cake. You strap yourself in, go forward really fast, stare at the sky and go back down in the space of about three seconds. But it was a piece of cake when I was much younger and had not developed a little thing called rational fear. When I was told it had been refurbished so you were left facing the opposite direction I do not know what I was expecting. Certainly not to be staring at the ground from a 90 degree angle, sure I could hear my harness going to break and I was going to belly flop from hundreds of feet on to the ground below. But that is what happened and it may be just part of getting older but it was the scariest ride I have ever been on. Scarier than a roller coaster, scarier than the mortifying Big Drop and certainly scarier than a rainforest fly walk. I was in the front row as 14 other people strapped themselves in around me. Blissfully unaware of what lay before me I waved to the camera and struck a few goofy poses before suddenly being pulled backwards through a tunnel filled with disco lights. I may have let out the odd squeal but it was not so bad. Until you are catapulted out of the tunnel, backwards in to the fresh air and stopped 115m high with your entire body facing the ground. The old Tower of Terror cart has been replaced with a new one that is an entire tonne lighter and with lower sides so you feel there is less keeping you in. When I am dangling 115m high with my body pushing down on the harness I want to feel caged in. I want to feel like hell or high waters can not get me out of the cart. When I feel like there is 'not much keeping me in' I scream. And scream. And scream. I screamed so loud I put Oprah's audience to shame. The ride is over in a matter of seconds which seems like an eternity when your life is flashing before your eyes and you are mentally dividing your worldly goods amongst family and friends while picturing your mother wailing at your funeral. As it turned out I was being a tad melodramatic. But dear readers, take my tale as a warning, this is not a ride for the faint hearted. Or people scared of rainforest fly walks.

[Bmull19]

Have to agree with the person who wrote that! ^.^ Last night when I went on it, as you hurdle backwards through the tunnel, the lights make the effect that you're not moving AT ALL! This makes a sudden surprise because as soon as you leave the tunnel, you're going up already! You don't know when it is going to happen! It felt so surreal and felt like eternity!

[Rick]

http://www.rickupsidedown.com/?page_id=700

[Brad2912]

http://www.rickupsidedown.com/?page_id=700

Great write up Rick! Cant wait to get on the ride in the next week!

[Kenny Koala]

http://www.rickupsidedown.com/?page_id=700

Thanks Rick, Great review! The themeing is still getting some final touches. A few elements like sound effects and digital screens are all still in progress so make sure you come back to see it in it's full glory! Don't forget to get front row too!

[Gazza]

Thanks for the write up rick, but one thing....

It looks great, spending lots of the budget in the queue probably wouldn’t be a great idea.

Disagree. Even on a quiet day when the queue is only say 10 minutes, the time spent in the queue still represents the greatest proportion of the ride experience (Ride goes for 30 seconds, queue takes 10 mins, so you spend 20 times longer in the queue than you do riding the ride) So for me well themed queues are really important, it sets the tone, and can be an integral part of the experience itself (In fact, it should be an integral part of the experience) Edited September 17, 2010 by Gazza

[whitsy]

By the sounds of it.... This relaunch is quite good so they didn't do a sea world with the "Sea viper".

[Reanimated35]

(Ride goes for 30 seconds, queue takes 10, so you spend 20 times longer in the queue than you do riding the ride) ummmmm. :-p Re theming: I think I'll put off my visit until it's 100% completed and see it in full glory edit- oh right, i didnt see the 10mins bit before lol

Edited September 17, 2010 by reanimated35

[GoGoBoy]

Just had a look at the clip of ToT 2 on Channel 10 news - http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?channel...mp;format=flash I'm really impressed with the new sound effects, lighting and theming (the countdown to launch seems to be quite well done judging by the above clip). I'm really pleased to see that Dreamworld is listening to their fans and the obvious demand for better theming that just about everyone keeps asking for

[Spotty]

Wow, the ride really does look great along with the AquaLoop. It's also interesting to see that they finally built that proposed Ferris Wheel.

[Rick]

Thanks for the write up rick, but one thing.... Disagree. Even on a quiet day when the queue is only say 10 minutes, the time spent in the queue still represents the greatest proportion of the ride experience (Ride goes for 30 seconds, queue takes 10 mins, so you spend 20 times longer in the queue than you do riding the ride) So for me well themed queues are really important, it sets the tone, and can be an integral part of the experience itself (In fact, it should be an integral part of the experience)

I agree, to an extent. The queue is part of the experience, however; A great queue followed by an average ride = average attraction An average queue followed by a great ride = great attraction They only have a certain budget to play with and I think that is best spent on the ride itself. Think Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Valhalla, Silver Star, the queues are rubbish - but when you get off, the time spent in the queue is forgotten if the ride lives up to the expectation.

[S.W24]

I agree, to an extent. The queue is part of the experience, however; A great queue followed by an average ride = average attraction An average queue followed by a great ride = great attraction They only have a certain budget to play with and I think that is best spent on the ride itself. Think Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Valhalla, Silver Star, the queues are rubbish - but when you get off, the time spent in the queue is forgotten if the ride lives up to the expectation.

I have to Disagree also i think that the que plays a main part in a attraction. I for one love big thunders line up and station that also goes for most disney attractions it like the build up in a movie to something big that is about to happen, in this case the ride itself.

[mickey_079]

I think it all depends. Low capacity ride needs a well themed queue to keep guests entertained (GD and ToTII). The queue sets the atmosphere.

[GoGoBoy]

I just noticed that the weather on the Gold Coast has been rain the last few days and is expected to rain as far as out as the forecast goes. Seriously, does it ever stop raining up there? I feel bad for the parks considering this may mean they lose a bit of momentum in regards to their new attractions

[themeparkgc]

^ It rains only in holiday periods .

[GoGoBoy]

So is the park and ToT still busy even with the rain or has it been quieter than usual? The ToT II definitely seems to have generated lots of hype and the marketing has seemingly been effective - just wondering if this has translated to more visitors so far... or are people waiting until it dries up a bit (if that happens!)

[Lotl_90]

Still seems to be a few people around, but the weather has definitely had an effect on the attendance so far. The truly busy period though doesnt really start until this weekend when NSW goes on holidays as well. Will be interesting to see if the weather gets any better, and how much of an impact it has had on attendance.

[themeparkgc]

Despite the rain there were a lot of people jumping on the theme park buses today. A full bus (and I mean absolutely full, basically with people squished to the front windscreen) had to drive past probably close to about 50 families in the Surfers area. I see these buses almost every day and I have never seen them that busy before - especially when it's raining. As for the forecast, more rain for the next four days.

[mickey_079]

A lot of people are heading up their for holidays, I honestly don't think rain is going to stop families from using the park passes they paid for.

[GoGoBoy]

Still raining I noticed. According to the weather bureau there has not been a single fine day for the entire school holiday period and showers/thunderstorms are forecast every day going forward. Poor Dreamworld. It concerns me because if the weather had been fine I'm sure ToT II would have drawn in massive crowds and perhaps served to remind Dreamworld that there is a public demand for new thrill rides. How have the queues been? Bigger or smaller than usual?