Movie World's White Christmas 2010

[Original]

Maybe I missed something by skimming over it... but are all the rides going to be operating during these nights? I hope this event goes really well for them, unfortunately due to lack of planning I missed the Fright Night but I've promised myself not to miss this event. But anyway I hope its successful and they bring this event back next year and can grow on it even further from here, it sounds like a good start! Other parks in US like Busch Gardens Europe have just started doing events like this in the last couple of years, so here's hoping its successful and it continues to grow like Fright Night, at least I can be hopeful it will!!

[GoGoBoy]

Ahh yes, I did have a funny feeling Movie World may have announced their White Christmas plans ages ago but couldn't be sure. Thanks for clarifying

[rappa]

I can tell you the movieworld event is nothing like winter wonderland. Winter wonderland was a cheap hashed together showground style event whilst Movieworld will be a class act. I can tell you that regardless of rides, etc, you will want to visit the park just to SEE it.

[whitsy]

Don't think the two can be compared to each other, This is for the christmas themed event while that was in relation to it being winter.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I hope we see Ben and Jerry's over at other VRTP locations eventually, I have always thought theme parks need more "special/unique" food.

^^ I don't know as I would call a comercially available mass produced ice cream "unique" food.

I'm inclined to agree and disagree with both views. Ben and Jerry's isn't exactly special or unique. Go over to singapore and it's like Mcdonalds or Starbucks over here. Ben and Jerry's are just the latest US chain to enter the market, and they have a very strong business plan on new territories (take a look at singapore to see what i mean). On the other side of the coin, at present there aren't a large number of dedicated stores, and it is more "licensed retailers", so supply is limited and therefore it is somewhat unique. If we were going to see more "special/unique" food, I'd rather the parks invest in a product that you CAN'T get anywhere else. Not a very strong example - but Dirty Harry's Nachos would be the kind of thing that I mean. Now I realise the parks can't invest a lot in producing their own product - pre-fab, pre-packaged and frozen, or "construction" \ "production line" style food (like the burger joints), keeps the bottom line happy while still having something on offer for guests that they like \ suit most people - but having one or two premium products over and above your standard range makes it enticing to give it a try - the potato twister things that VRTP brought out a few months ago is a unique product that sells well purely from a novelty value. Hawaiian Sno was a product I saw in Wonderland in 2001 which was also a lot of novelty in a glorified sno-cone (albeit with awesome flavours). They need niche markets - little operators with big ideas that can pull together to provide a unique product that you don't see at your local Westfield \ Centro foodcourt. If I had to list a few that really stuck in my mind:

1. Walt's "original recipe" Mint Julep - unbeatable in my opinion
2. Churros (well - in 1996 when I went to DL California, it was totally Alien to me...) but it was damn well made FRESH too (newsflash Aussie parks - they aren't meant to be CRUNCHY)
3. Hawaiian Sno
4. Potato Twisters
5. Poffertjes (Little Dutch Pancakes)
6. Traditional Aussie BBQ - sausages and onions slapped on a roll (Wonderland did it in Goldrush, MovieWorld are doing it in Wild West) It may not be unique to us, but to many tourists it's the first and only time they've experienced it
7. I can't think of the name - but its a mexican dish which is like a taco, but in a tube (think mexican cannelloni)

This is what I mean by unique - sure some of these products have now been around a while - so don't try them, but come up with something that makes you special, market the hell out of it, and you will get the sales - even if it is only for the curious - make it a mobile stand, and change it up every three months! If we can learn anything from Carnies - then we should know that this years next big thing is a weird looking pile of plastic that you can drink from or wear on your head will sell by the thousands - and by the time everyone is over it - you've got the next big thing lined up to take over!

White Christmas was announced December last year. I don't know how long Dreamworld had theirs in planning but I would think six months (the time from MWs announcement to the beginning of DWs event) would be enough time to throw together Winter Wonderland. I conclude that Dreamworld attempted to beat Movie World by getting in first.

Well let's see.... Chronologically we have:

• MW announces White Christmas
• WnW announces AquaLoop
• DW announces Wedgie
• DW Opens wedgie
• DW announces Winter Wonderland
• DW opens Winter Wonderland
• WnW open AquaLoop - which is seen as a far superior product, and worth the wait. WnW commended on their efforts
• Movie World open White Christmas and......? (i'm sure you can fill the blanks)

[rappa]

I'll second the BBQ. That was always my favourite food stop at Wonderland, fresh, simple and well priced!

[Park Addict 93]

I was at the Charity Event White Xmas last night, and the park looked spectacular, all rides were open excluding Wild West and Batwing (Under matinance). The family's/guests attending the night from various tough situations all received free Burger/Drink/Paddle Pop/Sideshow Game, Santa Photos and Ice Skating were also free however these will be "up charges" for the public nights. Photos are up on Flickr, full report will be on my site later today. 7:00PM is Looney Tunes on Ice - "A Christmas Carol" adaption 7:20PM is "Illumination" Turning on all the million fairy lights at once, leading into the... 7:30PM Christmas Parade - Various floats, see pictures in link above 8:30PM is A Rocking Christmas Show - Christmas Carol Singalong These may be different/change on the public nights so dont take my word on it

Edited December 4, 2010 by Jordan M

[rappa]

Great to hear you thought the park looked Spectacular. Glad to know the past couple months of no sleep have been worth it

[Original]

That event looks amazing, couple of questions... Where is the best place to see both shows? This looks like a really cool event, I hope it comes back next year and comes back bigger and better! These events are great for the parks, they get more profit for opening at night plus great word of mouth advertising for putting on amazing events, I imagine kids will love this! Did they use snow machines or anything?? Also just from the pictures that Ben & Jerrys really seems to fit in with the Main Street, VRTP have really turned a corner again in offering some really polished and themed events and attractions, I just hope next time on SDSC the smoke is going last 3 times I've been to the park its been nothing. But anyway I'm looking forward going there next Friday, hoping its not too busy!

[jakeman398]

There are 20 snow machines lining the street as first seen while dc comics was going. There are lasers too.... I can't wait till I go!!

[Lscia8]

There are 20 snow machines lining the street as first seen while dc comics was going. There are lasers too.... I can't wait till I go!!

Same I Go On Thursday It Looks Great

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

As usual Rappa, the park looks amazing. You have outdone yourself and the rest of the team involved have done a great job too. I can make comparisons to other parks that have made similar efforts, but given a first attempt that has been pulled off so well, it would be unfair to do anything but heap praise on the park, and it's crew. Thanks for the pics too Jordan! (all i'll say is maybe you want to get a tripod next time???) but otherwise - great coverage and good to get an advanced look - we'll be going on the 17th.

[GoGoBoy]

Can someone remind me again what that roof was for over Main Street? It just looks SO bad. What is the point - unless you are going to cover the whole park with a roof and make it an indoor park? Why does Village do random stuff like this with their Aussie parks? It totally ruins the feel of a 'main street' in a Hollywood backlot and I notice the poles even block some of the building facades

[themeparkgc]

^ I agree the roof does look bad in the day, but it really sets a good scene for the night events. GoGoBoy, I don't think you'll want to look at Dreamworld's Main Street at the moment.

[ads086]

Given that it's meant to be a Hollywood theme, most things of the age that Main Street is portrayed as are built in sound stages these days. Sound stages all have rooves, so I find that it's a plausable addition.

[GoGoBoy]

Given that it's meant to be a Hollywood theme, most things of the age that Main Street is portrayed as are built in sound stages these days. Sound stages all have rooves, so I find that it's a plausable addition.

I'd agree with that... HOWEVER sound stages do not have white canvas roofs held up with big poles. So in other words it looks nothing like a soundstage roof

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Obviously there are better (more expensive) ways to put a roof in (this is Universal Singapore), but given this roof was part of the original design, and not an afterthought addition, they've thought it out well. Ok so it doesn't block the facades, but it's still a roof! The supports in Movie World do stand out, but they aren't right up against the facade, so you can still see it, you may just have to walk around a little. Photos do not represent the roof as it really appears, and in reality, when you walk down mainstreet, the only three things you notice with the roof:

1. the sound is different under the roof
2. all the rain falling off it near dirty harry and ricks cafe will drown you if you're standing on the edge
3. much cooler not being in direct sunlight in the middle of summer

[Park Addict 93]

I was certainly not a fan of the roof when it was being built/in the first few months. But being there when it rains, you can certainly see the benefit, especially for out of hours events. During the first Fright Night this year it was heavily raining, and they could not have held White Christmas/Looney Tunes on Ice, the Parade and more without it. To sum it up - The benefits far outweigh the negatives

[Original]

Same here, when the roof first went in I hated it... I mean sure it ain't the prettiest thing but when you see the events they can now pull off under it, it is certainly a HUGE asset to the park!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Besides, if we're going to argue the fact that it is a "movie themed" park, then a lot of movie sets have artificially controlled conditions - weather, light, etc. Many outdoor night scenes are shot inside soundstages etc. As for the poles, if we were to speak hypothetically and say that main street is a "movie set" then the poles would simply be themed to be telegraph poles or similar anyway, which doesn't take long to do.

[Bmull19]

The picture above (of DW's footers) is the one I took, and a mistake I noticed is the EXACT same thing as what MW did.... They put the footers right in the front of things!! ?! WHY!? In front of the tiger statue thing, in front of a pathway to the Croc Boats, In the middle of a path. They made the exact same mistake as Movie World, but I guess soon we wont notice it.

[Gazza]

From personal experience, it's always a compromise when you are doing a column grid. It's really just a case of 'pushing and pulling' your column spacings till you come up with a "least bad" solution, you can never quite eliminate getting a column in an annoying spot, especially in a situation where they are working around existing buildings and their fenestrations. The tiger statue I imagine could be lifted up and moved since it's just fibreglass anyway, and the ones near the croc boats don't actually impede access to them. The main thing is they managed to get them either side of the path towards the CatDog eating area, so perhaps they set the spacing based on that pathway, and worked outwards from there?

Edited December 10, 2010 by Gazza

[joz]

Had a chance to check out the event last night. A full update will follow in the coming days, but in the meantime, I thought people may enjoy a dodgy quality video of the turning on the lights:

Edited December 10, 2010 by joz

[movieworldfan]

could someone please film the full looney tunes on ice show as i missed it on thursday night. thank-you

[themeparkgc]

Jordan filmed part of the show: