Wild West Falls - The Adventure Ride

[Lukes.life]

Hi everybody, I was recently in Movie World and felt Wild West Falls is now a little run down. The scenery and so forth could do with a facelift. Does anyone here agree? (Side note also disappointed with no smoke machine operating in the Scooby Doo roller coaster)

Edited January 4, 2012 by Lukes.life

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Hi Luke, Wild West Falls recently underwent a complete facelift, including a rebuild of the final drop. The scenery all got touched up, so you either visited prior to the christmas holidays, or you're wayyyyy too picky. You must remember that the whole of Wild West Falls is designed to be a little dilapidated... it's meant to be in the OLD west. Scooby's effects have been discussed to death on this forum. It's not to say you shouldn't raise it as an issue - but it seems a regular occurrence that scooby's effects are a bit 'hit and miss' - sometimes you'll find it all perfect, other times a little so-so, and rarely, but not impossibly - extremely lacklustre. We've had reports from people who rode Scooby 3 times in the same day, and had 3 different experiences (with smoke etc). My point with Scooby is - ride it again, and see how you go. End of the day, most guests won't notice that something isn't working - because it's dark, and if you can't see it, you don't know it's there. Out of interest, when DID you ride Wild West last? And lastly - welcome to the forums.

[Lukes.life]

Hi Alex, Damn I visited just prior to the Christmas holidays, i think it was around November 20th. Must of just missed the touch up. It is still one of my favorite ride's (that i have been on) and i know it is supposed to have the old west look just that some of the wood was rotting away and the final hill lift didn't have as much scenery as it did before. Lol it is either that or my dodgy memory. Its great they did the Facelift. What exactly has changed with the final drop? Yeah i noticed that with Scooby Doo when i went the second time to movie world when i was on holidays the were wolf that was not working previously had been fixed. I think i will wait till after they figure out what to do with the Batman adventure ride and LTRR to go back to Movie World. Overall it was a very different going to Movie world after so many years and it rekindled my love of theme parks once again. I got to see the Green Lantern statue being painted and the roller coaster looks great. I wish i lived in Queensland then i could go to the parks more. And thanks it was an awesome feeling finding a bunch of Australian theme park enthusiasts.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I may be a bit out with my dates - pretty sure wild west finished it's refurb before november 20 though. The drop has been completely rebuilt, and a lot of the western town \ indian village etc also rebuilt. The final lift hill had the majority of it's effects removed after a fire - this was some years ago - and it was either safer, cheaper, or a combination of both as to why they did not replace them. Unfortunately, we can't all have Uncle Walt's dedication to detail (such as replacing EVERY lightbulb at 80% of it's life, so that not one bulb will ever be blown whilst the park is open) - so effects sometimes go down for a little while... and for 90% of the guests - they don't notice, because they've never seen it before, or don't pay as much attention as we do... for them it's just a fun ride, and for those who do remember how it used to be, they leave just thinking "maybe it was my dodgy memory" or "i wonder what happened to those spark generators on the final lift hill? without ever digging any deeper to find out why.

[mba2012]

When I was on it about 2 weeks after it reopened some onboard said they had replaced the drop and made it steeper. I don't know if it was just my body telling me things, but I do think it is steeper.

[Lukes.life]

Yea those spark generators gave it the awesome touch it needs in the final lift. I can remember hearing about that fire. I think i might just be to picky i really have to go to a Disney world one day... hopefully by the end of 2013 i will

When I was on it about 2 weeks after it reopened some onboard said they had replaced the drop and made it steeper. I don't know if it was just my body telling me things, but I do think it is steeper.

I remember seeing somewhere that they made the drop steeper and also added a scream shield

[mba2012]

The scream shield was there before they replaced the drop.

[Lukes.life]

Oh OK.. lol shows how long it has been... Last time i went before November was before Superman Escape was opened.

[mba2012]

Oh OK.. lol shows how long it has been... Last time i went before November was before Superman Escape was opened.

lol! That is a while ago... thinking ...That's more than 6 years ago!

[Lukes.life]

yep i haven't had a chance to go to the gold coast. A Lot has changed since i last went. I still feel the western themed area could do with some more love with more ride's attractions etc. It really didn't feel like there was as much to do at movie world with batman and LTRR gone they were 2 of my favorite rides. Hopefully the get good replacements.

[downunder]

I was in a similar situation, I went just before Christmas, and hadn't been to MW since 2007. I didn't notice the changes, so I mustn't have been paying attention in 2007. Though WWF always impresses me, it's one of the attractions at MW that really is up there with anything of it's type in the world, along with Scooby and Superman.

[westical]

The scream shield was there before they replaced the drop.

Not according to - http://www.parkz.com.au/update/2011/10/04/#284

[Reanimated35]

If you have a look back through the thread. I posted a pic earlier of the old shield. It was always there, it was just replaced.

[westical]

You haven't posted in this thread.

[Reanimated35]

TBH I don't know which thread it was, actually it might have been the Parkz Update thread. Let me see if I can find it again So I couldn't find that thread, but here's the pic which I think is circa 2009/10 before the pool fence

Edited January 5, 2012 by reanimated35

[westical]

Yeah saw there's photos on Parkz from '05 with the shield, for some reason I thought it was brand new as part of the refurb.

[Reanimated35]

I think they either replaced or just repainted it. But in the new photos, it does actually look new

[joz]

I can settle this, there's always been a screen sheild there, and it was replaced in the last refurbishment.

[Reanimated35]

Why replace if they just had to repaint? Or did they use better materials?

[joz]

It was just old and needed replacing. Remember there's a lot of moisture and chlorine in the air around water rides, both of which are very corrosive.

[Reanimated35]

*Sorry I've gone into that tired-stupid phase. I'll stop now

[Gazza]

Why replace if they just had to repaint?

Because it was attached to the old drop right? If the new drop had any sort of change in curvature or angle, the old shield would then no longer match up to fit. Edited January 6, 2012 by Gazza

[Meg]

I have been to Warner Bros Movieworld on the Gold Coast, QLD, three times now. The most recent time being this year, January 2015. I have to say, my most favourite ride that I continuously go on there, would be the Wild West Falls ride, mostly because I am a huge fan of Western movies. I do however really wish the Wild West Falls area and the ride itself could be upgraded, a bit more. I am guessing they are trying to portray the village and the ride itself as an old wild west ghost town, where the occupants are long gone. But, why can't they have people dressed up as John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or Gary Cooper strolling around the Wild West Falls village to meet and greet people, especially people who would love to have their photo taken with their favourite western movie actor. How about a couple of lifelike horse statues outside, the ones made out of fibreglass type material. They could also put some props inside the windows of the false front buildings of people playing cards or drinking, or sound effects of an old saloon piano playing, or bar brawls, the typical wild west town.

While on the Wild West Falls ride, I noticed while going past the section where there is an Indian reservation, that the tipi's look rather worn and faded probably because of Qld's constant hot weather. There doesn't seem to be any Would it hurt to put a coat of clear gloss over the timber to give it a little more life.

I also noticed how the flickering lanterns inside to mineshaft are no longer flickering. When I went on the Wild West Falls ride back in 1999, they were flickering, but I guess they removed them after the minor fire damage.

I really, really, enjoy this ride, but I am constantly wondering how much longer this ride will last for. Its been in place for quite a while now, and I worry that one day, they will say, nope, its been here too long, lets either give it a complete makeover, or pull in down and reconstruct something entirely different.

[pushbutton]

Now that Bermuda Triangle has sadly gone, Wild West Falls is by far my favourite ride in the Gold Coast. Long may it continue!

[Brad2912]

Seriously doubt Wild West Falls will be going anywhere.

And how does one dress up like Clint Eastwood or the Duke? Unless you have someone who looks just like them (very unlikely) then really you're just getting someone to walk around in cowboy attire, not particularly exciting..

I think more could be done with the area by way of another attraction & show, but I don't think your suggestions would encourage more visitation or revenue raising for the outlay/expense (teens wouldn't know the difference between the duke or Clint)