Wonderland's Demon Coming To Dreamworld

[Daniel]

Shift Dawg, A new coat of paint is the least of Demon's worries old son. How about the Dog chain, the catch wagon and both the mechanical and electrical components of the ride. It has not been looked after. Problems with it you cannot see. Not cosmetics you nuffy. Sure coasters break down, they are machines, but numerous times every single week? The number of times it gets stuck on lift 2 is ludicrous. Anyone know when our last trouble light at Demon was? I'm tipping there has been at least one in the last week.

[Flea]

Yeah it is getting busier, don't know about weekdays though. It's not crowds that summer's a few years back used to get, but it's much more than they were currently getting prior the announcement of closing down.

[Bussy]

However, the rides that are being rotated will be only closed for a few hours - thus leaving the rides that were open in the morning closed in the afternoon.

Mate when was the last time you were in the park? The rides have never done this so I’m not sure what you are talking about. Some rides (Merry-Go-Round and Botany Bay Racers) will be open/closed alternate hours, but never open in the morning, closed in the afternoon. Ok now on to Shifty. Yes the a coat of paint will make the track look good, but next time you are in the park have a close look at the track, particularly at each end of the station, where the train is coming off a slope. The track is very worn and where the joins in the track are it is bad. As for the mechanical side of things the maintenance crew do the best they can with what little budget they get. That’s my two bob for the moment, more to come later. "The Bus is now leaving for Demondrille, NSW"

[Richard]

A chain dog, catch wagon and virtually any component could very easily be replaced, so that's an irrelevant issue. If an Australian park were to pick up Demon, they'll do it because it's a bargain, and perhaps naturally expect work to be done on it to make it ship-shape. I'm not sure how worn the track is, but I expect that it's nothing that will affect the ride in the least bit - this same track design has been used for thirty years and there are Boomerangs out there more than twenty years old. Demon's effectively only 12 years old (I'll give you 12.5 with the six months for Expo included). Now, comparing the change from Expo 88's Titan to Demon to a similar thing to go to say Dreamworld is completely inaccurate. Expo 88 had a small "fun park", named Space Park, which was meant to launch with Expo, but remain on as a permanent attraction. Attendance to the park was pretty much abysmal, reviews were anything but positive and the place was shut around the same time as Expo finished. Titan was meant to go to Luna Park in Melbourne but that fell through, so Wonderland picked it up - some three years after it last operated. You can't expect that a ride that ten million or more people have ridden to silently reappear at a park, no less one that relies significantly on interstate visitors such as the Gold Coast parks, without people knowing. Big Dipper barely operated in Sydney, yet most guests to Dreamworld were fully aware that it was a second hand ride from Sydney, simply because of the coverage they'd seen on the news or in the paper or whatever. You can't get away with it with a ride that ran for nine months, so how do you propose Dreamworld pulls it off with a ride that's over twelve years old, and operated in one of Australia's major theme parks? People aren't as stupid as we'd like them to be, you know.

[Daniel]

The point I think we're getting at Rich, is no one in their right mind would buy it in the state it is currently in. It needs a hell of a lot of work. Like all of Wonderland's rides I guess. It will be more trouble than its worth. At the moment, I think you will find, Demon is using an older, 'second' dog chain to preserve whatever life the other has. It's just a shame, you're not going to be able to see the full extent of its 'stuffedness' in one day when you go on Sunday. Maybe you'll get a lift 2, or if you're lucky the operator won't be paying attention and you'll get yourselves a 'boomerang'. Wouldn't that be rather ironic? I really don't think Dreamworld would buy it. They'd be nuts. Surely they aren't that stupid. I think it will end up somewhere in Asia. Only time will tell. As for the ride rotations, as Wonderbus said it has been on an hourly basis when it's been done (quite commonly I might add). I'm not sure on how much it's been happening over the last 6 months, Wonderbus might be able to fill you in on that, but before that it was common practice. It has been normal for Wonderland in the past to rotate Baby Bumpers and Merry Go Round, Dragons Flight and Clippers (sorry Galleons Graveyard) and Endeavour and Tasmanian Devil when she was standing. This was basically the norm unless a big crowd was expected i.e. school kids or of course weekends and holidays. Mainly over the winter it happens. From about this time of the year on. Would anyone here consider this a hazard, having no one within 50 metres of a ride?

[joz]

Is the key in the ignition?

[Daniel]

Nah no key Joz. Back on Demon, it looks like the Shiftymeister was right. Not that we ever said you were wrong Shift Bitch. Just didn't think it was the most tactical of moves. Looks like she's heading up the Pacific Highway. Keep your eyes and ears open for more. Idiots. Absolute raving idiots. They deserve to be shot.

[joz]

Dan's right, check out this link: http://photos.ruthellison.com/p367045.html

[Daniel]

See, those guys had a premonition

[Nightshifter]

thats right everything is falling in place. i knew things started to get even more fishier. and by the way dont call me bitch. lol.

[Slick]

Please go to Aussie World, PLEASE go to Aussie World..... Mind you unfortunately Aussie World having spent a decent amount of money getting a mine train and whatnot, I don't think they would be interested anymore. And while I wish the Demon would never EVER touch Dreamworld, I would still like to see would they would do with it. Smoke machines anyone?

[Nightshifter]

no go to dreamworld, somewhere where it will be looked after. come on, dreamworld needs it, so i can come down and ride it again. aussie world is out of my reach. dreamworld it is.

[Daniel]

Tell us all about the 'fishiness' Gear Shift. I'm interested now. Shame your brain hasn't fallen into place. What signs have been pointing in this direction since Wally World announced she's done? If it's true, you watch Dreamworld go like a one legged man in an arse kicking competition to get the land cleared etc. I am tipping it'll go where Thunderbolt is, along with some other attractions in the future. I presume that'll be the spot anyway. Any further input? Richard, as a member of the media I suppose, can you seek confirmation or get a response from either Dreamworld or Wonderland?

[Nightshifter]

well when thunderbolt closed and i went they said they were replacing it with another roller coaster, but they werent sure, hint the demon. then wonderland announced they were closing and then i thought what would happen to the demon. i knew it was going tol go somewhere, and i thought of dreamworld with the thunderbolt, my cousin then told me that the demon was going to dreamworld, becasue everyone was talkign about it and then i heard it from a friends that works there. im not too sure it will taken the thudnerbolts vacant space but yeah.

[thunder001]

Tried to post something, but forgot what it was...Bugger!!

[joz]

Not to confuse things, but there was a small article in the Gold Coast Bulletin about the Thunderbolt's de-construction today. "Equipment at the defunct Australia's Wonderland theme park in Sydney would not be used at Dreamworld". Hope not, because the rest of the article hints quite nicely at what the future holds: "Plans for the ride's 4ha site are being compiled. Mr Braxton-Smith said any replacement ride would cater for the ultimate thrill seeker." "The Thunderbolt covers 10 acres so you could probably fit 3 to five rides on that amount of space... this is valuable land." "This part of the park is about high adrenalin, and we want to continue with that feel." In unrelated stuff, its expected to take 6 weeks to dismantle, and the 'metal' will be recycled in Brisbane.

[rappa]

Dan's right, check out this link: http://photos.ruthellison.com/p367045.html  

Hey Joz what was that photo supposed to be? Just looks like any other Deamon shot to me????? What has suddenly made everyone so sure the Coaster is going into DW? Not that I don't believe you, I'm sure if it was cheap enough they'd buy it...even if they were planning another coaster if you can pick up a bargain and an extra main attraction why not... Panthers is all good...just remember I'm looking towards midnight for getting out there though :-)

[joz]

Hey Joz what was that photo supposed to be? Just looks like any other Deamon shot to me?????

It is, just read what it says at the top of the page though... Midnight? Sounds cool, though will it still be open??

[rappa]

AH, yeah funny stuff... To my knowledge it don't close...I mean should you guys just want to go do your own thing that's fine but if you want to hook up that's about the best I can offer :-(

[Slick]

Okay, i'm back from taping and reviewing the footage of the TunderBolt's demise on the Channel Ten news (unfortunately channel nine didn't have any footage) and i've also found out a couple of things recently that maybe i should've pointed out a bit before. Talking to some of my "insider people" i.e. ride-operators and other people who get their say in DreamWorld related issues, I have possibly found that Australia might just be getting their first B&M, or something as big as Dueling Dragons in size from most possibly Intamin........ Think about it, certain rides are being closed for upgrades, and i have seen some big improvements with Cyclone's themeing, not to mention the brand new bright red wheels on the log flume....... So what to do now with 30 mil eh? Now that's a simple answer, sorry shifty, but Dreamworld has learnt that replacing a crap ride with another crap ride is a little dodgy, given the reputation the Demon has and will if it is shifted up.

[joz]

Gold Coast news (channel 9) had some footage, (mostly file footage of the ride taken when Cyclone was under construction). There was a bit where peices of the ride more or less crumbled as it was torn apart. I don't think it'd ever make it to market that way.

[rappa]

Does anyone have the ability to/can they poste this footage from the news? I missed it down here :-(

[Slick]

Maybe, with a bit of luck .......

[Daniel]

Shifty Bugger, Do you really think that Wonderland would have let Dreamworld know, oh yeah, we've gone bust, we'll be closing in the new year, are you keen to buy Demon when we shut up shop? Sure old son. For your next post, read it beforehand you lazy dolt. You haven't got any better, in fact, you're probably worse. Lots of comas, not enough full stops. Ordinary spelling. Who says the future of our country is in bad hands when we have Shifty McShift Dog leading the charge?

[Slick]

I'd have to agree on this one ...........