Captain Sturt Closed at Dreamworld

[Bmull19]

Another of Dreamworld's original attractions is now closed. Dreamworld commented this on Facebook: "The Captain Sturt is just a display piece now, as the old girl is tired of lapping the river." It really wasn't that exciting anyway, but it was a nice calm attraction for families with small kids.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I hadn't seen it lap the river in a few years. My thinking is that - being a steamer - they broke something they couldn't fix...

[Slick]

^ Wow. This is typical Dreamworld these days. Just on further thought, i'm pretty sure this would be the fourth SBNO attraction for Dreamworld, joining the ranks of Blue Lagoon, Skylift & the Mine Ride. It's getting a little ridiculous. Dreamworld - the look but don't touch park. Update - Just realised River Rapids is also closed until further notice. And while it's a temporary closure, having been closed for over a month i'm going to say that's currently five SBNO attractions. Dafuq?

Edited June 9, 2012 by Slick

[MacPark]

Wow, they are just not even trying now. That thing only went around what one time a day anyway? If its just going to sit there its going to look pretty stupid.

[kujotess]

Update - Just realised River Rapids is also closed until further notice. And while it's a temporary closure, having been closed for over a month i'm going to say that's currently five SBNO attractions. Dafuq?

Post from Dreamworld on the same comment mentioning the Captain Sturt - But the river rapids will definitely be up and running again soon. Just closed for general maintenance. Edited June 9, 2012 by kujotess

[westical]

At least they've confirmed TRRR is coming back. They need it given the queues it gets in summer.

[Bmull19]

Great post by Benjamin (who I assume is Slick?) on Facebook. For all those who haven't read: Food for thought guys, but seriously, what the hell is management up to these days? The Captain Sturt joins the rank of three other standing but not operating attractions. As a fellow AALARA industry member and an avid fan of the park it saddens me to think that with the current progressive thinking Dreamworld is displaying (or lack thereof) will eventually wipe Dreamworld off the map. The way you seem to operate your park these days seems to benefit the shareholders more then the park-goers, and while this short term, narrow-minded mentality may pay the bills, the lack of long term investment, innovation and passion is killing your once iconic brand. There's a reason why Dreamworld hasn't won an award in years, and it should be ringing enough bells to your team that a shift needs to occur in your thinking. Your primary competitor Movie World, despite what the status quo in the current economy suggests, is spending big money on an amazingly great, long-term vision, and it shows through the current park infrastructure and attraction addition, which is world-class, that they mean business. Meanwhile, you're shutting down the very history of the park that has made it great for the past 30 years and continuing to add, at best, mediocrely underwhelming attractions like BuzzSaw. And it's highly likely I won't get an educated response from this, and no disrespect by that either, as it is after all Facebook, but I'd like to think of this post as just one of many people who are actually looking at your current vision and thinking "what the hell?" and hoping management actually do something about it.

Edited June 9, 2012 by Bmull19

[Slick]

Yep, that's me. Complete with odd grammatical errors and all. My english teachers of past would be so proud. I think to further that thought is to compare Dreamworld's mentality right now to Movie World's. Both parks are experiencing the same economic situation, high aussie dollar, yada yada yada, meanwhile one park is looking after their property long-term and investing and innovating big for when the market turns while the other is barely maintaining their property short term. I wonder which park will be turning the big bucks and going strong in five years?

[Bmull19]

I think this thread's title should be just changed to 'Everything at Dreamworld closing down/going away'. Goldie the Clown was made redundant and will no longer be at Dreamworld.

[kujotess]

I can't believe Goldie is going. Dreamworld really needs to step up their game and get a new clown quick even know no one will even be as good as Goldie the Clown.

[Randy23]

I can't believe Goldie is going. Dreamworld really needs to step up their game and get a new clown quick even know no one will even be as good as Goldie the Clown.

I dont think they will be looking for a new clown after getting rid of Goldie as he was there for 20 years!

[Park Addict 93]

As much as Randy23 is an idiot he is 100% correct, he was made redundant due to cost cutting on wednesday morning, I also find it stupid that TZA/TZI leaked it before Dreamworld or Goldie made it public... anyway My view as I posted to <shameless self promotion> Facebook </shameless self promotion>

With much sadness and disappointment <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=169677993053723" href="https://www.facebook.com/GCParks" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">GC Parks</a> must inform our fans tonight that <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=30639128612" href="https://www.facebook.com/dreamworld" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">Dreamworld Australia</a> has dismissed former Dreamworld Icon<a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=153945227960394" href="https://www.facebook.com/goldietheclown" style="cursor: pointer; color: rgb(59, 89, 152); text-decoration: none; ">Goldie the Clown</a> earlier this week.</div> <br /> <p>On almost every visit to Dreamworld GC Parks staff have experienced Goldie's unique sense of humour and have seen the joy experienced by people of all ages. <br /> <br /> Dreamworld has lost a unique entertainer and a character that has been enjoyed at the park over the last 20 years. We invite you to share your experiences with Goldie or post any photos on either our wall or his.<br /> </p> <div>Dreamworld's management appears to have made some very disappointing decisions over the past few years and as a keen follower of the theme parks we are very worried about the current state of Dreamworld and their finances.

</div> Edited June 10, 2012 by One day holiday

[westical]

This html bug or whatever it is is starting to get slightly annoying.

[Park Addict 93]

Link because the forums are dodgy

[xRazzBerryx]

You know what else I think would be 'cost saving'..Closing MDMC ahaha although that wouldn't happen

[Original]

I remember a time when the park had a real "magical" feel to it, it was something you couldn't put a finger on but it was there. I remember when mainstreet had working fountain and used it as a centrepiece and all the surrounding building were painted in appropriate colours. I remember when the park had iconic entertainment roving the park, Goldie the clown, a singing quartet, Kenny the Koala and the wizard. I remember going to the park with friends and having them run to other side of the park crying because they saw a clown. I remember riding the Captain Sturt when it wasn't painted bright colours and you would get to watch a really cool (what I thought at the time was a) bushranger show. I remember going to Blue Lagoon to cool down in the afternoon, and going down the slide in tandem with family members. I remember hearing the roar of ToT and when it first began testing causing blackouts at our school and giving us melted ice-creams every lunch. I remember when the park had an iMax theatre, vintage cars and while I may not remember but a mosaic floor which apparently still exists but has been recovered with a laminate floor. I remember when I was kid riding the octopus ride next to the Wipeout. I remember when the park didn't have random attractions such as the AVPX, and V8 race cars, or a motorcycle roller coaster in Rivertown that is a pretty dull ride, but has been made up for it with colours that was used on it and the restaurant next to it (where we would eat lunch every year). I remember the GD back when it first opened and it had a themed uniform. I remember standing on my toes to pass the height on the mine ride. I remember when it was actually operating. I remember going on the skyride and going past the GD and ToT as they roared past. I remember going to the lolly shop and having someone from the family buy me smarties even after my mum had specifically said I wasn't to have them. (Although that shop still exists). I remember when the Wipeout actually had the water underneath it, as well as the circling shark. I remember we used to go to DW once a year, on boxing day, as it was the only day everyone in my family would have off. I would always go on the plane ride in the kids area and watch other family members go on ToT as I was too short, do the rapids with everyone, watch with fascination the helicopters take off and land. I remember a day when Dreamworld really was a place that felt like dream, like it was a place where our whole family could take a trip away from the everyday, forget everything outside and just have fun! Now when I visit, I feel like it was a lifetime ago, I don't even feel like I'm visiting the same place. Don't get me wrong they have made some good decisions, ToTII, The Claw, Dreamworks; some executed well, others not so much. Dreamworld just does not have that same "magical" feel to it anymore, we as a family went there a few years ago, the end feeling everyone had when they walked through the exit gates was "I think we can leave that again for a few years". I hope someone from Dreamworld actually has some passion in the place, and they have decision making powers, that they can actually turn Dreamworld into that place again that I couldn't wait to get to every year and would have the best day of my life. Did I leave anything out that people remember from back in the day about the park.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Original

[jjuttp]

You missed Wipeout's water and shark, and Wiz....Yeah the wizard that played GOOD MUSIC. But obviously you younger readers don't know what good music is, because people like Nicki Minaj are considered "Hits"....

[Original]

I was just about to come back and add the water from Wipeout and the shark, but I completely forgot about the wizard.

[westical]

What's this about a mosaic floor?

[xRazzBerryx]

You missed Vortex! Loved that ride

[MaxxTheMonster]

The go cart track under the thunderbolt.

[Bmull19]

Talking about things being let go, I haven't heard anything about WhiteWater World since... uh... the few ads for Wedgie back in April of last year? It's like that California Adventure 10 year video (in the Off Topic thread for all those who haven't seen it) and how it's like "oh that park over there? You just imagined that". How does it expect to compete with Wet'n'Wild at its current size/marketing. Have they just given up? Every time I look in at WhiteWater World (well when I used to, because I no longer have a pass), they had next to no one in there.

[Park Addict 93]

At this stage I think WWW serves it's purpose as a supplement to Dreamworld, I don't think it was ever made to compete seriously with WNW.

[jjuttp]

Talking about things being let go, I haven't heard anything about WhiteWater World since... uh... the few ads for Wedgie back in April of last year? It's like that California Adventure 10 year video (in the Off Topic thread for all those who haven't seen it) and how it's like "oh that park over there? You just imagined that". How does it expect to compete with Wet'n'Wild at its current size/marketing. Have they just given up? Every time I look in at WhiteWater World (well when I used to, because I no longer have a pass), they had next to no one in there.

The ideas there, but the money isn't. I mean the ads when they started off about Sam & Bluey starting the park were great, and so was the idea of surf culture but we've had the stage 3 expansion dwindling around for too long here and its looking at the same path as Duke Nukem Forever. the thumbing round the park is great, and some of the ride ideas are alright. But now thats just come to a halted stop.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

re: the Goldie the Clown announcement - and 'leaking' - if the people who 'leaked' it are not employees of the park, and they found out - they have every right to post whatever the hell they want, unless the person who told them asked them to keep it in confidence. Another 'theme park' "website" contacting them and asking them to take it down, without any publicly known affiliation with the park is just ridiculous. If the park management, or Goldie asked them to take it down, then sure... but it's not like the impending announcement of a new ride, or a multimillion dollar show... it's a long running street performer who has had a good solid 20 year run at it, and the park has decided to go in another direction (although the theme of their current direction doesn't appeal to me). As an aside - I have no affiliations with any parks, or 'theme park "websites" except parkz. I think it's great that all those 'facebook' "websites" keep on top of things - constantly in touch with the fan base and with enough spare time to visit the park constantly - real-time information is the one thing Parkz hasn't been able to offer - mainly because the majority of those involved have day jobs - so it's good to 'fill that gap' - I just wish you guys on opposite sides of the fence would stop your back biting at each other - striving to one-up the other guy. Keep the personal stuff out of your public realm - and do it in PM... and to the other guy - if it comes in PM - keep it there. Don't post it publicly to your followers to say 'hey - look at what they said to me!' I predict that in 5-7 years, we'll see a dramatic improvement to the online presence of theme park enthusiasts in Australia - mainly because the site-owners will be able to vote by then. No offence intended... Just sayin.