What's new at Warner Village this year?

[GoGoBoy]

Ok, so we know Dreamworld is opening Farmyard Friends (boring) hopefully followed by a gyro swing or some other ride later in the year. Sea World is set to open Shark Bay (which should be quite good, for an animal attraction)... but what about Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild? I am yet to hear any rumours regarding the attractions these 2 parks might be getting this year. We have patiently waited for the last couple of years and nothing much has happened. Has anyone heard ANYTHING yet? Please no more animal attractions or walk-through exhibits. Do you guys think this year will bring something major or do you think the money will be tied up in Paradise Country and the new outback show?

[joz]

Do you guys think this year will bring something major or do you think the money will be tied up in Paradise Country and the new outback show?

That second thing you said. Sadly (for us at least) there are no stories, whispers, rumours or anything of the like going around the parks about the next new addition to the 3 parks. An updated Special effects show is about the only rumour I've heard in the last 6 months, however I suspect this may be false (in the short term anyway). Both Movieworld and Wet 'n' Wild are due for new major attractions (WnW particularly, which hasn't had anything major added since Mammoth Falls) and I'd be predicting Xmas 2005 as when to look out for them. Still, other people will have almost certainty heard more then I have, but for this year as far as I'm aware the new Paradise Country will be receiving the bulk of the money.

[GoGoBoy]

That's sad to hear but I suspected as much. Both Wet 'n' Wild and Movie World have had some great new additions over the last few years and maybe this has been enough to sustain them for a while. Do you think attendances will drop if another year goes past without any major new attractions? I know I certainly wouldn't make the trip up again without a good reason... but I guess a lot of Australians aren't as fussy as I am

[Richard]

Movie World got Lethal Weapon in 1994, Wild Wild West in 1998 and Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster in 2002. That doesn't exactly give the best sort of hope until 2006. I think that Warner Village run their parks in a reactive way. Rather than adding attractions at a reasonable rate, they'll add one and hold off on a new one until attendance starts to die off. Attendance is still increasing on the whole quite nicely, but it goes in big jumps, with somwhat stagnant periods in between. Stephen Jay Gould called it punctuated equilbrium in evolution theory, and it's much the same, replacing species evolution with attendance. The problem is, a ride is added to Movie World, it brings in huge crowds, but the park can't handle them. It goes on like this for four years or whatever until the next major ride comes, . Truly, Movie World to me rates as the worst park in the world in terms of capacity relative to attendance. Only just behind it is Islands of Adventure - and I was there the day after record attendance was recorded at most of the Orlando parks, including Epcot's largest daily attendance ever so it was hectic. Movie World has some absolutely outstanding but desperately lacks in terms of high capacity attractions to absorb many of these guests, let alone a park structure that at all helps with crowd management. I honestly couldn't care if they got a B&M looper that handles 1,500 people per hour, or a relatively insignificant Sally dark ride that has the same capacity. They just need to increase capacity in any way possible. Why the old Maverick theatre is sitting there unused when they could put together some sort of nice show (i.e. not Superstars Live in Concert ) a few times a day is beyond me (don't give me the baloney reasons we've had over the years either). As for Wet'n'Wild, I think the problem there is to guests it looks like a great park. You don't need to tell people that White Water Mountain is really four of the same slide with the elements rearranged to make them all fit together, or that Terror Canyon I and II are the same, one with a waterfall over it at the end. Just make it look like those two things are eight different slides by giving them different names and split the queues and you're set. djrappa also "exposed" the place as somewhat of an unmaintained park, which means the place appears to be a free ticket for Warner Village. All profits, none of the costs!

[joz]

All the parks will do all right this year. WnW is more popular then ever, Movieworld will probably indirectly benefit from Scooby Doo 2 and Seaworld is expecting a big year with Shark Bay (unless there's another terrorist attack, killer virus or economic turndown). Really, I think the parks need to get back to basics. Try and get those domestic tourists in. South East Queensland is booming, the domestic market is more valuable then ever, so I don't understand why there is no push to get all extra locals into the parks like what Dreamworld is doing. IMO the parks would be in a healthier position if they left the international market alone for a moment and concentrated on getting locals into the parks (like Dreamworld is doing). Dreamworld's profit has been through the roof the past couple of years, the same years Warner Village experienced lower attendance, and lower profits with profits only returning to 'normal' this year when really there is no excuse for the business not to be booming. Maybe it all has something to do with the fact that unlike the defunct Seaworld property trust and Macquarie Leisure, Warner Brothers and Village Roadshow's principal activities isn't theme parks and makes up only a tiny fraction of the companies revenue, and to be a million or two short of the year before don't really matter considering film and TV just brought in $125 million

[Ian]

As a employee of the Park I wont say anything that could affect my job. But will tell you rides and attractions or anything new are not decided by WVTP but instead WB in Burbank California everything goes though these guys now a days, but the future looks okay as we have had some visits lately from a few big groups from overseas with great reports. But thats all I will say as I love my job plus all employees of WVTP sign in there contracts that we can not say too much or risk termination. In other news I can tell you in 2003 Dreamworld had more attendance with 60% local queenslanders so they are doing there job as a AMUSMENT PARK where MW made more money and profit then DW by alot, so they are doing there job as a THEME PARK.

[joz]

Well, after my rant (well, before my rant but I didn't find out about this till after my rant) I can say that there will be cheap tickets to get into the parks. Too say its the same 3 Parks Super Pass deal as last year is too obvious, so lets just say that it runs from April 1 to Augest 31

[Richard]

The rides really come from Hollywood? I didn't think Warner Bros. even had a theme park division anymore, with the sale of Six Flags in the 90's. Doesn't it seem a tad counterproductive to have rides come through Warner Bros, not WVTP who is a management company set up exclusively to operate the theme parks. I can see it being reasonable to work closely with Warner Bros. in Hollywood so as to be faithful to their various franchises, but it just seems strange to have a team over there who design attractions for a tiny speck-of-a-park across the Pacific.

[Ian]

^reason being copyrights anything that goes into WBMW must have something to do with Warner Bros or partner movies. I Know the Melbourne office of WVTP talk with the Hollywood owners. and I would say we may select a ride but the copyrights must be approved ect. Thats where say DW or SW have it alot easy with ride names like wipeout ect but WBMW is like Disney it must be themed to a product eg Batman.

[Richard]

Well, after my rant (well, before my rant but I didn't find out about this till after my rant) I can say that there will be cheap tickets to get into the parks. Too say its the same 3 Parks Super Pass deal as last year is too obvious, so lets just say that it runs from April 1 to Augest 31

Well, it was made official in the Autumn 2004 edition of Take 3 (amazingly the second one dedicated to the coming-soon attraction Shark Bay - could they perhaps take it for 3?). Nothing I can add really - til August 31 you'll be able to get unlimited entrance to the three parks with your 3 Park Super Pass for 14 days from the first use. It really should be made the standard deal I think. As it is, in comparison with similar theme park destinations like Orlando (which is actually VERY similar, though much much bigger), the normal deal (pay for three and get one free) it is a bit on the expensive side. A five park FlexTicket in Orlando gives unlimited access for 14 days to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Tampa, Wet 'n Wild, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios and sets you back just under $200. There truly is enough entertainment there for two days at all those parks but Wet 'n Wild