Dreamworld no longer a Theme Park

[lolman123]

Dreamworld has a great vibe to it and the rides may not have a great theme or a story but the rides are ausome

[Gazza]

No that would be a marketing line.

A "theme" is something that takes you away from the here and now...Eg when you ride storm coaster, you are supposedly not in Sea World 2014, but rather in a container port ravaged by a cyclone. When you ride Road Runner roller coaster, you are supposedly in a cartoony american desert environment.

Some rides pull it off better than others of course.

Gazza - you completely missed MDMC... how does that fit?

They have gone the opposite way, and repainted the rivertown buildings with a motor racing motif, such as the burger bar that is there. Ideally if they were set on V8 Redline then it should have been in this area, but I think for the purposes of corportate events and night time operations they put in in that corner with Flowrider.

In this case, they wouldn't have bothered doing anything to the building if they weren't interested in some sort of continuity.

What does Giant Drop fit into, being next to Rocky Hollow Gold Rush 'old' area?

How does ToT's Skull fit in? What land does it even sit in now - Wiggles World, KFPandaland or Tiger Island? (those are the three lands around it).

TOTs skull has always been a wierd one, right back in the days when Dreamworld was owned by a singaporean mob..It used to point towards the "village oval" area which was some sort of Swiss village. Now it kind of is just out on its own, and not in any area specifically.

What does Giant Drop fit into, being next to Rocky Hollow Gold Rush 'old' area?

Is Rocky Hollow supposed to be some sort of frontier wilderness type area? Oil, logging and the like? Weakest effort of the lot though, and I'd love to see the GD building given a facelift.

[Zanstabar]

What does Giant Drop fit into, being next to Rocky Hollow Gold Rush 'old' area?

Is Rocky Hollow supposed to be some sort of frontier wilderness type area? Oil, logging and the like? Weakest effort of the lot though, and I'd love to see the GD building given a facelift.

I would love for that whole Rocky Hollow / Gold Rush area to be given a cohesive theme rather than two very similar ones. If anything, I would love the Giant Drop to have a proper theme. Even something like a Western Hangman type of deal; just something to make it fit in.

Unfortunately, I think we're gonna see DW get a B & M before they start working on giving the park a proper theme all around.

[Skyra]

It's with regret I agree here - I spent 20 years working in the park and I slowly watched the 'themes' disintegrate into..well, in all honesty, a bit of a sloppy mess of rides here and there. It was always supposedly on the cards, but no-one ever actioned anything - especially Gold Rush and down around the Wiggles World/Tiger Island/TOT area. Unfortunately, the theming problem is as vague as the entire park and as specific as queues - take the Cyclone or the Giant Drop for example - there is no atmosphere whatsoever anymore. People just aren't as pumped as they used to be. The queue is an integral part of the experience and the only ride I ever felt came close to offering that atmosphere was the TOT - although the skull never really made sense and it was often a talking point of staff.

[Louis.sayer3]

It's with regret I agree here - I spent 20 years working in the park and I slowly watched the 'themes' disintegrate into..well, in all honesty, a bit of a sloppy mess of rides here and there. It was always supposedly on the cards, but no-one ever actioned anything - especially Gold Rush and down around the Wiggles World/Tiger Island/TOT area. Unfortunately, the theming problem is as vague as the entire park and as specific as queues - take the Cyclone or the Giant Drop for example - there is no atmosphere whatsoever anymore. People just aren't as pumped as they used to be. The queue is an integral part of the experience and the only ride I ever felt came close to offering that atmosphere was the TOT - although the skull never really made sense and it was often a talking point of staff.

I completely agree with you, the ride that i found only really well themed entrance/queue was the TOT. You could have a really awesome experience if Dreamworld opened up the Buzzsaw theming again. And got the TV's working, that would be nice. The claw had a really good entrance too, until the rest of ocean parade was developed therefore leading to the removal of the gardens ect ect.

[Skyra]

It's a shame really as there was a commitment park wide to maintain the theming of all the new rides prior to BuzzSaw being opened, and it seemed to fall on the back burner (as we should have expected). I operated the Saw for a week or two and people just didn't 'get' it. The recipe was there, but the ingredients were all wrong. The TVs went on the blink, the queue line was revamped and the sound was changed to standard radio, and it was highly infuriating for people like me whose primary role was to exacerbate the atmosphere and heighten the theme of the ride. You had all this half-done theming mixed with blank TVs and top 40 music, and none of it made the ride click. In fact, it all made it just that - a ride. Not an experience, as my management was always so keen on telling me it was supposed to be.

TOT could do with a refresh of the theming but still holds it's own as one of the only rides with a hint of a 'theme' left, however even saying that is for lack of a better word.

Rides like the cyclone and the giant drop are abysmally themed now if it all, and it lessens the mood and uptake of the guests. They are just 'waiting in line' as opposed to being put in the moment of the ride. I have always said the queue is the most important part of a ride and I will defend that endlessly. Without a decent setup or theme for a queue, you just have a line and then a metal ride.

The Claw in particular has really needed a revamp for some time, but when stacked up against some of the other Big 9 (oops...Big 8!) it really is still satisfactory at the moment, even though the standards that I am using to judge something as 'satisfactory' aren't exactly the best things to go by.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Skyra

[pin142]

With the Cyclone though there is only so much you could tolerate of that looping video but at least it had a theme and gave a reason for where you were and why.

Dreamworld may be argued as a theme park but when they do things like AVPX in Ocean Parade, Motocoaster-town it makes it hard to call the whole park a theme park especially when you have a section with themed lands. Dreamworks is like a theme park in a theme park.

I also agree that the queue line sets the story for the ride and it is a must if you are going to theme attractions make sure said theme fits the area of the park and don't create a "themed" area just so it fits in. There is no reason Ocean Parade can't have all attractions that match the theme, there is more to the ocean than the beach, the zombie laser tag is a step in the right direction but a shipping port over-run by pirates could work as easily as just one example of what can be done with existing attractions.

There is lots of room for improvement but it requires people and management who care about it enough to look at how it is all now and go about fixing what needs to be fixed providing they can secure the required funds to do so properly, no point doing it half-arsed or it will just end up where we are now.

[goliath]

It’s pretty clear that Dreamworld is a theme park - the theme being an inferior, poorly maintained amusement park with a haphazard collection of attractions. At least that’s what I thought they were going for...

[Skyra]

Since the management takeover rI can tend to agree.

[ads086]

Shall we just rename it Luna Park Gold Coast now?

[Jobe]

Shall we just rename it Luna Park Gold Coast now?

Ah no. No we wont. That would be entirely inaccurate and the intention behind your post would be demeaning to both Dreamworld AND Luna Park.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

LOL... you hit a nerve Ads.

LP is too good a brand for how dreamworld have been going.

I've long been a supporter of the 'not a theme park' mantra applied towards dreamworld. I will say however in seeing their latest efforts on Wipeout, that they've either suffered a collective concussion, or someone is driving a turn around. They are improving.

Only time will tell. I don't see how "tail spin" will fit within "Ocean Parade" but i've been surprised before. As was said a while back - missed opportunity there to make them manta rays.

We shall see how they do with their next 'refurb'

[BigKev]

Only time will tell. I don't see how "tail spin" will fit within "Ocean Parade" but i've been surprised before. As was said a while back - missed opportunity there to make them manta rays.

Sea Planes?

[Jobe]

LOL... you hit a nerve Ads.

LP is too good a brand for how dreamworld have been going.

'

Hehe!

Seriously though, it seems with this latest refurb on Wipeout, Tail Spin's introduction and the knowledge that several older attractions are due to receive some TLC ( starting with Rocky Hollow ) , it appears that Dreamworld is finally taking some positive steps in the right direction. The info that Skyra is imparting is excellent and I hope that the big announcement that he has been touting for Dreamworld continues in the same postive vein.

Personally, I am looking forward to Tailspin. It has a number of positives- Australian first, it was a quick replacement for a old ride, and it will capture the publics imagination.

While it may not be the coaster that we all HOPE Dreamworld gets just yet, I cannot see anything but this ride being a hit.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

While it may not be the coaster that we all HOPE Dreamworld gets just yet, I cannot see anything but this ride being a hit.

Didn't we say that about Pandamonium as well?

[Jobe]

Yeah we did but on what level has Pandemonium failed??

[MickeyD]

Tbh I never saw an ad actually showing Pandemonium off. Last time I visited DW it was new and I was there for a business planning day, Noone in my group of 20 new it existed up until that point, except me.

The ride had a rather negative effect on quite a few in the group, who chose to make it their last ride for the day.

[Jobe]

Well I am at a disadvantage as I have not ridden it at this point in time. However , I thought that the ride had generally had positive reviews. Interesting! What are everyone's opinion of the ride itself?? From an enthusiasts point of view and also from a general public point of view? Is the ride popular? Does it lend itself easily for re-rides?

[themagician]

I too never saw an ad, only social media announcements. I think it is quite a popular ride, but I am sure there are many people who won't go on it again after their first ride. I went on it in its first week of operation and I felt terrible after it. I was alright when the arms were rotating us one way, but once we stopped upside down and changed directions it was horrible. After it I had to go home, because I felt so bad. I think it fits well in the area and they it is themed reasonably well.

[MickeyD]

I for one loved it! For me it was the most intense ride in the park, but yeah it can leave you feeling pretty wooozie

[Brad2912]

Always seems popular.

A lot more thrilling than it looks. The only ride I've been on that does make me feel I little woozy, I'm usually fine with spin n spews.

[lolman123]

no there wasnt an ad, it has been in a few of the world pass ads though. (some cool view on ride and off ride though)

[liz.wis]

I don't like Spin n Spews, so I didn't it on 'lame' mode to see if it was ok for the kids, but my husband (who also typically does not like them) really enjoyed it. He rated it as one of his favourites for the day.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

See it really depends on how you look at it.

Touted as a thrill ride (one of the big 8 no less), but it has the option for lame-mode. It hasn't really proven to be a 'hit' - it's just been absorbed into the general area. It's another spin&spew in a park that is full of them. At the very least, Tail Spin has a point of difference in that it is a 'user controlled' experience - which means unlike Panda - where (as has been said) the thrillseekers groan every time they announce a slow cycle - Tail Spin can have thrillers and lamers on the one cycle...

I don't necessarily think there is a particular point I could point to to say 'look, it failed' - it just didn't succeed like it could have...

[BigKev]

This is where I think DW cops a rough deal on this forum.

I look at the Panda ride and see where they took a crappy old ride and rebuilt the area, with great theming, even to the extent of rebranding the bumper cars, and the end result looks really good.

The ride itself is quite different to anything else on the Gold Coast and has the added advantage (maybe not to hardcore thrill seekers, but certainly to lots of other demographics) of being accessible on more than one level of riding.

It seems to me that the Panda area is exactly the sort of thing DW seems to cop flack over for not doing in other areas.