Seaworlds New Kids Area Announced

[Cooper Olsen]

TMNT is owned by Nickelodeon, They have their own TV show on Nick.

[jarvo_325]

Just wondering is Seaworld still looking at a September reopening of the kids area?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Well...

^I just had a look on SWs page and people have asked when it would be opening and SW replied saying this September.

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Gold Coast Theme Parks have posted this on their FB

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Considering that was all the vibe at the start of May (original announcement looks to have been 19th April), i'd say we're sticking with a September holidays opening - doesn't appear to have been any further news or changes to that in the past 6 weeks...

It's been around 2 months since the announcement, but we are still around 3 months away from the 'deadline'... I'd say any delay or change to circumstances will come much closer to the 'September' date, and probably only if weather or other adverse effects occur to delay it.

[jarvo_325]

Cheers, heading up in August, looks like it will still be closed then unfortunately. 

[liz.wis]

How old/tall are your kids?

[jarvo_325]

How old/tall are your kids?

Hey Liz

I'm familiar with Seaworld, so basically know whats on offer. But its probably the best area for my 4.5 year old to have a bit of fun.

[liz.wis]

FWIW, I took my girls (3.5 and 6.5) a couple of weeks ago, and we got in a full day pretty much avoiding rides (long weekend = hideous queueing).  We saw all the shows, a few of the animal feedings, and they spent an age climbing in the Castaway Bay fort area.   

Older daughter is tall enough for Storm Coaster, but it was not running for a while.  Both tall enough for Flume Ride, but with Storm down, the line too long.  

It's a bit of a hard age for rides - my older daughter is a bit over the MW kids area (with the exception of Road Runner coaster), marginally to short for BatWing, or anything above it so just has Scooby and Wild West Falls.  

I found Dreamworld the best pick for rides for that age - she could get on MDMC, most of the Dreamworks offerings, rapids, log ride, etc.  She hit 120cm about a month after our annual passes expired, so that opens a few more options too.  

[jarvo_325]

Cheers Liz

[themagician]

Foundations are starting to be laid. I'm guessing that this part will feature the kids coaster (photo source: theme park social network)

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

That's a slab... it does look like the little boxed pieces above the reo sheets might be footing positions, but something about it makes me think 'not a coaster'.

I'm probably wrong and it totally is... but i just don't feel like it is - especially on such sandy ground - wouldn't we be expecting footings to actually go into the ground, not just be poured 'as a slab' ? Ok - a Kiddie coaster isn't exactly 'groundshaking' - but i just feel like there should be something a little more substantial for a coaster.

If this thing really is a dragon wagon or similar i'm going to be very disappointed...

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Parkz' latest article reads:

The new roller coaster will be a Zamperla children's coaster. The first of its kind on the Gold Coast, the ride is expected to have a height of 4m (13ft) and length of 80m (262ft)

So I guess "at least it isn't a wacky worm" is the best thing to say here!

Looking at Zamperla's offering - 

http://www.zamperla.com/products/family-gravity-coaster/  matches these specs perfectly - which is an identical model to Adventure World (as indicated in the article).

I guess the only thing I can really say to that is...

The other coaster in the park is Dragon Express, an off-the-shelf kiddie coaster from Zamperla that feels like it was designed to put children off riding coasters at an early age. We were quite amused when the operator warned us that her ride was very rough, and that it would be better for me to sit to one side of the lap bar rather than across it. This proved to be a tactical error, as I managed to clobber my knee on the underside of the front of the car. I've never understood why so many of these rides have been sold, and I've got to say that this type of ride makes me question why I count my coasters!

(http://www.bannister.org/coasters/trips/2015/0209.htm#adventure_world_australia thanks Richard!)

[liz.wis]

That's a pretty disappointing looking coaster if that's what it's going to be.  My 6 year old would call it a 'baby ride', it looks more suitable for preschoolers than families.  

[Tim Dasco]

I live in WA. So I have ridden this loads of times. It is a very FAST coaster. preschoolers should not even be able to go on it. It is rough and fast. But the also have a head chopper element in it.

[iwerks]

More like back chopper - it's just plain mean.

[Zanstabar]

Just had a look at the video of the model provided on the Zamperla website and I gotta say, that looks rough. Some of those transitions look really quite abrupt and jerk the riders around. The review of Dragon Express doesn't bode too well for it either. It's almost as if this model is right in-between a Wacky Worm and a Roller Skater.  For a "multi-million dollar precinct", this is pretty disappointing. 

Let me just end this with a quick reminder to myself and others; enthusiasts aren't the target market. While we may not like the addition, the target audience may eat it up. I should have probably reserved judgement until I actually hear some kids speak about the ride.

 

Edit: Not trying to discredit your journalistic integrity, Richard, but what are the source/s that say that this new 'mini coaster' will be a Zamperla Family Gravity Coaster? I haven't heard anything other than our idle speculation and I'm honestly curious as to whether this has been official confirmed in some way

Edited June 22, 2015 by Zanstabar

[Richard]

Edit: Not trying to discredit your journalistic integrity, Richard, but what are the source/s that say that this new 'mini coaster' will be a Zamperla Family Gravity Coaster? I haven't heard anything other than our idle speculation and I'm honestly curious as to whether this has been official confirmed in some way

Initially RCDB confirmed the Zamperla ride -- Duane is pretty good when it comes to reliable sources and rarely gets it wrong.

Generally we don't spread information like this until we have either official confirmation or visual confirmation like construction photos -- if you're familiar with the Zamperla's simplistic layout you can piece it together from the rebar footing locations in the photos posted above.

If you're hoping I'm wrong for the sake of a better ride, do keep in mind that the park is referring to it as a mini roller coaster; if the park is talking it down, you know it's not going to be significant.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Richard

[Tim Dasco]

Let me just end this with a quick reminder to myself and others; enthusiasts aren't the target market. While we may not like the addition, the target audience may eat it up. I should have probably reserved judgement until I actually hear some kids speak about the ride.

I have ridden the one at AW when I was a kid and I still loved it. I remember going on it like 20 times in a row and we would play a game to see who got sick first. We ended up stopping due to getting board.

[Zanstabar]

Initially RCDB confirmed the Zamperla ride -- Duane is pretty good when it comes to reliable sources and rarely gets it wrong.

Generally we don't spread information like this until we have either official confirmation or visual confirmation like construction photos -- if you're familiar with the Zamperla's simplistic layout you can piece it together from the rebar footing locations in the photos posted above.

If you're hoping I'm wrong for the sake of a better ride, do keep in mind that the park is referring to it as a mini roller coaster; if the park is talking it down, you know it's not going to be significant.

I wasn't hoping you were wrong, I was just wondering about how this information came across. I hadn't heard anything from the press releases about the actual specifics of this coaster other than the initial speculation a couple of months back.

[grrofunger]

the kiddies love the Dragon Express at AW but yep, its extremely rough... such a violent little thing

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

*pauses to wait for all the facebook groups to claim 'exclusive' news on the ride type...

 

Honestly - if RCDB, and PARKZ are saying it, then I don't care if we haven't heard a 'whisper' from anyone else - those two independent sources are good enough for me!

[lolman123]

the coaster in the video looks very rough and jerky. I'm not going to judge until I actually see what SeaWorld put up though.

[dodge53]

Pics taken today

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Thanks for the pics Dodge.

I find it interesting that Dockside appears to be open for business. I'd have thought that they would have taken the opportunity to refurbish that at the same time, as well as to avoid guests dining on the upper balcony who would have a wonderful view of... rubble...

[Zanstabar]

I've never been to the Dockside. Is it looking a bit shabby? If anything I hope they deal with whats on the ground floor. From memory, wasn't it just a big open arcade with hardly games?

[XxMrYoshixX]

I have ridden the one at AW when I was a kid and I still loved it. I remember going on it like 20 times in a row and we would play a game to see who got sick first. We ended up stopping due to getting board.

Dragon Express is gold… it's called the back breaker for a reason.

 

If RCDB's claims that's its a Zamperla turn out to be true, Cyclone might have a run for its money. IMO the majority of Zamperla coasters are crap, from their kids coaster to the much loved Volare. Even the Thunderbolt at Coney Island is rough and it's just 1 year old.