Movie World speculation and dreaming - 2015 edition

[BNErider]

I don't know how much $10,000 would build - but probably not a lot. Paint, a bit of carpentry and some other works for our media room was about $3,000...

I'd say $30,000 (roughly speaking) would build a few smaller facades and some nice tress and pathways.

(I actually have no idea about costings though, except for my limited experience of late)

[Zanstabar]

$10,000,000?

Ten. Million. Dollars? in THEMING? (I'm sure you mean $10,000 or $100,000 right?)

I ws using the $10,000,000 as an example of how this update wouldn't cost the same as a major addition to the park (e.g Justice League). I can see how you became a little confused. Bad comprehension on my part?

I would say $10,000 would make a noticeable difference.... $100,000 would put some of the technical people at VRTP into a 'kid in a candy store' situation that would really give us some "wow"... I'd probably throw that much at JDS and make it look much better \ more real first though.

I wonder how much some of the work by Sculpt Studios costs the park. I would love to see them get the studio to fabricate a main facade and some set pieces, especially after seeing some of their work on Justice League and Tokyo Disneysea. Maybe they could make the facade of the queue and the main entry hall of the ride appear in a similar vain to Grand Central Station or Chicago's Union Station. 

Surely some good facades and maybe one or two interior sets shouldn't cost too much, but would $10,000 cut it?

 

I'd love to see VRTP throw money at one attraction each year on a "whether it needs it or not" basis just to let the guys behind the scenes come up with ideas on how to 'make it better'. This would see a cycle of continuous improvement go throughout the park. I'm not talking millions - maybe only 100k a year or something outside the current maintenance \ refresh regime.

I think this is going to be one of the very few times that you and I agree with each other. I would love to see each ride be given some individual attention every now and again. I wouldn't be expecting a grandiose improvement, but for them to look at what could benefit the experience with newer technologies and processes. 

[BNErider]

Surely some good facades and maybe one or two interior sets shouldn't cost too much, but would $10,000 cut it?

Keep in mind, the company would probably want quite a bit of $$$ just to design the facade/s. Plus other fees.

I would say construction alone (no design, legal fees etc) would be upwards of $20,000-30,000.

[Levithian]

Theming is notoriously expensive, as in you can spend many millions on top of the ride initial cost on additional theming. I reckon it would come down to someone saying the cost vs benefit isn't there. People already riding at capacity, why spend bulk money on things which are essentially considered cosmetic.

the running costs for a major ride like superman or arkham must be massive too. No doubt there is a major case of bean counters doing the math. Forget about the labour hours to service and maintain, but the amount of components that would be replaced as a matter of preventative maintenance would be enormous. These parts tend to be supplied direct from the manufacturer too in order to maintain compliance, not so much outsourced local companies. So parts alone must represent a massive annual budget.

I cant even imagine what it must cost to replace the chain on the lift hill at arkham. The links have got to be a half inch thick steel and bigger than your hand.

[joz]

I'd be pretty shocked if they got away with building new facades for under a  few hundred thousand, and really if they're going to spend that much on the ride I'd like to see them buy a 3rd train so they always have 2 available to use.  

 

$10,000?  You might be able to get a bit of the low hanging stuff, but creativity aside, you wouldn't even notice if they spent $10,000 on that ride.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

for $10k - what i meant was the easy fixes that were already suggested, to make it less beige room and more subway station - like painting the pillars in that odd copper green colour. Doing something with the walls so they too aren't plain beige. These things wouldn't cost a lot, but would be a VERY noticeable difference the first time you saw them.

Lethal's old 'graffiti wall' would fit right in in a subway station too.

I'm sure there's a lot tech services could do with $100k though... and with the film school thing next door, how hard would it be to get them to design and build stuff as a major project that would be usable within the park? (and cost nothing)

[jjuttp]

Well it would help if NYFA did a set dressing component in one of their courses.

 

https://www.nyfa.edu.au/locations/gold-coast.php#courses

[Theme Park Girl]

Noticed a couple of cosmetic changes around MW earlier today. The little unused shack/booth thing they had outside the toilets near the entrance (in front of where you purchase ride photos) has been completely removed. The area is currently sectioned off with dividers.

Also, the white, bullet ridden Bonnie & Clyde car that has sat outside the bank since the park's opening days has disappeared. No idea where they have moved it to, but didn't see it anywhere whilst walking around main street, so may even have been removed altogether  Unless maybe it has been moved temporarily in prep for Fright Nights?

 

[Reanimated35]

It will be used in one of the mazes at fright night.

[Zanstabar]

Photo from The Theme Park Social Network.

Looks like they might be trying to widen up the available space towards the entry, making it a little less crowded.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

"Unused shack\booth thing" ? is this the drink\popcorn\chips outlet themed as a Newspaper stand?

Since when was it "unused" ? for as long as i've been going (albeit not for a while) that's always been the first outlet open as it was the only one accessible prior to 'rope drop'...

On another note - I know we bagged the shit out of the parks previously for having plain hoarding fencing - which apparently prompted them to use this green 'hedge' overlay on all of their temp fencing... but it doesn't even fit the fence panels anymore, is applied carelessly, and looks like they don't care \ treat their guests with contempt.

I know it's at a greater cost to do so - but they'd be better off rolling out a mesh-vinyl print of each park's 'home characters' - Justice League, Scooby Doo... even the 'movie star' characters... Nickelodeon \ Dolphins etc - even just park logos and promotional photos in a fun collage would be nicer than trying to pretend in any way that these fences are 'just a hedge'.

Don't make them so specific they can only be used once - make them fairly generic whilst still capitalising on the park's imagery... sure you'll have to replace them if you lose the licensing to that particular IP but that doesn't happen everyday... (not to mention character specific hoarding is a great backdrop for character photos in-park!)

I'm not saying you've got to go all 'disney' and individually wrap each and every hoarding in the exact imagery of what is or was once behind it... but this hedge crap is getting a bit of a joke these days...

(Here's how Disney hoards a castle. Also worth noting they do the EXACT same thing with Main Street buildings etc)

 

Edited July 22, 2015 by AlexB

[MaxxTheMonster]

The newstand was open when we went June 25 but didn't see it open again after that...  Bit annoying as it was a great place and the last chance to get popcorn or softdrink refills as you left the park...  Now you have to head up main street to the ice cream parlour or bakery which are already packed most of the day as the only other eatery open in the afternoon is the Dirty Harry Bar...

[Zanstabar]

The newstand was open when we went June 25 but didn't see it open again after that...  Bit annoying as it was a great place and the last chance to get popcorn or softdrink refills as you left the park...  Now you have to head up main street to the ice cream parlour or bakery which are already packed most of the day as the only other eatery open in the afternoon is the Dirty Harry Bar...

I wonder if MW will overhaul their food and beverage offerings shortly. It's pretty bad if you can't just get a simple drink refill at a place that isn't one of the major food outlets.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

It wasn't so bad back in the day of the Stars Cafe - but since that has lain derelict for so long - they really should do something with that space.... or reopen it as an outlet - even if it's only a quick counter service takeaway... hell popcorn and postmix would do... just do SOMETHING

[Slick]

but it doesn't even fit the fence panels anymore, is applied carelessly, and looks like they don't care \ treat their guests with contempt.

 

 

I got your back bro.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

[Slick]

Hahaha, well played.

[themagician]

[AllegroCrab]

"Either bring the product back to Sea World or Warner Bros. Movie World to get a refund OR safely dispose of the batteries and the figurines and contact Village Roadshow Theme Parks to arrange a full refund of the purchase price paid."

- OR just pretend to dispose of them and call VRTP for a full refund. Free LED Figurines!

[Brad2912]

Hopefully most people have some integrity and won't take advantage of MW's goodwill in this case. 

[Theme Park Girl]

Surely you'd still have to provide them with a receipt as proof of purchase to get a refund? Regardless of whether you've kept the figurine or not? 

[Brad2912]

Really who would keep a receipt for a LED little figure?

[Theme Park Girl]

True that. I dunno ???

[Theme Park Girl]

Just a little update on MW, more construction work going on atm.... they have been digging up the concrete in front of the Dirty Harry bar where the outdoor seating used to be. Ideas on why? One thing's for sure, they are making quite an impressive mess in there lol....

Seems they have given up on the novelty of handing out free licenses for kids visiting the Driving School. They have completely removed all the photo booths at the entrance...

And they are making good progress on the new paper stand/kiosk thing at the front of the park:

 

 

[Brad2912]

plumbing or electrical work possibly looking at the scattered excavation holes in the ground