Major Rides Shut at Coast Theme Park (WBMW article)

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I don't believe single day admission was that much cheaper before they installed Green Lantern - so really - the price is the same as it was - they were just getting an extra ride than usual when GL was operating...

[bladex]

mw are the new dw LOL

[Jobe]

I don't believe single day admission was that much cheaper before they installed Green Lantern - so really - the price is the same as it was - they were just getting an extra ride than usual when GL was operating...

​That's a fair point but in this instance I think its largely irrelevant.

 

This basically comes down to public perception. If a major ride is closed and 2 others are shut down for scheduled maintenance then the average punter ( not enthusiasts like us ) will see this as being a reduction in the parks offering. The value factor of the park has just been down graded, in their eyes.

Most people would not care or even know,  if the entry price was the same when Green Lantern was introduced ( and of course there has now been a significant passage of time from this event) - all they are going to see is that they now have to pay full price for a park which currently has 3 major attractions closed. Of course they are then going to ask the question "Are they getting value for money?"

To me, it would be a natural reaction from a normal "once a year" visitor to the GC themeparks to view this situation with these feelings and express a little dissatisfaction.

Two other very good points in this discussion have been raised. 

I certainly agree with JulieLovis that it certainly appears that management at Movie World appear to simply not care. If they did , they would certainly be doing something to temper the source of this dissatisfaction by offering customers either a price reduction or an incentive to re-visit the park, just as Richard suggested with the VIP upgrade.

This point is further supported by Joz's information that Aussie World are offering discounted day tickets for virtually the same situation that Movie World is now in.

Which Park do you think that the public would see as better value or the one that shows respect for its customer base?

Its certainly not Movie World at this current time........

Richards point that if the media are running articles on how badly your business is running, then you are probably doing something wrong is absolutely a business truism. As the old saying goes, where there is smoke there is fire........

I certainly hope that MovieWorld do not ignore this feedback and that they view this as an opportunity to re-engage with the public and maybe garner some goodwill out of a unfortunate situation. If it was MY business, its the path i would be taking.

I certainly predict that if the status quo remains, then Dreamworld tickets will experience a spike in popularity..........if Dreamworld management are canny, they will review their own operations and ensure that their offering is far superior to Movieworld's in order to gain leverage out of this situation for their own advantage. They have a real opportunity here, if only they will grasp it with both hands......

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2015 by Jobe

[Santa07]

“Not only is it $10 for a drink but a lady told me she waited in line for half an hour, so I didn’t bother,” she said.

GUYS THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE QUEUES ARE HALF AN HOUR LONG. I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM THAT LONG THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG.

[westical]

Half an hour to purchase a drink is disgraceful.

[Brad2912]

Even on a sold out Fright Nights it doesn't take 30mins to get food.

there are drink carts all over the park where you can get a drink within 3 minutes 

[Richard]

I'm sure I've waited ~15 minutes back in the days when they'd have 3-4 main outlets running. They're now down to two and one of these is closed, so 30 minute waits doesn't seem that implausible.

There's the old service adage. Pick any two: fast, quality and cheap. VRTP right now seem to be scoring 0 from three...

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

i don't really get that quote - it seems like a person with a lack of punctuation skills. I feel like $10 for a drink was one comment, and 30 minute wait (for what exactly we don't know) was another totally unrelated comment. 

Who in their right mind would line up for 30 minutes just to buy a drink? ? ? At any rate - it's hearsay - the person making the comment was told by someone else that they had waited 30 minutes.... for whatever it was that they waited for... 

I definitely think Movie World are taking a wrong tack with their current approach... but happy to sit back and see what happens once we enter the new financial year.... things may change on 1 July...

[ScienticianLady]

We went on the Sunday of the recent long weekend - it was very, very busy and with limited rides and food outlets we did leave in a bit of a huff. I know winter is the low season but surely the long weekend would be taken into account? I can understand they might be rushing maintenance to be finished by the upcoming school holidays. 

[razza1987]

VTRP should never have closed Looney Tunes Caves and Bermuda Triangle. Especially if they weren't going to replace them with new rides. Though wtf is justice league 4d?

[themagician]

^they did replace those rides. Junior Driving school and storm and are in their place. Justice league is like a laser tag ride, where you sit in cars and get taken along a track as you shoot at objects.

[Theme Park Girl]

Though wtf is justice league 4d?

A great family attraction. It may not entirely appeal me personally, or to our age/target group overall (ie. thrillseeking adults) but it's the only full ride at Movieworld that an entire family can go on simultaneously, due to its low height requirement.

My 5 year old absolutely loves it, it's his favourite ride. 

Edited June 14, 2015 by OceanGirl

[Zanstabar]

A great family attraction. It may not entirely appeal me personally, or to our age/target group overall (ie. thrillseeking adults) but it's the only full ride at Movieworld that an entire family can go on simultaneously, due to its low height requirement.

My 5 year old absolutely loves it, it's his favourite ride. 

​Couldn't agree more. I am a huge adrenaline junkie, and I still love JL for what it is. If i've just gone for lunch or if it's really stinking hot, I'll just go ride JL. It's not a bad ride, it's just not an "E-Ticket" IMHO. Does this mean I don't like it? Hell no! It's always a fun ride when you can spot out some of the DC references scattered throughout or maybe just even beat your own high-score. A lot of my friends (who aren't enthusiasts, I might add) love JL because it's fun and thrilling, but it's not extreme. 

i don't really get that quote - it seems like a person with a lack of punctuation skills. I feel like $10 for a drink was one comment, and 30 minute wait (for what exactly we don't know) was another totally unrelated comment. 

Who in their right mind would line up for 30 minutes just to buy a drink? ? ? At any rate - it's hearsay - the person making the comment was told by someone else that they had waited 30 minutes.... for whatever it was that they waited for... 

I definitely think Movie World are taking a wrong tack with their current approach... but happy to sit back and see what happens once we enter the new financial year.... things may change on 1 July...

​I hope that something does change. With the current rate that DW is going at, I'll be really bummed out if MW just suddenly starts to slip back even further. Competition is always a good thing, especially in the theme park sector. I'm sure if DW didn't exist, then this behaviour from MW would be considered normal, or maybe even worse. I just look to their future with bright-eyes and hope that someone is reviewing the way that the park is being run and picks up on what is making them fall behind. 

[razza1987]

^they did replace those rides. Junior Driving school and storm and are in their place. Justice league is like a laser tag ride, where you sit in cars and get taken along a track as you shoot at objects.

It sounds like Buzz Lightyear at Disneyworld. I had so much fun on that lol

[Xexon]

Nearly every time I've been to movieworld at least one ride has broken down during the day, sometimes multiple times. There's even a sign put on scooby doo saying that we may have to evacuate you and you'll need to walk down stairs. Movieworld has some great rides... when they open.

[Brad2912]

Nearly every time I've been to movieworld at least one ride has broken down during the day, sometimes multiple times. There's even a sign put on scooby doo saying that we may have to evacuate you and you'll need to walk down stairs. Movieworld has some great rides... when they open.

Most rides with elevated exits have the sign. It's not because the ride regularly breaks down, it's because IF something went wrong, you need to be able to be evacuated from a high Postion, meaning walking down stairs to exit. 

It's all fine being 'fit' enough to get on the ride, but if you can't navigate a few flights of stairs, then yours, and potentially others safety is at risk.

[ScienticianLady]

It sounds like Buzz Lightyear at Disneyworld. I had so much fun on that lol

It is similar - but the cars don't spin. I found the buzz light year one a lot more fun. But the JL one is still okay. 

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

today at Movie World

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

I also popped into Dreamworld today as well,

Escape From Madagascar - Closed 

Zombie Evilution - Closed (didn't even say anything on its maintenance page saying if it was open or closed at all which I think that's BS) and it's gonna open as a Screamworld exclusive as a maze again! Yay! (Said no one ever)

 

 

 

 

[Santa07]

today at Movie World

​That's so sad...

[pushbutton]

Here's my attempt at a more reasonable re-write of that article:

 

"

ADRENALIN junkies are finding it hard to get their fix at Movie World, with half the park’s thrillseeker rides out of action.

A few of the rides at Movie World have unfortunately been out of operation lately.

The closures have sparked criticism, with some patrons saying they should have been warned before paying big entrance fees to the theme park.

Thankfully though, other rides are still open and there are a wide range of shows and character appearances throughout each day ensuring patrons are still able to enjoy a fun-filled day out!

Parkgoers were already waiting to hear what would happen with the popular Green Lantern ride which stopped operating in March after a breakdown and now Arkham Asylum is offline for maintenance until late June.

The popular Green Lantern ride is currently closed whilst technicians ensure its safety, following an incident in March where a few people were stuck on the ride when it stopped unexpectedly. Arkham Asylum is also closed due to normal annual maintenance.

Superman Escape and Justice League 3D were also down for repairs during the recent long weekend and later this month Yosemite Sam’s Train will be out of action.

During the recent long weekend, Superman Escape and Justice League 3D were also closed for a short time for unexpected repairs. However they have since reopened.

Brisbane truck driver Danny Windahl, 24, said the line-ups and ride quality could see him picking a Dreamworld pass next year instead.

Brisbane truck driver Danny Windahl, 24, said he was considering a Dreamworld pass next year instead of a Village Roadshow VIP pass.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO A THEME PARK LATELY? HOW WAS IT? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS

Mikaela Ryan, 22, and Matt Gear, 21, were not pleased they only managed to get on three rides after paying almost $80 each to get in the gates. They were unaware that locals can purchase an annual pass which offers unlimited access to not only Movie World, but also Sea World and Wet ‘n’ Wild for an entire year. Often the cost of these passes is less than the cost of a single day entry to one of these parks.

Another customer, Ms Ryan, said “Two rides were closed and we haven’t been able to go on them before. Even the Superman ride was shut down for a bit today, so there weren’t many options.”

A mother of two, who declined to be named, said she faced long lines and few options after paying $250 to take her family to Movie World.

One patron expressed dissatisfaction with her perceived lack of warning that rides were closed. However, there are clear signs at the entrance which show which rides are not operating, allowing people to make informed decisions on whether or not to enter.

In a statement to the Bulletin, Movie World highlighted the importance of safety.

“The safety and wellbeing of our guests at Warner Bros. Movie World is our highest priority and maintenance is an essential part of ensuring the ongoing safety of our attractions,” Movie World said.

“ ... unscheduled attraction closures may occur intermittently but every effort is made to have these attractions reopened as soon as possible.”

The shutdown issues came as Movie World customers expressed their disappointment about the end of the VIP gold pass as well which allowed park entry plus access into White Christmas, Fright Night and Carnival events.

Fred Bloggs, 31, of Loganholme, said he was thrilled with the range of entertainment and fun at Movie World, despite a few of the rides being closed. “Where else can you pay such a small price, and get unlimited access to so much fun and entertainment at 5 major theme parks for a whole year?” Mr Bloggs remarked.

Mr & Mrs Wilson took their 2 young daughters, aged 7 and 10, to Movie World, and said “We have travelled to theme parks in several countries, but overall nowhere really comes close to the Gold Coast, and Movie World is our favourite of all the theme parks here!”

For a small additional charge, it is expected that annual pass holders will once again be able to also gain free entry to the parks White Christmas, Fright Night, and Carnivale events, as they have in previous years.

At nearby Dreamworld, the Escape from Madagascar ride is out of action for annual maintenance.

Beach Break Bay has also been closed at Sea World to allow for a new multi-million dollar kids precinct to be built in its place.

Each year, the Gold Coasts theme parks continue to invest millions of dollars to create new attractions. Sea World has recently opened their “Creatures of the Deep” family attraction, and is currently building a brand new childrens rides area within the park. Likewise, Dreamworld is also about to open a brand new kids area."

 

[Ranger Dude]

today at Movie World

I think you'll find the park themselves are probably very unhappy about the current state of affairs too, but there's not a great deal that can be done about it. The problem they have right now is that the impressive rides aren't diverting attention from the current culture of blatant commercialism, inefficient operations, poor service and in-park price gouging to fund the cheap VIP Passes.

[MaxxTheMonster]

today at Movie World

As a side note the taz bumpers were also closed for annual maintenance and scooby was open after the parade...  Not sure what time it opened.

[grrofunger]

today at Movie World

​

the sign should just say dont bother coming in today

[Brad2912]

As a side note the taz bumpers were also closed for annual maintenance and scooby was open after the parade...  Not sure what time it opened.

Taz bumpers have been closed for months and months.