Farewell Wonderland!

[ScReAMmachine!]

Well guys this is it... at 5pm today the gates will close on Wonderland Sydney forever. It was a long time in the making, following many rumors the end is here. Farewell Wonderland!!

[mikrowave]

Goodbye Wonderland - you'll be missed...

[Daniel]

Many a good memory of that place. Made some of my closest friends at that joint. The good times definitely outweighed the bad. You couldn't have asked for a better bunch of people to work with. For that, I thank them. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a ticket to go there today and I wasn't paying to get in. Bugger that.

[Jaggie]

Im only going to say one thing, not in the mood at the moment to type a final farwell though Wonderland Farwell and Goodbye I will miss you :-(

[Flea]

I spent the day there today with Clint (DJ Rappa) & Andrew. Surprisingly, I'm not as sad as I thought I would be. The atmosphere at the park was brilliant, entertainment was even existant (some little kids show & a few dancers). Before the gates opened for the day, there was a M-C getting the crowd to scream and such. Anyway, now to the good bit... Clint, Andrew & I decided to try to get the last ever ride on Bush Beast. So we hung around the queue from 4-5pm. I was becoming more nervous as 5pm approached, as I was quite convinced that we would not get the last ride. So we all made a deal to ensure the last ride - we would all pay the op's $20. Thankfully, the line was closed off at 5pm, so we just placed ourselfs at the back of the queue. The last ride was insane, I think Clint will be better explaining how great it was I got a guy to take a picture of us in the train, will post that later. Farewell Wonderland! Liam

[Slick]

Wish I was there............ One word for you Wonderland, grrrr..... Why? It sounds cool, and so were you, even though i never was able to visit, i used to go past you twice a weekend.....

[zordmaker]

My trip back to Wonderland on Saturday Night was a trade with my wife.. I had to promise that I wouldnt go back again that I wouldnt go back after that. And so I went out of town to do a Job on Sunday Morning and didnt get back until 7 tonight. At approximately 5:10pm I stopped the truck on the side of the road and waited with tears as I allowed 1 minutes silence to go by, realising that it would almost certainly be the time when the last train was riding over BB. Im still dissapointed and angry though, and would ask all of you to consider writing a letter to Blacktown Council even if you think its a total waste of time. Weirded things have happened before. If enough people speak, things do happen. Now onto other things.. I guess most of you noticed how the trim brake at the top of the 2nd drop on BB had been wound fully on over the past week, meaning that the train now completely stopped there before decending. It wasnt like that on Easter Monday. Waiting in line for all those BB rides gave me a good chance to look over the old thing and yes I agree.. it is rooted. But in my opinion thats when they're at their best, and I will always remember my many last rides over the past few weeks. Has anyone noticed how the whole building moves when a fully loaded train comes in and hits the final brake? The track in the station jumps forward about 6 inches. Saturday Night was indeed "insane", with probably more than 50% of BB riders joining the line again and again and again. There were some great cheer moments when the trains passed each other, and an almighty roar when they got the lift working again after it stalled, and an even greater roar when the "stranded" train finally made its way back. I hope that someone buys the fittings and maybe builds another Big Woodie somewhere in Australia. It will be such a shame to lose it. Unlike the Demon (etc), Woodies are such a relaxing and enjoyable ride, anyone can do it again and again and again. Keep in mind the Blacktown Council thing. Even if they only keep the Beach.. it would be something more than nothing. ZordMaker

[joz]

Do they have a website? (Council?)

[Daniel]

The whole track also moves, I mean moved, when the train stops, oh sorry stopped, in the backcurve trim brake too. Feel it give you a good shunt. Blacktown Council

[Flea]

Now onto other things.. I guess most of you noticed how the trim brake at the top of the 2nd drop on BB had been wound fully on over the past week, meaning that the train now completely stopped there before decending. It wasnt like that on Easter Monday.

Completely the opposite today. The train pretty much flew right through the trim, there was only a slight "tap". It was the fastest I've ever seen it running (yet it still delivered little air!)

[zordmaker]

Blacktown Council

Put it on paper guys.. these local pollies don't even have a computer, let alone know how to use it. Im going to do mine this week to each alderman personally. Put down that: 1.) You would like a portion of the Wonderland site to remain used as a recreational facility and not be zoned industrial. 2.) You want Blacktown Council to recommend to ING that the un-moveable assets (eg The Beach, Bush Beast, Snowy River at least) be retained and restored by ING in return for carving up and rezoning the rest of the park for industrial. 3.) Ramble on about how there is no other facility in Blacktown (or Sydney for that matter). Just a few ideas. If you're really feeling pissed off then hit the local and Sydney editorial papers as well. ZordMaker

[Nightshifter]

after a decision made the night before, i went with friends to wonderland sydney for the final day, how exciting it is was to attend. we got their nice and early with only a few hundred people already there. i got my ticket and waited with friends at the front gate. the park started to pick up with a minyte to go the staff stood at the front gate and then on the mic they said: "welcome to the very last day of won derland Sydney!, (followed by cheers) have a great day!" We went in ran to the rides and made the demon, then space probe with no queue at all. We then made the pirate ship with a slight queue at the time. WE waited for gold rush to open and ran to the bush beast. Both trains in operation with 5 staff members working the ride, the queue for the second ride on the bush beast hit the sign of the bush beast. i still queued but within 40 min we made the ride, which was fairly fast. we also made another ride. The river rampage was moderate at the time and thean got really really busy, the helicopters were going off and the crowds fgot larger, the staff rode the rides and took cameras on the rides and filmes everywhere. Some tears were shed and hugs were given. we made the dodgems twice zodiac and every ride that mattered. By 1:00 the park was at the peak of the crowds with very large crowds at the demon which we queued for over and hour for where the line hit way past the demon manor. the space probe queue was outside but there was no queue in the tunnel. The ride operator wore space probe suits and forced customers to run threw the tunnels and quickly sit down and the psecial effects were great with smoke everywhere. it was great to see the staff were enjoying themselves. I went on the demon seeing my friend working at the demon manor managing free on ride photos of both the demon and space probe. she said that theres a staff party as you all are aware of and that its planned to be great. All staffv got paid double time and a half which is i think about $22, which is great for doing nothing. Today was the buisiset the park has ever been before with over 20 000 people this time. It was crazy but staff mananged the rides very quickly. Theres a guy that put up a sign saying that i was here in 1985 when the park opened and stayed here every day for 18 years. it was crazy he had statistics like bush beast i rode 18 923 times and other ridiculous counts. The atmosphere was great and the park was swarming with happy people sad at the same time, the park hit 5pm but the rides didnt close till about 6pm when i rode my final ride. The shops were crazy with very large sales from 50% to all items at $2 each. Of course some memorabila was bought by me but it was crazy with over a thousnad people cramed in the shop. What a great day, it was the best, i will miss u wonderland sydney, i will always remember you, ciao and all the best.

[Flea]

Today certainly was not the busiest it has ever been before. I would recount that 20k figure if I was you Shifty - Saturday night was much more crowded than today and I doubt the numbers hit over 20k. 5 ride operators on Bush Beast? There was no more than 2 there the whole day, you might've mistaken the rest for TV Crew/supervisors The sign which Kevin printed out is my avatar - I will post the larger version later tonight.

[rappa]

Okay shifty were you at the same park as me? We headed down for the Goldrush opening...there was hardly any wait for BB and we actualy stayed on a few rides...it didn't get busy for at least an hour down there. We also hit snowy after Goldrush being opened for about an hour and it had maybe a 10min wait tops...it was SOAKING everyone though :-p Now the park was no where near the numbers you sugested...do you pull these out of your arse or what? It was lucky to be anything more than a normal weekend type attendance, not that hugely busy at all. I agree it was great to see Matt in the old Probe suit and it was much easier to get on probe if you simply went in the exit line or just re-rode through the pre show door :-) Yes it was Kevin who put up that sign. The numbers are way out though, it was like 8000 not 18 for BB. The shop did get pretty nuts but I wouldn't say a thousand people in there...great to hear they paid the staff well, they sure deserved it! Why didnt you say hello shifty?? What ride did you ride last? ...I know Snowy looked to have a long que from atop BB

[joz]

Good to hear everyone had a good day at the park. Almost made me wish I'd taken another flight down there to check it out one last time. Just one thing, the staff would have been paid double time and a half because of the public holiday wouldn't they? EDIT: Just wanted too point out that I was the last one to make a post about Wonderland on the last day it was open :cool:

[rappa]

Yeah I forgot to mention the trim, or lack of it. The beast was ripping through that track today, it was great. And yes I too noticed the track moving and the whole building shaking when a train stopped! It really seemed to me today mgmt. did everything they could to get the park running at its best. All the rides working right and fast with the right staff, was great to see.

[Jaggie]

Here is the sign that Kevin putnup just on the wall of the Demon Manor after you exit the Demon. This man is an absolute champion. Since the park opened he has come every SINGLE day since Deceber 7th 1985. Kevin was disabled and Wonderland was his life. The place made him so happy just like many other locals, he knew all the staff and it was the sadest thing to see him in tears yesterday afternoon whilst walking out the exit gate. Every morning on my mums way to work exactly at 8:45 he would be walking along the side of the road where Wonderland stands. He walks all the way from Rooty Hill Station. Today Kevin will wake up and have no Wonderland to make him happy. I think Daniel, Bussy ir Scared of Jack can elaborate more on Kevin. I think this was such a sad thing that his pride and joy closed. I was in tears when i had one last look back into the park yesterday at 6pm. I went there practically every weekend, sure it's going to be a massive hole left in my life but kevin's life.......... Anyway here is the sign he posted up..

[Nightshifter]

im sorry, but i would say hello if i knew what you looked like, i could say the same about you. You didnt say hello to me, i ran into someone on the pirate ship, but im not sure it sounded like he was from here. He had a friend next to him and told us to sing a song whilst riding the ride. it was funny. just seeing if it was someone here. and yes i did exaggerate a lot of the numbers im sorry but i was just to excited, it did however make the report more exciting.

[Bussy]

Keep in mind the Blacktown Council thing. Even if they only keep the Beach.. it would be something more than nothing.

2.) You want Blacktown Council to recommend to ING that the un-moveable assets (eg The Beach, Bush Beast, Snowy River at least) be retained and restored by ING in return for carving up and rezoning the rest of the park for industrial.

Zord, mate it's over. No matter how many letters they get it won't change the decision. The reason is simple. It makes financial sense to have a business park. The Beach being unmovable? Slides can be easily dismantled and moved, the only thing would be the two pools. Do you think that the council would keep two, let’s face it, crappy pools in the middle of an industrial estate and at the intersection of two of Sydney’s major roads?

Both trains in operation with 5 staff members working the ride

Here we go again, Shifty. What you saw was in all probability the ride operator, the unloader, a supervisor and two maintenance staff. After a few cycles all but the first two people on that list would have left the ride.

she said that theres a staff party as you all are aware of and that its planned to be great. All staffv got paid double time and a half which is i think about $22, which is great for doing nothing.

Finally Shifty got something right! Yes staff were paid double time and a half but for only one reason, it was a public holiday. As for it being $22 an hour, unless they are about 15 the pay is way more that $8.80 an hour. I just re-read Shifty's post, do you mean that the staff were going to be getting paid for the party?

Today was the buisiset the park has ever been before with over 20 000 people this time. It was crazy but staff mananged the rides very quickly.

Again Shifty, there was no where near 20,000 people in the park on Monday, the whole weekend attendance was about that but defiantly not one day. The largest attendance at Wonderland Sydney was on December 1st 2003, the CFMEU picnic day which say 16,600 people in the park on that day. Jaggie I can elaborate on Kevin. He didn't go to the park every day, he always had Thursday off to go shopping and usually another day, Monday or Tuesday. When Sega World was open he would go there a few days a week and go the Wonderland the rest of the week. As some of you know and some of you may have guessed (It will take me a while to adjust to using the past tense about Wonderland) I was an employee of Wonderland. I worked in the Attractions (rides) department for several years. Yesterday was a very sad day for me and all (most anyway) staff. The party after was great. "The Bus is now leaving for Farewell Beacon Victoria"

[Richard]

For what it's worth, back in 1992 at a Halloween event at the park there were 23,000 in the place, so last year's Union picnic doesn't hold the record.

[T-bone]

Id just like to say Farewell Wonderland and that your memories will always remain insde of me.

[joz]

Well, I did contact blacktown council, and got an answer rather quickly. I won't post the whole e-mail, however I will post this peice, which I beleive is relevant in this conversation:

....the private sale of the any site in the City is not under the control of any government (believe me I wish it was in this circumstance). While your concerns about the loss of the park are valid, the statutory authority for the rezoning of the land from tourism land to industrial land is now  a N.S.W. State Government matter. It appears that they will allow the rezoning of the land to industrial, causing a profitable wind fall for the new owners ING who will subdivide it for industrial use. I would recommend you contact the State Minister for Tourism, the State Minister for Planning and the Minister for Western Sydney who appear to be supporting the rezoning and the loss of valuable theme park / tourism land from the area.

Futile perhaps, but thats your best plan of attack. Balls in your court guys (esp. you guys in NSW, just don't tell them your under voting age if you are).

[rappa]

Glad the party was good bus... did they fire up the park for you guys?? So now all is gone in terms of jobs and the risk of losing them, who are all you secret WL employees past or present?

[Bussy]

Ummmm no! All the ride operators were drinking and there seems to be a law against operating machinery while under the influence of alcohol. Richard where did you get that figure from? "The Bus is now leaving for Figure 8 Pool, NSW"

[rappa]

LOL Well I figured as much but there was much talk of you guys being gonna hit the rides so I wasn't sure...