Just now, Brad2912 said:

Except you are in a volcano instead of a subway station, and on a boat instead of a train. But yeah, I agree, the differences are minor... 

There becomes a point where spending money to fix something becomes a lot less viable than replacing it.

If the motor dies in my 10 year old car, I can replace the motor or spend not much more and get a new car that will last me 10+ more years rather than a few extra. If upgrading my car also brings about positive press and hype that increases people coming to my house to check out my new car, making me money, I end up in the black. 

 

Very true, still wish they kept it though

6 hours ago, Intimidator305. said:

I went to Sea World when I was a lot younger and actually enjoyed it over Dreamworld and Movieworld. It had so many rides, rides that I loved, and then those thrilling rides like Corkscrew and Bermuda that I dreamed of riding. But then I came back years later and was disappointed. I completed everything worth doing in half a day. There were not many rides left at all. The park felt way smaller. It had gone from a massive park that I regarded incredibly high for the atmosphere and rides, to a small park with little rides, almost like a little stop on the way to the bigger GC parks..

 

^ This

I think the problem is that no one who is with VRTP really get what made Sea World a good park when it was at its peak, it was that good mix of attractions the park had.  Since they don't get why it's good they can't see the parks potential.  It has never been the first choice for thrill rides (nor should it be really), but it traditionally has had a good enough ride collection that those who go to theme parks for rides aren't left disappointed.  Now the ride collection is disappointing as rides have been removed without replacement, the shows have been cut and cut until we get to the point now where Jet Stunt Extreme goes for 10 unentertaining mins, the audio is so bad in the Seal Stadium that you can't understand it, and the Dolphin Show really fails to sell Sea World's message of the care for the animals and serious conservation issues, and given how much heat Sea World has been under from the poorly informed Facebook brigade, that seems like a message worth hammering home. 

 

Now we're staring down the barrel of 2 attractions closing without replacement, one of them being one of the most popular family rides on the Gold Coast.  But it's OK though, they built a new roof lately.  Phew!

 

The park will never be the thrill ride capital of the Gold Coast, nor should it be really.  But it does need 1 or 2 BIG thrill rides, and 3 or 4 family rides.  Not kiddie rides mind you, family rides.  Rides that appeal to people of all ages, with very low height requirements.  What sort of rides?  Well a flume ride ticks a lot of those boxes.  There are a lot of combinations of rides that would work, when I made my proposal I went with a MACK launch coaster, Spinning Coaster, and shooting dark ride as a way to restore the parks balance, with a view to also adding a big night time show.  Lots of combinations could work, (although I think a drop ride is a total waste of time on the Gold Coast with Giant Drop just down the road). 

 

I think they need to lay off the animal attractions for a bit, if you want to see animals on the Gold Coast, you're going to Sea World.  They already totally own that market.  I'd like to see a few different animal attractions open at Sea World in the future, but the balance needs to be corrected first.  That means a new intermediate thrill ride (something on the same level as Doomsday/Pirate ship), a new family ride (replacement flume or Vekoma Madhouse, or better yet both in a new themed area) and a new big thrill ride (something to take over Corkscrew's role as the big impressive coaster in the park).  Then you can add animal attractions and have them make a difference, but right now, it's a shell of a park that has a lot of potential, which is being dashed at every opportunity.

 

Incidentally, if they do demolish the castle, get the projector from the 3D cinema over to WnW and do nightly Dive in Movies in Summer again. 

Well said @joz !

2 hours ago, joz said:

The park will never be the thrill ride capital of the Gold Coast, nor should it be really.  But it does need 1 or 2 BIG thrill rides, and 3 or 4 family rides.  Not kiddie rides mind you, family rides.  Rides that appeal to people of all ages, with very low height requirements.  What sort of rides?  Well a flume ride ticks a lot of those boxes.  There are a lot of combinations of rides that would work, when I made my proposal I went with a MACK launch coaster, Spinning Coaster, and shooting dark ride as a way to restore the parks balance, with a view to also adding a big night time show.  Lots of combinations could work, (although I think a drop ride is a total waste of time on the Gold Coast with Giant Drop just down the road). 

I think that's exactly what SW needs. I think a Mack launch like Manta at SW San Diego would be perfect. As for a spinner, something like Sidewinder at Knotts would be great, but theme it to an octopus or something that spins around. As for the shooter dark ride, Iron Reef again at Knotts would be great! I'd also like to see a soarin' type ride take over the Theatre. I'm not too sure if the kids & family's still love it, but I personally think it's old and needs to be replaced. A soarin' type ride would be perfect for families & I could just see kids really enjoying it, as well as adults.

Something Sierra Sidewinder-esque would be rather good, particularly given it's 107cm height restriction and potential for a really good capacity.  Manta as a marquee thrill ride is a bit weak IMO, I think they need something that'd really get the public's imagination, and I can't see Manta as being that ride, it's probably also a bit similar to Jet Rescue.  Not opposed to that ride system though, after all Blue Fire and Manta are basically the same ride with different layouts, and I must admit I have turned into a bit of MACK fan boy lately.

8 hours ago, joz said:

 

 

 

Now we're staring down the barrel of 2 attractions closing without replacement, one of them being one of the most popular family rides on the Gold Coast.  But it's OK though, they built a new roof lately.  Phew!

 

What's the second ride other than Vikings?

8 minutes ago, razza1987 said:

What's the second ride other than Vikings?

TRRR at Dreamworld. It's not going to open again after that accident.

I think he was being specific to Sea World Yoshi.

2 hours ago, razza1987 said:

What's the second ride other than Vikings?

Sea Viper.

The Skyway? The pirate ship? The train?

So many attractions to choose from...

Thanks for answering guys

Saftey audits will also go through the mountains of paper work. Making sure everything has been filled out correctly and all work had been done and recorded according to procedures and guidelines.

Edited November 7, 20169 yr by Tim Dasco

13 hours ago, joz said:

 Manta as a marquee thrill ride is a bit weak IMO, I think they need something that'd really get the public's imagination

I personally have not been on Manta, it does look fun though. I agree with the GP looking at it and thinking not much of it and that it is quite similar to jet rescue. I don't think they need something insane, but something fun & thrilling aswell. I'm assuming that something to get the public to go 'wow' would be to have something high off the ground or even something never seen before in australia? E.g. Flyer or Dive.

If MW wasn't getting a hyper, I think a Mack or Intamin mega-coaster of some sort would be great for SW.

I think they should install a new flume dark ride attraction like journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld Orlando something thrilling yet family friendly and high capacity 

You would also have to keep in mind that a large part of the Vikings Flume horseshoes around the roof of the 4D theatre which supports the elevated part of the ride. So if Sea World did decide to scrap Vikings and build a new attraction in it's place, it would have to correspond with the theatre's location or be stuck with a really small ride footprint

I think the theatre/vikings revenge is prime to be replaced for something else.   A 3D simulator of some sort with a good show length is my vote.  Pretty easy to theme to the sea in some way...not pirates, not spongebob or some other ip...something unique to SeaWorld.

In light of this discussion (and because I haven't been to Seaworld in a few years) I was having a look around on Google Earth. Can anyone advise what this area of the park is? Is it a ride? Both the water thing that has tracks in it, and the funny structures behind it. It looks lie it is where the old waterpark was - or at least half of it, because part of it in the front of the photo.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Castaway bay - boat ride where people on the shore Spray water at you whilst u do your best to wet them back, and a sky fort/ropes area. 

Water park would be below it on the photo 

That's Castaway Bay, a great themed area of the park. The track is the Battle Boats, and those structures are the Sky Fortress and Sky Climb. Been open since 2010

http://www.parkz.com.au/search/photos/location/ride-1439-Battle_Boats

1 minute ago, Brad2912 said:

Castaway bay - boat ride where people on the shore Spray water at you whilst u do your best to wet them back, and a sky fort/ropes area. 

Water park would be below it on the photo 

And are both of these still open?

Also, in the below photo - is this cleared area where the Corkscrew/Pirate ship used to be? Is there any idea what is going here - or is this part of the discussion?
Sorry for newbie question - just trying to get my head around the park considering its been 8 years or so since I last went!

 

Yes, that area is still in operation.

yes that cleared land used to house The pirate ship. 

Corkscrew/Sea Viper was a little further above the area of your photo if my memory serves correct 

@Jessicajealousy the water park still stands, but it's permanently closed. You've actually just reminded me, on took some pics of it the other day. I should upload them. 

I just had a quick look online and found these images for you of when the Corkscrew and Pirate ship were still standing, facing east. 

Old map above, new map below, on same angle. Red circle is where the Corkscrew is/was. Green the Pirate ship.

 

Edited November 8, 20169 yr by Theme Park Girl

@Jessicajealousy this is what the park looks like as of September

Bit of an off topic question; what was the reasoning behind removing the pirate ship?

1 hour ago, mba2012 said:

Bit of an off topic question; what was the reasoning behind removing the pirate ship?

According to rumour it needed some repairs done and they didn't want to spend the money