Aussie World's new announcement

[strop]

Mini Trip Report & Update

A belated trip report and photo update from my trip to Aussie World on 31st December.

 

First of all, I expected the place to be busy, but was pleasantly surprised to see the carpark half empty considering it was a long weekend. Obviously, the park was expecting more of a crowd too, as every ride advertised to be open was, with it’s own ride op (most rides run fine here with one) and, as a result, all (except The Plunge, which was about a 5 minute wait) were pretty much a walk-on.

 

On entry to the park, about 11:30, we were promptly and friendly helped to process our passes which we’d received as a gift from my Sister. She’d found an online deal giving a family of 4 unlimited entry to the park until the 31st of March for $145 (through RACQ, I believe). The registration process was quick and they let us head straight into the park and suggested we come back in a couple of hours to collect our pass.

 

My eldest son was a huge fan of the Imaginarium on our last visit, so we headed there first. There was a short wait, due to its low capacity, but most of the rooms and effects were working well (a couple minor things like a monitor not working in the ‘elevator’ detracted a bit) and some of the rooms are pretty impressive.

 

RIP Wildmouse

 

Before I get to the new additions to the park I will cover the most noticeable omission from the park, the much loved wooden wild mouse that was the park’s major drawcard until recently. As has been posted already, the Wildmouse site is now a very flat and desolate looking patch of dirt. 

 

 

The only thing more devastating to a coaster enthusiast than seeing the site bare, is looking directly behind it to discover the whole coaster unceremoniously dumped in a heap.

 

 

 

A little solace can be taken from the fact that the coaster lives on as theming next to the new Mayhem Maze (more on that shortly)...

 

 

 

and as a poke-stop (it’s sad that I even checked, I know).

 

 

 

Bombora

 

This latest addition is a mini drop tower. Think the Sylvester & Tweety one at MW with the addition of it spinning around a pole (& allowing parents to ride) and you’ve got the general idea. Despite being my eldest’s favourite at MW he didn’t want to ride it (although he was a bit timid and stand-offish the whole visit), but it looked only a little more thrilling than that kiddies offering. Having said that, it looks to me like a great ride to go on with younger kids (the accompanied height being 100cm).

 

 

A 'giant' surfboard completes the surf theme...

 

 

Beaut Little Toot Toots

 

On my last visit to the park I couldn’t help but notice the ride with perhaps the worst capacity I’ve ever seen at a park. The Tin Lid Trolleys were only ever meant to be a ride for toddlers, but it consisted of two tiny mine carts which each seated one child, and both ran on their own track, meaning a 2 kids per cycle capacity.

 

Aussie World have clearly recognised that their growing popularity no longer allows for rides with such low through-put and have added the ‘Beaut Little Toot Toots’. While still being suitable for the smallest of guests, this new train ride allows parents to ride with their kids, which depending on your tolerance to incredibly loud farm animal noises, may be a positive or a negative.

 

 

 

Mayhem Maze

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this brand new attraction (had only opened on the 28th December as a permanent part of the park’s attraction roster). I was glad that a local park had decided to add a full-time walk-through scare attraction, but was a little anxious as to what they would’ve managed to pull of for a park of this sizes budget. Now, I must say straight up, I haven’t been through a lot of horror / fright nights style mazes, other than Fright Nights about 5 years ago (give or take) and USH House of Horrors in 2008, but I am not the most easily firghtened, or impressed park-goer, but here goes.

 

The building is themed to a 50’s era, abandoned, fairground-style attraction with ‘funland’ a-blazoned across the front and an overall (not so) fun house look and feel. The backstory is displayed on a couple of signs on approach to the steps, as well as a number of signs warning that the attraction isn’t suitable for younger children. There was also a large sign detailing how the attraction included live actors who would tailor the experience to suit the audience, and therefore give ‘smaller frights’ where appropriate. Despite this assurance and my 8 year old considering going through (I’m bloody glad he didn’t), I decided to go through myself first.

 

 

I walked, alone, up the stairs and along a thin boardwalk, the sort I have traversed many a time to enter a fun factory or similar type of attraction. When I reached the door there was nobody there, I tried to open it, but nobody came out to meet me. I stood there awkwardly alone for a little while before a group came up the queue behind me. Good, at least I’ll have company, I thought. The newcomers to the line asked me, had I tried the door? Is there anyone in there? Shortly afterwards, an attractive attendant in a 50s inspired costume peered through the door and asked how many in my party. Just me, I replied, at which she took me through into the lobby, where she briefed me on the usual walk-through rules: Don’t touch or try to fight the actors (I didn’t realise I looked like a fighter) and I’ll be fine; Follow the white lines painted on the floor and I’ll find my way out; Don’t burst out of the Emergency Exit (advice not heeded by the group behind me); and if you become too overwhelmed or disorientated, raise your hand and someone will assist you (the same goes for the illusionarium, and they will also stop most of the rides if you raise your hand, a feature that is appreciated when trying to warm kids up to larger thrills).

 

 

So, the very first thing I have to make mention of is just how dark it is in there. Coming in from a particularly hot and glarey day, I found it extremely hard to see where I was going, and felt lost and disorientated on a number of occasions. I won’t talk about the specifics of the maze to avoid spoilers for those who get to visit, but I will say the main scare actor is an evil clown, and he is menacing and gruesome. Slowly making my way through the maze there were plenty of occasions where a strobe or flash would reveal that the clown was right up in my face, or right over my shoulder. Several other times he worked as a diversion, leering on one side, while another scare actor, one of his victims, would burst out behind you, or even under your feet, screaming for you to run away.

 

Overall, the set design seemed pretty high quality, with each scene revealing just how depraved this sicko clown actually is. The maze was typically quite tight and continuously wound back against itself, providing plenty of scare opportunities for the scare actors. I found it a bit difficult to determine how many were actually in there (I’m guessing 2 plus the beehived greeter, but it felt like more) and to their credit, they got a fair few jumps out of me during the experience.

 

I think it is a really well put together, little scare attraction, and I hope it gets the patronage, and love, it deserves. It was certainly quiet on the day I went, being at the northern-most extremity of the park, behind the Ballroom Blitz, and given the park still attracts mostly families with kids under 12 or so. Once the additional flat thrill ride replaces the Octopus (and the crazy mouse replaces our beloved wild mouse) this year, there should be enough to keep teens amused as well. I can honestly say Mayhem Maze should have them shrieking!

 

Overall

 

The rest of the park is looking good, the mini golf seems to have been done up and is attractively landscaped. The staff were mostly all fairly friendly (except for that damn clown!) and the park was clean and tidy. 

 

The shed area is also looking good and is being utilised a lot more for concerts and functions, but during the day serves as a nice cool place to escape the heat and have a cold beer.

 

The back of The Pub was looking shabby, but given it is only a few weeks away from it’s major refurbishment and expansion that is understandable. Work will commence after their Australia Day festivities if you want one last look at the iconic red Ettamogah Pub.

 

I’m looking forward to seeing the park’s growth over the next couple of years and really think it will be a great option for families with kids of any age by this time next year.

 

 

[BNErider]

I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit. Aussie World is a true gem and I can't wait for them to expand.

[T-bone]

That mad mouse is a sad sight to see. Thanks for the photos Strop.

[strop]

No worries.

It was definitely sad to see.

I also found it ironic that the whole thing was so shamelessly dumped in a pile, but the visible cars had covers over the seats.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

when you've decided to demolish something, and it has no hope of being rebuilt, sold to another operator or repurposed - when all it's good for is scrap - why would you take any care in pulling it down, other than for sentimental reasons?

The cars that had the covers on them are probably because when it last went down for maintenance, the cars (as they always are) were stored with their covers on. No sense pulling them off to move them to a scrapheap, so they'd remain as they were last closed down.

I get the sentimentality behind seeing it like it is, but really, it had no further useful life - i'm surprised they haven't already had it shredded into scrap metal.

[Jobe]

Thanks for the fantastic trip report Strop- brilliant!! Great to see a visit to Aussie World - a park that does not come up that often here on the boards. Good to see the pics on the new changes and how the park is evolving. I am really glad that this did NOT become Wet and Wild as was originally planned a few years ago.

I agree 100% with you. It was EXTREMELY sad and distressing to see such a proud ride with such history being relegated to a scrapheap like that. Whatever the motivation, or the practicality around its demise, that simply cannot temper the loss of such an iconic, important and historical ride.

Looking forward to when Aussie World installs their new Spinning Mouse and Swinging Pendulum rides hopefully in the first half of this year. 

The park will certainly be one to keep an eye on as plans for the further 3 rides that have been forecast come to fruition. Exciting times for Aussie World!

[AdamV8]

Haven't seen any detailed plans of the Aussie World expansion, forgive me if this is posted elsewhere?

A DA was submitted before Christmas with showed some of the following pics..

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Well.

 

that's exciting!

[Slick]

Cheers for sharing, it looks like they're adding a really nice well rounded suite of rides to maybe even entice some of the local uni audience out.

All said and done, after this is all added in, I can't help but think what next? With a park full of flats, surely making a move like Adventure World and investing in something major (like Abyss) would have to be on the cards?

[joz]

I just want to know how they're affording all this.  I've only been up there a handful of times but I've never been up there and thought 'wow they're really raking in the cash today!'  I mean the pub has pokies but even that doesn't really explain it to me.

[red dragin]

24 minutes ago, joz said:

I just want to know how they're affording all this.  I've only been up there a handful of times but I've never been up there and thought 'wow they're really raking in the cash today!'  I mean the pub has pokies but even that doesn't really explain it to me.

Sold to Village a while back didn't it? 

[joz]

Nah they're their own company.  Village tried to take control of the property and turn it into a water park but that never happened.

[BNErider]

Didn't they get a payout from Village for not going through with the WnW plans? I thought I read that somewhere...

But anyway, this is freaking amazing! I really, really hope the park does well from this! I keep meaning to get an annual pass for AW, and I am going to have to get one today because this is worth the support!

[New display name]

30 minutes ago, ash.1111 said:

But anyway, this is freaking amazing!

Good that Aussie World growing  -  YES

Freaking amazing - You sound easily pleased, much like my puppy when I take it for a walk.

The only one I would ride - The Drop Tower.  (maybe Star Fly also).

Edited February 16, 2017 by YLFATEEKS

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

It's no Hyper skeet - but for the park the size and location that it is, to have this calibre on the drawing board is pretty cool - drop tower looks to be same as hair raiser at LPS (i think the photo IS hair raiser?), air race looks like the same as pandamonium, star fly is one we haven't seen locally - (except a traveller i think?), Windstarz looks like either a modernised paratrooper style ride, or otherwise similar to Gingy's Gliders. Putting aside the Mouse and Octopus replacements, Aerobat is the only one i'm unfamiliar with - but it looks 'enterprise-ish' so i'm sticking with that for the minute.

What we've got coming to a park that by most standards is small, but growing in both popularity and size, is an array of attractions that have been successfully operated (predominantly at Dreamworld) and been popular for years.

I don't want AW to blow their wad on some monster attraction and then have no money in the bank to weather the storms or follow up with the next big thing - so for the minute i'm quite happy that they've got plans for these relatively successful, diverse and appealing rides. If we saw a new one every year, without any more removals - i could see them steadily growing to a point they would be viable for bigger, more wow level attractions.

all this is good news for the park, and good news for the park, is usually good news for us.

[BNErider]

Maybe DW will be forced to build a decent coaster if AW is beating them at their own game (flat ride world)?

[AdamV8]

Here's a couple more screenshots from the DA. 

Just a reminder that it's still going through council approval so nothing is guaranteed at the moment..

[pin142]

Will say it is good to see one of the parks potentially getting a Star Fly, enjoyed the one at Discovery Kingdom and like the idea of having one somewhat close by.

[MickeyD]

Being a huge childhood fan of the Paratrooper/ Supertrooper ride I am loving the look of the Aerobat - looks like a faster and much more exciting experience than Tailspin.

 

[Santa07]

Typhoon 360? Looks like a great ride, interesting to see how it rates against the claw.

Crazy Mouse? Standard Zamperla spinning coaster, nothing too exciting but hey it's a coaster. Does it stand up to the classic it's replacing? Maybe not...

Air Race? You'll find me at Dreamworld.

Windstarz? These things have always looked interesting to me...

Drop Tower? Will fit the park well, even if it is 'just another' drop tower - you can never have too many drop towers and small-ish size isn't always a problem.

Aerobat? Gerstlauer ripoff...? Looks like an okay ride but again you'll find me at DW - Tail Spin looks better IMO.

Star Flyer? ?

[Jobe]

Seriously how can anyone not be happy with this lineup??

Its almost unprecedented that a park in Australia has plans for 2 replacement attractions and then for a further 5 more NEW attractions.

I this that this is brilliant although of course there are no time frames attached to these installations.

The additions will certainly make Aussie World an excellent destination and a worthwhile attraction to visit. If the Sunshine Coast gets the proposed water park actually built, then it will certainly be a attractive proposition for families and tourists, coupled with the natural attractions that the Sunshine Coast has to offer plus Australia Zoo in the near vicinity.

On 2/16/2017 at 3:28 PM, AlexB said:

It's no Hyper skeet - but for the park the size and location that it is, to have this calibre on the drawing board is pretty cool - drop tower looks to be same as hair raiser at LPS (i think the photo IS hair raiser?),

Yep @AlexB that is certainly Hair Raiser from LPS,

 

On 2/16/2017 at 1:34 PM, joz said:

I just want to know how they're affording all this.  I've only been up there a handful of times but I've never been up there and thought 'wow they're really raking in the cash today!'  I mean the pub has pokies but even that doesn't really explain it to me.

@joz perhaps they have sold some surplus land somewhere? Just a thought....

Is it just me or does this pic hint of even further attractions to come? Aussie World currently does not have a Go Kart or is this a separate entity behind the existing park? Also what does the transport track The Luge refer to? A toboggan ride?

[thunder001]

27 minutes ago, Jobe said:

Seriously how can anyone not be happy with this lineup??

Its almost unprecedented that a park in Australia has plans for 2 replacement attractions and then for a further 5 more NEW attractions.

I this that this is brilliant although of course there are no time frames attached to these installations.

The additions will certainly make Aussie World an excellent destination and a worthwhile attraction to visit. If the Sunshine Coast gets the proposed water park actually built, then it will certainly be a attractive proposition for families and tourists, coupled with the natural attractions that the Sunshine Coast has to offer plus Australia Zoo in the near vicinity.

Yep @AlexB that is certainly Hair Raiser from LPS,

 

@joz perhaps they have sold some surplus land somewhere? Just a thought....

Is it just me or does this pic hint of even further attractions to come? Aussie World currently does not have a Go Kart or is this a separate entity behind the existing park? Also what does the transport track The Luge refer to? A toboggan ride?

The transport track would take you to the top of the hill for the "Go Kart Luge" ride...remember loosing it on this ride when I was young, but what a ride for a small park.  Wish there were more of these around.

[Jobe]

1 minute ago, thunder001 said:

The transport track would take you to the top of the hill for the "Go Kart Luge" ride...remember loosing it on this ride when I was young, but what a ride for a small park.  Wish there were more of these around.

Is it still there @thunder001? I have only visited Aussie World once but I certainly cannot recall seeing this ride!

[thunder001]

@Jobe it has been a few years (about 10) since we were last there, sadly my teenagers would rather spend time at 'WnW' these days.

It was working then, but not sure about now.  Can anyone who has been there lately tell if the Luge is still operational?

 

[Jobe]

It appears they closed sometime in the early 2000's. Here is a link and some pics of the ride- looks awesome!!