Parkz News New share price lows as Village Roadshow blames poor theme park performance on Commonwealth Games and wet weather

[Slick]

9 hours ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

Whilst I agree with what @Roachie said in the quote above, is it possible that food is more expensive at Gotham City Cafe despite it's quality simply due to the laws of supply & demand? That is, because it's the only "traditional" food outlet at MW, there are too many potential customers for the amount of meals they can prepare so they increase the price to encourage the potential customers who don't want to pay that amount to head to the other food & beverage outlets? (Mind you, I don't know what the pricing is like at MW's other food & beverage outlets) This results in Gotham City Cafe's customers paying prices that are higher than the value of the food/beverages the Cafe offers.

Nahhh - crap chips and good chips still cook at the same pace. Same goes for going to the effort of cooking someone a fresh batch if it's quiet, especially when there's staff standing around having a giggle - if you've got a good product at the right price and you look after your staff it sells itself, and in my experience Gotham Cafe in particular has neither of those three.

[webslave]

Last trip to MW I figured I'd rather die than eat at Gotham (long wait, terrible value, shit-house food, nowhere to eat it), Dirty Harrys seemed pricey and didn't really appeal (don't think much of Mexican food in general, so figured Mexican food at MW would be a one-way trip to diarrhea-district) so we ended up at Ricks.  It was alright *shrugs*.  Would have killed for Ricks versus the crap that Dreamworld served up when we next visited there.

I feel about as good about eating at the parks as I do buying food and beverage packages at the cinema.  You know you're copping a rod up the rear on price, and you know the quality is far below what it should/could be.

[Gary86]

The good thing about Movie World is that Hungry Jacks is a short walk away. They even built a nice pathway besides DC Rivals to get you there. As a passholder you don't need to stamp your hand for re-entry just scan your pass to get back in. This is why Movie World need to greatly improve the f&b offerings and offer a passholder discount.

[MickeyD]

Dunno about Crappy Jack's but the little Japanese place over the road does some great sushi!

But isn't that just the thing? There are so many food options a short distance away and some pretty good ones at that.

Like so many others, I don't mind paying for convenience but the quality/quantity needs to be there. With our Parks it's just not and you only need to look at what Disney does to see that F&B can be an enormous part of a Theme Park's profitability. I dare say the Mouse makes most of it's food coin off it's biggest fans.. The Passholders

[Brad2912]

1 hour ago, Gary86 said:

The good thing about Movie World is that Hungry Jacks is a short walk away. They even built a nice pathway besides DC Rivals to get you there. As a passholder you don't need to stamp your hand for re-entry just scan your pass to get back in. This is why Movie World need to greatly improve the f&b offerings and offer a passholder discount.

Not just HJs but also Maccas, KFC, Asian, Kebabs & Subway. 

Only time I eat a meal at MW is if I decide to go “all out” and do Ricks, with the same applying for DW and Billabong. Other than that I’ll buy an ice cream or drink whilst in there but that’s it - having a pass means I generally only do half day visits so plan lunch before or after 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Indeed Mickey! When I read your post in preview (your first two lines) my first thoughts were how the house of mouse dealt with the dearth of options surrounding them in Anaheim (prior to them paving paradise and putting up parking lots) - it was indeed one of Walt's greatest disappointments about the Anaheim park was the cheap junk that sprang up all around the park, capitalising on the captive market.

Disney simply did unique and better products, things you couldn't get down the road (cough burgers cough) - things that took you out of the everyday - and as has been mentioned - turkey legs, mickey waffles, mickey ice cream bars. Sure, much of it is just a different shape, but people still buy it - and today more than ever with everyone pausing to instagram their food before they eat it - a unique food item would sell like... waffles!

Even just something as simple as a turkey leg - although i daresay the Australian market doesn't have quite the same taste for turkey that the Americans do... but there has to be something that they can do which is unique, capitalises off their licensing or brands, that would see people willing to fork out for it, even if it is exhorbitantly overpriced?

It's not enough to serve standard fare (like popcorn, or hotdogs) in a container printed with a licensed character and assume that that is enough to justify an obnoxious price tag.

I'll put my money where my mouth is on ideas*:

• A waffle in the shape of the WB shield
• An ice cream bar (think Magnum) in the shape of the Batman crest
• take the ice cream bar a step further, and make it a 'home made' affair. One of my best memories at Knotts was an eskimo pie, nothing particularly interesting about it - except it was hand dipped in molten chocolate and had choice of nuts \ sprinkles etc
• Do dagwood dogs, but have the Joker's graffiti smiley stamped on them
• Do a burger with a coloured bun - green for green lantern, black for batman, red for superman. each burger should be different, similar to the gotham range currently on offer
• Hand make fairy floss - but get a guy in who makes ART out of them (i'm sure we've all seen the YT videos of guys doing this) instead of the pre-packed months-old variety
• A signature iced confection (think Dole Whip) - perhaps theme it to Taz Devil (and have Taz's image be part of the blender that makes it - the motion and sound of a blender suits Taz perfectly)

Thats another tangent - don't just make the food unique - make the method of service unique too! In addition to the Taz blender contraption, what about a Rube Goldberg style contraption (one could theme to Willy Wonka or similar) that prepares \ serves the food when the order is placed (and then somehow automatically resets) - it doesn't even have to 'actually' serve the food so long as it LOOKS like it does... I CBF googling it but i know i've seen a video of a restaurant (i think in a theme park) that actually delivers your food on a roller coaster like delivery contraption - and i'm sure someone will point it out to me in due course...

We usually criticise gimmicks here, but in this case, i think the parks need a gimmick to make their food have a point of difference.

Don't get me wrong, the quality we have lamented here for almost 3 pages does need to improve, but its not enough to make your burger as good as the one across the road, or even better justifying the more expensive price tag, if the experience is much the same (i'm talking bored or frazzled staff (depending on the time of day) who are either not interested in serving you or too busy to get your order right) - I think this is why Dreamworld's Parkway has largely fallen flat too - they tried to be an alternative to a road house, by delivering much the same as a road house, in a less convenient spot.

Improve the food - do whatever you have to with the prices, but make it an experience worthy of staying in park and paying a premium. I'm not talking bloody projection mapping (that might swing in Disney's premiere dine-in restaurants but it won't wash in Movie World) - i'm just talking about making your food unique enough that people won't mind paying extra to buy it.

*Some ideas are quite feasible and realistic, others are a stretch just to try and tie the brand. Others might not have the desired effect (i know that the black burger buns have had mixed reactions in outlets like Burger King), but the point is i'm just a guy who doesn't work in Village coming up with ideas and tie-ins. Imagine what they could come up with with the knowledge, licensing etc - i'm sure products of similar nature have been done in other parks, probably many using the Justice League characters to full advantage - these are just ideas, and i recognise not all of them would be commercially viable - so there isn't a need to hyper analyse every suggestion - it was just to get some creative juice flowing - by all means come up with some better ones of your own...

[Brad2912]

An American Style diner would work well I reckon, with Philly cheese steak, loaded hotdogs and fries, New York style pizza. Things that are unique we have seen work well at Carnivale like Millionaires Bacon.  So many options and ideas, so little creativity by their F&B team 

[iwerks]

I was at Caversham Wildlife Park on the weekend. They have these $5 quiches that some local bakery makes for them. They’re cheap and easy to heat up. Why not get the Japanese place across the road from MW make sushi rolls for them? 

[MickeyD]

Brilliant read @AlexB you would make a mighty fine FB Manager of the Parks with vision like that! This is EXACTLY what our Parks need - Point of difference!!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

The first step on that road is for the executives within the park to actually eat the food on a regular basis - like @Mark Shaw did at AW. And not something that is pre-prepared with the knowledge that the boss is going to be eating it - get a mystery shopper type person to order it for them, and take it to them in the middle of a lunch rush, and again in the late afternoon before closing, so that they can actually sample what their guests receive.

I've always found the chips to be lacking, and the bread to be day old. the fillings are generally not the problem, they're usually quite tasty - but the rest is what lets it down on a regular basis.

As for the bakery \ deli - while people do seek the healthy option, I don't know many people that go to a theme park and go "i'll just have a sandwich" - sure - the Reuben and the like - something special or unique to the market, sure - but traditional run of the mill sandwiches are just plain boring.

I'd like to see them introduce a french dip roll. THAT is a simple thing, that will mask bread quality issues, and - i don't know anywhere in SEQ that does one - so it would be DIFFERENT enough that people would want to try it. (I've seen many french dip roast rolls on Man Vs. Food and they all look amazing) - speaking of - take a look at Man Vs. Food episodes to get an idea of some amazing unique foods that they could bring to our shores and really make a splash...

[MickeyD]

Moderator's can we split the topic please? 

[webslave]

1 hour ago, AlexB said:

I'd like to see them introduce a french dip roll. THAT is a simple thing, that will mask bread quality issues, and - i don't know anywhere in SEQ that does one - so it would be DIFFERENT enough that people would want to try it. (I've seen many french dip roast rolls on Man Vs. Food and they all look amazing) - speaking of - take a look at Man Vs. Food episodes to get an idea of some amazing unique foods that they could bring to our shores and really make a splash...

You're welcome, buddy:
https://www.brooklyndepot.com.au/

(Also, the lobster mac and cheese is usually pretty good too)

[New display name]

You can't go wrong with the Big Mick  😀 @AlexB

For the kiddies McDowellls is the restaurant from the movie "Coming to America".

Some sandwich bars in America are known to convert to McDowell's for Halloween.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

37 minutes ago, webslave said:

You're welcome, buddy:
https://www.brooklyndepot.com.au/

(Also, the lobster mac and cheese is usually pretty good too)

Meh - on the coast. too far for me.

 

Reading the menu, it seems they make it and serve it with the Jus on the side, instead of actually dunking the whole roll prior to serving. that's not a true french dip...

[Richard]

There's a Brooklyn Depot at South Bank too @AlexB. 

Alright food. Clever gimmick of hiring mostly young USA students/backpackers as wait staff so you get an authentic experience, albeit without the service quality that you only get from America's tipping culture.

[DJKostya]

Go simple. Just set up a Bunnings style sausage sizzle.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

29 minutes ago, DJKostya said:

Go simple. Just set up a Bunnings style sausage sizzle.

They did that opposite Intencity for a while. Wasn't always open, provided simple food that was tasty - although it was still pretty pricey.

I am actually a fan of this style of outlet\cart - Wonderland had one right next to one of my positions for a while - the smell was torture but tasted so good when I'd get it for lunch... I guess the difficulty is they're typically small carts, single cast member, and there can be a lot of wastage due to the need to cook sausages in advance.

I like the idea... obviously it suits the western area perfectly - although I think the 'stall' it was set up in was bulldozed for Villains Unleashed - I'd like to see it return, rather than the hotdog vendors in main street - and this comes full circle on the original point - a sausage in a bun, with onion and sauces, although simple, and cheap, in the right (western) setting is just that one step more authentic than a hotdog... bring it on!

[Whombex]

- Love @AlexB's idea of coloured Burger buns with different fillings for DC characters.

- Yatala pies? Any way that could be brought in, or would that brand/food suit Dreamworld better?

- I pretty much only eat from the Village Bean. Mainly because I hate postmix softdrink, so usually get Iced Coffee or Frappe. Staff there are usually pretty cheery. Yes yes, I'm sure the F&B staff probably rotate around the various shops.

[MickeyD]

..so asking again, new thread please Mr Moderator!

[Jamberoo Fan]

@Levithian, no. As for the Deli, what I'm trying to say is that the Main Street plaza area, to most people, would just be a 'place to eat' - not a 'place to eat food from the Deli' and due to it being 'technically 'separate'' from the Deli, visitors would be just as happy to order from other nearby food & beverage outlets that are more of their liking and just bring their meal there to eat. If they haven't already, maybe MW could attach some laminated Main Street Deli menus to the tables?

With the tables & chairs behind the Deli, like I said earlier, it's visibility from Main Street is poor. It's just a matter of theme park 'design'.

Similar with Arkham Asylum, I wasn't suggesting they put a food outlet there - that was just one of the locations based on the '115 metre rule'. Like you said, there's not enough foot traffic currently. They should only put a food & beverage outlet there once a new attraction is built in the vicinity of the former Lethal Weapon queue area. The former queue area could be flattened so you get a larger courtyard for tables & chairs. Perhaps call the food & beverage outlet & the courtyard Joker's Cafeteria?

@AlexB, I didn't ignore that and I did say the 7 Gotham City Cafe-like outlets could open according to attendance. If there is demand for similar food outlets down the road from MW visitors, there has to be a demand for Wild West Roadhouse. MW is likely making a strategic error - whether it's price, quality (or both) or continuing to open/opening new heaps of sub-'lunch meal' outlets in exchange for closing 2 Gotham City Cafe-like outlets for varying time lengths.This makes Gotham City Cafe the only "traditional" choice and thus, forcing prices up due to the demand it receives. However, I don't have any statistics or financial statements from MW to prove that's the case (plus I don't know the pricing of MW's other food & beverage outlets). If I'm wrong, it's most likely that VRTP just simply do not know what to do with theme park food & beverage operations at all. My main suggestion was to change their food & beverage strategy from the sub-'lunch meal' outlets to Gotham City Cafe-like outlets suited to the park's attendance and obviously, with quality food that's value for money. I agree with your ideas by the way.

And I never suggested outsourcing in case you thought that. Outsourcing just reduces the quality of the overall park, which is why I dislike how brands like Domino's, Ben & Jerry's & Boost Juice are appearing more frequently in the parks. It makes the parks look more like a shopping centre food court & reduces the overall quality of the park's theming.

And if MW does introduce your idea of a french dip roll, I hope they also provide it with fresh bread 🙂

@Roachie, I agree - I was discussing when Gotham City Cafe has heaps of customers not when there is just 1 customer.

@Brad2912, your ideas are good too however, complex meals like steak are, for "high-yield customers", more suited to theme parks that are open at night. It allows vastly more time throughout the whole day for "high-yield customers" to order & eat these meals. Otherwise, "low-yield customers" would only purchase them as they have the time to. If MW opened until 10pm, heading to Dirty Harry's Bar & Grill or Rick's Cafe Americain & Bar would be more appealing as there is more time to eat from a buffet/grill or enjoy an alcoholic beverage. Maybe MW could do, for "high-yield customers" only, a Fast Track version that includes reserved tables & price-included meals at these outlets? So all the time you save heading to the front of ride queues is compensated by a lengthy meal? But still, the extra cost you would need to pay for this Fast Track version would need to be reflected in the meal quality.

I recall someone saying that Carnivale has become more about the food & beverage nowadays. Maybe that's why the quality there is good because the food & beverage is now the (and a) reason people head there?

[Theosie]

While on the topic of food, the parks need to have easier access to allergen information. I am trying to get a blogpost up about eating in the parks as a vegan but even asking whether the breadrolls have dairy in them at Ricks Cafe was like pulling teeth. Just having a lactose intolerence makes it really hard to eat at the parks, let alone options for vegetarians.

Not to mention booking for the Star Tour but getting told I'd have to bring my own lunch with me because all of the food options at the park are prepackaged and can't be easily altered. I had to go well out of my way to email and call to find out this information because I am from out of state so packing a lunch takes a little bit more effort. Better options at Dirty Harry's (plain rice rather than stuff cooked in broth and a vegie option for the burrito) or a salad bar with a few more fruit and veg options (or even just plain bread rolls without cheese) would make things easier.

[rappa]

1) Vegan is bit an allergy

2) That sound like a riveting blog, can I suggest a title of "How to take all the fun out of theme park food"

3) I don't believe for a second having a lactose intolerance for one second makes it hard to eat at the parks. They will happy give out any information related to allergies at either the outlet or guest services.

[pushbutton]

There is a salad bar in Ricks.

[New display name]

Why did Tofu ride Rivals?

To prove he wasn’t a chicken.

[Theosie]

3 hours ago, djrappa said:

1) Vegan is bit an allergy

2) That sound like a riveting blog, can I suggest a title of "How to take all the fun out of theme park food"

3) I don't believe for a second having a lactose intolerance for one second makes it hard to eat at the parks. They will happy give out any information related to allergies at either the outlet or guest services.

1. No but looking at an allergen list is a super quick way of seeing if something isn't vegan without bothering anyone. And it shouldn't feel like an unreasonable request to the places serving food.

2. Because nothing says fun like wasting time trying to find out whether you can eat at a location or not. I thought this thread was about increasing revenue? Because food is a great way to do that. People with dietry requirements make up an increasing part of the population, and getting those people to spend money at the parks helps. So much of the snack foods around the park are advertised to children, and it is slightly jarring from the park experience when all your food is from outside the park. Kids are great money makers in that area. It is harder to leave the park when you have little ones and you don't have access to a car. There are options in the park, but I had to hunt for some of the more out of sight ones over several days. 

3. Guest services don't have that information. When you ask the answer is "We aren't sure, just bring your own." I know because I did ask when a dairy intolerance was my main concern. And it wasn't something that was easy to access at Dirty Harry's either. I made sure to ask first thing in the morning when there was no lines but it still took a while to get that information.

And to everyone who has mentioned Rick's, the salad bar was one of the options I was talking about. They were a little hard to talk to when I asked whether things were dairy free. $29 for a subpar salad bar is a lot, but finding out if the pasta has eggs in it in it might make it worth it to have some filling options too.