Had to take a leak and get a coffee, so I stopped in at Dreamworld to see how things are.

"Theming" (don't worry, keep reading and you'll see why this average first impression and degradation of an iconic building bugs me.)

This new precinct, dubbed WhiteFacadeLand is coming together nicely. Guests will be stoked.

This is a good execution of continuity for the new WhiteFacadeLand as it starts outside the park and continues inside now. Jokes aside, i'm sure all these panels will eventually get wraps on them but to have your first impression when you enter the park be this is pretty piss-poor. If regional theme park operators like Six Flags don't miss details this glaring this then so can Dreamworld, a park that was once known for its attention to detail. Also, the whole Buzzsaw area is now closed.

More WhiteFacadeLand construction.

Stuff is definitely happening for "unknown i-ride #1."

After taking a leak, I noticed this. Can you guess what picture doesn't belong?

If you guessed #6 you guessed correct!

Speaking of Peter Brock's Garage - they've wasted no time gutting the place and putting up bollards near the sliding doors to keep guests out.

Does that stop them from advertising it in park though? Hell naww!

That photo was taken outside of their brand new "Designated Smoking Area" a.k.a. Big Brother Cafe a.k.a. Hollywood Cottage (no shit, that building there is 100% Hollywood Cottage and played a pivotal part in Dreamworld existing in the first place. They would actually be nuts to demolish that building given it is such an integral part of Dreamworld lore.)

Currently the whole space is very inviting and "themed."

Half removed walkways more theming.

Super flammable foam disintegrating more rustic theming.

Posts from abandoned pathways more colonial theming. After walking down and seeing Log Ride unexpectedly closed, I jumped on the train to see what was left of Blue Lagoon.

While I was waiting I got to take in this scenic theme park vista. (Below is what it used to look like.)

It used to be awfully pretty.

But leaves are too hard to sweep up so it is what it is.

Nothing to see here.

Definitely nothing to see here, like unkempt and hazardous tree matter.

Nothing to see here either apparently, even though it's the only thing you can see.

Definitely no dangerous fences to be seen.

On my final walk around, I stopped to admire the maroon theming that's been in place for nearly two years now.

Theming.

I'm definitely in Australia's Disneyland right now.

You thought seeing this from ground level was bad?

Check this out - if my theme park went through a globally seen incident people then i'd probably avoid giving influencers a great vantage point of where we're trying to pretend like nothing happened hey.

On a positive note, after The Claw's random extended downtime (it's okay, we'll gloss over Buzzsaw's extended downtime, the West side of Giant Drop's random down-time earlier in the year, the east-side's current un-announced down time and just a total myriad of unplanned maintenance because the park is super duper safe)  the ride has re-opened and it's looking really good. This was a tiny silver lining from what was otherwise a super depressing visit - the signs look great (both the one pictured above and the entrance side have been really well taken care of) and the new surfacing and paintjob is very well done and should be the standard for the whole park.

I don't care for upcharges attractions that are forced into areas like this. You couldn't have just chucked all of this into Kevil Hill and connected it via the current passholder centre? You know, i'm just saying that if you did that, then the Trolls IP would be connected to all the other Dreamworks IP. And you know, if you did that, then the whole area would be air-conned and then when it closes (because you said it was temporary except first it was 12 months and now it's 18 months so who knows) then there'd be no impact visually for guests? Because you know, no parent wants to have a toddler crying because they see Troll stuff but they can't actually DO any troll stuff. And you know, then you wouldn't be chucking more conflicting themes inside an ocean themed area. Because, you know, you're a theme park and people expect that kind of hindsight. Because you know, maybe you should've learnt that when you tried to jam car stuff into an ocean themed area? Because you know, it's an ocean themed area.

Dreamworld was successful because of John's attention to detail and nothing else. Today's Dreamworld is not even remotely detail focussed and I think it shows.

Those who reckon there's no money to keep it to some unrealistic "Disney" standard couldn't be further from the truth - poorly-placed attractions and mis-matched themes are the result of bad management, not a lack of funds. Same goes for rides that continue to be down with little to no communication on why or when they'll re-open. Same goes for letting iconic facades get knocked over, spray painted and then lets design aesthetics be ruined by a dozen and one poorly integrated conduits, crap paint jobs and air-con boxes. 

You folks tell me - looking at the pictures below that were all taken in the 80's and 90's, has the park really improved?

 

 

Edited August 3, 20188 yr by Roachie

I was already depressed after just hearing the Yellow & Purple Wiggles are getting divorced, and now this... thanks for brightening up my day @Roachie

TGIF 🍻🍺

Edited August 3, 20188 yr by Brad2912

The worst part is, the majority of this stuff could easily be fixed within a week

My first ever visit to DW was probably 5 years after this photo was taken.. thanks @Roachie it proves once and for all a 'SuperTrooper' ride nearby where 'Wipeout' sits today.

What I find most interesting is how enormous the Queue for IMAX was, stretching right back to the Front gate. Meanwhile a forgotten Spinner ride didn't get anywhere near the level of attention, yet somehow it became the benchmark of rides for the Park in the Future. 

You’re welcome @MickeyD - also worth noting that they had a 10,000 person day with nearly half the attractions open today, before gold rush country had opened. I guess people really get quality, huh?

18 hours ago, MickeyD said:

What I find most interesting is how enormous the Queue for IMAX was, stretching right back to the Front gate.

It is even more interesting when you notice that the photo also shows people starting to leave the IMAX Theatre. It looks like the IMAX Theatre was pretty full for 2 back to back screenings!

24 minutes ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

It is even more interesting when you notice that the photo also shows people starting to leave the IMAX Theatre. It looks like the IMAX Theatre was pretty full for 2 back to back screenings!

John had mentioned to me how perfectly they had these timed too - think American roller-coaster train operations in the summer - nothing gets people out of there quicker than a wave of another group coming in to take your seat. He would regularly go and sit in the back of the theatre and watch it play out. 

John was so clued on, he could spot whenever train conductors deviated from the script just from jumping on the train and listening in. These days what conductors say are the least of their worries, as the pictures show. 

Seems like the admin building was sunken behind the Super Troopers ride to keep BOH areas hidden. This park really was Disney-lite. If only they could keep that influence into the modern era with newer technologies and slightly bigger ride budgets.

F**k me, this whole thread just depresses me.

Edited August 4, 20188 yr by BNErider

Yup, if it wasn't Rocky Hollow, the Cannonball Express or Murray River Steamboat, they likely were making a Bee-line for the Gumtree Gully Koala Jamboree Show..

While you are on a roll @Roachie do you have any file footage of this Classic DW Attraction to share? 

Edited August 4, 20188 yr by MickeyD

It doesn't look like 10,000 people. Either the number is wrong, or Dreamworld used to pull guests much more evenly around the park back in the day, which may well be true; Model T Lane Rocky Hollow and all of Village Green were all proper highlights of the park. These days all the highlights are crammed in one corner. Still it's curious how uncrowded the paths are.

13 hours ago, joz said:

It doesn't look like 10,000 people. Either the number is wrong, or Dreamworld used to pull guests much more evenly around the park back in the day, which may well be true; Model T Lane Rocky Hollow and all of Village Green were all proper highlights of the park. These days all the highlights are crammed in one corner. Still it's curious how uncrowded the paths are.

I had questioned John about the 10,000 guest number too and he had pretty strongly defended it, going so far as to tell me a story about how he challenged a previous engineer about it who stayed on at the park for many years.

I reckon what you mentioned is spot on - Village Green had a big dining hall, tea houses, rides etc. whilst Rivertown had the boat, the animatronic show, more food and shop outlets, Blue Lagoon and its shops, slides etc. and then at some point during the park's first years they were running up to three trains at any given time, too - all very well spread out across the park.

Probably also worth mentioning that this was out of his own personal collection of snaps so who really knows how accurate any of it is, especially given all of this is nearly forty years ago.

Edited August 5, 20188 yr by Roachie

On 03/08/2018 at 10:16 PM, MickeyD said:

My first ever visit to DW was probably 5 years after this photo was taken.. thanks @Roachie it proves once and for all a 'SuperTrooper' ride nearby where 'Wipeout' sits today.

What I find most interesting is how enormous the Queue for IMAX was, stretching right back to the Front gate. Meanwhile a forgotten Spinner ride didn't get anywhere near the level of attention, yet somehow it became the benchmark of rides for the Park in the Future. 

Well, that just confirms a rumour that I'd been itching to find the answer to for years. Appears that Dreamworld used to have a Paratrooper ride, just looking at those photos I can confirm that the ride is still in QLD operated by Trindall's Amusements.

 

I've been saying it for years @Spotty but even I thought I was crazy.

 

On 27/02/2014 at 3:24 PM, Skeeta said:

Before any enterprise style ride in the same place was an UMBRELLA PARATROOPER. A few years ago when I saw my mother I was looking at some photos albums and came across a photo of me riding an Umbrella Paratrooper and this was at xmas time in Dreamworld, the first year it opened. I do not remember if it was a temp ride or not but I do remember all the flowers around it. For people who don't know, what I remember most about Dreamworld as a kid, is the amount of colourful flowers and the perfectly manicured lawns.

 

Even putting aside the question of whether the park has improved since those photos of the 80's and 90's, I even wonder whether the question could even be set at the lower bar of has the park aged well?  Real, proper genius is hard to manufacture.  But if the tide is out in the talent pool your only other option is to preserve and maintain what you've got.  Seems like they did neither.

In Dreamworlds defense I was there Thursday morning and the atmosphere was great, with friendly helpful staff. 

Even an old, broken clock is right twice a day I suppose...

Good to see that in 1.5 years, from what I’ve seen, more care is being taken and most of these things have been resolved. While there’s still a way to go, they are on a good track. For now we just have to deal with those empty voids throughout the park until new things are  permanently built to replace them 

On 03/08/2018 at 4:23 PM, Slick said:

 

That photo was taken outside of their brand new "Designated Smoking Area" a.k.a. Big Brother Cafe a.k.a. Hollywood Cottage (no shit, that building there is 100% Hollywood Cottage and played a pivotal part in Dreamworld existing in the first place. They would actually be nuts to demolish that building given it is such an integral part of Dreamworld lore.)

Quoted for truth.

31 minutes ago, themagician said:

Good to see that in 1.5 years, from what I’ve seen, more care is being taken and most of these things have been resolved. While there’s still a way to go, they are on a good track. For now we just have to deal with those empty voids throughout the park until new things are  permanently built to replace them 

Are you for real? The red fences are gone, the white fences are gone, Sky Voyager is finally open, Trolls is closed, but all the other things... what has actually been resolved? The main entrance facade is still garbage, as is the old pathways near rocky hollow. the train pathway is still littered with crap, and the temporary fencing that surrounds the old BB studios area...

What HAS actually been resolved?

I know some of the things are still yet to be dealt with, but improvements are being made. I will say I haven’t been to the park in 3 years now, so I’m sure there is plenty I’m unaware of across the park, but from pictures that I’ve seen, some (not all, but some) changes been done 

1 hour ago, themagician said:

some (not all, but some) changes been done 

ahem.

3 hours ago, AlexB said:

What HAS actually been resolved?

Please don't be general. You said most of these things had been resolved... i'm really keen to know what you think has been resolved as with the exception of the fencing, I can't see much that has been done... so please be specific

I get your point 😂 But I’ll just list things off the top of my heads anyways

WWW park wide refurb (inside and out) 

Facade repaints on Main Street

Giant Drop exterior refurb and additional path to cut out the stairs and ramp 

Refresh of the path between Tiger Island and ABC Kids

Refurb of path between Rocky Hollow and Corroboree

The things highlighted about the entrance area. Yes that definitely needs to be fixed (unless it has and hasn’t been noticed). And the train line, I haven’t been on the train in over 4 years, so not sure.

But as you suggest, you are correct. There’s quite a bit that hasn’t been resolved that should be, but also, other issues have been resolved 

I stand by the @themagicianon this one, DW has not looked this good probably in decades.

@AlexB have you actually been there recently? I hope so because it is pretty hard to judge the place on other people's pictures alone. 

To be frank, the best decision Ardent ever made for DW is a relatively recent one - that was taking the skill & passion kicked to the curb by MW.

One man's trash is another one's treasure!

 

Edited March 9, 20206 yr by MickeyD

33 minutes ago, MickeyD said:

I hope so because it is pretty hard to judge the place on other people's pictures alone. 

To be fair though as I mentioned earlier, I haven't been in 3 years.

10 minutes ago, themagician said:

To be fair though as I mentioned earlier, I haven't been in 3 years.

I missed that part, unfortunately I haven't had a lot of spare time for things like Parkz of late.

@themagician you should get back to DW as soon as you can - same goes for everyone else on here! A lot has changed/improved with the likes of SV  most definitely worth an annual pass purchase alone.

I do agree, that Dreamworld is looking the best it has in a long time, including those times pre TRR. Yes there is still heaps of work to do, and that corner of the park, but I think most people are forgiving due to the fact its about to become a major construction site. As construction finishes, expect that end of the park to be cleaned up in a big way (and rightfully so).

The leaf litter on the train tracks is normal, and I wouldn't look too closely at it. People often look at Disneyland as being the shining example, but  even they have leaf litter on the train tracks, you just aren't exposed to it as much because there's very few guest eyes able to see it. Now you could argue that the track here is in guest view, so something should be done about it, but I guess there is a priority list, and unless its causing a problem, then the guest really doesn't notice it.