Parkz News Ardent Leisure pave a strange pathway to Dreamworld's recovery with new attractions

[Parkz News]

Ardent Leisure pave a strange pathway to Dreamworld's recovery with new attractions

The limping theme park pins their hopes on new water attractions and animal exhibits that struggle to answer exactly why people should return to Dreamworld.

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[New display name]

What has skeet missed?  Where can we find you can dip your hat to a koala as you ride the lazy river?

"We are also investing in a $15 million major extension to WhiteWater World which will consist of pools, waterfalls, beached areas, function and events space, cafes and pop up retail outlets. This new precinct will add significant capacity to the water park and provide a great space for families to enjoy".

[pushbutton]

Nothing about a lazy river, and no new slides.

Well, they got the lazy bit right at least, sort of!

[New display name]

The other thing of interest @Richard is what happens to the train now the blue lagoon is going going gone?

[Richard]

Hypothetically if you allocated that corner of the park (old amphitheatre + Blue Lagoon) to hotel development then the train might still have a viable course around it.

The real issue with the train is what you do with it if Corroboree is gutted and the footprint of Dreamworld is significantly reduced. Do you make it a shorter loop via the island (or fill in part/all of the river) at great expense or do you decide that between the difficulty of operating steam trains, the unreliability of their diesel replica and general public liability headaches with crossings and stray riders, that the train has had its day?

[New display name]

Hypothetically people don't like staying at ghetto theme parks. 

If you realign the boundaries between the Amphitheatre and Corroboree you also say goodbye to the RHLR and the Vintage Cars.  Looks like we are finally getting a Luna Park Gold Coast.

 

Pop quiz:

Which is better?

Luna Park Sydney.

Luna Park Melbourne.

Luna Park Gold Coast.

[red dragin]

The Baldwin hasn't been out for a while now, has it?

From memory the gradient along the back of Mick Doohan and under TOT2 is steep, some earth works would be needed. Would also need a new storage and maintenance shed.

I'd say once the abomination carks it, that is it for the train.

[pushbutton]

[New display name]

2 hours ago, red dragin said:

The Baldwin hasn't been out for a while now, has it?

 

Half the park hasn't been running. 

6% downturn in guest isn't due the inquest.  6% downturn in guest is because DW  feels like Okpo Land.

[T-bone]

The Baldwin last ran in October 2016, there are reports they want to get it going, but as with everything now “it’s lower priority”

[Jdude95]

When I was there yesterday, I didn't see or hear the train run once and I've heard reports of it not running during weekdays. I understand they don't have many people in the park, but really, just stopping the train altogether?
Anyone able to confirm if they've seen the train running on weekdays over the past couple of weeks?

[T-bone]

If that’s the case then they need to be advising people in advance. Their website currently lists it as operating daily. Back before the steam engines were “retired” they only ran on the weekends which was purely a cost saving measure, and that was when the park was busier than it is now. That said, the train is listed as an attraction and way around the park for those with disabilities so there really is no excuse to not be running it, unless of course the engine is once again broken?

[Park Addict 93]

Train was operating fine on the 13th (Tuesday) and has been operating on weekdays during my previous visits on weekdays during the past few months.

[Jamberoo Fan]

What's the source stating that the future wildlife experience is being combined with the Whitewater World extension and that an amphitheatre is being built in the former Town Of Gold Rush area?

I didn't see that information when reading Ardent's AGM documents a few days ago so I'm a bit confused. As far as I know, since the dark ride is now seemingly cancelled, either Dreamworld Corroboree is getting an expansion (again) instead or they are relocating Dreamworld Corroboree to the former Town Of Gold Rush site, given that was the rumoured location of the now seemingly cancelled dark ride.

If it is a relocation, I find it odd given they've been expanding the area in recent years particularly after the Thunder River Rapids incident. All that work just to relocate or even rebuilt it???

By the way, the 3 parks mentioned in the article as having lazy rivers, one is mentioned as Sea World's former Adventure Island & Ferry. I believe you meant Adventure Park?

On 21/11/2018 at 11:31 PM, Richard said:

The real issue with the train is what you do with it if Corroboree is gutted and the footprint of Dreamworld is significantly reduced.

Remember, the Dreamworld Express originally opened with just 2 stations - Central Park & Rocky Hollow. Except for viability reasons, the only worthy reason of getting rid of Dreamworld Express then is if Rocky Hollow Log Ride and The Giant Drop closed. It wasn't until Koala Country opened in 1987 that they built the Dreamworld Corroboree station. In the 5 or so years prior to then, the purpose of the long trip around to/from Rocky Hollow was either for just a relaxing journey through a bush environment or if to Rocky Hollow, for Dreamworld Express's bushranger show. Maybe the recent Beware Of The Bawd Brothers show was so successful, they are planning a bigger version in the place of Dreamworld Corroboree if they relocate it? However, since Ardent is the owner of DW, I doubt that. In the end, travelling through a great landscaped area to/from Rocky Hollow would be enough to say it is worthy of keeping it if it is still viable.

Edited November 23, 2018 by Jamberoo Fan

[Richard]

19 hours ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

By the way, the 3 parks mentioned in the article as having lazy rivers, one is mentioned as Sea World's former Adventure Island & Ferry. I believe you meant Adventure Park?

On 21/11/2018 at 10:31 PM, Richard said:

Thanks for pointing this out. It was actually just a tagging error... it was meant to be Wet'n'Wild Sydney (park ID #134 in our database), not Adventure Island (ride ID #134).

 

As for the "dark ride"... Ardent/Dreamworld seem to have created a bit of confusion/doubt for themselves by leaving it out of the presentation despite mentioning it earlier in the year.

I've not heard anything to suggest that this plan isn't going ahead in the near future, albeit not this financial year. As far as I know this was always the case, and the "dark ride" will form part of a relaunched Gold Rush that also includes some of the things mentioned in this article, and a few other things.

[pushbutton]

I really hope they won't call it "Gold Rush".

[Jamberoo Fan]

@Richard, so the things mentioned in the article (such as the wildlife experience inside Whitewater World possibly next to or part of a lazy river) aren't an accidental error?

[New display name]

1 hour ago, Jamberoo Fan said:

@Richard, so the things mentioned in the article (such as the wildlife experience inside Whitewater World possibly next to or part of a lazy river) aren't an accidental error?

I've never know @Richard to make shit up.  

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

Everything richard said is 100 percent true if current plans don't change.