Reviews & Reactions - Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster: Next Generation

[Wil_i_am_not]

Yeah, currently in line and it doesn’t seem to be moving much. Luckily I got there just as the opened the queue, so I’m close-ish to the front.

[ejpdtd]

6 minutes ago, Jordan M. said:

Yep, still cycling at present. Second half of the castle que appeared to be closed off as I walked through too.

 

Pls update once first train is sent, it’s bloody hot in the main queue area

[Rabbit2014]

It is open for riders

[Park Addict 93]

Ride Photos are currently not working, same spot with the axe’s.

[Rabbit2014]

The ride has returned most of the old theming with a few video screens with the monsters from the movie coming for you, axes are still there, lift has screens on it, disco room mostly dark still, loud music and couple of added extra sections the end of room is completely new set pieces. 

A little shocked to see most of the old theming that was removed was brought back

 

still great ride

 

wait time for those coming to it now over 1hr huge Line up into over flow 

Edited December 15, 2018 by Rabbit2014

[pushbutton]

Pre and post disco room there are what I would call moderate new effects. Quite good but after such a long wait I was hoping for more to be honest, and some of the effects were a bit repetitive. The only way this might be good is if they're somewhat random, and you get different effects each time you ride. That's possible, but we'll see. 

Disco room has a couple of new lights but really I was expecting a lot more there.

Overall, in my opinion, 6/10 on a scale of how well they've done (compared to how well they could have done).

Still a very good ride, but could have been significantly better! 

[red dragin]

Considering we saw the instagram post of the projection mapping scanning equipment up near the turntable, it's a surprise to hear there is no changes up there? 

[pushbutton]

Oh and the door from the queue area into the first part of the ride are once again not working. They're just automatic doors so can’t be that hard to keep them operational.

[ejpdtd]

So it’s kind of what you would expect. I’d say it’s a good refurb considering it had to be done. 

There’s only 5 screen/projection mapping spots, and the animation isn’t amazing but will suffice and kind of tells a story without much going on. -  but without seeing the movie you wouldn’t real get what’s happening. 

Good thing is all of the physical sets have returned or been replaced with something equally as good, with even a few new ones .

Laser room seems a bit tame but there’s some new cool lights and sounds and a ‘laser box’ around the platform where the car rotates - the sound was a bit deafening in there though. 

Physical ride system is very much the same, maybe new seat covers or they could have just been cleaned. But still a pretty rough ride at some points for tall blokes

[pushbutton]

1 minute ago, red dragin said:

Considering we saw the instagram post of the projection mapping scanning equipment up near the turntable, it's a surprise to hear there is no changes up there? 

Maybe there's more to come in the disco room then, but how they can have anything not 100% after such a long period of closure I don't understand. 

[Park Addict 93]

54 minutes ago, Slick said:

Not a great start from a communications perspective. So how has real world operations been this morning?

Not quite as much of a mess as @Slick has portrayed.

Just to counter and clarify.

Nobody was pushing anyone, VRTP staff clearly said the ride wouldn’t be operating yet prior to dropping the rope.

The ride closed sign was there immediately after rope drop, and staff at the front of the ride.were informing guests it would open at some point today, would likely be a couple of hours. People were suggested to try other open attractions but nobody was prevented from waiting around.

Staff were around answering queries until approximently 11:05 when matinance staff exited and it appeared closer to opening at which point they were at the usual entry host position at the top of the stairs.

At this point the people scattered around the entry point formed a line and a crowd quickly built. A staff informed the line to move to the side of the path rather than block it.

This photo was taken at 11:10

Edited December 15, 2018 by Jordan M.

[Slick]

5 minutes ago, Jordan M. said:

Not quite as much of a mess as @Slick has portrayed.

Just to counter and clarify.

Nobody was pushing anyone, VRTP staff clearly said the ride wouldn’t be operating yet prior to dropping the rope.

The ride closed sign was there immediately after rope drop, and staff at the front of the ride.were informing guests it would open at some point today, would likely be a couple of hours. People were suggested to try other open attractions but nobody was prevented from waiting around.

Staff were around answering queries until approximently 11:05 when matinance staff exited and it appeared closer to opening at which point they were at the usual entry host position at the top of the stairs.

At this point the people scattered around the entry point formed a line and a crowd quickly built. A staff informed the line to move to the side of the path rather than block it.

This photo was taken at 11:10

What I wrote was corroborated with pictures and reports from multiple folks. To be clear, I said folks were pushing in front of others, not pushing each other. My point about the outside queue in the pathway still stands - whether staff eventually organised the queue to stand to one side is pointless when there's a shaded queue line specifically designed for this they never used.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Slick

[Park Addict 93]

14 minutes ago, Slick said:

What I wrote was corroborated with pictures and reports from multiple folks. To be clear, I said folks were pushing in front of others, not pushing each other.

I was there and am in some of those photos I’m sure so am just giving my perspective and some facts. Staff informed guests they were not allowed to que prior to rope drop and I did not witness anyone pushing in front of others from 9:49am when I arrived.

Not eventually, it happend quickly. Considering the ride was still cycling (not ready for guests) when everyone was admitted into the que I think it shows MW did notice.

I agree that the marketing could have been better but operationally it was not as much of a mess as your post portrayed in my opinion.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Jordan M.

[AllegroCrab]

Screens and animations were cringeworthy. Lights werent working on most of the original animatronics. Pretty dissapointing.

[Rabbit2014]

5 minutes ago, AllegroCrab said:

Screens and animations were cringeworthy. Lights werent working on most of the original animatronics. Pretty dissapointing.

I’m not seeing the next generation side of the ride the projection mapping was very basic

[pushbutton]

Just checked and the ride is STILL under maintenance with no end date according to the website! 

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

1 minute ago, pushbutton said:

Just checked and the ride is STILL under maintenance with no end date according to the website! 

Proabaly hasn’t been updated...

[pushbutton]

8 minutes ago, Gold Coast Amusement Force said:

Proabaly hasn’t been updated...

That would be a very safe guess! 

[aaronm]

1 hour ago, AllegroCrab said:

Screens and animations were cringeworthy. Lights werent working on most of the original animatronics. Pretty dissapointing.

They’re in technical rehearsal, what’s there today clearly isn’t the final intended experience. I’d expect most of the effects to be sorted out over the coming weeks, as is fairly normal for new rides. It’s great to see the theming back in there, though I agree that the animations are reminisicent of a Playstation 2 game. The wild mouse room will look great once the mapping is working properly.

[Slick]

1 hour ago, aaronm said:

They’re in technical rehearsal, what’s there today clearly isn’t the final intended experience. I’d expect most of the effects to be sorted out over the coming weeks, as is fairly normal for new rides. It’s great to see the theming back in there, though I agree that the animations are reminisicent of a Playstation 2 game. The wild mouse room will look great once the mapping is working properly.

After countless months of closures (nearly a year total?) and both the park and its managements pushing a full opening today on social, there's absolutely no chance they should get to suddenly start walking it back saying it's still in technical rehearsal just because reviews aren't favourable.

[Brendo88]

Been on it a few times today. It’s not a massive change that’s for sure but some nice touches. 

[Gazza]

Why are all the reviews so vague?

"Oh it's mostly the old ride with a few new things".

Yeah we knew that....

[AllegroCrab]

It may be in technical rehearsal, but can they really improve the screens that much? I just hope there'll be more effects in the disco room and the animatronics and lighting will be brought back to their original standard.

[Brendo88]

1 minute ago, AllegroCrab said:

It may be in technical rehearsal, but can they really improve the screens that much? I just hope there'll be more effects in the disco room and the animatronics and lighting will be brought back to their original standard.

I was hoping for that too but there seemed to be less effects at the moment.  Disco room did have some lighting but not laser, no fog at all either. 

[red dragin]

4 minutes ago, Gazza said:

Why are all the reviews so vague?

"Oh it's mostly the old ride with a few new things".

Yeah we knew that....

I think we all expected new sets, not just the old ones cleaned up (or replicated). And more than a few flat screens showing animations after 5 months of closure. 

Of course the mechanics of the ride remain the same. 

Say you employ someone to renovate your house to "next generation" and after five months all you get is a few TV'S, a new room and some paint, you'd be disappointed.