Dreamworld Winterfest

[Original]

Wait, Greg has gone to Dreamworld? I knew he had left VRTP, but not where he had gone. 

[themagician]

Well that’s great news for DW then 

[Jdude95]

That's the word on the street but neither Greg nor Ardent have made any announcements yet

Aaaand just as I post that, Greg goes and changes his Instragram. 

I guess it’s official now 

 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

On 17/05/2019 at 9:45 AM, Skeeta said:

I’ve seen Ice Skating in shopping centres before.  

I've also seen "Ice" Skating in Movie World - but they didn't use real ice...

Just because you've seen something in a shopping centre, doesn't mean it can't belong in a theme park too. Especially with the way that Westfield is going these days.

[New display name]

MW sometimes do stupid things too. 

If the Winterfest engulfs the whole park like Frightnight does Winterfest should be great but if it's a rink  in a corner and you get a 3min go the event will blow.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Skeeta

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

All of the Winterfest activations will be included in your Dreamworld entree except for ice skating. However passholders will be eligible for one free skate, depending on availability.

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

It should read Winterfest activities. Took the statement straight from Dreamworld.

[-nick.white.1543]

1 hour ago, Gold Coast Amusement Force said:

All of the Winterfest activations will be included in your Dreamworld entree except for ice skating. However passholders will be eligible for one free skate, depending on availability.

How generous of them!

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

13 hours ago, Gold Coast Amusement Force said:

It should read Winterfest activities. Took the statement straight from Dreamworld.

Actually "activations" is marketing speak - no doubt nobody redrafted their internal material for public release and left that one in.

[New display name]

So if I want to go Ice Skating I can pay $85.00 to get into DW and pay an upcharge to go for a skate or I can pay $14.00 to skate at Planet Chill.  Oh boy which one will I do.

[pushbutton]

It'll cost me nothing to go ice skating at Dreamworld. 

Why would you pay $85?

[Gold Coast Amusement Force]

25 minutes ago, Skeeta said:

So if I want to go Ice Skating I can pay $85.00 to get into DW and pay an upcharge to go for a skate or I can pay $14.00 to skate at Planet Chill.  Oh boy which one will I do.

But is Planet Chill a theme park? It's just an ice skating rink. 

[New display name]

22 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

It'll cost me nothing to go ice skating at Dreamworld. 

Why would you pay $85?

 

15 hours ago, Gold Coast Amusement Force said:

However passholders will be eligible for one free skate, depending on availability.

 

23 minutes ago, pushbutton said:

Why would you pay $85?

To get into DW.   Unless you know a good spot to jump the fence.

[pushbutton]

Only if you don't live in Queensland. If you do then it's  $89 for more than a year! 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

*facepalm*

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

...To clarify - Dreamworld's big issue here right now isn't how to attract existing passholders into the park. The per cap spend from existing passholders isn't going to help them in the long term - it should be the cream on top, but for now, its not enough for the park to bounce back hard enough to climb the mountain that is before them.

The reason why we have articles coming out about the big ticket things Dreamworld should buy isn't to get a passholder to renew at a bargain basement price - its to bring more people into the park (or back into the park). Increasing visitation, not just repeating it, is the key.

An ice rink isn't going to encourage a non passholder to visit - because (as Skeeta pointed out) the cost of doing so far exceeds that which you might pay at a dedicated rink. Its great that they've decided to try adding some additional events to keep the park refreshed and offer something new to those return visitors - but its not going to be a big factor in turning the park around.

Edited May 22, 2019 by AlexB

[joz]

I think the problem with this event is what people think the motivation behind it is. The comments seem to say that this won't turn the park around and it's not what they need to do to fix the park long term. I agree with this sentiment, BUT I think DW do too.

 

I think someone from DW/Ardent must've come to their senses that all the plans they had were all shit. I mean Lazy River? Amphitheater? A small coaster in a shed (Craig hinted about this publically when they were still hoping to fix  Eureka)? Yeah none of that is good, none of that will turn it around and will also coat an arseload of cash. Better to throw those plans in the bin and start again, particularly given they had a slow summer after SV and don't need to be wasting money on mediocre attractions. 

 

But what do you do in the meantime? Just fiddle with your dick for 2 years? I think when you view these events as trying to bridge the gap until the bigger stuff gets signed off/comes on line it makes sense and absolutely is what they should be doing. And they can get a surprising amount of traction with these things. Cosentino was a good move. I've never heard of him before and was scratching my head a bit when they announced it, but a lot of people have heard of him; they had a very good Easter holiday season because they had something to market (good weather certainly helped with that too). Doing another event to try and have a good June/July is also a no brainer.

[MickeyD]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned but Dreamworld has done a successful Winter experience that was held way back around 1993' (from best I can remember.)

The Ice Skating rink was placed over the shallow pool in the Village green area, roughly between where KFPanda and the Carousel sits today. 

"Winter at Dreamworld" was the working title from memory and naturally the experience was included in regular admission.

Hopefully this time around the ice skating will be featured within the big shed along with lighting and other atmospherics.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

14 hours ago, joz said:

Just fiddle with your dick for 2 years? 

I think that's what they've been doing for the past 2 years...

[New display name]

15 hours ago, joz said:

Doing another event to try and have a good June/July is also a no brainer.

I would still like to see who is going to the events.  Is it a season pass holder who leaves as soon as the Cosentino show is over or are people paying $85.00 to get into to the park because they really want to see Cosentino?

I've always applauded DW for running events and extending trading times over the Christmas school holidays and complained about Village for being a tight ass during the busy periods.  I like events at this time of the year because it adds value in going to the park during the busy periods.  It makes a customer happy and not reflecting I just shelled out $500.00 for the family and we got to go on 3 rides.

I look at the current shows/events as crowed soakers and I don’t think DW need crowed soakers right now.  They do little to attract anybody who are willing to pay $85.00 to go Ice Skating. 

If they want to get people interested in DW again with events they really need to lift their game with events and take a page out of MW’s events.  Fright Night, Carnivale & White Christmas are all crowed generators and the best thing about it I have never felt the need to go on a ride at these events. 

All the time & money going into these smaller events would be better spent in DW adding just 1 kickass show.  But this has been DW’s problem all along and why I continue to say DW haven’t changed their stripes and are only looking at quick fixes and Band-Aids solutions.

[joz]

2 hours ago, Skeeta said:

I would still like to see who is going to the events.  Is it a season pass holder who leaves as soon as the Cosentino show is over or are people paying $85.00 to get into to the park because they really want to see Cosentino?

They said their strategy is to try and mobilise their pass holders so I would suspect mostly them. I don't think that's a bad move though. The marketing for Cosentino was very heavy and made it look like a thing. I'd be surprised if there wasn't an element of people who aren't pass holders anywhere, planning what to do for the holidays and seeing ads for DW thinking 'We havent been there in years, you know what let's go'

 

I don't agree with the idea that they left when the show finished. I mean disclaimer obviously a few would have but I reckon most people stayed. The reason I think that is just observation. The F&B outlets were busy, the rides actually had queues, and the Carpark didn't noticeably empty out. It's the first time I've seen the park with organic atmosphere in years.

 

I actually think people leaving after the show is a bigger problem at SW where Thunder Lake finishes around 2pm right by the main entrance - 4 hours after opening when the average visit is already only 3 hours.

 

5 hours ago, AlexB said:

I think that's what they've been doing for the past 2 years...

I think they spent a good deal of time being paralysed by what happened, and the Ardent instability that followed. They then spent another good deal of time drawing up plans that were flawed.

 

Here's what it is to me, there are lots of things to criticise Ardent and DW for. I'm not defending them. There are both historical and on going stuff in the park where you just go 'WTF are you lot doing?' I don't think small events designed to bring pass holders through the doors is one of those things though. If I was in charge of DW right now that's a thing I'd continue with, while still making bigger plans to more comprehensively turn the place around.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

22 minutes ago, joz said:

actually think people leaving after the show is a bigger problem at SW where Thunder Lake finishes around 2pm right by the main entrance - 4 hours after opening when the average visit is already only 3 hours.

+1 to that. I took the family to SW recently while we were staying down on the GC. We caught seal guardians (first and probably last time i'll do that), and made it to the top for the dolphin show. Took the kiddo on plenty of rides he was big enough for, and spent a fair bit checking out the animals.

We arrived back at the front of the park with about 30 minutes to showtime, had nothing else of interest to occupy us and a 3 year old, didn't like the idea of parking up on the metal benches in full sun with a stroller for ~an hour, so we left.

27 minutes ago, joz said:

Here's what it is to me, there are lots of things to criticise Ardent and DW for. I'm not defending them. There are both historical and on going stuff in the park where you just go 'WTF are you lot doing?' I don't think small events designed to bring pass holders through the doors is one of those things though.

I hear what you're saying, and i'm probably being a little harsh. I bought a pass post-incident. I was keen to support them. I was waiting on the next 'big thing' and eagerly awaited SkyVoyager, and hoping it was going to arrive before my pass expired. The announced lazy river also had me debating a renewal, as we enjoy spending time at Calypso, but prefer the children's options at WWW.

With all that blowing up in their faces, I admittedly feel a bit cheated that all the things promised fell flat... At this stage, i'm beyond giving a shit. Nothing short of blockbuster, and a complete overhaul of their practices is going to see me set foot in that park again. Greg's arrival is positive, albeit a little overdue, and i'm keen to see whether he can make some magic, or whether he finds himself constrained, and i hope he does well with the park. At this stage for me its a case of too little too late - and when many (here at least) are inclined to criticise these things, when in reality, doing something new (and included in admission) is still better than nothing, is very telling for how badly they've managed to this point.

I do hope Greg is the person that can change my mind... because ice skating certainly doesn't.

[New display name]

2 hours ago, AlexB said:

I do hope Greg is the person that can change my mind...

Hear ye, Hear ye,.   He has the weight of every enthusiast on his shoulders.  I really hope John Osborne hired Greg because he realised he needed the experience of somebody to help him instead of going it alone which is a real turn around from past CEOs of DW.

 

I'm not disagreeing with anything you're saying @joz I'm only thinking out loud and I haven't come to a conclusion yet.

 

 

edit Just announced.

Now it's "starting" to float my boat.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Skeeta

[joz]

Winterfest Nights. July 6. Well that makes sense.

[New display name]

Fixed.