Rocky Hollow Log Ride officially closed

[Zanstabar]

Well... it's gone. Posted on the Dreamworld website that it will not reopen. So what's next for Rocky Hollow? 

[MrLukeCarroll]

From Dreamworld's "February Park Update" - https://www.dreamworld.com.au/whats-on/park-update?fbclid=IwAR1OcMrI_K1Y1NoFlFavg2nx01sZF9eHvDu3Jaz7cg8wr3P74R180XNq-Ik

"In order to continue Dreamworld’s journey as Australia’s biggest and best theme park, the Dreamworld team has made the decision to retire the Rocky Hollow Log Ride, which opened 38 years ago on 15 December 1981.

Dreamworld guests should be assured that this decision to not reopen the ride following its recent scheduled maintenance has been made to allow us to continue developing new experiences for guests while taking proactive steps to deliver a new generation of rides."

[webslave]

You can just imagine the conversation at Dreamworld HQ:
"Well guys, I'd like to continue developing new experiences for guests and take proactive steps to delivery a new generation of rides and all, but it's this log ride.  The log ride is why I can't do anything."

[themagician]

At least we don't have to see those canopy logs anymore. But seriously, it was a great ride for the park and I hope they do replace it with a family attraction (hopefully another flume style ride), but that's what the park needs. There are thrills and kids, but nothing really in between and that's what the park needs.

[aaronm]

Will ticket prices be reduced to factor in the reduction in attractions?

😁😂🤪

[themagician]

Nope, that’s not how the industry works. They’ve got to keep these prices to be able to pay for future rides to replace the ones they remove. It’s the same when an attraction is down for maintenance, they don’t lower prices because one or more rides are being inspected/repaired. The industry leaders, Disney and Universal don’t do it either.

[Rabbit2014]

This is poor from dreamworld let’s keep closing ride, now gone are thunder river rapids, wipeout, tower of terror, log ride and only one roller coaster as replacement ride to area of river rapids if it doesn’t get canceled 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Rabbit2014

[westical]

14 minutes ago, Rabbit2014 said:

This is poor from dreamworld let’s keep closing ride, now gone are thunder river rapids, wipeout, tower of terror, log ride and only one roller coaster as replacement ride to area of river rapids if it doesn’t get canceled 

You’re forgetting Sky Voyager. 

[Brad2912]

54 minutes ago, Rabbit2014 said:

This is poor from dreamworld let’s keep closing ride, now gone are thunder river rapids, wipeout, tower of terror, log ride and only one roller coaster as replacement ride to area of river rapids if it doesn’t get canceled 

How dare they close a death trap, 2 rides not financially or logistically viable to continue operation and a 38 year old in-house designed ride!

 

 

 

[themagician]

It definitely did well for being the Gold Coasts oldest ride

[Rabbit2014]

21 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

How dare they close a death trap, 2 rides not financially or logistically viable to continue operation and a 38 year old in-house designed ride!

 

 

 

 

Doesn’t matter if it a broken ride or not financially viable, closing down large amount of rides without replacing them doesn’t look good if the  public wishing to visit the park, the park replaced Wipeout with seats and a bit of shade, tower of terror will Be removed and open the park up and connect wiggles world with dreamworks, log ride was running fine only real issue was the cage they added.

rumoured to be closing sooner or later as well is hotwheel sidewinder as a ride that opened at Luna park Sydney in 1995 before moving to dreamworld, even know they got a new train for it and renamed it in 2015/16, but coaster has problems for years, for a ride that manufactured in Melbourne by a company called Able Leisure Pty. Ltd. How long it has left remains to be seen

Also with the inquest result from thunder river rapids coming at end of months and all those waiting to start legal action against dreamworld which was reported to be around another 15 million on top of the 5 million they have paid out so far, the park spending more money on replacement rides in the near future might be heavy affected.

 

 

1 hour ago, westical said:

You’re forgetting Sky Voyager. 

Sky voyager replaced dreamworld cinemas but the ride isn’t a ride that you would ride over and over until they change the video 

[iwerks]

2 hours ago, themagician said:

Nope, that’s not how the industry works. They’ve got to keep these prices to be able to pay for future rides to replace the ones they remove. It’s the same when an attraction is down for maintenance, they don’t lower prices because one or more rides are being inspected/repaired. The industry leaders, Disney and Universal don’t do it either.

Universal Singapore offered $10 lunch vouchers when Battlestar Galactica closed to be retracked/fixed. It’s not impossible to think of someway to make it up to the customer.

[westical]

10 minutes ago, Rabbit2014 said:

Sky voyager replaced dreamworld cinemas but the ride isn’t a ride that you would ride over and over until they change the video  

I wasn't aware rides don't count unless you ride them over and over.

[Jdude95]

Did everyone forget that they announced a $30m coaster that is about to start construction?

[Gazza]

4 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

Did everyone forget that they announced a $30m coaster that is about to start construction?

No, it says right in the thread.

[Jdude95]

But they aren't building any new rides!! *insert screeching*

[Gazza]

21 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

But they aren't building any new rides!! *insert screeching*

Hi Jdude I think the thrust of it is that TOT, Thunder River, Wipeout and Log Ride have all gone and so far only 2 will replace 4

Im cool with the coaster replacing tot as a thrill and im cool with SV replacing Thunder River as a broad family attraction...

But wipeout and the log ride are a couple of classics and I guess people want replacements for those too.

 

Out of interest? What opinion do you consider screeching?

[Jdude95]

I was more referring to the general response to the news today.

New rides are coming, starting with a decent new coaster that begins work in the next month.
Remove the last of the in-house, super old, hasn't been open in months, rides, without building 6 new things in it's place first? That's unacceptable!

I can understand that people are disappointed but these are the same people that were screaming at DW to close every ride forever, after they killed people. They need to remove the old before they can bring in the new. Announcing it and removing it is a hell of a lot better than fencing it off for 5-10 years... or just continuing to run it.
We can't have our 40 year old, barely maintained attractions and ride them too

Edit: Also, although it wasn't specifically mentioned what type of attraction is coming, wasn't it mentioned that ABC would be getting an overhaul and new attraction? That's another potential family/younger age oriented attraction too

Edited February 7, 2020 by Jdude95

[Gazza]

Hey mate why do you rely on hyperbole so much?

You said people are screeching.

Next you said people expect 6 rides in place of one.

Also, who was screaming for every ride to be closed? It was only kujotess on here who did that, and they were just a troll anyway and left ages ago 

Help me out here? Are you saying parkz forum members don't know about the coaster, or that parkz members think that 6 rides need to replace 1 or what.

Can you quote the members saying this?

 

Generally speaking, when I have observed theme park forums, people tend to expect 1 replacement for each ride closed so the ride total at least remains steady 

MW seems to have done that, but SW and WNW have certainly copped flack for closing stuff down without replacing most of it.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Gazza

[Jdude95]

Okay, so here's my follow up questions.

Can you quote where I mentioned that it was specific members on the forums?
Or even where I mentioned that it was specifically anyone on the forums at all?

I do believe my comments were
 

52 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

Did everyone forget that they announced a $30m coaster that is about to start construction?

 

7 minutes ago, Jdude95 said:

I was more referring to the general response to the news today.

 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

31 minutes ago, Gazza said:

But wipeout and the log ride are a couple of classics and I guess people want replacements for those too.

We got a replacement for Wipeout. It was the much needed un-shaded shaded seating area.

13 minutes ago, Gazza said:

You said people are screeching.

.

Can you quote the members saying this?

Cant quote members because they aren’t.

 

take a trip through the various social media he’s and groups and check what Joe & Karen Public are saying... if you can get past some of the screeching that is.

[Gazza]

Its almost like, the people who enjoyed the log ride might not necessarily be into the coaster.

[Levithian]

Rides sit sbno. People complain they should just get rid of it if they arent going to fix/repair/open it.

Rides removed rather than sit, degrading while nothing happens. People demand answers. Rides should be fixed and maintained not removed. 

Old rides running fine, people complain they are old and should be closed. Need to be replaced with something else.

Old rides close. People demand answers. They are part of the history of the park and should be saved.

Must be tough running a theme park in this country. 😐

[Brad2912]

3 hours ago, Rabbit2014 said:

 

Doesn’t matter if it a broken ride or not financially viable, closing down large amount of rides without replacing them doesn’t look good if the  public wishing to visit the park, the park replaced Wipeout with seats and a bit of shade, tower of terror will Be removed and open the park up and connect wiggles world with dreamworks, log ride was running fine only real issue was the cage they added.

rumoured to be closing sooner or later as well is hotwheel sidewinder as a ride that opened at Luna park Sydney in 1995 before moving to dreamworld, even know they got a new train for it and renamed it in 2015/16, but coaster has problems for years, for a ride that manufactured in Melbourne by a company called Able Leisure Pty. Ltd. How long it has left remains to be seen

Also with the inquest result from thunder river rapids coming at end of months and all those waiting to start legal action against dreamworld which was reported to be around another 15 million on top of the 5 million they have paid out so far, the park spending more money on replacement rides in the near future might be heavy affected.

 

 

Sky voyager replaced dreamworld cinemas but the ride isn’t a ride that you would ride over and over until they change the video 

I can paraphrase that.... Blah.

[wikiverse]

To be honest, it was a fairly boring and unappealing ride once the canopy was added and the caves were removed.

It looks like Dreamworld are actually planning for the future though.  The government is imposing pretty tough conditions on all ride operators after TRRR - and they're being particularly strict on Dreamworld.

RHLR would likely have needed some major changes to bring it up to modern safety standards.  Simply adding a lap bar or seat belt would have increased load times and reduced capacity.  With the current seat layout, a log would only hold 2 people, with redesigned logs, they might hold 3.  You would also need additional load staff to ensure that the bar/belt was secure before allowing a vehicle to depart the station.  Wider or longer ride vehicles would require redesigning the entire flume - especially the transitions into the lift hills and possibly the incline of the drop before the splashdown.

The ride was also likely increasing insurance costs simply because the age and design of the ride does significantly increase the risk of injury - even if it comes from riders not following instructions to remain seated.

All of this costs money - possibly millions of dollars - all to save a fairly average log flume ride.  That money would be better spend on a brand new water ride, built by a reputable manufacturer, with tried and tested vehicles and safety systems.  I think the current decision makers at Dreamworld know this and are actually planning for the future.

I think Dreamworld is in a great position to build a new log flume that isn't just long stretches of boring floating before a drop.  I'd love to see them incorporate a story like the Looney Tunes River Ride or Bermuda Triangle had, but that might be outside their budget. 

There are some great flume designs out there now.  Some have drop tracks, some have double downs on the final drop giving floater airtime, some have LSM launches...

With a bit of imagination, and all of that space, Dreamworld could build something world-class to replace RHLR.