I don't think the park needs any sort of "theming", as @GoGoBoyhas said the way things like Volare have been done are perfectly adequate for the park, but yeah things like the temporary barricades instead of proper queue rails just seems needlessly cheap.

 

Quote

As you make your way up these stairs and start to realise that this attraction is not at all disability friendly

I was thinking they could arrange alternative access via the lift in the Big Top foyer (presume it has one?) and then up the exit, but then the exit has steps as well so 💁‍♂️

Granted the ramp would be too steep for independent access, but a staff member would be assisting anyway and it would be better than nothing:

 

********************

 

I headed down to Sydney and rode this on Saturday.

 

To echo everyone else, yes it shakes a lot, except in the front, and I put this down to how light the trains are. In the station if you rock in your seat side to side you can get your car to jiggle, so theres def a bit of play in the wheels.

Likewise every time you pass over a friction wheel the whole car bumps up.

 

Seats are comfortable, surprised there is no back up seatbelt, but echoing Doms comments that you could get struck by the harness opening since it springs open so quick at the end….It doesn’t raise up gently like on Superman or Rivals etc.

 

First launch starts steady and then suddenly kicks right at the end into the turn.

 

The dips feel like the start of Steel Vengeance or Twisted Collossus, with random little bumps and twists.

 

2^nd launch is spirited, with a good bit of force in the loops, but some definite shaking at the bottom of the loops. The top of the non inverted loop doesn’t have the same ejector DC rivals have.

 

Overall, the transitions and track design are well done, no sudden neck snapping moments or anything like that. I was worried being a compact design that might happen, but really its just the cars themselves making it bumpy.

 

The airtime hill has a good little moment of ejector.

 

The s bends are cool because theoretically this is the ideal coaster for heartlining, so you actually feel your bottom swinging outwards with each bank in the track.

 

The turn dives under the bridge (which looks like those freeway footbridges with barriers to prevent rock throwing, but the holes are big enough to poke your phone lens through for photos) and then you go up and over the station entry stairs, and its actually very close in terms of clearance, surprised there is no netting.

 

The corkscrew is drawn out, with a moment of hangtime at the top, then as you come out is a super close near miss with that first turn after launch #1

 

Hit the brakes and the ride is done.

 

I did about 8 laps, including the back, and twice in the front. Try and get a front row ride if you can.

It was quiet for a Saturday so I rarely waited more than 1 or 2 cycles.

 

As for Boomerang, so smooth in every way, not just on the track but even when it stops and changes direction there is not a single lurch, it has been finely programmed. The helix on the reverse trip is quite dizzying.

5 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Wasn't there a fairly lengthy discussion during construction when people were picking on the presentation, and the response that came fairly loudly was 'but they're building 9 rides at once and don't have a lot of money' - has that changed?

 

I still personally maintain that tight budgets are preventing more ambitious theming at this moment in time.

the ride opened less than a month ago I don't think anyone is suggesting that any budgetary constraints will have been resolved this quickly - you'd just open a month later if you thought you could afford to put improved theme elements in that soon - no if we do see improvements I think it will be when the ride has an annual maintenance scheduled.

It's a nice theory, but it seems more like wishful thinking than anything that will actually happen. I'll still probably visit early in the year to have a go at BD so I guess they got their money. I guess I'll figure out when I'm there if I'll be back again without another major ride.

8 hours ago, joz said:

It's a nice theory, but it seems more like wishful thinking than anything that will actually happen. I'll still probably visit early in the year to have a go at BD so I guess they got their money. I guess I'll figure out when I'm there if I'll be back again without another major ride.

It’s a bit more than a theory though. The General Manager of Luna Park Sydney himself , Warwick Doughty stated that there were certainly budgetary constraints that reflected on the theming. This is where this reason came from. I guess we will just have to take him at his word and at face value. He has been very generous with his comments and quite honest as well, in my dealings with him. We also have to remember that the park has not had the ideal start to Big Dipper’s launch with Omnicron rearing it’s ugly head right at the worst time. Time will tell if improvements are made , however from what we have seen of the park over the last few years has shown a willingness to improve on overall theming, with the new lighthouse structure , Helter Skelter cafe and the Wild Mouse building all receiving fantastic looking upgrades. I am sure that given time this will improve for the new area and Big Dipper as well. 

if i'm honest, I always felt the climb up to the wild mouse station was a poor effort, but I just gave it a pass because the ride was why I was there, not the queue. 

Of course, we know the reason why everything is scaled back is due to funding - but there's nothing out there that says they'll ever change it - and Wild Mouse is a good illustration of that. 

As mentioned - the photos do show a lot of 'bad show' - but i'm left wondering if they even care? There is of course a big difference between capital works on major buildings and such - how much do they care if a bridge looks utilitarian?

Just wait, and it’ll come eventually.

5 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

Of course, we know the reason why everything is scaled back is due to funding - but there's nothing out there that says they'll ever change it - and Wild Mouse is a good illustration of that. 

The queue section has remained the same since the 95 reopening. I was referring to the actual facade which has seen extensive new signage and reimagining since the reopening of 2004. This of course is all done in-house by resident artist Ashley Taylor and the end result is quite effective. Hopefully he can have the opportunity to do similar upgrades witht he new rides as time goes on.

 

I've had the chance to ride the new Big Dipper. So I'll leave some of my thoughts. 

We all know what the ride looks like at the “Luna Land” section of the park and it's got a nice “dominant” presence. The station/queue area is not presented the best. I just put this down to a serious limitation on space. You have a giant support structure all over the place and a queue that snakes it was through. The bridge could have looked a little nicer but I understand why they picked that option. It's simply been done to ensure you don't throw medium/ large items onto the train as it goes over the first launch. 

The ride has a presence as it rushes around you. Much like the Wildmouse does when you line up waiting for it. The stations waiting gates are presented much in the same way as Boomerangs and I suffices for what the Park needs. 

The ride experience is amazing. Once the track and train (I'll come back to the train) have warmed up this thing flies around. The pacing is perfect and someone in the group I was with commented how this coaster has a similar B&M raw to it (I have never seen or heard a B&M in person myself). First launch has a nice little kick to it, that second launch definitely is on par, if not better than Jet Rescue as Seaworld. The ride elements are great, It's amazing to have ridden a proper headline role for the first time also. The non-inverting loop is nothing like Rivals but it still packs a decent whack. Even the moment of” floater” airtime on the return trip behind money island is great. The “Spaghetti bowl” section is great. Everything comes at you at a fast pace and before you know it you are back in the station. 

But, with all good things you get some bad things. I am an average build and size. The trains I fit into no problem, but the trains are light as hell. As mentioned by @Gazzathey rock when you go to place items into the storage bins. This also means as previously mentioned they feel every tyre and bump. The back of the train is terrible. It “jackhammers” the entire way around the course. This is all due to a lightweight train and small bogey wheels. One noticeable thing was the pacing of a train between a heavy load and a light load. Naturally, if you get adults or heavier people the train close around a little more forceful than a train full of kids. 

While it can be rough, it's still a great coaster. I'm happy to see this park have such a great ride. 

Here's all my photos from my visit:

https://www.parkz.com.au/search/photos/location/luna-park-sydney

3 hours ago, Gazza said:

Here's all my photos from my visit:

https://www.parkz.com.au/search/photos/location/luna-park-sydney

Great pics!! Its certainly a photogenic coaster!!. Other than the shortcomings that have been discussed, the park looks bright and vibrant. Certainly an improvement over previous years. 

I was always under clearly the wrong impression that Australian roller coasters required the seatbelt. Is this a QLD requirement only? or is it even a requirement at all?

28 minutes ago, Naazon said:

I was always under clearly the wrong impression that Australian roller coasters required the seatbelt. Is this a QLD requirement only? or is it even a requirement at all?

Just had a look on SafeWork Australia and it's not required. The only sort of requirement specified is that at least part of the restraint's locking mechanism must be inaccessible to the rider to prevent them from tampering with it or undoing it accidentally or in a panic. Qld may be different, but by federal requirements anyway, it's not a necessity as far as I can see.

Many parks also follow AS 3533.2 which is more specific in many areas.

1 hour ago, Naazon said:

I was always under clearly the wrong impression that Australian roller coasters required the seatbelt. Is this a QLD requirement only? or is it even a requirement at all?

Abyss doesn’t have seat belts, that’s with an OTSR.

1 hour ago, Tim Dasco said:

Abyss doesn’t have seat belts, that’s with an OTSR.

It does have a weight limit though 😂😂 😎👍

13 hours ago, Jobe said:

It does have a weight limit though 😂😂 😎👍

Plus at the rate WA is going, it's unlikely to be able to be considered an Australian Coaster anytime soon... haha!

16 hours ago, Tim Dasco said:

Abyss doesn’t have seat belts, that’s with an OTSR.

Does Goliath have them?

I'm not bored enough to dive into standards documents and whatnot, but from what I recall, it's not about the harness type or whatever - but whether the supplemental system was infallible - ie harnesses that had ratcheting locking systems that could not be unlocked except with intention are seen differently to hydraulic locking systems that aren't independent of each other.

I think this is why Buzzsaw had such issues and then later modifications to it's restraint system because the 'layers' of redundancy weren't independent.

This is all from memory though, so don't quote me on it - but that's what I remember...

19 minutes ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

don't quote me

okay

1 hour ago, Gazza said:

Does Goliath have them?

Goliath does have them. But Intamins gyro swings all have them. 

Finally went to Luna Park for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The place was PACKED. And a few pictures were taken.

 

Appears the Rotor has finally reopened for the post-Covid world.

 

New map of the park.

 

This appears to be the modern version of the old Luna Park photo studio: Green Screen photography.

 

I do not like the Rockin Tug in this location.

 

Original Big Dipper carriage on display. A new photo studio for your roller coaster pics is opposite.

 

Wild Mouse facade still in progress. Four years since the overhaul was first started…

 

Luna Land. Which I hope can be zhuzhed up with more theming and bridges when budget and finances and permit.

 

Big Dipper in action.

This notice has been put on Luna Park's website. I hope this is temporary. BD's only closed for two hours after the rest of the park opens but I imagine some guests might be annoyed by the delayed opening.

 

3 hours ago, Yyosh said:

I imagine some guests might be annoyed by the delayed opening.

Is an understatement. It's been very tough on the staff with the endless complaints from customers.

I know I'm gonna sound like Amy's Baking Company. But, just look at their social media and review sites! They're acting like pieces of s**t in there, which is what the staff are having to deal with every day! Come on guys, people don't need to be this rude! Look at these examples! There was even one person who had the audacity to spam his review over and over again on Trip Advisor! Well I never!

Leave our staff alone! Everyone from HTM, to MD have put their heart and soul into making the park run! And this is what we get in return? If people are gonna act like this to our staff and other customers, then nobody will be at the park at all!

Edited January 24, 20223 yr by AheadMatthewawsome

4 hours ago, AheadMatthewawsome said:

Is an understatement. It's been very tough on the staff with the endless complaints from customers.

I know I'm gonna sound like Amy's Baking Company. But, just look at their social media and review sites! They're acting like pieces of s**t in there, which is what the staff are having to deal with every day! Come on guys, people don't need to be this rude! Look at these examples! There was even one person who had the audacity to spam his review over and over again on Trip Advisor! Well I never!

Leave our staff alone! Everyone from HTM, to MD have put their heart and soul into making the park run! And this is what we get in return? If people are gonna act like this to our staff and other customers, then nobody will be at the park at all!

I’m sorry but I find it strange that these people expect Luna Park to do all the heavy lifting during a pandemic. I mean… going outside your back door during these times means you’re taking a risk of catching the virus. Why blame the park? If you’re concerned about the virus… simply don’t go. I understand that there’s an obvious level of expectation placed on businesses regarding the covid-safe management, but there’s only so much LP can enforce.