Thunderbolt Loops

[T-bone]

That "close to 200" Thread, and the post richard posted reminded me of something to ask you guys. Did Dreamworld end up keeping the Thunderbolt Loops and make a memorial, or in fact did they keep them at all? Or did they take them to the tip? Becuase i remember they were talking about making a memorial somwhere in the park that had a train carraige with the loop behind it saying "R.I.P Thunderbolt. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are today". Or something like that.

[Daniel]

What a load of crap!

[mikrowave]

Oh you sentimental old thing you Daniel I can see why they would do something like that but to have a line saying "without you we wouldnt be where we are today" is a little bit well... lame =)

[Slick]

No, there is only on long piece left, which the second train will be bolted to. It is part of one of the corners which had no banking. But they still have no idea where its going, so they left the track on the storage side of the Thunderbolt.

[Nebuchanezzar]

They should put it, um, somewhere near the main entrance parlour, that'd be sweet. Id like to see a bit of memorabilia for the good ol Thunderbolt.

[Slick]

I would've liked to have seen it within the Cyclone or The Claw themeing. The Cyclone could reall use something like that, for example near the Aftermath store. That wave must go MUAHAHAHA!

[Johno]

Hey Guys, Maybe they are using it as a theme for The Claw, the ad does say it is: Tearing Dreamworld - so that track from Thunderbolt could be used, it would look like The Claw has torn Thunderbolt apart and pushed the new ride to the site!

[Slick]

He has a very valid point there...... Now what I would like to know is where are they going to place the queue, how big it is going to be in such limited space and so forth.

[Nebuchanezzar]

I like the idea of putting it near the Claw, or near the cyclone, when I went to dreamworld all I remember seeing all the time was them 'big' imposing loops sticking out from behind the Thunderbolt entrance, without them there it must seem kinda empty, stick em out somewhere near the Claw, I most certainly agree.

[joz]

What a tacky idea. It reminds me of an English airport that has on the grass next to the runway (and I'm not joking) the shell of a plane missing its wings and back section. Why? Maybe there's a storey behind it but I don't know about it so it just looks tacky and a bit ominous. Having the loops of thunderbolt kept would be like SW having Kanook stuffed and put out the front of Polar Bear Shores. Or MW putting the Studio Tour Trams in the middle of main street. Something small (if you must), but don't go crazy in trying to make yourself tacky.

[Slick]

Trust me, the loops are not coming back, they stanley knives now! Like I said, there is only one piece left, deal with it everyone.

[ScReAMmachine!]

Becuase i remember they were talking about making a memorial somwhere in the park that had a train carraige with the loop behind it saying "R.I.P Thunderbolt. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are today". Or something like that.

Yeah thanks for the neck injuries, distorted visions and blackouts... A great idea indeed.

[scott]

Main Plaza is looking a bit sad,maybe stick it there.Otherwise,the Claw would be good.

[joz]

And the rusting decaying remnants of the Thunderbolt would make Main Street look less sad?

[Bussy]

It reminds me of an English airport that has on the grass next to the runway (and I'm not joking) the shell of a plane missing its wings and back section.  Why?  Maybe there's a storey behind it but I don't know about it so it just looks tacky and a bit ominous.

Here is the story behind that. They actually have the shell of a plane at most airports (major ones anyway). The reason? Fire fighting training. They set the thing on fire and practice drills on it. They try to put out the fire and in some cases there have 'people' (for those with sub-par intelligence they are actually dummies) inside the cabin of the aircraft and the firies (fire-fighters) have to go in and rescue them. It's definitely not a piece of tacky theming (why an airport would theme its runway area is beyond me anyway) but a valuable piece of training equipment. "The Bus is now leaving for Metung Fire Station, Victoria"

[joz]

Fair enough. Only ever seen it at a regional airport, but still quite interesting thanks! I still don't get why they've got in the middle of their runway (well, next too it) is a bit beyond mystery since they've got heaps of space but still fair enough, thanks for clearing that up.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

ok so the loops are gone, but i think it would have been nice to have the loops mounted in the fountain pool lake area near the imax, obviously with a bit of WD-40 and a new paint job though..... and who knows, maybe mount the train in it too...?

[T-bone]

That's what i was thinking when i heard that they were going to make a tribute to the ride. I even thought that they may make a model loop (Slightly smaller than the original) and make it a memorial there. Because the Original loops are a bit to big to put in the Pond.

[Psycho]

The more I think about it, the tackier it seems to leave bits and pieces of Thunderbolt around the park... True the ride was a landmark for some time, but if they are going to put some form of memorial I hope it's subtle... Although, I don't know why I'm worrying....It's not like Dreamworld to place things in strange places ;)

[Richard]

I can't believe anyone would want anything as a tribute of Thunderbolt. It was an amusement ride, and a very very poor one at that. Really, how would Dreamworld, or its guests for that matter, benefit from some hideously tacky monument to a ride everyone wanted to see destroyed? What would it achieve?

[willsy]

I can't believe anyone would want anything as a tribute of Thunderbolt. It was an amusement ride, and a very very poor one at that. Really, how would Dreamworld, or its guests for that matter, benefit from some hideously tacky monument to a ride everyone wanted to see destroyed? What would it achieve?

What so because you dont like it, it isnt a good idea? There are people out there that did like it, and i am one of them! You dont seem to like many things in the Aus theme parks or what they do, Maybe you should be come an American. Anyway just thought

[scott]

Willsy's right,If Thunder Bolt had been that bad DW wouldn't have kept it for 21 years.So long as they had a paint job done to them the loops would look good,especially with the carrige on the track.

[Richard]

scott, you're seemingly fairly new to theme parks. Did you ever ride Thunderbolt, out of curiousity? Tony Braxton-Smith, Dreamworld's former CEO said to me once a few years ago (when they first started investigating what to do with Thunderbolt) something along the lines of, "We know Thunderbolt is a rough ride. It always has been." Signs in the ride's queue and in the station said "Some riders may consider this a rough ride." - something I've never seen at any other park. In 1995 a hefty sum was spent upgrading the trains in a drastic attempt to improve smoothness of the ride. willsy - what you've said is wrong. I just don't see the purpose of living in the past, "worshipping" a ride that really wasn't very good. I didn't say, "I don't like it, so nothing should be done," or anything to that nature. I asked how Dreamworld or its guests would at all benefit from this. At least if you're going to respond to me, and quote what I said verbatim (which is totally unnecessary when it's the post above), make your point relevant to something I said. Suddenly to have an interest in theme parks, you must like everything you see? Yes, I focus on the bad points a lot. Why? It's a heck of a lot more interesting than threads like "Why I love Dreamworld", or "Why Thunderbolt Rocked" or that sort of crap.