The Parkz Update: Sea World, August 2014

Sea World's Sea Viper has been almost completely demolished in under a week, changing the skyline of the park forever. In this Parkz Update we check in on the park for one final look at the iconic roller coaster.

Image: Parkz. The end of an era... Sea Viper (formerly Corkscrew) is removed from Sea World.

Update By Richard Wilson
5 August 2014

Sea Viper removal

Over the course of the past week, the bulk of Sea Viper has been demolished following the announcement of its removal.

Some signage needs updating following Sea Viper's removal.

Work underway removing the ride. While most of the track and support structure is being hastily torn down to be sold for scrap, some moving parts warrant delicate removal.

It's a surreal sight to see such a Gold Coast institution disappearing.

Wouldn't it be great if a few pieces of twisted track were added to the carnage around Storm Coaster as an entirely fitting and theme-enhancing memorial of sorts to Corkscrew/Sea Viper?

Old Arrow coasters like this were welded together on site, so the process of removing the ride is anything but graceful.

It's amazing how quickly Sea Word have removed the ride once it was decided and announced that it wouldn't reopen.

The rough white paint on sections of track shows that they were very much committed to finding and repairing cracks in the track in the months leading to its demise.

Nothing like a crisp winter's day to make a half-demolished coaster look its best.

With Sea Viper gone, the oldest operating roller coaster on the Gold Coast is now Arkham Asylum at Warner Bros. Movie World, built in 1994.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Sea Viper's removal is that it frees up a huge chunk of land for future development, especially with the land reclamation performed for the fate-unknown 'Wild' animal attraction.

Piles of twisted steel. The lift hill chain can be seen at the bottom of the pile.

The bridge has been closed during the demolition.

The skyline at Sea World will soon change forever.

Viking's Revenge Flume Ride maintenance

Viking's Revenge Flume ride is down for extensive maintenance.

The boats pile up along the empty trough.

Without the benefit of constant splashes of water from the ride's operation, the appearance of many of the boats is particularly nasty.

Work is going on in the station on the ride's few mechanical parts.

The channel is bone dry and the main overflow pool has also been emptied.

These simple modifications to the trough create enough water turbulence to slow the speed of the boats as they come into the lift hill.

The lift hill itself has been gutted. Rollers sit between the hundreds of square posts, upon which the rubber conveyor belt normally sits.

Imagine...

There is something incredibly special about seeing dolphins up close with your own eyes.

Unfortunately, most in the crowd witness the show through a small screen on their smart phone.

Dirty water

With the recent water cleanup at Dreamworld, the title for most-disgusting Gold Coast theme park water goes to Sea World's Jet Rescue!

Around Sea World

Please. Don't bypass our food and retail outlets.

See, if Sea World were to let guests through the gates, they'd miss out on opportunities like this – a $13 limited time hotdog. I assume by "limited time" they mean before 3pm when the outlet closes?