you have onlyone decent park, WE HAVE NONE!!!!!
I think new zealand is in need of a decent park.
rainbows end is goin nowhere, i want an intamin
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Six Flags aren't going to come here - especially not in their current status.
I would never say that we've only got one park. There are dozens of little gems scattered all around the country.
What more could Six Flags do, that Macquarie Leisure Trust isn't doing with Dreamworld, or Warner Roadshow isn't doing with Sea World, Wet 'n' Wild and Movie World, or what Sunway Corp. isn't doing with Wonderland Sydney?
All three are owned by companies that are equally as good as Six Flags, if not better. Macquarie Leisure Trust owns many of the Gold Coasts greatest attractions. Warner Roadshow is a 20-year old partnership with Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow. They have risen to be one of the biggest names in the film industry. Sunway Corp owns many of the largest resorts in Asia, as well as a number of theme parks.
Trust me, the parks here are as capable as any global corporation. They add rides as much as they see fit. I'd probably even say that they can cope with the market better than any US company could.
The major four parks here all pull in excess of 1,000,000. Dreamworld adds major rides every two years, and I expect that to increase, especially with Movie World really shaping up to its potential, just 5 minutes down the road.
The average Six Flags park gets something new about every 3-4 years. What are these 'average' parks getting that our 'average' parks aren't?
Don't expect Tussauds or Cedar Fair either. These are two much smaller companies, that target their local countries, and don't specialise in building up parks.
None of the current parkowners here will sell in their current state. Dreamworld was purchased for a bargain by the Leisure Trust a few years ago, and is their major investment. Without it, share values would plummet and consumer interest would totally disappear. Warner Roadshow, Village in particular have spend the past 20 years shaping up their relatively small chain, to produce a few parks that are internationally recognised as family destinations. Six Flags have been rumoured to be after this chain, but Village are very reluctant to sell, as this is VERY profitable for them. Sunway Corp paid a good price for Wonderland Sydney from Paramount Parks, and the park was in rather poor condition when they got it. They've since brought it up to the standards of the Gold Coast parks, and it is now Australia's most profitable and most attended park.
No chain is going to invest in a brand new park either, especially when the biggest candidate, Six Flags is 'down the dunny' so to speak. There are several small parks being developed as we speak on the Sunshine Coast up here, you may find that they are indirect competition for the Gold Coast parks, and that will add yet another spark to the relatively close competition for the Queensland parks, and even more indirectly, but still very noticably to Wonderland Sydney.
The parks here have more than their share of things to offer. Trust me, it is by no means worse than your average US park. I'd honestly say as good as your best US amusement parks, only on a slightly smaller scale.
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So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?
Now, it is probable that the 'talk' was just rumors .. or maybe Paramount was actually thinking about it, but pulled out.
Anyone know?
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Cameron Silver
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(Former Signature replaced due to bad joke with accident) The Beast at night-Two peas in a pod? http://www.geocities.com/moviecoaster/safetyeditorial- Next article against Markey!
Warner Bros. Movie World here, is a Warner Bros./Village Roadshow initiative, Six Flags had and has nothing to do with the original Warner Bros. theme park.
With regards to the Paramount park that was to be in Melbourne. Paramount was all for it - to create a park with as many quality coasters as most of their American parks, and an adjoining set of sound stages under the Paramount name. The deal was basically that the Australian Government was to partially fund the project. The Government pulled out of this project that was so close to a reality, and now instead of a multi-million dollar theme park and studios that would be bringing in millions, the Government put, in its place, a small set of studios, for the ABC (a solely government-owned broadcasting station).
The Australian Government has done this a number of times - they've left Disney about 3 different times.
Cameron - I believe I've seen your Luna Park photos at RCDB. Great work there - all I need now is to get down to Melbourne and ride the beautiful Scenic Railway (which I should be able to pull off in January next year).
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So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?
I'll be in Melbourne in December (after a week in Byron Bay, and a day at Dreamworld!), so I'll be at Luna Park with my camera right off the plane. (Seriously, my parents live about 15 minutes (walk) away!).
If you (or anyone else) is interested in more of the Luna Park pictures, they can be found at:
http://www.buzzneon.com/coasters/luna_park
Cam.
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Cameron Silver
*** This post was edited by Cameron on 8/23/2002. ***
That's a great set of photos you've got there. It makes you think really how little coasters have changed over the past 90 years. Aside from the height and whatnot, rides haven't really changed that much - they're still the same basic things.
If you're coming up Gold Coast way (well, I suppose down for you - until you're in Melbourne), I can't recommend enough for you to try and squeeze in a visit to Movie World. Their new Scooby Doo coaster alone makes the trip a must.
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So what if the best coaster in Australia is a second hand Arrow?
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