GOLD standard
Go on, suggests Mike Yardley, why not have some fun at the theme parks the Gold Coast is famous for?
IT’S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE to have a thoroughly riveting Gold Coast holiday without stepping through the entry gates of a theme park. But why deprive yourself of the fun?
Here’s a round-up some of the staple experiences and recent installations to revup the titillation-factor!
Dreamworld’s signature new ride is a reptilian rollercoaster experience with a top speed of 105 km/h and a G-force of 3.8. You’ll hang on tight as Steel Taipan snakes around 1.2km of twists, turns and gutlurching launches!
With multiple inversions, it is Australia’s only triple launch coaster, which for the uninitiated means you will encounter three gut-lurching drops.
It also features the world’s first “Tailwhip’’ — a spinning seat at the rear of the train, if you are so inclined.
Another Aussie first and world first — a motorbike rollercoaster, or motocoaster, as it’s technically called.
The Mick Doohan Motocoaster features life-size replicas of 500cc racing bikes and two aerodynamically profiled sidecars. As you rip around the track and high-speed corners, you’ll clock 72km.
It’s supposedly the next best thing to Moto GP racing. And you’ll definitely want to ride the Gold Coaster! Speed through a 360 degree loop and 13-storeys of heartthumping high-speed fun, hitting speeds of up to 85 km/h.
Movie World sets itself apart as one of the very few movie theme parks outside North America, blending an old Hollywood vibe with live character performances and thrill rides galore.
Top honours in the adrenalin stakes goes to the DC Rivals Hypercoaster — a seriously high coaster with a 1.4km long track. Reaching speeds up to 115km, you’ll experience a menacing 89-degree drop as you descend from the lair of the iconic Joker head.
Another crowd-favourite is the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster, which starts off like a gentle ghost train, before transforming into a full-tilt, multi-sensory extravaganza complete with laser lighting and state of the art animatronics.
Kids understandably love Movie World for its wondrous array of highly engaging costumed characters, spanning Bugs Bunny to Batman.
New additions at the park include the Scooby Doo 4D Film Experience and the Warner Brothers studio, showcasing movie costumes and props from all of the Batman releases since 1989.
The collection of exhibits is enormous, from the Catwoman suit worn by Anne Hathaway to Ben Affleck’s Classic Batsuit and Grappling Gun.
The movie magic really hits top gear at Movie World with the daily Star Parade down Main Street which is simply unmissable. I so want a JL52 Batmobile!
For a change of scenery, spend a day at Australia’s largest marine theme park, Sea World, where you can get up close and personal with its stirring abundance of furry and flippered and feathered residents, from dolphins and seals to polar bears and penguins.
Join Sea World for an educational adventure in the amazing Affinity Dolphin Presentation or chill out in the shade while the kids cool down in Sea World’s new splash pad attraction, The Reef at Castaway Bay.
A new addition to Sea World’s repertoire of animal encounters is the Dolphin Couple Adventure. What could be more romantic than enjoying a private experience with your partner, interacting with some inquisitive dolphins, guided by a trainer?
The New Atlantis precinct is a gamechanger for Sea World, amping up the park’s adrenaline-inducing fire power, with the three world-class rides in the works.
The latest addition to open is Vortex, a twisting, turning, spinning thrill ride, that spirals around 15 minutes above the ground. Hold fire on the lunch break, until after that ride.
Must-do coaster rides? Jump onboard the Storm Coaster, a rollicking water flume rollercoaster ride, that goes under water and features explosive special effects. It’s the park’s largest ride.
Another big crowd-favourite is Jet Rescue. As the name suggests, this coaster sees you seated in a jet ski, zipping you around the track at 70km, flying past rock pools and blasting through a blowhole cave. ■ Mike Yardley flew to the Gold Coast non-stop from Auckland with Jetstar — www.jetstar.com