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DreamWorks Experience

DreamWorks Experience was a themed land at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It contained attractions themed to DreamWorks Animation films. The land was formerly themed to Nickelodeon properties.

History

Early History

The area which DreamWorks Experience occupied was originally known as Village Green when it opened in 1983.[1] In 1998, the area was renamed to Village Oval.[2] In 1999, the northern end of Village Oval was redesigned to become Kennyland.[3]

Nickelodeon Central

In early 2002, Kennyland was removed and most of Village Oval was fenced off. Some of the children's rides were moved to Rivertown to allow for the construction of Nickelodeon Central.[4] During that year the leftover rides were rethemed and relocated to their current positions as part of Nickelodeon Central.[5] Nickelodeon Central opened on 26 December 2002 as the largest children's area in an Australian theme park.[6] In 2008, SpongeBob FlyPants (now Gingy's Glider) opened to expand Nickelodeon Central's offerings.[7]

On 27 April 2010, the Dora the Explorer Seaplanes closed for maintenance and has not operated since.[8] The ride was removed in late 2010 from its position in the park in addition to it being removed from the attraction listing and park map.[9][10][11]

DreamWorks Experience

Towards the middle of 2011, elements of Nickelodeon theming started to be removed leading to speculation that the contract with the television network was being terminated.[12] By the start of the winter holidays on 25 June 2011, all of the rides were renamed to a generic interim kids theme: Kid's World.[citation needed] In October 2011, the former Nick Pics building and the Remota Boats area were demolished with work beginning on a replacement building on the Nick Pics site.[13]

Earlier in 2011, the outgoing CEO of Dreamworld, Noel Dempsey,[14] leaked Dreamworld's plans to team up with DreamWorks Animation on his LinkedIn profile page.[15] On 10 November 2011, Dreamworld officially announced a three-stage plan to incorporate DreamWorks Animation films and characters into its theme park. The first phase, set to open 19 December 2011, was the DreamWorks Holiday Shrektacular Show which featured 8 DreamWorks Animation characters live on stage. The second phase will include the retheming of Dreamworld's kids area, Kid's World, into a 8,400-square-metre (90,000 sq ft) DreamWorks Experience precinct. This phase is set to open in Easter 2012. The final phase will be the development of an eating and meet-and-greet area called Kung Fu garden.[16] The three phases are expected to cost $10 million to complete.[17]

In late 2011, construction of the DreamWorks Experience precinct began with the removal of the photo shop and the adjacent Remota Boats in Main Street.[18] On 1 February 2012 following the peak season, Dreamworld closed most of the rides in Kid's World.[19] Swinger Zinger, Mighty-Go-Round, Sky Rocket, Rainforest Rampage and Kite Flyer were all closed pending their retheme into DreamWorks Animation.[19] During this time, two temporary rides named Mini-Swingers (SBF Visa Group Circus Swing) and Choppers (SBF Visa Group Chopper Train) operated in Ocean Parade near The Claw and AVPX, respectively.[20][21][22][23] In February 2012, Dreamworld announced that the DreamWorks Experience precinct would originally consist of two areas (Madagascar Madness and Shrek’s Faire Faire Away) with a third area (Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness[24]) to be added later. Names for the rethemed rides were also announced.[25] On 31 March 2012, the DreamWorks Experience officially opened to the public.[26]

On 15 July 2012, the Avalanche was closed to make way for a new attraction at the end of the year.[27] The replacement attraction was part of Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness and its opening marked the final stage of the DreamWorks Experience.[16]

Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland

In November 2022, Dreamworld announced that as part of their new multi-million dollar expansion, the DreamWorks Experience would be replaced with Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland, bringing back the initial Kenny Koala theme that the area once had.[28] Most of the attractions will make it over, however the attractions in the "Kung Fu Panda - Land of Awesomeness" area will instead be moved to the Ocean Parade section.

Attraction history

The area has seen many different name changes and re-themes over the years to fit in with the licenses and brands.

Attractions at the time of closure

Kenny's Forest Flyer roller coaster (when it was Rugrats Runaway Reptar)
Avalanche (when it was Angry Beavers Spooty Spin)

Shrek’s Faire Faire Away

Madagascar Madness

Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness

Former attractions prior to closure

Shopping and dining

Madagascar Cargo Hold

Madagascar Cargo Hold is a merchandise shop which sells Madagascar merchandise. It backs onto the Forever After's and was on the site of the former Nick Pics/Fun Snapz photo shop.

Forever After's

Forever After's is a merchandise shop which sells Shrek merchandise. It backs onto the Madagascar Cargo Hold and was on the site of the former Nick Pics/Fun Snapz photo shop.

Shrek's Treats

Shrek's Treats is a small food outlet located in the centre of the DreamWorks Experience precinct.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Dreamworld 1983 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Dreamworld 1998 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Dreamworld 2000 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Dreamworld". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 25 October 2002. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Nickelodeon Central (Dreamworld)". Parkz. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  6. ^ "Dreamworld History" (PDF). Dreamworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  7. ^ a b "SpongeBob FlyPants (Dreamworld)". Database Entry. Parkz. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Maintenance". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  9. ^ a b Sinkowski, Luke. "Dora the Explorer Seaplanes". Facebook. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Kids Rides". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Park Map" (PDF). Dreamworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  12. ^ "No more Nickelodeon at Dreamworld". Parkz. 7 June 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  13. ^ Wilson, Richard (22 October 2011). "Dreamworld, October 22, 2011". The Parkz Update. Parkz. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  14. ^ Ardern, Lucy (7 July 2011). "Dreamworld CEO calls it quits". Gold Coast Bulletin. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  15. ^ Wilson, Richard (7 July 2011). "Buzzsaw ride, Dreamworks coming to Dreamworld as CEO departs". Parkz. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  16. ^ a b Meers, Daniel (11 November 2011). "$10m deal brings Shrek to Dreamworld". Gold Coast Bulletin. Archived from the original on 14 December 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  17. ^ Scott, Tessa (10 November 2011), DreamWorks at Dreamworld, Nine Gold Coast News
  18. ^ Wilson, Richard (2 November 2011). "Dreamworld, October 22, 2011". The Parkz Update. Parkz. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Maintenance". Dreamworld. 1 February 2012. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  20. ^ "Kids Rides". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  21. ^ "Chopper Train". SBF Visa Group. Retrieved 12 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ "Circus Swing". SBF Visa Group. Retrieved 12 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
  23. ^ Smulders, Russell (6 February 2012). "Dreamworks at Dreamworks". Photos. Parkz. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  24. ^ "Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  25. ^ Ardern, Lucy (11 March 2012). "Superhero 'hub' coming to Coast". Gold Coast Bulletin. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  26. ^ "Dreamworld launches the DreamWorks Experience". Press Release. Dreamworld. 31 March 2012. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  27. ^ a b In-park signage
  28. ^ Mitchell, Bea (25 November 2023). "Australia's Dreamworld theme park to open new land and coaster". blooloop. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  29. ^ Dreamworld 2003 Map
  30. ^ Dreamworld 2004 Map
  31. ^ Dreamworld 2007 Map
  32. ^ Dreamworld 2008 Map
  33. ^ "SpongeBob FlyPants". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 25 December 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g "Dreamworld & WhiteWater World Park Map" (PDF). Park Map. Dreamworld. 25 June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g "Kids Rides". Dreamworld. June 2011. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  36. ^ a b "Dreamworld 1982 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  37. ^ "Swinger Zinger". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  38. ^ a b c "Park Map" (PDF). Dreamworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  39. ^ a b "Dreamworld 2005 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  40. ^ Roller Coaster Search Results - Model = Suspended Family Coaster. Retrieved 1 May 2010 from the Roller Coaster DataBase Archived 12 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine.
  41. ^ "Wild Thronberry's Rainforest Rampage". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  42. ^ Zoltak, James (1 September 2003). "Dreamworld Renews Efforts To Attract Families". Amusement Business. 115 (35): 3, 8.
  43. ^ Dreamworld Showtimes (2002).
  44. ^ Dreamworld Showtimes (2005).
  45. ^ "Slime Bowl Theatre". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  46. ^ "The Kenny Koala Show". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  47. ^ "The Goldie Show". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  48. ^ Dreamworld 2001 Map
  49. ^ "Rocket Power Bumper Beach". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  50. ^ Wilson, Richard. "Nickelodeon Central construction". Photo. Parkz. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  51. ^ "Dora the Explorer's Sea Planes". Dreamworld. Retrieved 20 July 2010.[permanent dead link]
  52. ^ "Park Map" (PDF). Dreamworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  53. ^ "Maintenance". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  54. ^ "Park Map" (PDF). Dreamworld. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  55. ^ "Dreamworld 1994 Map". Scottware. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.

External links