How To Make The Most Of Your Visit To The Gold Coast Theme Parks
Did you know that 99% of visitors to the Gold Coast spend time at one or more of the theme parks? It is perhaps one of the contributing factors to why the Gold Coast is one of the key holiday destinations in Australia.
Whether you have kids or are just an adrenalin junky, the Gold Coast theme parks have something for everyone.
There are lots of theme parks with lots to do. The aim of this article is to make sure you get the most from your visit.
Which Theme Park?
Think about what you want out of a theme park and then you can choose between the big 4 theme parks.
Sea World. This one is good for little kids and anyone into dolphins or Polar Bears.
Movie World - For anyone who loves their movies, super heros and film stunts. There's a few rides here too
DreamWorld This is for the adrenalin junkies and is where all the thrill seekers rides are.
Wet n Wild. The original water park with great flumes and slides
There are two more
White Water World. Relatively new to the Gold Coast. This is another water park designed to give Wet n Wild a run for its money.
Outback Spectacular. This one opens after dark and gives visitors a glimpse of the Outback through a cracking show and Aussie Barbie.
For me, I'd pick Dream World and White Water World. These are the best parks for adults or families with teenage kids.
The other parks are better for younger families or anyone mad about movies or marine life.
Pick a ticket that suits your needs
To work out which parks to visit, you should know that the parks have two owners.
This means you can do White Water World and DreamWorld together or
You can choose a package that takes in Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild.
Work out how much time you want to spend at the park. Don't be fooled. It's hard to get round more than one park in a day. With the shows and queues, it's too much of a rush trying to do two in one day. This is particularly true if you have kids who want to do different things.
Before you even leave for your trip, book your tickets on line It will save you lots of time as there is no queuing when you get to the park entrance. You can just use the e-ticket express gates.
These are the ticket types that you buy:
Movie World, Wet n Wild and Sea World
Super pass. A 14 day pass that you can use at all 3 parks. Valid for a year. This is the best value for money if you think you'll come back within the year. ($189 for adults; $129 for kids) (Kids are classed as being between 4-13 years old)
Fun Pass. Entry to 3 parks for 5 days but you only get one day at each park. Still good though especially if you want to take a break and have a day off from the parks. ($149 for adults; $95.95 for kids)
Escape Pass. Allow entry to 2 parks over 5 days (one day only per park) ($119 for adults; $75.95 for kids)
The other two - Dream World and White Water World
Two Day World Pass $102 for adults and $68 for kids
Two day Family and Friends World Pass (2 adults and 2 kids) $306
One Day World Pass $79 and $57 for kids
With the exception of DreamWorld and White Water World, the parks are not close together. It's therefore only feasible to do two parks in one day if you want to do these two parks. I wouldn't necessarily advice it though. You will feel rushed. Instead, go for a two day pass. If you want to do the three parks, go for a 2 or better still, 3 day pass.
If you think Dream World is the theme park for you, then take my advice and get get the following extra tickets.
Early Entry. For an extra $10 you can get into the park at 9am which is an hour before the park actually opens. (Tickets are limited so you need to book in advance)
Q4U. This system costs $10 plus $5 per person (a family of 4 would cost $30). It's a bit like a beeper you get in a restaurant. You still have to queue as long as everyone else but you get to leave the queue and wander round the park. Much better than actually standing in line getting hot and bored. You can use if for up to 8 rides and again, numbers are limited so book ahead on line.
To book your tickets go to www.myfun.com.au. This is the site for Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild. Your booking gives you one year to use the tickets.Go to www.dreamworld.com.au for the other two theme parks.
Getting to and from the parks
You don't need to hire a car to get around the Theme Parks. Surfside Shuttle Buses have buses that go past the theme parks. Pick up one of their "Get around Guides" from any surfside bus, the Gold Coast airport or tourist desk.
What to do at the parks
Part of the joy of a theme park is discovering the park as you go but if you are trying to cram everything in to a short space of time then PLAN your trip carefully. Work out the times of the shows and the key things you really want to do. If you're not careful you will run out of time and miss the key attractions.
Sea World
There's lots of animals to see and a few rides too. The "Not to Miss" items are
The Imagine Show at Dolphin Cove, The Polar Bear exhibition and the Water Ski Wipe Out Show.
The Animal Adventures are worth a look but remember to book well in advance. You can swim with a dolphin or scuba dive with a shark.
The Jet Rescue is the newest ride here and the Corkscrew Rollercoaster is an old classic. Both have height restrictions
Movie World
Your favourite film characters will be wandering the streets so go look for them - Wonder Woman, Bat Man, Shrek and of course some Cartoon Characters
The big attractions are
For the younger ones you can't beat the Looney Tunes Musical which happens once a day at 11.30am. You'll be bopping in the aisle to some classic rock n roll tunes. The Hollywood Stunt driver show is a bit more fast and furious. This 20 minute show takes in lots of cool car stunts. The Shrek Cinema Adventure is a 3D Movie. You get to wear silly glasses and your chair moves.
The two best rides are The Superman Escape - a classic roller coaster ride and The Batwing Space Shot - A rapid 4.5g vertical launch followed by a 60 meter tower drop....only for the brave!
Wet n Wild
As you'd expect, there's plenty of slides and flumes here to keep you entertained. The park isn't that big so the adults can soak up the sun and still keep an eye on the kids.
Kamikaze - a ride for two people that reaches speeds of 50km/h with sheer drops and slopes
Tornado - ride on a dingy like tube down a huge flume
Black Hole - it's always more exciting in the dark
Mach 5 - lots of twists and turns in the open air
Dreamworld
The most popular adrenalin junky rides are
Claw is like a big ferris wheel that takes you upside down;
Cyclone is more of a classic roller coaster;
Wipe Out is the giant boat that tips you up and over and side to side;
Tower of Terror is a very fast roller coaster;
And Wipe Out is a giant boat that rocks from side to side and more.
Expect to queue well over an hour for these rides. These are the ones to head to first if you have bought the early entry tickets. Or use your Q4U here too.
There are other things to see here though. The more family friendly rides such as the Log Flume and Rapids are very popular. For the animal lover, there is Tiger Island where you get to see white and gold Bengal Sumatran Tigers.
The Nickelodean area is also popular and in particular the Slime Time Live is amusing.
Flowrider is another top attraction where you get to feel what its like to surf a wave. Bring your swimmers.
White Water World
This park has lots of slides and flumes, offering something for all ages.
Towering 20m above the ground, The Green Room is one of the more well known slides.
The Hydro Coaster is for up to three. You sit behind each other on a special Rocket raft before being blasted from the 18 meter tower
Cave of Waves is more like a swimming pool with a wave machine. So there's no need to worry about rips or sand banks. Why not do a learn to surf lesson here. The lessons last 2 hours and are between 8 and 10am. Book ahead though as they only run 3 times a week and cost $115.
Some more tips for getting the most out of the Theme Parks.
With the exception of Dream World and White Water World, you can take your own pack lunch and drinks.
You can put your things in a locker but choose the right location so that you don't have to retrace your steps too far.
If you plan to split up and meet back somewhere, take mobile phones - queueing for different rides will take different lengths of time leaving half the party frustratingly waiting at a meeting point.
The theme parks are just one aspect of the Gold Coast. For a truly memorable holiday, make sure you incorporate some other attractions such as the Hinterland, known by the locals as the Green behind the Gold. - 23806
Whether you have kids or are just an adrenalin junky, the Gold Coast theme parks have something for everyone.
There are lots of theme parks with lots to do. The aim of this article is to make sure you get the most from your visit.
Which Theme Park?
Think about what you want out of a theme park and then you can choose between the big 4 theme parks.
Sea World. This one is good for little kids and anyone into dolphins or Polar Bears.
Movie World - For anyone who loves their movies, super heros and film stunts. There's a few rides here too
DreamWorld This is for the adrenalin junkies and is where all the thrill seekers rides are.
Wet n Wild. The original water park with great flumes and slides
There are two more
White Water World. Relatively new to the Gold Coast. This is another water park designed to give Wet n Wild a run for its money.
Outback Spectacular. This one opens after dark and gives visitors a glimpse of the Outback through a cracking show and Aussie Barbie.
For me, I'd pick Dream World and White Water World. These are the best parks for adults or families with teenage kids.
The other parks are better for younger families or anyone mad about movies or marine life.
Pick a ticket that suits your needs
To work out which parks to visit, you should know that the parks have two owners.
This means you can do White Water World and DreamWorld together or
You can choose a package that takes in Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild.
Work out how much time you want to spend at the park. Don't be fooled. It's hard to get round more than one park in a day. With the shows and queues, it's too much of a rush trying to do two in one day. This is particularly true if you have kids who want to do different things.
Before you even leave for your trip, book your tickets on line It will save you lots of time as there is no queuing when you get to the park entrance. You can just use the e-ticket express gates.
These are the ticket types that you buy:
Movie World, Wet n Wild and Sea World
Super pass. A 14 day pass that you can use at all 3 parks. Valid for a year. This is the best value for money if you think you'll come back within the year. ($189 for adults; $129 for kids) (Kids are classed as being between 4-13 years old)
Fun Pass. Entry to 3 parks for 5 days but you only get one day at each park. Still good though especially if you want to take a break and have a day off from the parks. ($149 for adults; $95.95 for kids)
Escape Pass. Allow entry to 2 parks over 5 days (one day only per park) ($119 for adults; $75.95 for kids)
The other two - Dream World and White Water World
Two Day World Pass $102 for adults and $68 for kids
Two day Family and Friends World Pass (2 adults and 2 kids) $306
One Day World Pass $79 and $57 for kids
With the exception of DreamWorld and White Water World, the parks are not close together. It's therefore only feasible to do two parks in one day if you want to do these two parks. I wouldn't necessarily advice it though. You will feel rushed. Instead, go for a two day pass. If you want to do the three parks, go for a 2 or better still, 3 day pass.
If you think Dream World is the theme park for you, then take my advice and get get the following extra tickets.
Early Entry. For an extra $10 you can get into the park at 9am which is an hour before the park actually opens. (Tickets are limited so you need to book in advance)
Q4U. This system costs $10 plus $5 per person (a family of 4 would cost $30). It's a bit like a beeper you get in a restaurant. You still have to queue as long as everyone else but you get to leave the queue and wander round the park. Much better than actually standing in line getting hot and bored. You can use if for up to 8 rides and again, numbers are limited so book ahead on line.
To book your tickets go to www.myfun.com.au. This is the site for Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild. Your booking gives you one year to use the tickets.Go to www.dreamworld.com.au for the other two theme parks.
Getting to and from the parks
You don't need to hire a car to get around the Theme Parks. Surfside Shuttle Buses have buses that go past the theme parks. Pick up one of their "Get around Guides" from any surfside bus, the Gold Coast airport or tourist desk.
What to do at the parks
Part of the joy of a theme park is discovering the park as you go but if you are trying to cram everything in to a short space of time then PLAN your trip carefully. Work out the times of the shows and the key things you really want to do. If you're not careful you will run out of time and miss the key attractions.
Sea World
There's lots of animals to see and a few rides too. The "Not to Miss" items are
The Imagine Show at Dolphin Cove, The Polar Bear exhibition and the Water Ski Wipe Out Show.
The Animal Adventures are worth a look but remember to book well in advance. You can swim with a dolphin or scuba dive with a shark.
The Jet Rescue is the newest ride here and the Corkscrew Rollercoaster is an old classic. Both have height restrictions
Movie World
Your favourite film characters will be wandering the streets so go look for them - Wonder Woman, Bat Man, Shrek and of course some Cartoon Characters
The big attractions are
For the younger ones you can't beat the Looney Tunes Musical which happens once a day at 11.30am. You'll be bopping in the aisle to some classic rock n roll tunes. The Hollywood Stunt driver show is a bit more fast and furious. This 20 minute show takes in lots of cool car stunts. The Shrek Cinema Adventure is a 3D Movie. You get to wear silly glasses and your chair moves.
The two best rides are The Superman Escape - a classic roller coaster ride and The Batwing Space Shot - A rapid 4.5g vertical launch followed by a 60 meter tower drop....only for the brave!
Wet n Wild
As you'd expect, there's plenty of slides and flumes here to keep you entertained. The park isn't that big so the adults can soak up the sun and still keep an eye on the kids.
Kamikaze - a ride for two people that reaches speeds of 50km/h with sheer drops and slopes
Tornado - ride on a dingy like tube down a huge flume
Black Hole - it's always more exciting in the dark
Mach 5 - lots of twists and turns in the open air
Dreamworld
The most popular adrenalin junky rides are
Claw is like a big ferris wheel that takes you upside down;
Cyclone is more of a classic roller coaster;
Wipe Out is the giant boat that tips you up and over and side to side;
Tower of Terror is a very fast roller coaster;
And Wipe Out is a giant boat that rocks from side to side and more.
Expect to queue well over an hour for these rides. These are the ones to head to first if you have bought the early entry tickets. Or use your Q4U here too.
There are other things to see here though. The more family friendly rides such as the Log Flume and Rapids are very popular. For the animal lover, there is Tiger Island where you get to see white and gold Bengal Sumatran Tigers.
The Nickelodean area is also popular and in particular the Slime Time Live is amusing.
Flowrider is another top attraction where you get to feel what its like to surf a wave. Bring your swimmers.
White Water World
This park has lots of slides and flumes, offering something for all ages.
Towering 20m above the ground, The Green Room is one of the more well known slides.
The Hydro Coaster is for up to three. You sit behind each other on a special Rocket raft before being blasted from the 18 meter tower
Cave of Waves is more like a swimming pool with a wave machine. So there's no need to worry about rips or sand banks. Why not do a learn to surf lesson here. The lessons last 2 hours and are between 8 and 10am. Book ahead though as they only run 3 times a week and cost $115.
Some more tips for getting the most out of the Theme Parks.
With the exception of Dream World and White Water World, you can take your own pack lunch and drinks.
You can put your things in a locker but choose the right location so that you don't have to retrace your steps too far.
If you plan to split up and meet back somewhere, take mobile phones - queueing for different rides will take different lengths of time leaving half the party frustratingly waiting at a meeting point.
The theme parks are just one aspect of the Gold Coast. For a truly memorable holiday, make sure you incorporate some other attractions such as the Hinterland, known by the locals as the Green behind the Gold. - 23806
About the Author:
Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in travelling Australia. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information from a local on planning your trip to Australia as well as what to do and where to go. Click here for more information on visiting the The Gold Coast
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