Sea World, Movie World, Wet’n’Wild: 20 attractions that disappeared
School holidays are here with families flooding theme parks, take a trip down memory lane to see the most popular closed attractions from Wet n Wild, Sea World and Movie World.
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School holidays are here, meaning thousands are flocking to Australia’s theme park capital, the Gold Coast.
Village Roadshow owns three of the most popular parks on the Goldy, including Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild where families can make a splash on the wildest aquatic rides or screaming up a storm on the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster.
And while there’s family-friendly fun for everyone at these parks, there are still a number of popular attractions that haven’t passed the test of time.
From classics such as the Corkscrew to lesser-known treasures such as the Movie Magic Special Effects Show, take a look at Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild’s most infamous rides of yesteryear.
‘GOLDEN YEARS’: 15 OF DREAMWORLD’S FAN-FAVOURITE CLOSED ATTRACTIONS
WARNER BROS. MOVIE WORLD
Known as ‘Hollywood on the Gold Coast’, Movie World officially opened its doors on June 3, 1991 as Australia’s biggest man-made attraction.
The $120 million park which offers a behind-the-scenes insight into the craft of movie making, was opened with guest appearances by Hollywood stars Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.
Home to iconic attractions including the Scooby Doo Spooky Coaster and the DC Rivals Hypercoaster, take a look at some of their fan-favourite attractions that have closed.
Arkham Asylum Roller Coaster – closed 2019
Opened in 1995, the Arkham Asylum looping coaster was the park’s first roller coaster.
Travelling at 85km/h and reaching heights of 32 metres, the coaster held 20 riders at a time on the 765 metre trip which travelled through rollovers, bends, drops and in-line twists.
Originally named and branded ‘Lethal Weapon’, the ride was officially rebranded in 2012 with a new Batman theme, modelled after the asylum that housed Batman’s biggest enemy, The Joker.
Painted with fake graffiti and featuring a life-size Joker upon entry, the scary looping coaster made headlines in January 2017 when dozens of riders were stuck upside down on the ride for an hour and 40 minutes in the Queensland summer heat.
The ride closed in 2019 and was decommissioned in 2020.
Batman Adventure: The Ride – closed 2011
Opened in 1993, the Batman Adventure was a motion simulator ride that brought in crowds so large that the park marked a record-breaking 12,000 people in attendance in the week after the ride’s opening.
Based on Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film made with Warner Bros, the ride begins with a tour of the library inside Wayne Manor before travelling down to the Batcave.
The ride features the voices of famous actors who voiced classic Batman characters in Batman: The Animated Series, including Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as The Joker and Adrienne Barbeau as Catwoman.
Costing just under $14 million, the ride was revamped and renamed ‘Batman Adventure: The Ride 2’ in 2001, with a new storyline, new CGI and animated elements.
The ride closed on October 15, 2011 and was replaced by Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D.
Looney Tunes River Ride – closed 2011
A dark boat ride featuring a number of iconic animatronic Looney Tunes characters, the Looney Tunes River Ride was one of Movie World’s original attractions that opened with the park on June 3, 1991.
Previously named Looney Tunes Studio Tour, guests were first taken on a tour of the ‘Looney Tunes’ studio before being tasked with a mission to find Bugs Bunny who had dug a hole all the way from Hollywood to Australia.
The slow boat ride would take guests through the Aussie outback with special appearances by animatronic versions of Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam.
The ride closed February 1, 2011 and was replaced with the Junior Driving School, a mini car ride for children.
Police Academy Stunt Show – closed 2008
One of the world’s longest running stunt shows, playing for a whopping 18,000 performances, the Police Academy Stunt Show was one of Movie World’s most popular attractions after it opened in 1991.
A slapstick comedy and stunt performance, the show began with a 30-minute crowd warm-up by iconic characters such as Mad Mike and Crazy Charlie, who would mimic guests getting to their seats and make balloon animals for children.
The 20-minute stunt performance itself consisted of a mix of fire and car stunts, with actors performing wheelies on golf buggies and two-wheelers on hot rods.
But it’s the end of the show that literally ‘finishes with a bang’ when a helicopter explodes on the Police Academy roof.
The action-packed show played its last performance on April 30, 2008, to make way for the new stunt show Hollywood Stuntdriver.
Movie Magic Special Effects Show – closed 2005
A first-hand look into how sound and visual effects are used in film, the Movie Magic Special Effects Show was an interactive show taking guests through three different sound stages to learn how special effects are used in their favourite films.
Featuring prerecorded cameos from Hollywood A-listers including Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone, the show would comprehensively explain how blue screens, Foley sound and stunt planes are used in movies, allowing viewers to get involved in the fun.
Showing clips from Superman, Lethal Weapon 2 and Memphis Belle, the show closed in 2005 and was replaced by the Superman Escape coaster.
Harry Potter Movie Magic Experience – closed 2003
Allowing patrons to walk-through the magical world of Diagon Alley, the Harry Potter Movie Magic Experience was a scaled down recreation of sets from the franchise’s first two films, The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.
Opened on December 26, 2001 as part of promotion for the original film, the Harry Potter experience began with people queuing outside at Platform 9 ¾ next to the Hogwarts Express train.
Once inside the ride, visitors explored Knockturn and Diagon Alley where they could observe the golden snitch at the Quidditch shop or witness magic first-hand at Ollivanders Wand Shop.
In its early days, the attraction also featured an owl shop with live owls from Australia Zoo.
Ending with an appearance from Saragog the a giant spider and Molly Weasley’s flying car, the attraction closed in 2003 and was replaced by the Official Matrix Exhibit.
Fans of the Hogwarts Express train can still visit the ruby red railway attraction at Rockhampton’s Archer Park Rail Museum where it sits today.
Warner Bros. Classics & The Great Gremlins Adventure – closed 2001
Opened on June 3, 1991 as one of the park’s original attractions, the Warner Bros. Classics & The Great Gremlins Adventure was a dark ride educating visitors about classic Warner Bros. films before the ride is taken over by devious Gremlins.
The ride would start in a small theatre, playing a video hosted by actor Goldie Hawn, showing bloopers and clips from classic movies such as Swing Shift and No Time for Comedy.
While footage from the various films are played, it’s shortly overrun by Gremlins in the projection room, causing a Movie World employee to get everyone to get into a vehicle to escape.
The 20-person car would travel past film archive rooms and post-production studios where the Gremlins were causing havoc, with a surprise guest appearance by an animatronic Beetlejuice.
The ride closed in 2001 and was replaced in 2002 with arguably the park’s most popular ride to date, the Scooby-doo Spooky Coaster.
SEA WORLD
The Gold Coast’s first theme park, Sea World opened in 1971 and was known for its jet ski and marine shows before expanding into rides and a resort in the 1980s.
Opened by businessman and trick-skating champion Keith Williams, the park was acquired by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow in 1993.
Monorail - closed 2022
Australia‘s first monorail, the Sea World Monorail System opened in 1986, spanning a 2km circuit, going at a top speed of 27 km/hr and stopping at three stations throughout the theme park.
Following the rumours of its closure in 2020, many theme park goers were shocked by the news.
“The monorail system was Australia’s first, taking millions of guests on the 2 km loop around the park,” Sea World’s chief operating officer Bikash Randhawa said.
This came only three years after the Broadbeach monorail shut down, making the Sea World Monorail the only remaining monorail system in Australia.
The Sea World Monorail System officially closed in May 2022, with its carriages being dismantled and scrapped.
Viking’s Revenge Flume Ride – closed 2016
Australia’s oldest theme park ride, the Viking’s Revenge Flume Ride opened in 1979, taking patrons through caves and castle towers before finishing with a 13-metre drop.
Costing $350k to construct, the Viking-themed flume ride was operational for 37 years, running more than 27 million individual rides.
Following the fatal Thunder River Rapids Ride in 2016 at Dreamworld, Sea World closed the ride for safety audits in 2016 and announced its permanent closure on December 10, 2016.
Corkscrew / Sea Viper – closed 2014
Opened in 1982 as the country’s first triple-looping coaster, the Corkscrew was one of Sea World’s most popular rides, reaching speeds of up to 100km/h.
Originally painted white with a red cart, the 600-metre track was 28 metres tall and was later rebranded to become the Sea Viper in 2009, complete with a new train and an orange track.
After 32 years of operation, Corkscrew officially closed in 2014 and was later replaced by the Leviathan wooden coaster.
Bermuda Triangle – closed 2012
A multimillion-dollar addition to the park, Bermuda Triangle is one of Sea World‘s most highly regarded and most terrifying rides when it was introduced to the park in April, 1994.
Taking passengers inside an ‘active volcano’, the dark indoor flume ride would take patrons on a trip past old war fighter jets, historical figures trapped in force fields, and dozens of creepy animatronic aliens, all with exposed brains.
Facing various technological issues in the 2000s, certain features of the ride were removed, including the pre-show video and a real flame effect used at the top of the volcano nearing the ride’s big drop which was replaced with a less intense lighting effect.
The Bermuda Triangle closed in October 2010 for routine maintenance and remained closed until its demolition in 2012.
Pirate Ship – closed 2009
A treasured family ride at the park, the Pirate Ship ride officially opened at Sea World in 1984 as a swinging flat ride designed to look like an old-timey pirate ship, complete with a mast.
Closed in the late 2000s, the Pirate Ship ride was sold to Funfields in Melbourne, Victoria where it exists today as the renamed and rebranded ‘Blackbeard’s Fury’.
The Wild Wave / Thrillseeker – closed 2002
Sea World’s first roller coaster, The Wild Wave was a high-speed roller coaster that opened at the park in 1982, painted blue and white to match the park’s ocean theme.
Featuring various circles, dips and turns, the 1000-metre long coaster sat 14-metres high and travelled at speeds of up to 65km/h.
Later rebranded and renamed to become ‘Thrillseeker’, the ride closed in May, 2002.
Lassiter’s Lost Mine- closed 1994
Before there was the Bermuda Triangle and now the Storm Coaster, there was Lassiter’s Lost Mine.
Constructed onsite and opened in 1987, Lassiter's Lost Mine became Sea World’s second water ride addition to the park.
Passengers were taken on a boat ride through a flooding nine shaft, surrounded by scenes of escaping mine workers, a runaway mine cart, falling barrels and an audio animatronic cow.
The ride was replaced by the Bermuda Triangle in 1994, which kept the same ride system but updated the theme from a flooding mine, into an active volcano equipped with animatronic aliens.
WET’N’WILD
Australia’s first genuine water park, Wet’n’Wild opened at Oxenford in 1984, originally named ‘Cades County Water Park’.
Originally owned by HRD Leisure before changing hands several times throughout the 1980s, Village Roadshow purchased the park in late 1988, introducing major expansions in the 1990s and 2000s.
The park was officially renamed Wet’n’Wild in the late 1980s and is today, the country’s most visited water park.
Surfrider – closed 2023
Opened in 2007, the Surfrider was one of Wet’n’Wild’s only dry rides at the park which allowed guests to travel on a half-pipe roller coaster going up and down the 67-metre track.
Taking 12 patrons at a time, the ride’s main feature was a red and yellow giant surfboard that contained two seating areas where riders would spin round and round while also being dropped 30-metres.
Originally the ride featured water elements that would spray its patrons, but it was later removed
Closed in early 2023, the Surfrider is currently being rebranded to be introduced as the new ‘The Flash: Speed Force’ ride at Movie World in April, 2024.
Mach 5 – closed 2020
Formerly the ride’s tallest attraction with the longest and fastest water slides in the park, Mach 5 was a tower made up of five separate slides, three ‘Jetstream’ slides and two ‘Sidewinders’.
Located in the park’s H2O Zone section, the Sidewinders were two open air flume slides sending three-person tubes down the twisty 200-metre journey into the water.
The Jetstream slides were three high-adrenaline speed body slides sending guests down a “steep and terrifying” drop from the top of the tower.
Opened in 2005, Mach 5 was removed in 2020 and replaced by the new Kaboom attraction.
Speed Slide / Speed Coaster – closed 2010
Opening in 1984 when the park was still called ‘Cade‘s County Water Park’, the Speed Slide was one of Wet’n’Wild’s first slides alongside the Rampage Toboggan Ride and the long standing White Water Mountain.
The Speed Slide, comprising two high-speed body slides, also included a stunt show where performers would ride boards in a standing position and surf across the landing pool.
In 2000, the Speed Slide was replaced with the Speed Coaster, an enclosed double inner tube which was described as “plummeting down an enclosed snakelike drop, before a steep free fall to the splashdown zone”.
The Speed Coaster closed in 2010 to make way for the Aqualoop, and was sold to Big Splash in Canberra, alongside the Twister for a total cost of $1.5 million where it opened in 2013.
Twister- closed 2010
Arguably one of the most popular rides at Wet’n’wild, the Twister was a 12.5m high HydroTwist Water Slide, that featured two intertwined enclosed tubes with water swirling through the 360-degree spirals.
The ride was built alongside the speed slide in 1990.
Now replaced by the Aqualoop, the Twister closed in 2010 and was sold to Big Splash in Canberra alongside the speed coaster for $1.5 million.
Terror Canyon and Terror Canyon II – closed 2009
Described as an experience on the dark “slide” Terror Canyon was a popular attraction during its 15 years at Wet’n’Wild.
A in-line tube slide, travelling from the top of Whitewater Mountain with “dark twists and turns,” the ride was built in 1994 by Australian Waterslides & Leisure.
In 2008, Terror Canyon and Terror Canyon II closed down, with no indication whether it was pending demolition, extended maintenance or redevelopment until 2009, when the park confirmed that the ride’s location would be used for future attractions.
The slide was removed from the park map in 2010 and replaced with the queue and station for the Ziplines.
White Water Flumes – closed 2007
Opened with the park in 1984, White Water Mountain has been the landing for many of the park‘s slides.
Originally named the ‘White Water Flumes’, the mountain was home to four body flume slides (the Cascade, Bombora, Riptide and Pipeline) which were designed to be ridden on mats.
In 1994, the mountain made way for other slides, refurbishing the ‘White Water Flumes’ and opening a new separate slide, the Terror Canyon.
The White Water Flumes officially closed down in 2007 and were replaced by the River Rapids, one of the park’s most popular rides today.
Rampage Toboggan Ride / Double Screamer – closed 2005
Originally named ‘Rampage’, Wet’n’Wild’s toboggan ride was the first of its kind in the world, constructed with fibreglass when it opened with the park in 1984.
Rebranded to the ‘Double Screamer’ in 1993, the ride allowed patrons to travel down a steep-incline slide on a plastic toboggan which would skim across the water at the bottom.
Closed in 2005, the ride was replaced by Buccaneer Bay.
What theme park ride do you miss the most? Let us know in the comments.
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