Ardent Leisure has unveiled plans for a $15 million “Flying Theatre” iRide simulator for Dreamworld in Queensland.
The flying theatre will be the first of its kind in Australia, and the ride type is a trend in Asia and the US.
The ride will be a 60-seat simulated flight experience. Riders will be suspended over a screen while they fly across the Australian landscape. It will be housed in Dreamworld’s former IMAX Theatre.
Gary Weiss, chairman of Dreamworld’s parent company Ardent Leisure, said it showed that the management was dedicated to restoring the theme park’s fortunes – reported by the Courier Mail.
He said: “When I came in as chairman I committed our group to a process of re-investment and restoring value to Dreamworld,
“We still believe there is a very strong future for Dreamworld.
“These are all world-class attractions and we believe they will help bring people back to Dreamworld.
“I think they will deliver great success at Dreamworld.”
Ardent Leisure’s FY2018 results have been hit by slower than expected recovery from its Australian theme park, Dreamworld. The group plans investment in safety, guest experience and new attractions.
Ardent Leisure are investing a reported $30 million into upgrades. These include the $15 million flying theatre attraction (iRide) and an expansion to White Water World. It also includes $4 million towards safety management systems and improvement to guest experience and communications.
Dreamworld continues to recover from an accident in October 2016, that lead to the death of four visitors. This recovery is slower than anticipated. Revenue was also impacted by discounted ticket pricing.
Currently Dreamworld and the neighbouring WhiteWater World waterpark account for 35-hectares of land owned in Coomera by Ardent. Last year, the company began a review of its masterplan in order to facilitate Dreamworld’s recovery and ensure it remains one of the Gold Coast’s key attractions.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/new-flying-theatre-thrill-ride-to-open-at-dreamworld-as-ardent-leisure-rebuilds-confidence/news-story/0b6c26f7526aeb3b67defa55048883ea
