Intamin, a creator of record-breaking amusement rides, joined Dreamworld, Australia’s largest theme park to announce a new thrill ride, ‘King Claw’, at IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam.
It was also revealed that the new attraction will replace ‘The Claw’, one of Dreamworld’s most famous rides, which is set to close in January 2025.
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Height, speed, & swing
The Claw has been tearing into Dreamworld for two decades and has been a dominant feature in the park’s marketing activities and media. At its grand opening on 18 September 2004, the TV show Rove Live held a competition for viewers to be the first to ride The Claw, provided they did so naked. From 2005 until 2008, the ride was highly promoted on Big Brother.
King Claw, the successor to The Claw, promises to elevate Dreamworld’s thrill experience. At 27 meters tall, King Claw will be over 50% higher than The Claw. It will reach 50% faster speeds than its predecessor, and have a swing height taller than the highest peak of Steel Taipan, the park’s largest roller coaster. In addition, King Claw will take the crown as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest gyro swing ride.
Greg Yong, Dreamworld CEO, says: “Our vision for King Claw is to elevate the guest experience to heights we’ve never reached before—literally and figuratively.
“This new attraction will set a new standard for thrill rides at Dreamworld, offering a heart-pounding adventure that our guests will talk about for years to come. The Claw has been an iconic and much-loved attraction at Dreamworld for many years, and King Claw is the perfect successor to that legacy!”
Sascha Czibulka, Intamin’s executive vice president, adds: “We are incredibly proud to be working with Australia’s biggest theme park to elevate their thrill ride offering to a whole new level. The King Claw experience is going to be like no other – it truly is a world class attraction!
The Claw will close in January 2025, and the construction of King Claw will commence directly after. Dreamworld intends to open the new ride in late 2025.
The news was announced at the IAAPA Expo Europe, a major global event for the amusement park and attractions business. The event is attended by over 6,000 members, including industry giants such as Disney and Universal Studios.
Intamin recently celebrated the opening of its new ride, ‘Gold Rush’ at Drayton Manor, UK. This is one of Europe’s most innovative family coasters and features a multi-experience layout configuration in addition to a lift and launch, the first of its kind for both Europe and Intamin.
