Warner Bros. Movie World

Hollywood interest in the Australian film industry grew rapidly during the 1980s. Italian-American film producer Dino De Laurentiis visited the country in 1986; he had worked with Australian film alumni in recent years and noted industry buzz over the film Crocodile Dundee.[2] With De Laurentiis Entertainment Limited (DEL), he commissioned and constructed a film studio in Oxenford, near Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Queensland.[lower-alpha 2][2] The studio was to produce the action film Total Recall, but after their finances were jeopardised by several box office bombs (such as Million Dollar Mystery), De Laurentiis left the failing DEL in December 1987. Production on Total Recall halted and AU$3.4 million worth of studio sets were dismantled.[lower-alpha 3][2][6] Village Roadshow, who had an established partnership with Warner Bros. in Australia,[lower-alpha 4] bought out DEL entirely in 1988 and opened Warner Roadshow Studios (now Village Roadshow Studios) in July.[2]

Movie World's Grand Entrance

In October 1988, Village acquired a large lot of swampy land adjacent to the studio complex from investment company Ariadne Australia (which had been crippled by the 1987 Black Monday stock market crash).[lower-alpha 5][2] The following month, Village persuaded Warner to acquire 50% of the studio and announced that a theme park, provisionally named Warner World, was to be built on the recently acquired land. Warner recognised the value proposition in the theme park more than in the studio.[lower-alpha 6][2] In July 1989, the two companies entered a joint venture to develop the park with Pivot Leisure, part-owners of a property trust in Sea World, a local marine mammal park.[lower-alpha 7][18] American designer C. V. Wood was commissioned that year to design the park. He had six park designs in his portfolio at the time, including Six Flags Over Texas and Disneyland,[19] and modelled Movie World's layout on Universal Studios Hollywood and Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park.[20] It was scaled to let up to 13,000 guests visit all attractions in a single day, even during peak periods.[19][21] Construction took about 16 months, relied on labour from local workers as much as possible[20] and cost an estimated $120–140 million,[21][22] of which Pivot contributed about $30 million.[23]

The Fountain of Fame, the park's entrance plaza

The opening ceremony held on 2 June 1991[lower-alpha 8] was attended by more than 5,000 people, among them celebrities such as Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.[25] To mark the occasion, Premier of Queensland Wayne Goss cut a novelty film reel with Eastwood and Bugs Bunny.[21] The evening prior, 1 June, a special edition episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday ("Hey Hey It's Movie World") shot on-location had host Daryl Somers interview many of the celebrities in attendance, such as Eastwood and Russell.[lower-alpha 9][21][28] The park opened to the public on 3 June.[lower-alpha 8][21][26] Between 400 and 500 jobs were created upon its opening.[lower-alpha 10][19][30] The initial guest admission fee was $29 for adults and $19 for children.[22] With increased international tourism to the Gold Coast since the 1980s,[2] Village had hoped to tap into a market with American and Japanese customers; attractions were subtitled, and tour guides were trained, in Japanese.[lower-alpha 11][19] Described as the world's first "movie-based theme park" built outside the United States[31] and the first "American-style" theme park since Tokyo Disneyland,[19] it was expected to draw between one and 1.5 million visitors within its first year.[lower-alpha 12][22][32]

The Roxy Theatre, which opened with the park in 1991.

Opening attractions at Movie World educated guests about the processes behind filmmaking.[33] Marketing slogans billed it as "Hollywood on the Gold Coast" and its design was intended to capture the aesthetic of American theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios.[34][35] Beyond the Fountain of Fame opening plaza, Main Street featured replicas of buildings and facades from various Warner films, such as Rick's Café Américain from Casablanca, the bank robbed during Bonnie and Clyde and the Daily Planet building from Superman.[32][35] A film studio tour[26] included the Movie Magic Special Effects Show with audience participation on a live set.[22][35] There were two live daily shows: the Western Action Show featured actors performing amusing stunts with live animals[35] and the hour-long Police Academy Stunt Show staged shoot-outs and car chases for an audience of 1,500.[22] The Warner Bros. Classics & Great Gremlins Adventure interactive dark ride had guests escape from a gremlin invasion of a studio set.[22][32] Young Einstein Gravity Homestead, based on the 1988 film Young Einstein, featured sloped floors and optical illusions to simulate the effects of gravity. The Roxy Theatre screened 3D films. The Looney Tunes Land children's area featured several attractions, including the Looney Tunes River Ride dark water ride[32] and the Looney Tunes Musical Revue live show.[36]

Batman Adventure – The Ride, a $13 million motion simulator ride, opened on 23 December 1992.[14][37] The ride's four-minute film portion, directed by Hoyt Yeatman and produced at the Dream Quest Images animation studio, featured props and set pieces from the film Batman Returns.[37] McFadden Systems, Inc. manufactured the motion platform and Anitech designed the 20-person simulation capsule.[38] The ride was widely anticipated[14][39] and immediately popular upon opening.[40] More than 12,000 people visited on 30 December and set a single-day attendance record.[41] In 1995, the Western Action Show was replaced by The Maverick Grand Illusion Show, based on the comedy film Maverick.[40][42] Lethal Weapon – The Ride opened as the park's first roller coaster in December. The Suspended Looping Coaster by Vekoma[43] was the first of its kind to feature a 765-metre (2,510 ft) layout with a helix (or "bayern kurve").[44][45] It was Australia's first inverted coaster[46] and its construction required more than 600 tonnes of steel.[47]

Lethal Weapon – The Ride was the park's first roller coaster.

Marvin the Martian in 3D opened in December 1997 at the Roxy Theatre as the world's first animated 3D film[46][48] and on Boxing Day, 26 December, Looney Tunes Land reopened as Looney Tunes Village with several new rides.[49][50] Boxing Day 1998 saw the opening of the Wild Wild West (now Wild West Falls Adventure Ride). The flume ride by Hopkins Rides was at the time the largest single ride investment in Australia and featured an artificial mountain that was approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft) wide and 32 metres (105 ft) tall.[51][52] Originally to be called Rio Bravo after the 1959 Western film of the same name,[51] the ride was renamed to tie-in with the 1999 film Wild Wild West.[53] In their annual report, Village identified Wild Wild West as a crowd-pleaser and credited it with the attendance spike that year.[54]

Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, opened in 2002, was an indoor roller coaster with ghost train elements.

Road Runner Rollercoaster, a Vekoma Junior model, opened on Boxing Day 2000; it was Australia's first coaster designed for children.[55][56][57] During 2001, the Great Gremlins and Gravity Homestead attractions closed,[58] and the Looney Tunes Splash Zone was added to Looney Tunes Village.[59] Two new attractions opened on Boxing Day: Batman Adventure – The Ride 2, a refurbishment of the original, and the Harry Potter Movie Magic Experience.[60][61] Built on the Gravity Homestead's footprint,[58] the $2 million Harry Potter attraction was a direct tie-in to the film series' first film, The Philosopher's Stone, and featured a walk-through replica of Diagon Alley and a live owl show.[lower-alpha 13][62] The following year, it was updated with the release of The Chamber of Secrets[63] to feature film set pieces such as the flying car and creatures of the Forbidden Forest.[64] Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster opened on 17 June 2002;[65] the $13 million Wild Mouse coaster by Mack Rides was themed to the 2002 film Scooby-Doo.[65][66] The indoor ride featured ghost train elements, an elevator lift and a coaster section.[65][67]

The Harry Potter attraction closed and was replaced in September 2003 by The Official Matrix Exhibit,[68] which featured props from the Matrix film series.[69] In 2005, Village announced expansion plans totalling $65 million for their Gold Coast parks, in which Movie World would receive a share with two new attractions.[70][71] First, the Roxy Theatre was refurbished for a new film, Shrek 4D Adventure. Opened on 17 September, the experience used sensory effects, moving seats and animatronics.[72][73] Superman Escape, the other attraction, opened on Boxing Day. The $16 million Accelerator Coaster by Intamin[74][75] was the park's first major thrill ride in about a decade.[71] Batwing Spaceshot, a $5 million Space Shot by S&S Power, opened in December 2006.[76]

The Official Matrix Exhibit ran from 2003 until 2007.

Looney Tunes Village was renamed to Kids' WB Fun Zone in 2007, with two new rides added.[77] Police Academy Stunt Show drew its final curtain call on 30 April 2008 after 16 years and 18,000 performances; the enduringly popular attraction was among the world's longest-running stunt shows at the time.[78][79] Its replacement, the $10 million Hollywood Stunt Driver, opened on Boxing Day. A cast of 10 stunt drivers were selected from more than 200 applicants and, in preparation for the show, the venue was renovated to increase its stage area and seating capacity from 1,400 to 2,000 guests.[80] Another new live show, Looney Tunes: What's Up Rock?, replaced The Musical Revue.[81][82] In October, construction of a roof over Main Street was completed.[81] The 4,000 square metre (43,000 sq ft) roof supplied by MakMax Australia was designed to improve guest protection from the elements and provide for a 2,000-person capacity venue for functions and events.[83][84]

Hollywood Stunt Driver 2, a relaunch of the original show, opened in 2014.

Looney Tunes River Ride[85] and Batman Adventure – The Ride 2 closed in 2011.[86] Showtime FMX's MotoMonster Xtreme show temporarily replaced Hollywood Stunt Driver from 26 June to 18 July as alternative winter holiday entertainment.[87] Green Lantern Coaster opened on 23 December:[88] the El Loco coaster by S&S Worldwide[89] featured a 120.5° drop angle–the Southern Hemisphere's steepest and world's third-steepest.[90] Lethal Weapon – The Ride closed in January 2012 for a $2 million refurbishment. The coaster received a new train manufactured by Kumbak with lap bar restraints and on-board audio.[91][92] It was renamed Arkham Asylum – Shock Therapy, themed to the Batman: Arkham video games; the ride building transformed into an Arkham Asylum seized by the Joker and his cohorts. The ride reopened in April.[92][93] Housed in the former Batman Adventure building, Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D opened in September and incorporated special effects, animatronics and 3D projections. The $9 million interactive dark ride attraction was manufactured by Sally Corporation, with additional technologies provided by Alterface, Threshold Entertainment, Bertazzon and others.[94][95]

Doomsday Destroyer, which headlined a DC Comics-themed precinct that opened in 2016.

Hollywood Stunt Driver closed and was replaced by its sequel on 20 February 2014, a revamped show that featured Showtime FMX motocross riders who performed more complex stunts than before.[96] The $4 million Junior Driving School, where riders navigate a miniature Movie World replica, opened at the Kids' WB Fun Zone on 12 September.[97] Built on the former Boot Hill Graveyard, the DC Comics Super-Villains Unleashed interactive precinct opened in September 2016.[98][99] Its main attraction was Doomsday Destroyer, a Suspended Twin Hammer thrill ride[lower-alpha 14] designed by Intamin.[99][100] Statues of DC supervillains (such as Harley Quinn and Scarecrow) were activated by RFID wristbands to interact with guests.[99] The same month, optional virtual reality headsets were added to Arkham Asylum's ride experience.[101] DC Rivals HyperCoaster opened on 22 September 2017. The $30 million Mack Rides hypercoaster was at its time the single largest ride investment in Village's history,[102][103] and as of 2020 is Australia's tallest,[104] fastest[105] and longest coaster.[lower-alpha 15][107]

An Aquaman exhibition opened on 13 December 2018 to feature props and costumes used in the film.[108] Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster closed for maintenance from July to November; it was refurbished with new projection mapping technologies and other special effects,[109] and rebranded as Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster: Next Generation for its re-opening in December.[110] The WB Studio Showcase, opened on 1 November 2019, exhibited props, sets and costumes from numerous Warner films such as Suicide Squad, Mad Max: Fury Road and A Star Is Born.[111] Later that month, Australian students of New York Film Academy (NYFA) began to offer guests a look at the filmmaking process with the NYFA – Hot Sets attraction.[112] Arkham Asylum ceased operations in December.[43] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the park closed on 22 March 2020[113] and reopened on 15 July at 50% guest capacity with social distancing and sanitisation policies in effect.[114][115]

Batman Legacy, an exhibition themed to the Batman films, opened at the WB Studio Showcase on Boxing Day 2021.[116][117] Marvin the Martian: Cosmic Boom, a Drop'N Twist children's ride by SBF Visa Group,[118] opened at the Kids' WB Fun Zone in April 2023.[119] The Flash: Speed Force, a shuttle roller coaster by Intamin, is set to open in April 2024. A relocation of the Surfrider at Wet'n'Wild, the coaster is planned to be built within Superman Escape's footprint and themed to the DC Comics superhero the Flash.[120][121] A $40 million[122] Wizard of Oz-themed precinct is set to open in 2024.[119][123] The precinct is set to be built on the former Arkham Asylum site[119] and feature two Vekoma coasters: a Suspended Family Coaster[124] and a racing dual-track Family Boomerang.[125] Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, which closed in January 2023, is set to reopen in 2025 after a $4 million refurbishment. Planned upgrades include a partial re-tracking, magnetic brakes, new ride vehicles and other enhancements.[126][127]

Retail has contributed to strong revenue since the park's opening.

During its first year of operation, Movie World received 1.2 million visitors,[14] exceeding its conservative target of one million.[32] John Menzies, CEO of Warner Village Theme Parks, said that attendance at Sea World and local competitor Dreamworld was consistent with prior years. "So long as the themes are different, parks like this can [proliferate] ad infinitum", he said.[14] Nationwide theme park attendance grew 12% from 1992 to 1993 and Movie World recorded 1.3 million visitors during the financial year.[151][178] Park general manager Mark Germyn attributed attendance growth in part to success with the international market: about 25% of the park's visitors were from overseas, and half of these were from Japan. "We're coming on strong in the Asian markets", he said, "including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand".[151] He further noted retail sales of about 2.6 million units of stock across its 25 outlets generating $17 million in revenue.[151] In 1998, Village marketing manager Ken Minnikin highlighted the success of the "3 Park Super Pass",[lower-alpha 24] which recorded a 20% sales increase during Christmas 1997 over the prior year's period, and cited the Gold Coast's theme park industry as a major domestic tourism drawcard.[179] A 20% decline in attendance during 2000 was attributed to Y2K hysteria, but the "Super Pass" deal continued to be popular, contributing about one third of park ticket sales.[180]

Batwing Spaceshot (left) and Superman Escape's (right) openings helped boost yearly attendance in 2007.

There were more than 10 million lifetime visitors by 2001.[153] International visits that year were negatively impacted by the September 11 attacks[66] and although park visits fell slightly during financial 2001, Sea World and Wet'n'Wild's attendance increased and Village's parks division posted an EBITDA rise of 23.1%.[181] In 2003, visits by international tourists declined by about 50%,[lower-alpha 25] with the war on terror and 2002–2004 SARS outbreak cited as key factors. In response, daily operating hours for several rides were reduced.[lower-alpha 26][182] Visits from key Asian markets to the Gold Coast had dropped by about 95% and Village emphasised a need to target their domestic market with discounted tickets and Shopa Docket vouchers.[183] In May 2006, Village acquired Warner's stake in their theme park division for $254 million but maintained the latter's licence and branding. The deal let Village take sole ownership of several park properties, including Movie World.[lower-alpha 27][185] Strong attendance figures over financial 2007 contributed in part to a net profit of around $45 million,[186] offsetting $40 million in losses the previous year.[187] More than 1.32 million people visited during 2007 (a 5.8% increase from the year prior) and the park was Australia's third highest attended that year.[lower-alpha 28][188] Village considered Superman Escape and Batwing Spaceshot's openings to be contributing factors to the increased attendance.[189][190] A decline in attendance during financial 2008 was attributed to unseasonably poor weather during the key summer months.[191]

Green Lantern Coaster's December 2011 opening contributed to an attendance boost the following year.

Various discounting and marketing strategies were devised to offset hardship after the global financial crisis.[192][193] A "Q150 Pass" promotion[lower-alpha 29] introduced in April 2009 was extended beyond its original September expiry into the Christmas–New Year holiday.[194][195] The promotional efforts contributed to increased profitability and attendance over the following year.[lower-alpha 30][197] Inclement weather and subsequent flooding impacted attendance throughout early 2011,[198][199] however attendance on 26 June reached a new peak since Christmas with more than 10,000 visitors.[lower-alpha 31][200] Sales of "VIP Pass" promotions throughout financial 2011 nearly doubled over the year prior.[lower-alpha 32][202] Green Lantern's opening helped visitor numbers during January 2012[203] and other additions throughout the year boosted attendance by 27% in financial half-year 2013 over the prior period.[204] By financial year's end, more than 2 million annual visitors were recorded for the first time.[205] Later in 2013, Village partnered with Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure for a $15 million Gold Coast marketing campaign.[206] 2014 additions such as the Carnivale event and Junior Driving School attraction were highlighted as yearly attendance draws.[207][208] Fright Nights had its most successful season to date and White Christmas attendance grew 22% over the year prior.[208] By 2016, the park had received an average of 1.4 million visitors per year.[21]

At a total cost of $30 million, DC Rivals HyperCoaster remains Village's largest single ride investment.

The fallout from Dreamworld's October 2016 Thunder River Rapids incident, in which four patrons were killed,[209] had a significant impact on industry performance.[210] By January 2017, combined attendance at Movie World, Wet'n'Wild and Sea World had dropped 12%.[211] The $30 million investment for DC Rivals—Australia's first major theme park attraction since the River Rapids incident—inspired Village's optimism for a financial turnaround; it was the largest single ride investment in their history and Australia's most expensive coaster.[103][212] Its opening set a daily attendance record for September with 11,500 guests.[213] By November, to cut debts after a $66.7 million loss the prior financial year, Village sought to sell the Oxenford precinct's land through a 90-year leaseback agreement.[lower-alpha 33][214] Village posted a narrow profit margin of $200,000 in August 2018 and stated that while April school holiday theme park attendance was inhibited by the 2018 Commonwealth Games, July results were strong with high season pass sales.[210] In February 2020, Village posted an EBITDA increase of 7% to $39 million for the financial half-year and overall attendance at their theme park properties rose 12% to 2.58 million; these results were attributed to a 6% ticket price hike, increased visitors and Fright Nights' continued success.[215] Throughout the year, COVID-19 closures had a detrimental impact on park performance.[216] The impact was felt through financial 2021 as Village's theme parks operated at a $4.6 million loss over the period.[217] Village no longer publicises its finances, as the company was delisted from the ASX in December 2020 following a $568 million takeover from BGH Capital.[167][218]