Defunctland: The Awful Wiggles Dark Ride

range of motion of the attraction as its immersive theme. Throughout the late 20th century, attraction designers experimented with ways to overcome these obstacles. Disney's Omnimover system allowed vehicles to turn and for the most part hid the route from view, but this system was still on the track. It would not be until October 1, 1982 that the first trackless travel system would be introduced, with Epcot Center's Universe of Energy. Large seats full of guests passed through the attraction in unison in a slow dance, without the guests being able to perceive any clue. However, this was not a true trackless

ride

system either, as a 1/8 inch guide wire was embedded in the floor of the

ride

, tracing the path of the ride.

The guide wire would transmit a radio signal to each vehicle, the intensity of which would communicate the vehicle's position relative to the road. This attraction system was a technological marvel in 1982. Each vehicle needed its own computer, which would then communicate with the attraction's main computer. The vehicles would also need to have their own propulsion systems and, more difficult, their own power and charging systems. Imagineer's solution to the latter was to embed charging plates into the floor, which used a state-of-the-art inductive power coupling system to charge the cars at two points along their journey. While Universe of Energy was not technically a pathless

dark

ride by modern standards, it did introduce multiple innovations necessary for later systems to succeed.

The guide wire system would be reused in 1989 for The Great Movie Ride, and again in 1994 for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and the system would improve with each iteration. All of these attractions were well received,

dark

ening the tour and creating a more amazing experience for visitors. While these systems offered the thematic benefits of a trackless travel system, the true potential of free range of motion had yet to be realized. This was until 2000, when Tokyo Disneyland received a new dark attraction called Pooh's Hunny Hunt. Pooh's Hunny Hunt was an impressive attraction, with a rumored budget of $130 million.

In addition to the innovative effects and elaborate environments, the most impressive element of the attraction was its true trackless ride system. Instead of using guide wires, Pooh's Hunny Hunt used a local positioning system, in which a set of sensors communicated with the ride's cars and the ride's main computer. Unlike a guide wire, this allowed the tours to be completely virtual. Disney made great use of this technology, sending cars down different roads at the same time and synchronizing movements, resulting in fun choreography. This trackless attraction system would be implemented and innovated at more Disney parks around the world, with the notable additions of motion simulation in Ratatouille: The Adventure, and an elevator and drop shaft in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. .

Other companies have developed their own trackless ride systems using local positioning, which has led to a renaissance of trackless rides in the theme park industry that is still ongoing. However, back in 2005, when the Wiggles ride was being developed, local positioning systems for trackless rides were new and prohibitively expensive. So while it would be widely promoted as a trackless dark ride, the attraction would rely on a guide wire system developed by a little-known company called Simtech. Simtech was a New Zealand-based entertainment company founded by set designer Frank Marquette in 1984. Marquette primarily worked on films such as "The Lord of the Rings" and small entertainment projects such as mini-golf courses.

In 2001, the company formed a team to develop an automated wire-guided vehicle, or AGV, system for themed entertainment attractions, as Marquette believed this type of attraction was the future of the industry. By 2003, the company had developed its system, which reportedly sparked interest from both Disney Parks and Universal Studios. To demonstrate its ability to develop a full-scale theme park attraction, Simtech built a standalone proof-of-concept attraction called The Emperor's Tomb. This dark and shooting attraction was built near the company's headquarters in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attraction used the new AGV system and also showcased Simtech's ability to produce animatronics and detailed show scenes.

It wouldn't be long after presenting this proof of concept that Dreamworld would hire Simtech to design and build the Wiggles dark vehicle. Simtech would provide the attraction system, animatronics and scenes for the show. Arvus, an audio technology company, was also contracted to provide a unique audio system for each vehicle. This included a microphone, a push button and a speaker system. According to Arvus, this was, quote, "the world's first onboard karaoke system for an amusement vehicle," and that, quote, "special microphones had to be developed so that there would be no feedback from the speakers that were directly next to they".

Gum Tree Gully was quickly transformed and the new Wiggles area was ready to open after just four months of construction. The new land, called Wiggles World, had its opening ceremony on September 13, 2005, with the Wiggles themselves appearing and taking a ride on the land's signature dark ride, the Big Red Car ride. The attraction and terrain were They would officially open four days later, and on September 17, 2005, the children of Australia were welcomed into a new Wiggly world. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Guests entered Wiggles World under a whimsical arch featuring illustrations of the four Wiggles, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and Captain Feathersword.

Inside, families can visit the Fun Spot activity center for Wiggles-themed games or visit the banks of the Murrissipi River to play on the S.S. Playground. Feathersword. Throughout the land, visitors could meet Henry the octopus, Wags the dog, Dorothy the dinosaur, and even Captain Feathersword himself. Gum Tree Gully Farmyard Petting Zoo re-themed Wiggles Farmyard Friends. The grounds also had a gift shop marketed as the first Wiggles merchandise store, as well as a health food cafe, appropriately named Yummy Yummy. There was even a recreation of the exterior of Wigglehouse, allowing guests to get up close and personal with Flora Door, Wigglehouse's smart door. (Upbeat music continues) The main attraction at Wiggles World was, of course, the Big Red Car.

The exterior featured a prominent marquee inviting guests into their Wiggles Adventure. Guests entered the short ride queue with the boarding area just a few meters ahead. A wall-mounted television showed Wiggles videos while guests waited in line. Guests watched as their own Big Red Car pulled into the charging station. The ride vehicle was perfectly themed and looked identical to the Wiggles' iconic car, with the notable additions of space for three passengers per row and the unique karaoke system. Guests waited patiently for the car to arrive at the loading dock, which, depending on how many cars were on the track, could take a while.

The ride had a posted top speed of 2 kilometers per hour, or about 1.25 miles per hour. This is slow. For comparison, the Formula Rossa roller coaster at Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, reaches a top speed of 240 kilometers per hour, or 149 miles per hour. That's more than 100 times faster than the ride in the Big Red Car. Even compared to other dark vehicles, the ride in the Big Red Car was slow. For example, Haunted Mansion and similar Omnimovers move twice as fast, and the new trackless dark rides are even faster. Speed ​​was not an advertised element of the Big Red Car ride, but it would definitely play a role in the energy and pace of the attraction.

Once the car arrives at the charging station, guests board the Big Red Car and buckle up. The doors to the first scene of the show open and it's officially Wiggle time. As the Wiggles begin singing "Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car", the ride vehicles slowly move towards the Wiggles' yard. ♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga, big red car ♪ - Lights illuminate the space as the car turns to look at a small TV mounted on the wall. The Wiggles appear on screen welcoming guests to the ride and suggesting they use their microphones to sing. They then inform the riders that they will be next to enter Wigglehouse. - Why don't we go into the house and sing some songs together? - "Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" starts playing again, as the vehicles slowly move towards the Wiggles' kitchen. ♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga, big red car ♪ - The car turns toward another television screen, this time with only Anthony, who instructs the passengers to sing "Hot Potato." When the song starts, the cabinets, refrigerator, and oven open and close to the music. ♪ Potato, potato, potato ♪ - Next is the Wiggles' room. "Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" plays again as the cars slowly enter the scene. ♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga, big red car ♪ - On the wall, you can see the doors to all of the Wiggles' rooms, an iconic set for those familiar with Wiggles history.

After entering this room, the car turns towards a third television screen. In this video, Jeff is sleeping and the Wiggles try to wake him up. They ask you to use your microphone to shout, "Wake up Jeff." - One, two, three, wake up, Jeff. - Wake up, Jeff. - Thank you all for waking me up. - This wakes Jeff up, and the Wiggles sing, "Wake up, Jeff!" The vehicles play "Toot toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" again as they move on to the next room, Wags' kennel. ♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga ♪ - The cars then turn towards a fourth television screen.

In this video, Greg explains that if we all sing "Wave to Wags," Wags the Dog could go down his slide. After singing the song, Wags slides down, very slowly. (no audio) ♪ Toot toot, chugga ♪ - The next scene is by far the most elaborate. Now underwater, visitors encounter Henry the octopus and a variety of sea creatures, including a saxophone-playing fish and a guitar-playing crab. The room is filled with detailed scenes, immersive lighting and a fifth television screen on which Murray suggests riders move their arms like Henry and sing "Move your Arms Like Henry." In response, Henry sways back and forth, technically not moving his arms at all, but the saxophone fish moves back and forth, which is cool. ♪ Toot toot ♪ - The final scene is in Dorothy's garden.

Dorothy is seen swinging back and forth on her swing as the car pulls into the room. Dorothy greets the guests, and as the car begins to leave, the passengers encounter the sixth and final television screen. The Wiggles express how much fun the trip has been and remind guests to wave at the camera. After taking a photo, guests return to the loading area very slowly. (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) The Big Red Car ride at Dreamworld initially received fairly positive reviews. For Wiggles fans, especially young children, the trip provided the unique opportunity to drive the Big Red Car and visit iconic Wiggles locations.

The karaoke microphones added a unique interactive element, and the more elaborate scenes towards the end of the ride were particularly well received. In many ways, the dark ride was impressive, especially for a small park like Dreamworld. However, there were many aspects of the trip that were not very good. The attraction relied heavily on its television screens, some of which were poorly mounted with visible wires. The walls of each room did not extend to the ceiling of the exhibition building, which detracted from the theme and seemed a bit dark and disturbing. Another strange and often terrifying aspect of the attraction was the lighting design and timings.

There seemed to be a lack of consistent lighting in the show scene, as every tour since the early years of operation seems to have different lighting patterns. For example, when the Big Red Car leaves the first room and enters the Wiggles' kitchen, sometimes the lights are already on, sometimes the lights are off and come on immediately, and sometimes the lights remain off in the kitchen. until just before the video. theater plays. This results in long stretchesof guests enter a dark room with only the light from the other scenes of the show illuminating the space. The flip side of this problem is also disturbing.

There are times when the kitchen lights are on, but the living room lights are not, so guests may see a very dark living room in front of them as they walk through the kitchen scene. This is even nastier in the show's more elaborate scenes at the end. For example, sometimes guests arrive at Dorothy's garden before the lights come on. The other negative aspects of the Big Red Car ride are not the fault of the Dreamworld attraction specifically, but are problems found on many dark and trailless rides. Both wire-guided dark vehicles and local positioning systems have a problem with scene layouts that traditional dark vehicles do not, because there is a possibility that a trackless dark vehicle could deviate from its intended path in a way that a dark tracked vehicle cannot.

Show elements should be placed further away from the planned route to account for this additional margin of error. This can make rooms seem empty and scenes seem distant. Another disadvantage of trackless dark rides is that designers are encouraged to illuminate the floor, either to create more natural lighting for an environment or to show the lack of tracks to riders, making the unpredictability more exciting. . The downside to this lighting technique is that it draws more attention to the extra floor space, making some show scenes look like big empty rooms. One thing the Big Red Car did better than many trackless dark rides was its unique floor design.

Many show scenes featured fun patterns on the floor to compensate for excessive space. One of the most obvious disadvantages of the rides' trackless dark floors was not present when the ride opened, but as with many trackless rides, it wouldn't be long before the problem arose. Overall, the journey Simtech took was impressive given the budget and time constraints. The ride of the Big Red Car, when it opened, wasn't terrible, but the changes came sooner than anyone could have anticipated. In September 2006, a year after the ground opened, the Wiggles returned to their home at Dreamworld for a special concert celebrating the group's 15th birthday.

The group also dedicated a new Wiggles World attraction, Dorothy's Rosy Teacup Ride. Fans flocked to Dreamworld to see the return of the Wiggles, but many longtime fans noticed something was different. Greg Page, the Yellow Wiggle, was nowhere to be found. Instead, his understudy, Sam Moran, acted as Yellow Wiggle. Moran had been filling in for Page for years, but Page's absences had become more frequent, with aggravated health problems cited as the reason. Just one month after the Wiggles' visit to Dreamworld, it was announced that Moran would replace Page for the remainder of the Wiggles' 2006 tour, due to fainting spells that Page had been experiencing.

Page's illness had not yet been diagnosed, but he expressed his determination to join the Wiggles on future tours. However, just a month later, in November 2006, Page released a video message to fans to give them shocking news. - For some time now I have suffered from a condition called orthostatic intolerance, which basically means that when I stand up, my heart does not pump enough blood throughout my body. It means that I will no longer be able to sing or dance as I want and, as a result, I have decided to stop performing with the Wiggles. - Moran replaced Page as Yellow Wiggle completely, in songs, on tour, in videos and, before long, in Dreamworld.

In 2007, Moran replaced Page throughout the park, including in the land entrance arch on the Big Red Car ride marquee. The Wiggles also filmed new footage for the Big Red Car ride with Moran. These changes meant that the original Big Red Car ride ran for less than two years before receiving this significant change. While the new footage used the same script as the original, even the slight adjustment in timing and delivery began to alter the intentions of the attraction's original design. On top of this, the effects were constantly deteriorating and maintenance seemed to struggle to keep the driving experience consistent.

The door that opens in the first scene of the show, separating the loading area from the rest of the attraction, did not operate reliably and other times opened abruptly. As mentioned above, the lighting was inconsistent, but at certain times, its malfunction was more evident. Just a few years after it opened, the Big Red Car attraction was experiencing the same problem that even the most expensive trackless dark rides struggle with: tire marks visible throughout the attraction. It was impressive that Dreamworld received a trackless dark ride with multiple show scenes and animatronics, but maintaining the quality of the show was a huge challenge, and just a few years into the ride's lifespan, the ride experience was already suffering. .

In December 2006, Dreamworld opened a neighboring water park, Whitewater World, which featured an area dedicated to the Wiggles, Wiggle Bay, with four slides representing each Wiggle. In 2007, Wiggles World came to the United States thanks to a partnership with Six Flags. - We can't help but love them all when they make us laugh so much. - Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags New England received their own Wiggles Worlds, with many features identical to Dreamworld, with similar furniture and signage. However, one feature that was not identical was Flora Door's appearance. (whimsical music) Why is he looking at me like that?

The Great Escape and Six Flags Fiesta Texas would also host Wiggles Worlds in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Some of these lands had their own Big Red Car rides, but they were open-air driving tracks, not dark rides. Like Dreamworld, the Wiggles made appearances at Six Flags Wiggles Worlds. However, while visitors can meet Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog, and even Captain Feathersword, no actors replaced the Wiggles in the park, probably because if they did, kids might realize that They were not the real Wiggles. This went against the expectations of theme park visitors, who are used to seeing and interacting with beloved characters.

However, most of the time, guests were unable to meet the Wiggles at Wiggles World, and without allowing local actors to play the band, the only way to allow guests to interact with the Wiggles without the Wiggles being presents would be to create pet costumes. of the four that park employees could use. This actually only works with animals and cartoon characters. A theme park would never create mascot costumes to represent four human men. ♪ Toot toot, toot toot, toot toot, toot toot ♪ ♪ Chugga chugga, big red ♪ - The Six Flags Wiggles Worlds would only last until 2010, when Six Flags ended its licensing agreements with multiple intellectual properties, including the Wiggles.

All of the Six Flags lands changed their theme for the 2011 season. This left only one Wiggles World, the original at Dreamworld, and more changes were coming both to the land and to the Wiggles themselves. In January 2012, the Wiggles announced that Greg Page would be donning the yellow underwear once again, replacing his replacement, Sam Moran. This made headlines around the world. It had been five years since Page had performed with the group and, to many children, Moran was the Yellow Wiggle. Rumors circulated about the move, speculating that Page's poor investments and financial problems since he left the group had necessitated his return, a claim Page denied.

Many speculated about bad blood between Moran and the rest of the group, which was all but confirmed over the course of the next few years. The band's manager, Paul Field, defended the decision, saying: "If the Stones lost Mick Jagger to illness and he came back a few years later, there would be no question." Page's return sparked controversy for the healthy music group, with parents especially unhappy with the sudden change. The Wiggles assured fans that they would pay royalties to Moran for all the songs he had written for the group, and the band had offered him full access to the Wiggles' Hot Potato Studios.

Moran would have a successful solo career, creating his own show on Nick Jr., called "Play Along with Sam." Shortly after the change, the Wiggles re-recorded footage of the Big Red Car trip with Page, meaning either they lost the original files with him, or the band was so obsessed with the continuity of the dark ride that the difference in their age I have kept them awake at night. They also updated the signage around Wiggles World for the third time, with old Greg being illustrated slightly differently to young Greg years before. The drama over Page's return to the band was short-lived and virtually in vain, as in May 2012, just a few months after the move, the Wiggles announced that Jeff, Murray and Greg would be leaving the band.

This was largely due to exhaustion and various health problems that the three were experiencing, as apparently nothing makes one face one's own mortality more than being a Wiggle. Anthony would be the only Wiggle to remain in the band, and three backing artists would receive the iconic underpants, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and the first female Wiggle, Emma Watkins. Later in 2012, Dreamworld added another Wiggles kiddie ride, the Big Red Boat ride, with the Wiggles once again present to dedicate the attraction. The new group's first performance together was at Dreamworld in 2013. That same year, the signage was updated again and the Big Red Car ride underwent a fourth renovation, the most significant in its history.

Not only was a fourth round of video filmed to account for the new members, but the first room was completely changed to Emma's room, complete with music, equipment, and wallpaper featuring her future iconic yellow bow. These changes only worsened the pace of the ride, and technical issues continued to impact the experience. The door to the first room was left permanently open, leaving no barrier between the loading area and the rest of the journey. The cabinets in the kitchen scene continued to open and close long after the segment ended, and the ride cars always arrived too early or too late for the show's next scene.

The audio tracks constantly clashed, with "Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" sometimes playing at the same time as the video, causing pure audio chaos. ♪ Chugga chugga, big red car ♪ ♪ Toot toot, chugga chugga ♪ - The lighting problems were as bad as ever and somehow, almost impressively, the cars moved even slower throughout the trip, and each year The trip continued to work, the experience only got worse. In less than a decade, the ride in the Big Red Car had become a truly horrible travel experience. In 2015, Dreamworld announced that Wiggles World would cease to exist, but Wiggles wasn't going anywhere.

The land would re-theme ABC Kids World, to incorporate more properties from the Australian Broadcasting Company's popular children's franchises, including "Play School", "Giggle and Hoot" and Those Bananas Who Wear Pajamas. Dorothy's Rosy Teacup ride, Big Red Boat ride, and Big Red Car ride would remain and retain their Wiggles theme. The S.S. Feathersword would re-theme the Giggle and Hoot pirate ship, and the Fun Spot activity center would re-theme the ABC Kids World Fun Spot. Two new attractions, the Play School Art Room and the Bananas in Pajamas Fun Maze, would also be added to the area. The iconic Wiggles arch remained on the new ground and was moved closer to Wigglehouse.

ABC Kids World added more relevance to the area, but the excitement around the additions would be short-lived. On October 25, 2016, Dreamworld suffered tragedy when the park's Thunder River Rapids attraction malfunctioned, causing a serious accident between two rafts and resulting in the deaths of four passengers. The incident became global news and an investigation into the cause of the accident was launched. In subsequent years, poor maintenance would be cited as the cause of the incident, and Dreamworld would pay millions in fines and compensation to the victims' families. Three years after the incident, in 2019, Dreamworld announced a $70 million expansion project, including the addition of a new triple-launch roller coaster to replace the Thunder River Rapids attraction.

As part of the transformation, ABC Kids World would also receive a multimillion-dollar makeover. However, in March 2020, Dreamworld closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting the expansion project on hold.In August 2020 it was announced that the park would reopen in September. Prior to the park's reopening on September 16, it was revealed that two Dreamworld attractions would not reopen with the park. These were Flowrider in the Ocean Parade section and the Big Red Car ride in ABC Kids World. The attraction didn't get a big sendoff, no final rides, or even a real goodbye, which is a shame, because the Wiggles have four different songs about the sendoff.

One of the ride cars was placed outside the ride for photography and the loading area was boarded up. The pandemic significantly delayed Dreamworld's expansion plan. ABC Kids World continued to operate throughout 2020, 2021 and 2022, with the Big Red Car ride in the dark, closed to guests. Dreamworld finally announced a new renovation schedule, a children's area called Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland, which would open in 2023. The children's land will replace the Dreamworks area of ​​Dreamworld and will feature many ABC Kids properties, including the Wiggles. The Wiggles will be getting two new attractions, a Big Red Plane spinner and a Big Red Boat roller coaster, but no plans have been made for a new Big Red Car ride.

Once Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland fully opens, Dreamworld will finally close ABC Kids World to make way for a new area called Rivertown. Rivertown will be an homage to the original Rivertown area that Longhurst built for Dreamworld in 1981, and the land will feature a new family roller coaster, Jungle Rush. While the Wiggles will live on at Dreamworld, the sudden closure of the Big Red Car ride was disappointing for Dreamworld and Wiggles fans who would have preferred to give the attraction a proper send-off. The trip was not the most impressive, and its deterioration over the years had left it in an abysmal state.

Still, he had allowed the kids to take a trip in the Wiggles' Big Red Car, sing classic Wiggles songs, and visit iconic Wiggles locations, even if he did all of those things very slowly. The Wiggles have continued to evolve in recent years and the current band continues to spend time at Dreamworld. While the group remains popular, their presence in the park and the band themselves may never again reach the prevalence they experienced at the time Wiggles World opened. For those lucky enough to experience the Wiggles' Gold Coast home in its heyday, there has never been a better time for the Wiggle. (happy music) (happy music continues) (happy music continues) (happy music continues) (happy music continues) (whimsical music) (whimsical music continues) (no audio)