The Gold Coast attracts thousands of visitors every year making it one of the best holiday destinations in Australia. 99% of those visitors don't leave until they've visited at least one of the Gold Coast Theme Parks.
Are you like me and LOVE those Adrenalin rides? Perhaps you have kids and are looking for a place that you can keep them entertained? The Gold Coast Theme parks are definitely the right place to come.
To get the most out of the theme parks, you need to plan your trip. This article is here to help you do just that.
Which Theme Park?
Think about what you want out of a theme park and then you can choose between the big 4 theme parks.
The first is Sea World. Perfect for smaller children and anyone who likes Polar Bears, Whales and dolphins
Movie World - For anyone who loves their movies, super heros and film stunts. There's a few rides here too
DreamWorld. If you love the big thrill rides then this is the place for you.
Wet n Wild The original water park with great flumes and slides
There are two more
White Water World. Relatively new to the Gold Coast. This is another water park designed to give Wet n Wild a run for its money.
Outback Spectacular. A show and Aussie Barbeque depicting life in the Outback. Only open in the evenings.
For me, I'd pick Dream World and White Water World. These are the best parks for adults or families with teenage kids.
Sea World, Movie World and Wet n Wild are better if your kids are a bit younger or you really are into your movies or marine life.
Get the Right Ticket
To work out which parks to visit, you should know that the parks have two owners.
This means you can do White Water World and DreamWorld together or
visit the other three together, Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild.
How much time do you want to spend at the parks? Do you want to have time to do other things in the Gold Coast? Be wise. Don't think that you can do all 2 or all 3 parks in just one day. The shows, the queues and the fact that your group might all want to do different things make it quite impossible.
The first thing you must do is Book on Line This is so you can whizz through the e-ticket express gates. It will save you heaps of time and no queues.
Here are a list of the types of passes you can get:
Movie World, Wet n Wild and Sea World
Super pass. A 14 day pass that you can use at all 3 parks. Valid for a year. This is the best value for money if you think you'll come back within the year. ($189 for adults; $129 for kids) (Kids are classed as being between 4-13 years old)
Fun Pass. Access to 3 parks over 5 days but you only get one day at each park ($149 for adults; $95.95 for kids)
Escape Pass. Gives you access to 2 parks over 5 days (one day per park) ($119 for adults; $75.95 for kids)
The other two - Dream World and White Water World
Two Day World Pass $68 for kids and $102 for adults
Two day Family and Friends World Pass (2 adults and 2 kids) $306
One Day World Pass $79 and $57 for kids
The parks are not all together so trying to go between parks in one day is not advisable. That said, you could try to do it between White Water World and DreamWorld as these are right next to each other. If you want to do 2 parks, take two days. If you want to do 3 parks, do a 2 or 3 day pass.
If you intend to go to Dream World, I'd strongly recommend getting the following ad ons to your ticket
Early Entry. To get into the park an hour earlier than the crowds, you will need to pay an additional $10. They usually have at least 2 of the big rides available but sometimes they have all 5. Well worth it to avoid those queues. As you would expect, tickets are strictly limited so book ahead.
Q4U. For two adults this will cost you an additional $20 (family of 4 $30) and it's probably the best money you'll spend all day! It gives you a beeper, a bit like the ones you get in restaurants. Whilst you still have to wait for the ride as long as everyone else, you get to walk around the park rather than stand in line. The buzzer bleaps when you can get on the ride. There aren't too many of these available so make sure you book ahead.
To book your tickets for the big 3 theme parks go to www.myfun.com.au. Once you've booked, the tickets are valid for up to one year. Go to www.dreamworld.com.au for the other two parks.
Getting from one park to the next
There are buses available that will take you to the parks so you don't need to hire a car. Surfside Shuttle Buses offer the best service and they have brochures in most key places such as tourist offices, the airport and of course, on their buses.
Theme Parks Main Attractions
Planning your trip is the key to getting the most out of the Theme Parks. Whilst it's nice to amble round and discover as you go, I guarantee that you will run out of time. Study the Park Map before you go and work out which of the attractions and shows you really want to do.
Sea World
There's lots of animals to see and a few rides too. The "Not to Miss" items are
The Polar Bear exhibition, Water Ski Wipe Out Show and the Imagine Show at Dolphin Cove
Why not book one of the Animal Adventures. You can scuba dive with a shark or swim with a dolphin. Book well in advance for these.
The best rides here are probably the new Jet Rescue and the Corkscrew Roller Coaster. They both have height restrictions.
Movie World
Enjoy wandering the streets in search of your favourite film characters - Shrek, Wonderwoman, Cat woman, Bat Man and lots more.
The main attractions are:-
For the younger ones you can't beat the Looney Tunes Musical which happens once a day at 11.30am. You'll be bopping in the aisle to some classic rock n roll tunes. The Hollywood Stunt driver show is a bit more fast and furious. This 20 minute show takes in lots of cool car stunts. The Shrek Cinema Adventure is a 3D Movie. You get to wear silly glasses and your chair moves.
The two most popular rides are the Batwing Space shot - it shoots you 60 meters in the air only to drop you from that height too. Only for the brave. The Superman Escape is a classic roller coaster of a ride so hold on tight.
Wet n Wild
The park isn't too big so you adults can relax in the sun and still keep an eye on the kids. There's plenty of flumes and slides.
Kamikaze - a ride for two people that reaches speeds of 50km/h with sheer drops and slopes
Tornado - a huge flume that you ride on a dingy like tube
Black Hole - added excitement by sliding down in the dark
Mach 5 - lots of twists and turns in the open air
Dreamworld
The biggest and best adrenalin rides are
Cyclone is more of a classic roller coaster;
Claw is like a big ferris wheel whisking you upside down;
The Giant Drop offers a huge verical drop if your stomach can take it it;
Tower of Terror is a very fast roller coaster;
And Wipe Out is a giant boat that rocks from side to side and more.
These rides are very popular so expect to queue for well over an hour. These are the rides you want to use your Q4U buzzer or rush to if you do the early entry.
There's also Tiger Island where you can see white and gold Bengal Sumatran tigers. There's lots of other family friendly rides too with the rapids and log flumes being classic favourites for the younger kids.
The Nickelodean area is also popular and in particular the Slime Time Live is amusing.
Another top attraction is Flow Rider. Get to know what it feels like to surf your own wave. You'll need your swimmers.
White Water World
This park offers something for all ages, with lots of slides and flumes.
The Green Room is probably the biggest attraction, which towers 20m above the ground
The Hydro Coaster will blast you 18m in a rocket type dinghy.
The Cave of Waves is a wave pool so much safer than swimming in the sea - no rips or sand banks to worry about. You can take a surf lesson here too. Lessons are 8-10am, three days a week, costing $115.
Other tips for getting the most out of the theme parks
With the exception of Dream World and White Water World, you can take your own pack lunch and drinks.
Use the lockers to store your belongings but pick a good central location if you will need to keep going back and forth.
If you plan to split up and meet back somewhere, take mobile phones - queueing for different rides will take different lengths of time leaving half the party frustratingly waiting at a meeting point.
Make sure you get the most out of your entire Gold Coast Holiday. Visit the other attractions in the Gold Coast including the Green behind the Gold - The Hinterland.
Are you like me and LOVE those Adrenalin rides? Perhaps you have kids and are looking for a place that you can keep them entertained? The Gold Coast Theme parks are definitely the right place to come.
To get the most out of the theme parks, you need to plan your trip. This article is here to help you do just that.
Which Theme Park?
Think about what you want out of a theme park and then you can choose between the big 4 theme parks.
The first is Sea World. Perfect for smaller children and anyone who likes Polar Bears, Whales and dolphins
Movie World - For anyone who loves their movies, super heros and film stunts. There's a few rides here too
DreamWorld. If you love the big thrill rides then this is the place for you.
Wet n Wild The original water park with great flumes and slides
There are two more
White Water World. Relatively new to the Gold Coast. This is another water park designed to give Wet n Wild a run for its money.
Outback Spectacular. A show and Aussie Barbeque depicting life in the Outback. Only open in the evenings.
For me, I'd pick Dream World and White Water World. These are the best parks for adults or families with teenage kids.
Sea World, Movie World and Wet n Wild are better if your kids are a bit younger or you really are into your movies or marine life.
Get the Right Ticket
To work out which parks to visit, you should know that the parks have two owners.
This means you can do White Water World and DreamWorld together or
visit the other three together, Movie World, Sea World and Wet n Wild.
How much time do you want to spend at the parks? Do you want to have time to do other things in the Gold Coast? Be wise. Don't think that you can do all 2 or all 3 parks in just one day. The shows, the queues and the fact that your group might all want to do different things make it quite impossible.
The first thing you must do is Book on Line This is so you can whizz through the e-ticket express gates. It will save you heaps of time and no queues.
Here are a list of the types of passes you can get:
Movie World, Wet n Wild and Sea World
Super pass. A 14 day pass that you can use at all 3 parks. Valid for a year. This is the best value for money if you think you'll come back within the year. ($189 for adults; $129 for kids) (Kids are classed as being between 4-13 years old)
Fun Pass. Access to 3 parks over 5 days but you only get one day at each park ($149 for adults; $95.95 for kids)
Escape Pass. Gives you access to 2 parks over 5 days (one day per park) ($119 for adults; $75.95 for kids)
The other two - Dream World and White Water World
Two Day World Pass $68 for kids and $102 for adults
Two day Family and Friends World Pass (2 adults and 2 kids) $306
One Day World Pass $79 and $57 for kids
The parks are not all together so trying to go between parks in one day is not advisable. That said, you could try to do it between White Water World and DreamWorld as these are right next to each other. If you want to do 2 parks, take two days. If you want to do 3 parks, do a 2 or 3 day pass.
If you intend to go to Dream World, I'd strongly recommend getting the following ad ons to your ticket
Early Entry. To get into the park an hour earlier than the crowds, you will need to pay an additional $10. They usually have at least 2 of the big rides available but sometimes they have all 5. Well worth it to avoid those queues. As you would expect, tickets are strictly limited so book ahead.
Q4U. For two adults this will cost you an additional $20 (family of 4 $30) and it's probably the best money you'll spend all day! It gives you a beeper, a bit like the ones you get in restaurants. Whilst you still have to wait for the ride as long as everyone else, you get to walk around the park rather than stand in line. The buzzer bleaps when you can get on the ride. There aren't too many of these available so make sure you book ahead.
To book your tickets for the big 3 theme parks go to www.myfun.com.au. Once you've booked, the tickets are valid for up to one year. Go to www.dreamworld.com.au for the other two parks.
Getting from one park to the next
There are buses available that will take you to the parks so you don't need to hire a car. Surfside Shuttle Buses offer the best service and they have brochures in most key places such as tourist offices, the airport and of course, on their buses.
Theme Parks Main Attractions
Planning your trip is the key to getting the most out of the Theme Parks. Whilst it's nice to amble round and discover as you go, I guarantee that you will run out of time. Study the Park Map before you go and work out which of the attractions and shows you really want to do.
Sea World
There's lots of animals to see and a few rides too. The "Not to Miss" items are
The Polar Bear exhibition, Water Ski Wipe Out Show and the Imagine Show at Dolphin Cove
Why not book one of the Animal Adventures. You can scuba dive with a shark or swim with a dolphin. Book well in advance for these.
The best rides here are probably the new Jet Rescue and the Corkscrew Roller Coaster. They both have height restrictions.
Movie World
Enjoy wandering the streets in search of your favourite film characters - Shrek, Wonderwoman, Cat woman, Bat Man and lots more.
The main attractions are:-
For the younger ones you can't beat the Looney Tunes Musical which happens once a day at 11.30am. You'll be bopping in the aisle to some classic rock n roll tunes. The Hollywood Stunt driver show is a bit more fast and furious. This 20 minute show takes in lots of cool car stunts. The Shrek Cinema Adventure is a 3D Movie. You get to wear silly glasses and your chair moves.
The two most popular rides are the Batwing Space shot - it shoots you 60 meters in the air only to drop you from that height too. Only for the brave. The Superman Escape is a classic roller coaster of a ride so hold on tight.
Wet n Wild
The park isn't too big so you adults can relax in the sun and still keep an eye on the kids. There's plenty of flumes and slides.
Kamikaze - a ride for two people that reaches speeds of 50km/h with sheer drops and slopes
Tornado - a huge flume that you ride on a dingy like tube
Black Hole - added excitement by sliding down in the dark
Mach 5 - lots of twists and turns in the open air
Dreamworld
The biggest and best adrenalin rides are
Cyclone is more of a classic roller coaster;
Claw is like a big ferris wheel whisking you upside down;
The Giant Drop offers a huge verical drop if your stomach can take it it;
Tower of Terror is a very fast roller coaster;
And Wipe Out is a giant boat that rocks from side to side and more.
These rides are very popular so expect to queue for well over an hour. These are the rides you want to use your Q4U buzzer or rush to if you do the early entry.
There's also Tiger Island where you can see white and gold Bengal Sumatran tigers. There's lots of other family friendly rides too with the rapids and log flumes being classic favourites for the younger kids.
The Nickelodean area is also popular and in particular the Slime Time Live is amusing.
Another top attraction is Flow Rider. Get to know what it feels like to surf your own wave. You'll need your swimmers.
White Water World
This park offers something for all ages, with lots of slides and flumes.
The Green Room is probably the biggest attraction, which towers 20m above the ground
The Hydro Coaster will blast you 18m in a rocket type dinghy.
The Cave of Waves is a wave pool so much safer than swimming in the sea - no rips or sand banks to worry about. You can take a surf lesson here too. Lessons are 8-10am, three days a week, costing $115.
Other tips for getting the most out of the theme parks
With the exception of Dream World and White Water World, you can take your own pack lunch and drinks.
Use the lockers to store your belongings but pick a good central location if you will need to keep going back and forth.
If you plan to split up and meet back somewhere, take mobile phones - queueing for different rides will take different lengths of time leaving half the party frustratingly waiting at a meeting point.
Make sure you get the most out of your entire Gold Coast Holiday. Visit the other attractions in the Gold Coast including the Green behind the Gold - The Hinterland.
About the Author:
Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in travel around Australia. Her website, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information from a local on planning your visit to Australia as well as where to go and what to do. Click here for more information on visiting the The Gold Coast
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