Warner Bros. Movie World facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Warner Bros. Movie World

Location	Oxenford, Queensland, Australia
Coordinates	27°54′27″S 153°18′45″E / 27.90750°S 153.31250°E / -27.90750; 153.31250
Status	Operating
Opened	3 June 1991; 34 years ago (1991-06-03)
Owner	Village Roadshow Theme Parks
Theme	Warner Bros. productions and show business
Slogan	"Hollywood on the Gold Coast"
Operating season	All year round
Attendance	~1.4 million as of 2016
Attractions
Total	24
Roller coasters	7
Water rides	1

Warner Bros. Movie World is an exciting theme park located on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It's owned and run by Village Roadshow Theme Parks. The park first opened its doors on June 3, 1991.

Movie World is part of a huge entertainment area. This area also includes the Village Roadshow Studios and Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast. It's Australia's only theme park based on movies. It's also the oldest Warner Bros. park in the world! Other Warner Bros. parks are in Madrid and Abu Dhabi. In 2016, about 1.4 million people visited Movie World each year.

The park was designed to teach guests about how movies are made. Over time, it has added many rides and shows. These attractions are based on Warner Bros. movies and DC Comics characters. Movie World has faced challenges but remains a very popular place to visit in Australia.

You can find all kinds of attractions here. There are thrilling rides like Batwing Spaceshot and Superman Escape. There are also family-friendly attractions such as Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D and Wild West Falls Adventure Ride. You can enjoy shows at the Roxy Theatre and the Hollywood Stunt Driver live show.

Movie World has seven roller coasters. The DC Rivals HyperCoaster is Australia's tallest, fastest, and longest coaster. The Green Lantern Coaster has one of the steepest drops in the world! You'll often see movie characters walking around the park. They love to interact and take photos with guests. Every afternoon, these characters join a fun parade down Main Street. The park also hosts special events like Fright Nights and White Christmas every year.

Discovering Movie World's Past

How Movie World Began (1986–1991)

In the 1980s, Hollywood became very interested in the Australian film industry. A film producer named Dino De Laurentiis visited Australia in 1986. He decided to build a film studio in Oxenford, near Surfers Paradise. This studio was meant to make a movie called Total Recall.

However, De Laurentiis's company faced money problems. He left the company in 1987. The movie Total Recall stopped production. Then, Village Roadshow bought the studio in 1988. They opened it as Warner Roadshow Studios, which is now Village Roadshow Studios.

Movie World's Grand Entrance, welcoming guests to the park

In October 1988, Village bought a large piece of land next to the studio. The next month, Village and Warner Bros. decided to build a theme park there. They called it Warner World at first. Warner Bros. saw the great potential in having a theme park.

In July 1989, the two companies teamed up with Pivot Leisure. Pivot Leisure was a part-owner of Sea World, another local park. An American designer named C. V. Wood was hired to design the park. He had designed famous parks like Disneyland. Movie World's design was inspired by Universal Studios Hollywood and Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Construction of the park took about 16 months. It cost around $120–140 million. The park was designed to let up to 13,000 guests visit all attractions in one day.

The Fountain of Fame, a beautiful spot at the park's entrance

The park officially opened on June 3, 1991. A special ceremony was held on June 2, 1991. Over 5,000 people attended, including stars like Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson. The opening created between 400 and 500 new jobs. The first ticket price was $29 for adults and $19 for children. Movie World was expected to attract between one and 1.5 million visitors in its first year.

Early Fun and Rides (1991–1998)

When Movie World first opened, its attractions taught guests about filmmaking. The park's slogan was "Hollywood on the Gold Coast." Main Street had buildings that looked like famous movie sets. These included Rick's Café Américain from Casablanca and the Daily Planet building from Superman.

The Roxy Theatre, a classic part of Movie World since 1991

A film studio tour included the Movie Magic Special Effects Show. This show let audience members take part in a live set. There were also two daily live shows. The Western Action Show featured actors doing stunts with animals. The Police Academy Stunt Show had exciting shoot-outs and car chases.

The Warner Bros. Classics & Great Gremlins Adventure was an interactive dark ride. Guests had to escape from a gremlin invasion. The Young Einstein Gravity Homestead used sloped floors and illusions. It made you feel like gravity was different! The Roxy Theatre showed cool 3D films. For younger kids, the Looney Tunes Land had several attractions. These included the Looney Tunes River Ride and the Looney Tunes Musical Revue show.

Batman Adventure – The Ride opened on December 23, 1992. This was a $13 million motion simulator ride. It used props and sets from the movie Batman Returns. This ride was very popular right away. More than 12,000 people visited on December 30, setting a new record!

In 1995, The Maverick Grand Illusion Show replaced the Western Action Show. It was based on the movie Maverick. Lethal Weapon – The Ride opened in December 1995. This was the park's very first roller coaster. It was Australia's first inverted coaster.

Lethal Weapon – The Ride was Movie World's first roller coaster

Marvin the Martian in 3D opened in December 1997 at the Roxy Theatre. It was the world's first animated 3D film. On December 26, 1997, Looney Tunes Land became Looney Tunes Village. It added several new rides.

December 26, 1998, saw the opening of the Wild Wild West. This ride is now called Wild West Falls Adventure Ride. It was the biggest single ride investment in Australia at the time. It featured a huge artificial mountain. The ride was renamed to connect with the 1999 movie Wild Wild West.

Growing Bigger and Better (2000–2008)

The Road Runner Rollercoaster opened on December 26, 2000. This was Australia's first roller coaster designed just for children. In 2001, the Great Gremlins and Gravity Homestead attractions closed. The Looney Tunes Splash Zone was added to Looney Tunes Village.

Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, an indoor roller coaster with ghost train fun

Two new attractions opened on December 26, 2001. These were Batman Adventure – The Ride 2 and the Harry Potter Movie Magic Experience. The Harry Potter attraction was built where the Gravity Homestead used to be. It cost $2 million. It was based on the first Harry Potter movie. It had a walk-through replica of Diagon Alley and a live owl show. It was updated in 2002 to include things from the second movie.

Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster opened on June 17, 2002. This $13 million Wild Mouse coaster was themed to the 2002 movie Scooby-Doo. It was an indoor ride with ghost train elements. It also had an elevator lift and a coaster section.

The Harry Potter attraction closed in September 2003. It was replaced by The Official Matrix Exhibit. This exhibit showed props from Matrix movies. In 2005, Movie World announced plans for two new attractions. The Roxy Theatre was updated for a new film, Shrek 4D Adventure. This experience used special effects, moving seats, and animatronics.

Superman Escape opened on December 26, 2005. This $16 million Accelerator Coaster was the park's first big thrill ride in about ten years. Batwing Spaceshot, a $5 million Space Shot, opened in December 2006.

The Official Matrix Exhibit was a popular attraction from 2003 to 2007

Looney Tunes Village was renamed Kids' WB Fun Zone in 2007. Two new rides were added. The Police Academy Stunt Show had its last performance on April 30, 2008. It had been running for 16 years! Its replacement, the $10 million Hollywood Stunt Driver, opened on December 26. This new show featured amazing stunt drivers.

A new live show, Looney Tunes: What's Up Rock?, replaced The Musical Revue. In October 2008, a roof was built over Main Street. This huge roof helps protect guests from the weather. It also creates a large space for events.

New Rides and Changes (2011–2020)

The Looney Tunes River Ride and Batman Adventure – The Ride 2 closed in 2011. The Green Lantern Coaster opened on December 23, 2011. This coaster had a very steep drop. It was the third-steepest in the world!

Hollywood Stunt Driver 2, an exciting show with amazing stunts

Lethal Weapon – The Ride closed in January 2012 for a $2 million update. It got a new train and was renamed Arkham Asylum – Shock Therapy. It was themed to the Batman: Arkham video games. The ride building looked like Arkham Asylum taken over by the Joker. It reopened in April 2012.

Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D opened in September 2012. It was built in the old Batman Adventure building. This $9 million interactive dark ride had special effects, animatronics, and 3D projections.

Hollywood Stunt Driver closed and was replaced by its sequel, Hollywood Stunt Driver 2, on February 20, 2014. This new show featured motocross riders doing even more complex stunts. The $4 million Junior Driving School opened in the Kids' WB Fun Zone on September 12, 2014. Here, kids can drive miniature cars around a tiny Movie World.

Doomsday Destroyer, a thrilling ride in the DC Comics Super-Villains Unleashed area

The DC Comics Super-Villains Unleashed area opened in September 2016. Its main attraction was Doomsday Destroyer, a thrill ride. Statues of DC supervillains like Harley Quinn and Scarecrow could interact with guests using special wristbands. Also in September, you could add virtual reality headsets to the Arkham Asylum ride.

DC Rivals HyperCoaster opened on September 22, 2017. This $30 million coaster was the biggest single ride investment in Village's history. As of 2020, it is Australia's tallest, fastest, and longest coaster.

An Aquaman exhibition opened on December 13, 2018. It showed props and costumes from the movie. Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster was updated with new projection mapping and special effects. It reopened in December 2018 as Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster: Next Generation.

The WB Studio Showcase opened on November 1, 2019. It displayed props, sets, and costumes from many Warner Bros. movies. These included Suicide Squad and Mad Max: Fury Road. Later that month, students from the New York Film Academy (NYFA) began showing guests how movies are made. Arkham Asylum closed in December 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the park closed on March 22, 2020. It reopened on July 15 with fewer guests allowed and new safety rules.

Recent Updates and New Areas (2021–Present)

Batman Legacy, an exhibition about the Batman films, opened on December 26, 2021. Marvin the Martian: Cosmic Boom, a children's Drop'N Twist ride, opened in the Kids' WB Fun Zone in April 2023.

The Flash: Speed Force, a shuttle roller coaster, opened on May 13, 2024. This ride was moved from Wet'n'Wild and is themed to the DC Comics superhero the Flash. In October 2024, the Action Zone Arcade opened in the Kids' WB Fun Zone.

A Wizard of Oz-themed area opened on December 20, 2024. This area cost about $50–100 million. It was built where Arkham Asylum used to be. It has two new coasters: Flight of the Wicked Witch and Kansas Twister. Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster closed in January 2023 for a $4 million update. It is expected to reopen in 2025 with new features.

Exploring the Park Layout

A colorful float from the daily Star Parade

Movie World is in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, Queensland. It's about 20 km (13 miles) from Surfers Paradise. It's part of a big area that includes other Village properties. These are Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast, Australian Outback Spectacular, and Paradise Country.

The park has 24 attractions. They are grouped into six main areas. These areas are Main Street, Kids' WB Fun Zone, the Wizard of Oz precinct, the wild west, DC Comics Super-Villains Unleashed, and the DC Comics superhero hub.

When you enter the park, you'll see the Grand Entrance. Beyond that is the Fountain of Fame. Main Street has guest services, places to eat, gift shops, and more. The Roxy Theatre on Main Street shows 4D films. The Hollywood Stunt Driver crew performs amazing motorcycle and rally car stunts.

You can meet characters like Batman, the Joker, Scooby-Doo, and the Looney Tunes cast. They walk around the park and pose for photos. Every afternoon, they have a parade with themed floats and vehicles down Main Street.

Wild West Falls Adventure Ride, a thrilling water adventure

The Kids' WB Fun Zone has rides for younger guests. These include car rides, carousels, frog hoppers, and splash pads. Kids can drive through a miniature Movie World at Junior Driving School. They can also ride the Road Runner Rollercoaster.

In the Wizard of Oz precinct, you can follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City. You can also race on the Kansas Twister. On the Flight of the Wicked Witch, guests fly around the Wicked Witch of the West's castle. Wild West Falls is the main attraction in its area. It takes you through a Native American village and a ghost town. It ends with a big splashdown!

DC Comics Super-Villains Unleashed has statues of DC supervillains. Guests can use special wristbands to interact with them. You can also hang upside-down on Doomsday Destroyer.

In the DC Comics superhero hub, Batwing Spaceshot launches you up a tower. It creates four g-forces! DC Rivals has a camelback and a non-inverting loop. Riders in the last row can even face backwards! The Flash: Speed Force moves guests on a spinning platform between two vertical tracks. Green Lantern drops almost straight down. It also has turns and two inversions. On Justice League, you blast animatronic aliens on 3D screens. Superman Escape launches you from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just two seconds!

List of Attractions

Special Events and Fun Features

Over one million Christmas lights lit up the park for its first annual White Christmas event in 2010

Movie World hosts two big events every year. These are Fright Nights for Halloween and White Christmas during the holidays. Fright Nights has spooky mazes and parades with Halloween characters. You can also ride some attractions at night. This event is very popular, with thousands of guests attending each evening.

The park offers a paid Fast Track pass to skip lines. There's also free virtual queueing for some rides. You can even order food on your phone! Star Tours began in July 2016. These tours give you a behind-the-scenes look at some attractions. They include Fast Track passes and special seating for the parade. Since September 2018, you can even climb the 282 steps of DC Rivals's lift hill!

To celebrate its first birthday in 1992, Movie World held a daily parade. It featured Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters. In the evenings, there was a sound and light show called Illuminanza. It featured Batman and Catwoman.

Fright Nights has always been a popular event at Movie World

Easter 1994 had a big Bugs Bunny Megga Easter Party. It included an evening parade and fireworks. A tenth anniversary party was held on August 4, 2001. It had live music and performances. The first Halloween Family Fun Night was on October 31, 2006. It was so popular that it was extended for another night! This event has since become the annual Fright Nights.

In 2010, a DC Heroes vs. Villains parade ran during the school holidays. This celebrated DC Comics's 75th anniversary. The first annual White Christmas events for the public were held in December 2010. Over one million Christmas lights decorated the park! There was a Looney Tunes ice-skating show, a Christmas parade, and a visit from Santa Claus. This event was an instant hit.

In June–July 2014, Carnivale events were held. These evenings had music, parades, and food inspired by the Brazilian Carnival. The park celebrated its 25th anniversary on June 3, 2016, with festivities and a parade. In 2020, Fright Nights was canceled due to health restrictions. However, White Christmas still went ahead. To celebrate the park's 30th anniversary, the Hooray for Hollywood event ran from June 26 to July 18, 2021. It featured guest interactions and a daily parade about classic Hollywood movies.

Park Visitors and Success

Retail sales have always been a big part of the park's income

In its first year, Movie World welcomed 1.2 million visitors. This was more than they expected! The park's general manager, Mark Germyn, said that many visitors were from other countries. About 25% of guests were from overseas, with half of those from Japan. He also noted that the park's 25 shops made $17 million in sales.

In 1998, the "3 Park Super Pass" became very popular. It helped bring more tourists to the Gold Coast. A small drop in visitors in 2000 was due to Y2K concerns. But the "Super Pass" deal continued to be a success.

By 2001, more than 10 million people had visited the park. However, international visits dropped after the September 11 attacks. In 2003, visits by international tourists fell by about 50%. This was due to global events and health concerns. Movie World focused on attracting local visitors with discounted tickets.

Batwing Spaceshot (left) and Superman Escape (right) helped boost visitor numbers in 2007

In May 2006, Village Roadshow took full ownership of Movie World. The park continued to use Warner Bros. branding. Strong visitor numbers in 2007 helped the company make a good profit. Over 1.32 million people visited in 2007. This was a 5.8% increase from the year before. The opening of Superman Escape and Batwing Spaceshot helped increase attendance.

The opening of Green Lantern Coaster in December 2011 helped increase visitors the next year

After the 2008 financial crisis, Movie World used special deals to attract guests. These efforts helped increase profits and visitors. Bad weather and floods in early 2011 affected attendance. However, the "VIP Pass" promotions nearly doubled in sales.

The opening of Green Lantern in 2011 helped visitor numbers in 2012. Other new attractions boosted attendance by 27% in early 2013. By the end of that financial year, over 2 million people visited the park for the first time! In 2013, Village partnered with Dreamworld to promote the Gold Coast. New additions in 2014, like the Carnivale event and Junior Driving School, also attracted many visitors. Fright Nights had its most successful season ever, and White Christmas attendance grew by 22%. By 2016, the park was getting about 1.4 million visitors each year.

DC Rivals HyperCoaster cost $30 million, making it Village's biggest single ride investment

In October 2016, a sad incident happened at Dreamworld. This affected all theme parks in Australia. By January 2017, combined attendance at Movie World, Wet'n'Wild, and Sea World dropped by 12%. The $30 million investment in DC Rivals gave Village hope for a comeback. It was the biggest single ride investment in their history. Its opening set a new daily attendance record for September, with 11,500 guests.

In February 2020, Village reported a 7% increase in earnings. Overall attendance at their theme parks rose by 12%. These good results were due to higher ticket prices, more visitors, and the continued success of Fright Nights. However, the COVID-19 closures later that year had a big impact on park performance.

Safety and Incidents

Movie World works hard to keep guests safe. However, like any large park, it has had a few incidents.

On December 5, 2003, a fire caused over $1 million in damage to Wild West Falls. The park was closed at the time. The ride was repaired and reopened a few weeks later.

On March 15, 2015, one of Green Lantern's cars came off the rails. This happened because a wheel mechanism broke. Riders were stuck for several hours and had to be rescued by the fire brigade. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. An investigation found a design flaw. The ride was fixed and reopened in December 2015.

Images for kids

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  Warner Bros. Movie World

See also

In Spanish: Warner Bros. Movie World para niños