Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Money-Saving Theme Park Pass
Sea World, Warner Bros. Movie World, and Wet 'n' Wild sell a
3 Park
Super Pass
that gets you a full-day's entry to each park plus a free return
visit to the one you like best. It costs A$150 (US$98) for adults and A$94
(US$61) for kids 4 to 13. You can buy it at any of the parks, online, from
a travel agency, or at most Gold Coast hotels, apartments, and tour desks.
Dreamworld
has a second-day return pass for an extra A$10 (US$6.50),
but you must buy it before leaving on your first day.
Tips
Trains (
&
13 12 30
) run to Coomera and Helensvale on the Brisbane-Gold
Coast line. Queensland Rail Citytrain sells “Fun Tickets” to the theme parks,
which include return rail travel to the nearest station, coach transfer and entry
tickets. There's no real savings, just the convenience of not having to stand in
line to get in.
Coachtrans
(
&
13 12 30
or 07/5506 9777) does daily door-to-door transfers
to the big three parks, as well as Wet 'n' Wild and Currumbin Sanctuary. Round-
trip fare is A$15 (US$9.75) for adults, A$9 (US$5.85) for kids, or A$38 (US$25)
for a family of four. Book a day ahead if you can, especially in peak season.
Dreamworld
Adrenaline-crazed thrill-seekers will love the action rides
here, such as the aptly named Giant Drop, in which you free-fall 39 stories in
5 seconds, or the Tower of Terror, which propels you forward and upward at
4.5Gs before falling backwards 38 stories in 7 seconds. They'll also get a kick out
of the hair-raising Cyclone roller coaster, with its 360-degree loop and the Wipe-
out, which spins, twists, and tumbles you upside down in a random sequence
(but only exerts a sissy 2.5Gs units of pressure). These high-octane offerings
make the park's other offerings look tame. Dreamworld is a family fun park,
Disney-style—except that here giant koalas called Kenny and Belinda roam the
streets instead of Mickey Mouse. Kids will love Nick Central, the only Nick-
elodeon cartoon attraction outside the U.S. Other activities include an IMAX
theater, a native wildlife park where you can cuddle a koala and hand-feed kan-
garoos, river cruises livened up by a bushranger shoot-out, and a carousel and
other rides for young kids. A big highlight is to watch trainers swim, wrestle, and
play with Bengal tigers on Tiger Island. Souvenir stores, restaurants, cafes, and
ice-cream shops abound, and there's a water-slide park, so bring your swimsuit.
Pacific Hwy. (25km/16 miles north of Surfers Paradise), Coomera.
&
1800/073 300
in Australia, 07/5588
1111, or 07/5588 1122 (24-hr. info line). www.dreamworld.com.au. Admission (all-inclusive except skill
games, souvenir photos, and helicopter rides) A$56 (US$36) adults, A$36 (US$23) children 4-13. Daily
10am-5pm; Main St., Plaza Restaurant, and Koala Country open at 9am. Closed Christmas and until 1:30pm
Anzac Day. Extended hours during Easter and Dec-Jan. Free parking for 1,600 cars.
Kids
Sea World
Four polar bears—two adults called Ping Ping and
Kanook, and two cubs, Lia and Lutik—are the star attractions at this marine
park, and crowds flock to see them frolic, dive, and hunt for fish in a large pool.
The cubs are usually out in the mornings, and the big bears on show in the after-
noons, but as you'll probably make a day of it, you'll get to see them all. You can
also do a “behind-the-scenes” tour of their habitat for A$40 (US$26) adults,
A$20 (US$13) children 4 and over. Sea World may not be as sophisticated as
similar parks in the United States, but it's got its own charm and has all the things
you'd expect to see—performing dolphins and sea lions, ski shows, an aquarium,
Kids
