Theme Parks provide extra Family Fun this Christmas

Families that have purchase their gold coast family packages and are now still undecided what is happening on the Gold Coast this summer, well there is plenty of theme park thrills to ensure you have the best family summer holidays.

Sea World visitors will be swept off their feet with the exhilarating Jet Rescue coaster where the cars are Jetskis and the track flies and twists past rock pools at 70 km per hour toward a dark, blowhole cave where a trapped sea lion waits to be rescued.

The new Ray Reef aims to remove some of the mystery surrounding one of the ocean’s most misunderstood inhabitants. Guests can appreciate the majesty of these creatures as more than 100 gracefully fly and glide underwater in their colourful home. Guests of all ages will be invited to feed, touch and observe the rays in this interactive and educational exhibit.

Wet ‘n Wild Water World’s newest ride, Kamikaze, is a wet/dry attraction where water spray jets provide a frictionless surface on a giant U-shaped slide as riders on rafts plunge down a sheer 11m drop at an angle of 70 degrees. Definitely not for the faint-hearted!

Warner Bros. Movie World open their much awaited Hollywood Stunt Driver show this summer. The presentation showcases the legendary car chases, car crashes and stunt scenes made famous in Hollywood’s greatest movies. Looney Tunes fans will also enjoy What’s Up Rock?! from Kids’ WB featuring characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny, Tweety, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote and Taz. Kids’ WB! stars Georgia and Shura lead the fun, animated and interactive musical show for kids of all ages. It will screen daily at 11.30am.

A new 4000sqm roof has also made it the first all-weather theme park on the Gold Coast. The roof covers a large area of the park including Main Street and The Plaza.

Australian Outback Spectacular has added a selection of new scenes to their popular show including a replica of a Cobb & Co. Coach drawn by five Percheron horses, extreme Roman Riding which includes four horses and two stockmen jumping fire, the hilarious antics of the Great Australian Pig Race, and new music by singer/songwriter Lee Kernaghan.

Dreamworld continues lives up to its name with a haunting new attraction, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor LIVE! which has been themed to preserve the look and feel of the popular movie. Guests become part of the action as they navigate dark winding tunnels in a quest to escape the wrath of a mummy Emperor. Be warned, the special effect and creepy cast of the living dead aim to scare!

Turn from terror to tiger treats, Dreamworld’s Sumatran tiger cubs are now six months old, cute and curious, and will star in their own 15 minute presentation Cub Chaos, 10.30am daily at Tiger Island from December 26-January 26. If you miss the show watch out for them as they take their daily walks through Main Street.

You’ll work up a sweat and have lots of fun when Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary opens its Extreme Green Challenge on December 16. The safe, fun and exciting treetops ropes course was developed in association with Adventure Parc and has been trialled over the two previous school holidays. Set in the grounds of the Sanctuary, Extreme Green has 14 challenges including rope bridges and ladders high into the treetop canopy and a flying fox over the Crocodile Wetlands. Entry is $10 extra on the Sanctuary entry fee.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary also open Australia’s Green Cauldron Experience and Green Guardian Theatre from December 13. The Green Cauldron explains how Currumbin’s scenic beach headlands were created from ancient lava flows and showcases the wildlife of the region, and the Theatre screens wildlife documentaries and live animal presentations in air-conditioned comfort. A Forest Walk will open in January, giving visitors the chance to explore the coastal eucalypt and rainforest areas on walking trails and interpretation sites.

Dreamworld and Wet’n’ Wild will also be celebrating New Year’s Eve with sepcial festivities planned for families on December 31.

Dreamworld will hold its first Party in the Park from 6.30pm-10.30pm. Guests will enjoy rides, live performances, roving artists and appearances by Nickelodeon and Wiggles Friends characters. Pop superstar, Ricki Lee, is the headlining act, Steffi Burns, the Gold Coast’s version of Hannah Montana, will perform hits from teen idols, and puppeteer and tenor, David Hamilton will entertain with his life-sized marionettes. Selected rides and attractions will be closed – River Rapids, Log Ride, Australian Gold Rush, Big Brother, Tiger Island and the Australian Wildlife Experience.

The Biggest’n’Best Kid’s New Year’s Eve at Wet‘n’Wild Water World includes face painting, karaoke, roving characters, competitions, a premiere Dive’n’Movie presentation ‘The Tale of Despereaux’ and fireworks. All festivities are included in normal admission to the park, and in keeping with tradition, Wet’n’Wild will turn the clocks forward so families with young children can celebrate the New Year at 9pm. Gates open 10am with water slides and attractions operating until 8.30pm. New Years Eve Party and free activities will run from 2pm to 7pm, with the movie screening from around 7pm.

We sure your family won’t be bored this summer on the Gold Coast. Enjoy

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