Adelaide Show 2008

Post by **Zamperla** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:45 am

Matt, your initial guess was correct. (not in Cali) I am now in the UK for the next week or so, and yes, I shall be going to the world's best carnival in Munich.

I have just come back from Thorpe Park today (Surrey, UK)

Got a dose of a nice HUSS Enterprise in its authentic paint job (portable model with permanent concrete around edge) ahh, it filled a void in my heart. How I have missed her.

princess · Post by **princess** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:53 am

Hope you are going to upload some photos of your visit????, the fly swat one especially.

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:08 pm

Yes, I would like to see some photos. Have fun with all your travels.

Kiwi, I think that is Show Amusement's Gravitron, they are based in Adelaide and also own the Mega Mix

Post by **Zamperla** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:40 pm

Kiwi the chap's name escapes me. Between him and Bob Lawrence there were a number of rides I had never seen before (and some quite major rides I might add) - grav, brand-new dodgem cars (refurbished track), simulator (done up like a gravitron)

Matt Diabolism · Post by **Matt Diabolism** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:51 pm

Is the Mega Mix still in the country and travelling?.It never seems to show up anywhere anymore...I never got a chance to try it.Oh and Zamperla GREEN with envy mate.If you come across Imperator in Germany (Not exactly sure where it's located these days.I've heard it's been sold to China...but not certain about that) be sure to give her a ride or two for me,and take some pics please

.

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:08 pm

I think the Mega Mix is still here and I'm sure it's still for sale. Yeh, that would be great if you came across the Imperator

Post by **Zamperla** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:49 pm

Imperator - I wish. I don't think it travels German fairs anymore. But I am not wanting to see an official list, I want to be surprised. I am really looking forward to riding all these HUSS flats we'll never get in Australia. And Olympia Looping. (anything by HUSS or Anton Schwartkopf is a must)

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:35 am

Yes, ride everything you can while you're over there. Olympia Looping is a must try. How long are you over for?

scorpionSA · Post by **scorpionSA** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:55 pm

The Big Dipper

The Claw

Send In The Clowns

Hard Rock

The Haunted Hotel

Random Joint

Skydiver with Hangover in the background

Space Roller

Extreme Speed Machine

Waveswinger

MegaDrop

Space Roller Freak · Post by **Space Roller Freak** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:12 pm

Great photos scorpion and zamperla I wish that Big Dipper would come to Melbourne Show!

CHEERS,
Space Roller Freak

scorpionSA · Post by **scorpionSA** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:14 pm

hey space roller freak -- i think ive finally fixed all the broken links - so there might be a few more there now

it was marketed at the biggest show ever --- i'm not really sure if i can agree --- it seems we are just continuing a tradition every year of having more and more and more open space -- that used to be a thing of the show that absolutely everything was crammed in together - you'd turn around and again you would be on top of something else --- now everywhere just appears to be space space and space! we now even have a large undercover empty space as well -- used to be a food court - they have removed all the food shops - added a pharmacy and a new cartoon collection shop and removed about 1000 seats (and not replaced them) and just made the showbag pavillion look all posh -- i'm not sure why you would get rid of 1000 seats??? i was also really disapointed with the carnival area -- it too was extremely spaced out - in fact at first look I couldnt even see most of the rides! quite a few were in the new bit (the old childrens carnival) and it was just odd them being there - i guess ill get used to it sooner or later.... the new childrens area looked really good though -- but alas most of the childrens rides were decidely empty ---- i nearly considered going on the Traffic Jam myself - it looked like so much fun! her eis a photo i forgot to upload before of another enw children's ride Balloon Chase

i'm wondering if the modenisation of the facilites is going to see changes to the animals next year -- i hope not --- because agriculture and horticulture are meant to be two of their main things - and the horticulture section was certainly alot lot smaller this year (despite their being so much more space for it.

all of the rides looked very wel presented this year... and seemed to have a pretty constant stream of riders.. the claw during the day really only looked half full -- but even Kermit the Frog wanted to ride it (you can sort of see it one of the photos).

only ended up going on the 2 rides - hard rock and the big dipper --- the hard rock may have turned one of our party off the rides --- she may or may not have (which of course means she did) have to go patch up her eyeliner after getting a bit teary eyed on the hard rock lol... i love the hard rock its an awesome ride and there wasn't a big queue this time so i got a really good cycle!!! i love the feeling you get from it...

as for the big dipper - well i believe someoen was mentioning that the adelaide media has been giving it big raps --- well i guess like most other stuff in the media it was all lies.... i have never ever been so disappointed with anything in my life.. i would have thought anything that replaced a 45 year old rollercoaster would have to be an improvement -- well i think i need to head to the newcastle show - cos im not desperately missing the mad mouse... all i felt after the big dipper was that i was sore. nearly every person who i have heard comment on it at the showgrounds agreed it was crap - it had nothing at all. the only people i can see liking it are really little kids... at $10 a ticket I certainly would never ride it again..... (and i said id never ride crazy coaster again - it has suddenly raced back ito riding potential). if i was Bob id be a bit worried that id picked up a dud ---- sure everyone is going to ride it for the first year -- but is their going to be repeat business??? the mad mouse made alot of its money on riders have repeat riders in the same year (it used to be cheaper if u rode it a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time etc)... i can honestly say i wont be handing over any cash on this again anytime soon. i dont mean to be a downer but I just felt that ripped off.

the rides tho all looked really good and appeared to be doing plenty of business!!!! my wishes for next year and it might sound stupid - but i hope we get a more crammed in show - with things everywhere - we dont' need all this open space!

end rant!

scorpionSA · Post by **scorpionSA** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:18 pm

also the Big Dipper won best thrill ride and also the water pistol side show one best sideshow.

princess · Post by **princess** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:49 am

Thanks Scorpian for a good review, shame about the Big Dipper, I watched it on a you tube, its cycle was about 48 seconds.

The showgrounds have all changed, modernisation have (as I have ranted before) bought sanitised plastic shows, with atmosphere loosing out. I will admit that I think I am now getting used to Sydney, but fortunately there is someting to see and do, wherever you turn.

As for Hard Rock I love this one too, so if I can do it, anyone can,

maybe you need a new girlfriend lol

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:57 am

Thanks for the review and photos, shame about the Big Dipper, yes I love the Mad Mouse too. Haunted Hotel looks great. Yeh, I don't like it how everythin is getting modernised, I love the classic and traditional atmospheres of the grounds

scorpionSA · Post by **scorpionSA** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:30 am

Yeah the show is becoming very plastic and safe. It's not that there is nothing to do - its just all so spaced out now (i was still there from 11 am til 10 pm!).

and lol She's not my girlfriend - no gf of mine would cry on the hard rock lol!

I was actually reading through some old threads last night whilst i was waiting for photobucket to upload my pictures (bloody dialup) and I couldn't help but concur with what you were saying that the shows are fast pricing themselves out of the market etc.... I was thinking the same thing myself when I was watching this sideshow where you had to pluck the toy fish out of the water and each fish had a number attached. This little kid came up with a family trailing behind her -- and the woman is going great value on $5 a go! Imagine if they had 3 kids - that would be $15 - you couldn't just let one kid have a go - and no little kid would want to just have 1 go - it will end up families just wont go.. I was even thinking about it later with the rides... Space Roller and The Big Dipper were now both $10 and i notcied a lot of the other rides had gone up again as well. They just appear to be going up every year.. I can still remember when we used to get all the wittingslow rides and right up until they left which would be 2005 im thinking -- they were still only $4.40 and they'd only gone up 40 cents since 2000 so that is quite a bit since that time. Even the showbags have gone up in price quite dramatically and some of the food choices this year (im intriuged to know how many oysters they sold). I must admit i was quite impressed this year that a bottle of coke was only $3.50 this year - not sure what happened there!

ok end rant (maybe im just cheap).

p.s. i will admit tho that alot more free stuff is appearing around the showgrounds which can only be a good thing. i did go watch the leagure of sideshow superstars again this year - which is really worth the cost of the entry ticket alone - had this been on at the Adelaide Fringe Festival it would have easily been $25 a ticket.

princess · Post by **princess** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:55 am

Scorpian, we cannot forget that fuel costs have gone up dramactically, in the last few years, how this changes things in the future, who knows.

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:39 pm

It is a shame but the showmen do have to make a cut. Fuel is very expensive now and insurance is expensive too. At Sydney, it costs my family just $100 for two adults and 2 kids. Thats why my family never goes anymore. Then there's food, rides, showbags and anything else. Its shocking

HUSSRAINBOW · Post by **HUSSRAINBOW** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:47 pm

oh but the Easter Show is soo much fun, and soo worth it.... I went 5 times this year.

princess · Post by **princess** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:46 pm

Yeah it is getting better every year, but it has taken alot to get used to, Moore Park had such fantastic atmosphere, it's been 11 years, finally it is starting to feel good.

Matt Diabolism · Post by **Matt Diabolism** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:01 pm

Thanks for the pics and review Scorpian.Skydiver looks like a very nicely presented ride,does it do alot of smaller country shows in S.A?.

Top Gunner14 · Post by **Top Gunner14** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:58 pm

Yes, I do love the Easter show and go there multiple times during the time its on. It is very fun but doesn't have too much of an atmosphere. But yeh, I love it

Dazzleland · Post by **Dazzleland** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:57 pm

Here's my pics from 2008 (I know this thread is over a year old but it's worth it!)

Cliff Hanger

Sky Diver

Scorpien

Speed

Hard Rock

Mega Drop

Power Surge

The Claw & Midway

Australian Amusement Fanatics

Adelaide Show 2008

Re: Adelaide Show 2008