The Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum was born in New York, but fans of the 1939 film adaptation of the novel will have to travel to Australia to walk a real Yellow Brick Road. Warner Bros. Movie World in Queensland announced plans for a Wizard of Oz-themed area including multiple rides and immersive attractions. Theme park owners hope to open the area by 2024.
Warner Bros. Movie World shared concept art on Facebook earlier this week, showing off what looks like a family coaster and an immersive area inspired by the Emerald City. There also appears to be an area based on the Wicked Witch of the West’s castle, complete with Flying Monkeys overhead. Another area is completely flat with a farmhouse to recreate Dorothy Gale’s family farm in Kansas.
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“A world-first Wizard of Oz precinct is coming to Warner Bros. Movie World, featuring a suspended family coaster, a family boomerang racer, and immersive theming, set to provide a one-of-a-kind family experience for guests in 2024,” the park’s statement reads. The park also published a video with its CEO, Clark Kirby, and Cameron Dick, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, announcing the area. They were joined by staff in Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion costumes.
Warner Bros. Movie World is located on the Gold Coast city of Oxenford, Queensland, and opened in 1991. The park includes an area inspired by DC Comics characters, including Superman and Green Lantern coasters and a Batman-themed Space Shot ride. There are also Looney Tunes-themed children’s rides and multiple theaters. There is also an indoor Warner Bros. World park in Abu Dhabi.
While Wizard of Oz fans might enjoy the idea of theme park rides based on the classic movie, the announcement drew a mixed response from Movie World fans who would prefer more thrill rides. The section is built on the site of the Arkham Asylum – Shock Therapy roller coaster, which was closed in 2019 and demolished this month.
“Boring! Where’s a thrill ride in there? Your slogan shouldn’t have been ‘something big is coming,’ it should have been ‘something medium-sized for families is coming.’” one fan wrote on Facebook. “Can’t wait to experience the dry, dead grass, dumpy old brown dirt farm area,” another joked.
On the other hand, some fans were excited to see new family rides at the park. “Yay! A family ride!! There wasn’t much for kids who can’t or don’t like thrill rides. Looking forward to it,” one person wrote. “I think it’s a great idea, It was getting a bit boring nothing really for the middle-sized children,” another wrote.
