More than anything, I was looking forward to visiting the theme parks. Gold Coast is popularly known for their long-stretched beautiful beaches, which would’ve been the highlight of our excursion, despite the fact that it was muggy and damp all weekend. As some may know it, the next best popular attraction would be the 4 theme parks located about a 45 drive outside of the Gold Coast. Dream World, Movie World, Sea World and Wet & Wild.
Dream World and Wet & Wild were our top 2 picks!
We had limited time to offer in GC, so we had limits to which park we could visit. No questions asked, everyone agreed on Wet & Wild. But after a bit of deliberation, the group chose Dream World over Movie World. Each have their own distinct flair of rides, neither “better” than the other, but both just as fun.
So after a toxic night out on the town Friday night, nothing feels better than to get up 4 hours later for a full day of fun. Surprisingly, no one had trouble getting up and getting ready. We were on top of each others backs to get to the bus on time so we don’t waste extra minutes waiting to get to the park.
Was going for the one-legged Merman look. What do ya think?
Dream World was our first of the two attractions. Excited as we were, the thought of our insides churning about as we got onto the rides was daunting. No one had fully recovered, yet we were all persistant on experiencing every single ride at the park.
With grey looming across the skies, the clouds didn’t feel as welcoming as we had hoped. As the bus entered the driveway, one attraction stood out more than the rest. A giant singular tower, spanning at least 8 storeys high, was visible from the distance. The sound of anxiousness and nervousness was taking over the excitement we had felt prior. We knew we had to get on that ride, we just didn’t expect that it would be our first.
The Giant Drop was the name of the attraction. Though not as daunting when said outloud, its name was literal. Need I say more?
I’m the big giant in the middle next to the little kids.
What a kickstart to what an amazing day this was going to be. Soon after the ride, everyone forgot about the sickly feeling we felt in the morning. Adrenaline was pumping and we just wanted more, More, MORE!
Next up was the Rocky Hollow Log Ride, followed by the Tower of Terror II.
Lining up – you knew the girls were scared. Good thing I was there to keep ’em calm.
Tower of Terror was a ride where you get shot from a horizontal platform at burst speed up to about 4 storeys high, leaving you floating in mid flight for a split second before dropping back down to the initial point.
But the Tower of Terror “II”? Yes – two! Apparently the Tower of Terror just wasn’t kicking it, and they had to revamp the entire ride. Instead of being shot up straight-forward, we were shot up straight-backwards, looking down as we were rocketing up. The coaster had to be turned a complete 180 degrees around. Undoubtedly, watching the ground as you get rocketed sky high was such a thrill factor – making it the most exciting ride there!
So the big 2 (Giant Drop and Tower of Terror II) out of the way, we made our way to the more casual rides.
The Claw and The Wipeout were next. These were rides you could find in almost every theme park around the world, so no need for me to get into detail.
Anyway, what better way to spend the day than with the company you love and trust. Laughter and excitement surged through our bodies all day long. Best. Feeling. Ever.
The parked closed around 5pm. Our experience fulfilled.
Having taken over one park, the day wasn’t over. Plans were made to meet up with lovely Vanesa and Mitch for dinner, who conveniently resides in Brisbane. A few restaurant names thrown around, but nothing as appealing as Laura’s suggestion to check out Hooters. And “check out” we did!
I’ve heard lots of fun exciting stories about this so-called American-style “Hooters Family Restaurant”. Good food, great atmosphere and excellent service. And boy they didn’t fail to impress!
Their Fried Chicken wings were to die for! Their Beef Ribs, mmMM Mmm!! Complimented with a well-rounded Long Island Tea, the fun just didn’t stop. Order were taken and clipped onto a line of string that hung over the restaurant. Every couple of moments, you can see a order docket zoom past the crowded room.
The atmosphere was pumping. Waitresses had a routine dance every hour or so. Every now and again, they’d drag a birthday boy or girl* to the center of the restaurant and play some sort of party game [* does not indicate age appropriate demographic you may be thinking].
Friends, family, food, a little alcohol. So much fun. So much excitement. What else could a little boy like me ask for?
To be continued…