Movie World is Queensland’s own ‘Hollywood’, located on the Gold Coast. With iconic Warner Bros franchises and rides galore, it’s the perfect school holiday activity for you and your kids!
Read on for our full review for families visiting Movie World, including what we thought of the park’s newest attraction – the Wizard of Oz Precinct!
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The Wizard of Oz Precinct
The brand-new The Wizard of Oz Precinct at Movie World is a must-see. Follow the infamous Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City, home to two new family coasters. Watch as Emerald City is brought to life in the whimsical new land, donned in the iconic yellow bricks and surrounded by little Munchkin houses. Dorothy and Glinda often parade around the area, lingering on the stairs or dancing around the walkway, so make sure to catch a picture with them!
When you ascend the stairway (which also has a lift to the side, for accessibility) you are welcomed into the Palace of Oz, where the Wizard himself is speaking to you through the projection of his giant ghostly head. Much like Dorothy herself in the film, you are met here with a fork in the road, where you must choose between the two new family-friendly coasters: Flight of the Wicked Witch, and Kansas City Twister. With both coasters, even the queueing is an enjoyable experience.
Flight of the Wicked Witch
On the Flight of the Wicked Witch you are transported into the deep and dark Hunted Forest of Oz, where poisonous poppies grow and the Wicked Witch of the West hatches her plans to take down Dorothy and her companions.
The ride itself is a suspended coaster, with the track running above your head to make it feel like you’re soaring alongside the Wicked Witch’s flying monkeys.
The thrill level of this ride is moderate, with heights up to 19 metres and speeds up to 67km. The ride has accessible entry via lift, so anyone is welcome to ride! This ride is also family friendly, though children aged between 3-6 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Kansas City Twister
The Kansas City Twister transports you into the eye of the tornado; walk through Dorothy’s house as the Twister hits, swinging light fixtures and tilting furniture. The walk-through leading up to the ride is an amazing replica of Dorothy’s house in the original film complete with Easter eggs of the plot, such as a framed photo of Dorothy herself on the bedside table. You walk through the house and over into the barn, where the ride begins, and might spot a certain farmyard animal perched on the barn roof.
The ride itself is a boomerang ride, meaning it goes forward along the track, and then sends you backwards through the same path. Twist and turn through the Kansas cornfields as you navigate the storm in this family-friendly moderate thrill ride. At busier times, they open up the other track (orange) and you can race fellow perk-goers around the track to see who can speed through the tornado faster!
Just like the other Oz ride, there is accessible entry via lift and children between 3-6 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
The Wizard of Oz 4D Experience
To complete your The Wizard of Oz adventure, head back to Main Street, where the Roxy cinema is currently screening the Wizard of Oz 4D experience. This must-do experience is open to all ages, as long as they can sit independently in a cinema seat.
Showings are usually on every 40 minutes to an hour, with the actual run time being around 30 minutes.
Upon entry, you are provided with 3D glasses that make the characters of the much-loved film practically pop out of the screen. The experience itself is a cut-down showing of the 1939 film, where you follow Dorothy on her adventure to see the Wizard of Oz. As the tornado hits, wind is blown on your neck and legs in your seat, so it feels as if you’re right there in Kansas with Dorothy experiencing the Twister that started it all.
Every now and then, the seat jolts suddenly, which can be a bit startling for younger audiences. Luckily, Movie World has thought of it all and have provided motionless seats in the back rows, where you can just enjoy the film without the added physical elements.
Overall, this is a low-thrill experience and perfect for anyone who wants to relive the classic film in a whole new way.
TRIGGER WARNING: During the storms, bright overhead lights do flash rapidly to simulate lightning.
DC Superheroes Precinct
The DC Superheroes Precinct is home to the thrill rides better suited for older children and adults. Unleash your inner hero – or villain – and take on action-packed rides, including four coasters, a launch tower, and a 3D dark ride.
For those not too keen on taking on the hyper-coasters, there is a viewing deck where you can watch the action unfold from a distance or watch a friend or family member as they take on the thrill. Even if you are not a thrill-rider, there’s still something for everyone in the DC Superheroes Precinct.
Justice League 3D Ride
If you don’t wish to take on the thrill rides but still wish to participate in fighting crime alongside your favourite superheroes, the Justice League 3D ride is the perfect mild thrill-level ride for you! Grab your laser blasters and 3D glasses and move around the track, fighting crime and hitting targets. You can score points by hitting the targets with your laser, so you could even compete against your fellow riders to see who comes out on top.
Riders of any age are welcome, as long as they are above 90cm tall and can sit independantly in a coaster seat. The low sppeds make it easygoing for any rider, and you can focus on taking down your evil targets. Possible trigger warnings for this ride include the lights and lasers, which may affect photosensitive riders.
Green Lantern Coaster
The Green Lantern Coaster is a max thrill level ride, with steep drops and tracks barrel-rolling you at points. This coaster has one of the steepest inverted drops in the Southern Hemisphere, so show off your hero skills and take on this thrill ride, if you dare! Riders must be 140cm tall or more to ride and able to sit independantly in the seats.
If, like me, you hate going upside down on rollercoasters, there is a viewing deck across the creek, where you can either hype yourself up to take on the ride, or watch your friends and family as they take it on.
Superman Escape
Superman Escape is another max thrill-level coaster, where you reach 100km per hour in two seconds as Superman pushes the car from behind. Travel at ultra-sonic speeds along twists and turns over the park.
I, personally, didn’t go on this ride, but there is another viewing point for those who, like me, would rather just watch.
Batwing Spaceshot
Launch up into the air with the Batwing Spaceshot, a max thrill launch tower. Launch up like Batman at super speed well above the park at 60 metres, before being dropped back down in a bungee-like descent.
This ride offers amazing birds-eye views of the park, and the surrounding area, as you shoot up into the clouds.
The Flash: Speed Force
Speed along The Flash: Speed Force – a half-pipe coaster – as The Flash takes on his arch-nemesis, the Reverse-Flash. Twist and turn in a spinning shuttle connected to a giant skateboard as you swing back and forth along the half-pipe.
When we visited, this ride also wasn’t in action due to planned maintenance (this often happens throughout the off-season and outside of school holidays).
DC Rivals Hypercoaster
The largest roller coaster – and arguably the main attraction of the park – is the DC Rivals Hypercoaster. This is another max thrill level ride, reaching speeds of 115km an hour and heights of over 61 metres.
This is also the tallest, longest, and fastest HyperCoaster in the Southern Hemisphere, so it is surely a unique experience for those game enough to take it on.
DC Villains Precinct
Alongside the DC Superheroes Precinct at Movie World, there is also a DC Villains Precinct. Spot iconic villains such at the Joker, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy scoping out the area.
Here you will find life-size statues of the most iconic villains, where you can pose for a photo and pretend you too are a villain.
There are currently no rides open in this area (new rides are on their way!) but it has a super cool walkthrough nonetheless, with still scenes of villains causing mayhem.
Kids WB! Fun Zone
The Kids WB! Fun Zone holds all the rides better suited to younger children and toddlers at Movie World. If you’re coming to the park with young children, the Kids WB! Fun Zone is well equipped for you to spend all day roaming around and trying out all the rides so your mini thrill-seekers can experience more suitable rides for their age and size.
It includes many mini versions of the larger thrill rides, such as the Road Runner Rollercoaster and Marvin the Martian: Cosmic Boom – which is a Drop’N’Twist Tower, a tamer version of the Batwing Spaceshot. This Zone also holds a Looney Tunes Carousel and the Sylvester and Tweety Cages.
Junior Driving School
Also found here is the Junior Driving School; have your kids take a turn at stepping into the driver’s seat and navigating this miniature version of Movie World. The cars have bumpers in case your little one is a reckless driver, so no need to worry about any car-crashes.
Speedy Gonzales’ Tijuana Taxis
Similar to the Junior Driving School, Movie World also offers the opportunity for your kids to become taxi drivers, in Speedy Gonzales’ Tijuana Taxis. The controlled track is a loop on a Western-styled set, with bumpers on the cars and the curbs to soften the blows of any “crashes”.
Yosemite Sam Railroad
If your kids wish to take a break from being in the drivers’ seat after those two rides, let Yosemite Sam take them on a wild train ride on his miniature desert Railroad, in Yosemite Sam Railroad.
Looney Tunes Splash Zone
To cool off after all those rides, head over to the Looney Tunes Splash Zone, where the kids can splash around after all that fun, and burn off any sugar before heading home.
Wild West Precinct
The sole ride in the Wild West Precinct, Wild West Falls Adventure Ride is a themed log/water ride. Additionally, this precinct also has an amazing walkthrough, to make it feel as if you’re walking through an old Western town.
There are also Wild West carnival games, where you can win special souvenirs such as a giant plush cartoon banana. The cost of the games – which include ring toss, rubber duck fishing, and shooting hoops – average around $10 for a few chances, so this is a fun way to entertain your kids between rides and test their skills.
Explore Movie World’s Main Street
Movie World’s Main Street is the central precinct, connecting to every other precinct in the park. As you walk along, you’re tempted by stores selling memorabilia of your favourite franchises, such as The Wizard of Oz, Beetlejuice, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, and DC, amongst others. With so many different stores, there’s bound to be a worthy souvenir.
Personalised Souvenirs
If, like us, you have invested in the Village Roadshow OnePass and wish to buy an affordable souvenir to commemorate and keep track of the times you got to the park, the charm bracelets are perfect for you; the bracelet itself is only $2.50 and each charm is $2, meaning you could build on it over time and have a fully personalised souvenir.
Similarly, the movie memorabilia shop on Main Street sells personalised movie awards and mugs (with most popular names available or general titles if you, like me, can hardly ever find your name on one!).
Photo Opportunities
As you walk through Main Street, you may see some of your favourite characters from DC or Looney Tunes roaming the street, meaning there are plenty of photo ops. Meet and greet with Batman and Robin, or Tweety Bird and Daffy Duck, and more as you scope out your action plan of the day or search for sustenance.
Movie World’s Star Parade
In the afternoons, Main Street also holds a Star Parade where you can see your favourite characters make their way through the precinct. This is the perfect time to have a break from the rides and sit down in the main boulevard to cool off, while you have a drink and catch a show.
Hollywood Stunt Driver
At the end of theMain Street, you can find the entrance to the Hollywood Stunt Driver shows. They have a few performances a day, where you can watch movie magic in real life, with precision driving and edge-of-your-seat action.
If you want to get in on the action yourself, Movie World additionally offers the Hollywood Stunt Driver Experience, where you can sit in the passenger seat and get special behind-the-scenes access of the sets (additional cost involved).
What to Eat at Movie World
There are ample food options to choose from along Main Street at Movie World that are perfect for any post-ride cravings.
For the adults or older kids who need a little fuel in their tanks, the Village Bean Coffee House is the destination to get a coffee – or milkshake – fix. Often, they offer themed drinks such as the ‘Tin Heart Delight’ – a chocolate and raspberry drink topped with whipped cream and a sweet-heart, or the ‘Kansas Caramel Swirl’ – a caramel frappe topped with whipped cream and candy corns.
If your superhero-in-training needs a proper lunch break, Gotham City Café, Dirty Harry Bar & Grill, Main St. Slice, or the seasonal Wild West Doghouse are the food stops for you.
Accessibility and Facilities for Families at Movie World
Any areas at Movie World featuring stairs all have a wheelchair lift located close by for wheelchair or pram access.
Furthermore, most precincts have a conveniently-located bathroom facility, with the Kids WB! precinct having a changing/feeding area that doubles as a quick rest spot for prams and small kids.
Planning Your Visit to Movie World
Movie World is always improving their rides, meaning that during lower-traffic periods (often during school term-time and the colder months) many of the fan-favourite rides go under maintenance. So, it is highly recommended that you visit the Movie World website before you go so you can plan ahead and ensure the rides you can’t miss are open.
The park also holds special events often – such as the ‘DC Super Heroes and Super Villains’ faceoff, or their ‘Fright Nights’ Halloween event. These are usually events that require booking in advance, so be sure to get in quick when they are announced.
Movie World is located on the Pacific Motorway at Oxenford, about 45 minutes drive from the Brisbane CBD. Alternatively, you can catch the train to Helensvale station and then transfer to bus route TX7 that will take you directly to Movie World.
For more info, check out the official website: https://movieworld.com.au/
Don’t forget that Brisbane Kids offer discount passes to all of the best theme parks and other great things to do in South-East Queensland here.
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