Village Roadshow Theme Parks, the creators of Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast, Australia’s premiere theme park, partnered with Ampd to breathe new life into the night-time ambience and experience of their Wild West Falls Adventure Ride.
Building on previous successful implementations of experience enhancements throughout their properties, Village Roadshow Theme Parks enlisted Ampd to supply, install, program and commission a comprehensive external lighting package that would transform the ride for night-time operations and dedicated events.
To ensure a seamless and impactful transformation, Ampd partnered with long-time collaborator, Dulio Design, for the concept and design work, promising an unforgettable enhancement to this beloved attraction.
One of the primary challenges this project faced was ensuring the new lighting design integrated with the existing Wild West Falls theme and infrastructure, without compromising the ride’s daytime look and feel. Integrating the new lighting system with the existing Beckoff Show PLC control system and Q-SYS controlled elements, required balancing technical and creative demands to achieve a unified and immersive experience. Creating a cohesive look/feel and designing scene lighting to harmonise with the ride’s established theme demanded meticulous planning and execution.
Furthermore, it was crucial that the main facade lighting could operate independently from the ride itself. This would keep the ride’s location visually appealing and part of the holistic theme park experience even when the ride was not in operation. Likewise, these systems needed to adhere to Warner Bros. Movie World’s rigorous standards, maintaining robust and reliable backup systems that could keep the lighting operational in all circumstances.
Finally, the lighting solution had to be durable and low-maintenance, capable of withstanding outdoor conditions while requiring minimal upkeep. This was essential to ensure the longevity and sustainability of the installation.
Ampd, in collaboration with Dulio Design, developed a comprehensive lighting solution that completely transforms the Wild West Falls Adventure Ride for night-time operations and special events.
The system now features over 60 external LED lighting fixtures all mounted to maximise the efficiency and visual impact of the show lighting, with minimal visual distractions from equipment and cables. These lights were carefully selected and positioned to enhance the thematic elements of the ride without being obtrusive. The design ensures the lighting integrates with the iconic water ride’s aesthetic, day and night, and provides a dynamic and immersive experience for all park guests.
Likewise, this area of the park remains vibrant and full of life even when the ride is not in operation as the main facade lighting functions independently. Additionally, the ride scene lighting is fitted with a switchable ‘evac mode’ to provide increased illumination and greater visibility throughout the attraction for emergencies.
Building on successful previous implementations such as the Leviathan coaster at Sea World, Gold Coast, an MA Lighting grandMA3 control solution was specified for this project.
The combination of complex theatrical style cue control, complete flexibility with overlapping sequences and extensive customisation and system integration possibilities make grandMA3 the perfect choice for this style of project. The proven reliability of MA Lighting products and extensive backup support from the distributor Show Technology ensure the system is up to the rigorous task of 24/7 operation that theme park attractions demand.
Through a combination of extensive OSC implementation and customised Plugins, Dulio Design has implemented a robust and reliable lighting control system simultaneously allowing the park total flexibility into the future. Flexibility was a key requirement for the park after having previous undesirable experiences of being locked into set programming with systems that often require extensive callouts and equipment replacements to make simple changes.
The team successfully programmed and commissioned the grandMA3 system to implement a new lighting design that works perfectly with the ride’s existing operations. This approach ensured that all scenes and lighting were perfectly timed and integrated with the ride’s established movements and effects. The Q-SYS AV control manages all lighting elements integrating the lighting with other audio-visual elements, with Beckoff Show Control PLC allowing precise control and customisation to meet the thematic requirements of the ride. This allows for seamless changeover of the entire lighting design for the ride on demand, with the team delivering completely different overlays of the theme depending on park seasonal events.
As a park like this operates seven days a week and the attraction is predominately outdoors, implementing a durable, low-maintenance solution is vital. Fixture choice played a key part in the design approach ensuring well-proven and high-quality fixtures chosen would hold up the environment well into the future.
Ampd Electronics worked closely with Show Technology to select the most appropriate fixtures, knowing they have excellent experience in high-demand permanent installations.
The ShowPRO Color Ranger 48 and Martin Exterior Wash 200 fixtures were chosen for the high output requirements of the main façade having proven themselves on previous high-demand projects. The maintenance teams at Village Roadshow are in favour of standardising fixture choice across their properties and as Show Technology supplied several previous projects, they were well-equipped to provide suitable solutions for this design.
The main scenes of the attraction are lit with a combination of Studio Due Smart 17 RGBA and Aria L5 24v fixtures. The Smart 17 provides a compact, high-output solution with great colours in an affordable package.
The Arial L5s greatly simplified the installation on this project as they allow for 24v combined power+dmx cabling to be run where it was not practical to bury mains voltage. Several team members commented that they couldn’t believe the output from a 24V fixture. The Terra inground was the perfect partner to the Aria where set pieces called for a fixture to be recessed into the ground.
A favourite of Dulio Design is the Studio Due PL-Max spot, an ultra-narrow long throw fixture that highlights a key set piece from over 60m away.
All fixtures were fitted with anti-glare snoots to hide their presence from the guests.
The new lighting system at Wild West Falls has transformed the night-time experience, providing a vibrant, immersive atmosphere that continues to captivate park-goers.
The flexible, reliable, and future-proof AV solution ensures minimal maintenance and seamless integration with the capacity for future enhancements. Warner Bros. Movie World praised the project for its lasting impact, delivering an unforgettable experience for their guests.
