We Regret To Inform You That Americans Have Discovered The Existence Of Movie World
Remember the Scooby-Doo ride?
Movie World is an Australian institution, as engrained in our culture as fairy bread and systematic class warfare. So, it was only a matter of time until our greatest theme park made it to the world stage.
As it turns out, Movie World discourse was kicked off by a viral TikTok and a single Tweet, in which @MattsBestTweets shared a video of an Austin Powers impersonator at the park. “Just found out Australia has some theme park called ‘movie world’ and some guys [sic] job there is to do the Austin Powers dance,” wrote Matt.
“Probably multiple times a day.”
Just found out Australia has some theme park called "movie world" and some guys job there is to do the Austin Powers dance. Probably multiple times a day. pic.twitter.com/XapL2lpcNl
— matt (@MattsBestTweets) August 3, 2021
Pretty innocuous stuff, all things considered. But it was enough to kick off a titanic wave of conversation online, with Australians sharing their own Movie World stories and memories.
Oh, and memes. Lots and lots of memes.
this movie just came out in australia, leave us alone https://t.co/lnaJPvHLbW
— David Mack (@davidmackau) August 4, 2021
Suddenly I do dream of labour https://t.co/5441ToPQGR
— 🅱️ave (@davew97) August 4, 2021
It stings to watch others live out your dreams 😔 https://t.co/A1xhyw7Y9W
— Oliver Queen (@joshlomita1) August 4, 2021
i better not see americans slandering movie world. we have a scooby doo rollercoaster IN THE DARK WITH LASERS, a whole wildwild west area, a looney tunes part, the superman coaster, a lethal weapon ride where you wait in line in a fake cinema and it would play the movie on repeat https://t.co/QZ1JeFAsI1
— lyss (@rockyhhorror) August 5, 2021
Amidst the jokes came a raft of memories, many of them situated on Movie World’s famous — or should that be infamous? — Scooby Doo ride. The attraction, which is one of the very greatest in the world, was remembered for its terrifying nature — attendees sit in the dark while lasers go off around them, and at one point, the carriage goes backwards.
Aussies also flooded Twitter with memories of the truly bizarre line structure, in which potential riders had to stand in a darkened room while interviews with the cast of the Scooby-Doo live action film played on loop.
For the record, when I went to Movie World, my sister was so traumatised by the ride that all it took to cause her to have a full-scale breakdown was the simple humming of the Scooby-Doo theme song.
Disneyland can add as many Star Wars attractions as they want, they'll never top Movie World's Scooby-Doo ride pic.twitter.com/Lug4uPd1or
— jacob! (@LongMacVampyr) August 5, 2021
American friends, yes, Movie World in Australia is real. Among its many attractions over time:
-, Police Academy Stunt Show
– Gremlins ride guided by Beetlejuice
– Scooby Doo Rollercoaster
– A Young Einstein upside down house— Cameron Williams (@MrCamW) August 4, 2021
until very very recently it also featured a ride themed after the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo film, where interviews with the cast were played on repeat in the waiting room
— Josh Bristow (@JoshTBristow) August 4, 2021
we also have a scooby doo ride that makes u think ur about to get decapitated https://t.co/dcv1f498Is
— ghost car (@miekholloway) August 4, 2021
THERES A THEME PARK WITH A RIDE BASED ON THE COASTER FROM THE SCOOBY DOO MOVIE??? TAKE ME TO AUSTRALIA NOW
— Strawberry Jam Redux (@rwbesocute) August 4, 2021
Also subject to Proustian floods of memories was Movie World’s impeccable Police Academy show, in which a “randomly selected member of the audience” (who would later turn out to be a stuntman) was blown up and tossed around.
people talking about movie world i think i went there with school and we saw the police academy show where people were like falling off roofs and stuff
— 🌹fin⛩️ (@sarutainuhiko) August 4, 2021
For my international friends, this place isn't an independently owned park, btw. The full name of the park is "Warner Bros. Movie World". I remember going there in the late 90s with family when there was a Lethal Weapon ride, a Maverick exhibit and a Police Academy stunt car show https://t.co/h2tf5IqaQl
— Sean Fox (@SeanPeterFox) August 4, 2021
Of course, times change, and it’s worth noting that Movie World is a very different place nowadays to the vista we all remember from our childhoods. For instance, that aforementioned Police Academy stunt show? Replaced by a similarly carnage-strewn Fast and Furious show.
Any time I am tempted to move to Queensland, I remember that Warner Bros Movie World got rid of the Police Academy Stunt Show and I have no desire to ever go back.
— Your good friend Chris (not Benoit) (@HeyThatsMyLeg) April 21, 2020
I'm going to Warner Brothers Movie World this year and I think I'm *literally* the only person who's angry the fast and furious stunt show (crap franchise for idiots) has replaced the police academy stunt show (cinematic classic, revolutionised the moscow-related missions genre)
— Timothy Clark (@MrTimothyClark) November 26, 2019
Take us back to the Movie World we remember, is what I’m saying.