warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

18 Tips For Visiting Warner Bros. Movie World, Gold Coast

Looking to visit Warner Bros. Movie World Gold Coast but unsure whether it’s worth visiting? If you’re looking for new things to do in Gold Coast that don’t involve the beach or a Gold Coast Hinterland walk, we’ve got something a little different to try!

After our recent visit to one of Australia’s most popular theme parks, there were plenty of things we wish we knew before we arrived at Warner Bros. Gold Coast.

With that in mind, we thought it was only fair to share our tips and tricks for making the most out of your Movie World day trip by sharing what we learned.

Here’s what you need to know about visiting Warner Bros. Movie World, Gold Coast.

Get a 3-day pass or 14-day pass to Movie World, Sea World and Wet N Wild! 


1. Why should you visit Movie World, Gold Coast?

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

Wondering what makes MovieWorld so unique? With so many Gold Coast theme parks to choose from, Movie World has 27 attractions to visit! We didn’t know what to expect before arriving, but it’s like stepping into a movie set when you walk through the famous doors at Movie World.

With at least five rollercoasters and rides for adults, Gold Coast Movie World is home to a wild west feature (great for photos!), Superman area and loads of buildings that you could blink and almost feel like you’re on a movie set in the USA.

At the time of visiting, the WB Studio Showcase film exhibition Batman Legacy is absolutely brilliant, showcasing props, costumes and more from the movies.

And let’s not forget the famous DC Rivals HyperCoaster ride, the longest, tallest and fastest HyperCoaster in the Southern Hemisphere, being a major reason to visit. And yes, we did go on it!!


2. Is Movie World just for families?

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

We have driven past the Gold Coast theme parks so many times, yet something inside me just thought they were for families. Truth be told, that voice in my head was completely wrong.

I haven’t been on a rollercoaster since I was a child, and although some do look beyond stomach-churning (I’m looking at you DC Rivals Hypercoaster), I couldn’t wait to bring on those nostalgic memories again!

As a child, I went to Alton Towers in the UK and even went to Disney World in Florida. And yes, I felt those memories all coming back at Movie World!

It turns out that you’ll see a mixture of people at Movie World. We spotted groups of guys, families, couples, teenagers – basically everyone enjoying themselves at the theme park.


3. How to find cheap tickets to Movie World

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

If there’s one thing you should do before you visit the Gold Coast Movie World, make sure you book tickets beforehand, so you don’t have to spend more time lining up to buy them when you arrive! We couldn’t believe how we could literally bypass the lines and walk straight in with our pre-booked tickets!

Get a 3-day pass or 14-day pass to Movie World, Sea World and Wet N Wild! 


4. How long to spend at the theme park

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

We spent around 4h30m at Movie World, and we didn’t even go on all of the rides (three of them weren’t open at the time of visiting due to maintenance work). You could easily spend the entire day at Movie World, which opens at 9:30am and closes at 5:00pm.

The rides don’t start operating until 10am, but you’ll want to get there early to pre-book the rides, which we’ll discuss below.

If you’re coming to Movie World as a family it can be a tiring day out. But if you’re clever and organised, you can cut any waiting time for rides by downloading the Village Roadshow Theme Parks App!


5. Download the app as soon as you get into the park

movie-world-app

As we waltzed into the theme park like excited children, Steve went straight up to the information desk and asked for a map. The team looked puzzled, and Steve started to feel his age as all he actually needed to do was download the Village Roadshow Theme Parks App.

The app doesn’t just include the theme park map; it’s got everything you need in one place.

You’ll be able to see the upcoming showtimes (you’ll want this, especially for the Hollywood stunt driver car show), and you’ll be able to check ride wait times in real-time and reserve a ride via the Virtual Queue.

Having not done much research before we arrived, we went straight over to the DC Rivals Hypercoaster to be greeted with a 45 minute wait time. While in the line, Steve dived into the app and realised we could have totally planned the day by using the Virtual Queue, so we could have been doing something else instead of waiting. This my friends, is something worth knowing before you go to Movie World for the first time. 

Be warned – you need to be in Movie World to join the Virtual Queue for the rides, so don’t assume you can plan it all before you get there. This helps with turning up at 9:30am to get into the park and organise what you want the day to look like before the rides start operating.


Main Attractions

You need to know about some epic rides before you start planning your Movie World day trip! These are some of the highlights which stood out for us!

6. Watch the Hollywood Stunt Driver 2 Experience

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-hollywood-stunt-driver

We absolutely loved the Hollywood Stunt Driver 2 Experience at Movie World, Gold Coast, because it is pretty amazing what the guys can do in quite a small area. The show is on a couple of times a day but make sure you line up before it starts as you won’t be able to get in otherwise.

It’s almost like a TV show as the host films members of the audience before the stunt driver show starts. By the end of it, a trailer is put together, and the members of the audience who were filmed are featured on the big screen in a trailer.

The cars are loud while they chase each other up and down the set, making it quite thrilling to watch. It’s a standout experience you must check out when at Movie World.

7. Batman Legacy Exhibition

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-batman-legacy
The original costumes Heath Ledger wore in the Batman movies

It might not be a ride, but the Batman Legacy Exhibition at Movie World is absolutely fantastic. You have to go through to the Wild West area to find it, but it’s awesome.

Expect to get up close to the original costumes used throughout the Batman movies in the largest official Warner Bros. Batman exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere. For us, it was so cool to see Danny Devito’s penguin costume, Heath Ledger’s costumes and so much more!

8. Green Lantern Coaster

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-green-lantern-ride

Next door to the DC Rivals HyperCoaster is the Green Lantern Coaster. We (I mean Steve) couldn’t stomach another ride, but it looks fun! The 488 metres of track reaches up to 66km an hour of speed and one of the steepest inverted drops in the Southern Hemisphere.

It doesn’t look as scary as the HyperCoaster, but you’ll need to be able to stomach going upside down a lot on this one!

9. Superman Escape

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-superman-ride

The Superman Escape rollercoaster will make you literally feel like superman when you reach 100km an hour in just two seconds!

10. Batwing Spaceshot

I was preparing myself for the Batwing Spaceshot, but it was under maintenance when we visited (phew!!). The ride shoots you up to nearly 60m, making you feel like you could be doing a bungee jump!

11. Wild West Falls Adventure Ride

I had proper memories of a ride from Disney World when we found the Wild West Falls Adventure Ride! If you’re into water rides, this is the one that will take you through ghost towns and wagon trains before a stomach-dropping finish into the water.


12. Is the DC Rivals Hypercoaster worth it?

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-dc-rivals-hypercoaster

As the tallest, longest and fastest HyperCoaster in the Southern Hemisphere, the DC Rivals Hypercoaster is one of the iconic rides at Movie World. 

My strategy was to make a beeline to it first so we could get the most stomach-churning ride out of the way at the beginning! I’m glad we did this because the adrenaline of waiting in line to go on it built up and up. By the time we got on the ride, and as we started the steep climb up to the top of the track, I realised I hadn’t properly thought it through.

As I realised we were about to drop over the edge, I closed my eyes, screamed, and laughed throughout the entire experience.

It’s got to be the fastest rollercoaster I think I’ve ever been on! And because it’s fast, it feels like it won’t last long, but it goes on and on as it’s 1.4km long. Halfway through I started to feel a little sick after the number of times we went upside down, but before I knew it the ride had finished.

The boy who sat in front of us turned to his mum and said; “again, again”.

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast

I looked at Steve, and he made out that he was fine. By the time we exited the ride, he had started to look pretty white. I couldn’t help but laugh.

The DC Rivals HyperCoaster is one of those rides you have to go on. But the question is; would you take the back seats and go backwards? I’m not sure I could!


13. Can you use a GoPro on the rollercoasters?

As we lined up for the rollercoasters, we assumed we would be able to wear a GoPro on our heads to film them, but unfortunately, no GoPros or filming equipment is allowed on the rides (understandably).

I had my big camera on me and was a little worried about where to put my belongings when we were on the rides. There’s an area designated next to your seat on the other side of the platform where you can safely store your belongings that no one can get to.

A genius way to store your belongings next to the ride

14. What to eat at Movie World

Wondering what the food outlets look like at Movie World? As I’m on a gut protocol and I totally didn’t come prepared, I didn’t know if there would be any options for me. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by what there was to offer.

I paid $12 for a chicken caesar salad from the Main Street Deli. You can also pick up pre-made sandwiches and baked potatoes.

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast
Dirty Harrys Bar

Dirty Harry Bar looked really popular, located just inside the Wild West village area if you want a sit-down meal (I saw them bring out nachos to some tables). There’s also Ben & Jerry’s for ice cream lovers and a churro’s stand and many other places to eat.


15. Other things to know before you go

You don’t need to wear trainers

Steve had a paddy at me when we arrived as he thought you have to wear trainers to get in. Turns out you don’t. If you’re wearing sandals like me, you’ll just need to take them off before you go on the rides.

What to bring with you

You should bring a few things in your day pack for visiting Movie World. We suggest wearing a hat if you’ve got to wait in line for the rides. However, the Movie World main street area is covered if it was to rain.

Bring sunscreen and a lot of water. The adrenaline of going on the rides will make you super thirsty!

Get decked out with the super villain’s capes

We saw adults and kids decked out in the super villain’s capes during our visit. You can pick up your favourite superhero capes from the merchandise shop and have it customised with your name on the back. We loved this little novelty to spend the day with a cape on! 


16. Seasonal events at Movie World you should know about

movie-world-fright-night

There are a couple of awesome seasonal events at Movie World you might be interested in coinciding with your visit.

Fright Night takes place during Halloween Season, which co-insides with Sea World Spooky Nights! Visit during Christmas at the White Christmas Event and feel super festive, or visit Hooray For Hollywood, which takes you back to the classic movie characters loved by everyone!


17. What our day looked like

So now you’re aware of everything you need to know about visiting Warner Bros. Movie World, here’s a quick run down on our day.

We turned up around 11am and walked straight into the theme park with our pre-paid tickets! I couldn’t believe how we didn’t have to spend ages lining up! 

There’s something magical about going to Movie World. When you walk through the pink arch, you are greeted by a water fountain feature of Micky Mouse!

Lining up for the DC Rivals Hypercoaster

Our strategy was to take on the HyperCoaster straight away, and as we lined up for a while, the time went quickly. After our stomachs churned more than once, we went to grab a bite to eat down the fabulous main street entertainment area. It honestly feels like walking through a movie set with loads of looney tunes characters wandering around to entertain you.

Non stop entertainment at Movie World

To be honest, the main street entertainment is excellent. There’s constantly entertainers performing the whole day there.

We started to walk around the theme park with the Superman area and Wild West area to the left of the park and the kids rides to the right of it. The park is much bigger than I expected and as we walked around it, we quickly realised that we weren’t going to make it to Wet N Wild that day as well.

warner-bros-movie-world-gold-coast-wild-west

After visiting the Batman Legacy Exhibition, we made a beeline to the Hollywood Stunt Driver show which is excellent and worth checking out. We then went on the Justice League ride, a computer game on a moving ride (great fun for the competitive types). 

And before we knew it, we had spent 4h30m at the theme park. As I tried to convince Steve to go on the Green Lantern ride, he was happy to say he got the adrenaline kick he wanted from the first of the thrill rides!


18. Would we go back to Movie World?

To sum it up, we had an excellent day at Warner Bros. Movie World in Gold Coast. We didn’t really know what to expect, but it sure surprised us on how good it actually is. It’s no wonder there are Hollywood movie studios based in Gold Coast too!

If we were to come back again, we would definitely download the Village Roadshow Theme Parks App and be way more organised if we wanted to visit another theme park that day too!

If you’re looking for new things to do in Gold Coast or looking for day trip from Brisbane ideas, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re looking for a getaway from Sydney, you’ll love this fun theme park in Gold Coast!

Don’t be fooled in thinking the theme parks in Gold Coast are just for families, we had a brilliant time!


Other Gold Coast theme parks to visit nearby

wet-n-wild-gold-coast
Wet N Wild Gold Coast

Are you wondering if you could technically visit more than one Gold Coast theme park in one day? Yep we wondered that too. While technically you could visit more than one if you arrive at the opening time, it would be a super tiring day to be honest.

We planned to visit Wet N Wild, but we were exhausted by the end of the day. The good news for us is we’ll be heading back to review Wet N Wild for you very soon!

In the meantime, here are some of the theme parks in Gold Coast you might like to visit as well.

Get a 3-day pass or 14-day pass to Movie World, Sea World and Wet N Wild! 

Wet N Wild 

Wet N Wild is located next to Movie World and is a waterpark full of slides, rides and pools.

Australian Outback Spectacular 

Located between Movie World and Wet N Wild, Australian Outback Spectacular is an Australiana dinner and show package featuring Aussie animals, songs and bush tucker.

Paradise Country 

Discover an authentic Australian farm experience at Paradise Country and stay overnight in one of the glamping tents onsite. There’s heaps of interactive experiences for kids to get up close to a variety of animals as well as entertainment from Stock Horse Arena & Billy Tea show and Stockman & Sheep Dog show.

Sea World 

Sea World in Gold Coast is another of the most popular theme parks in Australia! Home to the Sea World rides, unforgettable shows and presentations of beautiful marine life, it’s an opportunity to learn all about dolphins, penguins, polar bears and so much more. It doesn’t surprise me to hear it’s the number 1 marine park in Australia!

Get a 3-day pass or 14-day pass to Movie World, Sea World and Wet N Wild! 


Other places to visit in Gold Coast

glow-worm-caves-mount-tamborine
If you have time go visit the amazing Glow Worm Caves in Tamborine Mountain

During your visit to Warner Bros. Gold Coast, you might like to add in a few other places to visit. If you’ve got a couple of days up your sleeves, here are some of our favourite things to do in Gold Coast.

Eat in Burleigh Heads

Burleigh Heads has some brilliant restaurants and cafes, but more importantly a buzz that rivals Bondi. The locals are young and trendy and the bars and restaurants are hip and modern. Go to Jimmy Wahs for dinner, you won’t regret it!

Check out Gold Coast Hinterland

We recommend visiting the jaw-dropping Lamington National Park if you’ve got time. Go to O’Reilly’s entrance and do the Box Forest Circuit or the Toolona Creek Circuit. Trust us! You won’t be disappointed.

We also recommend visiting Tamborine Mountain. Go check out the Glow Worm Caves; they are awesome! Although Tamborine is touristy, the mountain air and views are fantastic. Take a short walk to Curtis Falls; it’s a gorgeous little waterfall worth visiting. We recommend stopping off at the Fox & Hounds English Pub, it will feel like home in no time!

Don’t miss out on Springbrook National Park and go and visit Natural Bridge (a must-visit), Purling Brook Falls and Twin Falls. All three places are fantastic!


Where to stay in Gold Coast

Looking for places to stay in the Gold Coast when visiting the theme parks? Here are our top picks!

  1. Affordable and super popular: Voco Gold Coast, an IHG Hotel
  2. For the designer types: Palazzo Versace
  3. Family friendly: Turtle Beach Resort