The Wizard of Oz Attraction Planned for Warner Bros. Movie World Amusement Park
Fans of the iconic movie The Wizard of Oz will soon be able to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the actual Oz — Australia that is. On Wednesday, Australia's Warner Bros. Movie World amusement park announced a new park district devoted to the 1939 film is set to open in 2024. The park's Facebook account shared concept art and some videos announcing the attraction, which is described by the park as being a "multi-million dollar immersive precinct" according to Deadline.
Per the announcement, The Wizard of Oz district will feature iconic elements of the MGM musical. Of course, the attraction will feature the iconic Yellow Brick Road, but will also feature the Wicked Witch's castle, the Emerald City, the Gale farm in Kansas, and even flying monkeys. The attraction will also feature projection mapping as well as various sculptures and facades that guests will be able to enjoy as they make their way along that fabled road. The attraction will also include several rides, including "a suspended family coaster" and a "family boomerang racer".
The Wizard of Oz was first released in 1939. Based on the classic children's books by L. Frank Baum, the Victor Fleming-directed film was an instant classic itself and is among the very first films in Hollywood to use color. It helped propel young Judy Garland to stardom and even saw Garland win an Academy Award for Outstanding Juvenile Performance. The film ultimately won two other Academy Awards, Best Original Score and Best Song for the still iconic "Over the Rainbow". The film is still considered one of the most significant in movie history and one of the greatest films of all time. In addition to Garland, the film stars Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton.
The Wizard of Oz also remains a major cultural icon as well with even props from the film continuing to be major collector's items. Earlier this year, one of the three or five oil cans used by the Tin Man in the film went up for auction while last summer, one of the blue gingham dresses worn by Garland's Dorothy in the beloved film surfaced after being missing for decades. The iconic garment had been given to Catholic University and its former drama department head, Father Gilbert Hartke in the 1970s. However, the dress went missing a year after its arrival and wasn't located until June 2021 when a staff member found the dress stored in a shoebox inside a trash bag sitting on top of the faculty mailboxes. That dress, one of five others that have been found and authenticated, is expected to be housed at the university's special collections department.
Are you excited about Warner Bros. Movie World Amusement Park getting a The Wizard of Oz attraction? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.