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King Claw

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki





King Claw (Dreamworld)
The King Claw from Main Street
Dreamworld
AreaOcean Parade
StatusOperating
CostA$14,000,000[1]
Opening date12 December 2025 (2025-12-12)
General statistics
Attraction typeGyro Swing
ManufacturerIntamin
Height42 m (138 ft)
Speed98 km/h (61 mph)
Vehicles1
Riders per vehicle40
Duration2:00
Height restriction130[2] cm (4 ft 3 in)
Virtual queue
Ride Express available

King Claw is a giant pendulum ride at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The ride is the largest gyro swing attraction in the Southern Hemisphere.[3][4][5][6]

History

It was announced that the King Claw would replace The Claw (Dreamworld) at the IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam on 25 September 2024.[7][8] Dreamworld simultaneously revealed marketing material about the announcement.[7] Prior to the announcement, Dreamworld ran an ad campaign in the Gold Coast Bulletin called "It's coming".[7] The Claw (Dreamworld) was announced that its closure would be in January 2025.[7][9]

The replacement of the Claw was in addition to Dreamworld's then existing $55m investment plan announced in 2022 which included developing Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland, the largest dedicated family and children's world in any Gold Coast theme park.[7]

The Claw was coming to the end of its life.[10] Dreamworld had considered refurbishing The Claw and closing The Claw to build something completely different.[10] Dreamworld decided to do a bigger, faster, more exciting version of The Claw.[10]

Laine Firth from Dreamworld was the Creative Director on King Claw.[11] Mr Firth presented to the executive team of Dreamworld's parent company Coast Entertainment at SkyPoint Observation Deck colours and theming designs for King Claw, and that's how it started.[10] Dreamworld had considered bringing back the red and yellow colour scheme from The Claw, but Mr Firth said that it did not fit Ocean Parade (Dreamworld), and that led to the oxidized teals and blue colour scheme.[12]

A lot of names were considered for the King Claw, although King Claw was Mr Firth's first suggestion, which was drawn from a King Crab and framed as a larger version of the former Claw ride.[12] Other names put forward included "Daddy Claw" by Michelle Erasmus, Dreamworld's Operations Director, and there were debates about whether to keep "Claw" as part of the new name or not.[10]

Mr Firth celebrated his first concept developed into an attraction, after having researched video games, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the ocean and industry, ultimately giving the ride its own identity.[13]

The Claw was closed on 28 January 2025[14] after operating for more than 20 years.[15] By 15 July 2025, 16 different shipments had arrived at Dreamworld for the construction of King Claw, mainly from Europe, with the legs, pendulum, and motor of the ride having been installed.[16] Dreamworld's Senior Project Manager Shane Boys told the Gold Coast Bulletin that each leg alone weighs 16 tonnes, the motor weighs 32 tonnes, the pendulum arm weighs 15 tonnes, and that the main structure took a week to erect, which was a record time compared to other similar rides built around the world.[16][17] Dreamworld needed to lift 122 tonnes of steel into place.[18][19] Three cranes were used to assemble the columns of King Claw,[20] and over 100 workers.[19] Mr Boys stated that the next step was the electrical cabling and the hydraulic systems, then Dreamworld would start to put the small detailed pieces on.[16] Thematic elements and the queue line were progressively added during the second half of 2025.[21]

Several Dreamworld team members took their first ride of King Claw on 20 November 2025.[22] Soft opening previews for King Claw took place in early December 2025[23][24] and King Claw opened on 12 December 2025.[25][26][27]

Several dignitaries rode King Claw on its opening day, including Mark Boothman MP and Naomi Fowler, Division 2 Gold Coast City Council.[28]

In the Gold Coast Bulletin on 13 December 2025, Mr Yong revealed that the order for the ride was signed three years prior (circa December 2022).[29] At opening there were four Intamin Gyro Swings of this type in the world (including King Claw), but King Claw was the only one in the Southern Hemisphere.[30]

Characteristics

King Claw is an Intamin Gyro Swing,[31][19][32][7] that has a structure which stands 27 metres tall,[33][7][34][35] and swings riders up to 42 metres into the air,[36][26] which is higher than Steel Taipan's tallest point.[7][35]

The pendulum swings 120 degrees[37][19] with each cycle seating up to 40 riders.[31][19][2][38][39]

King Claw reaches a top speed of up to 98 kilometres per hour,[40][41][19] and riders receive peak forces of around 4.6 G,[42][43][44] which is similar to an F1 driver.[45]

King Claw is the largest gyro swing ride in the Southern Hemisphere,[31][46][47][19][48] and the first ride in Australia to feature a walk‑through metal detector at the ride entrance, introduced to ensure guests do not carry loose items such as phones or keys onto the ride.[49][50][45]

Theming

King Claw is themed around a ferry terminal station from around 1890 to 1910.[12]

The main creature at the ride’s entrance was sculpted by artist Stephen Ward, who created the large King Claw sea monster structure that frames the attraction.[51]

Several small details and hidden references are incorporated into the King Claw queue and surrounding area as part of the ride’s backstory and theming.[51][21] A non-exhaustive list is set out in the table below.

Location/prop Description Image Source
Enid Ruth boat Small boat beside the King Claw ride platform named Enid Ruth, honouring a relative of Dreamworld CEO Greg Yong’s family. [51]
Queue noticeboard Themed noticeboard in the queue with in‑universe documents and references to various Dreamworld content creators and local tour advertisements. [52]
"Kenny was here" beam Support beam in the queue theming marked with the phrase "Kenny was here", referencing Dreamworld’s koala mascot Kenny. [51]
Original Claw prop A claw element taken from a fence post of the former ride The Claw and reused as theming in the King Claw area. [21]
Historic ticket prices sign Signboard listing historic ticket prices that match Dreamworld’s admission prices on the day the park opened. [51]
Stuart Brothers Shack The shack is named after Dreamworld's former ride the Captain Stuart Paddle Wheeler which operated from the park's opening until 2012. [53]
Marketplace props Various smaller nautical props, including a tyre with faux barnacles, sourced from online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace. — [21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Annual General Meeting (2025)" (PDF). ASX Announcements. Coast Entertainment Holdings Limited. 6 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "King Claw". Dreamworld. Coast Entertainment Holdings Limited. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Farewell to The Claw – King Claw Coming Soon". Dreamworld. Dreamworld Attractions Pty Ltd. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "You asked for more Gyro Swings?". Instagram. Intamin Amusement Rides. 29 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  6. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Leathart, Tahlia (25 September 2024). "Dreamworld unveils new Gold Coast ride King Claw to the world in Amsterdam". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  8. ↑ Benton, Nigel (24 September 2024). "Dreamworld announces new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  9. ↑ Potts, Andrew (23 December 2024). "Dreamworld: First look inside new Jane's Rivertown Restaurant at Gold Coast theme park". Courier Mail. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Greg Yong (23 December 2025). DTPL: The Podcast LIVE from the BIG BROTHER house (YouTube video). YouTube. Dane's Theme Park Life. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Laine Firth (23 December 2025). DTPL: The Podcast LIVE from the BIG BROTHER house (YouTube video). YouTube. Dane's Theme Park Life. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  14. ↑ "Farewell to The Claw – King Claw Coming Soon". Dreamworld. Dreamworld Attractions Pty Ltd. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  15. ↑ Bunting, Chelsea (15 July 2025). "The King Claw ride at Dreamworld one step closer to opening". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Dreamworld gives update on new ride (Video). Gold Coast Bulletin. Gold Coast, Queensland: Gold Coast Bulletin. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  17. ↑ Bunting, Chelsea (15 July 2025). "The King Claw ride at Dreamworld one step closer to opening". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  18. ↑ Bunting, Chelsea (15 July 2025). "The King Claw ride at Dreamworld one step closer to opening". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 "King Claw Construction Update". Dreamworld. Dreamworld Attractions Pty Ltd. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  20. ↑ Kerrison, Dean (13 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld unveils its biggest and fastest ride ever". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 "KING CLAW – SNEAK PEEK & MORE!". YouTube. Jaggs Journeys. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  22. ↑ "Their reactions: "Exhilarating." "Crazy." "I want to go again!"". YouTube. Dreamworld. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  23. ↑ "King Claw has soft opened at Dreamworld! RAW Off Ride Footage". YouTube. Theme Park Ogre. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  24. ↑ "Dreamworld's NEW Ride "King Claw" is OPEN!". YouTube. Mr YumYum. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  25. ↑ Kerrison, Dean (13 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld unveils its biggest and fastest swing ride ever". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Dreamworld's new King Claw mega ride swings riders up to 42 metres high". Facebook. Sunrise. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  27. ↑ "It's official. King Claw has surfaced". Facebook. Dreamworld Australia. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  28. ↑ "Today I joined Mark Boothman MP and Dreamworld CEO Greg Yong for the official opening of The King Claw". Facebook. Naomi Fowler, Division 2, Gold Coast. 13 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  29. ↑ Kerrison, Dean (13 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld unveils its biggest and fastest swing ride ever". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  30. ↑ Kerrison, Dean (13 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld unveils its biggest and fastest swing ride ever". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "King Claw". Intamin Amusement Rides. Intamin Ltd. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  32. ↑ Bunting, Chelsea (15 July 2025). "The King Claw ride at Dreamworld one step closer to opening". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  33. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  34. ↑ "Farewell to The Claw – King Claw Coming Soon". Dreamworld. Dreamworld Attractions Pty Ltd. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Monstrous new thrill ride King Claw now open at Dreamworld". Themeparks‑AU. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  36. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  37. ↑ Potts, Andrew (2 December 2025). "Inside the new King Claw: Dreamworld reveals its biggest and fastest swing ride". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  38. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  39. ↑ "Dreamworld Opens New Gyro Swing "King Claw"". Euro Amusement Profis. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  40. ↑ "A new giant rises at Dreamworld: King Claw officially opens today". Amusement Today. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  41. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  42. ↑ "Dreamworld Opens New Gyro Swing "King Claw"". Euro Amusement Profis. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  43. ↑ "A new giant rises at Dreamworld: King Claw officially opens today". Amusement Today. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  44. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 "Dreamworld's King Claw put to the test". Facebook. 7NEWS Brisbane. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  46. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  47. ↑ "Farewell to The Claw – King Claw Coming Soon". Dreamworld. Dreamworld Attractions Pty Ltd. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  48. ↑ "You asked for more Gyro Swings?". Instagram. Intamin Amusement Rides. 29 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  49. ↑ "A new giant rises at Dreamworld: King Claw officially opens today". Amusement Today. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  50. ↑ Benton, Nigel (12 December 2025). "Dreamworld opens new King Claw ride". Australasian Leisure Management. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 "King Claw Details 👑📝 #dreamworld". YouTube. Dreamworld. 27 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  52. ↑ "Here is a better look at the notice that includes several ..." Instagram. Jaggs Journeys. 13 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  53. ↑ Dane McGuirk (23 December 2025). DTPL: The Podcast LIVE from the BIG BROTHER house (YouTube video). YouTube. Dane's Theme Park Life. Retrieved 4 January 2026.

Category:Dreamworld (Australia) Category:Amusement rides introduced in 2025 Category:Intamin Category:Amusement rides in Australia


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