I have been spoilt!

[marvel]

QLD is still good to visit, the beaches are good, especially compared to Victoria, where the beaches are great but the water is freezing all the time.

Depends on the kids age as well, they are more easily amused and distracted when smaller, but once the get towards 10, they compare everything to Disney as well.

 

[aussiedad]

Spent plenty of time at the Gold Coast theme parks over the years since my in- laws live 5 minutes away but far less so since we started going to WDW.
The main ones that have suffered in our estimation are Movie World and Seaworld. They just both seem so tired. Cannot see myslef going back to MovieWorld at all.
DreamWorld needs a paint but a least they keep adding new rides.

The waterparks are pretty good. Theming wise they don't compare to Disney but in scope the rides are really a fair bit better and again they keep updating. WetnWild in particular has a stack of newer rides.

 

[shushh]

YES.

Of course you can still have fun as a family. And it would be unfair to go in expecting Disney, but I personally wouldn't spend the money knowing that are other places to go to...

And ditto re the beaches. Beaches here are simply beautiful, some of the best in the world.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

The hinterland is beautiful too!

If I was just going for beaches though, I would head to the Sunshine Coast. A slower pace.

Or head down to the Northern NSW beaches at Ballina and Yamba.

Maybe a bit of both.