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I complained about this before and got shouted down on socialz saying I should have planned my time better and stopped for 10 minutes to get something to eat 🙃 ...I haven't been to a Fright Nights since, as the idea of paying for mazes and not getting them all done - potentially - I found insane.

the noise returns. 2026.

it's been 4 months aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnd we're likely never getting that soundtrack...😔

Towers is the same. The state of the entrance plaza at around 10am isn't the best first impression. Especially when most guests have either queued 30 mins for Monorail or walked.

The security queue is an interesting one. I've had some thoughts on it - I always wondered how other parks, DLP for example, can handle vastly larger crowds everyday with minimal queues of just a few minutes. Yes I know they have a far larger budget, but the point still stands. I think it's got to be because parks like Thorpe only actually need the security point staffed for a couple of hours each morning. After 11am the workload drops off almost entirely. It's not feasible to employ a large team of security for 2-3hrs every morning. Other parks have a steady flow of people throughout the day outside of the 9-10 peak, so a large team is justified and can be working throughout the day. I think Thorpe are limited in that they only actually need staff there for a couple of hours, which realistically isn't something they can recruit for, so they're settling for a small team. I preferred the old system of spot checks, but I suppose after the spate of violence and the stabbing that happened a few years ago it has become more needed. To be fair, even DLP's security is purely theatre. The bags go through scanners and you walk through the detector, but realistically it is very much a quick in-and-out. Perhaps they can gear it up if required, but keep it relaxed most days? (could be an option for TP going forward).

I can't believe we're nearly at four years of this twaddle.

I thuppit! a ride in times gone by When hope was high and plans worth making I thuppit! the crowds would come and cry When track and thrills were there for taking Then budgets cut, they came at night With voices soft as paper shredding As they tore the blueprints from my sight And left my coaster dream unthreading They killed the plans, they cut the funds They turned the launch to magnet spaces They stole the loop, the airtime runs And left us with… more burger places Still I thuppit! the ride would rise again That steel and speed would soon deliver But there are storms we can’t contain Thorpe’s lost its dream forever I thuppit! a ride that now is gone A phantom coaster in the distance So here I stand, still holding on To scraps of hope and sheer persistence

everybody raise a glass, HEY! raise it up the constraints pass, HEY! everybody raise a glass, to the master of the park!

I know some people have a nervous disposition of roller coasters. you could say they have a arachno? claustro? it's funny, how the word 'photo' sounds like 'foto' when you say it

When it comes to security checks they examine everybody with the same level of scrutiny, whereas in some organizations, it's more professional, as those conducting the checks are allowed to use their discretion. Many of the "guests" can be seen to be no threat. However, if those with a particular bent see that, then they become a problem if they don't agree with that action. Under the present regime, the speed of the queue is dependent on the speed of each individual examination. ironically one even encounters queue jumpers in the security queue and it is not "policed".

The security queue is still a mess, and not sure how it only seems to be an issue here, but always has been since it was introduced. That said I have no issue with the operations inside the park on the whole. Thorpe Park have been leagues above all other UK parks in my opinion the last couple of seasons.

Couple of things to consider: -Merlin recently made Halloween an included day for most passes. -The excluded days, somewhat ironically, tend to be a bit quieter because: There's less passholders People expect those days to be busy so avoid them -The weather was forecast to be a bit rubbish, which can put passholders off -There were 2 severe cases of bad weather, including electrical storms in the nearby area, shutting down most rides. That, along with the rubbish weather, meant people left earlier. The park today didn't feel as busy as it was yesterday. Nor did it feel as busy as it was last Halloween. However, the park was still extremely busy and lively.

One of the few exclusion dates for annual pass is tonight, yet the app shows the park isn't that busy?

What is everyones thoughts on the capacity at the moment for Fright Nights? I know its been the same for a long time and it isn't likely to change, but I can't help but feel they are overselling tickets at the moment resulting in a really poor customer experience. - Security queue taking well over an hour to get into the park (I've seen many reports of over 90 minutes) - Multiple coasters over 2 hours queue - All mazes over an hour queue for a paid time slot - Car park nightmare getting out (again not a new issue) For comparison, I went to Walibi Holland on 2 sold out days this year. I waited 15 mins to get in one day and 5 mins the other. Getting out, about half hour one day due to a car accident and about 15 mins the other day. You also don't have to pay for car parking during for Fright Nights there. I don't know another theme park where you get greeted with huge cattlepen queues to get in. Realistically, how many people who wait 90 minutes to get in, stuck in queues all day and then another queue to get out are going to enjoy there day and return? I don't think it helps matters having the rapids closed and ghost train opening at 3pm on the busiest days of the year. The park really does need all the capacity they can get. I do think theres more they can do with the mazes too. Towers opens theres at 1pm on peak days, so opening them earlier could definitely help with the queues. And of course 10pm closes. With Fright Nights as busy as it is (and generating nearly half the parks yearly income) it would be great to see the return of 10pm closes. I know this is quite a negative post, but just something I've thought about recently. For me, the security queue is the biggest issue that needs addressing and is a terrible first impression.

Happy Halloween!

Y'know, ParmPap has grown on me over the years, despite their crazed posts. For what it's worth, Se7en was a maze at Fright Nights which was based in The Arena from 2006-2010, and on the larger side of The Beach in 2011. Obviously The Arena was replaced by Derren Brown's Ghost Train. The larger side of The Beach is earmarked for the stage redevelopment. Whether that's still the plan is anyone's guess for now. So maybe Parmesan Papa is hinting at a DBGT replacement?

ding dong, ding dong, things at merlin are stag, nant, stag, nant, but, never fear, for there is life in the old dog yet something mega may be to come, if the wind blows in the right direction the old maze se7en, may need to be crossed for this ride to come here, ding dong, ding dong, just don't get too scared. I know some people have a nervous disposition of roller coasters. you could say they have a

For me, my TP season ended yesterday having jumped in for an extra day due to the changing weather forecast, a great day for me. It could not have happened without the Staff and it would, like life, be easy to thank those who helped me directly. There are many staff whose contributions to that, and all my TP days, are normally not acknowledged. I do thank everybody from the cleaning, washroom, maintenance, management, security, gardeners and ride team, a lot of people. Just like the bus on which I ride to the Park, so seldom do I hear a "thank you". We, as visitors, don't get the chance to wish those well in their futures who, within a few days, won't have a job. Just my thoughts.

Chesington's far worse as you can see the character the park used to have and when you compare to the modern day equivalent, it has lost so so much. The way IP has become an invasive species at Chessington, is far worse then so so so many parks.

Hopefully you will get to ride her before end of season .She's certainly a beauty 😍

Been looking at old videos of Chessington back in the 80's/90's as well. These parks had so much character and charm

The hiring of 300 actors on short term contracts will be the reason.

I've been twice this year and the pop up food stations are mostly unused, compared to the standalone all year round ones, which are busy. Is this normal?

I dont get how multi million pound rides are free and the thrown together maze is a cost

Barely much left from those days. No chill ride on the waterboat from the farm. No CCR or Loggers Leap. Spent many a time on the crazy golf or in model world. Good old nostalgia eh?