JoshC.

And it seems we have a whiff of a teaser: I fully expect this to relate to a new Fright Nights attraction. Far too early to have any idea what sort of story / experience we're in for, but allow me to do some shameless speculation: -A maze utilising Haunted Lantern technology (like Mine Tours at Towers). Themed around a building where the power is out because of mysterious reasons blah blah and you only have a torch to help you see. (Haunted Lantern tech is very clever as it basically means that guests carry around a torch/light source, but it only works at certain points in the experience) -The cheaper route would be to have a maze which is largely pitch black. Same idea as above, but no Haunted Lantern tech. -A maze incorporating electric shocks. I don't think it will happen, but there's form here. Tulleys had a maze like that for one year. Thorpe looked at having electric shocks in Scene 2 of Saw Alive (electric corridor). Sounds like a H&S nightmare, and there's reasons why it's not mainstream, but not impossible. Obviously two vague tweets is nothing to go by, but if this is indeed for a Fright Nights maze, it's great to have another permanent indoor maze space again.

This fixed the artwork surprisingly quickly: Coaster Climbs, for now just on The Swarm, have also returned: https://www.thorpepark.com/tickets-passes/extras/coaster-climbs/ Current price is £45pp (£5 cheaper than when they last run in ~2016/17)

It would appear that the Jungle Escape building is being cleared out: https://themeparkguide.co.uk/news-page/Fright-Nights-2021-Construction-Work-Begins And with UVE still around there, could we finally see the return of an indoor Fright Nights maze in that location for the first time in *7* years?!

It was a one day only thing I believe (despite the Vaccines Minister making it sound like it was there for a longer period of time). And surely a pin badge to go in your vaccine hole to keep the microchip in would have been better? A look at the wall: I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I do quite like it. Would love to see more of these sorts of things, although maybe a bit more integrated into the surroundings (like what Walibi Holland do. Basically I want Thorpe to become the British Walibi Holland).

Pop up vaccine site inside the Marquee from 2pm today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-57999680 Doing Pfizer only. Not sure how big the uptake will be, but they're there after park close too, so might capture a few guests and staff!

I've heard mixed-to-negative things about the Thunderbolt model, but can't lie, that being built would get me down to the park, so it's a success immediately in that respect.

I would imagine they have sufficient stock (and if it proved overly popular for the stocks they had, they would order in more). I don't think any of the ParkVibes merch is advertised as limited edition either.

Park Vibes has been extended until August 30th: https://www.facebook.com/thorpepark/posts/10159305755140867

Drayton flooded towards the start of 2020. I wouldn't say floods are becoming regular occurrences though. Walibi Belgium have announced they intend to be closed until at least August 15th. Plopsa Coo (which was also hit but, being next to a river which floods, were somewhat better prepared) is set to open tomorrow.

To follow up on this: As I understand it, Ghost Train is now running at full capacity, and Labyrinth is now batching groups of up to 8 people. Both are still using timed tickets, though.

Latest video explaining restrictions: -Rides will run at full capacity -Face coverings remain recommended for indoor areas -Black Mirror: Labyrinth and Derren Brown's Ghost Train will still require timed tickets -No temperature checks, which has been the case for a couple of weeks Not entirely clear if Ghost Train and Labyrinth are also going to be running full capacity (or higher capacity than before). I guess a wait and see...

It has been up and down a lot this season, and I have heard that after its most recent closure it needed a lot of work. If they were getting rid of it, I'd be surprised they removed it so quickly. It's easier, and likely more cost effective, to just leave it in situ until end of the season, when the manpower is more available and engineers aren't focusing on running the park. So I do expect it's being removed with the view to do work to repair it. Equally, one has to wonder at one point they cut their losses with Samurai. And if they do, what they do in turn? Surely at some point it's more sensible to buy a new top scan? And even if they decide not to, the park ideally can't lose a flat ride, especially in that section of the park.

Following the recent heavy floods that have hit parts of Belgium and Germany, Walibi Belgium (as well as Plopsa Coo, which regularly suffers from flooding) have had to close. Some photos of both parks here: https://www.facebook.com/ParcsActus/posts/2915282932073446

The Wreckoning is set to be replaced for this year's event: https://www.facebook.com/ScareTOUR/posts/4511005198943940

The Aqualantis zone opened this week, coinciding with the park's 7th birthday: https://www.facebook.com/EnergyLandia/posts/3708588515909880 https://www.facebook.com/themeparkmagic1/posts/281874103734021 The zone is still not finished yet, and won't be until the closed season. The park wanted the area open for their birthday, and so just left it where it was at. There are more pools, etc to come. My favourite photos of the area is this: It shows how some of it looks really nice imo, and then there's the temporary fencing to the left, and the not-so-nice looking block work with the Disko, which are less pleasant.

The difference this year compared to previous years when it has awful reliability is it seems to be happening in shorter bursts. In the past Samurai would run pretty reliably then be down for a month or two. This year it's had 3 extended periods of closure already, for at least 3 weeks or so. I'm no engineer, and I'm sure there's plenty of possible explanations behind it. But it doesn't feel like a good sign, does it

I'd expect after, given that it's happening a year after the wall was made plain, and the plain-ification of the wall seemed to be a quick fix. Anyway, here's a wall update:

Media and staff previews took place last night. Obviously every review is saying it's the best thing since sliced bread for now... https://www.facebook.com/PlopsalandDePanne/posts/4155151537904071 Does look intense for a Mack though

Graffiti wall update: On weekends over ParkVibes, a graffiti artist will be doing live painting on this wall. Nearby, an Easter Egg littered wrap around of some of the grabbing machines has occured:

With all the recent exciting 2022 announcements, it's easy to forget 2021 is a thing. Ride to Happiness is soft opening from 1st July, and officially opening on 22nd... https://www.plopsalanddepanne.be/nl/evenementen/ride-happiness-trial-runs

*blows dust off topic* Huzzah, some updates! Well, update. Ish. A 'Construction Site. Keep Out' sign has appeared at Creek Freak Massacre. A sign that work is happening in there and the park hope to re-open it this year? I know the park were considering a few different ideas given the uncertainty around Covid. But with things looking a bit more promising, presumably indoor mazes will be a thing again this year. In more rumour-y things, I saw a group of people with Hi-Vis jackets going into the compound next to Jungle Escape. Some of those people had 'UVE' jackets - Unlocked Vision Entertainments. They've worked with Thorpe a few times recently, including the Fearstival Arena and related fire show, the 2019 endings of Platform 15 and Living Nightmare, as well as Jungle Escape and I think Black Mirror too. Could mean something, could mean nothing. Best case scenario would see some sort of work happening to the Jungle Escape building for Fright Nights. Fingers crossed.

Popped to Thorpe briefly to check out ParkVibes. It's nice to see a new event with stuff happening all over the park. It's pretty simple stuff, but it shouldn't be understated the importance of spreading the event around the park (issues which Fright Nights has had in the past, for example). But honestly, it's not for me. I wasn't a fan of any of the music overlays, from the entrance remix done by IMA Score, to all the rap / festival themed ones that have appeared on certain rides. Probably the best one is the rap that occurs round Rumba RAPids, and even then, I found it on the wrong side of cringey despite its catchiness. My worry is some of the new announcements make the park feel a bit fairgroundy. It's nice that there's entertainment around (dancers, singers, etc). It adds a bit of atmosphere and mixes the day up a bit. It's fine that I don't like the event as it's not for me and it's not something that would interest me. I just hope that the people who it is targeted at do end visiting and enjoying it, otherwise it's a bit of a miss. Some 2021 updates: -Vortex and Samurai are back open. -The picnic tent has shrunk in size, but still exists -There's a piece of 'graffiti artwork' coming to the ugly wall opposite Ghost Train. Watch this space?

Whoops, I lie. It is just a 90º corner turn thing. Not sure how it's unique in Europe, when I'm fairly certain it exists on other rides, but oh well... There is also some updates about Toutatis, the Intamin multi launch. Some concept art: And some reminders about the statistics: Sources: https://www.facebook.com/ParcsActus https://www.dimensionparcs.fr/france/parc-asterix/parc-asterix-2023-toutatis/

The sole Gravity Group woodie I've done (Wood Express at Parc Saint Paul) was hampered in part by the restraints, so I remain cautious over them. I wasn't particularly impressed with Zeus on my rides last year and I know it's certainly split opinion as it's gotten older. Hopefully this brings it back to more universal praise. Also, for confirmation: the first bullet point suggests a 90º degree first drop.

Tonnerre de Zeus is being renovated for next year, and renamed to Tonnerre 2 Zeus: -Unique to Europe 90º bump -2 high speed turns -2 new 'bumps' -14 airtime moments -New trains (with "inverted seats" on the last car - maybe backward facing car?) -A tunnel with special effects Interesting scenario, but not sure I'm a fan of the new restraints...