MattyMoo

Really? I never knew that was the case, cheers for the info!

Chainsaws will have actual chains on for 10/10 scares. One would assume that one maze is the "electric" shock type one reimagined, and the other is maybe the extension to Wastelands, but we shall see... one of the new mazes is presumably inside the old Clowns building since that's gone, unless that is going to be used for something else. Maybe the electric ? is for Superspark Cinema for some ultimate Thorpe Park FN burn haha - incorporate the Usherettes into the maze somehow? Or is that just wishful/wistful/lustful thinking?! 😍😁 As mooted though, scare factors don't mean too much as some of my scariest run throughs have been on Creepy Cottage to be honest - simple but effective scares with strobes etc! Still - I am "gassed" for Tulleys, bring on PSL season and I can become a basic b*tch again oncemore.

Double post.... new maze announcement coming next Friday.

Wonder if the prelim work not happening could affect Creak Freak opening or not... it's really not that long until the sPoOkY sEAsoN gets going now to be honest - Tulleys open their doors in 2 months time... talking of which, and a bit OT - they are revealing the first of their two new mazes next Friday.

Those screens in the Swarm queue haven't worked for quite some time as far as I am aware! Shame as they actually help set the scene/story!

Nicked this off that there Twitter - what a welcome to the Island Like No Other that entrance screen is. One part on the left has been broken for what seems like years, but it now seems that the rest of the screen is trying to catch up 😆 Hope it's still under warranty.

Different colour flags and they rename the food stands 🙃

I stand by my prediction of just a load of ruddy clowns throughout it. Agree with the above, my first thought was exactly "SAW Alive outside of Halloween didn't work out, and that wasn't even an upcharge". I'm not convinced the general public are still super enamoured with the idea of upcharges on top of the entrance fee.

Twitter algorithms pointed me towards a tweet containing the below - interesting! One would assume just a load of clowns throughout the whole ruddy thing or.... IS IT.... COULD IT BE.... A NOD TO THE BIG TOP.

Random post alert - credit to Towers Times for this picture from back in the archives - whatever happened to these Smiler logo graphics on the backs of the trains?

I think this is a very real possibility - this is quite a unique site to build on, versus say, The Smiler. It's always far messier and more involved when you are demolishing/building next to water. Looking back at The Smiler construction the time from ground clearance completed (and excavations started) to opening day was approximately 10 months - I really would imagine though, that Thorpe would want a start-of-the-season opening for Exodus if at all possible to start the season off with a bang and get momentum going for (fingers crossed) 2024, after so many years of "events" and "experiences".

I see Swarm Island entrance has a little "NEWS 16" newspaper sign (the kind you'd get outside an off licence/convenience store) saying "Church Open For Shelter" on one side and "They Came From The Sky" on the other. Nice little additon.

Fire effect anyone? Ever? Maybe New For 2023?

That's Vibes Bar & Kitchen to you, son! 😂 I see from the latest TPWW visit to Thorpe that DBGTROTD's fake shop ending was not operational at all on their visit - not even the white t-shirt actor version!

Surely they could move Rocky Express to Chessington and theme it to Scorpion Valley?

So - sorry - are we saying that people emailing the council with "come on m8 let em bild The Xodus cos I live local and would be sick and means I dont ave2 go2 Blackpool, kind regards" don't counteract the objections of the Environment Agency? I THOUGHT WE LIVED IN A DEMOCRACY 😡 Simple solution: Scrap Exodus, bring back Old Town as Even Older Town, and bring Slammer back to life.

eAStER egG, a NoD tO tHE biG ToP. One thing that you can't fault Thorpe on is their commitment to making the most out of any set pieces or props they have bought....

EA Sports.

Well that's not very mysterious is it! Unless... game... I want to play a game.... SAW: The Bigger Ride C O N F I R M E D.

Whilst we're at it, anyone heard anything about Slammer's fate?

Yep, spot on - from the very off with this ride after my first run through all those years ago, I have always sung the praises of the hanging carriage, the tube train & station platform. They are all incredibly, incredibly well done and immersive and I don't really think anything else quite compares - in the UK at least - in a theme park. Swarm Island is definitely up there but DBGT's interior is a step even further up.

Cheers for that @JoshC. - re: the hanging carriage, you're completely right, bearing in mind it's a huge huge part of everything about the ride, you barely get time to even "appreciate" it to be honest!

But...but... but... what about the Retrosquad? People definitely want to go to a theme park to ride fun fair rides with stickers on?

Well done to all concerned... I didn't get to experience Fright Night's last year but Trailers, both concept, branding and theming looked particularly decent to me! That, combined with Creak Freak is a pretty solid offering. Was saying to @JoshC. earlier - as much as I am a fanboi of Tulley's, it did feel maybe a little stale in 2021 vs. what Thorpe were offering (though I didn't get to experience that in the flesh, as it were) - hopefully the 2 new haunts this year will give it a little bit of a refresh, and hopefully more story led concepts like Trailers. Fingers crossed my £95 (GULP) advance VIP ticket is worth it

or use as an eASTeR EGg/nOD to ThE pASt (aka lazy theming) in a Fright Nite's maze xoxo