MattyMoo

For a while anyway #RIPDBGTsTwoPhotoPoints In other news, if those roaming actors in silver clothes with pink wigs are anything to do with Black Mirror - please, please, please, I hope they aren't - that's absolutely laughable.

I've been in tears since I woke up.

It still doesn't work.

We've just booked Disneyland Paris, 3 nights arriving Sunday 22nd August... we figure it's pretty likely to go ahead, and all refundable anyway. As I understand it, w/c 23rd shouldn't be super busy but who knows anymore! We just want something to look forward to!

With the introduction of Creak Freak Massacre in the old station building - with the expenditure on a scare maze at Thorpe we haven't seen for quite some time - it's going to be some time before we see anything going on with Loggers I would imagine, especially with Creak Freak being unused last year. Appreciate they could start construction behind Creak Freak though potentially, and just re-route/postpone Platform 15 perhaps.

You can view the Wayback Machine's archive of Minds Wanted here: https://web.archive.org/web/20151127043531/https://mindswanted.co.uk/ Agreed, the Smiler hype and campaign was very well orchestrated - especially considering it was Merlin's own IP. I think it speaks volumes still that it's popularity hasn't waned since the unfortunate accident either. The Swarm's campaign I also loved, but it's interesting how that just didn't seem to strike a chord so much with people vs Smiler... maybe because people are/were sick of the "end of the world" and destruction rhetoric, where as the mysterious and different promo for The Smiler was more engaging. I was young at the time, but on a similar note I remember vividly the Oblivion hype on park, in particular the security guard actors positioned along the perimeter construction fence.

Yep - those gates are literally bog standard security gates - could have at least got them in a branded colour!

Do you reckon they'll stick vinyls on them to make them fit in a little bit better? You would hope so, no...?

Can anyone confirm if the 5th green light has been fixed on Stealth to celebrate it's 15th birthday please.

😂 Are we to assume the new land won't open until phase 4 of easing starts on w/c 17th May at the earliest?

Yikes, that's a lot of time to kill being stuck in a little box! Unless I'm guessing they'll hire in some food & beer carts maybe? Or maybe the huts outside DBGTROTD are still there from FN's?

Hopefully this paves the way for the second Detty tower.

A huge problem with DBGTROTD is - what on earth do you do with it next? Once VR is permitted Covid-wise I would assume that they could just change the overlay to something else/another story maybe? But if you take away the VR, it's just a train simulator. Could maybe see it going the way of a live action scare maze type attraction maybe? But even then, they don't have a good history whatsoever at the Island Like No Other.... there also comes a point too where you are just throwing good money away over bad, and it's not worth the outlay to keep it going. Any budget to retheme the thing isn't exactly going to be huge because of the cost already spent on it - and then subsequent "upgrades" - shout out to sweaty white T shirt man in the fake gift shop. Can't exactly see anyone being super keen on buying it off them either... and we don't want DBGTROTD, Saw Alive, Slammer and Loggers all sitting there SBNO.

I forgot about that Swarm press shoot! I was dead afterwards hahaha. Remember a Stealth photoshoot too back in the day, riding it at 9am in the morning back to back... good times! I was going to give Detty a shout too - packs a punch, and without fail, everytime I think "Oh yeah, it's higher than I remember!"

I love the place - I just want the best for it 1. Stealth Never disappoints, iconic. There is simply no better ride experience for me in the UK than front row on that beauty. Absolutely perfect, especially at dusk. As long as I get to go on Stealth, my Thorpe trip is worthwhile. 2. Fright Nights The atmosphere is great, and some of the mazes have been legendary - Creak Freak Massacre is definitely a sign of things to come, glad I did it getting on for 10 times when we went on an off peak Fright Night! Just no more Vulcan Peaks please, yeah? I think Thorpe have realised now that quality over quantity is better for mazes. 3. Swarm Island Sticks out like a sore thumb - for being miles above any other themed area on park. Just a shame ol' Swarmy lives on it by itself, another flat ride there would be great. Just something. But yes - cracking theming, and loved seeing it come alive a little bit at Fright Nights 2020.

Indeed! Was saying to Josh the other day - seems like only yesterday it was December 2011 and I got to do a sneaky site visit as we were supplying the LC12 project with reinforcement, and got to walk underneath the aeroplane wing - and get to see the trains before anyone knew they were there 😍 I couldn't divulge on the forums back then, naturally. I just want a BIG project at Thorpe... it's long overdue now and obviously Covid hasn't helped matters (nor has DBGTROTD). They will struggle to maintain attendance without something "big" soon though I think, you can't keep putting in short lived IP small attractions or rebranding old ones. Appreciate Paultons is a family park and Thorpe isn't, but Tornado Creek would appear to knock spots off most themed areas at Thorpe - with the exception of Swarm Island ❤️

Has it really been 5 years already? Maybe we'll finally be able to get our "heads in a jar" merch from the gift shop this year. I remember those two photo points in the queue, sigh!

Who's Ghost Train is it? Covid's Ghost Train until June 21st at the earliest 😆

So - Tulleys have tweeted this morning.... they have gone back to a ticketing system more like the original, which I prefer (but then, that's mainly because we buy VIP so we can re-run mazes lots of times.... blimey I sound like a MAP'per!) Tickets are now XScream Pass which allows you 1 run through each haunt, then an XScream pass with 6 or 10 fasttrack queue jumps (which as I read it, means you still only do a haunt once, just don't have to queue for 6 or 10 of them), and then the VIPRIP all you can eat mega unlimited ticket. Now... the current line up is 9 haunts plus Circus of Horrors... so with a 10 fast-track option that would imply a 10th haunt is coming, as discussed previously in the thread....

Hex is by far my favourite, mainly because it's the only one I've ever been on xoxox. Jokes aside - I love it every time I ride, and it's always fun trying to work it out when you're in there and everytime I fail to actually get my head round it, even though I know how it works

TheIslandLikeNoOther is due to open on 27th March... I'm quietly optimistic that will happen. Just without DBGTROTD, TWDTR and Black Mirror Labyrinth...!

Happy Christmas, this message is sponsored by Derren Brown's Ghost Train.

Nailed it. Expect to see more events that encourage you to buy food and drink and add-ons such as Oktoberfest and paid-for mazes at Thorpe, I reckon - which I don't mind, personally. Oktoberfest at Alton Towers was an absolute breath of fresh air this year, thoroughly impressed.

Is it too much of a sweeping statement to say that MAP users are the main users - and also abusers - of the RAP? Anyway, I've said it either way

The MAP group are kicking off big time about the price hike, but let's be honest here - the passes have been too cheap for too long. MAPpers typically won't use F&B on park, where Merlin make that precious and needed revenue and margin.