Was on the Island Like No Other yesterday - all be it with a bit of lurgy/cold whatever is going around, so alas I wasn't trusting my stomach too much coaster wise, I know this is officially a FN's thread but here's my rIDe CouNT anyway:
Stealth x2
Swarm x2
Colossus x1
Rush x1
Detty x1
Storm Surge x1
Rapids x1
DBGTROTDWTF x1
TWDTR x1
My mates did Nemmy and Saw - Saw they said was rough as hell, but Nemmy was fab, especially a night ride after a bit of drizzle that was coming down! Everything was walk on really after 2/3pm ride wise - longest we queued for was of course DBGT, my thoughts on said "experience" already made clear in another thread. Stealth had some issues early morning but were quickly rectified, thank the Lord Sanbrooke. Heard a rumour that Sickstone was on park too, didn't get to meet him and talk about all things sick and gassed, gutted tbh. Spotted Powers Towers Productions (TM) in the Blair Witch queue lolz.
SO ON TO THE MAZES. Gonna rank these poorest first - going to be quite close to call really as they are all much of a muchness with one exception.
5. PLATFORM 15 (x1)
I know people lose their Pop Badges over this maze but again this failed to deliver really for me. Preshow/guided walk is good - the tour guide was good. Too much walking with dead space though from one section to another - I know this is supposed to "set the scene" and tension but it doesn't really work. Poly tunnel far too long with nothing happening. Ending got messed up as you arrive at different times and aren't forced to wait, if that makes sense so didn't really get to see what's supposed to happen. I will say that the Sleeper Express looked quality though - now all Victorian Esque on the sides, that was a marked improvement. Shout out to the lad in the house who spewed up some blood or something in front of us #Immersive
4. DO OR DIE (x1)
Bus scene was good, also the entrance now makes far more sense being where it is! The next container was completely empty (after chatting with Josh after I now understand why - whatever went on there was evidently for the elites of press night only innit). The maze felt longer than before to me. Some interaction with the guy in the shrine bit which was good.
3. BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (x1)
We were worried we weren't going to experience this due to the 30-40 minute queue as soon as dusk fell - then a number of breakdowns. Not entirely sure what the problem was with the breakdowns as such, it didn't seem like an E-Stop as it was taking far too long to reset and get back to operation, and unless I'm mistaken there's nothing much "mechanical" or technical going on bar a smoke machine and some lights? Anyway, we eventually did it, and like Josh noted, I don't understand how the queue moves quite so slowly. Maze is completely different to previous years, kudos to them for that, far far more effort has gone into it and you genuinely feel you are walking through undergrowth, trees etc. Actors that were present did a solid job but needed more really (which I think is the story of the night). Close one between this and my #2.
2. LIVING NIGHTMARE (x2)
One runthrough we had Neagen, one we didn't, though the lad did say "We are all Neagen" in his intro speech, which is a good cop out haha. Jokes aside though - I think not having that at the start is a bit rubbish really, you'd hope they'd have a fair few Neagen's ready for the start of Fright Night's but maybe I hope too much. Enjoyable maze, some good scares, I always think they should have actors on that bus though - maybe we were just unlucky or they haven't been recruited yet? I just think it does what it does this maze and was just good really...
1. CREEK FREAK MASSACRE (x8)
Well. We had high hopes for this. And for us at least, they were justified. The setting, staging and sound is great - but the interaction with the cast last night with us two was fantastic. I was wearing my Tulley's hoodie - which to be frank I do on purpose just because I know actors will spot it, and I'll be wearing my Smiler hoodie on Saturday at Tulleys - and they clocked it straight away with "What's that sh** you're wearing" and words to that effect - so on our first runthrough, we were put down the bad wood tunnel. On subsquent runthroughs, we were purposefully held back in "reception" so we would be by ourselves, I was put on the secret balcony bit on one run and split from the group, made to jump up and down and squeal like a pig (lolz) and the actress who was on reception first time, who was later inside the maze on 2nd and 3rd goes, pinned me in a corner and then followed me round by the hand to make sure I was introuced to her all her brothers and family one by one, telling them that I thought Chop Shop was better 😄 Cue actors then taking the mickey out of how they grind the chainsaws on the floor in Chop Shop and repeat the same movements etc. Stuff like this completey makes a maze for me and is a testament to the cast moreso than the maze itself. At one part also I had to hold the hand of the actress who was being cut up with the saw and made to operate the "saw". On our 7th and 8th (!) goes, the reception actor was a guy this time, and our final go was just us 2 and he joked with us - in character - about his voice being shot to pieces cos he didn't have a microphone, and we told him he didn't need to bother with the preshow 😄 - which he still did of course. We were split up on this last run too, and were chased even after we were out of the maze, There was more interaction than I've detailed here but can't remember, but in a nutshell - you were all ruddy brilliant, especially red-lumberjackshirt wearing reception girl!
Only negatives were - there was a power cut on Creek Freak, which was a bit concerning, so was down for 20 mins (the actors then just roamed the area which was great!) and sometimes the finale with the chainsaw doesn't quite work with timing because the actor comes from the left and you sometimes beat them to it, if that makes sense - but that to the side, we thoroughly enjoyed the maze, all eight times of it, and like I say - this was more a case of it being a solid maze with a fantastic cast. I hope they enjoyed our interaction/winding up with them as they did with us, totally made our night. Just thought it was a bit nasty saying I should be dead with a face like that tbh 😄
