TPMSam

Little bit late to post, but went on Sunday and did the full 12 hours and managed to do all of the mazes. Day started being in the queue for Colossus and then nemesis, both of which had a delay in operation before we got there . Overall the park seemed to have a couple of reliability issues, saw a few tweets where someone said “Everything they seem to walk up to closes down”. Queue times app showed a lot of rides were down at times but wasn’t down for too long. This excluding SAW, which closed from around 5pm onwards for the night. First off, the roaming actors; these were great!! Really nice touch, had a couple come and sit at our table at the pizza pasta buffet and a mime proceeding to sit with us for 5 minutes pretending to eat learnt to just run whenever you heard ‘that’ whistle! Agree with a lot of the posts about audio/lighting/general theming. Really lacked this year to make it seem like it was a ‘Fright Night’. I did think at times if I hadn’t gone on the mazes whether I’d have even known it’s October! (especially with how great the weather was). Now the mazes, in MY order of best to last on the night: TWD: Living Nightmare – ended up doing this twice, the first run through of which was FANTASTIC. Probably was on one of the first 5 groups of the day for this, was put at the front and found it brilliant. Great amount of actors and got a couple of really decent scares from it. Second run through not as great and was in the middle of the group, but still better than others which says how poor they were! SAW Alive – before we went in I said “can I do it alone?” to which they said “oh you won’t want to, it’s probably the scariest one here” hmmmmm well if this is the scariest then that tells you what they class as scary! Not a lot. Saw is just saw really, and has been for a long time. Nothing new really, had a couple of jumps but nothing fantastic. Still second TWD: Do or Die – well this is very much improved on last year! At least the actors seemed like they actually was trying this year, last I did not have a great run through. Did this at night but to be honest don’t think it makes a difference even being outdoors because of the bright lighting!! Very average really, but enjoyed none the less. Platform 15 – just wasn’t great. Felt like a prolonged walk through the woods at night and a couple of rattling pieces of metal (granted it made me jump). The conga, sorry tunnel just too long. That sounds like a broken record the amount of times it’s been said but it just is! There was a couple of actors there which did make it better but just very average. Dead Creek Woods – just a casual walk through the woods really. Mist effects were really great though, they really flooded the area with it. Had about 5 actors on the whole run through, no chainsaw which I previously have seen mentioned! But to be fair to them they got a good scare out of us and was in no way the worst of the day. Vulcan Peak – well I can safely say I did NOT expect the bum prodding at the start and made me sharply hop out of my seat Definitely was sat in THE worst position I could for that. Just seemed a bit pointless really, nothing really happened and if this is the ‘improved’ version I honestly dread to think what it was like originally. Blair Witch – what a disappointment. Was over before I could even blink. Two actors through the whole thing and when we got into the exit by nemesis there was about two other groups there saying “Well where do we go now?? That CANT be it”. Just disappointing and probably says something that I have put it below Vulcan peak and last in my list! Just must have had a bad run through on the day. Overall as much as this Fright Nights hasn’t been the best of the bunch, it still makes for a really fun day/night out and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. It definitely needs a lot of improving next year but I’m sure Thorpe can pull it out of the bag (maybe that me just being too optimistic) Sorry if this was long and well done if you got all the way through it

As confirmed on Thorpe's snapchat The Swarm is back open!

Have the mazes tended to have shorter queues at the very end of the night? Or have they just been busy throughout? I know last year I got a couple of goes on big top in a row about 9:30!

Nope nemesis is on one!

Now saying Stealth is a planned ride closure!

On park doesn't seem too bad- Stealth hasn't even got a car on the track so that looks unlikely! DBGT Opens soon but apart from that everything seems open

Looks like currently the only rides down are Saw and Stealth (with Stealth a planned closure for today)

Seems as though they're saying Stealth will be closed tomorrow!

Personally I always just tuck my bag towards the back of the shelf and keep an eye as I get off, never have had a problem in the past!

Agreed!

How do you survive!? Don't think I could live without a McDonald's or BK :')

Home is just next to Dartford (not that I take much pride in it. Most people only know here because of nightmare that is the dartford crossing *sigh*), living at uni during term time in Hertfordshire at the moment though!

John Lewis or Tesco?

I work at Tesco and now I am dreading going to work- when I worked at John Lewis hearing the bloody penguin advert every 10 minutes on a 9 hour shift was painful enough. Still can't listen to Tom Odell without getting flashbacks

Vortex it was! No idea why, just remember as a kid I decided to go clockwise from the dome and just try and do the map

Been here since '09 but never actually introduced myself I'm Sam! Formerly known as thorpeparkmad11 (I was young, okay). 19, Student, studying Aerospace Engineering at Herts Uni! Long time enthusiast, mainly of Thorpe- if you haven't seen me about much it's because I mainly read most and never get to replying! More active when I first made the account- not so much the last few years as life seemed to have got in the way of theme parks but the last year or so I've been getting much more back into it! Can't forget the things which give you a bit of joy in life so... (Think that's enough cringe for here though) Usually post only when I feel the need to- but am hoping to change that a bit though and be more active/involved so be nice to me

I agree- SAW I think will be with us for a few more years! I also partly agree with mentioned above- the main issues in FN is within lack of actors (mostly), queue management, park wide theming etc. I wouldn't mind for one season them to pump money into more actors, more theming rather than having something 'New' to gloat about and forget the other existing things which ultimately get neglected. Unfortunately with merlin I don't see this happening as the 'New' factor does bring in guests, but if it did happen the event would get much greater ratings overall!

Completed it!

Come off this a little while ago- must say was much much better than my last trip! Headphones working on both sides for once. Second section of VR the actors were so much better, I almost got pulled off my seat by one! Scratching my neck and arms really added to the effects Definite improvement. Let's hope they keep it up.

Indeed, thank you! Will post my thoughts after

Going tomorrow as I haven't managed to get there before this weekend! I'm expecting a busy day. Has anyone got any recommendations when to get on the mazes to make sure I can fit as many in as I can? (e.g. which would be the best to queue for before it opens!) Thanks in advance

1. Saw 2. Stealth 3. Inferno 4. Swarm 5. Colossus Don't feel right putting Colossus last cause I still love it!

Is meant to be an hour for me but it's pretty much M25 all the way so the minimum time goes up half hour usually!

Characters I believe, sorry! Probably didn't word that the best. I personally will try it again on my next trip. It will be hard to encourage my friends, mainly due to the queue lengths. I'll try and convince them, but I would like to try it again to see if it does perhaps 'grip' me a bit more... If they don't want to I'll just go on myself (or choose new people to go with)

Had my first go on ghost train today. Agreeing with the above, was a pain knowing all of these exist, ie the soundtrack and infection checks, and it did have a few batching problems I noticed! I believe it was shut for a while whilst I was queueing. Having a group of lads taunting 'Derren' in the pre show was rather annoying too! Inside the actual attraction the audio was very quiet, struggling to hear the first VR scene at all. Good effects, enjoyed the experience. Actors in the live action scene very animated, thought they were very good! Didn't understand a lot of the second VR, seemed disjointed to me. All of my friends seemed to enjoy, believe between the group (7 total) we had 3 different first scenes. Even they all admitted, it's probably something they wouldn't ride again, this year at least. They'd go on it again but wouldn't rush to it, perhaps next year when the experience will be more 'fresh' to them.. Which I can understand their point them being non-enthusiast! I did enjoy the attraction, but just a few of the bugs need to be worked out... And personally the second VR can be improved! By far not disappointed, it still has potential. I hope the closed season can help this attraction.