Nick Hutson

And wasn't this in the big top?

Yes. I, too, agree. I can't believe that people who proclaim to be fans of theme parks (and, most specifically, thorpe park) just bloody moan on and on about something they know nothing about. You're getting a £40M attraction, that fuses live actors, theatre, ride, technology, story telling, horror... and all most do is moan about it with no proof or very little knowledge. Considering they haven't even released what this thing will ACTUALLY do - it's not fair to moan about it.

I think it has a nice charm to it; it shows there was once a very grand building! It tells the story well. I know it's another run-down building, but it's still done very well!

....what?

Or this. http://www.simworx.co.uk/av-fx/agv-darkride/ Notice how the seats are placed longways in both this and the artwork for the ride.

http://www.t3.com/features/derren-brown-wants-to-take-your-mind-on-a-rollercoaster-ride This also slipped us by...

You're on a small part of the experience wearing a VR Headset... it's not being marketed as a ride. People need to understand this. It's a 13 minute experience (scare maze, mirror maze, musion projection, immersion tunnel transit system, VR... whatever) - it's a multi part experience, for which the VR moment will be a small part of. As I've said - think of it as a mini dungeon or shrek's adventure... They wouldn't build a 25,000 SqFt building to have 16 people sit in a vehicle and wear VR goggles... there's obviously much more to it than that.

I am fairly certain it will have a mirror maze. All depends upon how it's executed and what effects they can pull off inside it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrHuMdZvicc Here's another well made fan trailer.

IT'S A MAZE BY SWEDEN BROWN THAT OPENS ON MONDAY OMG LETS GO11!!!!

Has anyone noticed the bit of artwork in that? It looks to be a Victorian locomotive going over an arch bridge.

simworx.

The video Efteling released said €42.

Efteling are spending €42M on this - which works out to about £32M. Merlin are chucking £40M to WC16. Remember, though - Merlin have to pay Derren Brown - and possibly TFL - so...

I think "trackless dark ride" is too vague a term for non-nerds to understand.

The 5 just means five days until Tuesday The 5 people standing just simulates a railway track. I don't think it'll be called THE DERREN BROWN RIDE; Svengali makes much more sense as it beings with S. (Swarm, Samurai, Saw, Storm Surge, Stealth, Slammer...) However I think THE GHOST TRAIN is more likely. Time will tell.

Star Trek called... they want their logo back. Europa Park called... they want their title back. I am looking forward to it, though... the headphone aspect should be good! Worried though, as my one experience with google cardboard left me feeling very queazy.

Derren's main illusion designer, Paul Kieve, is involved creating illusions for the ride. I've known him for a few years and he's a true talent who's created some of the most amazing illusions I've ever seen.

Yes. The important thing to remember here is that Derren is in charge. Not Merlin. He knows how to manipulate and, literally, control people. Maybe they had a budget of £5M initially and when the meeting with Derren was over, they had pushed it up to £35M in a second. Haha. Very exciting.

... who hasn't heard of Derren Brown...?

I am a bit sad they're going to age it up - it'd look lovely if they kept it all looking brand new! Oh well.

Was lovely to have met you all! Thanks!

Remember that theatre and theme park dark rides are pretty much the same thing. It's where John Wardley came from and it's where Derren Brown comes from. Merlin have given us great theatrical experiences with Shrek, The Dungeons, SubSpecies and other such things. Yes - they're all pretty much based in dark worlds - but so is this new attraction. It's good they're not building a coaster (or a moved water ride from Florida... or a 4d Cinema based on an iPhone game) so let's be excited... ride it and then review it.

Would like to come along to this. Just to confirm I need to book Shrek for 11.15 and Dungeons for 1pm? 10am under the giant clock at Waterloo?

But we must remember that Merlin are known for having actor led theme park experiences - no other experiences like The Dungeons and Shrek's Adventure exist - and, to my American friends, Merlin are recognised as the best in the world at it. If it is actor led that won't make it anything new. However - I think we just need to not get wrapped up in the world of the marketing hyperbole and just wait and see what we get when it opens. I know that one of the greatest illusion designers in the world (not Derren Brown) is involved so if they're going with THAT kind of creative talent, it gives me hope that - with Derren calling the creative shots here - we will get something amazing. What the public will have to understand is that whatever the ride is - will not be the main attraction - it'll just be PART of the attraction (much like the mad house is the third act of Hex).