Review on Fright Nights from Friday. ** SPOILERS ALERT**
The Curse.
Surprisingly really good! FULL of smoke and great actors! Could not see any of the themeing due to the amount of smoke but was total disorientation! Actors just appeared out of no where!
8/10
Experiment 10.
After hyping this up to everyone after such a terrifying experience last year it really did not live up to its standards this year. The actors were really laid back and it lost the 'rushed, panic' charm and atmosphere it created so well last year. There was no audio inside the attraction. The actors were boring and it just seemed to lack something. The new ending was just not needed and could have been done better. Also there where no actors in the queue line which really added to get people nervous before the maze itself.
4/10
The Asylum.
None of my friends has experienced the Asylum and when queuing were questioning as to why people where legging it out the exit... We went in and it still lives up to its name as to 'Chaos Reins' .. well in terms of lighting and audio.. the actors did not say anything or hardly move they just stood looking a little dazed... or drunk no sudden movements or scares which this legendary maze was designed to be with all the strobes and chain fences ect. Also we got to the end and there was no chain saw guy... Typical! I think in future years the Asylum needs a good rethink as technically its been there 12 years now since it was The Freezer and is well run its course. No smoke in this attraction either .
6/10
The Passing. - **SPOILERS ALERT**
Was really excited about this! The story, theme and general hype Thorpe Park put across was great! A really good strong attraction.
First of all this was Friday which was only the 4th day of Fright Nights and the brand new Passing Sign logo on the back of X was already not working.
So...our group is greeted by a Prison officer who tells us why we are here she slowly walks up and down the group making people feel uncomfortable by asking us how they feel about the crimes they have committed. Also picking on people who are laughing. You get your photo taken and then you move into the bagging room. You then have a bag placed onto your head and are then told its time to die... (This all happens in the old Hell Gate Queue tunnel which they have just added some wall paper with body draws and feet on the walls)... You then move into a room which is very open and a video is shown of random pictures of someones life. Then a video is shown on a screen above you of people throwing mud ... almost like you are in a coffin and people are looking down onto you... I guess this is the simulation of death... could be improved. You are then directed into a tunnel, 1 white or 1 black you crawl around and then you basically walk around the old Hell Gate maze... no changes at all...same spinning tunnel, same prison scene and same boring black corridors. Maybe this is the point of the bags on the head to cover up a low budget make over? You then reach a white room where someone in a Thorpe Park uniform, not a character hands you a death certificate saying well done guys... you go into a white room which is pointless and then go into a load of black blinds and out the old Hell Gate Exit.
The Passing is good in the sense that its unique. BUT from how Thorpe Park hyped it up it does not live up to it's name and could use some serious work in the sense of 'Passing' to the other side... and at least do Hell Gate up a bit! If people are paying £3 a pop they could at least make a few changes. You can see through the bags.
The bag on the head idea is not original. Tulley's farm do it a lot better, in the fact you cant see ANYTHING at Tulley's and have to go around the maze alone holding onto a bit of rope. This has been the case for the last 2 years. They also simulate 'Passing' a lot better to its like a blue tunnel of mist you walk up hill and you can just about see it through the black sacks. This with audio is makes a really great atmosphere.
7/10
The rain helped hold a few people off so queues were not to bad, Samurai even opened for the last 2 hours!! As for the park as a general 'Prison' theme I think it lacked a lot of effort. Only a small handful of audio changes around the park. A few actors and that was it. Would be good to have a few sirens and search lights at numerous places.
The Swarm at night is really good and if your lucky to experience the fire at night on the ride its something else!!
