paige

I've heard of a lot of 'heavy rumours' over the past few years that really haven't happened. In all honesty it just looks like you're jumping the gun in an attempt to find something to say is not quite right (read [in a shouty voice]: absolutely disgraceful) within Thorpe/Merlin's operations. Also, I've been simply glancing through this topic and have very much understood that the park likely don't have a clue what they're doing themselves, as pluk and I believe electricBill have pointed it. So for you to have seemingly missed that point, or chosen to ignore it, it rather odd. The closure of Logger's isn't great and I'm sure we all don't want to see it as much as you, but from one moaner to another, this is coming across as a little bit silly.

I really wanted to get into the graphic design side of theme parks as I did really enjoy art and the like, but I basically didn't take graphics at GCSE (I foolishly chose media instead) and pretty much decided I'd have more a chance of being a doctor than having such a job in the theme park industry. So here I am, currently doing my A levels hoping I'm competent enough to end up as a doctor at some point. I suppose the fact that I'd find a career in medicine in which I'd be helping people etc. more rewarding than designing some pretty things for people to look at contributed to my overall decision to give up/focus on this route. Also, science can be fun

I don't know why I'm surprised to see this is a thing if I'm honest

I went to Blackpool at Halloween last year purely by chance. It didn't feel particularly like it was a Halloween event bar the countdown thing and some maze thing which I was to say was by Nickelodeon Streak or Revolution? I had such little bearing in the park so have no clue. Is the sculpture garden you're referring to the patch of green near-ish to Valhalla with the bench-type things with like 4 'spooky' things to sit on the laps of and the giant green witch? We left as it was getting dark as we had a train to catch but that's when people seemed to be turning up for the Halloween part, but I felt as though I was turning up for another day at the park, the longest queue was for Avalanche which was out of the queue itself pretty much, bearing in mind the only 'major' rides I did were Valhalla and Infusion really. It seemed to look pretty at night though (I could just see the big one from outside our hotel)

I apparently don't have permission to mark forums and topics as read when I'm using a mobile?

Just had Amy point out to me that the 5th is a Saturday so that would definitely be preferable!!

5th is preferable, I'll likely be working on the 20th as that's Star Wars' opening weekend *cries* Either way, it's a Sunday so is quite unlikely!

The trailer for the Angry Birds film due to come out May next year has started playing at work recently, after initially just hearing it and wondering why they were playing what sounded like a trailer for Minions again I actually watched it to an extent and I really want to see it! It's one of the few trailers I really don't mind hearing and seeing regularly for hours on end, have been meaning to mention this as I shocked myself for being so keen for it

^^ perhaps they got it confused with brave it alone?

Well there was quite a few of us gathered on the bridge during the choosing ceremony on Saturday. Maybe it's more a case of stopping any potential abuse actors may get from passers by?

Fastrack was pretty much sold out by like half 7 yesterday if not before. As we were heading to the big top we overheard a member of staff telling someone that there was literally only 8 fastracks for MBV left.

I think the most concerning thing for me was how fast we seemed to be getting into the mazes with fastrack. Unless the ratios etc. are different for mazes (which I don't think it should be) then I think they may have been a bit awry.

I went yesterday, I did all the mazes for the first time and considering what I'm like (a total wuss who is terrified of clowns and all things jumpy) I was really... Underwhelmed? One of the biggest let downs for me was honestly cabin. The actor in the first room was stopping us from going through a certain door which apparently led to the forest area and when we found the control room the actor in there broke character and told us it was off limits? I then walked through the rest of the maze confused more than anything, there weren't many actors at all in there and I felt really disappointed more than anything, given the hype I'd heard. The big top was decent, I was very much freaked out when I ended up at the back and someone stroked my back, and being cornered by a clown and approached by baby was also quite creepy! Saw again I hadn't much of an idea as to what was actually going on, it was either so dark I couldn't see, or the strobes simply confused me completely. As this was my first maze I was doc using more on staying calm and avoiding the attention of the actors though! My bloody valentine was one of the ones I was most worried for, being claustrophobic, but it just felt like a walk through some dimly lit, tight corridors. I didn't draw much attention to myself like most of the mazes as I really didn't want it but I just generally didn't feel much of an atmosphere? I also felt like I was walking through IAC at one point. Blair Witch was probably the 'best' in terms of being creeped out/scared by the actors who would just stare at you and start to follow you. At one point I was completely left alone as the person I was walking with was kept back and I was really quite terrified! Shame about the bright construction/floodlights kind of making it too bright halfway through though, and the shed it a slight anti-climax in all honesty. I was genuinely surprised that I got through all the mazes unscathed, and I'm not sure what that really says about the mazes, as I really wasn't particularly scared for the entirety of a maze. Given that I was absolutely terrified by Haunting in the Hollows last year I'm not too sure what to make of it! I'm not sure if the order had something to do with it but our first maze was at about 7 so it's not as though the actors wouldn't have 'warmed up' however they were very good nonetheless, I just didn't understand a lot of it all and I don't think it's because I haven't seen the films. With regards to queues, they were quite ridiculous. I feel as though we wouldn't have got all the mazes done if we didn't have director's cut but it really did seem as though fastrack was oversold. I'd never seen it so bad with my own eyes before and I was surprised how busy it was on its first 'proper' day.

Providing you're a standard pass holder then yes. You will be going on a fright nights day, it isn't like summer nights.

I sliced my thumb on a blade of grass by a lake in the Black Forest once, I don't think I've ever bled so much. I fall down the stairs a lot but have only ever been to A&E once as a result of it, I'm just generally quite a clumsy person, which is something I know may shock people

Your identity genuinely baffles me

Thank you Han and Tommy!!

Still not totally convinced that you're a real, fully functioning human Sorry Zach<3

The entire point of booking is to help control numbers though, is it not? Considering all that I saw and heard regarding the numbers at Fright Nights last year, I think that having to book in advance isn't an entirely stupid idea. I agree that having a deposit of sorts would be a good idea, but some people could just see £10 and get annoyed, rather than be under the mindset of 'oh, it's only a pound' I don't understand why you'd gladly part with '£200+' plus if you have so many issues with the service you are provided, I wouldn't want to spend £20 on something that made me as unhappy as Thorpe seems to make you at times, let alone £200. Then again this is something that's always brought up so I don't think it's really worth going there! (my post wasn't directly aimed at you, by the way)

I can see why they've done it, it's nothing more than a deterrent to stop certain individuals from simply booking, and so taking up and wasting a place for, a number of dates which they won't attend, just like others had said. It could be a bit of shock to a system if you bought a premium pass on the premise that Fright Nights would be free of charge etc. etc. etc. but I honestly think that £1 is nothing in comparison to what you likely spend on the day there. It's not outrageous and unjustifiable, possibly just a slight inconvenience for some.

The site states it's unavailable, the park are not at all obliged to give any sort of details as to why an attraction isn't available as far as I'm aware.

Do you think they'd be like the actors in HPH though, or would they be a little bit more in your face?

Well I should imagine that the theme for last year's overnight experiences shall no longer be as relevant, so it would make sense.