yeah

Had a few more runs of each maze. 2 on Survival Games and Stitches, one on Trailers and Dead Beat. Pretty similar to last week, although had one good and one excellent run through on Survival Games. Had one good run through on Stitches, but the other three I've done this year haven't been great. Trailers has delivered every time and I really liked Dead Beat last night. On the whole, though, yesterday was not good. Not sure I've ever seen the place as busy and didn't get to go on Hyperia this time, had to bail after all the shenanigans at the end of the day. Managed to catch a bit of Creature Campus, it's really not for me, we got bored fairly quickly and left. Some very "interesting" song choices. Enjoy Lucifer's Lair though, that should stay for as long as possible. Definitely in favour of Mawkin going now, it's had it's time and everyone I've done FN with this year or have spoken to about it has felt the same way, including some first time visitors. No sign of ride audio and I don't think it's coming unfortunately. Don't know if I'll be back until the last 2 weeks or so, but plan on 2+ more visits. I think Fright Nights is in a bit of a weird place right now, with mostly good mazes across the board that each offer something different (Stitches utterly terrifies some people even if it's not for all of us), but the free attractions and scare zones are lacking a bit this year. I'm not sure a new maze is necessary next year, and I still think all four mazes have a bit more left in them. I certainly don't want to lose Trailers or Survival Games just yet. Free attractions need a bit of a revamp next year. Lucifer's Lair can stay but I'd like two proper Mawkin-esque scare zones with new themes please.

Yeah, we didn't see it the first time round. It's in the "VIP area" section, to be fair it works as a sort of distraction scare as well as you see the clubgoer and then the "Visceral" (a name, which, like most of the story, isn't made very clear to you) comes from the other side, before the effect starts. I see what you mean about it being passive, for me, it's like a middle ground between Stitches, which can be very passive, and mazes like Survival Games and Trailers. I feel like it can work, I just don't think the "music taking your soul" thing is made clear enough. Besides, we're in a nightclub with the music blaring out, why are all the clubgoers wearing headphones?? One thing I do feel like Stitches nailed, was the use of sound effects/lighting to provide scares even when actors aren't there. It won't get everyone, and on repeat run throughs the impact lessens. But I remember being really on edge my first time going through, and the little musical stabs really got me a couple of times. I remember these, would've been from my first couple of FNs, especially remember hearing Detonator's from literally anywhere on park (as usual), Stealth's speech which was very good. Also remember hearing "the irrational fear of fire" and thinking... that is actually a very rational fear. Perhaps the most rational. I remember thinking last year that they would come eventually, but I'm not sure they ever did. It's a shame, as I remember Inferno and Swarm in particular having really cool atmospheres a few years ago, with Inferno's drums and the Swarm Invasion theme. Really hope this comes this year, as I cannot stand the music in the Inferno station being interrupted by "PLEASE HOLD TIGHT". In general I think they've taken a bit of a step back this year with the whole "disciples of FEAR" theme, which is a shame as I feel like there's a lot you could do with that and Hyperia this year. Oh well. I'll be back a couple of times over the next few weeks, and then once or twice towards the end of the event, so I'm looking forward to see what changes take place.

Was there yesterday. Ride wise had a bit of a nightmare, only got about 4 I think, mostly due to Hyperia messing us around, but got on it in the dark and it was HAULING. Seemed much busier than previous first days of Fright Nights. Experienced almost everything Fright Nights wise, here are my thoughts Dead Beat I really liked Dead Beat, didn't think it was particularly unique as I saw some people say, but it's a theme that doesn't get done often in mazes. Do think the whole "music that steals your soul" thing was a bit lost in the maze, but I don't think the storyline was very coherent honestly. Think it's a bit of a missed opportunity not to have a more sound-based attraction, although the soundtrack is great. Think it lacks a few things, especially a better ending. Trailers Trailers on it's opening was one of my favourite mazes ever, had a bit of everything and was incredibly fun. Over the years it got a bit less intense each year, to the point I was scared for it's future, so I'm glad it's been refreshed in this way. The rooms that have got the "chop" are mostly the rooms I was expecting/hoping would go, with the exception of Staines Street which is kept mostly the same. I always thought Ship Happens was a particularly weak room, partially due to it's length, so I think the two rooms being one continuous room helps massively. Similar with Vulcan Voodoo not really having any good hiding places, whereas Knock Knock now has about six. The one thing I'm surprised they didn't add was a fake train scare, similar to the last Platform ending, but space probably would've been an issue for that. My first run through on Trailers was one of my best on any maze, with it being well populated with actors who used the space incredibly well, and it had me running out of there at the end. Stitches The exact same as last year. Not much to add. Could do with more actors. The weakest of the four for me last night. Survival Games Thought Survival Games was very weak in it's first season, then last season was my favourite maze. This season my one run through was sort of in the middle, the group was massive so we were never really split up at all, walking through the first half in one long line. When we got to the labyrinth, I think we only had 2 actors in there, who were trying their absolute hardest, but this maze just needs a huge amount of actors in this section to get a good run through. I appreciate that they (I think) changed the layout a bit for repeat visitors, but I still find it has the same issue it's always really had in that you need to go and find the scares yourself sometimes rather than them happening naturally. Fair play to the actors, who tried to prolong it as much as possible, I had one in particular who I recognised from a few Fright Nights gone by basically drag me to the exit, where an actor there separating people to the exit, room next door or back into the maze sent me back, before the same actor from before dragged me back again, where the actor at the exit told me to stand against a wall for about 2 minutes where nothing happened. Then no chainsaw at the end, which I appreciate was probably out of their control. The Crows of Mawkin Meadow We only had one run through of Mawkin this year due to unfortunate timing, but I feel like I'm okay with this going soon. The costumes are amazing and always have been, but I'd like the Crows to return to roaming actors. Granted we went left so didn't get to go through the house, but the constant flow of guests combined with the lack of real hiding places makes it incredibly hard for the actors to give proper scares, and it relies a lot on the creepiness of the Crows and their costumes, which lessens each time you go through. General Didn't see much of Lucifer's Lair or Creature Campus, so can't comment on them. I'm aware Creature Campus has it's fans but it's never really been for me, I don't think either really work as scare zones and I'd rather have another, more "linear" scare zone akin to Mawkin or Death's Doors (although that never really worked despite the cool concept) as a second free, proper scare attraction. That's just a personal thing. Lighting was REALLY good, something they haven't really bothered with for a few years, so that was a big plus. Shame they seem to have stopped doing the event ride overlays, always enjoyed those and thought more parks should do things like that. I prefer each ride/area having it's own Fright Nights soundtrack and announcements as opposed to one parkwide soundtrack. Overall, I think it's a very strong year maze wise for Fright Nights, it's just lacking a few little things and, in my opinion, another free scare attraction to be a very strong year across the board.

I think it's going to come tbf, the park map says something like "listen out for The Toymaker's announcements as she orchestrates a night of fear". I think last year a couple rides didn't have them on the first weekend, but did later on in the event. I think, from listening to it in queues and things, it's got different sections for each maze. A lot of it was Trailers themed, some for Stitches and some that sounded like it was themed to Survival Games. So that's kinda cool. Loved Stitches. Partially because it plays on some childhood fears but I was horrified the whole way through and was holding onto my friend the whole way through. Survival Games was MUCH improved from last year, I was pretty let down last year. The run-through I had on Friday was one of the most intense I've ever had in any maze, some great jumpscares and it felt like I was trying to avoid the actors rather than having to look for them like I was last year. I'd put Trailers as the weakest maze this year, which is a shame as it's one of my favourites ever. Death's Doors doesn't really work, nice concept but the group I was in was so big and we were near the back, I literally knocked on one door that didn't have an actor behind because I got beaten to every other one. Lucifer's Lair seems fun although we didn't catch any of the shows this time, Crows is great as always. Don't see the point in Lamity not sticking around between shows. All in all, another really good event. They're getting good at these.

Both whole area, and both playing the old soundtracks

Mainly a reference to the fact that the ending is practically his intro lol, I'm assuming Perfect Day has some kind of connection to Fright Nights but I can't find it (admittedly I've only been going to Fright Nights for two years so I'm probably not the best person for it).It's also not necessarily a bad thing that he's had some involvement, but it does run the risk of becoming too obscure in places

Just saw Legacy. I'll leave spoilers out, but it's a nice little show. One thing I can say is it has Jack Silkstone and Co's fingerprints all over it, and is absolutely lost on anyone who isn't a fan. Lots of very confused faces. But it's a decent show and a nice extra.

Christ, alot has happened since someone last touched this thread 😅 Brentford have won the Playoffs and broken all football curses by the looks of it, no matter what happens tomorrow this has been the best year of my life footballing wise haha.

Went to Thorpe today and got to experience the new Swarm stuff in person. The area soundtrack is strange, the spoken parts are pretty bland, sometimes it overexplains stuff a bit, and again the whole thing is so unrealistic to the actual situation depicted in the ride. Which is fine, if the area is also themed in an unrealistic and outlandish way. This works for WWTP Radio, the hosts are constantly cracking jokes and it's all a bit nonchalant given the town is being hit by multiple tidal waves, but not only are there actual jokes in the WWTP Radio audio, but the area isn't exactly a serious area, whereas The Swarm is literally themed to the end of the world. I'm seeing crashed vehicles and a destroyed church, yet I'm hearing a completely calm sounding reverend being interviewed by a newsreader who keeps casually mentioning that the entire country is under attack? It doesn't really work. The song choices also don't really work, unsurprisingly. I can't tell if it's some kind of attempt at humour to be playing 'Highway to Hell' on this fake radio station as the world is literally ending around us, but again, it doesn't work when the rest of the area and even the audio is entirely serious up until then. The station audio is something else entirely though, it's actually really good. You can hear a clip of it here: I really wish the area audio was closer to this than what we got.

This story is also sort of now laid out by the new audio, as seen here: Although I think this time the church is supposed to be in the 'village of Thorpe', so at least that's explained. And also the Swarm itself apparently came from a research facility. The audio is very, very strange. 'The world is literally ending around us, quick, organise an interview with the reverend of the church, and in the meantime, play You Me At Six!' At least the Swarm Invasion audio is back in parts.

Was gonna post about this but I really don't think it's worth giving a person like her the time of day. In other news, The Swarm has a new soundtrack... and it's Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen... apparently?

Teaching kids that the M25 moves at all is giving them false hope, surely?

https://www.thorpepark.com/explore/theme-park/events/parkvibes/ Right.

From the plans, it looks to be a full circuit, so I'm assuming track switches. There's also an inversion in there by the looks of it.

In a truly shocking turn of events, Tomb Blaster is... exactly the same. https://twitter.com/ChessingtonBuzz/status/1394256497517993986?s=19