ML27

Watching peoples videos from the tour, the updates made do look nice! 
 
However, the flooring across the park needs to be replaced urgently. It actually brings down their work and by now should have all Covid markers pressure washed by now 

I think I’m criticising more the way instagram displays ads more than anything.
 
The image is great, it’s just easy to scroll past on instagram. There’s not text or anything to grab attention.

It’s all well and good and will look good for next couple of years but will need regular maintenance to keep the appearance up to scratch. They really need an onsite maintenance team specifically with an eye for quality and standards. Not just general facilities  

I have a feeling they are gonna remove reference to it being a resort. I’ve noticed it’s used a lot less…

Compared to previous years, it seems like Thorpe Park are actually getting on with it rather than waiting until the new year to remove Fright Nights attractions and maintenance seems to have started one day into the closed season (proper) 
 
Credit to ComericalGaines on Insta!

Compared to previous years, it seems like Thorpe Park are actually getting on with it rather than waiting until the new year to remove Fright Nights attractions and maintenance seems to have started one day into the closed season (proper) 
 
Credit to ComericalGaines on Insta!

As the 2023 season has officially come to an end, I thought I may as well do a little review of it.
 
Food options have vastly improved, mainly in snacking and desert options. Main meals at Aramark establishments have been a bit ropey. However, the addition of the Last Call Cafe and bar is great! Thorpe is the best Merlin park for food 10000%
 
It was the first season in which this “new” Merlin have really took control of Thorpe with several new improvements to improve the quality of the resort and a new picnic area! If last closed season we got those improvements, this closed season we are in store for lots more!
 
Operations were pretty decent this year, few periods of downtime with stealth either completely or one train and Colossus was out of action for a while but big picture I never really waited horrendous queue times until fright nights which is a positive!
 
Events generally took a step back this year, they peaked last year and this year either reduced in size or stayed the same. They really do have to look at family shows, because there just isn’t the audience for it everyday.
 
Fright Nights was solid this year, again I feel like reduced from previous years but we got something new! But really it’s for the Fright Nights section.
 
Feel like we have lots to be positive about and the communication from the park has been impeccable. I do genuinely believe the days of run down Thorpe park are nearly over, there’s a lot of work to be done but I’m confident that a good chunk of improvements will happen this year.
 
 

As the 2023 season has officially come to an end, I thought I may as well do a little review of it.
 
Food options have vastly improved, mainly in snacking and desert options. Main meals at Aramark establishments have been a bit ropey. However, the addition of the Last Call Cafe and bar is great! Thorpe is the best Merlin park for food 10000%
 
It was the first season in which this “new” Merlin have really took control of Thorpe with several new improvements to improve the quality of the resort and a new picnic area! If last closed season we got those improvements, this closed season we are in store for lots more!
 
Operations were pretty decent this year, few periods of downtime with stealth either completely or one train and Colossus was out of action for a while but big picture I never really waited horrendous queue times until fright nights which is a positive!
 
Events generally took a step back this year, they peaked last year and this year either reduced in size or stayed the same. They really do have to look at family shows, because there just isn’t the audience for it everyday.
 
Fright Nights was solid this year, again I feel like reduced from previous years but we got something new! But really it’s for the Fright Nights section.
 
Feel like we have lots to be positive about and the communication from the park has been impeccable. I do genuinely believe the days of run down Thorpe park are nearly over, there’s a lot of work to be done but I’m confident that a good chunk of improvements will happen this year.
 
 

I agree with your review totally,
I am not going to type out a whole review but add some observations.
 
The new batching areas added to the queues are brilliant as they force you to listen to a pre recorded safety announcement. Ultimately, with it being a paid attraction plus the reinforcement of the safety message, I don’t think they will have many incidents as before.
 
There is something fundamentally wrong with trailers. I was at the back of the group. I couldn’t physically leave the last scene into the corridor as people were not moving quick enough. So I was akwardly being hurried out by the actor with no where to go. I got into the next room and the scare had already happened and the actor was out and about trying to get close to people, basically missing out on a jumpscare and effectively the same as I walk through the crows (which works for the crows). Also the “run out” corridor was fully lit and not like the first year where it was pitch black and strobing every so often so vision was limited.
 
Lucifers lair adds a much needed area to be able to sit in during fright nights and watch something and grab a drink. The roaming actors do a good job at being scary in an open space.
 
Amity High show (I am still calling it that) doesn’t have a roaming actors anymore and it’s purely the shows and that’s it. I’m not sure operationally what happens to those actors as they go back to the dome after the show 😂

Think Hutson, introduced Archie Steven’s to Merlin. Then ultimately lost his job. Hutson comes across salty towards Merlin now. 

Thorpe Park is confusing when it comes to music, Archie didn’t produce the breakout at bozos music but he made trailers music?

Officially been revealed as “Hyperia-Find Your Fearless” 
 
It’s starting to seem this is a stylised coaster with a tagline like that.

I know it’s new but the name or logo just doesn’t seem to fit with the parks line-up. Does fit with that sign on the planning permission tho..
 
Find your Fearless is like they’ve asked AI to rephrase “dare to ride” from Icon 

I know it’s new but the name or logo just doesn’t seem to fit with the parks line-up. Does fit with that sign on the planning permission tho..
 
Find your Fearless is like they’ve asked AI to rephrase “dare to ride” from Icon 

Definitely gonna be a major night for the direction of project exodus. 
 
I am hoping project exodus will be outdated by the end of today 😂

Definitely gonna be a major night for the direction of project exodus. 
 
I am hoping project exodus will be outdated by the end of today 😂

According to the Facebook page, there’s an announcement at 9:45 tonight. 
 
it’s gotta be a name announcement, Hyperia got approved a few weeks ago and only way to go to try and generate hype. (If you pardon the pun)

I’ve purchased the unlimited maze pass, one of the factors is that I’d rather pay the price of £99 once and get multiple run throughs than pay £10 and get a really bad trailers run through. 
 
It has its downsides, hence why I’ve only purchased the pass now. However, I will go to fright nights at least 5 times, the ability to do the mazes repeatedly during the 3 hours is quite ideal and I’ve only done SG once, so for this line up it’s pretty good.

I don't really think it's harsh, more of a reality check. Like I say, I have absolutely nothing but admiration for the dedication that Kieran and Jack put into these trailers - but at the end of the day, those trailers are pretty much just for the enthusiasts... aka people who are very much aware of Fright Nights and will likely attend the event anyway. I suppose the level of quality that the park get through Kieran and Jack for their money is unmatched by anybody else, not forgetting that these videos are produced by two individuals with a passion for theme parks and videography - something you won't get if you run to a bog-standard marketing agency - so they really hit the nail on the head each time when it comes to knowing what the people want.
 
However, I must admit that the balance of storydriven narrative and actual genuine promotional material for the mazes/zones has been bang on point this year so far. The Trailers reveal last night had the narrative to kick off the video, panned into the box, and had a montage of what it's actually like inside of the maze... perfect!
 
When leaning too heavily into a narrative you can often oversell an attraction and unfortunately I feel like that's definitely what was done last year, so it's great to see that they've finally found the perfect balance this year.

It’s clearly inspired by the aim to get Fright Nights, the Halloween horror nights status and storyline. It’s amazing the content side of it but in reality… is it?
 
First of all I’m going to remove the people. I'm gonna view this as, this is what Thorpe Park created and put out.
 
There is a big distance from the marketing and reality. None of the videos show what the experience is going to be like. It is simply a way to provide the story, which isn’t relevant if the story isn’t portrayed in the attraction or in the event. 
 
The quality of the videos compared to the quality of the event isn’t there. Legacy is held on an empty swimming pool, like why should I have to walk across sand on an uneven platforms.
 
Just create videos which showcase the event and show me the maze and snippets from inside. That’s what the GP care about
 
 

It’s clearly inspired by the aim to get Fright Nights, the Halloween horror nights status and storyline. It’s amazing the content side of it but in reality… is it?
 
First of all I’m going to remove the people. I'm gonna view this as, this is what Thorpe Park created and put out.
 
There is a big distance from the marketing and reality. None of the videos show what the experience is going to be like. It is simply a way to provide the story, which isn’t relevant if the story isn’t portrayed in the attraction or in the event. 
 
The quality of the videos compared to the quality of the event isn’t there. Legacy is held on an empty swimming pool, like why should I have to walk across sand on an uneven platforms.
 
Just create videos which showcase the event and show me the maze and snippets from inside. That’s what the GP care about
 
 

They should stop using project Exodus for starters.
 
Incarnating the name into physical signage isn’t ideal. It risks it properly sticking with people and anyway is anyone except enthusiasts going to refer to it as that. It could have really done with just saying 2024 Coaster.

Very much aware, one week they haven’t done anything, next week they have.

Up until yesterday I’ve never seen that trademark page.
 
Icarus is a weird name but at least it’s unique.
 
Hyperia reminds me of Hyperion and Energylandia and also very basic 

I think it’s a nice colour, ultimately depends on the lighting. It’s not tacky, it could have been very tacky and cheap. This colour also hides dirt a bit better considering it’s over water.
 
 
Just to update this, the park have since said this:

I think it’s a nice colour, ultimately depends on the lighting. It’s not tacky, it could have been very tacky and cheap. This colour also hides dirt a bit better considering it’s over water.
 
 
Just to update this, the park have since said this:

Credit to Theme Park Guide. See the original post here
 
Some retro Thorpe park items have been spotted including the rangers outfit.
 
Not sure what they are for because it surely can’t be for a maze because they are gonna get horrible and damaged in the rain. 
 
However if it is going to be used for the new maze. I hope they don’t destroy or alter the props. I could see it fitting in with the speculated toy shop or children’s toy box theme. (Side note - if it is this theme it feels like they’ve taken inspiration from the curse at Alton manor specifically the second half)