Fright Nights 2014

[Altitude]

kinky

 

A murderer in a blood-soaked gas mask? 

I'm not here to judge...

[Fred]

Why do people think this Horror Pass is bad value? The freedom pass at towers was exactly the same price and sold out.

 

It's obviously aimed at the TP and standard passes market to get more visitation in (as that's what they're struggling with, hence TP season passes and annual passes being stupidly cheap this year!)

[Benin]

Why do people think this Horror Pass is bad value? The freedom pass at towers was exactly the same price and sold out.

 

It's obviously aimed at the TP and standard passes market to get more visitation in (as that's what they're struggling with, hence TP season passes and annual passes being stupidly cheap this year!)

 

Didn't Towers' pass have a bit more bonus Fastrack thrown in though?

[Altitude]

I would say given the price increase for Annual Pass users, the Horror Pass is good value if you're visiting 2 or 3 times.

However the actual price rise itself is too much in my opinion. Sorry but considering you've already paid £100+ for the MAP, one visit to Fright Nights is not worth 10% on top of what you've already paid for an entire year.

 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy visiting Merlin parks, but they're just pushing prices up until they know people can't afford it any more, whereas I think pricing should be based on the experience you're getting on the visit.

[alexander]

If people go to tulleys they can probably stay at mine considering I only live like 15 mins from there

[Coaster]

Hi! Our scare mazes open at 3pm during our Fright Nights events! TP 

Taken from the Facebook page.  This confirms 3pm opening of the mazes

[JoshC.]

Taken from ScareTOUR's Facebook:

 

 

Want to know EVERYTHING about Fright Nights at Thorpe Park this year, including more news about the new maze, the overnight events, the brand new roaming scarezone characters and the extreme "face it alone challenge" ? Then read on:

Studio 13 dares guests to audition for this blood-soaked blockbuster of a maze as they step behind-the-scenes for a tour of the UK’s most evil film studio. As the lights flicker, the film crew directs the action but true horror lurks behind the movie making and guests quickly discover there is no happy ever after. Studio 13 promises a completely immersive and fast-paced experience – dreamt up by a deranged Director and acted out against a menacing backdrop of bloodied make up booths, deserted motel-themed sets, hanging body bags and crazed flesh-eating murderers on the hunt for fresh kill and hoarding limbs for their prized trophy cabinet. Expect a script with a truly deadly ending. Want to be a movie star?

Also NEW for 2014 – American thrill author Michael Grant has been recruited to curate a new on-park scare experience. Live horror action will unfold between the scare mazes and thrilling rides as 13 new and hellish scare actor characters - created by the award-winning Grant - are on a grisly quest to surprise and terrify guests when they least expect it.

Overnight Experience – NEW
Don’t expect to get much sleep on the new FRIGHT NIGHTS Overnight Experience. Celebrate the first anniversary of THORPE PARK Studios with an exclusive invite-only theatre party plus backstage studios tours set against the shadowy backdrop of a deserted theme park. Hang out after hours with the Director and his army of beloved yet slightly crazed fans and discover the secrets of his movie-making success but don’t expect the script to go to plan and prepare to encounter some terrifying scenes.

Finally: Face It Alone Experience
Crank up the fear factor and dare yourself to brave the UK’s most terrifying horror mazes alone. As the Park closes, the truly brave are invited to enjoy an exclusive blood-tinged champagne reception before returning to their maze of choice to face extreme live action scares where no one can hear you scream!

Excited yet?

 

Excited I am.  Sounds absolutely incredible.

 

They're truly pulling out all the stops here, and the park-wide theme sounds perfect.  It's clear already that they've put tonnes of thought, effort and money into the event this year, and I'm really, really looking forward to it now.

 

I know some may question why they're not making full use of the Lionsgate IPs, but given what we're getting, I'm not really complaining!

[Kerfuffle]

Michael Grant??? We could be seeing a 'Gone' themed scarezone here, folks!

[JoshC.]

Michael Grant??? We could be seeing a 'Gone' themed scarezone here, folks!

 

I haven't read any of the Gone series, so dunno how good or bad that'd be, but by the sounds of it, the roaming characters being created are all original and specifically designed for Thorpe.

[Deleted Users]

Towers fanboys must be fuming.

[Altitude]

Studio 13 sounds like it could be fab, but I'm not holding my breath considering how awful the atmosphere was last year

I do like the general theme of it though. Hopefully Thorpe Park will pull it off! After all their investment this year was bumper cars, they have money to spend.

 

Come on Thorpe, prove to us you can host a class Halloween event once again!

[Coaster]

After reading this, Studio 13 actually sounds very promising!

 

I can imagine the deserted movie studio being very similar to Asylum in terms of strobe effects, actors etc...

Some links I have found:

As the lights flicker

Surely a reference to strobe lighting being used?  Or the flickering lights that were in the first corridor of Asylum.

deserted motel-themed sets,

A lot of the interior of Asylum would be very easy to look like a hotel instead of a hospital.  Beds?  Chairs?  Television sets?  Shower?  All of this would easily fit in a hotel set up.

hanging body bags

Didn't The Freezer have body bags?

Expect a script with a truly deadly ending.

Hopefully this means it will keep the same ending (or a similarly good one)...

 

I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with for Studio 13.  

Will it beat Asylum?  I don't think so.  But that doesn't mean it can't be good.

[Mitchada04]

Urgh that first corridor in Asylum. Such a wasted opportunity!

I think it's going to be completely different to Asylum! They've got an empty building to work with! If it uses the same layout and stuff people are just going to always relate it to Asylum. It needs to be entirely new, only same thing being the way in and out and the building itself. Layout once your in to change, lighting to be different in the different sets (not just a constant strobe and stupid siren).

If it stays true to being a film studio it will have different rooms of the different sets. The possibilities are endless and it's not difficult to beat a maze that repeats itself for the bulk of it (actors timing their attacks with the strobe flashes is good for a bit but gets very repetitive after q couple of minutes). Asylum was good but I really don't get why it was soooo loved. The ending to the Vampire maze (whatever it is called these days) is just a much shorter version of Asylum and works just as well because it's not overdone.

Bring on Studio 13!

[Coaster]

If it stays true to being a film studio it will have different rooms of the different sets. The possibilities are endless and it's not difficult to beat a maze that repeats itself for the bulk of it (actors timing their attacks with the strobe flashes is good for a bit but gets very repetitive after q couple of minutes). Asylum was good but I really don't get why it was soooo loved. The ending to the Vampire maze (whatever it is called these days) is just a much shorter version of Asylum and works just as well because it's not overdone.

Bring on Studio 13!

Mazes are very subjective, personally I don't think much of Saw Alive but know people who think it is amazing!

I don't think the maze will have the same layout (even Asylum's layout changed every year), I just mean that a lot of the stuff inside it could be reused with the new maze.

[RubyRed95]

IMAScore > Midnight Syndicate

 

Besides, since it's not going to be Asylum anymore, why should they have the same music? They need to make the new one it's own identity, so new music should really be a given...

I agree it would be good to see new music since its an entirely new thing but it would have to be good enough  to beat the old soundtrack and create a good atmosphere! only reason I thought the old one may be kept is because The Freezer had it too

[Coaster]

Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to Fright Nights but I can't help feeling that there isn't enough variety. For example: Saw Alive - slasher. My Bloody Valentine - slasher. Studio 13 - slasher. Cabin in the Woods - very complicated slasher.

Whereas there used to be so much more variety: Hellgate - haunted mansion. Asylum - speaks for itself. Curse - lost souls seeking revenge. Se7en - deadly sins. Experiment 10 - sinister human experiment.

Variety is the key with these events, and I just hope that Studio 13 isn't too similar to the other mazes.

[Benin]

Towers fanboys must be fuming.

 

The loss of the free maze being replaced by a Scarezone (or as I like to think of them, Scaremazes in the light by UK spec) is an absolute blow it must be said... I find it interesting how Scarefest is being cut to pieces budget wise, perhaps Thorpe's performance this year is a big indicator as to why they're going all out for Fright Nights...

 

But Thorpe for all the flashy movie stuff last year still couldn't provide an atmosphere outside of the mazes... Whilst the roaming actors (mostly the Director character, as the You're Next people were very dull) added something, it was sheer dumb luck if you actually encountered them over the day if you were actually doing stuff...

 

I'm sure when Studio 13 opens we'll find out how similar it is to Asylum... The PR description for it is quite amusing though, they always are for scare events cos it's always the same stuff from every park...

 

Never heard of the American author... It would be disappointing to just have more "RAR I'M AN ANGRY SERIAL KILLER" roamers though...

 

Still think that the UK parks still have much to learn though in creating a truly big Halloween style event mind, my visit to Walibi last year pretty much had the atmosphere, numerous scaremazes and zones with some family aimed stuff as well...

[Mitchada04]

So a few things then about FN.

 

The Horror Pass: 

 

 

Want unlimited access to Fright Nights? Buy your 16 Night Horror Pass. Includes unlimited resort entry from Sept-Nov, 1 free Fastrack for all our mazes and free car parking. £98 or £50 Bolt-on for Annual or Season Pass Holders. Limited Availability.

Simple as that. 

 

Face it alone tickets are also now on sale for the 4 mazes, Studio 13 seems to be referred to everywhere as Studio 13: The Motel.

 

You can also do a tour this year of the mazes for £20. The experience starts at 1pm and you get a look at all 4 of the mazes before they open to the public.

[Coaster]

Face it alone tickets are also now on sale for the 4 mazes, Studio 13 seems to be referred to everywhere as Studio 13: The Motel.

 

You can also do a tour this year of the mazes for £20. The experience starts at 1pm and you get a look at all 4 of the mazes before they open to the public.

Where are you seeing this?  I can't see anything about the new maze on the website.

[Mitchada04]

You actually have to go in and go through the booking process for Fright Nights

[Ryan]

Would anyone be up for doing the overnight experience this year? Getting a few of us going in a little group would be great fun.

[Fin The Human]

Are the behind the scene tours in a group with other people or just your group?

[JoshC.]

Are the behind the scene tours in a group with other people or just your group?

 

I'd assume they're in a group, and that there would be a limited number of tickets available per day.  

However, given that this probably appeals to a minority of people, the groups could be very small, or you may be able to do it be yourself.

[Coaster]

I might have to do the behind the scenes tours, I've always wanted to see what the mazes look like with the lights on.

 

More info from ScareTOUR, posted today on their Facebook page:

 

 

Some more details of each of the THORPE PARK Official mazes including some hints of changes to Blair Witch scare zone and new evil in Saw:

Studio 13 – The Maze - NEW
Want to be a movie star? Then dare to audition for this blood-soaked blockbuster and step behind-the-scenes for a tour of the UK’s most evil film studios. After 13 years making horrifying productions, the deranged Director has opened up his brand new studio to horror fans for one night only. As the lights flicker, the film crew are on hand to direct the action through a maze of
bloodied make up booths, deserted motel themed sets and hanging body bags but true horror lurks behind the movie making and it’s not long before visitors realize there is no happy ever after. Expect a script with a truly deadly ending.

Cabin in the Woods: The Maze
Winner Best Halloween Scare Attraction SCARS 2014
Experience a frightening live recreation of this ground-breaking satirical horror film. Visitors will tour the seemingly innocent rustic cabin, within which lies a secret facility that unleashes nightmarishly hideous ‘beings’. A fully immersive, brilliantly themed maze where visitors can influence the outcome and come face to face with the nightmare and devastation that is, The Cabin In The Woods.

My Bloody Valentine: The Maze
Relive one of the most terrifying films of all time. Ten years after a tragic mining accident in the town of Harmony, Harry Warden awoke from his coma on Valentine’s Day and brutally murdered 22 people with his pickaxe before being killed. Years on, there’s a killer on the loose – has Harry returned? Visitors will find themselves in the horrific hospital ward before having to negotiate their way through the tunnels of an abandoned mine, neglected shacks and a pitch black forest.

The Blair Witch Project: Scare Zone
A previously unused, dark wooded area of THORPE PARK, has now been renamed as ‘Burkittsville Village’ and is the setting for the recreation of this cult black and white movie. This outdoor scare attraction leaves it all to the imagination using the natural surrounds and woodland setting with a new ambient soundtrack to create the ultimate scare walkthrough experience.

SAW Alive: The Maze
Guess who’s coming to play? From the twisted minds that created the world’s most terrifying rollercoaster SAW - The Ride, comes the world’s most extreme live action maze – now with even more evil for 2014! Visitors will come face to face with the sadistic Billy puppet and face his nightmarish games…winding their way through this brilliantly themed multi-roomed maze.

 

 

On another note, I have just looked at the opening times and the event is on for one week less than last year

[paige]

The idea of Michael Grant being behind he roaming actors has made me so happy! The chance of Drake roaming around the park is both terrifying yet brilliant! (Sorry to those who haven't read the Gone series ).

As I'll hardly be doing the mazes it'll be the roaming actors and theming that'll do it for me. I am actually so happy with Thorpe for getting Grant in!