OldFarmerDean Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 I hope they make it funny though, because the best thing about a clown maze is humor.. Thats why COS was so good. I don't think it will be somehow CoS was my favourite maze when I done it for the first and only time back in 2013... so clever, with a bit of humour too and some good scares! JoshuaA 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 TBH, Thorpe has rated it a 5/5 scare level attraction. If it's scares are lessened by humour, that'll just be disappointing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge2002 Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 CoS's emphasis wasn't really on the actual clowns to be fair. It was the mimes, fake dummies, gorilla etc that were scary, while the clowns just loved to have a bit of banter. It didn't rely on the cliche of "Ohh people are scared of clowns...boo!" and had some very good optical illusions and tricks. I kind off rolled my eyes when Thorpe's promo video says "We don't do cliches", because clowns are like the biggest scare cliche out there. I just hope Thorpe aren't relying on the shock factor of creepy clowns, because personally, spooky blood covered clowns don't particularly bother me. Fortunately though, it looks like we're gonna get more of a freak show, which should be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted September 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Yeah that's true. But if the atmosphere is right, then anything can be scary... I have to say, the clowns and pumpkins and creepy music also made me roll my eyes a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 From Scruffy Dog's FB page. Definitely theming for The Big Top! JoshuaA, Brighteyes99 and Cal 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 TBH, Thorpe has rated it a 5/5 scare level attraction. If it's scares are lessened by humour, that'll just be disappointing I disagree, dark humor can add more fun to a maze. IMO it doesn't ruin the scares or atmosphere, actually I would say it deepens the atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graw Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 so.. does anyone think there will be anything different or unique about the big top?? do you think we'll get split up, touched more than the other mazes, be made to crawl?? from what I can tell, it just seems to be a standard free-flow maze like Studio 13 was. these are good of course, and I really enjoyed Studio 13...but I really would like the big top to have some unique features, almost making it as shocking as EX10 was in its opening year. or something like that, I'm not sure.. I just hope it isn't boring, that's all...what do people think about the big top possibly being more "extreme" than the other mazes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerfuffle Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 I just hope it isn't boring, that's all...what do people think about the big top possibly being more "extreme" than the other mazes? Well for starters, clowns are a common phobia. Alton Towers had even hosted a therapy session for the phobia in promotion for Carnival of Screams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 From Scruffy Dog's FB page. Definitely theming for The Big Top! That or Casey Jr's circus train has well and truly let itself go. Kerfuffle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanluke2009 Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Regarding the booking fee people could still book all days though that's the thing so it makes it redundant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 Regarding the booking fee people could still book all days though that's the thing so it makes it redundant. Yes, they could. But it will cost them £20 odd, and so they'll lose out on some money for doing it. So its aim is to discourage people from doing it (which will be the case), as opposed to doing them outright. You don't want to limit people on the number of Fright Nights they can attend either, so this is possibly the most sensible solution to a problem which has been created by some AP holders. Altitude 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordanluke2009 Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 ^ but if your going by that ticke last year that cost something like £50-60 for the whole event it's still going to be cheaper. But your still going to get inconsiderate people wanting to spend that sort of money for someone not to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 8, 2015 Report Share Posted September 8, 2015 ^ but if your going by that ticke last year that cost something like £50-60 for the whole event it's still going to be cheaper. But your still going to get inconsiderate people wanting to spend that sort of money for someone not to go. I don't quite get your point? Are you referring to the Horror Pass? That was a pass available to Standard Pass Holders (and non-AP holders) which would give them access to all Fright Nights dates without having to pay the £5 charge that Standard Pass Holders had to. As far as I'm aware, they either still had to book in advance for certain dates, or the number of passes sold was taken away from the maximum gate figure per day. This is different though. In the past, some Premium Pass Holders were literally booking all dates for things like this (since it was free to do so), just in case they decided to go on a certain day. The £1 booking charge is surely there to discourage people from doing that, and instead only book for dates they are actually going to go? Some people may decided to book all 20-odd dates and pay £20 for that insurance, but it will definitely be a deterrent. I doubt many, if any, will pay money just to potentially spite other people from going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted September 9, 2015 Report Share Posted September 9, 2015 I wonder when they're going to release tickets for annual passholders... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFarmerDean Posted September 9, 2015 Report Share Posted September 9, 2015 I wouldn't call it spiting other people from going... I'd say saving normal guests from an overfilled park aha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted September 9, 2015 Report Share Posted September 9, 2015 I wonder when they're going to release tickets for annual passholders... Hopefully soon. Don't know why they haven't done it earlier, as I constantly see people asking over facebook/twitter. Wonder what the pricing is going to be for standard annual pass holders this year, as last year it was £10 is you booked it on October. So far I have only seen them mention £5 when people have asked. Personally I think £10 is too much for an annual pass holder. Coaster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted September 9, 2015 Report Share Posted September 9, 2015 I do hope they didn't base the decision to charge a booking fee off Summer Nights stats, since of the nine times I attended, my pass/ticket was only ever scanned the once. OldFarmerDean 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted September 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 In regards to those talking about this being the 'darkest marketing scheme yet'. I have to say that the advertising of Studio 13 was far darker. After all, the marketing said it was a 'snuff film'. And the director video (although cringey) more disturbing than all this clown stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graw Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 In regards to those talking about this being the 'darkest marketing scheme yet'. I have to say that the advertising of Studio 13 was far darker. After all, the marketing said it was a 'snuff film'. And the director video (although cringey) more disturbing than all this clown stuff... nah man, that cringey director video was definitely nothing compared to these messed up videos of a woman tied up in a torture chamber, and some dude eating weird gross green stuff. there's even a video entitled "bound and gagged"...the marketing campaign for the big top is really dark.. it seems this way for towers too though this year, that teaser for sub species was absolutely f**ked up Brighteyes99 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altitude Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 Part of me wishes they'd stay away from cheesy stuff though. To me, a teaser trailer with tension/suspense is scarier than one with a clown eating green things or blood etc. When I go to inside an attraction at Fright Nights, I know that I'm not going to be eaten, tortured or murdered. I know cliché horror advertising works for Thorpe Parks demographic, but I'd love to see an attraction all about tension. For example, a maze advertised in a way that builds up to something physical (like a room at the end, an object) would be terrifying. Take Oblivion for example. On my first time, the whole experience was frightening because you get a message drilled into your head before riding, however you're never told what is inside the hole, or how deep it really is. The hole in the ground isn't something hard to understand like a computer system or aliens, it's something so simple yet dramatic at the same time! I'm probably making no sense at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack loves the cabin Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 Totally random but do any of you guys know if the sidemen will be at fright nights this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshC. Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 In regards to those talking about this being the 'darkest marketing scheme yet'. I have to say that the advertising of Studio 13 was far darker. After all, the marketing said it was a 'snuff film'. And the director video (although cringey) more disturbing than all this clown stuff... I get what you're saying, but I still think this is darker. Marketing never said it was a snuff film for the record though, just called it a horror film. The trouble with the Director video last year was the overuse of effects cheapened away from the darkness. Maybe that was the point, since that video was also aimed to be one that shows on the screen by the entrance, but it certainly did take away from the dark aura it could have had. But then, I still loved that video and it set up the scenario for Studio 13 just fine. The Big Top campaign feels a lot darker and, most importantly, more serious. The 'Run away with the circus' video is the stand out one to me. The other videos wreak of irony to me with a bit of dark humour thrown in. Everything just feels a lot darker, and this seems to be a much more serious attempt at creating a stand-out, long serving Fright Nights attraction. Part of me wishes they'd stay away from cheesy stuff though. To me, a teaser trailer with tension/suspense is scarier than one with a clown eating green things or blood etc. When I go to inside an attraction at Fright Nights, I know that I'm not going to be eaten, tortured or murdered. I know cliché horror advertising works for Thorpe Parks demographic, but I'd love to see an attraction all about tension. For example, a maze advertised in a way that builds up to something physical (like a room at the end, an object) would be terrifying. Take Oblivion for example. On my first time, the whole experience was frightening because you get a message drilled into your head before riding, however you're never told what is inside the whole, or how deep it really is. The hole in the ground isn't something hard to understand like a computer system or aliens, it's something so simple yet dramatic at the same time! I'm probably making no sense at all... Isn't Blair Witch basically an attraction all about tension? The finale is still a bit lacklustre, but the whole of the route before then is all about building the tension, making you wonder what's ahead, etc. I guess the fact that it only has a 2/5 star rating speaks volumes about what Thorpe / Thorpe's target market think about tension-building attractions though? It's a shame there hasn't been any real teasers for BWP to show people what to expect, but I s'pose that's the point; keep people guessing and on their toes. I'd really love for Thorpe to do a similar attraction if/when the BWP contract runs out, and give it a bit more limelight. That sort of attraction could be a real gem in a Halloween event if pulled off correctly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 Thats why I liked BWP... It was full of tension, and every couple of minutes a actor would scare you. IMO it was way better than studio 13, which for me lacked scares and substance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted September 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 I really like BWP, shame about the queues though. The fact is, I've never been scared or intimidated by ANY thorpe marketing.... and their videos look consistently cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshuaA Posted September 10, 2015 Report Share Posted September 10, 2015 I really like BWP, shame about the queues though. The fact is, I've never been scared or intimidated by ANY thorpe marketing.... and their videos look consistently cheap At least not as bad as.. yeah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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