Fright Nights 2016

[CryoControl]

Just got back from the park thought I'd share my experience with the maze. Unfortunately, fast track was sold out so I was only able to go in one of the mazes (1.5hr queues). I chose to go in the big top since it's apparently pretty good this year.

Despite me not getting overly scared the other people I went with were terrified so I'd say it's definitely scary enough, although I didn't get grabbed or such so that probably contributed to the less scary experience. 

The start was really disorientating and I had no clue what was going on but once you figure it out it becomes a lot less scary. If you don't try to think to in depth about it, however, it certainly does its job with the actors appearing in front of you seemingly at random.

For me, it went downhill from there; in the room with the boxes, my group had a really weird experience, one of the actors walked past us, jumped up onto the boxes and stood there. It was really confusing considering she waited for about 10 seconds for us to walk around the central island then jumped down behind us and just followed us to the door. I wouldn't say it was very scary at all and certainly was slightly odd.

Now for the chainsaw chase. I had never been in the big top before and only had a vague idea that there was a chainsaw area at the end, though I completely forgot whilst I was in the maze. My group and I walked into the corridor and I heard the chainsaw sound effect start but I honestly thought it was just part of the music. I saw all of them running towards the exit and I just kept walking, thinking to myself "It's not that scary". I stopped just before the exit and turned around, only to be greeted with a woman holding a chainsaw. We stared at each other for about 5 seconds or so before I got pushed out. It was a really surreal experience but I strongly advise you not to walk like I did or you do look like a complete idiot. Especially to the other people you go with.

[Owen]

Well, what an interesting Fright Nights. Personally a lot of my experiences seem to contradict a lot of what's been said - so I'll start with the worst...

 

THE BIG TOP was a huge disappointment this year, and personally I found last year far superior to this year. I believe this was because last year I had many very well timed moments, whilst this year there was a lack of actors, fog and overall interest. I can't give it more than 4/10.

 

PLATFORM 15 is a tricky one. The first section I'd give an 8 or 9, but then whatever the Devon count half was needs drastically improving! After being chased and grabbed in the first section, the second section felt more like X's queue. I am giving this 5/10.

 

CONTAINMENT was very good this year, With a lot of actor interaction and challenge are that we're quite hard it's a great improvement on last year! I give this 7/10.

 

BLAIR WITCH was my favourite maze last year, and this year it certainly didn't disappoint. I was split up from my group and touched more than last year, and so I thoroughly enjoyed it! I give this 7/10

 

Cabin in The Woods wasn't my favourite last year, however this year it was amazing! The actors  mere very good here and there were a lot of them, I also found myself being sent around in circles often and this I felt was much better than Alton Towers' Sub-Species this year! I give this an 8/10.

 

Overall my rating of both Scarefest and Fright Nights mazes would have to be...

1 - Altonville Mine Tours

2 - Cabin in The Woods

3 - BLAIR WITCH

4 - CONTAINMENT

5 - Sub-Species: The End Games

6 - PLATFORM 15

7 - Terror of The Towers 

8 - THE BIG TOP

[400400]

Does anyone know what the p15 sound track is ??

[Glitch]

44 minutes ago, jonny9403 said:

Does anyone know what the p15 sound track is ??

Darude Sandstorm

[Marc]

Park are advising not to turn up tomorrow if you've not pre-booked! Going to be another busy one!

[browneggsandham]

Park are advising not to turn up tomorrow if you've not pre-booked! Going to be another busy one!

How strict do you think they will be on that if we get there first thing. Just tried to book an extra ticket for someone and it's only taking booking for Sunday and Monday now :-(

Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk

[Marc]

9 hours ago, browneggsandham said:

 

How strict do you think they will be on that if we get there first thing. Just tried to book an extra ticket for someone and it's only taking booking for Sunday and Monday now :-(

Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk
 

 

 

To late now I guess sorry but good luck if you try it!!

[Hoppyben]

19 hours ago, jonny9403 said:

Does anyone know what the p15 sound track is ??

Yeah I'd like to know that too. I've tried looking but can't seem to find it anywhere.

[Ryan]

If anyone's bored at work or school right now, go have a look at the reviews on Thorpe's facebook... complete meltdown! 

[Matt 236]

Almost nothing but one star reviews for this years event.

 

Seriously though I can see where they're coming from. How can anyone defend a three and a half hour queue for Platform which resulted in just three attractions in 6 hours.

 

Things do need changing for 2017's event and it can't just be pricing.

[Mitchada04]

The same happens every year yet people still go. Nothing will change in that sense. 

[Coaster]

Ha, Thorpe Park customer satisfaction at its finest!

[Marc]

Out of the probably 100,000+ people visiting the park over the last couple weeks there will of course be people upset - the park is always busy at Fright Nights!

 

On the plus side I thought the park looked great this year - much less of them generator lights, much more theming across the park and tonnes of smoke - bought back a Fright Night atmosphere which has been absent for a while now.

 

 

Park audio was also much improved - nice to hear some old classics back from 2003/4/5 Fright Nights other than the Saw music. 

 

Big Top was much improved this year - Platform starts well but does go down hill after the train - if this returns I look forward to seeing how they develop it.

 

[pluk]

Yep, park did look great. 

 

I also don't think the maze free-for-all works particularly well. My issues is of course fastrack - I'm sure if all the main queues were processing twice as many people and no-one could jump them people would be much happier overall. But I really think the way to go with frightnights is the opposite: all the mazes should be timed and ticketed. It's the one thing the otherwise dire Reserve and Ride system could actually be good for with no standby queue, and could be done on a paid for basis. 

The mazes are extra, they are something else above what a normal themepark offering is. I'd have no problem paying for them individually if it were to remove some of the current chaos that a busy frightnight brings.

 

While no-one expects firghtnights to be quite, when they get so busy that the park fails to cope any longer then something really should change. For me it was getting to that point on my visit, which in the scheme of things wasn't a stupidly busy night I understand. Maybe the simplest answer is to lower the park capacity, and if we're not going for paid mazes up the price a little to compensate. I don't think anyone could argue it's not still good value, as long as you are able to atually get on things once you are in!

[MachoMachine]

Now Fright Nights is over, I'm gonna give a little review and (some) constructive criticism. These views are purely my own and if you don't like them then tough

Park theming

Much better this year than previous. I love that you get immersed as you walk towards the dome, really brings an element of spook to the park! As mentioned by many, the atmospherical lighting and smoke effects really worked around ride areas and certain places on park. I'd like to see some 'scarier' theming compared to a cute lil' skeleton pumpkin, as I feel like it would reflect on their marketing and maze ratings. I went for the first 2 weekends of FN and the music was blaring in some areas but others it was pretty quiet. More variety than Hello Zepp would be a change. Reusing Director's audio on ride was a bit meh if I'm honest. Hoping they'll change that up next year to match whatever maze/s will be the front runners. Roaming actors were so, so good this year too. Lots of interaction and I felt the voting technique was a great way to bring some nostalgia back! (I also didn't do Containment but heard that it was so much better this year so yeah! you go containment!)

The Big Top
If I'm being honest, I did really enjoy the maze last year despite its harsh critiques, so this year it blew it out of the water for me! I've never had so much fun in a maze. I like how it fast forwarded 50 odd years in the future to see these clowns take over the Figaro brothers' creation. The strobe maze gave me anxiety (in the best way anxiety can come along) and the soundtrack was just perfect. The clown dressing room was borderline terrifying and I'm not even remotely scared of clowns so I pity those who are! Prop room was really interesting too, I liked the way the actors used the props and the jack in the boxes were a fab little touch alongside some old ranger pals. I really hope they try and make the facade as good as it was in 2015 as that was beautiful! Next year I'd love to see a mirror maze section added in properly this time as I really feel it would mess with the visuals after a strobe maze and I feel like the ending should be more obvious to what it is (you're being chased onto a stage to perform, apparently) rather than just a cliche chainsaw ending. More clowns and less mimes!

I only give lots of feedback for Big Top as I really want it to be the best it can be <3

 

Platform 15
A train wreck. A literal train wreck. The story behind it was great, the lead up to the train was great, the train itself was great, but after that it just fell flat for me. The actors worked so hard to try and make it good but the longevity of it just made it a bore at some points. If a long maze is going to be made, it needs to have way more theming and interaction (see The Colony at Tulley's). Despite saying all this I really enjoyed the ending, the use of the conductor was fab and really made for a creepy close rather than just being chased by someone with a large electrical appliance. The soundtrack was beautifully done alongside the themeing of the train and I loved the idea of the sleepers. Hopefully if it's being brought back next year it'll do a Big Top and show us all up. Or failing that, just move the train into a scare-zone area with the sleepers coming at everyone. 

The Blair Witch (rip Project)
I actually enjoyed this maze for once. Hoorah! Compared to previous years the actors got way more creative with their hiding spots. Grabbing at my legs whilst you're hiding in a tent? *screams* Lots of loud noises being created by them and being closely followed whilst one breathes into your ear is an experience to say the least. More themeing added with the use of the Blair Witches symbol and red lights dotted which gave throwback to the original and yet stayed true to the newer film too. The shed was anti-climactic as always but the outside run through made up for it! I won't be sad for this one to go but I'm glad it had a better final run through. If it goes. Hopefully. maybe. Sign was beautiful though so if that's going I'll give you a tenner for it. xoxo gossip amy

SAW Alive

Nothing new, nothing old really! First run was pretty dire but it definitely picked up after that. Kudo's to all the actors in there making the most terrifying screams I've heard! You get out of that trap girl! But in all seriousness this maze is just a stape for Thorpe in my opinion and it really depends what group you're with to tell if you're going to get a good run or not. I'll forever love the bathroom scene and I can tell you from personal experience, being up close to that smell pot is not pleasant. Keep it smelly, saw. I honestly wouldn't like to see any scenes added but if they can elaborate on the room for the second film it would help as that was the best film and it doesn't really show much towards it. I want someone in a razorblade box or needle pit! Maybe that's just me though.

Cabin in the Woods
First year I did Cabin I loved it, but now it just seems stale. I think because most effects aren't working and the layout has become known to me I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to. Being trapped in a room with one actor is horrible though, and I do love watching people squirm about which door they should go through. If this maze was to return next year I'd like to see more work on characters actually featured in the films rather than just the odd zombie/toothfairy that popped up (literally) every now and then. If I'm honest though I feel like CITW has truly run its course and shall forever be treasured by many, but now it needs to step down and have something else take its place. 

Other Improvements
More staff. I cannot stress this enough, there needs to be action to employ more people for this. If there were just 3 more actors in each maze it would really, really improve the experience. Having no dead spots and consistency is something the whole park needs to work on as I feel the actors who are already there tire themselves out by trying to take on the role of essentially 2/3 people by themselves. They do an incredible job but I really do empathise with them. I'm someone who thinks timed tickets should be introduced too and also working out if they actually can handle the capacity they get to. I'd like to see them bring back the spooky cocktail list in Fin's! Face it Alone was fab this year but I'd take the wheel of misfortune ceremony back over to The Big Top. I also want a puppet like the snake used in The Cellar at Tulley's used here just for fun.

I do not know how to run a theme park and never will do so take all this with a pinch of salt! in my ideal world fright nights would be like 5 months long and only a private event for just me too, so. 




 

[Coaster]

Random question, but is The Big Top queue music online anywhere?

[Martin Doyle]

1 hour ago, Coaster Jamie said:

Random question, but is The Big Top queue music online anywhere?

 

 

There you go!!

 

[Coaster]

^ Thanks, such a catchy piece of music!

[JoshuaA]

I definitely think a time slot system would work wonders to Fright Nights.

Hopefully not as expensive as Scarefest, but the queues and queue management is abysmal.

No wonder people complain TBH, would you be Satisfied to wait in a three hour queue for a maze like Platform?

Other than that I think the event is much better than last years..

Big Top was the standout maze IMO, the theming, the acting quality, the music.

Cabin/Saw/Blair where all fun, Saw in particular was very jumpy, but all three are starting to feel a little stale, I think Cabin is the weakest of the three.

Not gonna even mention Platform..  It'd take a five hour rant to explain how much potential the attraction had, and how it completely failed.

[Martin Doyle]

2 hours ago, imindetonator said:

I definitely think a time slot system would work wonders to Fright Nights.

Hopefully not as expensive as Scarefest, but the queues and queue management is abysmal.

No wonder people complain TBH, would you be Satisfied to wait in a three hour queue for a maze like Platform?

Other than that I think the event is much better than last years..

Big Top was the standout maze IMO, the theming, the acting quality, the music.

Cabin/Saw/Blair where all fun, Saw in particular was very jumpy, but all three are starting to feel a little stale, I think Cabin is the weakest of the three.

Not gonna even mention Platform..  It'd take a five hour rant to explain how much potential the attraction had, and how it completely failed.

 

Hit the nail on the head with the time slot idea!!. Warwick castle implemented a free timed ticket system with its "Tormented" attraction this Halloween and it seemed to work an absolute treat for keeping the queues down. As much as I love fright nights, to queue 3 hours for a scare maze really is too much.

[JoshC.]

4 hours ago, imindetonator said:

I definitely think a time slot system would work wonders to Fright Nights.

Hopefully not as expensive as Scarefest, but the queues and queue management is abysmal.

No wonder people complain TBH, would you be Satisfied to wait in a three hour queue for a maze like Platform

 

I always find these sorts of points very interesting.

 

3 hour long queues sound ridiculous, yes.  But what I think people sometimes forget is that people are prepared and willing to wait that period of time.  I witnessed staff at Platform 15 say to guests how it was expected to be up to a 3 hour long queue, and that the queue would be shorter later on, yet people just shrugged at the idea and joined the queue.  It's hard to blame Thorpe if there simply are hundreds / thousands of people who will see a 2+ hour long queue and just accept it.  I'm not saying that the length of the queues shouldn't be addressed of course, but one of the reasons why queues are so long are because people are willing to wait, since they believe they'd get a quality product at the end of it.  

[JoshuaA]

17 minutes ago, BaronC. said:

I always find these sorts of points very interesting.

 

3 hour long queues sound ridiculous, yes.  But what I think people sometimes forget is that people are prepared and willing to wait that period of time.  I witnessed staff at Platform 15 say to guests how it was expected to be up to a 3 hour long queue, and that the queue would be shorter later on, yet people just shrugged at the idea and joined the queue.  It's hard to blame Thorpe if there simply are hundreds / thousands of people who will see a 2+ hour long queue and just accept it.  I'm not saying that the length of the queues shouldn't be addressed of course, but one of the reasons why queues are so long are because people are willing to wait, since they believe they'd get a quality product at the end of it.  

People may be willing to wait, but Mazes are low throughput attractions in the first place, so having a heavy demand of people just makes queue management nearly impossible.

Another problem with Thorpe's current system is group stacking, it seemed to happen in every maze bar SAW.

At points due to the ever-growing queues for the mazes, they just started throwing large groups in, which ruined the experience.

This is probably why so many people are negative about Fright Nights, people are not enjoying themselves waiting in 3 hour queues for a half-assed maze like Platform.

IMO it'd improve Fright Nights by adding a time slotted system, obviously these style systems have there own problems, but at least people will be actually be able to enjoy themselves without purchasing fastrack.

[holtjammy16]

They should go back to having fright nights on some non-half term weekdays if it's still consistently jam packed

[ThemeParkLover]

On 4 November 2016 at 8:27 PM, holtjammy16 said:

They should go back to having fright nights on some non-half term weekdays if it's still consistently jam packed

I totally agree....I think this could help overcrowding because half term evenings are 90% teenagers.

[Joester]

Does anyone know where to find a high quality recording of the indoor audio for The Big Top 2016? I loved the soundtrack, and I think the really upbeat music worked quite well with the strobes. Gave it a sense of danger I know IMAscore said they'd release it but has anyone heard anything from that?