Fright Nights 2023

[Martin Doyle]

*remembers Walking Dead the ride apparently never happening 

 

GET YOUR BETS ON BIG TOP RETURNING FOLKS! 😆😆

 

*but yeah being serious, I just cant see them bringing back Big Top or any decent past maze for that matter

[JackJRDN]

1 hour ago, StevenVig said:

 

 

Please just let it die already.

 

It's not coming back. It's never coming back. The more you speculate it coming back, the less of a chance it will happen. 

 

Get over it. It's not going to happen. Ever.

Maybe they could make a maze next year built around satire...

[MattyMoo]

I've heard rumours that there will be new walking actors called The Nod To's, that will be dressed in old props and tat from Thorpe Farm, any truth in this?

[coasterverse]

51 minutes ago, MattyMoo said:

I've heard rumours that there will be a new walking actors called The Nod To's, that will be dressed in old props and tat from Thorpe Farm, any truth in this?

 

I’ve even heard through the grapevine that one of them will be dressed as the Tidal Wave fire effect! Apparently that’s what Russ meant when he mentioned it all that time ago…

[coasterverse]

Well then... Death's Doors is returning, eh?! Who'd have thunk it!

[MattyMoo]

3 hours ago, coasterverse said:

Well then... Death's Doors is returning, eh?! Who'd have thunk it!

 

Just wish I'd joined a live stream of waiting for the announcement tbh, I am such a fake fan - AGAIN.

[ML27]

Trailers returning, for what I hope is it’s best year or final year 😂

 

If we are on a 3 year cycle per maze and there’s only going to be 3 mazes. They are kinda lucky they have 3 indoor maze spaces now. I look forward to seeing what they can do with trailers when it closes as that’s an ideal space.

 

only 6 attractions this year,

we know that there are 3 mazes

at least one zone, most likely two.

One show? Assuming that’s legacy. 
 

No replacement for amity, but I mean how could you replace it in a similar format.

 

I think 2020 was the best year, huge amounts of scare zones and story really.

 

I think factors for a reduced offering this is must be increased costs and staffing.

 

[coasterverse]

I’ve got a feeling Trailers will be staying (or the general concept at least) for quite a while - someone on the passholder group asked if it’s going through any changes for this year, to which they replied:

 

“Trailers is remaining classic for this year at least!”

 

Hopefully, if the park aren’t going to totally reimagine the attraction from the ground up, we get all new scenes for 2024.

 

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Trailers (predicable and not even remotely scary imo), so a bit gutted it’s returning… although I can’t say I didn’t see it coming!

 

Fingers crossed for next year 🤞

[JoshC.]

 

 

Crows scare zone is back for the 3rd time. With the Saw Alive queue gone, it'll be interesting to see how they use the extra space. I'm aware that the park looked at removing the queue last year for the event, so they've had a long time to think of what to do!

 

---

 

It's interesting see the reaction to Trailers. I think it's got its place in the line up. Yes, it's not the scariest maze, but I think that's needed. Trailers is a more 'fun-scary' maze, which some people prefer over the out-and-out full on scare/gore type mazes. Obviously it's still a scare maze, and should achieve scares, but I'm fine with it being a tamer experience, so long as it can still deliver.

 

I don't think the park are necessarily on a 3 year maze cycle. We're in a new phase of Fright Nights after 2020 completely changed plans. But also the only mazes which we've seen last 3 operating seasons in recent years were Living Nightmare and Creek Freak. Living Nightmare closed because of the Black Mirror, as opposed to a Fright Nights plan, and Creek Freak closed because of Exodus (though it would have been interesting to see what they would have done this year had that not happened).

 

I think it's a shame that Trailers hasn't received any new scenes. It's clearly got the potential, and with the closures of Platform 15 and Creek Freak, they've had ample opportunity to do so. Hopefully they do so next year, should it remain (which I expect).

 

It will be particularly interesting to see what the park plans to do next year. Do they expand the maze line up, adding a 4th maze, or do they keep the maze line up the same and focus on the other offerings on park?

[MattyMoo]

Thorpe Park's socials are on a roll today - they've just posted the next FN announcement before the "official reveal" at 7pm, but with a picture of Colossus.

 

Creature Campus sounds like something from Chessington.

[JoshC.]

Well Trouble is Brewing I guess...

[jessica2]

So hang on, they'll now have lycanthorpe, amity high and some sort of witch coven all together? This does feel a little random or even lazy, as a way to keep the lycanthorpe/amity thing going but chuck in a random extra element so it can be 'new' again.

[MattyMoo]

59 minutes ago, jessica2 said:

So hang on, they'll now have lycanthorpe, amity high and some sort of witch coven all together? This does feel a little random or even lazy, as a way to keep the lycanthorpe/amity thing going but chuck in a random extra element so it can be 'new' again.

 

BAN THIS MEMBER FOR BEING ANTI-MERLIN. You must not criticize this incredible ALL NEW addition to 2023 FRIGHT NIGHTS.

[Benin]

5 hours ago, jessica2 said:

So hang on, they'll now have lycanthorpe, amity high and some sort of witch coven all together? This does feel a little random or even lazy, as a way to keep the lycanthorpe/amity thing going but chuck in a random extra element so it can be 'new' again.

 

Maybe next year they'll add goblins.

[Yason]

7 hours ago, jessica2 said:

So hang on, they'll now have lycanthorpe, amity high and some sort of witch coven all together? This does feel a little random or even lazy, as a way to keep the lycanthorpe/amity thing going but chuck in a random extra element so it can be 'new' again.

I could be missing something, but I can’t see where they’ve marketed it as ‘new’?

[JoshC.]

 

 

New "Scare and Entertainment" Zone for 2023, replacing Birthday Bash. Sounds like it will primarily be a show, with actors roaming around the area sometimes as well.

 

It's a decent idea I think, assuming it can pulled off well. A similar-sounding experience was at Walibi Holland in the past and was pretty cool.

[Tatum-Riley]

 

I can’t lie, this lineup is cringing me out more by the day. I obviously will remain optimistic but this does not feel like Fright Nights at all. Along with the reimagined Lycanthorpe/Amity it just seems so family friendly. I do need to stop comparing to the past but when we’ve had the likes of The Asylum, Experiment 10 and My Bloody Valentine this does not excite me. 
 

I understand this is likely to be a show and not necessarily a scare attraction so obviously the theme doesn’t have to be as scary. 
 

I am looking forward to the other announcements but for now I am reluctant.

[jessica2]

On 8/30/2023 at 5:25 PM, Yason said:

I could be missing something, but I can’t see where they’ve marketed it as ‘new’?

Maybe not, but I do remember them saying this was the last year of amity high vs werewolves. I guess yes that's factually correct, but I had assumed it would be replaced by a new concept rather than something tacked on.

[Mattgwise]

Stitches! The final announcement. I like the look of this. Peoples thoughts?

 

 

New scare maze for 2023! Step into the disturbing realm of Howell’s Toy Emporium, where charming memories of childhood twist into a harrowing nightmare🧸 Join the Toymaker as she opens the doors to her workshop and gives you a blood-curdling snippet into the inner-workings of her factory😱 Keep your wits about you though, we’ve a feeling you may uncover some sinister revelations within…

 

As you step into the quaint toy shop, a wave of nostalgic warmth embraces you. But be warned, beneath the innocent exterior lies a malevolent secret — an evil that awakens within the deranged toys when the lights go out🫣

 

Conjure your bravery as you navigate the eerie corridors of this malevolent toy factory and witness your cherished childhood companions morph into tormentors before your eyes😭

 

This sinister scare maze will shatter your perception of innocence and plunge you into your worst nightmare! Enter 'Stitches' if you dare, for once you cross the threshold, there's no retreat from the horrors that lie within...

 

Will you outwit the clutches of the Toymaker’s wicked creations, or are you destined to become a permanent resident of her collection?

 

It's time to rally your crew, summon your fearless spirit, and embrace the darkness at Thorpe Park Fright Nights. 

[ML27]

No need to have Archie in that video, brings it back to reality. Maze sounds good. Video wasn’t 

[Glitch]

On 8/27/2023 at 8:02 PM, JoshC. said:

It's interesting see the reaction to Trailers. I think it's got its place in the line up. Yes, it's not the scariest maze, but I think that's needed. Trailers is a more 'fun-scary' maze, which some people prefer over the out-and-out full on scare/gore type mazes. Obviously it's still a scare maze, and should achieve scares, but I'm fine with it being a tamer experience, so long as it can still deliver

Wouldn’t cost a lot though to rip it all out put some chain link fences in and strobe it all out and then bring back what fright nights was known for…..

 

I would love an anniversary year, when is the next one, whereby we got:

Asylum 

Curse

Ex10

Cabin - maybe reimagined with the black mirror theme 

Actors in animal masks - minus the movie theme

Big top 

Some nod to creek perhaps just a scare zone or a walk down by the still accessible part of monks walk.

 

And some sorta freak show or scary show which isn’t a dance party to top it all off.

 

For me fright nights became boring when it opened the doors to a family audience and the MAP group used it as childcare for a few extra hours in the evening…. You really shouldn’t see prams at this event that’s what Chessingtons for. I was watching Jacks video the other day where he remember the 2013 event I want to say and oh man do I miss those days.

Dance parties just don’t do it for me neither do entertainers pretending to be freaks. Get the real thing or don’t bother.

[Martin Doyle]

I also reckon an "anniversary/nostalgia" themed Fright Nights would be quite a cool concept if only for one year!! That as a theme would very much make sense to both veterans who have been to the event since near the start aswell as newbies!!

 

Unless Stitches features a chainsaw wielding teddy bear, would I be right in assuming this will be the first FN to NOT have a maze that utilises chainsaw scares?? (Not including the 2020 event)

[MattyMoo]

Look forward to watching a reaction video to a stream of the THORPE PARK RESORT Youtube video later on tonight on the big screen.

[Martin Doyle]

I think the youtube videos we are all excited for is Jack Silkstone's walk throughs of each maze where he is getting hounded by like 10 actors at all time for the duration of the maze near enough. I am sure those videos ABSOLUTELY represent the treatment that us commoners get....when we actually pay the 10 quid!!

[jessica2]

Theme of new maze could be good as I guess scary/creepy dolls can be effective. Not sure how you make an entire maze out of it (e.g. in the attic at AT there is a toy scene which is cool) but I guess we will see.

 

It does also put me off going to fright nights nowadays the fact that you get one chance (unless you're buying multiple entries) at having a good run through on a maze, so I tend to go on what I predict will be the quietest day (maybe the first Sunday), and STILL the couple of times I've gone I've ended up in a huge group with a load of teenagers and there's hardly any actors in most of the rooms hah. Go figure... 

 

I will say, mazes like asylum with strobes, loud noise and general chaos meant that, even though you were going through in quite large groups in a conga line, you still always got good scares and in a way it didn't matter so much about where you were in the group, it was still intense. I think thorpe may now be missing a maze which has an intensity like asylum (and to some extent creek freak) had, but who knows maybe stitches will bring that. Haven't done survival games so can't comment on that.

 

I hope they do consider things like this when designing mazes, I.e. how will it perform in sub optimal conditions, rather than when one influencer goes round with the full cohort of actors.