June 8, 200916 yr comment_59205 I find that No Smoking sign ironicI'd love to see a video of the laughing witch tbh. That was good themeing, I remember her head used to move back and forth left to right while she was laughing. Ahhh good old days
June 8, 200916 yr comment_59211 thanks for the ride memories and the ride pic of course I saw the NS (No Smoking) sign above the ride, Thorpe Park should have more smoking signs. The cars on the ride were like the Haunted Mansion Doombuggies.
June 18, 200916 yr comment_60748 I know why the Wicked Witches Haunt was destroyed, some idiot was smoking on the Tropical Travels ride and it eventually passed through the undergrowth and caused it to catch fire. Thats what destroyed the be-loved rides of Wicked Witches Haunt and Mr. Rabbits Tropical Travels rides.
June 18, 200916 yr comment_60749 I know why the Wicked Witches Haunt was destroyed, some idiot was smoking on the Tropical Travels ride and it eventually passed through the undergrowth and caused it to catch fire. Thats what destroyed the be-loved rides of Wicked Witches Haunt and Mr. Rabbits Tropical Travels rides.Really? Ive been waiting 9 years to find that out
January 5, 201015 yr comment_79384 I have that youtube video on my pc anyone want it or the mr rabits Tropical travels onride If they're mine that I filmed in 1990, then I hope you give credit to me. Ride throughs on Phanton Fantasia and the Magic Mill can be found on my Youtube account, here.. Also, thought I'd upload this character that was put up, turning a fire exit into new entrance and the old entrance made into a picsolve booth and exit.Pretty good when she was animated.
January 5, 201015 yr comment_79418 Neil, I think you may actually become my new best friend! What other special images are you keeping from us!? :)This Entrance has always been a memory I have never forgotten from my childhood, I used to be terrified when she was animated. Although it was just her head moving from side to side, the attention to detail in the design is immense. Perhaps there was a time when Thorpe knew how to get it right, if only I was 17 in 1990.
March 9, 201015 yr comment_85355 I wish that I had been to Thorpe Park when this attraction was around. It looks really great. We don't really have any decent haunted house rides in this country imo, so it's a pity that this was destroyed. However, at least the loss of this beloved attraction gave birth to the new thorpe park which included getting thrill rides. If it wasn't for the fire maybe there would be no Saw, Stealth, Rush, Colossus etc.At least Thorpe have a new 'scary' attraction coming up. But WWH sounds a lot more enjoyable than SAW ALIVE imo.
March 9, 201015 yr comment_85464 However, at least the loss of this beloved attraction gave birth to the new thorpe park which included getting thrill rides. If it wasn't for the fire maybe there would be no Saw, Stealth, Rush, Colossus etc.you cant know for sure that Colossus, SAW, Stealth and Rush were built because WWH burnt down. However, Detonator wouldnt have been brought in as it was a temporary replacement that eventually became a permanent resident. There is a possibility that inferno wouldnt have been built because the fire burnt down part of Mr Rabbits Tropical Travels (I think) which is wher Nemesis Inferno is today. Edited March 10, 201015 yr by noob230
March 9, 201015 yr comment_85467 Colossus wouldn't be built for another 2 years after WWH was destroyed
March 9, 201015 yr comment_85475 Actually Colossus was already built and you cant know for sure that SAW, Stealth and Rush were built because WWH burnt down. However, Detonator wouldnt have been brought in as it was a temporary replacement that eventually became a permanent resident. There is a possibility that inferno wouldnt have been built because the fire burnt down part of Mr Rabbits Tropical Travels (I think) which is wher Nemesis Inferno is today.I'm pretty sure the fire was in 2000 and Colossus wasn't built until 2002 I believe.I just meant that before the fire there wern't any real thrill rides and I think that once they added Detty, Vortex etc to replace WWH, they decided to make it a more thrill-orientated park.
March 10, 201015 yr comment_85541 I'm pretty sure the fire was in 2000 and Colossus wasn't built until 2002 I believe.Already edited
March 4, 201114 yr comment_109854 Phantom Fantasia and Wicked Witches Haunt were my favourite rides when I was little. It is such a shame that these great dark rides are no longer around. I agree with many people on here that it is likely that it would not have made it through the Tussuads era without having lasers added to it. But I still wish it was around as I have yet to ride another dark ride that is quite like it. Obviously it was very much inspired by the Disney Haunted Mansion rides but Phantom Fantasia/Wicked Witches Haunt had its own 'a little rough around the edges' look about it. We have a trip to Europa Park booked for later in the year so I am really looking forward to riding Geisterschloss (Ghost Castle), which is the Mack ride Phantom Fantasia was based on, to see how similar it is besides having the same ride car system and a very similar station area.Has anybody ridden on Geisterschloss before?
March 4, 201114 yr comment_109877 Geisterschloss is a great dark ride, although I prefer the Duel (Haunted House) ride system to the Omnimover no end. Geisterschloss has had refurb after refurb over the years, with more added every year.It's a shame WWH burnt down at Thorpe - I would have loved to have gone on it. These kinds of rides are all over Europe, but in the UK we don't have any Omnimovers now!
March 5, 201114 yr comment_109880 Really would have wanted to go on this, shame Thorpe never made another haunted house type ride, even if it had lasers like Duel and Tomb it would've been great.
March 26, 201114 yr comment_111800 I can't believe Thorpe would not have been insured for an event as catastropic as this, if so why did'nt they get another one built for free? A simplistic view maybe but thats what would happen with my house.As for the cause, I'm sure at the time I remeber it being put down to an electrical fault, not a smoker. Anyone able to confrim?
April 19, 201114 yr comment_113753 I can't believe Thorpe would not have been insured for an event as catastropic as this, if so why did'nt they get another one built for free? A simplistic view maybe but thats what would happen with my house.As for the cause, I'm sure at the time I remeber it being put down to an electrical fault, not a smoker. Anyone able to confrim?They were insured - Theme Parks cannot operate without substantial insurance. Hence the many, many rumours at the time about 'an insurance job'. It's like when a car is written off - you'll eventually get the money from the insurance company but the chances of you getting an exact same car again? and if its old? So the money was re-invested into future attractions (namely the 3 in 2001 and onwards years).I believe the fire started in Mr. Rabbit's Tropical Travels but someone else my be able to confirm differently.
April 28, 201114 yr comment_114546 Wonder if anyone can help me. Does anyone know when Phantom Phantasia first opened at Thorpe? I know it had been around since the 80's, but not when. Also, if anyone knows when it was rethemed into WWH? No real reason, just curious.
April 29, 201114 yr comment_114624 I think it opened in 1984, but have no idea when it was rethemed to WWH.
April 30, 201114 yr comment_114700 I believe it opened as Phantom Fantasia in 1983 and was rethemed as Wicked Witches Haunt in 1994.
March 30, 201411 yr comment_179584 The staff on the science week stand asked me what else I would like to see from the history of Thorpe. Naturally I asked if there were any professional films or photos made for promotion or commissioning of Phantom Phantasia or Wicked Witches held in the archives as they weren't covered at all on the display. She didn't know, but when I spoke to her a bit latter she told me she had gone to find out, and... They know there are some things like this in the archive somewhere, but they can't find them! Oh well, one day maybe.
April 17, 201411 yr comment_181111 You should not have built up the tension by saying and..... Led me to believe that there was something worthwhile at the end of your post
May 4, 201411 yr comment_182501 But rather than being separate trains it was an omnimover continuous string of carriages type system that turned towards each scene.
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