.
As
usual, Universal’s Islands of Adventure set the benchmark for this
type of event. While the park is open as normal by day, it closes in
time to transform into veritable smorgasbord of all things dark and
sinister.
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Halloween
Horror Nights have set the standard for Halloween events.
Picture: HHN
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Of
course, you have to pay another day’s park entry on top of whatever
you paid to get in during daylight hours, but by night, Islands of
Adventure is a very different place. You can look forward to the major
rides and attractions being open, but each of the five ‘islands’ in
the park are transformed almost beyond recognition with ‘scarezones’
in each, mazes and haunted houses.
The
idea that Thorpe Park should do the same is, at best, far fetched. But
that doesn’t mean that Thorpe Park shouldn’t aspire to follow in
Universal’s hallowed footsteps and at least take a couple of steps in
their direction.
Of
course, the idea that Thorpe should open as normal by day, close, get
transformed and reopen by night is a gamble I don’t expect any
discerning park to take.
Firstly,
the public are a fickle bunch. However much interest there is in Fright
Nights at the moment, it is – for all intents and purposes – free.
Faced with the prospect of paying admission for just the Halloween
event, many will just stay at home, such is the level of interest in
Halloween.
Secondly,
this is a radical step for a theme park to take, and a concept the
public may just not understand. If Thorpe Park were ever to adopt such a
structure for their Halloween nights, it would have to be a gradual
process that evolves over time. It is unthinkable that a park would ever
have the mettle to confuse the public in such a fell-swoop.
Lastly,
staff. If we work on the assumption the park opens at 10am, closes at
5pm, re-opens at 7pm until, say, 1pm, then you either have to expect
staff to work a gruelling 13-hour day (excluding the intermission
between openings), or you have to have adequate staffing to cover both
shifts.
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Not
all rides need to be open late at night, something to consider in
terms of staffing the park for long hours |
Of
course, if the park were to open for late nights, we can automatically
disqualify kids rides from opening (Depth Charge, Octopus’ Garden),
maybe some water rides, many catering outlets and shops, and stick with
just the core backbone of big hitters; if there were five or six mazes,
two shows and a few scarezones, it isn’t unreasonable to expect only
the major coasters and support rides to be open. This alone will allow
many staff the night off.
Acting
talent for mazes, shows and scarezones would of course be in accessory
to Thorpe’s normal staffing levels, as it always is and always has
been. So, with a minimum of two shifts, or at least an unfeasibly long
working day, the staff issue is probably one of the biggest stumbling
blocks when it comes to making such an event possible.
Naturally,
it is worth looking back to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights’
humble beginnings to see how much untapped potential Fright Nights have.
Growth
of Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios
Halloween
Horror Nights first started in 1991 at Universal Studios. Entrance
was around $10 USD, included one maze and a tens of shows. Such
was the interest in the maze, more and more were added, and by
2005, admission was $59.75 USD and included seven mazes.
Source:
HHN
Vault
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The
dawn of Halloween Horror Nights was in 1991. With just a single maze,
the prospect of moonlit riding, and a nominal charge of $10 USD,
Halloween Horror Nights’ infancy makes Fright Nights look untouchable.
Continues...
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