Fright Nights - 2015

[westical]

I'd say the only reason they wouldn't sue the sound stages they use every year is because they are being used for filming.

Plus it's not a good look suing a sister company.

[themagician]

Sorry, it was autocorrect and I missed that when I read over it. Was supposed to be 'use'.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I'm sure nobody thinks that POTC is going to be filming in September - and some mazes i've seen in the studios in the past have been little more than temporary fencing and fog machines... surely it wouldn't take too long for them to erect a maze of that calibre?

...and whilst they may not be using ALL the stages, they may be using the CLOSEST stages - the two we always see for Fright Nights. I can't imagine the park using the two furthest from the park just because they are the two available....

I also wonder whether the studios 'reserve' the stages needed for FN in advance, or whether they just pick them up 'if they are available', and if they do reserve them - whether they'd cancel a reservation because a big-name franchise comes to film?

The dodgem scenario makes perfect sense if the studios are unavailable - but thats also a big hole in their capacity - the studios hold thousands of people in queue and in maze... if they aren't opening that laneway, there is going to be a much bigger crowd within the confines of the park... Opening up the Western Area (heading to WWF) may be necessary to thin out the crowds (they could put a stage and some lighting up at the western facade, and maybe a chill-out zone up the back...

I realise it's being used for other things but i'd like to see them bring back the maze through Chinatown Alley - i've been to several FNs and that maze still sticks in my mind.

[Zanstabar]

I think Chinatown Alley would be better for a scare zone. While it is always good to have more mazes, I feel that the alleyway suffers the same fate as Scooby's Extension, and that's the location doesn't have much room. Any maze in both locations is either going to be up to par design wise but incredibly short, or a decent length with bland design. Both location will continue to suffer this fate unless they start to think about how the can be a bit more creative with their allocated areas.

[Levithian]

They had one there before and it was pretty average, not big enough area through the alley. It was setup like a hospital triage with nurses and doctors.

Guys, not all the sound stages are the same either. Some of them have permanent, specific equipment, so don't think of them as just one big empty space they can tear to pieces. I know there is another indoor water tank in one and another has production facilities and plant equipment, so even if some of the sound stages are free it might not just be a case of using one of the other sound stages in it's place.

AlexB, it's already the second week of july. That leaves them a bit over 2 months to design something to fit, then start building. It's not enough time to do it justice to such a big area. Im not saying they won't use any of them because I have no idea, only that they had to think about utilising more of the available areas in the park this year.

The other thing a lot of people seem to forget is they are separate entities, the theme park and the studios. If they have paying work, even if they aren't actively using that space, it's often allocated as it's essentially been purchased for a duration by a production company. They might use it every day, they might use it once a month, they might not even use it at all, but it's theirs and paid work for the studios is probably going to take precedence over the park wanting to utilise some space.

One other thing I didn't think of is access. If other production facilities are being utilised at the same time, it might make things difficult to get park visitors through the area safely, while still allowing secure access for the production staff. Can't put the security of filming at risk from members of the public making their way on to a set or production areas. If it's a big film, I wouldn't be surprised if they have very specific requirements around who/what/where is allowed on to the premises. Getting the public in might not even be possible.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Levithian

[lifeofsamage]

I had a look today and it defiantly seems like to be a maze. The walls are from the maze that is usually in the Scooby que. Took a pic over the wall with a selfie stick (dont judge) and its only within the footprint of the dodgems "track" 

Edited July 6, 2015 by lifeofsamage

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

nice pics... looking good... i'd say maze is definitely confirmed in there!

[lifeofsamage]

Yeah it makes sense. I did hear they aren't using the studios this year due to Pirates filming so this would support that. Does anyone know what's in the old Lethal que cinema building. That would be a awesome place to have a Arkham themed maze. 

[Zanstabar]

I had a look today and it defiantly seems like to be a maze. The walls are from the maze that is usually in the Scooby que. Took a pic over the wall with a selfie stick (dont judge) and its only within the footprint of the dodgems "track" 

Firstly, I really hope that neon paint is temporary. If most of the mazes are 3D Backlit Flat Scenery mazes I'll be a little disappointed. After seeing the level that they can reach over the past few years, I'm expecting some pretty decent mazes.

 

Secondly, with the idea that the soundstage are off limits where else can be used? You've got Western Stage, Dodgems, Scooby-Doo, Tent... Is there any spare space over near Kids WB? Is there any space actually available at Arkham?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Assuming soundstage is off limits - Show Stage, Intencity, Scooby are your go to locations - realistically you only need to replace two mazes - and Intencity is one of them... but if they're going with these three, which are typically the smaller locations - i feel ike they should have more than 4 mazes - kicking it up a notch with 5 mazes to substitute for the lack of the big studio mazes... means in theory we need two more locations that won't impede daytime operations....

a Tent maze on the 'storage slab' out near WWF is one possibility... but we still need one more... A Chinatown Alleyway is a possibility - that space is only used for storage which they could make do without for a month...

There is no option in WB Kids - it opens a lot more of the park to light up and cover (as does the storage slab near West), but you also don't want to be putting 'horror themed items' in the children's area. 

There really isn't anywhere else within the bounds of the park - unless they close the Roxy and use it... they could easily create a maze that works 'around' the seating in that space...

Lastly would be out the gates next to JL3D - they could put another tent there, which - whilst technically on the studio space, wouldn't infringe on the actual soundstage space (the patch of grass across the driveway next to the lake). It isn't a huge space, but you'd fit a decent marquee in there. During the day, the gates would be closed - and only opened up after hours - when the usual studio access isn't open...

 

those are my thoughts anyway...

[lifeofsamage]

I had an idead to put a Arkham Asylum style maze in the old Lethal que cinema. There is plenty of space and a que already there. It would fit the theme of the area

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I did see that mentioned earlier - however the cinema isn't really that big (it is definitely smaller than the dodgem space), the queue rails have been removed, and the 'exit' to that space would now flow into the Arkham queue.

It would work if you used the 'outdoor' queue for Arkham (feeding off the laneway to the studios) but then you restrict the queue length of the ride - but you would then be able to 'enter' the arkham queue, flow into the cinema, and exit out the old entrance...

All a lot more work than it would be worth for the amount of space it would provide.

[Levithian]

I don't think you'll see anything behind wwf, too much stuff out there, plant equipment, what looks like grounds keeping, storage, etc. Be a bit of a nightmare trying to secure the area to make sure nobody was injured or ventured somewhere they shouldn't. You would probably have to take guests down the side between scooby and arkham to get to it too.

[lifeofsamage]

Another idea is in the que for wwf. It could still be used in the day and would require minimal construction. And the outdoor section of the que could have a set build in it. More food for thought I guess

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Pretty sure they've put a Marquee on the storage slab behind showstage \ next to WWF in the past, haven't they?

The stuff stored on that slab COULD be condensed into a smaller space if necessary. A Marquee surrounded by temporary fencing that leads all the way back to 'regular park' through the WWF laneway. I don't think it's feasible leading them from Scooby\Arkham couryard - its too far away.

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

they sure did put a Marquee behind the Show Stage/Next to WWF area, it was for the Saw Maze in 2010

[Brad2912]

I'd certainly be disappointed if there was no studio mazes at all, as these are always the most immersive and the larger ones.

 I think only have 3-4 smaller mazes would be a step back from previous Years so they'd definitely need to ramp up other elements  

[BNErider]

I certainly hope they are able to use the sound stages. Or do what USF does and put a few tents out there for the mazes.

They did it for the Saw maze in 2010(?) so I don't see why they wouldn't be able to do it again.

While I don't see it happening, I do hope they increase the maze count to 5 OR do a proper Halloween-themed show somewhere (not in Main Street).

[joz]

I think somewhere in the old Lethal Queue/ cinema would be a winner, though maybe it would be cost prohibitive to flatten the area to make it appropriate for a maze, as I can imagine being over different levels would create a few OH&S issues.  There's also the issue of covering it, but if they can work it out its be worth it.  Ditto to a maze in Supermans Heilex.  I think a scare zone in the old China Town alley, and a maze or two in the old Lethal Queue and around behind Scooby and in Superman's Heilex would mean not closing a ride needlessly for 4 months.  Just saying.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yeah I can agree with that...

[Reanimated35]

Firstly, I really hope that neon paint is temporary. If most of the mazes are 3D Backlit Flat Scenery mazes I'll be a little disappointed. After seeing the level that they can reach over the past few years, I'm expecting some pretty decent mazes.

 

 That neon paint you see has been part of a maze almost every year since the event started. 

I would actually be happy IF the studio mazes were unavailable, for them to not run a show in the HSD arena (given last years piss-poor showing) and instead they put a tent in there for a large maze. 

 

So assuming the studios aren't available:

1 - Show stage
2 - Scooby
3 - Dodgems (and bring back that claustrophobic wall from the first or second event
4 - HSD arena
5 - Maybe the storage half of the old river ride building to help thin the crowd out (I know this wont happen though)

I also hope they keep the "extras" out the back of WWF for the ultimate tour again.

Edited July 6, 2015 by reanimated35
Hollywood is 1 word, derp

[Levithian]

The storage area of the river ride is probably pretty packed with all the stuff they now have at different times of the year (fright night, carnivale, christmas, etc) as you don't seem to see many displays around when driving around the side roads. Driving School seems to take up a fairly large portion of the building too when you actually start to walk down it. Seems like its the full width but no idea how deep it goes? I wonder how much is left over on the other side of the wall.

[themagician]

But if they put a tent in the HSD arena then the show won't be able to run during the day for at least 5 weeks.

[Reanimated35]

Yes, but if they needed to make use of the space, they could potentially chuck the stuff in shipping containers and store it outside for a couple of months.

[joz]

Nah no to a maze on in HSD.  The park still has to do day trade and there is a school holiday period in there.  You can't take apart and rebuild a maze every day.  Just put a crowd soaking show in there, maybe put more effort into it and put it on more than twice a night.  I'd love to see Movie World do a version of Bill & Ted or Hanging and the HSD venue would be a good place for it.