Thorpe Park Resort have today revealed further details behind WC16 – their new ‘world’s first’ dark ride set to open in March 2016.
Masterminded by magician and illusionist Derren brown, who is famous for his television and stage productions – including ‘The Heist’, ‘Miracle’ and ‘How to Win the Lottery’ – which play with people’s minds and include “mind-control” illusions, Thorpe Park Resort’s new attraction will be the world’s first psychological theme-park ride and will see guests taken on an immersive 13 minute psychological journey in a disused warehouse located at the heart of the Island (on the site of the former arena). Although the exact theme of the ride has yet to be confirmed, the latest information to be released does provide some clues to what we might see with Derren Brown commenting that “It takes everything I love from Victoriana to mystery and illusion and wraps it up into a mind blowing journey”, suggesting that, as indicated in the original planning documents, the ride building will be themed to a disused Victorian warehouse.
Described as using ‘next generation cutting edge technology’ the attraction has been three years in development with a team of 1000 experts and specialists working to bring Derren Brown’s vision for the attraction to life. The latest information released by the Resort suggests that each guest will receive a slightly different experience with Divisional Director of Thorpe Park Resort, Mike Vallis commenting:
“The attraction will be a world first; as such we have invested heavily in next generation cutting edge technology that will quite simply ‘derail people’s minds’ in a way which has never been seen before. This truly is the world’s first ‘smart’ theme park attraction, paving the future for the leisure industry – it is not what you would expect a theme park to deliver.”
Although the exact meaning of what a ‘smart theme park attraction’ entails isn’t expanded on, the term suggests that potentially the attraction experience may differ depending on the reactions of individual guests to what they see, a feature which would fit in with the types of illusions and manipulation for which Derren Brown is famous. Speaking about the new attraction, Derren Brown commented:
“As always, you can look forward to a heady mix of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship. We are keeping the full details under wraps but I can say that the attraction will take you on a journey like no other, an attraction where no one will have quite the same experience and where the guests will be unable to make the distinction between what is real or imagined!”
In past weeks Thorpe Park Resort have been teasing various elements of the new attraction with a dedicated website, Minds Wanted, revealing a series of clues for people to solve and win the chance to be amongst the first to experience the new attraction and meet Derren Brown himself when the ride opens in March next year. Numerous subtle clues have also been planted within some of the Resort’s Fright Nights attractions, with THE BIG TOP carrying several references to Derren Brown.
What are your thoughts on the involvement of Derren Brown in WC16? Are you looking forward to trying out the Resort’s newest attraction when it opens in March next year? Have you say on this and more over on the Attraction Source Forum. As further details are released about Thorpe Park Resort’s newest addition, we’ll continue to bring you all the latest.
