At the heart of the island you will discover a disused warehouse. As you enter a seemingly innocent Victorian train carriage, it will soon become clear that you must come face-to-face with what lies at the end of the line. Prepare to derail your mind on a ghost train re-invented for the 21st century that will leave you questioning where perception ends and reality begins.

The ride will have 12 possible journeys and two endings - so not only will no two rides be the same but every journey will provoke an intense response and reaction in each individual passenger. So whilst guests may share the journey with others, the experience will be an individual one – and every journey, every sensation and every fear will be quite unique. 

I am proud and excited to have been working with the creative and operational teams at THORPE PARK Resort and Merlin Magic Making to completely reinvent the concept of a Ghost Train for the 21st Century.

Visitors can look forward to experiencing a heady and heart stopping combination of next generation technology, grand illusion, special effects and live action that will completely rewrite the rules of what a theme park attraction can deliver.

The team has been galvanised by the positive reaction to the first announcement we made last year and we are even more determined to deliver a revolutionary experience; as such we are constantly tweaking things to ensure they’re the best they can be.

I firmly believe that this kind of multi-sensory, mind blowing attraction represents a glimpse of what the future holds for theme parks the world over.

Akin to my shows, I ask that when you board the train, the secrets remain mine and yours to share and fear, and you don’t spoil the experience by telling others ahead of their visit.

People should also note that this is not an experience for the faint hearted.  But to ensure you are in the right frame of mind to take full advantage of the journey I will send you on, I refuse to reveal any further details past the doors of the carriage.

Derren Brown

Derren Brown’s Ghost Train will be housed within a purpose built warehouse that encompasses 2306 square metres and is tall enough to house nearly three double decker buses. The centrepiece of the attraction will be a 20 metre long, four and a half metre high, seven tonne Victorian train carriage that is suspended in mid air over three metres above ground by iron chains. A carriage which passengers enter via a metal bridge, and where the mind-bending journey begins in earnest in what appears to be a large disused Victorian warehouse.

Guests will be subject to a variety of multi-sensory surprises throughout the journey including a series of high-octane live action sequences where participants will take centre stage in the story. And like his TV shows and stage performances, Brown will toy with guests’ minds and perceptions throughout the journey on board the Ghost Train until they no longer know what is real, before leaving them on a cliffhanger ending.

The team involved in the creation of the attraction includes over 1,000 specialists from Thorpe Park’s Merlin Magic Making Creative Department and external experts who have pooled their skills.

We’re pleased to be able to share more details after such a positive reaction to the news we’d partnered with Derren. The team are working round the clock to deliver an incredible experience for our guests in what promises to be the first of its kind in the world, and certainly the most exciting and ambitious project we have ever attempted here at Thorpe Park.

I can’t say any more about the secrets that lurk behind the train doors at this stage, or indeed ever, but what I can say is that previous attractions both at THORPE PARK Resort, and globally, pale in comparison to Derren Brown’s Ghost Train – it’s a full assault on the senses which will melt minds.

This is a scary new dimension THORPE PARK Resort is entering – different from any other development we have seen anywhere else in the world.  It is bold, daring and takes theme park attractions to a new level. This is thrilling fun as you’ve never seen or experienced it before.

Don’t take the first visuals at face value, as they are deceptive and all is not quite what it seems.

Mike Vallis, Divisional Director of Thorpe Park

For centuries Ghost Trains have played on riders’ fears to create memorable experiences which shock and delight and thus ultimately make you scream and laugh together.

At Merlin Magic Making we are constantly striving to push the boundaries of innovation; we don’t just want to be specialists in creating entertainment, but also inventors. This concept is an entirely new invention. You can’t simply call it a ride, an attraction or an experience – this is an original concept and we can’t wait to see people’s reactions to it.

Working with Derren we decided to use the classic Ghost Train of yesteryear as inspiration and what we have done, is completely reimagine the experience for the world we live in today.

Utilising a mix of techniques spanning from the Victorian era through to today’s next generation technology, we have challenged the norms of existing entertainment experiences to create something utterly original which can never be replicated.”

This is a thought provoking, original experience that will play with your senses and mess with your mind. It’s brimming with surprise and of course, staying true to the Ghost Train, it will be unnerving, it will be scary, it will be fun and it will awaken your every sense.

The Creative team led by Merlin Entertainments’ Group Creative Director Paul Moreton and Creative for THORPE PARK Resort Bradley Wynne at Merlin Magic Making