Scarefest 2008

[PeteB]

[quote=""AT Fan""]Here's a closer look at the promotonal image featured on the poster.


SDC13385.JPG

[/quote]

Hmm, it looks a bit "kiddy".

[Rowe]

It's a lovely poster, but I don't notice anything specifically in it apart from it seems to be kiddy-based.

[amylovesaltontowers]

I think the fact that the poster seems "kiddyish" is good because it keeps it simple but puts it point across. i think its a good poster.

[Mattia]

Its awful

It looks too cartoony and it doesn't work, its cluttered and the ghost and grim reaper annoy me. I hate the whole photoshopped hats and the oblivion image still has white bits around it

I'm really not liking this.

[Corkscrewed]

hmm...

I've mixed feelings on this one.

Pros:
- It does match the rest of the promotion images this year
- Family Friendly
- Sort of Scary, in a childish way.

Cons:
- Way too Cartoony
- Maybe a bit too much on the family friendly side, IE not exactly teen friendly
- Photoshop overdose! and some of the edits don't even work! (I mean, come on, look at the kitty...)
- Nowhere near scary enough. I'm not looking for freddy Krueger here, but it looks too fun!

I Much preferred last years promotions. fun, while at the same time scaryish

[Sir John Talbot]

Hmmm. Kinda like it. It's very good for what it's trying to achieve, which is a fun, child-friendly, quirky event.

It's very realistic to the actual Scarefest. I guess in a way it could be interpreted as tacky - it's cartoony, and has such things as people wearing sheets - hardly dramatic theming. However, I think it's portray in such a way to make it more quirky and vibrant, than tacky.

Though, I think it's a larger shame that Alton have gone down the cartoony route for 'Scarefest' altogether. A shame because of the mere location, scenery, history and heritage Alton has - they could really go to town with an event of frightful, elaborate realism.

Spooktacular did this in a minimal sense and I think that's why Spooktacular was superior to Scarefest I feel.

[Rob L]

Well after seeing the larger version of the poster I have to say that it doesn't look as good as I first thought. The hats that people are wearing look like they've been photoshopped on which it quite poor. They could definitely have done a better job with some of the editing.

It does put its message across well though that it is aimed at families which to be honest is no surprise knowing that AT are aiming at families at the present time. They want to get families go to the park during the Scarefest and by showing that it is family friendly and no-one will be put off by it is probably the best way. At the end of the day the poster is there to get people to go to the event and I think it will achieve this.

Of course I hope the Scarefest is scarier than the poster makes out, and I think it will be. It should be a good event and hopefully better than last year.

[davidaiow]

I have finally realised, you lot are the most pathetic whiners that I have ever come across ! lol!

For goodness sake, the poster really really is not that bad. I looked out for you critisims, and I really can't see the problem. Maybe its just me, but you all seem so so hard to please. It is a fantasic poster in my opinon, and you are, of course, all entitled to yours; I just disagree!

[PeteB]

[quote=""davidaiow""]I have finally realised, you lot are the most pathetic whiners that I have ever come across ! lol!

For goodness sake, the poster really really is not that bad. I looked out for you critisims, and I really can't see the problem. Maybe its just me, but you all seem so so hard to please. It is a fantasic poster in my opinon, and you are, of course, all entitled to yours; I just disagree![/quote]

No, I'll show you exactly why its bad. Here's just one of the posters for 2003 - now compare it with that above!!!

[Wes]

Its clear that the 2003 poster was aimed at one market. The 2008 hits the family market well and advertises it as an even for all the family.

We know Alton Towers are wanting familys to come. Its always been the case.


Putting that aside, I honestly think that this isn't the way forward with Halloween. They are a resort, so do what other resorts do at Halloween and scare the Sh*t out of people.

[davidaiow]

PeteB I agree with you on most things, but I'm afraid I still have to disagree. Halloween is seen to be a 'scary' time of year and roller coasters are seen as contraptions which are designed to scare you. And just because these two are related, it does not mean they work well together. Yes we have the towers, yes we have history and myths and legends and yes we have a secret lock down facility known as X-Sector and the distortion of the earth due to some alien creature, but we are Alton Towers. And we all know that Alton Towers have no budget and I think that what they are advertising is sensible and realistic. The only reason I knew it was Scarefest last year was due to the TOT and except for the odd 'cobweb', that is the only reason my friends knew, and to be honest, I expect no different this year. Why promise something you can't give. Why aim at a financially limited market? I would love for there to be a massive freak fest with the park open until the early hours of the morning with a hundred 'entertainers around the grounds and eerie lighting and creepy sounds, building decorated to perfection and creepy gifts and stuff to celebrate and the rest of the jazz, but business wise it is not plausible and I congratulate Alton Towers for realising that and not setting a standard so high that people are going to feel cheated and let down.
I'm sorry its such a rant, but I really feel that my opinion needs to be expressed!
Thank you for listening :P

[Vanessa Feltz]

[quote=""Wes""]Its clear that the 2003 poster was aimed at one market. The 2008 hits the family market well and advertises it as an even for all the family.

We know Alton Towers are wanting familys to come. Its always been the case.


Putting that aside, I honestly think that this isn't the way forward with Halloween. They are a resort, so do what other resorts do at Halloween and scare the Sh*t out of people.[/quote]

Well put Wes, If theme parks want to scare people at halloween (like it should be) why should AT be any different, let the small kids go off and get candy of strangers and let us scare ourselves to death.

[Sir John Talbot]

Agreed.

They just have best setting and history of any theme park in the world to pull of a really affective, really terrifying hallowe'en.

It's a shame they now seem to have their hearts set on this "Scarefest" event. Who knows - maybe Scarefest will become the new Chocolate Towers. You'd think with all the things Merlin have seemingly put right, they'd make a big U-turn on the most important event in the AT year.

[Wes]

[quote=""Sir John Talbot""]
It's a shame they now seem to have their hearts set on this "Scarefest" event. Who knows - maybe Scarefest will become the new Chocolate Towers. You'd think with all the things Merlin have seemingly put right, they'd make a big U-turn on the most important event in the AT year.[/quote]

What evidence do you have that Scarefest will be a flop?

Just because the poster is crap, does it mean the event will be? No. Infact, the poster isn't that bad fro ma distance.

We are deffinately getting 3 mazes returning with nothing but improvements on last year's return of the event. Lets hope Merlin will have a big say as to what happens.

[PeteB]

[quote=""Sir John Talbot""]Agreed.

They just have best setting and history of any theme park in the world to pull of a really affective, really terrifying hallowe'en.

It's a shame they now seem to have their hearts set on this "Scarefest" event. Who knows - maybe Scarefest will become the new Chocolate Towers. You'd think with all the things Merlin have seemingly put right, they'd make a big U-turn on the most important event in the AT year.[/quote]

Yeah I means its not JUST halloween, its also their end of season finale and with no fireworks they need to end with a bang (in another sense).

I'd be really suprised if there's not a fortune to be had out of halloween, just take a look at how commercialised it has become over the last 10 years. Shops go nuts stocking their shelves with scary stuff and party gear, its getting more like what the americans do. Everyone loves halloween and again just look at the USA for how nuts they go about it.

I'm positive if they went all out on it, and that even includes bringing in special merchandise just for that time of the year, Alton could stand to make a fortune.

....and I dont ever remember seeing any halloween events advertised on TV - I bet the response would be huge if they did it!

EDIT: Plus its an event which is always going to come round once a year, like Christmas, and theres not many things involved that could get them into trouble like the fireworks did.

[Sir John Talbot]

Where did I say it will flop?

I said that perhaps Merlin would reconsider an event that has been stated to be a recurring thing, just like what happened with Chocolate Towers - which was supposedly meant to be this big, recurring event in the AT calender.

Reconsider because I personally dislike the Scarefest idea - think it's too cartoony and doesn't fully take advantage of AT's rich history.

Why market an attraction with green slime, and 'theme' it with some tacky cartoon characters and t*sco-bought pumpkins, when you have hundreds of years of elaborate, gothic history to divulge into.

[Wes]

[quote=""PeteB""]....and I dont ever remember seeing any halloween events advertised on TV - I bet the response would be huge if they did it! [/quote]

Look out this year for that

To be honest, Halloween has always been a much more american thing to celebrate. Its only in recent years that the Uk has made a thing of it. Lets hope one day it will be as big as the US.

[Luke]

Let's hope they do make TOTT more scary this year. They said that people were scared from it but in 2002 & 03 literally everyone came running out of exit door screaming... it was great stuff! Get in loads of actors and various constumes and masks, and forget the storytelling... leave that to the Field! They can still have a background story ie in 03 with the Banquet, but the main focus must be scaring people this year!

[badger]

In actual fact Hallows Eve (Samhain) is an English tradition that predates anything that America has to offer. In fact the Pilgrims took it with them.
It was at time (following the Autumn equinox/ harvest festival) when folk would travel around the village offering to singing etc for food or drink ; if this was not given then a prank or forfeit would be given (these varied around the country). Mumma plays were also performed at Samhain; where folk would dress up and reenact a scene of good versus evil etc, with devils, skeletons, she-men and black horses. The Church (as with a lot of traditional activities) embraced this time of celebration and thus we have Harvest festivals and All Saints day.
All this has transformed into the Halloween that we see today.The winter solstice is a similar celebration with similar activities, which can now be seen in pantomimes and in carol singing.

[Wes]

Yes. But it has never been celebrated in such as commerical extent as it has in the US.

Its evident that Americans celebrate it way more than we do, these days you would be lucky to have a trick or treater - let alone decorate your house etc.

I never said it was originally from America.