Attraction Source Forum

MakoMania wrote:I'd just avoid the first two Sundays to be 100% sure.

Then all I'm left with is half term time, I spose Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd is the best bet.

Scary tales was appalling. Carnival of screams was 10000000x better


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tcw1993 wrote:Scary tales was appalling. Carnival of screams was 10000000x better


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They were two totally different experiences though so it would be a bit unfair to compare them. One was a scare zone, the other was a maze.

Scary Tales was 'awesome!' for my younger one (he said that). I was slightly annoyed that it didn't return as for a 'non-scare maze' day out (don't get me wrong, I came back the week after to do the mazes!). When people have a family day out without going in the scare mazes, I realised how dissapointing last year was. I preferred Alton towers old scare zones as they were in a walkway, had indoor sections, and were different to other parks. Alton Towers like to be different (world firsts) SO WHY DID THEY REMOVE THE OLD TYPE OF SCARE ZONES. Last years zones were a terrible recreation of Americas, so get rid of them, don't risk complaints. Keep this years mazes (you completely hit the nail on the head with them) and keep the old style scare zones but make em new or possibly still themed on Dark Apocalypse and Nox Infernus, then you can show improvement, just like The Boiler House 2009 compared to The Boiler House 2010.

I want a better family day out this year.
I want better scare zones that my child will still enjoy, he thought last years were rubbish
Last years scare actors were exact same as before, the Nox Infernus actors were good but the scare zone wasn't (make it better)

Last year's scare zones were abysmal!

Personally, I go to Scarefest but never engage in any of the mazes. I am a terrible jump scarer. I get scared easy. It's not for me. My husband and FIL love them so next time I think I will find a quiet place to wait for them to do the ma\es, as me personally cant manage. Also paying otu the extra cash when I've already forked out £50ish quid on entry, to have to pay more for the mazes is not impressive.

Last years Scarefest would have been probably the best had the scare zones been in the old design of guests walking down a specific route, and from what I can remember only about one actor in each scare zone actually noticed me and my friend. I really do hope they return to the old scare zone format this year, but maybe they could increase the amount of actors around the park as most of them seem to always be on Towers Street.. I know there were a group of actors who moved to Gloomy Wood during the day, but there were none in X-Sector, Mutiny Bay, or on Towers Street later in the day and I felt going to somewhere like X-Sector didn't really have anything to do with Scarefest.

lf2001 wrote:Last years Scarefest would have been probably the best had the scare zones been in the old design of guests walking down a specific route.

I completely agree, doing 'Scary Tales' and 'Zombies! Scare Zone' in 2014 made Scarefest more Scarefest-y for me (if that makes sense). The scare zones this year were ok, but I feel like there could have been one of those (preferably Dark Apocalypse) and one or two original style scare zones, which would be better for everyone.

Personally I liked last years Scare Zones, especially Dark Apocalypse, I thought it was good because there was quite a few actors to quite a small space. When it was quieter it was better, I got chased with the chainsaw twice! :yikes: I think it also added to the night time atmosphere, making it feel like Scarefest!

However, if they do want to keep it fresh they may have to go back to the old format as there is only so many infected zombies you can stick around before people get bored! The idea only works for that area because of the area's theme.

Arwen wrote:The idea only works for that area because of the area's theme.

Completely agree, Nox Infernus made sense if you didn't look at the backstory they made up, which was awful, and Dark Apocalypse made sense because of nemesis and NST. They should alternate the areas these zones are in, if they decide to keep them, and have either Dark Apocalypse/Nox Infernus and something in X Sector to do with The Sanctuary (which they couldn't have done last year for obvious reasons). I think it would be good to see patients of The Sanctuary walking around X-Sector with various theming elements and stuff. :moj

JonDoesTT wrote:I think it would be good to see patients of The Sanctuary walking around X-Sector with various theming elements and stuff. :moj

That sounds awesome! They could have nurses as well asking people if they have been corrected :moj. They could bring back Dr Kelman! I think it may be a while before they can do anything Smiler related with the accident still hot on the press' minds.

Anyway I hope, if the themes quite dark, they do something SW8 related. It would give us enthusiasts something to talk about over the closed season! Also a good opportunity to establish it, hint.. Hint

Arwen wrote:Anyway I hope, if the themes quite dark, they do something SW8 related. It would give us enthusiasts something to talk about over the closed season! Also a good opportunity to establish it, hint.. Hint

That's a good idea, but considering there's more non enthusiasts than there are enthusiasts, it might seem a bit odd for there to be a whole scarefest experience based on something that won't be around for another 2 years. It would confuse the non enthusiasts and probably a few enthusiasts, unless they hinted towards a link to SW8.

Saddened to come across this post and hear that Pete Cliff is to be parting ways with Alton Towers for new ventures.

Hopefully Sub Species: The End Games is a given return given its reviews & various nods at awards and I also feel The Sanctuary has to return this year again in celebration of the great mind that brought it together.

That's a shame. I'd love for them to bring the Sanctuary back, definitely looked like my kinda thing.

Didn't they say somewhere that they already have plans for sub species 2? I doubt they'll be dropping the maze that got one of the best reactions they've had for a while.

Sanctuary was okay, first year I did the mazes it had just come in and I was more enamoured with the finale to terror of the towers as it was so freaky and unexpected. However Sanctuary was entertaining, and Dr Kelman was awesome getting you all to smile before you entered the maze proper. I would love if they made it a zone around X sector that would be fantastic.

I actually really enjoyed the scare zones from 2015. They may not have been rich in story, but they were fun to walk through and have a few frights. I do agree, they weren't great as a whole substantial attraction but they were quite fun, I wouldn't really consider removing them.

I think combining the two will be pretty good: an atmospheric area with lighting and smoke effects, and the old, original path thing with actors and stuff.
IMO I think the scare zone was a bit weak last year, people just seemed to walk through it and not really be bothered by the actors (or even if they did, it was only 30 seconds of walking through a zombie infested area)

I think they should have one of the new style open area scare zones and make the other into an old style walkthrough pathway. So leave Dark Apocalypse as it was in 2015, but move Nox Infernus to where Zombies was in 2014.

Unfortunately I'd have to disagree, a scare zone is exactly that, a zone in which you can be scared. If you start making it into confined space that's one way in one way out, it's stops the free flow of the event, they add to the atmosphere and create spooks, it's that bridge between a maze and a show. People often say UK events should be like those of USA and this is one way towers have improved, they really worked well last year, although I felt DA fell a little flat just because for me it would have worked more near duel than nemesis. I think this year towers will be looking to expand and build on the success of last years scare zones and make them more atmospheric. I for one can't wait to see what they have in store

Last years scariest moment was when I thought the scares were over, and a wraith jumped out from behind the thirteen queue entrance pillars, I probably preferred Nox for scares, and DA for laughs, purely for my cousin shouting boo, and the actor running behind and in front as he excited "Think of a better word than boo!" Had my laughing like mad, and my cousin jumping. Mixture of comedy and scares. :P