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Scarefest 2015

I've said before that if they are the same then I am not paying to do them this year. I don't think Towers or Merlin are quite so foolish to keep identical mazes yet again though.

:)
 
The whole of Scarefest has run its course... TOTT is just as bad.

This is where the mistake of keeping things the same for years comes in. It would make more sense if they invested in Scarefest every year and kept everything on a rota. Remove and replace a maze the one year, change the family offerings the one year, add a new attractions another year etc... With budget cuts we've come to a pretty stale event.

Neither Sanctuary or TOTT interest me enough to go back in, so I hope one or both get removed/changed this year. Not getting my hopes up although any change will be a nice surprise.
 
I want TOTT to return, as I think it as iconic for Scarefest as say Nemesis is for Towers. However it needs a totally new back story, layout and theming. There is a lot you can do with the generic name and theme of Terror of the Towers. Oh and please keep the strobe maze as that is still the single best element of any scare maze I have ever done in my life!

:)
 
The whole of Scarefest has run its course... TOTT is just as bad.

This is where the mistake of keeping things the same for years comes in. It would make more sense if they invested in Scarefest every year and kept everything on a rota. Remove and replace a maze the one year, change the family offerings the one year, add a new attractions another year etc... With budget cuts we've come to a pretty stale event.

Neither Sanctuary or TOTT interest me enough to go back in, so I hope one or both get removed/changed this year. Not getting my hopes up although any change will be a nice surprise.

I agree with your post, however Scarefest isn't about the mazes (according to research.) I seem to remember reading an AT survey where most people said they visited Scarefest for rides in the dark. How accurate that was I have no idea - however, I would have said the same - rides in the dark has more pull than the mazes, for me.
 
Sorry if this has been mentioned already.
What does everyone think will happen to The Sanctuary now if it wasn't already going to get replaced?
Re-theme, replacement? Maybe no replacement.
 
Sorry if this has been mentioned already.
What does everyone think will happen to The Sanctuary now if it wasn't already going to get replaced?
Re-theme, replacement? Maybe no replacement.
There will definitely be a replacement payed maze. I should think it will be Scary Tales... possibly. And then have Zombies on its own again. Although that will leave just 3 attractions, and I'm sure previously, since Zombies in 2011, they've had 4 attractions each year.
 
With The Smiler logo being the focal point of the Scarefest Pumpkin on that poster, it would seem logical that The Sanctuary would return, but its close ties to The Smiler just don't make it seem likely to come back for with all its associated imagery and fear of messing with your mind sort of thing that the incident has sadly done to the beloved victims. Towers seemed to have hastily put together Scary Tales one might assume from the non-originally composed music (actually used in 2011 EA's Alice: Madness Returns) so I'd see that coming back, and could also reinstate a quick Scare Maze whipped up in the place of The Sanctuary - I'm sure The Boiler House stuff is still on site if I'm not mistaken so that could make a comeback with less expense than a brand new maze to live up to the (now four) maze expectations. Just a thought/suggestion.
 
The sanctuary was still left up in Feb half term when I accidentally stumbled upon it..
I don't think they actually ever take the main bits down, it's just always set up.
 
I do not think Towers need an external benchmark, they have set high standards themselves. Ever since I started going to Scarefest (from 2009) the mazes have always been very good. The problem of late has been a lack of variety and news mazes. The same thing year after year gets boring.

:)
 
I also went to TwinLakes Xtreme Scream Park. It is all about what you can do related to how many people you get through the gate and I agree with what bluesonichd said but for possably different reasons.

Twin lakes is a small park. They dont have lots of money. But as soon as you entered Twin lakes you were greeted by staff 'in character', flaming logs and dim lights. The whole park was flames and creepy sounds.

OK they dont have anywhere near the budget of the merlin attractions, but for sheer effort alone and making as much of what they have got, I thought they were extremely good. The newer 2 mazes, for me, where easily on par if not above what Thorpe did with a lot larger budget. (I was told from one of the management that majority of the props in the new maze for last year had been donated by the staff of the park) I am really looking forwards to visiting again this year, much more than I am of visiting Scarefest really, well unless towers do actualy put some effort in.
 
I have to say the mazes aren't what draw me in. A lot of people I have spoke to about it have said they would much rather go on the rides than do mazes as well.
As someone with a nervous disposition, the atmosphere and theme created throughout the park is much more important.

I agree there needs to be quality mazes with variety but getting that general park atmosphere through lighting, effects and actors is something I really look for and is something I hope will be carried out well. :)
 
I do hope we seem some more street actors this year. The Alton Ancestors last year were a brilliant addition and the little show at the start of each day was great too. More or the same of that would be nice to see again this year. Ents did very well with that. It's a small thing but it adds a lot.
 
I noted today that Towers have said the Towers Ruins are closed early this year for advance preparation of new things in their for Scarefest this year.

So I'm assuming we are getting something new. I mean, when you just reuse the same sets year in year out it shouldnt really take them long to set it up. Fingers crossed for abit of something fresh and not Tiresome of the Towers again.
 
I'm 99% certain Sanctuary won't be back in its old form. And I think it will be a whole new maze, purely because of the Smiler, could you imagine the media picking up on the maze and Smiler?

I would also love TOTT to change, but we will see.

I had a look at the towers the other day and they are indeed closed, but what seems different this year is that there are safety posters on the entrance to the towers, like building work is going on, rather than just usual maze building. There doesn't seem to be any evident of mazes or windows blocked from the outside, but I did spot one or two people in the towers in hi vis and hard hats, and they looked more like builders than towers staff. So maybe some more major work is taking place.

I also guess we will see some new scarefest market posters soon without the Smiler on them.
 
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