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Scarefest 2019

ScareAttractions

TS Member
Favourite Ride
The Altonville Mines
Right so another year of Scarefest is over and done with for another year and it’s certainly never too early to speculate about next years event. I’m pretty sure one was made this time last year too! So can anyone think of things they’d like to see next year?


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It annoys me, because the Saremosphere was actually a pretty good idea, which very unfortunately didn't work as they’d planned. I think had they recruited enough actors, then it would have been a bit more of a success (although the Galactica Airways costumes were extremely questionable...).

What they should have done this year, when they realised their struggle to get enough actors, was just revert back to having the Freak Show set up along its usual route. They should still have the sets and the actors they were able to recruit have would have been enough to make that work.

So next year I’d like to them to bring the Freak Show back, plus it’d have been nice to see some of the fire dancers / Beornen about around Wicker Man, so they should perhaps hire in the company who did that, and that would also take some of the pressure off Alton Towers to source the actors themselves.

The entertainment moving back to Fountain Square was a good move and helped spread some of the atmosphere throughout the park a bit better, so I’d like to see that return same as it was this year. And finally, I’d like to see some extra decor throughout the park. This year lighting was much better than last, and its clear to see that lots of effort went into creating audio for the event too, but it’d really take it to the next level to have lots of extra decorations next year.
 
I'm not a scares person at all (I generally think Halloween in general is a massive waste of time, especially in the UK) but I think the scare zones really need to come back s̶o̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶q̶u̶i̶t̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶n̶g̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶. But they need to be very clearly marked areas, and over pathways which have a clearly marked and easy diversion. This year was the first year I did Scarefest because I've always been busy or have thought that it just won't be for me. But this year, there was a clear lack of scares that even I can admit really needed to be there, but there needs to be a very clear separation between the family friendly happenings and scare zones so that people who want scares can get scared and people who don't want to be don't have to be

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Hi all, long time lerker here

I too would like to see a return of the scare zones as they do really add to the feel of the whole event.

Also, (much more petty this one) the dance troop (Alton Ancestors?) are absolutley brilliant and help set the mood when you enter the park. But..... I didnt enjoy this years routine. I understand wanting to change it up a bit, but sometimes its best to stick with the spooky classic songs and find new 'mash ups' to go with them, rather than finding whole new songs.
They do an awesome job of interacting with onlookers too.
 
Scare zones, Duel Live, better use of the Haunted Hollow and doing something in or around Thirteens queue would be a good starting place. These have all been done at one point or another and seemed to me at least to work.
 
Pretty much confirms fireworks to remain at 2 days then. The last day of scarefest this season was substantially busier than I've ever seen the park on a friday of fireworks, mainly due to 1/2 term presumably.
 
My guess for mazes in 2019 will be as follows;

The Welcoming,
Sub Species,
Project 42,
AltonVille Mine Tours,
1 new maze (I am guessing something to do with the Dungeons).
 
Scarefest Dates are as according to the Merlin holidays website are

5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th October to 1st Nov

https://www.altontowersholidays.com/events/scarefest.html
Yay my birthday is a Scarefest date! I would like to see some classic mazes brought back and done well, my all time favourites were
Sanctuary
Subspecies
Carnival
Boiler House/Field of 1000 screams.

I know I say this every year but please if you are one of the Ents managers reading this I want to help you up your makeup game whilst still staying on budget, I know lots of people in the makeup industry who I can put you in contact with about quality makeup at good prices. I've heard that actors were bringing in their own kits and doing their own again this year when you'd hired professionals. I enjoyed Sub Speices as always but Project 42 and Altonville don't do it for me.
 
I would love to see more street ents. The freak show were good, but with only two or three actors it’s hard to do much. Also if you aren’t in the right area at the right time you will miss them. I went a good few times during the event and never saw the Galactica airwaves or the pirates. Just hire 10 or so actors to go round the park, then they add a bit more to it.

Or bring back a couple of scare zones.

As for mazes I think Sub species needs a major shakeup, was dire on my run throughs, plus by now I know the route so it’s just a bit boring.

I do enjoy Altonville but it’s always lacking in actors and finale for me.

Project 42 was dire, so happy lose that and get sub terra back. Not sure if we will get welcoming back either, as it didn’t seem very popular all when I visited.


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I know it won't happen but I am still grasping onto the tiny bit of hope that Scare Rooms and/or After Hours event will happen this year :rolleyes:
 
It would be cool to see Project 42 V2, (would that make it Project 43??) with a complete rethink to make it work, and a big injection of energy. I'm sure it could be fantastic but was held back first time round, too short with a poor start and finish. Could it be like Boiler House where it really comes into its own the second year? The building isn't going to be used for Sub Terra so may as well do something with it.

I expect they'll cut Welcoming now that Wicker Man has settled down.

If they did cut both Project 42 and Welcoming, I hope they would add a new maze and bring back a scare zone. I'd love to see Sub Species and Skin Snatchers continue with something new up their sleeve, both fantastic attractions but were very hit and miss last year.
 
I would love to see sub terra return as a Scarefest only ride, using sub terra storyline. But you can have actors at the end again, and even add some to the queue etc.
It’s a shame to see the ride just sat doing nothing.

It’s really time for AltonVille and sub species and Welcoming to both go now. Or they will need a major makeover.

I found last year all the mazes were a bit dull, and very predictable, sub species hasn’t changed for years, if anything it’s got worse due to the lack of changes and some areas of the maze not being used now.


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I would love to see sub terra return as a Scarefest only ride, using sub terra storyline. But you can have actors at the end again, and even add some to the queue etc.
It’s a shame to see the ride just sat doing nothing.

It’s really time for AltonVille and sub species and Welcoming to both go now. Or they will need a major makeover.

I found last year all the mazes were a bit dull, and very predictable, sub species hasn’t changed for years, if anything it’s got worse due to the lack of changes and some areas of the maze not being used now.


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I 100% agree that Sub Species needs a "shake up" for 2019. I don't think it should dissapear as it is a very good layout/story. It just needs a mass injection of new props/rooms to make it feel new.

AltonVille Mine Tours needs to go back to having very strong actors inside/outside. (Some actors were very good in there but some lacked getting into their roles)

I don't think Sub Terra needs to return as it was a bit naff if I am honest.
Project 42 needs a few new props and it will be good to go again for this year.

If Towers wants to go big this year all it needs to do is bring back scare rooms in the hotel!
 
I still think that The Sanctuary should return, maybe giving it a new name and a spruce up in order to make it marketable again.

Sanctuary and Sub Species (first year) were really leagues ahead of anything else Towers has produced in recent years. Don't fix what isn't broke.
 
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