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Scarefest 2020

Barnaby Simpson said:
Two things -

1. What are you predicting the new attraction next to the goal striker building going to be? Themes... experiences... scares... length etc.

2. How many attractions in total will there be? I'm pretty sure The Attic is returning and we have this new one so that's two... but how many others?
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Welcome to Towers Street Barnaby. I personally hope Darkest Depths returns as I did it last year as my first ever scare maze, and it was fantastic. No idea what the new one could be, but we'll find out eventually.
 
I personally believe it will be somewhat circus related; from the props we have seen so far. Who knows though; it could be anything!

Thanks for the Welcoming!
 
To further on the idea of it potentially being a Freak Show/Carnival of Screams attraction, I watched a recent YouTube vlog where the person filming went to Alton Towers for the Scarefest auditions. She talked about her experience at the audition process and what I found interesting is they asked her to do an impression of the following typical monsters:

A vampire, hillbilly (with a chainsaw), zombie, and a Crazed Clown.

Now obviously these are just generic variants of things you would expect at any scare attraction so this can't confirm anything, but I do think the usage of a hillbilly with a chainsaw is quite specific to the Altonville theme, so perhaps it isn't too far fetched to suggest that maybe we could expect all of these types of monsters around the resort at Scarefest, whether it be roaming actors, scare zones, or even better, a scare maze!

If you would like a link to hear directly from the horse's mouth: Here. 1:49 if you want to skip to what she says about the audition process.
 
Still failing to see how socially distanced scare attractions can be pulled off in a way that is even close to effective.

It speaks volumes that every other reputable scare event has already been cancelled this year.

The best route to go down in this situation would be a heavily reliance on animatronics and special effects but I don't get the impression that they are going to be investing in that. Looks more like a big naff scare zone which I'm sure they will market and operate as a maze (much like Thorpe have got into the habit of doing).

Should have just scrapped Scarefest and extended the Oktoberfest event into October (emphasis on late night riding). This reeks of desperation and failure.

Would love to be proved wrong.
 
D4n said:
The best route would be a heavily reliance on animatronic and special effects but I don't get the impression that they are going down that route.
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I would be more than happy to see something like that, but as you say, I really can't see that happening, especially when they can barely maintain Duel. I was shocked to see that the second dining room demon now just sits on the floor.
 
D4n said:
Still failing to see how socially distanced scare attractions can be pulled off in a way that is even close to effective.

It speaks volumes that every other reputable scare event has already been cancelled this year.

The best route to go down in this situation would be a heavily reliance on animatronics and special effects but I don't get the impression that they are going to be investing in that. Looks more like a big naff scare zone which I'm sure they will market and operate as a maze (much like Thorpe have got into the habit of doing).

Should have just scrapped Scarefest and extended the Oktoberfest event into October (emphasis on late night riding). This reeks of desperation and failure.

Would love to be proved wrong.
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The only way I can see it is if all the actors are being perspex and groups go through in their household groups only. It would be possible to create a scary environment through props and lighting then add jump scares from actors behind protection.

But I think capacity will be poor due to only one group at a time or similar and masks will be needed so AT will need to be clear as to what is being offered and how many mazes will be open. The marketing will need to focus on rides in the dark.

For Oktorberfest there won't be a huge amount of dark riding time, it only will be dark at 7pm from the end of September. But then if the park isn't busy an hour should be enough.
 
Im expecting higher priced mazes and absolutely terrible throughputs. Yes I understand what merlin are doing but that don’t mean they should. It’s full recoup damage control mode i just dread to think what a social distanced maze would look like.
 
Media embargo appears to have lifted.

Containers at goal striker will be Freak Show Toxic Junkyard, an outdoor maze based on the former scare zone.

Gardens will have Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls, a non-additional cost presumably scare zone.

Darkest Depths, The Attic, and Mine Tours return. Somehow...

No word on the family friendly aspects yet.
 
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Swarm Chris said:
Media embargo appears to have lifted.

Containers at goal striker will be Freak Show Toxic Junkyard, an outdoor maze based on the former scare zone.

Gardens will have Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls, a non-additional cost presumably scare zone.

Darkest Depths, The Attic, and Mine Tours return. Somehow...

No word on the family friendly aspects yet.
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I see P42 got it's P45 :p
 
Is Darkest Depths actually back? It's not on the website, the mazes are just listed as Mine Tours, The Attic & Toxic Junkyard. Not surprised Project 42 or Sub Species aren't making a return.
 
Danscott22 said:
Is Darkest Depths actually back? It's not on the website, the mazes are just listed as Mine Tours, The Attic & Toxic Junkyard. Not surprised Project 42 or Sub Species aren't making a return.
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Darkest Depth is classed as a family maze so it is listed separately under the family section of the website along with the shows/Dungeon etc.
 
Confirmed attraction list:
-The Attic
-Altonville Mine Tours
-Freak Show: Toxic Junkyard
-Darkest Depths
-Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls
-The Alton Towers Dungeon
-CBeebies Land Monster Party
-Freaky Fun Zone
-Alton Ancestors

I expected Project 42 to be culled due to its theme around a vaccine; I doubt the park would want the bad press associated with a 'COVID-19 Scare Maze' as The Sun would probably make it out to be. And I expected Sub Species to go too because of its nature.
 
Ah so it is! The Dungeon is also listed with the other mazes so it was just confusing me a little bit:p
I didn't do Darkest Depths last year, is it worth trying? Mine Tours was my favourite as per, loved The Attic and I'm excited and intrigued to try Toxic Junkyard and the Whispering Souls attraction!
 
Danscott22 said:
Ah so it is! The Dungeon is also listed with the other mazes so it was just confusing me a little bit:p
I didn't do Darkest Depths last year, is it worth trying? Mine Tours was my favourite as per, loved The Attic and I'm excited and intrigued to try Toxic Junkyard and the Whispering Souls attraction!
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Darkest Depths was fantastic, very, very theatrical and extremely well themed. The entrance/preshow talk was themed to an old Inn and was in the archway where The Welcoming maze started. Considering you were walking through a few shipping containers, you'd never know you were!
 
RicketyCricket said:
Great idea to use the Gardens, they've got so much space down there I'm surprised it's not been used before.
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The nice thing is that this has been planned very early on before COVID was even a thing. So it has every reason to be pretty decent.

AT86 said:
An interesting snippet of info from this Sentinel article published today:



Wonder what this could be? A maze/scare zone in the gardens? Or just some kind of lighting to open them up after dark?

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/wha...ers-3864333.amp#click=https://t.co/Q4WCgyKq1n
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Considering the goo-like logo for Freak Show, could we see a return of the old slime tank thing that was part of the original scare zone's opening show? (That used the old tap from the Flume)
 
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