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Scarefest 2020

I'm not a fan of a mazes but I went into Darkest Depths because it was supposed to be kiddy friendly, well it was actually rather scary for me. It wasn't busy so the actors were really good and decoration was well done too. I think its worth going into. I did think that something along that theme/idea would make a really awesome scary pirates style dark ride.
 
In terms of this new clown/freak show themed scare maze, I wonder if it will either be an intense take on clowns (e.g. Big Top intensity) or a more toned down yet jump-scare based take on clowns (e.g. Carnival of Screams intensity); seeing as this will replace both Sub Species and Project 42 I do hope it has a multi-route structure with a fair bit of intensity pumping throughout. The Attic isn't the most intense and AMT is more so, but I do think having something known to be the 'intense' maze (like Sub-Species) would be good. Clowns aren't the most scary but hopefully somehow they can make it scary; I know how sinister a carnival can be, because after all these mazes aren't all about jumpscares but they should have a good atmosphere too; something The Attic achieved impeccably.
 
In terms of this new clown/freak show themed scare maze, I wonder if it will either be an intense take on clowns (e.g. Big Top intensity) or a more toned down yet jump-scare based take on clowns (e.g. Carnival of Screams intensity); seeing as this will replace both Sub Species and Project 42 I do hope it has a multi-route structure with a fair bit of intensity pumping throughout. The Attic isn't the most intense and AMT is more so, but I do think having something known to be the 'intense' maze (like Sub-Species) would be good. Clowns aren't the most scary but hopefully somehow they can make it scary; I know how sinister a carnival can be, because after all these mazes aren't all about jumpscares but they should have a good atmosphere too; something The Attic achieved impeccably.

I wouldn't expect multi-route due to distancing issues. if someone else came towards you then you can't keep 1m+ distancing.
 
I wouldn't expect multi-route due to distancing issues. if someone else came towards you then you can't keep 1m+ distancing.
There's also the Issue of meeting up if the routes merge into one, but they'll probably send one family group in at a time, so it might not be too much of an issue.
 
Apologies for the double post but also I do believe that in AMT there will be a chainsaw finale. This is because:
1. Sub Species has gone; the iconic chainsaw chase out will have to go somewhere else.
2. I've heard people saying in auditions they have asked people to impersonate hillbillys with a chainsaw.
3. A chainsaw in The Attic? No. A chainsaw where clowns are preparing for a show? Maybe but probably not.
 
There's also the Issue of meeting up if the routes merge into one, but they'll probably send one family group in at a time, so it might not be too much of an issue.

With a multi-room staggered experience it would be possible to have more than one group as long as the previous group move out a room before you move to the next (think Dungeons do this anyway). I remember doing Terror of the Towers with a similar format many many years ago.
 
Construction vlog, courtesy of Jack Silkstone :)



(He visited before the mazes were confirmed, and I clarified the announcement in the comments.)
 
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Bit confused where people are getting this idea that there is another maze to be announced later this month?

From the press release:
‘Freak Show: Toxic Junkyard’ promises to get pulses racing as it joins the award-winning line up of live action scare mazes* for thrillseekers. An outdoor maze, it will invite the foolhardy to venture into the Freak Show hidden den to discover the secret of the psycho clowns’ next big show.
The new scare maze, which will be fully unveiled later this summer, is the latest addition to the Theme Park’s line-up of terrifyingly good scare mazes which will be completed with the return of:

From that, I gather by the wording of 'the new scare maze', they're talking about Freak Show: Toxic Junkyard being fully unveiled later this summer (what that'll consist of I'm not sure). No where in that press release does it suggest another maze is yet to be announced? Unless I've missed something?
 
Bit confused where people are getting this idea that there is another maze to be announced later this month?

From the press release:


From that, I gather by the wording of 'the new scare maze', they're talking about Freak Show: Toxic Junkyard being fully unveiled later this summer (what that'll consist of I'm not sure). No where in that press release does it suggest another maze is yet to be announced? Unless I've missed something?
I don't know where people have got that either. :confused: All the mazes have been announced. They'll divulge more details about Freak Show and the Gardens Lights Walk nearer the time. I think everyone's just getting overexcited that Scarefest is actually going ahead. :p
 
I believe one of the local papers clumsily worded something, such that talking about additional information about the new maze to come later in the summer and Toxic Junkyard became seemingly separate things.
 
YouTuber MGSB found some Carnival of Screams related theming being carted around behind the scenes. He says it looks brand new but that seems unlikely to me. Unless they are wanting some kind of throwback section in their Toxic Junkyard maze, I don't see why they would want to use resources on theming with the branding of a now 7 year old Scare Maze. Any thoughts?
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‘As part of our 40th birthday celebrations we are bringing back some of your favourite terrifying features from past mazes’?

Or something.
 
I would assume that the maze's story is something along the lines of The Freak Show being an evolution of The Carnival of Screams, the new CoS theming is probably to do with that plot...I would assume...
 
The Carnival poster is not brand new, it was used in 2013 as a 'falling billboard' special effect, hence the 'squash the competition' caption; bit of humour as the billboard was meant to 'squash' the guest. It was positioned within the outdoor/ringmaster section of the maze. I remember it well because the creative director for Ents spoke heavily about how they wanted the poster to feel like it was 'falling down' as guests walked past it as a 'jump-scare', but due to heavy H&S red tape it required weights to hold it down, it couldn't fall too closely to guests, and some other health and safety conditions. It ended up being a pretty heavily-wasted special effect and didn't have the impact that Ents wanted it to have.

I'd imagine they'll probably use it again but re-brand the billboard to Freak Show, or use it as an easter egg. That poster isn't new though.
 
Anyone have an idea why the shipping containers are stacked? Also how will this outdoor maze work in terms of being 'outdoor' - since it is in shipping containers.
My first thought was these are just being used as walls. It's meant to be a "Junkyard" which implies it's outdoors. If it's a scary/horror thing, then they will not want young kids and families walking past and accidentally seeing a clown with a chainsaw or whatever! Plus it's a paid attraction, so again, they won't want people watching!
 
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