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Scarefest 2020

It's really interesting to see all of the different views on the mazes, personally the only maze i enjoyed was Toxic Junkyard as it was the only maze i actually encountered any scares.

The attic was frankly awful, i was with a group of 4 people and we only saw one actor throughout the whole maze. Also didn't enjoy the batching, it honestly felt like a conveyor belt of people being pushed through and we spent most of our time trying to avoid the groups in front and behind us.

Mine Tours was as expected, obviously not as great as previous years as the touching really makes this maze but it wasn't the worst.

Toxic Junkyard really stood out for me, i think it was brilliant particularly in the dark (i cant imagine it being anywhere near as great in the day) and there were so many actors. My dad has always been difficult to please as he doesn't scare easily but he got a few good scares on this one, he even paid for us to do it again.
 
Some pics of (mostly) the Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls from Saturday night. It really is spectacular and as many have said, no pictures or videos do the lights justice. You have to see them in person to appreciate them fully. I really hope this is the start of something truly unique that Towers improves on. Although awesome, there were plenty of things they could do to make it better - like low level mist on the water by the boat, maybe a couple dancing the Waltz in costume in the green covered walkway between the conservatories.

And yes, in the last couple of pics that was the Pagoda fountain lit up in purple and switched on too!

Link
 
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What are the approximate evening wait times for the scare mazes this year?
Based on my visit on Sunday, my first maze was at 4.45 (Darkest Depths) and was 5 mins (only ones in the queue really so were just waiting for the ones in front to leave the pre-show)

The Attic was at 5.45 and waited about 15 mins (queued from about halfway down the long path that runs next to the Hex side of Her Ladyship's Garden. Then did Junkyard at about 5.15, that was about 30 mins, queued about 3/4 of the queueline on the grass. Then Mine tours which was about the same time (30 mins), queued from just outside the tunnel entrance.

If I remember rightly, we got in the Mine Tours queue - the last of the 3 - with about 5 mins to spare before our 1½ hour slot was up. But that was more because we took our time in walking between the mazes than the queues being massive.
 
Some pics of (mostly) the Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls from Saturday night.
Link

Great pics. I have been hoping they would do something like this for years. It really does look magical. Sadly I can't get there this year but hopefully the lights will return next year.
 
Based on my visit on Sunday, my first maze was at 4.45 (Darkest Depths) and was 5 mins (only ones in the queue really so were just waiting for the ones in front to leave the pre-show)

The Attic was at 5.45 and waited about 15 mins (queued from about halfway down the long path that runs next to the Hex side of Her Ladyship's Garden. Then did Junkyard at about 5.15, that was about 30 mins, queued about 3/4 of the queueline on the grass. Then Mine tours which was about the same time (30 mins), queued from just outside the tunnel entrance.

If I remember rightly, we got in the Mine Tours queue - the last of the 3 - with about 5 mins to spare before our 1½ hour slot was up. But that was more because we took our time in walking between the mazes than the queues being massive.

Thanks! :)
 
Popped down last night with the SLR; something I've not done in well over five years.

After a quick bite to eat and a pint on the lawns, on arrival at half five, we managed to spend virtually the entire evening in the Gardens. The magic of Alton Towers? Yeah, it's there alright.

It was thoroughly heartwarming to see an actual queue to enter the Gardens and for them to be properly enjoyed as they should be. The rise of social media posting in beautiful locations has inevitably aided this concept, but it was great to see it being enjoyed by both young and old. The Conservatories look incredible, and it's great to see that areas that can't be accessed (the Corkscrew fountain and Swiss Cottage) are still highlighted.

The fact it's already returning for Winter is delightful, and I really hope that this concept becomes embedded into the park's future every single year; it's something that has excellent foundations to be built upon. My only negatives were that both the Swiss Cottage and Pagoda fountain (which looks stunning at night) weren't accessible; a crying shame given the views from the terrace outside the former.

Hopefully, this event paves the way to have some of the gardeners return. It'd be great to see the canal and waterfall without the weeds and seeing them restored to their full glory for next year. For the first time in a very long time, I left with a genuine smile on my face at something the park had done, particularly so well and beautifully.
 
The more I hear about this the more I want to doit, but I've got to work out to fit it in as we'll be the other side of it (the exit side) when it first gets dark (our mazes finish by 5). Does anyone know when the Skyride shuts? that would help massively if it's open at that time.
 
The more I hear about this the more I want to doit, but I've got to work out to fit it in as we'll be the other side of it (the exit side) when it first gets dark (our mazes finish by 5). Does anyone know when the Skyride shuts? that would help massively if it's open at that time.

The entrance and exit to the Gardens walk are very close. Entrance just off the bridge (the one with the white railings) and the exit is under that bridge and brings you out on a path that leads to the front of the Towers. The exit is also the wheelchair entrance.

Here's the Google maps showing it. The path forking off to the top right is the entrance and the exit is under that bridge
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9872319,-1.8916654,81m/data=!3m1!1e3

The Skyride closes at dusk so gets earlier as Scarefest progresses
 
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The entrance and exit to the Gardens walk are very close. Entrance just off the bridge (the one with the white railings) and the exit is under that bridge and brings you out on a path that leads to the front of the Towers. The exit is also the wheelchair entrance.

The Skyride closes at dusk so gets earlier as Scarefest progresses
Thanks for that, really useful to know. Should definitely be able to fit it in then as we'll be in that area. :)
Approximately how long does the GLW take?
 
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Thanks for that, really useful to know. Should definitely be able to fit it in then as we'll be in that area. :)
Approximately how long does the GLW take?
As long as you want really, plenty of room to stand back and let others pass if you want to admire something. But a slow pace without stopping probably about 15-20 mins. If you're taking pics or waiting for others in front to, then it'll be nearer to 30 probably. Just think of it as walking round a museum - there's a set path, but you can do it all at your own pace.
 
As long as you want really, plenty of room to stand back and let others pass if you want to admire something. But a slow pace without stopping probably about 15-20 mins. If you're taking pics or waiting for others in front to, then it'll be nearer to 30 probably. Just think of it as walking round a museum - there's a set path, but you can do it all at your own pace.
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Am I looking at the right bridge? If so the entrance is the right fork and the exit is to the left under the bridge.

Screenshot_20201023-134838.png
 
You could walk it in 5 minutes if you really wanted to. We easily spent a couple of hours in there, however.
 
Two things:

What time does the hotel entrance open this year? Is it much earlier than the actual park entrance?

Do you still get the FastTrack for Nemesis, Oblivion, Duel and Mine Train as hotel guests in Scarefest?
 
As far as I know there is no hotel fastrack - that was offered to compensate for the loss of the usual ERT perk, but as ERT is not available anyway this year it doesn't matter.

Both the main and hotel entrance open before the rides open, 9.30 at the latest - I've never been early enough to figure out the exact time.
 
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