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Scarefest 2014

I was disappointed with the mazes last year and the queues. I hoped for something new and a refresh this year but oh dear oh dear.

No imagination has gone into this whatsoever. Scary Tales sounds like it's a kiddie attraction. Sanctuary was supposed to end last year, and TOTT was the same old last year and dull.

Come on Merlin for Christ sake. Scarefest could be a truely amazing as it was many years ago when we had characters walking around, amazing lighting around the park, and things like Hex and Duel live.

I gate to say this but Alton is now the place which promises a lot from their advertising and website, and the reality is actually very disappointing. It's almost an insult to the customers who pay so much of their hard earned cash to go there.

Very, very disappointed.
 
Wow. How grim!

The Sanctuary is so boring now. I really hope Dr Kelman and his entourage of fanboys aren't back again.

I've visited Towers only a handful of times this year and I really don't know why I'd want to visit for Scarefest at the moment.
 
It seems that the efforts and budgets are now being invested into Thorpe for Halloween rather than the flagship of the portfolio. I did enjoy Fright Nights, there's no question about it. Scarefest on the other hand has so much more potential and creativity that could pull off something mind blowing. I dread to think of how dire it's going to be next year.
 
I'm going to presume that a larger budget has been given to Thorpe as Danny said for their new maze to replace the Asylum. Such a shame as Scarefest has more potential to be a better all round event with better mazes. You would've thought that Merlin might've looked at the Halloween awards (e.g. Best maze experience etc) and realised they were doing something right with the mazes at Towers.
 
I don't think it's anything like money being given to Thorpe Park rather than Alton Towers.

Alton Towers will have an allocated entertainments budget for the year to spend as they see fit.

Budgetary pressures will be placed on all Merlin theme parks.
 
On another note, where do we think the Zombies and Scary Tale zones will be located?
 
It sounds like they have pretty much the same budget from people in the know. Apparently they're making it more atmospheric with more roaming actors and the like, not that you can really put that on website?!

As always, wouldn't really trust it until I see it though. But it'd be nice to not have everything white as always. That'd be a huge step forwards if that happened.
 
Just putting a few coloured gels over lights would improve things so much - and I think I'm right in saying that this can be done relatively cheaply as well.
 
It never crossed my mind that it could be racist in any way. I see what you mean now, is a bit dull. :(
 
thefatone said:
Floodlights, generators. You can gel generators, lego used to do it!
Click to expand...

You can't gel generator lights they just burn through, you either have to use expensive filter thingies or put in coloured bulbs.

Both have a big cost implication but no reason it can't happen.
 
It's pretty clear they have a smaller budget. It's no secret that Pete Cliff and co have expressed desires to revamp TOTT and create a new maze... neither of those things are happening. While we have this new scare zone thing, it will cost the fraction of a price of a full blown maze.
 
Oh dear is all I can say. The event just seems to show signs of promise, and then it just doesn't happen. I really liked Carnival last year and felt it was the best maze. But now its gone, and we are stuck with the Sanctuary, which was a geat maze when it opened and even when it returned in March. But by last scarefest I was bored of it. And with TOTT there are only so many times you can be scared by an actor jumping out from the same place behind a box year after year.

OK so the park may have some new lighting or roaming actors which will be great, as the event has always felt like it only really happened at the towers and on Towers Street (certainly for the past few years). But it will be disappointing to not have a free maze.

One big thing about lighting, I don't know why the park don't just install permanent lighting around the park like Thorpe have? There is always talk that they are not allowed to because of light pollution, however it's interesting to see this year CBeebies Land is covered in brand new LED lights all over the place, pretty much on every building and ride area). Where as the farm had very little proper lighting and was always full of generators. So either this rumor about no permanent lighting is a load of rubbish, or towers have broken it by putting lights all over CBeebies Land!

With Carnival going, I thought we might have seen a circus style scare zone, as they already have all the outfits, props and set pieces, plus that massive entrance structure! But I do wonder where the new scare zone will go? In the place where Zombies originally went?
 
I agree with most people. Scarefest has the capability to be an amazing event, maybe at a push be able to compete with bigger names such as Europa's Horror Nights.

But it has sadly suffered so many budget cuts recently. Merlin just don't seem interested in Halloween at Towers anymore, and instead have started regenerating the southern parks' events.

I agree, The Sanctuary should have been ditched. Whilst it it did win awards etc, losing its icon character and general purpose now that the hype around The Smiler has died down really should have meant the maze departed. TOTT also needs re-working and Carnival shouldn't have left.

It's such a shame that the very talented events team don't get to do what they want, as I'm sure with less limits from above the event could be world class.

It does see a bit stupid to frequently cut the budget for their busiest time of year...
 
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