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Scarefest 2014
- Thread starter ImUrNemeis
- Start date
It is pretty poor to be honest.
A successful event, which Scarefest clearly is, should continue to grow each year. 2008 aside, I genuinely think it has gotten smaller each year since its introduction in 07. Thorpe have a strong selection of mazes. Alton, especially given its size, should be offering a similar quantity by now.
The only thing I can say to you all is that at least we have a Halloween event.... Those around in 2004 will remember that Alton Towers had released information about that year's Spooktacular featuring Terror of the Towers only to cancel it a couple of months before due to cost cutting. Bearing in mind TOTT was brilliant in 02 and especially 03 - it was incredibly popular, imagine how gutted the online community was then.
My family had all booked tickets, suffice to say we got a refund! My point is whilst this offering is disappointing, I would've ripped your hand off for two mazes and two scare zones back then. It's still a good event with arguably two excellent mazes, although they seriously need to retheme TOTT for 2015.
A successful event, which Scarefest clearly is, should continue to grow each year. 2008 aside, I genuinely think it has gotten smaller each year since its introduction in 07. Thorpe have a strong selection of mazes. Alton, especially given its size, should be offering a similar quantity by now.
The only thing I can say to you all is that at least we have a Halloween event.... Those around in 2004 will remember that Alton Towers had released information about that year's Spooktacular featuring Terror of the Towers only to cancel it a couple of months before due to cost cutting. Bearing in mind TOTT was brilliant in 02 and especially 03 - it was incredibly popular, imagine how gutted the online community was then.
My family had all booked tickets, suffice to say we got a refund! My point is whilst this offering is disappointing, I would've ripped your hand off for two mazes and two scare zones back then. It's still a good event with arguably two excellent mazes, although they seriously need to retheme TOTT for 2015.
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I'll probably still go up, mazes or not, for me part of scarefest is also the night time atmosphere, though, with the lack of decent lighting, this has somewhat disappeared too. However, I took some non enthusiast friends up last year, they have decided they dont want to go up again this year as in their words "there is nothing new to go on this year".
jmc
TS Member
I know its their park/their event and essentially they can do what they want, but I really think its disgraceful that theyve taken away a maze yet have the audacity to have the remaining two a paid for attraction. Made even worse by the fact that both these mazes have been offered for free in the past.
Scarefest is not really Scarefest anymore. Yes the park is open later and yes its dark. But to experience something truly worthy of being called scary you now are forced to pay the additional £ on top of the extortionate gate prices, food prices, and parking prices.
Scarefest is not really Scarefest anymore. Yes the park is open later and yes its dark. But to experience something truly worthy of being called scary you now are forced to pay the additional £ on top of the extortionate gate prices, food prices, and parking prices.
Dar
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Taron
Burbs
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Iron Gwazi
Not sure whether you're being pessimistic or realistic.
James
TS Founding Member
If this years event is a success in Merlin's books, then I wouldn't put it past them to further cut the 2015 budget. But then none of us really know what has happened this year and why, since the park doesn't seem to be failing in any way.
We should be all grateful the event is still here. But as many have said it's very disappointing that the event is shrinking. By now we should be seeing TOTT with a new theme (free of charge) and three brand new themed mazes, a second scare zone (we are getting one this year admittedly), expansion of park-wide theming and coloured lighting... it's depressing to think these kinds of things were pondered on back in 2010, how in 2/3/4 years time the event would be massive. Now 7 years since the event started most of us either don't care or expect the event to just keep getting smaller until it's removed.
I really feel for ents. There are some brilliant minds in that department, yet their skills cannot be exploited to the fullest. Damn you Merlin Entertainments.
We should be all grateful the event is still here. But as many have said it's very disappointing that the event is shrinking. By now we should be seeing TOTT with a new theme (free of charge) and three brand new themed mazes, a second scare zone (we are getting one this year admittedly), expansion of park-wide theming and coloured lighting... it's depressing to think these kinds of things were pondered on back in 2010, how in 2/3/4 years time the event would be massive. Now 7 years since the event started most of us either don't care or expect the event to just keep getting smaller until it's removed.
I really feel for ents. There are some brilliant minds in that department, yet their skills cannot be exploited to the fullest. Damn you Merlin Entertainments.
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
Realistic... Sadly.
I wish people would stop saying were lucky to have what we are getting.
Why are we? They've made so much money this year from people still wanting to ride the smiler for the first time and then there was obviously Cbeebies land which has attracted lots of visitors. So how can we be lucky we've even got the right event?
Merlin are Rolling in the money but the directors obviously don't understand that even when a business is doing well it can still do better with investment.
To be honest I give up with merlin you would think they would know what to do with owning so many theme parks, they manage to have so many new mazes at Thorpe yet Alton Towers ents are left to pick up the pieces once again, it's just not fair.
Why are we? They've made so much money this year from people still wanting to ride the smiler for the first time and then there was obviously Cbeebies land which has attracted lots of visitors. So how can we be lucky we've even got the right event?
Merlin are Rolling in the money but the directors obviously don't understand that even when a business is doing well it can still do better with investment.
To be honest I give up with merlin you would think they would know what to do with owning so many theme parks, they manage to have so many new mazes at Thorpe yet Alton Towers ents are left to pick up the pieces once again, it's just not fair.
Danny
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
Of course they know what to do. Plonk down more off the shelf, shoddy midway attractions with IPs that they were chasing back in 2011 which even then were dated.
Olii
TS Member
If we look at the rate at which Scarefest has been declining in recent years, and we extrapolate that to, say, 2019, I imagine the line up will be as follows;
Ride the rides in semi-darkness, with opening hours extending late into the night with a ride close (excluding all rides with a height restriction over 90CM) of 7:15PM! (Make sure to bring a torch as on sight lighting will not be provided)
Feel the fear in our all new attraction: Air Tunnel Live! Experience the bare concrete walls with an added twist- we've hung up tacky Halloween decorations from poundland and someone at the exit who may shout "Boo!" at you as you leave (subject to an extra fee of £5.00 per person).
Roaming, unenthusiastic actors will wander around the park in cheap zombie costumes, ready to give you the chills! We guarantee you will be more scared than ever with up to two of these actors in the park at once!
Stay over in our haunted scare rooms - We've cut the electric on one of the corridors in the Alton Towers Hotel, so prepare to stumble and fondle your way around in the darkness - watch out for the exposed wiring and broken glass on the floor! (£875 pppn)
Plus, t̶o̶ ̶s̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶n̶e̶y̶ to terrify you even more, we've swapped all of our ride operators with bored teenagers off the street - will they do safety checks? Who knows?!
*Please note that during Scarefest the price of tickets for park entry will be increased to £149.99 and no money off/bogof vouchers will be accepted.
**No costumes allowed- we don't know why but H&S said they would beat us with clubs if any guest arrives in costume.
Ride the rides in semi-darkness, with opening hours extending late into the night with a ride close (excluding all rides with a height restriction over 90CM) of 7:15PM! (Make sure to bring a torch as on sight lighting will not be provided)
Feel the fear in our all new attraction: Air Tunnel Live! Experience the bare concrete walls with an added twist- we've hung up tacky Halloween decorations from poundland and someone at the exit who may shout "Boo!" at you as you leave (subject to an extra fee of £5.00 per person).
Roaming, unenthusiastic actors will wander around the park in cheap zombie costumes, ready to give you the chills! We guarantee you will be more scared than ever with up to two of these actors in the park at once!
Stay over in our haunted scare rooms - We've cut the electric on one of the corridors in the Alton Towers Hotel, so prepare to stumble and fondle your way around in the darkness - watch out for the exposed wiring and broken glass on the floor! (£875 pppn)
Plus, t̶o̶ ̶s̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶n̶e̶y̶ to terrify you even more, we've swapped all of our ride operators with bored teenagers off the street - will they do safety checks? Who knows?!
*Please note that during Scarefest the price of tickets for park entry will be increased to £149.99 and no money off/bogof vouchers will be accepted.
**No costumes allowed- we don't know why but H&S said they would beat us with clubs if any guest arrives in costume.
ScottPBE
TS Member
It's a shame that Towers are cutting back so much with Scarefest, the potential is there for a fantastic event with high quality mazes and a few Halloween shows around the park but it just seems that they are happy to do a half arsed event these days knowing that their advertising will still suck in the British public and earn them just as much, if not more than other Scarefest events.