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Scarefest 2014
- Thread starter ImUrNemeis
- Start date
Burbs
TS Team
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- Iron Gwazi
I didn't mean that about the frogs, but they've never done that before, have they? What I meant was that this could mean they'll be pulling out a few more stops park wide.I don't think a few bits of old material wrapped around some frogs translates into spending a fair bit of dosh on park wide theming! Nice to see though.
AtmosFear
TS Member
I'm defiantly not holding high hopes for this years event, personally its terrible that they have removed a really exciting scare maze and replaced it with a scare-zone.No they've not done that to the frogs before, but I doubt it has set tham back much financially. I just cannot get my hopes up much these days with things at Towers, which is a shame.
TheMan
TS Member
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- NemiLerVion
James
TS Founding Member
Who would have thought some frogs wrapped in bandages would cause such discussion.
It's just a simple and clever use of materials. A nice cheap and cheerful detail by those who have dressed up Towers Street. I like little things like that.
It would be nice if they added little bits of theming around the park. They've been using all the same things for years, it seems silly they never expand as the years go on. But ah well, that's Scarefest for you.
It's just a simple and clever use of materials. A nice cheap and cheerful detail by those who have dressed up Towers Street. I like little things like that.
It would be nice if they added little bits of theming around the park. They've been using all the same things for years, it seems silly they never expand as the years go on. But ah well, that's Scarefest for you.
NathanTuna95
TS Member
I love the theming for scarefest on towers street, the other park down south (which I shall not name because this Fright Night weekend I had was awful) had NO theming at all which was sad. Sorry to change the subject, but anyone doing the sleepover, have you received this mythical invitation yet? I have emailed twice and their reply was "soon"
Bring on this year though! I think anything would be better than the rubbish they call mazes at TP!
Bring on this year though! I think anything would be better than the rubbish they call mazes at TP!
Rob
TS Team
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- Steel Vengeance
Although Thorpe's mazes were not as good as Towers' last year they certainly weren't rubbish and I can't imagine they've become rubbish in the space of 12 months. I hate to say it but from the outside Fright Nights does appear a better event than Scarefest this year for the first time ever. Wish I could have got down to Thorpe to try out Fright Nights, but alas, Germany beckons!
DiogoJ42
TS Member
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- The Metropolitan Line
Bit late but...
How utterly stupid is this idea that perminant lighting will create light pollution? Firstly, they would only be turned on when the park is open late for a few weeks a year. Secondly, properly designed lighing will create far less light polution than the generator floods they currently use.
Don't have massive area floods on high towers like they currently do, have many small spots! It's not rocket science.
How utterly stupid is this idea that perminant lighting will create light pollution? Firstly, they would only be turned on when the park is open late for a few weeks a year. Secondly, properly designed lighing will create far less light polution than the generator floods they currently use.
Don't have massive area floods on high towers like they currently do, have many small spots! It's not rocket science.
PeteB
TS Member
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- Nemesis
And you're totally right. The light pollution thing was yet more BS from Towers to shut the fanboys up, as they always do. My guess is permanent lighting comes down to cost of installation. The park covers a vast area and most of the pathways would have to be ripped up to install cables. Very, very costly for something which would be used only a few nights a year (unless they get their act together and open later/run night time events). It needs doing, but this is M£rlin.
Same with using gels on the lights. It's got nothing to do with gels not being able to cope with heat. Nothing to do with buying special bulbs (total and utter BS), and nothing to do with ride ops. It comes down to the fact that if something goes wrong with the lighting towers, then Alton Towers/Merlin are responsible because they modified them. It probably voids any insurance cover. And as Towers have a reputation for burning things down accidentlyonpurpose they won't take the risk. You'll notice that the only lights which ever do get coloured are the ones Towers own themselves i.e. the flood tower in X Sector and DF, the installed floods around rides, the walkway lights in Haunted Hollow, and the PAR cans used to light up the Rapids waterfalls.
Interestly, Towers do have a remarkable amount of installed flood lights around the park which for some reason are not in use. Example being the ones buried in the trees all along the Katanga Canyon walk way. Most people probably haven't noticed they exist as they've been covered in moss and algie for the past 20 odd years.
There's a rumour that they've actually got coloured lighting in the generators this year. We'll find out if this is true within the next few days I imagine!
Benzin
TS Member
The question to this is, why does it appear better? Because of the number of mazes? Because it has roaming actors (something Towers has anyway)?
It's certainly nothing to do with having theming that's for sure, and so far it seems that the general reaction of the mazes has been mixed to say the least... Not many people have come back from visits saying Studio 13 is the best thing since Asylum...
From the perspective of someone who doesn't do the mazes, Fright Nights is arguably the worst Halloween event in the country, because it doesn't provide enough for those uninterested in the mazes, has zero theming or atmosphere (an issue with Thorpe throughout the year), and just doesn't seem to be that special...
Then again, I'm not going to Fright Nights or Scarefest, Chessie usually tends to have the best event from an overall perspective, especially if their walkthroughs are as good as last year...
Rob
TS Team
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Got to admit that I do wonder if this permanent lighting policy actually exists. It is not mentioned in any of the planning policy documents that apply to the park.
The light pollution from the lights that they do have is terrible. There would be a lot less light pollution if they installed 'proper' lighting like most theme park rather than high flood lights.
The light pollution from the lights that they do have is terrible. There would be a lot less light pollution if they installed 'proper' lighting like most theme park rather than high flood lights.
NathanTuna95
TS Member
The mazes this weekend were no where near as long as AT's, they were too dark and you couldnt see your hand in front of your face which is dangerous and they felt very very rushed. Plus every single one we queued up for shut down at least twice because an actor was hit or some other thing that needed medical assistance. Plus the theming inside the mazes wasn't great, studio 13 had all black walls and random posters on them..! Alton Towers really do have great theming and the atmosphere is tons better. Alright, the only Thorpe maze I thought was really good was My Bloody Valentine apart from that I won't be going back in a hurry.Although Thorpe's mazes were not as good as Towers' last year they certainly weren't rubbish and I can't imagine they've become rubbish in the space of 12 months. I hate to say it but from the outside Fright Nights does appear a better event than Scarefest this year for the first time ever. Wish I could have got down to Thorpe to try out Fright Nights, but alas, Germany beckons!
I agree completely with this Benzin. I do the mazes but I stll feel there was no atmosphere whatsoever and no theming in any queue or around the park. We were there for 2 days and we saw one group of roaming actors who didnt interact with anybody...
Scarefest will always win!
Rob
TS Team
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Too dark? I wasn't there but I believe that EP had a maze a few years ago that was just pitch black, and from what I hear it was great.
Can't really blame Thorpe for actors being hit in the mazes, it has happened a lot at Towers also, particuarally on a certain weekend.
I agree that the theming isn't as good, and the overall mazes probably aren't as good. After visiting Fright Nights last year I said that they had a solid foundation for a good event to take forward, but Scarefest was still the better event. This year, with the loss of a maze from Towers and a new maze at Thorpe, Fright Nights is more appealing than Scarefest.
Also park lighting was better at Thorpe last year than at Towers (can't comment on this year). Scarefest is hardly a park wide event at Towers anyway; it's limited to some theming on Towers Street, mazes in the Towers and a couple of scare zones on the same side of the park as the mazes. If you were around FV or KC you would hardly know a haloween event was taking place!
I have always been a keen supporter of Scarefest, it is an event that I have always looked forward to. It is an event that should be growing year on year, competing with Europe's best. However it is not, it is getting smaller. I have next to no excitement for it this year. For the first time since I first went in 2009 I will only be visiting Scarefest once this year. It is telling.