Scarefest 2016

[RoyJess]

Yes it is possible to avoid the scare Zones. (Burps just beat me to this as I'm typing this)

As for the atmosphere with staying at the Hotel with regards to entertainment etc... Personally I'll be spending my time on the park enjoying the rides in the dark, by the time I get to my room, I'm usually ready to hit the sack to get a good night sleep for another fun pack day on the park for the following day.

(Edit) I've never experienced the mazes when they were at the Hotels, but it makes sense to have them in the park as they are more likely to draw in more customers for the mazes and they are more in a convenience place for the park goers, especially if you are not staying at the resort.

I do like the fact that they are set in the Towers them self.

 

[PeteB]

(Edit) I've never experienced the mazes when they were at the Hotels, but it makes sense to have them in the park as they are more likely to draw in more customers for the mazes and they are more in a convenience place for the park goers, especially if you are not staying at the resort.

I do like the fact that they are set in the Towers them self.

It does make sense to have mazes on the park, but they should be FREE as they were when all this halloween stuff first started (what I mean is, included in your park ticket). I'm totally against pay-2-play attractions in theme parks when you've already paid an entry fee which is supposed to cover you for all attractions.

Originally the first maze at the hotels (Room 13) was exclusive to hotel guests only. Nice touch eh? Then they opened them up to everyone when Field and Boiler came along as a kind of "premium" product which you could go over to the hotels and experience after your day on the park.

If you weren't there then I can't really explain to you the buzz and atmosphere around the hotels at that time, but it was a lot of fun. I'd really like to see them bring back 1 or 2 small mazes around the hotels for that truly resort-wide halloween offering again.

 

[RoyJess]

It does make sense to have mazes on the park, but they should be FREE as they were when all this halloween stuff first started (what I mean is, included in your park ticket). I'm totally against pay-2-play attractions in theme parks when you've already paid an entry fee which is supposed to cover you for all attractions.

Fully agree there, or at least free to hotel guest.

 

[Burbs]

They should bring back at least one free maze on park. Make it the tamest of the lot/the one where least money has been spent on it (i.e. ToTT having been recycled for the past god-knows-how-many years), and that way, you can try before you buy with the more intense mazes.

 

[PeteB]

They should bring back at least one free maze on park. Make it the tamest of the lot/the one where least money has been spent on it (i.e. ToTT having been recycled for the past god-knows-how-many years), and that way, you can try before you buy with the more intense mazes.

Or just make them all free (included in your park ticket), actually make them all the best they can be, and also retheme ToTT while they're at it?

Not asking much really - just need to pull their finger out and actually do something.

 

[Burbs]

Or just make them all free (included in your park ticket), actually make them all the best they can be, and also retheme ToTT while they're at it?

Of course that would be the most preferable option. I was attempting to be realistic though.

 

[Leah]

Or just make them all free (included in your park ticket), actually make them all the best they can be, and also retheme ToTT while they're at it?

Not asking much really - just need to pull their finger out and actually do something.

Would agree that all mazes should be free (it's not cheap getting into the park after all), but after hearing horror stories of the queues at thorpes fright nights, paying doesn't too bad. I'm totally for one free maze as a trial (would rather not pay for TotT), but I don't mind paying for the better mazes. Last year, I considered sub species well worth the money, with Molly Crowe feeling lower quality, and TotT just being boring.

 

[ASturge21]

If mazes are additional extras then they should be of better quality but this isn't the case with towers so free mazes would be brilliant but the quality may further reduce depending on if maze income is used for next year's Scarefest.

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[owentaylor121]

If mazes are additional extras then they should be of better quality but this isn't the case with towers so free mazes would be brilliant but the quality may further reduce depending on if maze income is used for next year's Scarefest.

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I don't really think that's a fair statement, Sub species was the best scaremaze I've ever done, and I've done a good few!

 

[James]

There should always at least be one free maze, preferably TOTT since it's the original one (plus it may as well be free given it's stayed the same for yonks). It would be nice for all mazes to be free, but that will never happen - unless they up the entrance fee by £10-£15 for Scarefest then advertise the mazes as 'free'.

I would love to see a maze or experience back over by the hotels. The atmosphere was electric over there at night, nothing like the setting of the mazes in the theme park at all. The resort side is pretty dead over Halloween now, even evening entertainment went down the drain since the band was removed. Two teens singing pop songs didn't quite cut it for me last year. I preferred the band that went through a whole Halloween set.

I can't say I've ever liked all of the mazes being in the Towers, it kind of took away the magic of TOTT, and the atmosphere of these separate mazes in different areas, the mazes really felt like they were different worlds. All in the one building it feels too samey, the theme is different for each one, but you know you're in the same building for each one, kind of takes away some of the atmosphere (if that makes any sense).

 

[ASturge21]

I don't really think that's a fair statement, Sub species was the best scaremaze I've ever done, and I've done a good few!

Fully agree with that but Molly Crowe was done on the cheap and TOTT hasn't changed for a good few seasons. My worry is that we would see 2 mazes or 3 mazes done cheaper and without sub species quality.

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[Dave]

I never understand the free maze argument, no park or event anywhere else offers free scare attractions. These are extra activities on top of what you get on a normal park day.

Even parks that don't have a seperate event or charge per maze increase their ticket costs for Halloween (that is Thorpes classic ruse), it's the nature of the business.

As for the quality of the mazes having done a lot of scare attractions across Europe (and acted in a few), Towers mazes are at the top of the pile, even Molly crow is of a better quality than a lot of what is out there.

Personally I think the mazes are a bit expensive these days, ToTT is getting embarrassingly old, and yes the late night atmosphere at the hotels was great but the event is still up there really, which is saying something considering how much the rest of the park product has reduced in quality since Merlin took over.

Will be interesting to see how this year turns out.

 

[owentaylor121]

^Thorpe Park does, PortAventura does, almost all of the Cedar Fair parks do, should I list anymore?...

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[PeteB]

I never understand the free maze argument, no park or event anywhere else offers free scare attractions. These are extra activities on top of what you get on a normal park day.

Even parks that don't have a seperate event or charge per maze increase their ticket costs for Halloween (that is Thorpes classic ruse), it's the nature of the business.

As for the quality of the mazes having done a lot of scare attractions across Europe (and acted in a few), Towers mazes are at the top of the pile, even Molly crow is of a better quality than a lot of what is out there.

Personally I think the mazes are a bit expensive these days, ToTT is getting embarrassingly old, and yes the late night atmosphere at the hotels was great but the event is still up there really, which is saying something considering how much the rest of the park product has reduced in quality since Merlin took over.

Will be interesting to see how this year turns out.

Pfffft! What? As Owentaylor121 just pointed out there are loads. Also not forgetting the worlds best halloween event - Universal's HHN is a 'pay once' to get in and you're done for the night.

Park events are special occasions and they only need to adjust the gate pricing or void 2-for1's etc. Previously, fireworks were the biggest budget event in Towers calender, and i'm pretty certain fireworks have always been free? Yep, they have.

I'm not sure where you've been hanging out Dave but there are a number of halloween events across this country (and Europe) which have far superior mazes compared to Towers. And this is what I don't get about people raving on about Scarefest with Sub Species and the like. I mean it's a relatively short run with just a load of plain black painted walls and a handful of actors grabbing you for kicks. Take a look at proper maze like Manormortis which is REALLY long, has absolutely incredible theming and detail, and proper scripted scenes where the actors not only do the jump scares but actually act too.

I do think that Towers put on a fairly decent halloween event (usually) but they're quite out of touch with what else is going on, and ridiculously priced.

And yeah I agree, Merlin are to blame for the issues. As always. #worldsworstparkoperator

 

[Dave]

^Thorpe Park does, PortAventura does, almost all of the Cedar Fair parks do, should I list anymore?...

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Guessing you didn't read my post seen as you mention Thorpe Park who I used as an example of the "stealth charge" used by the vast majority of "free" events. Thorpe are the worst for this, not only do they increase the gate price but they also have a fast track system that forces you to pay extra to get a decent event.

Pfffft! What? As Owentaylor121 just pointed out there are loads. Also not forgetting the worlds best halloween event - Universal's HHN is a 'pay once' to get in and you're done for the night.

Park events are special occasions and they only need to adjust the gate pricing or void 2-for1's etc. Previously, fireworks were the biggest budget event in Towers calender, and i'm pretty certain fireworks have always been free? Yep, they have.

I'm not sure where you've been hanging out Dave but there are a number of halloween events across this country (and Europe) which have far superior mazes compared to Towers. And this is what I don't get about people raving on about Scarefest with Sub Species and the like. I mean it's a relatively short run with just a load of plain black painted walls and a handful of actors grabbing you for kicks. Take a look at proper maze like Manormortis which is REALLY long, has absolutely incredible theming and detail, and proper scripted scenes where the actors not only do the jump scares but actually act too.

I do think that Towers put on a fairly decent halloween event (usually) but they're quite out of touch with what else is going on, and ridiculously priced.

And yeah I agree, Merlin are to blame for the issues. As always. #worldsworstparkoperator

1 - I don't understand your comment regarding universal, I mentioned pay one Halloween attractions, you can add horror nights at EP to that too but you are still paying (plus HHN have tons of up-sell options which boost the costs considerably).

2 - I have been to pretty mush all the UK attactions and a fair few across Europe including horror nights ect. I would put the quality of Towers mazes in the top 5, I wouldn't rate the overall event atmosphere as high though, definitely the bottom half if not lower of the group (as a comparator I wouldn't put Europa Parks horror night mazes in the top 5 but it's atmosphere is great).

3 - There was very little unthemed space in sub-terror, but after the first two scenes it isn't anything to write home about in that sense. Sub-species is a good maze and got the tension going but I wouldn't rate it as highly as some. Also Scarefest has the benefit of having a gothic structure to help with the "theming" which you could argue is cheating. That said a lot of parks have space where they can leave mazes up permanently so they don't have the same rig costs each year as other parks do.

4 - You suggest they should adjust the gate price but some would argue that everyone is then paying for scare mazes when only 20% will ride them. My preferred option is a seperate scare park event outside of the park (like HHN or EP) irony is that won't make it any cheaper but you get a better atmosphere if you can go all out scare in a space rather than the balancing act they try to run with these days.

5 - I would say Apro are worse than Merlin for your hash tagging pleasure but each to their own

 

[Rob]

Or just make them all free (included in your park ticket), actually make them all the best they can be, and also retheme ToTT while they're at it?

Not asking much really - just need to pull their finger out and actually do something.

Then we all complain about the 60-90 minute queues, with the overselling and overpricing of fastrack!

I think that the best way to do a scare event is a seperately ticketed 'scare park' a la EP and Universal. Parks have every right to charge for these events, they cost a lot of money to put on. People rave about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal but look at the ticket prices, this is on top of any daytime park ticket option you have whilst in Florida. It is a heck of a lot of money for well themed conga lines that have between one and two hour queues. How fun! But it's okay, because you can pay even more money for an Express pass to skip the queues, phew! So say you bought an add-on ticket (because you already your standard Universal ticket) and went on Saturday 15th October, but knowing it's going to be busy on a Saturday you purchase express, it's going to set you back a mere $222.98 plus tax. Bargain! For a fair comparsion the the cheapest add-on ticket is $55.99 plus tax and the cheapest Express is $79.99 plus tax ($135.98 plus tax in total).

For an event in normal theme park opening hours, open to all guests, I think Towers do it well. I do think that there should be a free maze open to all guests, and if people enjoy this it may entice them to pay for the other mazes. I suppose the other way it can be seen is that if there is a free maze and it is good people may be satisfied by that and not feel the need to pay to do more.

 

[bluesonichd]

Now themed speakers

 

[Bionic1]

Now themed speakers

Ah they look much better.

 

[DiogoJ42]

... Or are they just genuinely rusty?

 

[Rob]

People rave about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal but look at the ticket prices, this is on top of any daytime park ticket option you have whilst in Florida. It is a heck of a lot of money for well themed conga lines that have between one and two hour queues. How fun! But it's okay, because you can pay even more money for an Express pass to skip the queues, phew! So say you bought an add-on ticket (because you already your standard Universal ticket) and went on Saturday 15th October, but knowing it's going to be busy on a Saturday you purchase express, it's going to set you back a mere $222.98 plus tax. Bargain! For a fair comparsion the the cheapest add-on ticket is $55.99 plus tax and the cheapest Express is $79.99 plus tax ($135.98 plus tax in total).

Slight pricing update. Universal have just announced their new VR scare maze/experience for a cost of only $49.99 plus tax on top of whatever else you have paid for! I'm not pretending that Scarefest is a better overall event but from my experience it offers far better value for money.