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Scarefest 2019

skyscraper said:
Decied that I will brave Darkest Depths as my first scare maze when I go two weeks today. Anyone got any tips?
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Just think it's a bunch of 18+ year olds wearing make-up and fancy dress, not so scary a thought!

I used to be petrified of scare mazes, it's hard to say how people react however for me once I did the one, I realised it's more the hype of it that scares you rather than the actual experience of it. Funnily enough the 'scares' do nothing for me at all now, I simply go in scare mazes to admire the theming, smells, lighting and effects.

If you ever feels it's too much, it's easy enough to make actors aware of this so try not to stress too much. I'm sure you will be fine!

TakeYourMedicine said:
I imagine the problem is we wouldnt get the number of mazes we get now if they took them down during the season and rebuilt them again. It basically would triple the workload to the point where they couldnt do it all probably. Highly doubt the park would get given a bigger budget to do more.

A few months ago I was really keen to see them reopened every year but Id rather not see Scarefest decline. At the same time I think it should be open to those who are interested and some kind of walkaround tour now and then would be brilliant? If they could clean up just enough of the mazes for people to see most the building.
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Surely it's more of a cost saving measure (and saving the hassle) by them not having to hire a workforce to construct/dismantle the mazes each season. I doubt by rebuilding each year it would result in the decline of Scarefest, they just need enough staff to be able to construct/dismantle the mazes in the first place.

When the mazes were by the hotels and TOTT was on it's own the mazes were constructed/dismantled each season with no issue. Heck, they grew a cornfield 3 years in a row for an outdoor maze. When you compare the amount of work from then compared to now, they have less work to do these days.

I think it's a huge shame they are lazy and keep the current mazes largely set up all year round. I can see why it's convenient, however it's sad that large sections of the Towers are always closed due to this, that's tight budgets for you [insert compulsory Merlin is evil comment here].
 
James said:
Surely it's more of a cost saving measure (and saving the hassle) by them not having to hire a workforce to construct/dismantle the mazes each season. I doubt by rebuilding each year it would result in the decline of Scarefest, they just need enough staff to be able to construct/dismantle the mazes in the first place.
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Yeah this is what I mean but I was coming from a different angle I think. The cost saved by constructing/deconstructing 3 mazes means that cost can go into new and more detailed projects.

The level of production has grown a lot since then it seems. Growing the field would cost no labour and having it outside was a (very creative) way of saving money after all, so really they were building only 2 mazes each year.

That's about on par with the 2 new mazes this year which are much more detailed, when you discount the ones already in place. People say the old ones are improved this year, that's probably not possible to make big improvements if they had the rush of rebuilding them all each time.

It's good and bad. But with a tight budget, I bet if we saw all the mazes dismantled each year we would see a much reduced line up
 
Booked up for Thursday 24th, will be my first time doing a proper scare maze (last Scarefest visit was 2011 when I was still a teenager and I was too much of a wimp to go in any) so the closest thing I've done would be TWD:TR and DBGT at Thorpe, as well as the old Zombies scare zone. Excited yet also slightly terrified :tearsofjoy:

Anyway, what should I expect the crowds to be like compared to say a sunny weekend in May? Obviously not expecting it to be quiet with the English half term but as I have to travel from Scotland I can't pick and choose my days as easily as someone more local so if it's mobbed then it is what it is.
 
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Hey quick question - can I get into scarefest with my standard MAP? I seem to remember not being able to last year but the website seems to say I can this year, is this right?
 
WL18 said:
Hey quick question - can I get into scarefest with my standard MAP? I seem to remember not being able to last year but the website seems to say I can this year, is this right?
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Yes a standard Merkin Annual Pass will allow you into Scarefest. Fireworks dates are the only ones which are excluded, you'd need a separate ticket for that.
 
Thoughts on the future of Sub Species & even Skin Snatchers?

I personally think they’ve had their time now, especially Sub Species
 
Really annoyed with Towers. I popped in to the Box Office in the summer to ask about the Premium Season pass. My question to the lady behind the counter was "If I buy the premium pass, which includes Scarefest, does this mean I can buy bring a friend tickets with it over Scarefest". "Yes, you can" she replied. I double checked and asked her again to make sure I was clear enough. "Yes, you can get friend tickets with it over Scarefest if you have a Premium Season Pass".

So I upgraded mine.

Now I read on the website, and from a tweet that this isnt the case at all. Grrrr. Sometimes I do wonder if they make the rules up as the year goes on.
 
GaryH said:
Really annoyed with Towers. I popped in to the Box Office in the summer to ask about the Premium Season pass. My question to the lady behind the counter was "If I buy the premium pass, which includes Scarefest, does this mean I can buy bring a friend tickets with it over Scarefest". "Yes, you can" she replied. I double checked and asked her again to make sure I was clear enough. "Yes, you can get friend tickets with it over Scarefest if you have a Premium Season Pass".

So I upgraded mine.

Now I read on the website, and from a tweet that this isnt the case at all. Grrrr. Sometimes I do wonder if they make the rules up as the year goes on.
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Originally you could book bring a friend tickets for Scarefest, they were available to book for a number of months earlier in the season. At some point it seems they decided to change their mind and took the tickets off sale for Scarefest dates.

Not the best way to treat your customers, I expect they have some small print somewhere that covers them though.
 
Jammy said:
Thoughts on the future of Sub Species & even Skin Snatchers?

I personally think they’ve had their time now, especially Sub Species
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I think sub species needs going. Was great when it opened but has got poorer, now shorter than ever.

I do enjoy skin snatches but still lacks an ending. Maybe it could stay but have a complete refresh with a proper ending.
 
Jammy said:
Thoughts on the future of Sub Species & even Skin Snatchers?

I personally think they’ve had their time now, especially Sub Species
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Keep Mine Tours and give it a more theatrical ending like they did with Carnival & Jack Nife in 2013, scrap Sub Species; it's beyond its sell-by now.

To be honest, I hope out of any they scrap Project 42. Wasn't that keen on it.
 
Craig said:
Fireworks dates are the only ones which are excluded, you'd need a separate ticket for that.
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Yes, Standard MAP will allow you into the Alton Towers Fireworks, but it is highly recommended that you pre-book a guarantee entry ticket

https://support.altontowers.com/hc/...Merlin-Pass-for-the-Ultimate-Fireworks-event-

CAN I USE MY STANDARD OR PREMIUM MERLIN PASS FOR THE ULTIMATE FIREWORKS EVENT?


This event is extremely popular and we strongly advise all Merlin Passholders to pre-book here.

Please bring this ticket with you on the date booked to guarantee entry to our spectacular Fireworks event. You will also need to present your valid Merlin Annual Pass.
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I hope that this weekend there are improvements to lighting.

I get the impression that the park have no set list of what does, or does not, get done for the event. Each year, a different set of lights in different places. Some years, they light rides like Nemesis well... other years, they don't.

I just don't really get it.

Particular areas of regression this year are:

  • Towers Street
  • Duel/Gloomy Wood
  • Dark Forest
  • Nemesis
  • Fountain Square
  • The Towers
 
AstroDan said:
I hope that this weekend there are improvements to lighting.

I get the impression that the park have no set list of what does, or does not, get done for the event. Each year, a different set of lights in different places. Some years, they light rides like Nemesis well... other years, they don't.

I just don't really get it.

Particular areas of regression this year are:

  • Towers Street
  • Duel/Gloomy Wood
  • Dark Forest
  • Nemesis
  • Fountain Square
  • The Towers
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And Wickerman.
 
For the past couple of years the main lighting towers in fountains square and DF have been a mix of blue and green but all of them are plain white this year. It's the most notable step backwards in terms of lighting in the entire park (unless the WM lighting doesn't turn up after all).
 
Alton still need to up their game in the lighting department for Scarefest.
2010 was the best and still unbeaten in my option for lighting.
Those text projections on the Hex path walkthrough etc.
The Wicker Man was very good last year so they can do it.
Some other big attractions can light up their attractions the whole of December and January with stunning light effects.
Mind you we are talking half arsed Merlin here.
Still feel they could hire in and use some of the fireworks lights a few weeks earlier..
The Tower Street lights also seem much duller this time too.
 
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