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TOTT through the years: 2002-2012

K

Kaycee

TS Founding Member
Was discussing this at Danbini's house after the event on Saturday night with a few others (not normal drinking conversation, I hasten to add - and we were all naked and covered in jelly).

I've been lucky enough to have been on every carnation of TOTT going, from 2002 and 2003, from when it started again in 2007, up to the latest version. Reminiscing with the guys, it brought back lots of memories of TOTT that I'd forgotten and I wondered what version everyone preferred?

As much as I'd like to list each year with its version, my memory fails me. I remember queuing in that dark, claustrophic tunnel near X-Sector in '02, '03. Who remembers Esmerelda, back when you used to enter where the exit is now? The oven scene with its funky music? The scripted scenes, including the one in the 'freezer' with the chill, and the sound effect of someone shivering? The finale where the Master chased you out of the ruins to the sound of air cannons going off. The other finales where you met the Master! Including that awesome one trapped in that narrow cage. :) I remember we got the final run-through that year, and we all ended up in a massive pile on our arses in that cage!


I love TOTT as it is now, but recalling some previous incarnations made me wonder. The video at the start of the current maze is great, but it doesn't make sense with the rest of what the maze is all about (although saying that, the idea that someone in there is intending to eat you is only upheld very loosely now). The video shows someone being crept up on stealthily and killed instantly... the maze is otherwise full of dancing ghouls who happily confront you briefly then leave you be. The final scene is great and very strong, but I've never quite 'got' what those demons are all about!

Maybe I'm over-analysing or clinging on too much to the past 'Bloodfeast Banquet' (or whatever it was called). I feel it used to be a more coherent maze and wonder if it's a bit of a shame it's become weaker in terms of storyline and the odd scripted scene.


I know this is a complete incoherent mess of a post itself, but I'm still knackered from the weekend, forgive me. :D
 
It's the great divide in maze opinion really, I like some story which is why I like the Sanctuary but I did bloodfest banquet TotT and found it incredibly boring. The story wasn't that strong and to me the scenes didn't have enough to work with so felt strained. I found the same with FO1000S as well which other than the finale of 2009 finale bored me rigid.

I like the more Dynamic mazes but I think a good actor based scene to open a maze like 2009 TotT and The Sanctuary adds a lot to a maze.
 
I'm on the other side of the fence to Dave I'm afraid :p

When I did TotT back in 2007 as the 'Bloodfeast Banquet,' nothing had ever scared me quite as much as the couple of run throughs I did of that maze.

Walking in and the smell of rotting meat hitting you made me gag and feel sick, it was a brilliant effect. The whole oven scene was done perfectly in my opinion, it created a real sense of claustrophobia and add into that the heat and lights it was done perfectly in my opinion. The finale is still one of the best I've ever experienced in a scare maze.

I'm yet to experience TotT in its new form after having time away from themeparks these past two years, but I'm going this coming Saturday so I'll see if it lives up to it's older brother then.
 
Since I never got to go on TotT when it was themed as the 'Bloodfeast Banquet' I don't know what it was like. Is it possible anyone could please give me a walkthrough of what happens? If anyone can remember, that is. :)
 
I think my first tott was in 2007 it's always the powerfull maze there have been some amazing themes for it.
 
I vaguely remember the 2002 maze. More than half the maze was a strobe maze and the layout was such, that you could literally get lost in there for ages.
 
Nerdsticks said:
Since I never got to go on TotT when it was themed as the 'Bloodfeast Banquet' I don't know what it was like. Is it possible anyone could please give me a walkthrough of what happens? If anyone can remember, that is. :)
Click to expand...

From what I recall of it, you queued down the dark tunnel outside the towers after entering the queue behind what is now the fried chicken co building.

Upon entering the towers via what is now the exit you were warned by a maid (the aforementioned emerelda) about the master and his curious eating habits. Once you moved on for here you passed through what is now the strobe maze and up into the service corridor before taking a right into a room dressed as a kitchen when you encountered a cook who would talk to you for a bit then force you through a heavy looking door into the oven.

Once sealed in a light sequence would start with smoke effects and a lot of heat, but before you we're cooked alive another of the tower occupants would free you and usher you along the corridor towards the stairs up to the banquet hall.

This part of the maze was this incarnations strobe maze. With a twisty path through the room illuminated only by the strobe, you were eventually lead into the small dining room where you saw another small scene, from what I remember involving someone living on a table half eaten or something. From here you moved on into the Long gallery where you found yourself in the freezer, at this point you were confronted by another resident who warned you what lay ahead.

You then moved into the Drawing room, where a giant table was laid out before you, at this point "the master" would arrive from somewhere in the room and confront you. Giving you one last chance to escape, as he counted down to 0 you had to run towards the exit as air cannons went off under the table as you passed, once you reached the top,of the stairs (the current entrance) you were safe and moved out into her lady ships garden looking rather flustered. Much to the amusement of people leaving Hex

The only but I can't remember if I dreamt or what was part of the final scene where a random actor would join your group at the back of the line at some point towards the end, only to be struck down by the master as part of his speech, does anyone else recall this or am I imagining it?!
 
DaveW said:
The only but I can't remember if I dreamt or what was part of the final scene where a random actor would join your group at the back of the line at some point towards the end, only to be struck down by the master as part of his speech, does anyone else recall this or am I imagining it?!
Click to expand...

Yeah this was in 2007, only lasted a few days before it was scrapped. Aparrantley the young lass was getting bruising from it!
 
Well i must say I've visited scarefest twice now this last time being the only time that i have done TOTT and i must say i thoroughly enjoyed my experience in there. Somethings i was expecting some which i weren't. I'd enjoyed it that much I had a second visit in two days this year.

Now from reading some of the other posts in this topic it does change over the years but roughly how much does it change?
 
I do remember in the old version that there was a brilliant and unsettling kitchen scene, which was very well themed. There was a female chef hacking bodyparts and screaming at guests. By the time I went on the old version it sounds as if the Oven had been scrapped.

The new version (I did the 2010 maze) is just as good, but lacks any real story or spoken-word. Despite this I think the setting, the pace, change of levels and well executed scares still keep the maze up there as a top attraction. :D
 
I do VIVIDLY remember being in the cage at the finale of one of the banquet versions.

It was very cramped, I think with strobes and the actors reaching in from both sides and even above to grab you - that was very physical and intense. It was a ToTT highlight for me in all honesty.
The oven was always a highly rated prop but I never found it that effective, it just got abit warm and some smoke came in - but it just felt like a real dead spot (although it was a clever way of limiting the batching).

Thinking back to the long lost Esmerelda, didnt one year involve her entire family? Im sure there was once her mother in a bedroom sat at a dressing table.

I love a scripted story maze, and while the most recent incarnations of ToTT have been good as a scare maze, I miss a story, I like to know why I'm going in somewhere and meet actors who are relevant to the story. I adored Fo1KS for this, it will always be my most loved scare maze, even above the frankly amazing Sanctuary.
 
DaveW said:
Nerdsticks said:
Since I never got to go on TotT when it was themed as the 'Bloodfeast Banquet' I don't know what it was like. Is it possible anyone could please give me a walkthrough of what happens? If anyone can remember, that is. :)
Click to expand...

From what I recall of it, you queued down the dark tunnel outside the towers after entering the queue behind what is now the fried chicken co building.

Upon entering the towers via what is now the exit you were warned by a maid (the aforementioned emerelda) about the master and his curious eating habits. Once you moved on for here you passed through what is now the strobe maze and up into the service corridor before taking a right into a room dressed as a kitchen when you encountered a cook who would talk to you for a bit then force you through a heavy looking door into the oven.

Once sealed in a light sequence would start with smoke effects and a lot of heat, but before you we're cooked alive another of the tower occupants would free you and usher you along the corridor towards the stairs up to the banquet hall.

This part of the maze was this incarnations strobe maze. With a twisty path through the room illuminated only by the strobe, you were eventually lead into the small dining room where you saw another small scene, from what I remember involving someone living on a table half eaten or something. From here you moved on into the Long gallery where you found yourself in the freezer, at this point you were confronted by another resident who warned you what lay ahead.

You then moved into the Drawing room, where a giant table was laid out before you, at this point "the master" would arrive from somewhere in the room and confront you. Giving you one last chance to escape, as he counted down to 0 you had to run towards the exit as air cannons went off under the table as you passed, once you reached the top,of the stairs (the current entrance) you were safe and moved out into her lady ships garden looking rather flustered. Much to the amusement of people leaving Hex

The only but I can't remember if I dreamt or what was part of the final scene where a random actor would join your group at the back of the line at some point towards the end, only to be struck down by the master as part of his speech, does anyone else recall this or am I imagining it?!
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty much the layout that I can remember it was really good that way
 
I was never a fan of Bloodfest Banquet, the queue area was horrid, it's throughput was dire and it was decidedly un-scary. It's strongest point was the great actress at the beginning (Esmerelda) other than that I found it very "meh".

Same with FO1000S really that also seemed bland most years with the exception of Sammy and the bus finale in 2009.
 
After being thinking about TOTT today I remembered about this topic. I was just trying to think how long this urban explorer theme has been carried out for.

Don't get me wrong it's was brilliant this year but I've realised how hard it is to come up with ideas for a new maze :)
 
I think next year TOTT will get a complete change, I cant see the Sanctuary or COS going just yet, but I think TOTT is getting a little bit the same.
 
Hopefully there will be a decent budget for entertainment to go at for scarefest. TOTT has a high expectation in my eyes after the sanctuary has been a Hugh success.
 
Unlike the many members on here, this year was my first year visiting Scarefest so my first time on TOTT. Sounds like in the past TOTT has been continually successful, and so it should as a free maze.

I really enjoyed TOTT and it's Urban Explorer theme. As some people have said, it has been the same for the last couple of years, so it does need to be changed - especially as the Sanctuary was a huge success this year, like Josh said.
 
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