The Alton Towers Scarefest, Warning: Contains Spoilers Options

[Dan]

Taken from the ATA homepage:


The Alton Towers Fearfest
Thursday, 15th February 2007

It seems ever more likely that the Halloween event will make a return this year, at the park and the hotels.

At the end of last year we reported that as things stood, the traditional fireworks event to round out the open season had been dropped, and replaced with a Halloween event instead.

Now, the website Haunted Attractions UK have uncovered some more details about the event. They report that it will last three weeks, starting on October 13th. The excellent haunted maze Terror of the Towers is set to return to the park - it was a huge success when it last ran in 2003, taking guests through the Gothic ruins themselves.

There will also be another haunted maze according to the report, though no details have yet been released. Perhaps it could be similar to the Midnight in the Garden of Evil attraction advertised last year (before the event was cancelled). There could also be Halloween attractions more suitable for younger children, including the possibility of one or two mazes.

The new-for-07 attraction Haunted Hollow is also set to become extra-scary for the event. Gone will be the family-friendliness, and in will be live actors and extra effects.

Towers Street is expected to be heavily decorated for the event, with some of the major rides possibly also being slightly re-themed. There is also the possibility of each night finishing with "a lakeside finale which could include water, fire and laser effects".

Over at the hotels, the haunted walkthrough Room 13, first introduced last year and deemed another success, is returning for 2007. This time, rather than borrowing sets and props from Terror of the Towers, the maze will have a totally new design.

Another hotel attraction planned is Haunted Cornfield, another haunted maze. According to the report, work on planting the two-acre cornfield has already begun. Any Hotel attractions are planned to be free for guests staying at the resort, while non-residents will be able to experience them for a fee.

As always, the park's plans change from day to day - the amount of times Halloween has been set to return but then hasn't is proof of that - but if just some of the proposed attractions happen, then it will be an exciting finish to the season!


Source: Haunted Attractions UK

[AstroDan]

This looks really great stuff, if they follow it through.

Could be the best event ever if it is pulled off.

[Dan]

The Cornfield idea sounds really good, as does the prospect of ToTT finally returning. Room 13 was great fun last year, so good to see it come back as well.

I wonder what the "other" planned maze is going to end up as (if it appears).

[AstroDan]

I am thinking that the ideal place for this is the Black Hole tent! It is perfect, has a ready made queueline too.

Could be tied in with Oblivion.

[Nexus]

That is fantastic news, the cornfield idea sounds very cool! Fingers crossed it all goes ahead.

[Luke]

This does actually sound quite promising, although I wouldn't be too sure as we all know Alton can easily change their mind. The event sounds like it could be amazing with 4 mazes, 5 if you include Haunted Hollow, but am I the only one who thinks taking on an event this size could actually make it crap. What I mean is, if they were to have perhaps two large mazes, instead of five, then they could focus on making two extremely good mazes instead of five mediocre mazes, afterall it will have been 4 years since they put on a large halloween event. The Alton Towers entertainments team wont be able to cope with all of that - perhaps they could bring in Lynton V Harris to help out again, like in 2002 when they took on TOTT and did a very good job. I hope that TOTT will be the signature halloween maze, as the location can't be beaten, and the TOTT mazes in the past have been amazing. So we all know they can do a halloween event, but can they do one this big without making a complete cock up? Don't get me wrong though, I'm all for a halloween event - this may even make me change my mind and buy an annual pass if it definetely goes ahead, but maybe they're tring to do too much.

[Nexus]

I only just noticed the "it will last three weeks, starting on October 13th" part.

Fantastic, I can see me abusing my season pass those weeks, combine this with a jaunt down to Fright Nights at Thorpe and it looks like the makings of a great halloween time. I'm not building my hopes up too much as this could all change knowing AT.

[Trev]

So when do we reckon they will cancel it this year?

Or at the very least only have 1 attraction on the list and will charge extra for it.

[AstroDan]

Nice to see you don't actually indicate any thoughts on the actual information at all and just use it as another reason to slag off Towers. I know they canceled it last year so I understand an element of aprehension and grievance, but surely the excellent list of propositions warrants more than your sarcastic comment.

Personally I think that the ideas at the very list warrant a great deal of celebration almost, because they appear quite inventive and unique, something which Towers have often been criticized for lacking of late.

If they can use Thorpe Park's excellent model as a guide for the mazes, and build on it, then Towers could see itself with a winning formula.

[John]

I know they canceled it last year

And the year before. And the year before. And the year before that.

But will be nice if it goes ahead, sounds cool!

[Trev]

Nice to see you don't actually indicate any thoughts on the actual information at all and just use it as another reason to slag off Towers.

That's cause we know it will never happen. The money will be put into the budget for it, then they'll decide that it would be better spent on drugs and hookers. Cause that's all they ever do with the money. Then whilst under the influence they can write all sorts of exciting press releases which never, ever amount to anything.

[AstroDan]

You know do you? For a fact?

Of course it may well be scrapped, we know Towers are terrible for budget shuffling, but it could just as well be kept on the agenda. If you dislike Alton's operation as much as you appear to why not just go to Drayton Manor instead.

It is as if you are WILLING this event not to go ahead!

[Wez]

Ohhhh Roland, have a joint.

Trev is quite clearly winding you up....


But Trev also makes a valid point. AT management are all on crack and often pleasure themselves with hookers during their lunch break. Also, the halloween event will be cancelled, it is fact.

[AstroDan]

Well I know he's taking the mick talking about drugs and hookers, but his basic point is clearly that he couldn't care less about the event. If he could, perhaps posting a response to the ideas of the mazes and activities would be more appropriate.

I just hate negativity for negativity's sake!

[Trev]

You know do you? For a fact?

Of course it may well be scrapped, we know Towers are terrible for budget shuffling, but it could just as well be kept on the agenda. If you dislike Alton's operation as much as you appear to why not just go to Drayton Manor instead.

Oh god, no! Drayon's worse! Staff that have verbal arguments with you, food they don't disguise to look like crap, it's just so awesome there.


Of course it's a fact. What other good explanations can you have for all that money coming in but only about £3.56 being invested back into the park, yet all this money is spent on writing up these super press releases which have nothing similar with the finished attraction!

[AstroDan]

So what do you think of the actual ideas Alton have had then?

It also says that plantation of the cornfield has already started?

This post has been edited by AstroDan: Feb 15 2007, 6:56 PM

[Trev]

Well it doesn't really matter about the ideas. Other places yeah I can still get excited about a new concept but Alton's problem is they never follow through with the promise. Something as simple as 'yeah look out for lots of freshening up over the closed season' really means that they'll paint a single fence post.

Terror of the Towers when it last ran was, unbelievably good. They'd themed the park, had an atmospheric and rather scary walk through, that was of a highly polished standard that I wouldn't have minded paying extra for.

My main gripe about Alton is that they never put the effort in anymore. All the time and effort is focused on 'marketing' and 'expanding the brand' and all this stupid marketing which costs them a hell of a lot of money. Which is why anyone can write a press release. They need to actually act on it and live up to it's promise. Then yes they'd have an excellent event.

[Nexus]

The park have cryed wolf to many times is a simple explaination of how most feel. As I have always said and I reccomend the same to everyone, don't get your hopes up until some hard evidence appears.

[wrexham fan]

On paper, I have to say fair play to Alton. Also, if it's carried out to the fullest, then great!

But I too would be sceptical of the scale if this event until I see it with my own eyes.

The Halloween market is something that Alton desperatly needs to dip back into, and on a large scale.

Here's hoping that it all happens, and that I can overcome my fear of walkthroughs by October!

[John]

I just hate negativity for negativity's sake!

This is probably how you consistently manage to compare one of the best, perhaps the best theme park in the world to an attraction that seemingly consistently lets you down, then.