Scarefest 2022 saw the debut of a new audio-based scare attraction, alongside returning scare mazes and family-friendly entertainment and walkthrough attraction. All of the mazes and the family walkthrough attraction carried an additional charge, while all other attractions were free and accessible to all.
Key Information
Dates: 7th-9th, 14th-31st October
Skyride, Battle Galleons, Congo River Rapids, Get Set Go Tree Top Adventure, Hey Duggee’s Big Adventure Badge, Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig, JoJo & Gran Gran At Home, The Furchester Hotel Live shut at dusk.
Other rides shut at 9pm daily.
Prices
Scare Mazes
Single Ticket – £9.00
Four Maze Ticket – £32.00
Trick O’ Treat Town – £12.00
Attractions
Thrill Attractions
The Invitation
The Attic: Terror of the Towers
Altonville Mine Tours
Darkest Depths
Family Attractions
Trick O’ Treat Town
Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls
Franklyn’s Freaky Fun Zone
Halloween Characters
Patch’s Trick or Treat Party
Phil’s Halloween Dance Party
Sin Bin: ImmortHELL
A Vintage Halloween
Alton Ancestors
CBeebies Land ‘Monster Ball’
The 2022 line-up of scare attractions consisted of three returning scare mazes, as well as a new, audio-based attraction. The new attraction, The Invitation, invited guests to visit The Lakeside Cemetery for a grave experience that would live with them for eternity. Guests entered the exterior queue-line on the left-hand side of the Games Bunker, venturing past a number of graves and then through the Cemetery’s gates. In this second part of the queue line, situated behind the Games Bunker, there were a number of theming features, including various tombs. The attraction itself was housed within a number of shipping containers on the right hand side of the Games Bunker. The experience began with guests meeting a friendly funeral director, who joined guests for their descent in a ‘lift’ down to the burial chamber. Inside, guests took a seat on either side of a metal cage and put on headphones in order to listen to the audio in complete darkness. The audio experience centred on vampires, and was of a more psychological nature, although did also integrate some physical effects. Nonetheless, it expectedly provided quite a different experience to the traditional scare maze which many not find to be as thrilling.
Back for a fourth year was both The Attic: Terror of the Towers and Darkest Depths, giving guests another opportunity to enjoy the detailed sets that these mazes offered. The final maze to make a return was Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skin Snatchers, now in its seventh year, defending its title as the second longest-running scare maze at the Resort after Terror of the Towers. After their removal in 2020, it continued to be the case that the Haunted Lantern helmets were no longer being used.
2021’s new addition, Trick O’ Treat Town, also made a return for 2022. This year the interactive family walkthrough attraction was sponsored by HARIBO, with these being the sweets that guests could collect as they explored the quirky town and knocked on the doors of its residents. Some new theming elements were added to reflect the HARIBO partnership.
The family shows and entertainment were once again hosted on the Front Lawns stage. As well as including the traditional shows from the Freaky Five, a mix of live vocals and dance was provided by Sin Bin: ImmortHELL and A Vintage Halloween. The food and beverage units seen on the Front Lawns during Oktoberfest were once again retained, making this area a combined food and entertainment hub.
The Alton Ancestors also made a return with an updated dance routine, being found on Towers Street in the morning and Fountain Square later in the day. They also performed their ‘Final Haunt’ dance on the Front Lawns stage in the evening.
CBeebies Land joined in the Scarefest festivities for a fifth year with the CBeebies Land Monster Ball.
Towers Street was decorated with its traditional colourful bunting and hearse, as well as the ride-themed pumpkins and main Scarefest sign. However, the long-serving scarecrow characters did not return. As darkness fell, the troupe of ghosts made a return outside the Towers Street Skyride station and The Towers were once again illuminated, along with the gardens as part of Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls.
As in the preceding years, there was no overnight or late night experience available during Scarefest 2022.
Over at the Resort’s accommodation there was a variety of entertainment suitable for guests of all ages, including live vocalists and magic shows.
Alton Towers Resort celebrates 15 years of fear with the ultimate ‘invitation’… will you accept?
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The Resort has revealed a brand-new horrifyingly unique, immersive scare attraction for only the gravest of people
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Alton Towers Resort celebrates 15 years of its award-winning Scarefest
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A video revealed by the Resort gives a terrifying glimpse to the new scare attraction, the ultimate heart racing, palm sweating, spine-tingling experience
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Scarefest will take place from 7th – 9th and 14th – 31st October, tickets are on sale now
Alton Towers Resort will celebrate 15 years of its award-winning Scarefest and this year, the UK’s favourite spooktacular event has a brand-new scare attraction, The Invitation, where guests can descend into a burial chamber for a grave experience that will live with you for eternity.
The Invitation is a brand-new scare attraction that has never been seen or heard at Scarefest before. This horrifyingly unique and immersive attraction is an audio experience, most of which takes place in complete darkness. Guests are invited to visit the Lakeside Cemetery mausoleum where the friendly funeral director is dying to meet you. Enter the vault to choose your final resting place but proceed with caution, you will not be alone, some caskets have already been filled and their occupants are keen to meet you.
In a chilling promo video released by the park, a man can be seen walking through the Lakeside Cemetery with headphones on and descending into the burial chamber, before disappearing into total darkness.
The terrifying new scare attraction is the latest addition to the Theme Park’s line-up of thrilling frights and family spooks. This year guests can expect more creepy scares, shocks and spooktacular thrills than ever before with even more live entertainment across the Resort for all ages, plus experience the head-spinning, hair-raising rides and attractions in darkness.
The Resort has confirmed the return of three multi-award winning, terrifying mazes, plus the family fave Trick O Treat Town is back for a second year and it just got a whole sweeter as it returns in partnership with HARIBO. The line-up of terrifyingly good scare maze and attractions include:
- The Attic: Terror of the Towers: An unforgettable and truly chilling experience set in the eaves of the Theme Park’s famous and historical Tower ruins. Rumoured to be haunted by ‘the Governess’, local legend says she is eternally trying to avenge the death of her charges; taking the spirits of the living as penance…but who will be her next victim?
- Darkest Depths: Get ready for a terrifying new adventure aboard ‘The Mutiny’, a notoriously spine-chilling ghost ship. You’ll truly earn your golden piece of eight by venturing into the darkest depths, avoiding the hazardous calls of the treacherous Sirens, dodging the swords of terrifyingly ghoulish pirate mutineers and coming face to face with the Kraken – the legendary monster of the seas!
- Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover The Legend of the Skin Snatchers offering a tale with a not-so-beautiful twist. Those brave enough can also head to ‘Altonville’, a recently re-opened mine at the Resort, which holds a deep dark secret. Enter the damp, disused mine, which is believed to have once been home to a family of village outcasts. Nicknamed the ‘Skin Snatchers’ by local residents, their spine-chilling secret is about to be unearthed. Remember ‘Beauty is only skin deep’.
- Trick O Treat Town with HARIBO where every day is Halloween and the townsfolk favourite pastime is trick-or-treating for the town’s visitors. Guests will be given a tote bag upon entering the indoor attraction and start by taking a walk down Spooky Avenue before moving onto houses in Treat Street, Witchy Woods, The Graveyard and The Hill. Knock on the doors to collect lots of sweet treats and other spooky surprises but be careful as there will be tricks aplenty.
If one day just isn’t enough, guests can extend their stay with an overnight stay at the Resort’s iconic themed accommodation. From the UK’s only CBeebies Land Hotel and Caribbean themed Splash Landings Hotel, to enchanting log cabins and the eccentric Alton Towers Hotel, there are six delightfully themed accommodations to choose from, and with a buffet breakfast, live evening entertainment, free parking and a free round of Extraordinary Golf, it’s the perfect escape for friends and families.
Chris Carter, Events and Entertainments Director at Alton Towers Resort, said:
“We are thrilled to be celebrating 15 years of our award-winning Scarefest and to celebrate, we have got a host of fun and thrills for families and thrill-seekers.
“We are excited to bring a brand-new terrifying scare attraction to the event, as well as the return of our hugely popular scare mazes and family attractions.
“We remain committed to creating a much-needed form of escapism for families and thrill-seekers across the UK and beyond. We are so excited to welcome guests to the Resort and to share our incredible line-up of seasonal entertainment, which we’re sure our guests will love.”
David Rosenberg and Glen Neath from DARKFIELD, adds:
“We’re really looking forward to bringing our work to Alton Towers Resort. It’s been a long-held dream of ours to be given the chance to make some work for theme parks and we hope we can add something to the wonderful mix of scare attractions the park is so well loved for.”
Scarefest will take place at Alton Towers Resort from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th October, then each day from Friday 14th to Monday 31st October. To find out more and to book tickets, visit: www.altontowers.com/explore/events/scarefest/
