Scarefest 2019 saw the debut of new scare maze, The Attic: Terror of the Towers, and new family maze, Darkest Depths. With the 2019 season also seeing the opening of The Alton Towers Dungeon, the path to the attraction became Plague Street. There was also the return of some award winning attractions, alongside a variety of family entertainment. All of the mazes carried an additional charge, while all other attractions were free and accessible to all.
Key Information
Dates: 5th-6th, 12th-13th, 18th October – 3rd November
Skyride, Battle Galleons, Congo River Rapids, Get Set Go Tree Top Adventure, Tree Fu Tom Training Camp, Mr Bloom’s Allotment, Nina’s Science Lab, Charlie and Lola’s Moonsquirters and Green Drops, The Furchester Hotel Live, and the Gardens shut at dusk.
CBeebies Land & Cloud Cuckoo Land closed at 7pm.
Other rides shut at 9pm daily.
Prices
Scare Mazes
Combined park and three-maze entry – £52.00
Single Ticket – £8.00
Double Ticket – £15.00
Combi Ticket – £20.00
The Attic: Terror of the Towers – £8.00
Darkest Depths – £6.00
Attractions
Thrill Attractions
The Attic: Terror of the Towers
Project 42
Altonville Mine Tours
Sub Species: The End Games
Plague Street (The Alton Towers Dungeon)
Family Attractions
Darkest Depths
Franklyn’s Freaky Fun Zone
Halloween Characters
Patch’s Halloween Party
Phil & Franklyn’s Ghoulish Games
Gretyl’s Spell School
Skelvin’s Spooky Storytime
Alton Ancestors
The Funster Halloween Show
CBeebies Land ‘Monster Ball’
New for 2019 was The Attic: Terror of the Towers which marked a welcome return of the Terror of the Towers universe to the Resort. Located within the Towers Ruins, The Attic took guests up into the uppermost levels of the ruins to discover the story of the Governess who was said to want to avenge the deaths of her charges by taking the spirits of the living. The Attic was an incredibly well crafted maze, with a high level of attention to detail throughout the attraction. With the maze actually being set on the third floor of the Towers, guests had to climb several flights of stairs to access the main section of the maze, something which created the feeling that you were genuinely climbing up to The Governess’ attic.
Darkest Depths was the second new addition to 2019’s line up, being located in Mutiny Bay Courtyard which was previously home to The Welcoming during 2017 and 2018. With House of Monsters departing the Scarefest line-up, as a new family maze, Darkest Depths was seen as an indirect replacement for this popular attraction. Guests were invited to board the infamous ghost ship “The Mutiny” and journey into the darkest depths in search of their piece of eight. Darkest Depths had what is arguably some of the most detailed sets of any scare maze at the Resort. Once inside, you could no longer tell that you were actually in the Mutiny Bay Courtyard – the sets were so detailed that you really did feel as though you had boarded the infamous ghost ship, with the combination of the physical sets, lighting and sound effects, and use of scents (including a particularly pungent vomit scent), all contributing to the immersion. The maze also featured its own bespoke soundtrack, composed entirely in house.
Returning for its second year was Project 42, seeing guests once again enter a Phalanx facility in search of a vaccine to a deadly disease. 2019 saw a number of changes made to the attraction, all of which improved the overall experience. The pre-show tunnel saw the addition of a second screen which meant that all the group could see the pre-show, and therefore understand the storyline of the maze. Inside, the maze’s sets were almost completely re-done, allowing for a more winding route through the maze, and offering more opportunities for the actors to deliver scares leading to a higher level of intensity than in 2018. This would, however, be the final year for the attraction, with it not returning for 2020.
Also making a welcome return to the scare maze line up were Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skin Snatchers and Sub Species – The End Games. Whilst the main concept and routes in both remained the same to previous years, both received a few smaller improvements. Altonville Mine Tours had extra theming added in the final section of the queue line, replacing the baggage hold which previously occupied that space, whilst the interior sets received a few small enhancements. Sub Species – The End Games maintained its intensity, with actors seeming particularly intent this year on splitting guests up and directing them the wrong way around the labyrinth to disorientate them within the maze. The announcement of the 2020 Scarefest line-up revealed that 2019 was to be the final year for Sub Species – The End Games.
Making its Halloween debut was the theme park’s new for 2019 attraction, The Alton Towers Dungeon. Although there was little change to the rooms inside, the exterior of the attraction saw the addition of Plague Street where several roaming actors entertained the queue line and guests in the area. When darkness descends the area was also very atmospherically lit, ensuring it fitted in perfectly with the spooky Halloween atmosphere.
No Scarefest would be complete without The Alton Ancestors and this year saw them rising from the grave once more to return to their old stomping grounds on Towers Street and Gloomy Wood. Also roaming at various times through the day were the Ghost Pirates, who could be found on Towers Street and around Mutiny Bay.
The Freaky Five returned with their Freaky Fun Zone on the lawns at the bottom of Towers Street. Gretyl, Franklin, Skelvin, Patch, and Phil performed four family-friendly shows at regular intervals throughout the day – Patch’s Halloween Party, Skelvin’s Spooky Storytime, Gretyl’s Spell School, and Phil and Franklin’s Ghoulish Games. The shows were refreshed with new scripts and fresh choreography, striking a nice balance of humour a spookiness for young families. Although only introduced in 2018, Freaky Funk Squad did not return for 2019’s event.
CBeebies Land joined in the Scarefest festivities for a second year with the CBeebies Land Monster Ball. This year Peter Rabbit and the Teletubbies joined in the Halloween party alongside the likes of Hey Duggee, Bing, and Ubercorn.
As in the preceding years, there was no overnight or late night experience available during Scarefest 2019.
Over at the Resort’s accommodation there was a variety of entertainment suitable for guests of all ages. Sir Algenon appeared nightly in the Alton Towers Hotel for his Halloween Party. The Terrifying Tropical Party in Splash Landings Hotel was sure to have guests on their feet, dancing the night away. In the Stargazing Pods Tipi there were nightly busker sessions, alongside the self-playing piano. In both Alton Towers Hotel and Splash Landings Hotel there was also a Mystical Magic Show and Spooky Wooky Gameshow every night during Scarefest. Alton Towers Hotel was also the venue for the Vintage Halloween Show and Sir Algenon’s Ghastly Dance Off, and Splash Landings Hotel for Ringo’s Halloween Party and The Creepy Calypso Crew Disco.
Alton Towers Resort reveals new chilling scare attraction ‘The Attic’ set to open at this year’s Scarefest
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Details of additional new scare maze ‘Darkest Depths’ also revealed which is set to get pulses racing
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‘The Attic: Terror of the Towers’ promises to be ‘scariest yet’ and will be housed in the eaves of the historic Towers
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Never seen before spooky videos and images have also been released by the Resort showcasing the two new mazes
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Scarefest 2019 confirmed to take place on October 5th – 6th and 12th – 13th, then each day between 18th October and 3rd November.
Alton Towers Resort has revealed the first photos, video and details of the spine-tingling terror awaiting guests in brand new scare maze, The Attic: Terror of the Towers.
Set in the eaves of the Theme Park’s famous and historical Tower ruins, guests will be invited to venture to the head spinning heights of The Attic which is 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. What will you discover and who will be her next victim?
The Attic: Terror of the Towers is the latest horror experience in the Resort’s renowned and award-winning ‘Terror of the Towers’ maze trilogy. This brand new maze is the next terrifying chapter of the series that has previously included ‘Terror of the Towers’ (2002 – 2008) and ‘Terror of the Towers: What Lies within’ (2009 – 2017). Set in the Edwardian era and deemed by its creators to be the most thrilling yet, The Attic will provide a brand new, unique and truly chilling experience. Created in the very eaves of the ruins, a space never adapted for use before, the maze will use the sensation of colour in a very clever and masterful way to add an additional layer to the spine-tingling multisensory terror. It is something never done previously in a bid to provide a truly chilling and unforgettable experience.
The 2019 Scarefest line-up will also see the introduction of Darkest Depths, a brand new scare maze cleverly developed for families and thrillseekers alike, that will invite guests to board the infamous ghost ship ‘The Mutiny’ and journey into the darkest depths to earn your piece of eight. The treacherous Sirens will try to lure you into the ocean as you dodge the swords of the mutinous ghost pirates and come face to face with the sea’s meanest legend of all … the Kraken!
Alongside details of what to expect, never seen before spooky videos and images have also been released by the Resort showcasing the two new mazes.
The Alton Towers Dungeon will also be getting a some additional spooks and scares as guests venture through the attraction on a hideously hilarious journey through Staffordshire’s darkest history, including the introduction of live action ‘Plague Street’ and some bonus frights to get pulses racing.
The Attic and Darkest Depths mazes will join the already frightfully thrilling maze line-up for this year’s Scarefest which will see the return of Project 42, Sub Species and Altonville Mine Tours.
Set in a secret underground Phalanx compound, Project 42 invites valiant volunteers to enter the premises in a bid to outwit what awaits them inside. They’ll need their wits about them as soon as they enter the compound in an attempt to find the vaccination and rescue the technician before contracting the infection.
There’ll be just moments to catch your breath before descending deep underground again to a post-apocalyptic sewer system and the death race begins in Sub Species: The End Games! You will need to choose your own route in an attempt to avoid a sewer dwelling community. Yet, they have to appease the creature that rules over them by sacrificing innocent people from the surface – so your demise is now their entertainment!
For a tour with a not-so-beautiful twist there’s also the Altonville Mine Tours. 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’.
The Halloween spectacular is also offering family frights to enjoy. The Freaky Fun Zone will host the Resort’s five freak Halloween characters in their colourful playground with amazing shows, meet and greets, photo opportunities and more. For 2019, Patch’s Halloween Party is bigger and better than ever, Skelvin shares his spooky stories with you, Phil and Franklin teach you everything they’ve learnt at Ghoul School and Gretel needs your help with her magic spells.
Families with young children can also take part in the CBeebies Monster Ball in CBeebies Land. Dress up in your favourite costume and join some of your favourite CBeebies friends live in Big Fun Show Time as they dance, play games and learn all about spooky things.
The Alton Ancestors dancing flashmob will also be back in action across the park providing fun-packed live entertainment for everyone to enjoy. The Alton Ancestors have risen from the grave once more and returned to their old stomping grounds, but be warned – standing still is not an option when that music starts.
Open until 9pm each day, guests will be able to enjoy all the theme park’s world-class thrilling rides, rollercoasters and attractions in the dark including its latest adrenaline-pumping coaster, Wicker Man.
To find out more about Scarefest at Alton Towers Resort visit www.altontowers.com/scarefest
