We have just come back from two brilliant days at Alton Towers Halloween Scarefest. We love Alton Towers. Not just because of the rides, but also because of its beautiful location, stunning gardens and impressive, albeit ruined, stately home.
As Merlin Annual Pass holders we don't have the pressure of trying to pack as much in to one day as we would if we were paying the full entrance rate. It means we are far more relaxed and happy to take in the surroundings, instead of dashing off to the next ride queue.
I love the decorations that appear around the park on Halloween. The giant pumpkins are fabulous and the kids are always happy to climb inside for a photo!
The thing we like most about the Halloween Scarefest is the live horror mazes. This year, 11 year old Kizzy was totally up for being scared witless by everything on offer. This meant experiencing all four of the live actor horror mazes: The Sanctuary, Carnival of Screams, Terror Towers and the Zombie Scare Zone.
For anyone who has never been through a Scarefest maze, they are basically an interactive walk through that tells a story while actors terrorize you! Strobe lighting, smoke, tight spaces, smells, loud noises and themed scenery act to disorientate you, as the actors dressed up for their roles whisper in your ear, jump out on you and generally mess with your mind. It's like living through a horror film!
My favourite this year was the outdoor Zombie Scare Zone, set in a post apocalyptic urban street where the undead wandered around. They sniffed us, chased us, made terrifying noises in our faces and stared at us with their dead zombie eyes. It's frighteningly fun and the actors are amazing in their roles, giving you just the right amount of attention that you can cope with! Kizzy loved it and is now a fully fledged horror fan!
While the girls went on some of the mazes and rides, Freddy enjoyed the freedom of running around the open spaces and climbing on apparatus dotted around the park. He hung off of the giant flower stems and jumped on giant toadstools. He loves playing outdoors and we were blessed with some beautiful autumnal weather.
The Halloween characters entertained the kids around the park. Patch the Pumpkin was one of Freddy's favourites and he was happy to meet him and pose for a photo.
The park stayed open until past 9pm. The girls queued up for more than 2 hours at the end to ride The Smiler in the dark. They agreed it was well worth the wait to experience the 14 loop rollercoaster in the pitch black dark. Having a hotel room for the night meant Ian and I could take Freddy back to the room when he'd had enough. He flagged at about 8pm after having spent the entire day walking around, playing and enjoying the sights and sounds of Halloween for the little ones at Alton Towers. His big sisters enjoyed the more hardcore Halloween Scarefest experience, but we all agreed that we had had an absolutely fabulous day!
I'm linking up with Country Kids!