Coaster

You need your pass as well as it is strictly a Passholder preview event.

With the positive points there isn't really anything else to add, whereas the negative points need explaining. Also, I already wrote about the changes in Hex in the Hex topic.

Something I picked up on during my visit recently. A lot of people argue that extending the ride close is pointless as everyone leaves at the previously advertised closing time. I noticed that, unlike most other parks, none of the ride entrance signs state when the ride opens and closes. Therefore, how is anyone going to know that they have extended?

I might have to do the behind the scenes tours, I've always wanted to see what the mazes look like with the lights on. More info from ScareTOUR, posted today on their Facebook page: On another note, I have just looked at the opening times and the event is on for one week less than last year

Where are you seeing this? I can't see anything about the new maze on the website.

I'm just going to post ridecounts and a few points as I'm not sure if anyone reads trip reports anymore; Wednesday 27th August: Nemesis x9 Th13teen x2 Duel x2 The Smiler x1 Air x1 Nemesis: Sub Terra x1 Battle Galleons x1 Thursday 28th August: Nemesis x5 The Smiler x2 Duel x2 Oblivion x1 Th13teen x1 Rita x1 Hex x1 Congo River Rapids x1 Battle Galleons x1 Friday 29th August: Nemesis x22 The Smiler x2 Th13teen x2 Sonic Spinball x1 Oblivion x1 Rita x1 The Flume x1 Hex x1 Duel x1 Nemesis: Sub Terra x1 Highlights: 22 rides on Nemesis in one day! Single Rider Queues. Without them, I would have got a much, much lower ridecount. Changes in Hex were fantastic! Getting soaked on the rapids! I'm sure those waterfalls never used to get you. Closing time extension to 7pm on Wednesday and Friday. Annoyances/General points: Not starting the monorail with all the trains on. This causes a queue to build up as soon as it opens, especially in peak season. Waited an hour in the single rider queue on The Smiler on friday due to two stoppages. One was to take a train off, and the other one was to change two trains over. Very annoying to say the least, as it took an hour out of our ride time. The Smiler didn't open until 10:40 on friday, yet it was supposed to open at 9am for ERT. Ticket machines broke on Friday, meaning that nobody (aside from annual passholders and prebooked tickets) could get in for an hour and a half! Didn't affect me, but I think they used it as an excuse to not open The Smiler on time. Breakdown on Duel resulting in all the lights being switched on - unfortunately we were in the station! If only I had got there a few minutes earlier I would have seen the behind the scenes of the ride! Thanks for reading.

I vaguely remember hearing that a while back, but evidently they changed their minds: http://www.altontowers.com/scarefest/halloween-days-out/

I can't help but think that the Scarefest lineup is dire this year. Terror of the Towers and The Sanctuary are the only mazes, as Scary Tales and Zombies are scare zones. I would be pretty gutted if Towers was my local Halloween event, as they have lost a good maze for another scare zone. Hopefully this means that Terror of the Towers and The Sanctuary have more actors, as they didn't have many in comparison to Thorpe's mazes last time I went in them.

Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to Fright Nights but I can't help feeling that there isn't enough variety. For example: Saw Alive - slasher. My Bloody Valentine - slasher. Studio 13 - slasher. Cabin in the Woods - very complicated slasher. Whereas there used to be so much more variety: Hellgate - haunted mansion. Asylum - speaks for itself. Curse - lost souls seeking revenge. Se7en - deadly sins. Experiment 10 - sinister human experiment. Variety is the key with these events, and I just hope that Studio 13 isn't too similar to the other mazes.

Oakwood need someone who will actually look at what is going on in the park. Whilst a new boss is good, I doubt she will make many positive changes whilst Aspro still own the park. I'm not sure who makes operational decisions, but anyone who thinks operating coasters on absolute minimum capacity and staff during peak times with 2+ hour queues and fast pass knows nothing about running theme parks. The first thing they need to look at is operations, then maintenance, then improving the image of the park (rather than just adding new signage all the time) and actually making an effort for paying customers before they even think about investing in more rides. I remember when Oakwood was fantastic. The atmosphere used to be second to none, Mega and Speed on maximum capacity eating through the queues and everyone looked happy. Aspro have taken a great park and run it down to the ground. Such a shame

Mazes are very subjective, personally I don't think much of Saw Alive but know people who think it is amazing! I don't think the maze will have the same layout (even Asylum's layout changed every year), I just mean that a lot of the stuff inside it could be reused with the new maze.

After reading this, Studio 13 actually sounds very promising! I can imagine the deserted movie studio being very similar to Asylum in terms of strobe effects, actors etc... Some links I have found: Surely a reference to strobe lighting being used? Or the flickering lights that were in the first corridor of Asylum. A lot of the interior of Asylum would be very easy to look like a hotel instead of a hospital. Beds? Chairs? Television sets? Shower? All of this would easily fit in a hotel set up. Didn't The Freezer have body bags? Hopefully this means it will keep the same ending (or a similarly good one)... I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with for Studio 13. Will it beat Asylum? I don't think so. But that doesn't mean it can't be good.

Taken from the Facebook page. This confirms 3pm opening of the mazes

Yes I'll take part, sounds like fun!

It was 3pm last year, hopefully it will be again this year.

It seems strange to me the way American parks just rip out huge coasters...

They should definitely keep the same music.

Very expensive! I can't really see many people taking them up on the offer to be honest, considering that they have already paid £100+ for an annual pass.

I reckon that the end section (where it all goes wrong) will be similar to Asylum, as in lots of strobes and then hopefully a chainsaw ending!

I think Thorpe have confirmed that it will be where Asylum was. Regarding this new maze, after considering it a bit I think it has potential, and could be really good. Just hope it doesn't turn into another passing. (Looked good on paper, end result was not so good...)

I'm not being negative, I just think that it is a strange idea when they could have chosen another film. I'm not saying that it's going to be rubbish, just that what I have heard so far doesn't excite me much.

It seems strange though. They have a Lionsgate contract so they can choose any Lionsgate film, they remove Asylum because they want all the mazes to be about films yet they choose not to target a specific film.

B&M list: 1. Nemesis 2. The Swarm 3. Nemesis Inferno 4. Oblivion 5. Air

Sadly it is normal these days for the coasters to be on one train with queues of 2+ hours. Never known a park operate so badly

I am waiting for the official reveal, but so far I am disappointed with the concept.