Alton towers Scarefest 2021 - some questions

[chainedbanana]

So sort of annoyingly you have to buy a 4 maze package at Scarefest and can't buy scare maze tickets per maze! You also have to choose a slot and have 2 hours to complete all 4 mazes!

Surprisingly the mazes start at 1pm - so one question is, to those who've been - are the mazes completely enclosed/blacked out so it would make little difference when you went in day or night? or do they really need to be done after nightfall?

The 2 hour time slot is rather restricting, as I'd prefer to space them out over the evening! part of me is also tempted to do them early and leave nighttime for scare zones, atmosphere walk arounds and nightrides.

Also part of me wonders how regulated the 2 hour window would be - especially if the mazes have long queues - I can see many people kicking off! so i just wonder whether to relax and do the mazes 'when I do them' throughout the evening, if it's not going to be seriously monitored!

I wouldn't have minded if you had to pick a time slot separately for each of the 4 mazes

 

[Will]

For the most part the mazes are indoors and enclosed - from last year, the exception being the Toxic Junkyard, which is more of a scarezone. My recommendation would be to hit these during the day when they'll be quieter and as you say, save time for night rides and atmosphere - I was sad I didn't get to do the Haunted Gardens walkthrough last year, so really looking forward to that. Obviously, that's an after-dark activity.

As for the two hour slot, I've never known that to be an issue and it's been in place for a while. If your slot was for 2 and you turned up at the first maze at 6, it might raise an eyebrow, but if you were to reach the last at 4:30, I highly, highly doubt you'd be turned away

 

[emoo]

Notes from 2020:

The junkyard should be done at night. I didn't the first time and was able to buy more at the park. (Was another full set though but all are worth it, even the family one was well done). It's still fine during the day but night has the full impact and a dassling light package.

They do keep to the timeslots where possible so don't dally. They will sell just enough so it's possible to complete everything in time and nothing more.

When one of the mazes had to pause for a while we fell behind but were reassured everything would be fine - and it was. But took some explanation and supervisor approval. Good the staff are working as trained but they may not know up front what's happening in other areas of the park.

 

[chainedbanana]

Notes from 2020:

The junkyard should be done at night. I didn't the first time and was able to buy more at the park. (Was another full set though but all are worth it, even the family one was well done). It's still fine during the day but night has the full impact and a dassling light package.

They do keep to the timeslots where possible so don't dally. They will sell just enough so it's possible to complete everything in time and nothing more.

When one of the mazes had to pause for a while we fell behind but were reassured everything would be fine - and it was. But took some explanation and supervisor approval. Good the staff are working as trained but they may not know up front what's happening in other areas of the park.

When would you say is a good time slot to start the 2 hours then? I want to have time to do the garden walk and at least 1 nightride after - I was thinking 5-7

 

[Nitefly]

When would you say is a good time slot to start the 2 hours then? I want to have time to do the garden walk and at least 1 nightride after - I was thinking 5-7

I would say do the mazes early and just skip Toxic Junkyard. I haven’t done Toxic Junkyard but… it’s an outdoor maze and the least interesting at face value. I will be prioritising the garden walks and night rides… which is possible if you skip Toxic Junkyard. Or just do it when it’s light if you must do it.