Beware: This is a review of a past Halloween event. Therefore, do not use it as a basis upon which to preview the same event this year, and please note that the event may not necessarily be taking place this year. Please use our guide for an overview of this years' Halloween attractions. 

Halloween Spooktacular, Alton Towers (2002)

Alton Towers’ Halloween Spooktacular went off piste this year with a far more original and enticing programme of events.

With Terror of the Towers (12 years and over) and the Cadbury Halloween tents (12 years and under), unlike the Chessington event everyone was able to enjoy Spooktacular as it was a well planned and balanced affair.

Park décor was half-hearted at best with the occasional flash in the pan in the form of large spiders and skulls. The jumping fountains at the park entrance, for example, had a large skull on, as did the fountain outside Hex, the water in which had turned a sinister shade of red.

It was easy to forget Alton Towers were celebrating Halloween. Other than the three Cadbury tents and Terror of the Towers hidden away as if they were embarrassed by it, there was very little to remind you of the event. As twilight drew in, I expected characters to at least come out and haunt the park, but even Towers Street was, to use the words from the Specials’ 1981 classic, becoming like a ghost town.

Terror of the Towers was undoubtedly the lead attraction in the Halloween Spooktacular. Other than promotional posters in Towers Street, there was little mention of it, and with the non-descript crumbling archway of Terror of the Towers hidden away under the trees to the left of X Sector, you would at least expect a legion of undead on the main pathway coaxing you into the walk-through, or even a sign.

The queue takes place in the shadows of a copse with smoke rolling across the ground and gravestones marking recently dug graves. Various untopical throwaway comments adorn the grave stones before the queue heads through a dark and damp tunnel up to a side entrance into the towers.

Whilst gothic chants fill the air, torn curtains flap out of upper windows. At the front of the queue, you’re asked to knock on the door. A heavy knock on the door isn’t enough to rouse the spirits of the ghouls inside. As you nervously peer into the darkness through the keyhole, the door is torn open and a withering wench yells at you to come into the ruined Towers.

With about ten people inside a small room, the door slams shut behind and the grey witch warns you of the forthcoming horrors that await. One thing that is strongly stressed; if you don’t touch the monsters, the monsters won’t touch you.

Concluding this haunting speech, the person at the head of the group is instructed to knock heavily on the door. On the third forceful thump on the painted timbers, the door rattles heavily, getting louder and louder, filling the room with the sound of thunder before the door violently swings back into the darkness and the dark character of the gatekeeper steps forwards from the darkness.

He stops just inches from your face, looking into your eyes with his piercing stare. You can almost feel his breath on your face before his outstretched arm beacons you forwards.

The air is a strange mix of anxious silence from your group and screams elsewhere. The gatekeeper flings open a wooden gate banging against the solid stone walls as you enter a small room with steps up to another gate breaking the eerie light behind streaking through the haze.

A member of staff reminds your group to stay together, keeping your arms on the shoulders of the person in front. With this in mind, the gate opens and the group proceeds into the darkness up a set of steps.

As you pass from room to room, you notice how although the opportunity is handed to actors virtually on a plate, rarely do they feast upon the opportunity to actually scare you. An actor’s repertoire doesn’t seem to stretch beyond piercing stares and a slow flail of their arms.

This isn’t to say there aren’t exceptions. Your group is forced around a tomb in the centre of the room. With a huge bang, a ghastly looking character explodes into view before leaning towards you and – well – staring and flailing his arms.

With a flash and a bang, a character swoops out from the darkness behind the group. This is where your photo is taken, and with photos costing £4.50, it’s probably the biggest fright of the attraction.

The attraction finishes off well with a maze of wooden partitions through which characters lean through, gaze and wave their arms. As you negotiate the winding corridor of meandering panels, you’re disorientated by the constant fog of dry ice and strobe lights which often give a rather real feeling that the walls themselves are moving.

Although you can often take comfort by the fact the actors are behind the partitions, often turning a corner you realise that you’re walking straight into their path. With the strobe lights you have no sensation of perspective and in the blink of an eye the character is almost within arms reach.

Terror of the Towers reminds me of a theatrical show on its opening night. Impeccable lighting and the use of some good effects means the stage is perfectly set for a legion of actors. The characters, however, seem too routine in what they do and have yet to show their true colours. At times, the whole attraction feels very sterile and appears to have adhere to a softly-softly approach in comparison to the seemingly reckless chaos of Passje Del Terror (Blackpool Pleasure Beach).

To put it simply, Terror of the Towers does not scare. I expect monsters and ghouls to jump, yell and curse, taking you by surprise by jumping from the shadows. At first, the effect is psychological – they’re letting me pass, but you’re sure they’re going to pounce. After a few minutes you realise they’re never going to jump.

Terror of the Towers is certainly worthwhile, but it seems the park are still dipping their toes in scare-mongering. Whilst this is the case, Terror of the Towers, although fun, doesn’t have much going for it.  

MS 31 October 2002

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