Xtreme Scream Park is a scare park which is opened on selected nights throughout September, October and November for Halloween. As the UK's Best Scream Park as voted for in the SCAR Awards, they offer 6 unique, high quality haunts for the public to experience through the 20 nights they are open during this spooky season!
Xtreme Scream Park is a full on experience and as you enter each attraction, the only way out is moving forward. The experiences are very intense and at times beyond terrifying where they really push for some of the best scares a Halloween park can do. Based at Twinlakes Park in the north east of England, the event really showcases some of the best mazes around, we were so excited to finally get our first visit to the event done this year.
The park had a selection of small rides open during the evening such as the teacups to keep guests entertained after doing the haunts. A selection of food and drink stalls were available along with a fire show hosted in the park at selected times. The roaming actors really were a strong point for Xtreme Scream with several odd creatures roaming around and interacting with everybody. Our favourite roaming character had to be Mr Blobby, who we saw several times throughout the night fully chase people and when caught up, really went for them. Hilarious to watch, terrifying when it happens to you....
We managed to experience all the attractions through the night and wanted to give a special mention to John for organising our visit this year. If you manage to visit, you may unknowingly see him hidden around a corner in the attractions taking your beautiful mugshot when you least expect it... Thanks John! We think this is a great way for some of the team who aren't actors to get stuck in, whilst being completely different to any other event we have ever been in, getting a free photo from the maze itself uploaded to Facebook!
Curtain Chaos: The Final Curtain
Curtain Chaos – The Final Curtain! Rolls back for one last time, one of our original attractions that is just fun and frightening from beginning to end, if you can find your way out! A one show wonder – clowns! The theme of this attraction is changed every year by the Twisted imaginations of Xtreme Scream design team, we hope this year you laugh your head off as Curtains Chaos faces its final curtain..
As confirmed by the park, this would be the last year to experience Curtain Chaos. As our first and only run through of the maze, it was probably the best one to start off with. A classic clown maze which is quite a common theme with most scare parks, we didn't know really what to expect from the attraction. The maze went on for what seemed forever with endless corridors of clown themed curtains which left us unsure of what was round the corner. Met by a reasonable sized cast, there were plenty of actors who gave you a fright when you least expected it. Our favourite part must be from half way round where we were squirted by a couple of water guns... quite badly! A fun and interactive maze and definitely isn't your typical clown maze you find everywhere.
Scare: 9/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 4/10 - Actors: 7/10 - Overall: 20/30
Pie Factory
Melton Mowbray’s Pie Factory locally sources only the best, prime cuts of meat to produce 100% Manmade Pies. Step inside the doors and make your way through the 2000 sq. ft complex to discover the gruesome process that goes into making these world famous pies. Duck, dodge and squeeze your way around 15 uniquely themed zones as you’re herded through Melton Mowbray’s very own production line, going behind the scenes and finding out first hand, what goes into Melton Mowbray’s Finest. Mrs Momma Hog though has been changing the ingredients in the pies recently and is now making humans into pies… Do you dare and come to the Pie Factory and see how they are made, be careful though, you might be next!
The Pie Factory was one we could hear from sitting around the bar area. Terrified of the theme, we still ventured in. The scares were good at points, however, this sadly was reduced by the batching issue of this maze. As they batch a small group every 30 seconds it seemed, groups caught up quite quickly, causing an American style feel to the attraction with one long line going through. This did mean we could sometimes see the scare before it actually happened to us. However, the theming and storyline really picked up and took away from this factor with every corner being filled with an actor or at least an animatronic, to create some big scares. The actors we did come across at the right times definitely were creepy and caused us to be on edge throughout. Overall, a solid attraction - not for the faint hearted!
Scare: 6/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 8/10 - Actors: 7/10 - Overall: 21/30
The Village
“The Village was without a doubt the most talked about scare maze of the 2017 season. Everything from the sets, costumes and characters all added up to make an original attraction that used multiple special effects and had us screaming throughout. Praise the Harvest!” – Michael Bolton – ScareCON
As you can see above, it was rated so highly from 2017 by ScareCON / Scare Tour themselves, it won Best Halloween Attraction 2017. However, it did seem that this was slightly neglected for 2018 as we have heard it felt shorter and less scary. With a mixed opinion going in, we took the plunge into the entrance. The scares weren't the scariest as we ventured through the maze however, the length of time it took to complete, definitely didn't go a miss. Lasting roughly around 10-15 minutes, it was definitely not a short attraction. Using a mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces, it felt like a village with good scares being used throughout. With a maze this long, you couldn't expect actors to be everywhere and using top of the range animatronics, really filled up these spaces that could be pretty empty at many other places. The themeing inside the buildings was incredible! From the different sets and scenes we went through, we felt immersed and sold into the story and at points, lost ourselves in the attraction. Sadly, it didn't feel like the best scare attraction of 2018, yet it does have some incredible parts that we have not seen from any other mazes this year and you never know what could happen in 2019...
Scare: 5/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 10/10 - Actors: 6/10 - Overall: 21/30
Ash Hell Penitentiary
"In 1609 a prison was built like no other. It was specifically designed to house and rehabilitate the criminally insane in particular inmates with cannibal tendencies. The People of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland had previously locked insane cannibal family members in secret attics and cellars to avoid public interference, they fed on the homeless community. We now entered the facility to experience what was going on..."
Rated as 11/10 for scares we set foot in the prison with high anticipation of being shook to the core with terror, but unfortunately failed to deliver the level of scare as billed. This maze however did provide some intense moments, and left us creeped out at other times with the inmates being very touchy feely and engaging in some personal dialogue. There was a consistent high quality theme throughout keeping you immersed in the prison with lots of different scenes and characters. Added to this, the effects and actor level was still top class compared to other scare parks we have visited and think Xtreme Scream Park haven't let themselves go with this attraction, we just think the potential could be much higher.
Scare: 7/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 8/10 - Actors: 7/10 - Overall: 22/30
Hoodoo Voodoo
"The Voodooists have advertised an event to the public promoting cleansing, enrichment and purity of the mind to those attending their ritual. Those entering the HooDoo attraction are promised eternal enlightenment and epiphany, with all negativity removed from their lives, leaving them in an eternal bliss with new perspectives on life. However all is not as it seems..."
Hoodoo Voodoo was one of the tamer mazes of the night, making the experience a bit more enjoyable instead of sheer terror. We loved the introduction and the different effects used throughout the hooded part of the maze. The cheery soundtrack kept us entertained in the sections where not much was going on, but equally led us into a false sense of security for the next scare from the actors. What surprised us about this maze is that it didn't end there... the length, quality and attention to detail of themeing along with a significant number of actors that followed was a perfect way to complete the maze with some really effective scares and spooky moments - think we may have nightmares from the voodoo doll!
Scare: 8/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 8/10 - Actors: 8/10 - Overall: 24/30
Stilton Hall Hotel & Hell Spa
Stilton Hall Hotel and Hell Spa – Melton Mowbray’s finest country Mansion opens its doors to unveil the secrets of the most desirable form – the Human Body. Escape and feel the pleasure, we will transform you, beauty or beast? Prepare to experience relaxation beyond your worst nightmares. We will take you and make you beautiful with memorable treatments to die for, designed uniquely for every individual, change is perfection, perfection is change – beauty is in the eye of the Master – he will redesign you, transform you, there is nothing more pleasurable than pain, beautiful sweet pain, we are all beautiful, your body is ours, what is your desire?
Stilton Hotel & Spa turns scares into genuine fear. What felt like the longest maze in the world to us, we screamed and ran through over 40 rooms of detailed and themed sets. They were all as weird and different as each other and some parts was pretty claustrophobic. We've not seen an actor cast so big for a scare maze before either and we aren't sure if we kept seeing the same people however, it felt like they were just around every single corner. The highlight for us was the hotel pervert who gave us a good unexpected laugh half way round to take away from the tense situation we were in. Overall, our favourite attraction of the evening and the scariest attraction we've visited to date! We strongly believe that Xtreme Scream Park has the longest and most immersive scare attractions around which really turn the scares up a level!
Scare: 10/10 - Themeing & Storyline: 10/10 - Actors: 9/10 - Overall: 29/30
Overall, Xtreme Scream Park was a pleasure to go and visit, we guess? A genuine terrifying place with them not holding back at any point or in any attraction. A downside to the whole event was how quick they batch groups and think this needs to be slightly changed, as it starts to feel like an American experience. The best parts to the event that aren't mentioned would be that an actor actually batches you into the maze instead of a member of staff, which we think is a nice touch to starting the experience. Alongside this, the attractions are world class and are on the top of the fear ratings for us. With a handful of dates left, we recommend you get your tickets via the Xtreme Scream website before they sell out! Click the image below to head to the website...
