Alton Towers Scarefest 2026 – Review
By Dominic Picksley, October 2026
There’s something deliciously sinister about Alton Towers during Scarefest and this year they have ramped up the tension by introducing a brand-new scare maze into their portfolio… and it could be one of their best ever.
Final Exhibit – designed by ‘maze master’ James Munday – gives ‘victims’ the chance to peruse the park’s archives after being welcomed in by The Curator, a rather menacing chap, but if you’re expecting to spend a leisurely time looking at an assortment of old artefacts, memorabilia and trinkets, then think again, as the horrors waiting for you within those walls will attempt to turn your visit into a blood-curdling, nightmarish denouement.
The maze is based on the Alton Towers Exhibition, a wonderful temporary museum display that was on show in the chapel inside the historic towers earlier this summer, featuring many items and exhibits from the park’s long history and which had fans clamouring for more. Well, they got their wish this autumn… although they’ll do well to see much in the atmospheric gloom while trying to avoid several hellish, zombie-like characters who will put the frighteners on any unsuspecting guests.
“A true work of scary art”
On the opening day of Scarefest 2026, my son Ben and I were part of the first group to enter this new maze, but only after we’d watched a short film (several times) which purported to show old clips of the park, including interviews with The Curator (he’ll look familiar to Alton Towers regulars) through the years. I was convinced Lola Moss ‘from 1996’ was genuine, as she had that boundless, smiley energy – and shellsuit – that young TV presenters had back then, but this was all part of the act to build up the suspense ahead of your journey into Final Exhibit.
After negotiating various rooms and passageways, getting fleeting glimpses of archival material plastered across the walls and discovering a treasure trove of old memorabilia, while also fending off several ghoulishly horrifying characters, never quite sure where they would appear next – with strobe lights disorientating us and then pitch-black areas confusing us – we burst back into the autumnal sunshine, grateful for our heart rates to return to normal, but delighted at experiencing a true work of scary art.
One wonders what you would find in there if they turned the lights on and let you wander around without the ominous threats within.
“Quartet of top-notch attractions”
Add this new entry to Alton Towers’ repertoire of scare mazes – Compound (with added tweaks, including a new pre-show), Edge Of The Forest (now in its second year and once more be prepared to meet the intimidating Leshwall) and Altonville Mine Tours: Tiny’s Revenge (the skin-snatching mine seems to have been given a new lease of life) – and they now have a quartet of top-notch attractions to match the best of them.
These are paid-for additions to park entry, along with the delightful family favourites Trick O’Treat Town (how many bags of Haribos can you collect?) and Amigos in the Afterlife (the place of friendly spirits), while there are two scare zones for those who want their pulse rates to increase for free. Burial Grounds (near Wicker Man) and Dark Hollow, which feels like an Edge Of The Forest relative, and at times is more chilling than its scare maze cousin… beware bloodthirsty bears, weird-looking toylike characters and demonic girls. Even in the daylight, this place gives you the creeps.
“Firmly in the Halloween zone”
The opening day of Scarefest 2026 may have felt like a glorious Indian summer’s day, but as soon as the night drew in and the moon appeared – and the mist appeared around the towers – we were firmly in the ‘Halloween zone’ and ‘rides in the dark’ sparked large queues at the roller coasters, as there’s nothing better than zipping round on the likes of Wicker Man, Nemesis Reborn, Oblivion or The Smiler in the dark.
And don’t forget to check out the Alton Ancestors, who will be performing around the park, while there’s also the CBeebies Land Monster Ball for the young ones.
We managed to squeeze in a meal at the Rollercoaster Restaurant – where your food bowls are delivered to you on a winding steel track complete with loops, spirals, and drops. The chicken tenders, rollercoaster burger and mac balls, with copious amounts of curly fries went down a treat.
And of course, no visit to the resort is complete without a night’s stay at Alton Towers Hotel, which comes with a free round of crazy golf, while we also enjoyed a couple of hours in the wonderful water park.
Ticket Pricing
Theme Park tickets – From £37 per person
Fastrack tickets: Bronze from £35 | Silver (included in the Short Breaks offer) from £65 | Gold from £95
Scare Maze tickets – From £16 (single maze)
Moon Voyager Room – From £77 per person
For more information and bookings, visit altontowers.com/explore/events/scarefest
Dom has worked in journalism for 25 years, specialising in sport, but with a penchant for penning travel features, at home and abroad, and also has a vast knowledge of 60s music, from the popular hitmakers to those bands long since forgotten.
He’s become something of a theme park reviewer now, sparked by his children’s interest, and if there’s an interesting book that appeals, then he’ll review that as well.
