October is here, and so is spooky season, where it is time to get those costumes out, put on a scary movie, and embrace the autumnal weather.
One of the most popular things to do during this time of the year is to visit a theme park for its Halloween events.
Scarefest at Alton Towers is the resort's annual Halloween event, which typically runs from the first weekend of October until early November.
With seasonal scare attractions, costumed characters and extended opening hours, it is hugely popular each year.
I was lucky enough to visit on the first day of Scarefest 2025 , which began earlier in September this year.
This was not only my first time visiting Alton Towers for many years, but my first time visiting a theme park for Halloween.
This means it was my first time riding rollercoasters in the dark, taking on scare mazes, and all the other exciting things that come with it.
If you're considering attending Scarefest at Alton Towers this year, here's everything you need to know, and why my experience should make you want to go and enjoy it too.
@uktoday_ How good is Alton Towers Scarefest 2025? Come and see 🎃👻 #AltonTowers #Scarefest2025 #Halloween #fyp ♬ Halloween - FASSounds
Getting to and staying at Alton Towers
Heading up the day before, my drive was a few hours long, but the hotel was easy to find.
It was the first time I had ever stayed in the Alton Towers Hotel, and it was a great time. The Halloween decorations throughout the hotel were an excellent welcome.
We stayed in the Moon Voyager Room, which is priced from £82 per person.
It was comfy, spacious, and came with some extra goodies, such as water bottles, Halloween sweets, and a giant teddy on the bed (no, sadly, you can’t take it with you).
We enjoyed dinner (and breakfast on the Saturday morning) in the Secret Garden Restaurant, which was also really pleasant.
There was plenty of choice for dinner, from burgers and steaks to pasta.
The breakfast was your traditional walk-up continental buffet with all the trimmings.
But it was all about getting a good rest ahead of the first day of Scarefest.
It is worth noting that there are alternative accommodation options available at Alton Towers, with the following prices based on two adults and two children:
- CBeebies Hotel - from £80 per person
- Beachcomber Room in Splash Landings Hotel - from £67 per person
- Stargazing Pods - from £53 per person
- Woodland Lodge - from £78 per person
Things to do at Alton Towers Scarefest
The day began with a lot of excitement as we arrived at the entrance when it opened.
On arrival, we were greeted with some fantastic décor, including pumpkins, plenty of autumnal-coloured flags, as well as other Halloween cars and items.
The giant Scarefest sign is at the bottom of the entrance walkway, with the great backdrop of the incredible Alton Towers Estate behind it.
Of course, this theming continues around the whole park, but it really shines when the sun goes down and the night arrives.
Returning events to the 2025 Scarefest lineup are the Altonville Mine Tours and the Compound scare mazes, as well as the Burial Ground scare zone.
The family-friendly Trick O' Treat Town and Amigos in the Afterlife show were also back.
Throughout the day, it really did feel like there was so much to do, and thankfully, the scare mazes are all indoors, so they can be experienced during the daytime.
The scare zones don’t open until later and are better experienced in the dark, with Burial Grounds a fantastic area expanding on the lore behind the Wickerman ride.
Riding the rollercoasters in the dark really felt like an out-of-body experience, and while rides like Wickerman and The Smiler stood out, Oblivion, Rita and Th13teen were among our favourites.
What’s new at Alton Towers Scarefest 2025?
The first new event was the new scare maze, The Edge of the Forest.
Through the avoidance of spoilers, it is set in the Dark Forest, and is set around the Leshwall, a spirit said to twist the trees and infiltrate your mind.
The storyline was great, and there was brilliant scenery too in my first ever scare maze. It definitely did live up to the excitement, with some great scares and theming throughout.
I would say this is a good entry into scare mazes, as it did not feel terrifying, but still had some good jump scares throughout.
There is also a new scare zone, Dark Hollow, which expands on Th13teen, and once again, the theming, actors, props and everything else were fantastic.
The free walkthrough scare zones are good introductions for those who may be nervous about the mazes, there are typically plenty of people walking through them.
Dark Hollow – NEW Scare Zone🪾👀
Venture into Dark Hollow, where ancient roots stir and something unseen waits in the trees. A chilling new free Scare Zone coming to Scarefest 2025 🫣
You better not go alone 👉 https://t.co/nYp1JHkduR pic.twitter.com/g4adFXG3QT— Alton Towers Resort (@altontowers) August 18, 2025
What are the Alton Towers scare mazes like?
I knew before I went to my first theme park Halloween event, I wanted to know what the scare mazes were really like.
I’m not afraid to admit I was scared going in, but I suppose that is the point.
They are all very well-themed and do include dark, enclosed spaces, some with strobe lighting and smoke.
The actors are brilliant at what they do, and while they make you jump and sometimes touch you, they are not there to hurt you and telling yourself that helps.
Compound is my choice of the best; it is intense, well-themed, and genuinely scary, with a couple of jump scares leaving me terrified.
The story was also excellent, adding to the backstory around Nemesis and the Phalanx.
Scare Maze tickets are from £10 for a single maze and are well worth doing.
Recommended reading:
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When does Alton Towers Scarefest 2025 run until?
Scarefest 2025 kicked off on September 27 and 28 and will run until November.
Scarefest dates for the remainder of 2025 are this weekend, October 10 to 12, and then from October 17 to November 2.
As someone who has never attended a Halloween event at a theme park, I can only say how much I enjoyed it, and I would encourage any spooky season fans to enjoy it too.
