We were given free tickets with fastrack entry to the mazes to experience this years Scare City Experience. Whilst we were given the free tickets, we have full editorial control of what our review of the event says.
Slasher Review
Scare City returns for 2023 with 9 scare areas for fans to get their teeth into. We experienced some fantastic sets and costumes. It had perfect parts of scare, comedy and some great entertainment. With some more actors this would be a force to be reckoned with.
Top Tips: Try and catch soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the half way point.
Things that Bite: Lacking actors in some areas
Value for money: Absolutely
Scare Rating: 4/5
Do we recommend: Yes 100%
STALKER REVIEW
As we set off on our journey to Camelot we were excited to see what had become of the age old theme park. As we arrived we were directed in to the car park and could see a sprinkling of fair ground rides in the distance. While waiting for our time slot we enjoyed a traditional ghost train, runaway caterpillar and then multiple goes on the dodgems. There were a few other rides, a bar and a food trailer all before you entered the experience.
We got in line and awaited our fate, once all checked in, wavers signed and a brief safety speech off we went down the hill to the depths of the experience. We followed the fully lit paths and got to our first zone The Slaughterhouse.
We joined a small queue to gain entry and were greeted by some butcher pigs and their poor half bodied victim begging for us to carry him out. This was a very short zone with 4 actors working the small space. They had some fantastic masks and costumes and set the scene for the night.
Next up was Carni Valley and who doesn’t love a good old clown maze? Set up like a traditional carnival with stalls, mirrors and a clown getting you to play games we couldn’t help but leave wanting more. When we entered, the clowns did not interact with us but headed straight for the group behind and once we met another they had picked their victim who was curled in the corner while 3 clowns terrorised her much to the amusement of the rest of her party. We reached the end and you meet a clown on a mic and he’s a saviour! He made this zone along with his 2 assistants. He was hilarious and really ended it well. Again costume and masks were top notch in this zone.
Another short walk and wait and we reached the hill located at the start of Hellevate. Round of applause to this zone, it was absolutely one of our favourites and to the 70’s narrator at the start a standing ovation. He absolutely knew his audience and really set the scene for what we were about to encounter. His sisters welcomed us into their community (whatever you do don’t call it a cult thats at your own risk). They got darker and creepier the more we walked through. To be met with a HUGE monster lurking until he picked his victim and that was intimidation at its finest.
A short walk and we saw Fortress making use of the old castle building giving a great visual to what we were about to enter. Met again by a narrator in the form of a prison guard we were ushered in to a prison riot. Simple mazing. Strobe lighting with an undeniable perfect soundtrack for the setting we walked in and around until we met some of the inmates. This maze has everything, set to be its strongest zone of the park, we just felt it lacked actors as we had long spells of walking with nothing happening. The actors in there were spot on, each one different and not afraid to be around you, be close to you or get you moving.
Now it was time for food …. A mix of eateries and drinks with a Buzz Bar at the end. Seating areas undercover and out in the open standing tables with sweets dotted about. 2 performers on stage that kept everyone entertained with their fire and sword work we made our food choice. In this area there was 1 roaming actor working the full area and absolutely nobody was left out he made his way from group to group and may have stopped to do a bit of close up dancing with one of us. He was brilliant and deserves a mention I’m sure there will be many videos of him surfacing. As we were about to leave to do the second half there was a music change and an actor breakout. The entertainment walked around with smoke bombs while 1 actor from each zone came to terrify you as you ate. They were on tables, running rings around everyone it was a fantastic addition and I’m glad we caught it.
As we embarked on the second part our first zone was Infirmary. Fantastic theming of some not very friendly dentists whose interaction as a whole zone were one of the best. Again the masks in here were great and really made those horrible creatures stand out a bit more than they would with make up.
A short walk and we were at the bottom of the hill towards Junkyard. The first actor came hurtling towards us with his sparking sliders to set a scene and off we went. This was one impressive junkyard. The set they used was perfect and did feel like you were in an actual junk yard. The actors were all silent and creepy with more of a watching eye than up for the chase. That being said the smell of the chainsaw at the end and you know its spooky season.
Onto the next which was Shadows. It had the most actors from any of the zones, all entirely different yet all way more interactive with us vocally than anywhere else. Costumes, masks, and that rabbit on stilts were teamed perfectly with tonnes of smoke and a perfect creepy soundtrack. We all thoroughly enjoyed this maze.
As we arrived at the next zone Abyss. Absolutely nothing outside gave away this attraction and what you were about to encounter. We stepped into a shipping container filled nicely with smoke, some hanging decorations but all quite pleasant at this point, we could see each other. The further in we got the less and less we could see until we were totally consumed by fog with no vision whatsoever until the actors appeared right next to you. And when I say right next to you that is no exaggeration. We could hear the cries of other groups in front and behind as it made you second guess if you were ever going to get out. So simple but so good we all really enjoyed this zone.
We left laughing and talking about how mad it made you feel until we approached the final zone Decontamination. We were stood in a queue while a video screen told us what was about to happen. We were not here to experience an attraction! Its clear we were here to play a game. The army commanders gave us our instructions and off we went. Stood in individual bays until we were allowed to leave once the green light was on. Now in all the places I have visited never has there been a finale like this! Green light we could move, red lights the zombies could move. We had to make it out to the other side without being caught. Now this game is great for kids but a full set of competitive adults and this really was something else. Did we get scared? No. Did we like it? We all absolutely loved this ending and wanted to go and play again. And to top it of while your playing the team are taking your pictures that you can see in the merch hut on the way out.
Overall our night was absolutely great and a real dive into the spooky season. It had perfect parts of scare, comedy and some great entertainment. With some more actors this would be a force to be reckoned with and I can only imagine it will go from strength to strength as the season progresses. The main question I ask when visiting is would I go again? This event I absolutely would.
We'd like to say a huge thank you to Scare City Experience for inviting us over to visit. For more information and to book tickets you can visit the Scare City Experience website.