At the start of last month we attended Twinlakes Family Theme Park for their annual Xtreme Scream Park event!
Home to six terrifying scare mazes this is a must visit event last year so had high expectations our recent visit. Although there were no massive change to the scare maze line up, the event itself has had a massive overhaul! The event now features a music stage as well as the pre existing entertainment stage and several additional bars and food places round the event (unfortunately due to driving I couldn't take advantage of the bars!). The music stage also has some campfires surrounded by logs to park your behind and keep warm whilst listening to the entertainment.
There was also a large presence of roaming actors this year from clowns to chainsaw wielding maniacs to a person carrying the exorcist girl (that was a puppet) and many many more!
Of course you have the classic breakout at the start of the event as the actors make their way to the mazes they belong to. Bringing their usual array of flares and smoke grenades along too! So now the actors are all in there mazes it's time to tell you what I thought of them (please note this section might contain mild spoilers):
The Mazes
Twisted:
A Curtains maze with some impressive scares as well as some funny moments too (you can't not have that in a curtains maze) however this loves to play on the fact you are trying to work out where to go and has several actors going “Not that way! You will never leave!” as you push on curtains hoping there isn't a wall in your way.
Hunted:
A hood over your head maze, this was one of our least favourites last year but they have worked on it since its first year and it is now one of the most enjoyable! I can't go into to much detail as I couldn't see much but there were some good scares happening around us. This maze also features a short bag off head section at the end and that is also very good with the strongest strobes imaginable, made me lose my balance once or twice! Our favourite bit of the maze is as you come out, we won't spoil it much but you will be very confused afterwards (remember what order your group was in)
The Pie Factory:
Ready to be put in a pie? Well as you enter the Pie factory you may have no choice! Again this maze has had some improvements, additional scenes and a lot of fun scares that were new and there previously! A lot of varied scenes from the Pigs on the farm to the freezers where the meat is kept! This is a great maze and again one of our favourites from last year! Especially when you meet Mamma Pig!
Ash Hell Penitentiary:
This is going to sound a little bit like Hunted, new for last year and a little weak in our opinion, great theming but lacked scares. This year we have a new extension outside the penitentiary, a walkway for one of the guards to check over everyone and a huge gun to shoot down any escapees. The maze itself is beautifully themed and this year the acting was amazing. I got grabbed through fences on several occasions. This is now a great maze and one I look forward to visiting next year.
Stilton Hall Hotel and Hell Spa:
What can I say about Stilton, Still one of the most impressive themed attractions I've been in. This 15 minute attraction takes you round 50 rooms across two floors and a great experience.All the more impressive that it's a custom built building. The theming and acting is brilliant and almost certainly the park's signature attraction!
Dungeon:
Darkness! Darkness! Darkness! This is a great disorientating attraction with some great squeeze spaces and lots of dark areas where you have no idea if you're going the right way or… nope… that's a wall! Although not the most themed attractions (basically black walls and a couple of dungeon related props) it provides some great scares and some good laughs trying to navigate round the darkness!
Conclusion:
Xtreme scream park is a great time every year but this year definitely feels a lot more like an event with a lot more entertainment for those coming in on the new for this year Chicken tickets (basically entry into the event but not the mazes). We spent a lot of time out of the mazes soaking in the atmosphere the event had to offer and we feel this is a sign of great things to come! Just wish we could spend some more time watching the marionette girls!
