Alton

HAVING braved Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in Los Angeles, I thought I knew what terror felt like.

I was wrong. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer, spine-chilling fear of being shoved into a four-by-four cell, separated from your family and having a twitching, masked lunatic scream repeatedly in your face.

Welcome to Scarefest 2026.

I’d dragged my two thrill-obsessed kids — 12-year-old son Corben and daughter Piper, ten — along to Alton Towers for the grand opening.

We went in expecting a few cheap jump-scares, fake cobwebs and a bit of a laugh. Instead, we got a Hollywood-level masterclass in pure, unadulterated fright.

The big buzz this year is around Final Exhibit — the park’s newest scare maze which promises to “immerse guests in a world of fear”.

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Beyond the doors of the abandoned warehouse lies The Curator’s forgotten collection, where each room reveals a dark secret.

Upon entry, a strange, long-haired woman sits seemingly frozen at a desk.

But as we approach, what I think is a mannequin is in fact a terrifying, ghostly creature that comes to life, furiously thumping the desk with a stamp.

The corridors are filled with archivists — a silent workforce of hypnotised servants whose primary job is to terrify the bejesus out of you.

But this is more than just a scare experience. Visitors are told that those who fail to escape will be transformed into living exhibits, trapped within the archive forever.

The production value is off the charts and it all feels authentic.

Fortunately, my kids and I did eventually escape but we were blown away by the movie-style special effects.

But the real stars of the show are the scare actors — an army of performers that don’t just jump out from behind doors.

They stalk you from the shadows, crawl along the floors and track your every move before “attacking” with menace.

Monsters keep their distance in the other scare mazes, but at Alton Towers they reach out, touch your arms, grab your shoulders and brush past your neck in the dark. It turns a simple walk-through into an immersive nightmare.

Corben gasped in horror as a creature reached out from the shadows and grabbed his arm, sending us sprinting for the exit.

A serious word of warning to parents thinking of taking under-12s inside any of the scare mazes — they are NOT for the faint-hearted.

Visitors are spoiled for choice, with scare mazes including Final Exhibit, Edge of the Forest, Altonville Mine Tours: Tiny’s Revenge and the epic Compound. If Final Exhibit tests your nerves, Compound utterly destroys them.

In this terrifying attraction, visitors are torn away from their group and thrown into individual cells in a brutal mental asylum.

I was shoved into a tiny padded cell with a screaming lunatic frothing at the mouth. It was one of the most intense theme park moments I’ve ever experienced.

Thankfully, Alton Towers hasn’t forgotten about families with younger kids who want the Halloween atmosphere without the trauma.

The park is packed with fantastic, family-friendly frights that hit the sweet spot for younger children.

Piper loved Trick O’ Treat Town, which allows kids to knock on doors down colourful Spooky Avenue, collecting sweet treats along the way.

Another hit for families is Amigos in the Afterlife — a vibrant, Day of the Dead-themed walk-through bursting with brilliant costumes, upbeat music and glowing displays.

And, of course, a trip to Alton Towers wouldn’t be complete without tackling the world-class line-up of rollercoasters and rides, which take on a completely different personality once the sun goes down.

For those who fancy an overnight stay, the monorail will take you to the Alton Towers Hotel where family rooms come with a double bed for the adults, and bunks for the kids.

Good luck getting to sleep after those frights, though.

A UK-based theme park has beaten competition from across the globe to be named the best in the world, and a brand-new ride that only opened this summer also scooped a major award

The Park World Excellence Awards has named its top theme park picks for 2026, and the coveted Best of the Best award has been given to a British theme park that has beaten competition from across the world.

The north west resort scooped the prestigious prize at the awards ceremony held on Wednesday (September 23). The awards, which focus on parks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, included categories from the Best Roller Coaster to the Best Water Park, and competition was stiff, with nominations for huge theme parks including PortAventura, Futuroscope, and Land of Legends.

Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool took the top prize, which was described as being awarded to “theme parks, rides, or tourist attractions recognised for excelling as the best of all time within its respected industry.” The Best of the Best award is given to parks that offer “the absolute pinnacle, reflecting everything that is great about our industry”.

Formerly known as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the iconic theme park has been celebrating its 130-year anniversary in 2026, making it one of Europe’s oldest, and it is fourth-generation family-owned. It’s the first UK theme park to win the award, with former recipients including Germany’s Europa Park and Siam Park in Tenerife.

The theme park also scooped Best Ride of the Year for Aviktas, the largest ride of its kind in the UK, which swings passengers 138ft in the air on a rotating pendulum. Aviktas opened in May 2026 and was an £8.27 million addition to the park. Meanwhile, Valhalla, a Viking-themed attraction, was the runner-up in the Best Water Ride category. It’s the fifth time the water-based ride has been nominated in this category.

The Pleasure Beach Resort is also home to the UK’s only Nickelodeon Land, which includes SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol-themed rides for all the family.

It’s Halloween event, Journey to Hell, is set to open on October 17, just in time for half term. Described as an “immersive scare experience”, it’ll include three new scare mazes and a selection of rides that stay open until 9pm.

Amanda Thompson, managing director of the Pleasure Beach Resort, said in a statement: “To be named Best of the Best is a massive achievement for our park. Our industry is full of so much talent, so to be recognised among the best speaks volumes on the dedication and hard work that has kept us moving forward for 130 years.

“Avitkas has been a hugely valuable addition to the park and I’ve been delighted by its reception so far. If they haven’t already I’d absolutely encourage people to visit Pleasure Beach and give our ride, now recognised as one of the world’s best a go!”

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