An event that absolutely blew me away we rank the mazes from best to worst at Xtreme Scream Park 2020.
Whilst Scare Kingdom had two world class mazes, Xtreme Scream Park had 5.
Every single maze at this event was detailed to Hollywood standards and from the street theatre to the theme park theming and more it was a Halloween highlight.
The best venue we have visited this scare season.
For a full event review CLICK HERE.
The Village
Taking the top spot by a long country mile is The Village.
With a long duration (over 10 minutes) and detail on levels i’ve never seen before The Village was the full package.
Truly a champion within the UK scare scene.
Story:
During the year of 1974 throughout the land, there has been an increase in farmland pests threatening the crops.
In order to sustain the human race, an agency backed Professor Crow, granting him large sums of money to create genetically modified scarecrows to effectively deal with the problem.
These scarecrows were to be designed with the ability to scare off any unwanted visitors.
Professor Crow conducted research into mixing scarecrows with human living tissue and embryos and eventually he reached his success.
His creation, the perfect scarecrow had been born.
Professor Crow wanted more he craved the ultimate intellectual hybrid, the human brain would be the only option and so it began…
The scarecrows intelligence rapidly increased, no longer content with containment in their fields and so they turned their attention to the humans.
In order to control his creations, bending them to his will to perform the merciless deeds, Professor Crow embodies the figure of a crow through his clothing, mannerisms and actions.
The perfect scarecrows will obey his command and revere him as a God-like figure – their creator.
Only when dressed accordingly do the mutant Scarecrows recognise Professor Crow as their master, any resemblance to a human would be his downfall. Sacrifices will be made to appease the God.
Customers entering this attraction are attending the Village Harvest Festival, bringing with them their offering.
However once inside, they will witness devastation beyond their imagination…
Scare Factor – 5/5
Combining animatronics, tight claustrophobic sets of incredible detail and scare actors absolutely on point around every corner The Village was a breathtaking experience from start to finish.
Truly one of the best UK mazes I have ever had the pleasure of walking through.
Theming – 5/5
Every prop was well-made, every set was dressed with an insane level of detail and instantly you were transported within the story.
Walking out of a house, down a forest path and into a hospital, a classroom and even a beautifully constructed church the walkthrough blew me away before a scare actor even cropped up on scene.
A UK maze to be proud of.
Jaw droppingly immersive.
Acting – 5/5
With actors on point around ever corner providing the scares it’s not just the actors you need to worry about.
The animatronics aren’t the cheap bargain bucket electronics you’d find in a thrift store.
These were high quality, well timed and wonderfully detailed providing socially distant scares that blend in wonderfully with the surrounding environment.
The Pie Factory
Whilst this maze is ranked second it could easily be a joint top, the same goes for the third maze too.
The quality of these attractions made me feel like I’d underpaid for the event and that feeling instantly hit me after exiting the first maze!
Story:
Melton Mowbray’s Pie Factory locally sources only the best, prime cuts of meat to produce 100% Manmade Pies.
Step inside the doors and make your way through the 2000 sq. ft complex to discover the gruesome process that goes into making these world famous pies.
Duck, dodge and squeeze your way around 15 uniquely themed zones as you’re herded through Melton Mowbray’s very own production line, going behind the scenes and finding out first hand, what goes into Melton Mowbray’s Finest.
Mrs Momma Hog though has been changing the ingredients in the pies recently and is now making humans into pies…
Do you dare and come to the Pie Factory and see how they are made, be careful though, you might be next!
Scare Factor – 4/5
In keeping with the actor / animatronic combo that The Village had The Pie Factory certainly stepped it up on the animatronic front, oh my!
Walking through what could have easily been the set used for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie I wish I could have stayed in there all day.
The level of detail I can’t quite put into words.
Mind blowing. Just mind blowing.
With actors all over the place and the tension of what’s lurking behind every corner in your mind, the design of the maze from top to toe facilities the scares and had my anxiety racing!
Theming – 5/5
I think i’ve said it all above. All mazes at Xtreme Scream Park were on Halloween Horror Nights level of detail.
They blew every theme park maze out of the water and there is absolutely nothing that I would have done to improve any of them.
They were perfection personified.
Acting – 5/5
With an actor engaging with people in the queue line to the intensity of the actors inside The Pie Factory was great fun.
A genuinely scary experience which for me is a very rare occasion indeed.
Hoodoo Voodoo
Strap on a blindfold and head into the maze before entering the voodoo village. T
hird on our list because it wasn’t as interactive between guest and actor as the other mazes above.
Story:
The Voodooists and worshiper’s of Marie Laveau the most desired Voodoo Queen from New Orleans have advertised an event to the public promoting cleansing, enrichment and purity of the mind, the Voodooist evaluate those attending their ritual.
Only one body will be chosen to host the soul of Marie Laveau and live forever in the spiritual world.
Those entering the HooDoo attraction are promised eternal enlightenment and epiphany, with all negativity removed from their lives, leaving them in eternal bliss with new perspectives on life.
However, all is not as it seems blindfolded and dark you must feel your way and use your senses to survive…
Since attending the rituals, few have been seen since, with those managing to escape HooDoo VooDoo being left in pits of despair, broken, tormented and suffering.
It has been rumoured that the voodooists have been falsely luring innocents into the attraction looking for a host for Marie Laveau’s spirit, she will rise again in Human form using disregarded souls as sacrifices, offering them to the Gods.
These sacrifices have throughout history, pleased the Gods, preventing disaster and devastation to the Voodoo tribes.
MARIE LAVEAU WILL RISE AGAIN!
Scare Factor – 2/5
You start off the maze blind folded but knowing the actors can’t touch you gave you a very high level of comfort as you navigate the maze by following a rope.
A few air cannons and floors changing texture / movement throw you off guard but its by no means scary.
Once you lift off your blindfold you enter a voodoo tiki hut filled village and it’s just a beautiful place to be.
Certainly not scary.
From start to finish it felt as though I was in the Scooby Doo live action movie with all the voodoo theming and I was taking in every detail.
There were no jump scares or anything of note, it was a completely unique experience of taking in the sights, smells and eerie ambience this maze had created.
Theming – 5/5
We could have been absolutely anywhere, wholly transported into this voodoo world where Melton Mowbray didn’t exist and this world of spells, rituals and wonder took a hold of us and never let go.
Acting – 4/5
The acting was not as engaged with the guests as the previous two mazes they were just around doing their voodoo things and almost felt detached from us as we walked through their world as though we were ghosts / spirits.
Completely invisible.
Belvoir Manners
Brand new for 2020 is Belvoir Manners (Previously the Stilton Hotel and Hell Spa) did it live up to the hype?
Sadly not.
You only need to read the story to be wholly confused and the same continued throughout the maze.
With a lack of direction in terms of story it was hard to become immersed in what was going on but don’t get me wrong, it was still beautiful to walkthrough and look at if albeit a bit confusing as to why we were there.
Story:
Immortality – To continue to exist; escaping the darkened clutches of death.
Two British citizens, an American and a Russian had their paths cross in 1943 whilst working on a covert operation for the Alliance during the Second World War.
The medical experimentation at its core aimed to preserve and extend the lives of the mortally wounded by using healthy tissue unethically extracted from prisoners.
Six months into the operation, the facility came under fire and 97% of the original documentation detailing the trials and research became lost, deliberately destroyed in an effort to prevent the knowledge acquired falling into enemy hands.
During the chaos that ensued, Olezka Pokrovsky, one of the surgeons at the establishment, stole and secured the remaining fragments of test reports on the project.
He reunited with his most trusted colleagues Henry Manners, Jordan Taylor and Frankie Fisher following the events and together they continued to write extensive notes in secret, drawing on their experiences within the practise for the advancement of science.
In 1949, Henry Manners’ father became terminally ill. Despite attempts to save him, his death was inevitable. With his father’s secluded property entailed upon Henry, the quartet had finally found their new base to refine and practise their craft.
The quest for immortality commenced by taking untracables from the streets. People who had no connections and would not be missed by society.
After a series of setbacks and loss of lives, each failure building upon the last, they finally had a string of successes, the first immortals.
To fund their continued growth, the property was converted into a high-end care home for the rich and so in 1952 Belvoir Manners was established.
The residents within, pay extortionate prices for the range of treatments available to keep them forever young, replacing their withering, brittle body parts as they naturally age, with less worn, supple pieces belonging to donor victims.
Each victim is selected for their various desirable qualities, particularly in demand are those aged between 21 – 35. To prevent detection and attracting unwanted attention, an annual Soup Kitchen event takes place in October, welcoming in the latest untraceable.
Donor Auctions are held after the Soup Kitchen closes and the untraceable have departed from the premises. The residents select and bid on those unknowing victims behind closed doors.
Once all fees are settled and the residents have paid in full for their donor, each untraceable disappears several months apart and any unused goods are smuggled abroad to the quartet’s network of confidants to sell on.
Scare Factor – 3/5
A few jump scares here and there but nothing much to write home about.
A few animatronics, use of mannequins and great set pieces but it just wasn’t scary.
It felt like a tour of a spa / mansion and felt like a museum walkthrough than a scare maze.
The maze has also been downsized this year as the floor upstairs was completely closed off for this walkthrough experience.
A shame really.
Theming – 5/5
Beautiful from start to finish and couldn’t fault it whatsoever.
Acting – 4/5
There weren’t a great deal of actors within Belvoir Manners but the ones that we did see certainly added to the atmosphere even if we were entirely confused as to the story being painted here.
Ash Hell Penitentiary
Voted one of the most intense mazes at Xtreme Scream in previous years but certainly not this year.
The only maze at the entire event that definitely felt restricted, dampened and toned down so considerably that it was the tamest maze of the evening.
Story:
In 1609 a prison was built like no other.
It was specifically designed to house and rehabilitate the criminally insane in particular inmates with cannibal tendencies.
The People of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland had previously locked insane cannibal family members in secret attics and cellars to avoid public interference, they fed on the homeless community.
The local people became fearful as Cannibalism spread, the Duke and Duchess of Eaton convinced the Lord Major of Thrussington to remove these flesh thirsty individuals from towns and counties.
The Lord Mayor, whose family fed on human organs as part of an aristocratic diet was forced to build a unique Prison, and from this Ash Hell Penitentiary was built.
Designed to house these primitive prisoners in comfort, Ash Hell was jointly managed between trustees and specially selected highly qualified guards.
The Duke of Whissendine was a highly respected judge and was a poetic cannibal, rarely indulged on human flesh, specializing more in human sacrifices.
At the age of 35, he voluntarily admitted himself to Ash Hell Penitentiary and positioned himself as the Governor, due to his status in the community he was welcomed to this role and was trusted by all.
His thirst for human flesh in the early years was controlled with new prisoners, the weak, ill or frail.
As years went by the guards and trustees became curious of the Duke and other inmates and wanted to try human flesh.
The Duke was still an influential body in the community and many innocent people were sentenced to Ash Hell on his authority, these were quickly “de-fleshed” by Ash-Hell inmates.
By 1610 cannibalism had become acceptable human behaviour inside Ash Hell Penitentiary, victims were bought from flesh markets and secretly smuggled in to feed the primitive inmates, the disposal of bones was a problem.
The flesh-eating Duke began extending his empire, burying the butchered human bones in the walls!
Scare Factor – 1/5
We were walking around a beautiful set for 10 minutes with a heavy metal soundtrack and strobe lighting.
Zero scares, zero effort to create scares and actors standing out in their cells with no jumps of any kind on our run-through.
We had a casual stroll through a wonderful set.
It may aswell have been empty.
Theming – 5/5
From the cells, to the individual rooms it was superb to witness.
If only it was scarier.
Acting – 1/5
I have to mark acting at a 1 because they didn’t do a damn thing for our run-through.
We even had an actor break character twice and instantly we had gone from fully immersed to “oh, that’s bad” very quickly.
Sadly a maze that relies on contact to enhance those scares but with a lack of actors and with social distancing in place this maze became almost redundant.
Crossed fingers contact is allowed next year as this maze deserves better!
Visit XtremeScreamPark.co.uk for more information
