Dr Frights Halloween Horror Nights - review by Michael Bolton
Dr Frights is a brand new event created by Joe and Robert Gray, the owners and creators of the FEAR walkthrough attraction that has been travelling the UK for the several years. Now with a permanent base for the Halloween season, the boys are able to offer whole lot more.
Based on the outskirts of Northampton, the event was easily accessible and with the ambient lighting and massive spotlight pointing into the sky it was very easy to find. The event complex itself is quite a simple layout with the three main attractions all within easy reach of each other. Various spooky music and effects were blaring out from all sides and with catering and nearby portaloos, the scene was set for a fun night out!
The centre of the event field had a small scene which is used sometimes for street theatre and theming. As it was, during our night, a lone chainsaw killer would randomly burst from a back stage area and run round the field buzzing at everyone in his way. As expected this would elicit a number of screams (especially when it turns out the hiding place is right where you are stood and he sneaks up behind you before revving!).
Based on the outskirts of Northampton, the event was easily accessible and with the ambient lighting and massive spotlight pointing into the sky it was very easy to find. The event complex itself is quite a simple layout with the three main attractions all within easy reach of each other. Various spooky music and effects were blaring out from all sides and with catering and nearby portaloos, the scene was set for a fun night out!
The centre of the event field had a small scene which is used sometimes for street theatre and theming. As it was, during our night, a lone chainsaw killer would randomly burst from a back stage area and run round the field buzzing at everyone in his way. As expected this would elicit a number of screams (especially when it turns out the hiding place is right where you are stood and he sneaks up behind you before revving!).
Dr Fright's Farmhouse of Horror
Dr Fright’s Farmhouse of Horror is a rebrand of the brother’s FEAR attraction and with its elaborately painted façade, is probably the best looking of the three attractions at the event. As a non-staffed, touring attraction – FEAR provides two levels of short sharp shocks with home made animatronic effects at every turn. It’s always been a fun walkthrough but half way round I was beginning to think that nothing much had changed for this event. Having seen so many animatronic thus far, I think the whole group were then surprised when the plastic looking monsters downstairs actually turned out to be real in places! A great play on people’s perceptions and a fun start to the evening.
The Darkness
On entering the Darkness I was handed a small flashlight and told to use it to discover a route. But surely I wouldn’t need it? It can’t be that dark in there can it? Well yes it can and the torch was an essential part of the experience as we would have been lost without it. It didn’t help that the torch was faulty and as such would flick on or off at inopportune times! When the torch was working it highlighted some elaborate props a few dead ends and if you were really unlucky – a fleeting glimpse at the monsters screaming around you! All this along with the terrifying sounds coming from some of the actors and the never ending length of his attraction really took me to a bad place and I was desperate to get out. For probably the first time this Halloween season I just wanted an attraction to end but it didn’t – it just kept going with attacks from all sides and a tremendous assault on our senses. It probably didn’t help that I had two other self confessed scaredy cats in our small group as we literally fed off the screams and fear of each other!
When we burst back out the marquee I was genuinely pleased to be out. I really enjoyed the whole experience and would definitely do it again but kudos has to go to everyone involved for making me feel so uncomfortable!
When we burst back out the marquee I was genuinely pleased to be out. I really enjoyed the whole experience and would definitely do it again but kudos has to go to everyone involved for making me feel so uncomfortable!
The Asylum: Code Red
Our final maze was Asylum Code Red, which from the outside was clearly going to be this event’s “strobe maze”. The triple marquees looked massive from the outside and would light up sporadically revealing the full intent of the strobes within. On entering there was nothing new about the set up and theme, but then why change something that works so well? The doctors and patients bouncing round the metal fencing were certainly some of the liveliest we’ve seen and to be honest, put some of the more “professional” attractions to shame. Interspersed between long tunnels and random shocks, a number of scenes of torture and malice are played out which just added to the experience. With the obligatory loud drum and base style music and a winding path that just seemed to go on forever, the Asylum was probably the one that most “punters” seemed to love the most.
 It was very hard to get quality pictures in the dark |
 The well themed exterior of the farmhouse can be seen behind |
But for me – the highlight of the event had to be The Darkness. Even now 3 days later (and a load of other attractions in between) I can still picture myself in there and recall the genuine fear and terror that I was experiencing. For an attraction to do that to me then it has to be good!
The audience on the crowded Friday night we visited were lapping up all the attractions and seemed to all be having a great time. This is great news for the boys as they already have bigger and better plans for 2011. We can’t wait! (Although next time I may bring my own torch with me JUST to be on the safe side!)
The audience on the crowded Friday night we visited were lapping up all the attractions and seemed to all be having a great time. This is great news for the boys as they already have bigger and better plans for 2011. We can’t wait! (Although next time I may bring my own torch with me JUST to be on the safe side!)