Kentaminated at Kent Life Museum
Kent Life (formerly the Museum of Kent Life) in Maidstone, Kent, has a long tradition of rural heritage, offering visitors the opportunity to visit a real working farm, get hands-on with animals, and explore historic buildings. It's a particularly beautiful site that has catered for family days out for many years. Being an attraction that has always embraced such wholesome values, we were was surprised to learn that Kent Life was not only introducing a Halloween scare event to their calendar for 2016, but a "mature content" theme not suitable for children!
It's the first time Kent Life have attempted such an event. As many of you will no doubt already know, the scare industry is a growth industry that sees more and more new ventures each autumn, some of which are merely bandwagon-jumpers and some which are genuine attempts to grow the industry in a meaningful way. Kent Life's contribution to the Halloween scare business is certainly in the latter of those categories. The planning, effort, and production values were all very good and they certainly didn't come across as the "new kids in town" trying their luck.
The theme is contamination, and of course, the resulting zombie outbreak. The experience began as soon as we arrived. A doctor in a white overall holding a clipboard collected our details, issued us with a white hazard suit, and gave us a unique number. We were briefed with all the seriousness of a military operation that our group was to be escorted to the medical tent for a check-up, to determine if we had any signs of infection. Naturally, as soon as the group arrived at the medical tent, the whole operation went south as the power failed, sirens wailed, and zombies started to appear, attacking the escort and dragging her away kicking and screaming - and swearing in proper horror movie style! We all ran through a very dark passage where the transport was waiting to take us to the next safe zone. On the transport, we were attacked by zombies all banging on the glass, trying to get in, all the while a radio broadcast (which was beautifully produced and sounded completely authentic) attempted to give survivors advice in the grim scenario.
We were then walked around a very dark, spooky part of the farm, between livestock pens (full of sheep and goats who were all probably wondering what the hell these daft humans were up to), where we encountered a few more of the undead, and finally we were unceremoniously dumped in a small chapel with no light and no official chaperone. It wasn't long before we were all under attack once again!
Being their first year at this, Kent Life haven't quite got their experience perfect yet, but if they stick at it and improve it each year then we can see it becoming a major fixture on the Halloween calendar. They provided a complimentary drink at the end of the experience (very nice touch), and the staff took the time to personally ask visitors what they thought of it and how they thought it could be improved. The two main issues raised by most (including us) was that it wasn't quite long enough and the walk through the farm went on a bit long. It wasn't exactly a quick five minute experience by any means but it did end just a little short of the mark, and perhaps needed just one more little set-piece. And that walk wasn't that bad, it just put a slight sag in the experience that the event management have already said they are going to tighten up for next time.
These criticisms really are minor. Both issues are not serious at all and they certainly didn't spoil it or leave us feeling underwhelmed. This experience was overwhelmingly great. The actors were very good, providing the required sense of urgency throughout, and the production values were excellent, particularly the sound effects of sirens and radio broadcasts.
Kent Life have made fantastic use of their assets. They do have the advantage of the site being naturally creepy at night anyway, and this fact was not lost on them. We can wholeheartedly recommend this experience, and will visit it again next year to see how it progresses. There wasn't a sense that this event was a beta-test on the public. It felt very well thought-out and offered a very good, rounded experience, but with just a couple of minor bug fixes needed for next year. For a first attempt it was a triumph and we can see this getting better and better each year.
It's the first time Kent Life have attempted such an event. As many of you will no doubt already know, the scare industry is a growth industry that sees more and more new ventures each autumn, some of which are merely bandwagon-jumpers and some which are genuine attempts to grow the industry in a meaningful way. Kent Life's contribution to the Halloween scare business is certainly in the latter of those categories. The planning, effort, and production values were all very good and they certainly didn't come across as the "new kids in town" trying their luck.
The theme is contamination, and of course, the resulting zombie outbreak. The experience began as soon as we arrived. A doctor in a white overall holding a clipboard collected our details, issued us with a white hazard suit, and gave us a unique number. We were briefed with all the seriousness of a military operation that our group was to be escorted to the medical tent for a check-up, to determine if we had any signs of infection. Naturally, as soon as the group arrived at the medical tent, the whole operation went south as the power failed, sirens wailed, and zombies started to appear, attacking the escort and dragging her away kicking and screaming - and swearing in proper horror movie style! We all ran through a very dark passage where the transport was waiting to take us to the next safe zone. On the transport, we were attacked by zombies all banging on the glass, trying to get in, all the while a radio broadcast (which was beautifully produced and sounded completely authentic) attempted to give survivors advice in the grim scenario.
We were then walked around a very dark, spooky part of the farm, between livestock pens (full of sheep and goats who were all probably wondering what the hell these daft humans were up to), where we encountered a few more of the undead, and finally we were unceremoniously dumped in a small chapel with no light and no official chaperone. It wasn't long before we were all under attack once again!
Being their first year at this, Kent Life haven't quite got their experience perfect yet, but if they stick at it and improve it each year then we can see it becoming a major fixture on the Halloween calendar. They provided a complimentary drink at the end of the experience (very nice touch), and the staff took the time to personally ask visitors what they thought of it and how they thought it could be improved. The two main issues raised by most (including us) was that it wasn't quite long enough and the walk through the farm went on a bit long. It wasn't exactly a quick five minute experience by any means but it did end just a little short of the mark, and perhaps needed just one more little set-piece. And that walk wasn't that bad, it just put a slight sag in the experience that the event management have already said they are going to tighten up for next time.
These criticisms really are minor. Both issues are not serious at all and they certainly didn't spoil it or leave us feeling underwhelmed. This experience was overwhelmingly great. The actors were very good, providing the required sense of urgency throughout, and the production values were excellent, particularly the sound effects of sirens and radio broadcasts.
Kent Life have made fantastic use of their assets. They do have the advantage of the site being naturally creepy at night anyway, and this fact was not lost on them. We can wholeheartedly recommend this experience, and will visit it again next year to see how it progresses. There wasn't a sense that this event was a beta-test on the public. It felt very well thought-out and offered a very good, rounded experience, but with just a couple of minor bug fixes needed for next year. For a first attempt it was a triumph and we can see this getting better and better each year.
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