ScareNation - 2011 Review
ScareNation was the surprise announcement of the 2011 Halloween season as most people hadn't heard of it up until about a month before opening. The creative team behind the event had been working away diligently behind the scenes to come up with a full size "scream park" style event with four brand new attractions and a show.
Knowing very little about the event itself - we turned up late one night to a large farm near Watford to see what they had in store for us.
It is quite clear from the outset that ScareNation has been opened on a real working farm. Attractions are built into existing farm buildings, there is mud on the ground and everywhere has that feeling of being run down and dirty. Unlike some events though, it doesn't pretend to be anything different, and the farmyard setting is built into the whole back story to the attractions.
All Junked Up
All Junked up is easily the best house of the event. Set in a creepy old junk shop, guests are left to wander through the shop and all its back rooms trying to avoid the creepy inhabitants within.
Firstly, we must commend the designers for the look of this attraction. It is one of the most detailed houses we have experienced this year, with all rooms and corridors having papered walls, a ceiling, and masses of props and furniture. Each room felt real and it was hard to believe we were actually walking through an old cow barn.
Secondly, the acting talent were amazingly proficient and, through use of the well designed cut-throughs, were able to scare us time and time again throughout the whole house. Looking back now, it's hard to think of anything wrong with this maze and the team should be praised for getting something so right on their first attempt.
Firstly, we must commend the designers for the look of this attraction. It is one of the most detailed houses we have experienced this year, with all rooms and corridors having papered walls, a ceiling, and masses of props and furniture. Each room felt real and it was hard to believe we were actually walking through an old cow barn.
Secondly, the acting talent were amazingly proficient and, through use of the well designed cut-throughs, were able to scare us time and time again throughout the whole house. Looking back now, it's hard to think of anything wrong with this maze and the team should be praised for getting something so right on their first attempt.
The Slaughter House
Having visited so many attractions in the past, it's sometimes difficult to remember that most visitors to places such as this may have only done 1 or 2 things before. We mention this because Slaughter House was easily the most popular of the four main attractions, but to us it just felt a bit too 'generic'.
Utilising an actual historical slaughter house building, the farmyard around it rang with the sounds of sirens, screams and flickers from the strobe lights and intense smoke. Once inside it was pretty much business as usual, with sudden attacks from all sides of the security fencing. The Slaughter House wasn't a bad maze at all, it just didn't do anything that we haven't already seen in many other places.
Utilising an actual historical slaughter house building, the farmyard around it rang with the sounds of sirens, screams and flickers from the strobe lights and intense smoke. Once inside it was pretty much business as usual, with sudden attacks from all sides of the security fencing. The Slaughter House wasn't a bad maze at all, it just didn't do anything that we haven't already seen in many other places.
Haunted Tractor Ride
Due to some flooding over the normal route, we experienced a potentially different tractor ride to what was planned, but still received some fun startle scares. This trailer ride was more about character interaction than big prop scares, and had us laughing and screaming in equal measures. We must mention an overly enthusiastic child actor who followed one of our party home, threatening to shove a stick up his bum. It was wrong, but just so darn funny! (especially as this distracted us enough for the chainsaw guys to pounce on us!)
The Forbidden Yard
Tucked away at the back of the event field, The Forbidden Yard looked really daunting with its high barrier walls and the echoes of screams coming from within. The whole temporary structure is built from thousands of pallets which have been nailed together to make a massive maze that is home to a hillbilly gang of mutants and zombies.
Armed with just one head torch for the person in front, guests enter the yard single file and have to make their way through to the other side. Around every corner we encountered multiple attacks from some very deranged creatures who wouldn't let up. The view ahead on the pathways is blocked by 'washing' hanging down and many of the attacks we received came as we tried to sweep the laundry to one side, only for there to be somebody waiting on the other side! The attraction was long, full of suspense and the use of the flashing head torch created something fun and different.
Armed with just one head torch for the person in front, guests enter the yard single file and have to make their way through to the other side. Around every corner we encountered multiple attacks from some very deranged creatures who wouldn't let up. The view ahead on the pathways is blocked by 'washing' hanging down and many of the attacks we received came as we tried to sweep the laundry to one side, only for there to be somebody waiting on the other side! The attraction was long, full of suspense and the use of the flashing head torch created something fun and different.
CarnEvil
CarnEvil takes place on a small stage in the centre of the event and is a mixture of gruesome magic and comedy. Shows change regularly but we watched a very impressive escapology trip which also included a lot of audience interaction and humour. When not on stage, the cast from the shows could then often be found walking around interacting with guests and improving the general atmosphere.
The creative team behind Scarenation have all worked at different permanent and seasonal haunts around the world and have utilised a lot of their experience to create a fun and scary event. They are already planning for 2012 with a potential to extend the brand to another UK site. If they can keep up this quality, then we should all have more scares to look forward to!
To find out more about Scarenation - visit their website
You Review
Great Value for money, good old fashion terror- no gimmicks just as scarey as hell!
You Review 2
Absolutely loved it!!!
Great value for money and very professionally done!
Wanted to come back a second time but unfortunately couldn't due to illness!!!
Can't wait til next year!!!
You Review 3
brilliant loved it...junked up was the best followed by the slaughter house,the forbidden maze was good to but you didn't need the head toaches. the tractor ride could be better but was fun.
You Review 4
Awesome!!!!
Will definately be back next year! :)
You Review 5
Loved it!!!!
Everyone I know who went wanted to go again
So chuffed it's nearly on my doorstep.
You Review 6
I took my 2 sons (10 and 12 yrs) to the evening haunts. I was slightly concerned that I might be responsible for doing them some serious pyscological damage...but I had nothing to worry about...and we had a FANTASTIC time!! Sufficiantly scary - but also laughed all night! The actors are brilliant and did a great job of freaking us out! The Carnevil show was halarious!
It was more the suspense before we entered scarenation that made us the most terrified. There was a group of us that went aged 25-35 and we really didnt find scarenation scary at all. We thought this was an adult event but it is probably more for children and teenages. From what I saw on the Youtube clips I really expected alot more, I think only 1 scarer was wearing a mask, the rest had on face paint that looked like it had been done at school. We were in the 9pm booking which was the last booking for the night, and by the time we got to the CarnEvil it had closed. So if you go to the last booking beware of this.
You Review
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