As the Halloween season approaches, a leading UK theme park has announced its scare maze lineup.
Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers Resort is getting ready to open its gates for Scarefest 2026, bringing a fresh narrative to its seasonal lineup. This year, the operators are promising to immerse visitors in a dark archive of historical objects, adding a brand new experience to their established roster of spooky attractions.
The headline addition to the 2026 event is a brand new scare maze named Final Exhibit. Visitors will begin their journey by entering what appears to be a display of newly discovered Alton Towers artefacts. However, the attraction’s narrative quickly shifts as guests are lured into a hidden archive controlled by The Curator, a figure obsessed with preserving the past.
Within this archive, guests will encounter The Archivists, a silent workforce of hypnotised servants tasked with carrying out orders and finding new additions for the collection. The storyline dictates that those who fail to escape the maze will be transformed into living exhibits themselves, trapped within the facility ‘permanently’.
Howard Ebison, Vice President of Alton Towers Resort, highlighted the connection to the park’s own background. “Inspired by the rich history of Alton Towers, Final Exhibit will be a scare maze like no other,” he said. “Guests will come face-to-face with truly terrifying characters and finally uncover the long-hidden Alton Towers Resort archives – revealing unimaginable secrets alongside our returning favourite scare attractions.”
He added: “It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned thrillseeker, or this is your first Scarefest – there’s something for everyone this Halloween.”
Scare maze favourites return
Alongside the new addition, several existing scare mazes aimed at visitors aged 12 and over will return to the park. COMPOUND in the Forbidden Valley area brings guests back to a secretive scientific facility, making them unwilling participants in a twisted experiment. The Edge of the Forest takes brave visitors beneath an eerie canopy where lost souls warn them about the Leshwall, a sinister spirit said to infiltrate the minds of those who cross its path. Furthermore, Altonville Mine Tours: Tiny’s Revenge continues the story of an escaped resident haunting the dark depths of an abandoned mine, taking place within the historic Towers themselves.
The Merlin resort has also confirmed two outdoor scare zones for this year. Dark Hollow acts as a free-flowing outdoor extension of the TH13TEEN rollercoaster’s Dark Forest setting, featuring a haunting presence that shadows guests. Meanwhile, the Burial Ground zone introduces The Unchosen, a cult of outcasts rejected by the Wicker Man, from the wooden roller coaster of the same name, who live by their own rules between the worlds of the living and the dead.
For younger demographics, specifically those aged six and above, family scare mazes will provide a lighter experience. Trick O’ Treat Town is a spooky walk-through where guests knock on doors along Spooky Avenue and into the Witchy Woods. Families can also look forward to Amigos in the Afterlife, which guides guests through a colourful, festive world with cheerful spirits on a quest to return to the land of the living.
This year’s Scarefest event will run from Saturday 26 September until Sunday 1 November 2026. Ticketing options for the season include a Thrills Combo for four mazes, priced at £43 for early entry before 5 pm, or £48 for late entry. Passholders can access early entry for £34.40. A Family Duo ticket costs £16, and a combined package for both thrill and family attractions is available for £60. Tickets are available to purchase online.
