Hallowscream At York Maze 2023 - Is It Worth A Visit?
Hallowscream at York Maze is BACK for Halloween 2023 with it’s BIGGEST & Most Ambitious line up yet!
Sporting a BRAND NEW Egyptian themed scaremaze named Necropolis as well as four returning favourites, daring live entertainment and a whole host of horrific roaming characters to boot, this legendary scare attraction has become a true Halloween staple for many Yorkshire based horror fans over the Halloween season.
Last night we returned to Hallowscream for our 2nd ever visit and first of the 2023 season and were blown away by just how much this event has upped it’s game since our first ever visit last season.
From the minute you enter the queue to get in until the minute you leave the scream park, guests are bombarded with live actors, chainsaws and an overall sense of dread as they make their way cautiously around this year’s attraction.
It’s fair to say when it comes to taking a break from the scares, nowhere is safe once you’re inside.
Let's Talk Scaremazes!
As previously mentioned, Hallowscream at York Maze features FIVE scaremazes (or as they refer to them, scare houses).
The Flesh Pot, The Singularity, 2073, Corny’s Cornevil & Necropolis make up the five attractions on offer at York Maze Hallowscream with each offering a completely different and very unique experience.
The length of each varies too with some providing a longer scare experience than others.In one case, the experience sadly feels a little too long for our liking.
Necropolis is Hallowscream’s NEW maze for 2023 and replaces the former maze Barnageddon 3D which saw guests put on 3D glasses and traverse a psychedelic labyrinth of futuristic jumps, scares and of course, an exploding toilet (because yeah, why not?).
The new mazes however is starkly different to it’s predecessor and immerses those brave enough into the world of ancient Egypt and the fabled City of the Dead (aka. Necropolis – hence the name).
To really do each maze justice here though, let’s discuss our thoughts on each individually….
The Flesh Pot
Right, let’s kick things off with one of our favourite Hallowscream mazes, The Flesh Pot!
This putrid smelling cacophony of noise and carnage invites those daring enough to enter ‘the abattoir’ as they take a tour of the butcher’s grisly lair and attempt to escape with their lives.
Chainsaws, severed limbs and foul stenches are just some of the macabre delights that await you as you venture forth into the bowels of this hellish, meat infested labyrinth.
To the butcher, you’re the prey and the abattoir’s gruesome residents have only one thing on their mind – to turn you into their next meal.
The whole maze lasts around 5 to 10 minutes and features a full range of different special effects & disorientating environments which really help to catch you off guard and place a sense of dread firmly in the forefront of your mind.
Towards the back end of the maze, guests are lulled into a false sense of security too as they are lead to think they have reached the end before being met yet again with the business end of the butcher’s chainsaw.
The smell of two stroke mixed with the panic filled swine whines really help to cloud the senses and throw even the most hardened thrill seekers off guard.
All in all, a really strong maze with some brilliant acting, great special effects and hellish set pieces – we’d rate this 8/10.
The Singularity
Next up, The Singularity! This AI driven nightmare invites you – the test subjects to step inside the god forsaken realm of android technology gone awry as you ‘donate your body to science’ in the hope of creating The Singularity – One mind, one consciousness and one motive – to exterminate all biological life once and for all.
The maze features a full range of different set pieces and special effects and lasts a fairly decent duration too taking on average nearly 10 minutes to escape.
Tumbling barrels, tight confined spaces, strobe effects and smoke filled corridors are just some of the mind bending torments that await as you attempt to make your way out of the lab unharmed.
Along the way you are constantly greeted by live actors who really push the boundaries where personal space is concerned creating a real sense of unease and unnerving many who dare to enter.
The whole maze spots an almost clinical feel too with the main colour pallet being white, blue and black – typical sci-fi colours.
The Singularity also uses misdirection, disorientation and a full range of loud bangs and noises to instill fear throughout.
Overall, a great addition Hallowscream at York Maze’s line up and one we hope will stay with us for years to come – we’d rate this 8/10!
Corny's Cornevil!
What’s Halloween without the addition of a good few Killer Clowns right? haha!
Corny’s Cornevil is York Maze Hallowscream’s inventive take on your traditional killer clown maze and fuses madhouse elements with all the workings of a nightmarish circus gone wrong to help create a chilling yet hilarious comedic romp.
Corny’s Cornevil starts off with guests traversing their way through a mirror maze (which to be honest, we hate) before pushing them through one psychedelic horror filled chamber after the next, each as inventive, unique and down right disorientating as the next!
This fantastically fun maze features everything from a strobe maze (complete with fake doorways) to a mind bending tromel tunnel, spinning floor disks, a gravity bending room and somuch more.
Each room also features it’s very own psychotic, grease painted residents too who help to instill panic whilst giving you a good laugh or too along the way.
The whole maze lasts around 5 minutes in total and is definitely one of the more shorter additions when it comes to Hallowscream’s scare houses.
Regardless of it’s length though, Corny’s Cornevil provides plenty of laughs, some visually stunning set pieces and a true sense of disorientation throughout – we’d rate this 7/10
2073
2073 immerses those brave enough into the dystopian future filled with infected, militarily control and maniacal carnage as you attempt to make your way to the safe zone and escape being turned.
Initially sporting a different story back in 2022, 2073 now features a storyline akin to many traditional zombie movies.
The set pieces and acting within is top notch and really sets the scene for what Hallowscream are trying to achieve, however in our opinion this maze is far too long and features too many dead spaces too (pardon the pun).
The whole story feels very mismatch too with some taking places in the sewers, some taking place outdoors (infact most actually) and some taking place in some form of lab or military hospital.
There is even the random addition of a replica Tardis and who appears to be a time traveler or doctor (Doctor Who?), however the character’s purpose is never made clear and as a result they feel very out of place.
The finale of the maze yet again see’s you being chased out by a chainsaw wielding maniac which (after traversing your way through a medical facility) feels incredibly odd to say the least?
Overall, we definitely feel 2073 has now had it’s day and even with this year’s change of story it doesn’t improve it much – if anything it just feels worse. – we’d rate this 5/10.
Necropolis - NEW For 2023!
Okay, we’ve kept you all in suspense long enough lol! We know why you’re really here after all, you want to know if Necropolis is ACTUALLY any good don’t you?
We after having had two run throughs of this fantastic new addition last night we’ve come to one, solid conclusion -Necropolis is the BEST scare house at York Maze Hallowscream this year!
Why we hear you ask? Well, it’s very simple! Immersion. Necropolis fully immerses you into the world of ancient Egypt from the moment you step over the faux stone threshold to the minute you ‘escape’.
The intricately detailed, sarcophagus chambers mixed with the authenticity of the ‘sandstone walls and ceilings’ help bring to life something not yet seen at any other independent scare attraction.
The acting and set design was truly next level too and the variety of different physical and special effects helped to transport you from a very dull and cold UK into the world of the pharaohs and their afterlife beyond.
The highlights of this maze for us were the tight, tomb like corridors and the giant animatronics hidden within. We certainly didn’t expect to get ‘spat on’ by a giant serpent that’s for sure.
Overall, necropolis is a fast paced, ancient Egyptian romp of a labyrinth that sits deserving of it’s title as the best NEW scaremaze of 2023! – We’d rate this 10/10 – honestly can’t think of how they could improve it.
What Else Does Hallowscream At York Maze Offer?
Alongside this year’s FIVE incredible scare houses, Hallowscream at York Maze also features a full range of food and drink options, two fully licensed bars, LIVE entertainment, roaming actors, a small selection of funfair rides and merchandise.
Although the food on offer is of very high quality, we definitely feel the prices were a little steep on top of an already pretty high admission charge (although don’t get us wrong, admission is worth EVERY penny).
Hallowscream features three funfair rides – dodgems, a waltzer and a Miami and these are a separate upcharge operated on a token basis.
The onsite bars offer a full range of different alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including some fantastically themed ‘test tube’ shots, a range of draft beers, spirits and more.
The attraction does also feature permanent toilet facilities within too meaning there is no need to squat or sit in the dark in a rank smelling portaloo (like you do when you go to a festival).
If you’re looking to take a break from the scare houses however there is also a range of different live acts available to watch on the stage located inside the marquee throughout the evening too including new for this year – Lil’ Dribble’s dancing stage show.
Overall, there is so much more to enjoy at York Maze Hallowscream than just the scare houses meaning you really can ‘make an evening of it’ whilst there.
Should You Visit Hallowscream At York Maze This Halloween?
If you only visit ONE scare attraction or scream park this Halloween, make it York Maze Hallowscream!
This fantastic event offers the full, spooky night out and delivers thrills and chills aplenty immersing you into the madness laden world of their many roaming characters from the minute you enter to the minute you leave.
Each scare house offers something very unique and chilling in it’s own right too and every one will leave you wanting more the minute you exit the attraction.
Failing that, York Maze Hallowscream’s band of roaming creatures will certainly put a chill up your spine, unless you escape them (which spoiler alert – YOU WON’T!!!).
Overall, Hallowscream at York Maze is certainly one of Yorkshire’s top Halloween scream parks and delivers not only a night out, but an experience you won’t soon forget (or want to to be fair).
Don’t believe us? Why not check out our BRAND NEW vlog covering our evening at York Maze Hallowscream NOW and find out for yourself?……