Following the success of Alton Towers’ ‘Scarefest’ and Thorpe Park’s ‘Fright Nights,’ Merlin Entertainments is set to reap the rewards of being at the forefront of providing Halloween-themed experiences across the UK.
In 2018, spending at the two theme parks during special themed events like Halloween, reached 17% of the sites’ annual revenue.
Summer has historically been the busiest period for Alton Towers, but the months of June, July and August have been surpassed by Halloween as being the most popular time to visit the park.
The Staffordshire theme park has attracted a growing number of visitors in recent years, increasing from 12% of the annual total in 2015, to 16% in 2018. Thorpe Park has also enjoyed sustained success, with revenue rising from 14% of the yearly total in 2015 to 20% in 2018.
Ian Crabbe, managing director at Resort Theme Parks, spoke of the rising demand for Halloween-themed experiences like ‘Scare Fest’ at Alton Towers and ‘Brick or Treat’ at Legoland Windsor.
Crabbe commented: “The development of our Halloween-themed offering at our UK resort theme parks reflects Merlin’s strategic priorities, allowing guests to focus on immersive experiences, building on our strong IP partnerships and delivering on our strategy of positioning our theme parks as multi-day family destinations, based on our world-class themed accommodation.”
Alton Towers’ ‘Scare Fest’ features numerous exciting attractions for guests of all ages, including the new, multi-sensory ‘Attic: Terror of the Towers,’ located in the eaves of the park’s iconic Towers. and the ‘Dungeon’ attraction, which takes guests on an eerie journey through Staffordshire’s darkest history.
