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Frightwater Valley 31/10/2012

Pierre

Strata Poster
This was my first time at Lightwater Valleys Hallowe'en events and all I can say is WOW WOW WOW how fantastic!

I have to admit my expectations weren't really high as I was probably going to compare to Scarefest and Fright Nights ran by multi-million pound corporation Merlin but this really was fantastic from arriving to the last second! I didn't take many photos because I was enjoying myself that much to be honest.

On arrival there was a zombie in a blood stained scientists coat on the approach to the entrance. Her whole body was completely motionless with the exception of her head which just turned to watch us constantly - even after we went out of her line of sight behind the crazy golf pay booth she was still watching on the other side... really freaked me out!

The entrance booth was dramatically changed for the Frightwater event...

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We went in and I was immediately stalked by a zombie inches away from my face for a prolonged period of time making me run for the first time in months hahaha! Anyway we hit the chair swings - probably not the best ride to go on after feeling a little delicate from the night before (Sunderland V Boro!) - the next ride was probably an even worse idea... the Eagles Claw - still as fantastic a ride as it always has been though.

We wandered through the scare zone in the area where the birds of prey are located - this photo doesn't really do it justice as the zombie looks bored haha - but this area was fantastic on the night and must have had about 7-8 zombies in the short walk between Falls of Terror and the Eagles Claw.

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The kids we were with (my nephew and his half-brother) rode Falls of Terror while we (me, my sister and her fella) waited at the bottom. I was taking a look at the fantastic Frightwater map when a zombie decided to sit next to me and help me...

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That was so awkward lol.

We then went through Skeleton Cove - I wasn't feeling up to Black Pearl so the kids rode it, we waited and watched the fantastic zombie pirates in action around the area scaring people - oh and the octopus lol. One thing that was fantastic is nothing was really 'random' - there was generic zombies in the generic areas, with pirates in Skeleton Cove and Miner Zombies around the Raptor Attack area.

We all did the barrels next (Powder Keg is it?) which was fun, but probably not wise given my state. Wild River Rapids after this, my nephew got absolutely soaked.

Continuing the cycle we did the Ultimate next - I was deceived as I looked into the building and thought there was no queue, as we got in the queueline was going to the right instead of the left - when did that change? Anyway the Ultimate is fantastic - we also managed to convince my sister to go on it as it had no loops (she doesn't really like rides)... her screams on that were the loudest we heard all day hahaha.

The kids did Whirlwind next which we then followed with Raptor Attack LIVE! - that sewer area is bad enough as it is without the damn miner zombies popping out grabbing you with their arms haha! One of them kept grabbing my nephews brother on the way out.

We skipped Treetop Twister at this point as the queue was huge - we went back to the entrance plaza and all went on their horror maze Underworld. I hate these things, not out of spite or anything but because they purely terrify me haha. From the moment we walked in some lockers started shaking and someone popped their head through shouting at us to go through the door I knew this was going to be a nightmare lol. There was the usual corridors with small holes the zombie arms were popping out and grabbing you leading us to an area with five doors. The first persons head we saw popped through again shouting us to choose our fate. I was going through whichever door the lads in front of us were so I followed them. One of them chose door 1 which had a zombie pop straight out at him. We went through door 2 in the end. People kept grabbing hold of our legs and a mummy at the end of a bandaged corridor leant on us I think?

We walked past a zombie eating the guts of a person laid on the table - I thought the person was a dummy then the head started moving screaming in pain "HELP MEEEE!" - it was fantastic. Before I knew it we were out (thankfully!)

Just outside the entrance to Underworld they had trick or treat doors - my nephews brother knocked and got a treat - a hug off the Haribo bear :lol: - my nephew got a trick, a witch with a water gun chasing him and soaking him haha.

It was freezing and the lady at the door of the Halloween Show near the Dodgems was ushering us in out of the cold, we went in... the kids then said they didn't want to and ran to the dodgems leaving us adults watching a kids puppet show :lol: Oh well at least it was warm - and I did chuckle at seeing a snake with Moves like Jagger and a Dragon singing Firestarter by Prodigy :)

It was getting dark now so we did another lap of the park - the scare zone was fantastic... so much so I pretty much power walked through it lol.

Black Pearl looked good, my photo doesn't do it justice, also rotating is for geeks... haha.
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On the lap around we did the Treetop Twister as the queue was a bit smaller now - great fun, got a great spin. I hadn't rode this clone for a while which is probably why I enjoyed it.

We headed back to the main entrance area to head over to the Haunted Walk which started by the Pub in the Wood... this again was terrifying. It was nearly pitch black and there was zombies popping out from behind trees, one chasing me in to the other :) At the end a zombie undertaker was measuring my sister up for a coffin hahaha.

With rides in between we headed back to the entrance area. The swings looked fantastic lit up with the skeleton/horse in front of it.

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The day was ended with a fantastic parade of all the zombies we had encountered throughout the day dancing to Thriller.

Could not recommend Frightwater Valley enough - so much effort and enthusiasm goes into it. All the zombies got into character fantastically - even general ride op staff had face paints. Coffins, buried people, crosses, cobwebs everywhere.

Loved it. Top work Lightwater Valley.
 

peep

CF Legend
Ah, nice PTR Pierre! Great to see Lightwater doing quite a lot for Halloween. It sounds like a really good event which surprises me because...Lightwater.
 

Symaxius

Roller Poster
Howdy!

Thank you for the review!

We all worked very hard on Frightwater to make it bigger and better than any year before. Believe it or not, planning is already underway for 2013!

Just wait until you see what we have planned for our fireworks.


Kind Regards,

Simon
 
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