Halloween has always been a much larger deal in America than here in the UK. All theme parks in Florida roll out special events and shows but if you’ve never visited a scare (or scream) park before what should you expect? Here is my guide to enjoying Halloween Horror Nights in the UK.
Luckily, if you live in the south of the UK, Europe’s largest scare park is located not far from Gatwick Airport in Sussex. There is also a comparable event held near Birmingham every year. You can get a taste of what’s so special about Halloween before you set foot on a plane for the Sunshine State.
Before we get into the guide proper I will explain the concept of the scare park and how Orlando theme parks celebrate Halloween before giving my opinion on what makes Tulley’s Shocktoberfest a very worthwhile visit if you’re either thinking of visiting Orlando during Halloween celebrations or you’re just curious what all the fuss is about.
Halloween Horror Nights In The UK – What Is A Scare Park?
Scare Parks come in all sizes and are usually tailored to specific age groups depending on the all-important scare factor.
Orlando’s main theme parks all have their own seasonal celebrations aimed at differing age groups. The age of your children usually determines which event will be best for you.
Tulleys Farm ShocktoberFest is a specific event erected every year. Like Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream at Universal and Seaworld/Busch Gardens respectively it’s not recommended for those under 12 or those with nervous dispositions.
Halloween Event Dates
The popularity of these events is such that seasonal celebrations begin on select nights from mid-August until usually the first weekend of November.
They are not on every night but usually at weekends until the nearer it is to Halloween when the operating evenings increase with demand. The events dates and times are published months in advance so it’s possible to plan your trip accordingly. Use the links below for more information depending on your chosen park.
- Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party
- Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights
- Seaworld’s Howl-O-Scream
- Busch Garden’s Tampa Bay Howl-O-Scream
- Gatorland’s Gators, Ghosts & Goblins
- Tulleys Farm Shocktober Fest
Legoland Florida’s more muted celebrations are typically only weekend affairs but they are included in your general park tickets, unlike other parks.
In the UK where Halloween isn’t quite as popular as in the US, events typically start at weekends in late September gradually increasing operating evenings throughout October.
How Orlando Parks Celebrate Halloween
Orlando parks go all out on decorations, shows, haunted houses (sometimes called mazes or haunts over here and in the US depending on the park) and scare zones filled with dry ice, screams and the sound of chainsaws coming at you.
Disney focuses on family fun at its separately ticketed “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” (MNSSHP) on select nights in Magic Kingdom park. On event days the park will shut at 6 pm before being transformed and reopened at 7 pm until sometimes 1 am depending on the evening. Without a ticket for MNSSHP, you won’t be able to see any fireworks or the much-talked-about evening parade so days in Magic Kingdom are usually a bit quieter as people relax during the day to party by night.
Things are completely different at Universal Orlando, the birthplace of Horror Night celebrations since 1991, where the separately ticketed Halloween Horror Nights event is recommended for those 14 and over and scares come thick and fast on select nights from early September through the end of October.
Featuring 10 haunted houses, 5 scare zones and 2 shows, Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights has morphed into a behemoth of the Halloween calendar, especially for older teens and adults looking to have their wits scared out of them. If this sounds interesting to you then I can tell you that you can get an experience very much like Halloween Horror Nights without leaving the UK. There’s more on that below but first, how much will these celebrations set you back?
Halloween Event Costs At Orlando’s Theme Parks
Visiting a Halloween event in the US isn’t cheap but there are ways you can get some scares for less as more parks move into the burgeoning market.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costs between $109.99 and $199.99 (plus tax) depending on your chosen date. That adds up to quite a sum of money for a family. Despite high prices, the event will sell out like it already has done for 2022 so, if you’re interested in visiting, get your tickets when they are released either through a ticket broker in the UK or direct from Disney.
Tickets are cheaper at Universal’s blood-soaked chainsaw-wielding event up the road. Early September dates go for $66.66 plus tax all the way up to $105.91 for the last few days in October.
The cheapest event to get your scares on in Orlando is at newcomer Seaworld’s Howl-O-Scream event, in its second year in 2022 and bigger and better than last year.
For around $50 including taxes, you get access to 7 scare zones, 5 haunted houses and 4 shows which is pretty amazing value plus you get to ride some of Orlando’s biggest roller coasters after dark.
In the UK comparable, but much more muted Halloween events, are run by Merlin at its flagship theme parks Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and, for younger scares, Chessington World Of adventures. Without an annual pass, you will be looking at Universal Orlando prices for a one-day ticket for any of the parks.
Best Orlando Halloween Events By Age Group
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is best for kids aged 10 and under. With no houses to brave but a special parade and fireworks finale plus snacks included, MNSSHP is the most expensive Halloween celebration in Orlando but year after year it sells out.
If you don’t want to pay the price or want more scares for your buck Universal’ Halloween Horror Nights is your go-to party park and it’s surprisingly affordable and great value if you go early in September.
If you just want to dip your toes in to see what all the fuss is about Seaworld should be your park of choice. Aggressive pricing but with a healthy variety of traditional Halloween scare park offerings, Seaworld is clearly after some of the Halloween (pumpkin) pie takings and represents great value for money even on popular days. It will also be a lot quieter than Disney and Universal for the next few years while it establishes its own niche in the Orlando Halloween party market.
Shocktober Fest Differences
Tulley’s Shocktober Fest is a family-run event on a farm. Over the last 20+ years, they have established themselves as Europe’s premier operators in the scare market.
Orlando’s Halloween events are squeezed in every spare corner or piece of unused land or queue line. In the dark of the evenings, you may be able to forgive the odd false facade but you are in no doubt that the scares are second fiddle to the main attractions.
The exception is Disney who spares little expense on their OTT decorations in Magic Kingdom but with tickets selling for well over $100 per person anything less would leave you feeling short-changed.
Tulley’s Shocktober Fest is foremost a scare park. Situated on an unused parcel of land tucked away at the top of Tulleys Farm in Sussex, near Gatwick Airport. The street entertainment, open flames and fantastic lighting instantly set the scene as you enter.
The fun here is definitely from the haunted houses but there is also a circus show plus several carnival rides and sideshow attractions to partake in. Being a working farm it can get muddy on wet evenings, especially in mazes that are cut from a freshly grown field every year which only adds to the atmosphere.
Orlando parks do their best to set the scene but it can come across as a little sterile in the familiar streets of the theme park you may have been walking around a couple of hours earlier.
Essential Shocktober Fest Information
Shocktober Fest 2022 Costs
There are 5 ticket packages on sale for 2022. If you want to experience the atmosphere without going through any of the haunts a Street Pass costs £12.
For standard access to all the haunts, the cost is £38.
2 Fast Track ticket packages allow quick entry to either 6 or the full 11 haunts for £65 and £75 respectively.
With so many haunts now and the event getting ever more popular, if you want to make the best use of your time a Fast Track ticket is great. Arrive early and you can easily get 3 or 4 haunts done without too much queueing so a 6 haunt pass is great value if you arrive early. Having said that £10 more to get the full complement is still brilliant value for what you get in your ticket.
There is also an XScream RIP ticket that allows unlimited entry for the evening for £105. I would say that’s not generally needed and a tad overpriced.
Finally, at a cost of £250, there is a season pass for those that can’t get enough screams. Obviously, you will have to make quite a few visits over the 25 nights the event is running this year to make it worth your while.
Shocktober Fest Hours
Tulleys Shocktober Fest runs on select evenings during October. Saturday and Sunday tickets are more popular and usually sell out in advance over weeknights.
The event starts at either 5 pm or 6 pm depending on the day of your visit with the haunts closing at 1130pm to give everyone in the queue a chance to get through before a midnight curfew. I have attached a screenshot of the 2022 opening schedule earlier in this article for your information but please always check the Shocktoberfest website for up-to-date information before your visit.
Arriving At Shocktober Fest
Tulleys Farm is in a very rural part of the Sussex countryside with adequate signage from the M23.
I would recommend arriving early, especially if you don’t have fast passes for the haunts as the park gets a lot busier from 7 pm onwards and queues start to mount for the popular haunts.
There are very limited facilities outside of the park for eating etc. Please bear this in mind when considering what time to arrive.
For those using a sat nav, the postcode for Tulleys Farm is RH10 4PE. I have embedded a google map below with directions enabled for you to use for directions.
Leaving Shocktober Fest
Getting out when the event ends can usually take a while. The roads surrounding Tulleys Farm are small and not suited to the large footfall the event now commands.
If you want to avoid queueing for too long I would advise leaving 1 hour to 30 minutes before the scheduled finish time to avoid the worst of the queues.
Food And Drink At Shocktober Fest
In line with many other events, food and drink aren’t allowed in the venue but a few mobile food stalls are dotted around the small stage area as you enter.
More food outlets are located at the bottom of the park along with a bar that has a small selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You can usually find the traditional hog roast near the bar which is usually very popular.
Discounted Shocktober Fest Tickets
This year’s Shocktober Fest event is just around the corner. Look out for discount codes on social media as the marketing team is very active on Facebook and other channels.
Tickets are at their best price either within the event for the next year or when they are first released, usually around Valentine’s Day. These tickets are open dated for any evening that you choose and usually feature the heaviest discount.
If you miss out on these further sales take place but prices do rise as the year goes on so getting tickets early is definitely the best tactic for getting the best price.
The Mazes Of Shocktober Fest
Each year Tulleys manages to improve and extend its offerings. 2022 is no different with a total of 11 haunts, 1 new and one reimagined. Here is a brief rundown and my scare factor rating based on previous visits.
REIMAGINED FOR 2022 – Electrick Circus
A reimagining of a popular classic haunt near the entrance, Electrick Circus is bound to be popular especially if they reuse some of the spacing elements and forced perspectives from the previous haunt.
Scare Factor: 7/10 (10/10 if you hate clowns!)
NEW FOR 2022 – Doom Town
The biggest addition since Wastelands Penitentiary, Doom Town is a love letter to the 80’s. Tulley’s scare team have built an actual town that you work your way through from living rooms, through takeaways, supermarkets, even a Blockbuster store. While the theming is top notch the scares were a little light this year. Hopefully next year they can elevate the scare factor a little.
Scare Factor: 6/10
The Island
Taking over part of the central field, this large outdoor haunt is themed very, very well but seemed to be light on scares last year compared to its first year. This one is open to the elements and there can be a lot of mud. Be prepared if the weather takes a turn for the worse on your visit.
Scare Factor: 5/1
Wastelands Penitentiary
Now this is what a scare park is all about! Outstanding theming for the whole area including a show, a little pyro and a lot of flames. Inside the repurposed shipping containers strobe lights, dry ice and some really loud noises are designed to disorientate you and they do it superbly here. Make sure you don’t miss this one.
Scare Factor: 9/10
The Village Coven Of 13
On the other side of the massive field, Coven Of 13 is another maze that’s open to the elements and will get muddy. Lighter on theming than The Island but with a couple of superb indoor sections that disorientate you in surprising ways. This is a good one to start your scares off.
Scare Factor: 6/10
The Chop Shop
Another very loud and disorientating haunt mostly indoors. Expect lots of strobe lights and plenty of chainsaws to go with the screams. Sandwiched in between Wastelands Penitentiary and Electrick Circus this one gets busy pretty quick.
Scare Factor: 8/10
The Cellar: Imprisoned
Fantastic theming, tight spaces and ever-present loud noises combine in this knock-out haunt. Do you dare play a game of cat and mouse? Guess who’s the mouse?!
Scare Factor: 8/10
Hell-Ements
How will you cope when one of your senses is taken away? The first maze in the UK to take away your sight, this haunt plays with your other senses very effectively, especially touch and hearing. Traditional jump scares are few, this haunt is more about discovering your other senses, but if you’re at all claustrophobic you’re not going to like this one.
Scare Factor: 7/10
The Creepy Cottage
Long since passed family members are dying to meet you. Will you be able to find your way out of the dusty, dark corridors of the Creepy Cottage? An absolute knock-out haunt, everything from the intricate theming to the layout combine in this dark labyrinth-like haunt. Just inside the entrance, this haunt perfectly sets the scene for the evening ahead.
Scare Factor: 9/10
Horrorwood Haunted Hayride
Deep in the trees at the bottom of the park, the actors of the long-closed Horrorwood Movie Studio want to come out to party with you! Not a haunt but one of the most popular attractions in the park, Horrorwood Haunted Hayride uses tractor-pulled trailers to take you around intricately themed scenes. An emphasis on fun with the up-close scares makes this one of the more family-friendly attractions.
Scare Factor: 5/10
Other Shocktober Fest Attractions
In recent years Tulleys Farm has extended its Shocktoberfest offering in a bid to woo more visitors. As well as the headline haunts/houses/mazes, whatever you want to call them, Shocktoberfest also has 2 or 3 fairground attractions, typically a drop tower and reverse bungee as well as a spinning attraction.
Towards the bottom of the park, just past the queue for Horrorwood Haunted Hayride, there are a number of midway attractions and photo opportunities to keep you occupied.
Is Shocktober Fest Comparable To Orlando?
Coming in under half the cost of Universal’s Horror Nights event and just 1/3 the cost you would pay for Disney’s celebration you may be thinking is it really worth it?
The answer is absolutely! Shocktoberfest is worth every penny. Everything from the theming of the area and haunts to the characters and street entertainment is first class.
With fewer visitors to accommodate your paths through the haunts, generally, are far less crowded than you will experience in the US where the popularity of the event, especially in Universal, ruins some of the houses.
In 50% or more of the haunts I experienced at Universal, scares were ruined because every group is sandwiched between the next. I knew what was coming so the theming was there but the tone was lost in the sea of visitors trying to be pushed through.
Scaring people is an art and to be done right you need space to set the tone and build tension and Tulley’s scare team knows what they’re doing. The pacing of the haunts is spot on, there are plenty of scares and laughs in equal measure. You are allowed to find your own way round the haunts, not pushed round the next corner.
Shocktoberfest may have taken inspiration from Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights but in the 26 years they have been running the event Tulleys Farm, in my opinion, has elevated their event above Universal.
Shocktoberfest is reliant on social media for its yearly marketing campaign and for that they have nurtured a quality product that isn’t just about making money or pushing as many people through the gates as it can.
Shocktoberfest is about quality not quantity and because of that they have built a loyal fan base that grows with them every year without suffocating the quality of the experience.
Shocktober Fest runs on select nights from Friday 30th September until Saturday 5th November. Considering my glowing view of the park, you may be wondering if I have been paid to write this article.
I have been a Shocktober Fest visitor for many years and have seen the event grow and evolve over time. I pay the standard ticket prices for entry every year and I keep returning because I think it is a great experience; I can’t wait to visit this year for more scares with friends.
