Alton Towers is popular with families the whole year round, but Halloween brings a whole new level of freaky fun to the attraction.
The annual Scarefest event, which is on from now until October 31, lets visitors see the place in a whole new light - a spooky one at that.
Celebrating 15 years of the award-winning event , there are more scares and shocks than ever before, and with rides open until 9pm, it means there's even more time to enjoy all the rides.
Read more: 30+ things to do with kids in Manchester this Halloween and October half term
For little ones there's a family-focused fright line-up of live entertainment including the Freaky Five and CBeebies Land Monster Ball, with regular performances on the front lawn stage and from the Alton Ancestors who you might stumble across breaking out into some dance moves across the park.
Trick O Treat Town is also back for a second year, giving families the chance to wander through and knock on the doors along Spooky Avenue all the way up to the Witchy Woods - seeing how many Haribo sweets you can collect along the way.
It might be aimed at younger ones, but it's a whole load of fun for big and little ones and I was jumping more than anyone as the clown kept appearing out of a different window like some sort of jack-in-the-box.
There was more spooky fun down The Alton Towers Dungeon, which we visited for the first time during our weekend trip.
It all started quite calm with a boat ride in the dark, but by the time we finished there were a few pale looking adults and a child crying into her mum's coat after she managed to escape the Plague Doctor.
Nothing quite made us jump more than the scare mazes though. The Invitation - a new one for this year - is a pretty terrifying audio experience which sees you descend into 'a burial chamber', but it wasn't actually as bad as we feared.
Altonville Mine Tours on the other hand had us jumping out of our skin as characters came at us from every corner. Known as the 'Skin Snatchers', the outcasts were chasing us through the deep dark mine. Our 11-year-old coped, but you can see why these are recommended for ages 12 plus.
If that's not your thing there are calmer attractions too, like the Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls, or you could just use that extra time to get on even more of those roller coasters, where you get an even bigger thrill riding in the dark. And with Nemesis closing for a revamp on November 6, it will be your last chance to ride it until 2024.
Of course there are lots of treats up for grabs at the theme park, with the usual vendors selling the likes of hot dogs, waffles and donuts and stalls on the front lawns selling loaded fries, Bratwurst, toasted marshmallows and more.
Scarefest takes place from now until Halloween itself on October 31. You can find out more and book your tickets here. It's advised to book online ahead of time for the cheapest rate possible.
The 4 Scare Attraction Combi Ticket is available from £32 when booked online. Entrance to Trick O Treat Town with HARBIO is an additional £12pp. Overnight short break stays start from £40pp per night when booked online at altontowers.com
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