Hallowscream at York Maze: A Frighteningly Brilliant Night Out
27th October 2026 - New Experience Number 41
“Have you ever been to Hallowscream?”
“Gosh no, it looks horrific”
“Do you fancy going?”
“Of course I do!”
And that’s how I ended up going to Hallowscream at York Maze for the first time.
I realised I didn’t know much about Hallowscream. However, the one thing I DID know was probably the reason I had stayed away. Live actors. *Shudder*.
But, I am always up for trying things I’ve never done before. And as much as this could have stayed on my ‘one day’ list for a very long time, the promise from my friend that she would look after me meant it became one of my 52 new things for the year.
What is Hallowscream at York Maze?
In the summer, it’s a lovely corn maze, perfect for a wholesome family day out.
But each October, when the blue skies and midday sun seem a distant memory, something terrifying happens down on the farm after dark.
It’s like an amusement park consisting of haunted houses, each with a different theme based on some of the horrendous genres of modern horror films.
I don’t think I saw a single witch, wizard, Dracula or Frankenstein. Traditional Halloween characters don’t belong here. They are far too tame. Instead you’ll find the insane, the undead, the grotesque, and those who seem to have a grudge with society
What had I let myself in for?
A clear night sky and full moon provided the perfect backdrop as we drove out of the city centre and along the unlit winding country road to York Maze.
Finding a space to park was easy, but we did wonder if we’d ever find the car again afterwards as it was so dark. Already, my nerves were on edge.
Flames erupted above the entrance and giant skeletons stood guard along the path. But before I could even step foot into the hell that lay ahead, I used the facilities. Of course I did. I was nervous!
Putting my hand out to receive my band made it feel real. That ribbon around my wrist felt as though I had willingly handed myself over to the mercy of whatever lay ahead. I just reminded myself of what the girl at the check-in desk had said – They can’t touch you, so don’t touch them.
Hands banging on walls eager to get to the fresh guests, metallic clanging, the rev of a chainsaw, and the occasional slightly friendlier honk of a horn. We heard them before we saw them.
Ex-spook-tations
The most nerve-racking part was the anticipation. I knew that actors would be creeping around, popping out from unexpected places, and lurking in hidden corners until just the right moment to reveal themselves and make me jump.
I don’t know about you, but real people, dressed up beyond recognition and unpredictably interacting with the audience makes me feel very uneasy.
In fact they could probably have had a section with absolutely zero actors and I’d have felt that familiar fearful tension and dread as I’d have been anticipating a jump scare around every corner. The longer nothing happened, the more unsettling it would have been!
Emerging into the main park we milled around with the other visitors. Bursts of flame shot into the night sky, familiar music with a sinister kick played, and there were already plenty of screams and laughter.
A disfigured ballerina jumped out from a dark corner. A creepy clown walked alongside us, muttering something or other that didn’t sound very friendly. What looked like a skinless henchman wielded his chainsaw above his head and made purposeful strides towards an unsuspecting group and menacing twins wandered hand in hand looking to stir up trouble.
Oh heck. What were we doing?!
When a clown pointed at my friend’s white fluffy coat and said ‘sheep’ it was a welcome break in the tension.
Considering the ‘creatures’ aren’t allowed to touch visitors, they don’t half get close! And there were soooo many of them. The website says there are 100 actors on the site!
They stalk you, they scare you, and they stare at you so intently it feels like they’re boring a hole into your skin. I don’t think I’ve ever avoided eye contact so much in my life. Desperate not to engage in any altercations with the creatures, I did the thing you do when you don’t want someone to pick on you in a meeting, and looked anywhere but their eyes.
Once we realised how close they were prepared to get, we braced ourselves for every encounter. I don’t think I have ever clenched my muscles quite so tightly for such a prolonged period of time!
Oh, and they made some awful sounds too, gurgling, whistling, whispering, and screaming, all when you’re least expecting it.
Of course they were just actors, but oh my days they were good. The costumes and make-up were frighteningly realistic, and the actors were completely committed to making us jump out of our skin. It looked like they loved their jobs!
Not your average haunted houses
So I had known there would be live actors, but I hadn’t realised there would be ‘haunted’ houses. They’re less like traditional haunted houses with ghosts, and more like an evil fun factory full of very unhinged characters.
With five houses included in the standard ticket price, each with its own dark and disturbing theme, there’s bound to be something that plays on your particular horror fears.
Even being in a queue was horrendous. Creatures were stalking around and climbing over barriers to petrify people who thought they were safe waiting in line. Characters clambered onto platforms for some disturbing performances, and if visitors particularly reacted to one of the walking weirdos, it frequently resulted in a chase worthy of any scary movie.
I didn’t know what to expect from the houses, and that made me nervous. If I watch a scary film at home, I will invariably have to tuck my feet under me on the sofa during any particularly scary bits. Obviously that was not something I could do here. Instead, my fear manifested itself in my hands. I reached into my pocket and put my gloves on. I’ve no idea what I thought they would do, but the less naked flesh I had on display was strangely reassuring.
Our First House - Corny’s Cornevil
We entered Corny’s Cornevil, a fun house with a sinister twist. The story goes that the remains of murdered Corny, the famous clown, had been found on the farm alongside his plans for a house of confusion. The plans were used to build the ‘fun’ house, where spirits of the long dead circus clowns return each Halloween.
Thankfully, there was a plain-clothed regular human member of staff who gave us the safety briefing before we entered, reiterating the rule of not touching the creatures and keeping phones in pockets. And then we were in.
Well, if I’d been feeling on edge outside, this was a whole other level of being scared. I instantly gripped onto my friend.
Walking straight into a maze of mirrors, we were confronted by reflections of an undead ringmaster. We knew the real thing was lurking somewhere, and I didn’t half jump when it finally appeared.
Beyond the mirrors, a narrow, dark corridor led us onwards. Shrieks rang out ahead. The scares were coming thick and fast, and it was only a matter of time before something happened. I braced myself.
Next came what looked like a freakish playroom, complete with a floor on a huge slant and three creatures determined to block our path. I stumbled from one side to the other as they screamed at me whenever I got close. I don’t know how I managed not to end up in a quivering heap on the floor.
Confusion and chaos inside Corny's Cornevil
The place was ridiculously disorientating. Strobe lighting, darkness, uneven and moving floors, smoke, mirrors, rooms that seemed to shrink around us and unexpected blasts of air all added to the confusion.
And the creatures knew exactly how to exploit it. A shadow loomed out of the corner. One moved as though its bones had been broken (how they did that, I do not know!). Another banged a fist against the wall stopping me in my tracks with a jolt, and others shrieked unexpectedly in the dark.
I am not ashamed to admit that I may have inadvertently emitted the occasional scream.
Emerging through the exit was a huge relief. That had been brilliant. Horrific, but brilliant. As my heart rate gradually returned to something approaching normal, we ventured towards the next house.
The Horrendous Hallowscream houses
The houses all follow a similar principle: you walk through, never quite knowing what’s around the next corner. But each has its own theme, characters and tricks designed to make you jump.
Necropolis had an Egyptian theme. Cursed artefacts had been brought back from the Egyptian city of the dead, and a fire had re-awoken vengeful spirits.
It felt like walking through an 18-rated horror version of an Indiana Jones film, with mutilated mummies, snakes, waterfalls and who knows what lurking to jump out from the tombs.
The Singularity was as though we’d entered a medical experimental facility that had taken a very dark turn. The scientists were seeking new subjects for experiments to create human-robot hybrids.
Chained up patients strained at the railings to try and reach us as we walked by. We could barely see the person in front of us as we shuffled through a fog-filled room. And of course that’s when the lights went out and we were plunged into pitch black. When the feeble light returned, we just knew there would be a shadowy figure in the most uncomfortable proximity to us. And yes, once again, it startled the heck out of me.
Home of the hillbillies
And my personal favourite, (if that’s what you can call the one you think was the scariest), was Redneck’s Revenge. Think heinous banjo-playing hillbillies, high on moonshine with an appetite for evil.
Personal hygiene clearly wasn’t a priority. An overflowing toilet with terrible plumbing didn’t let us past without a vile spray from the bowl. And just as we could see the safety of the exit, not one, but two chainsaw-brandishing madmen ran at us.
Of course they weren’t real chainsaws, but they were scarily convincing. Not only did they sound like the real thing, there was also that unmistakable smell of fuel associated with them.
The fifth house was the Flesh Pot, a slaughterhouse where it wasn’t only farm animals that met a grisly end. We ran out of time to visit this one, but reliably heard from others it was a bit of a gore-fest. I think that might have finished me off!
Creating a stink
And I’d like to take a moment to appreciate how Hallowscream assault all the senses. When we first noticed a bad smell, we thought it might just be frightened farts. It was perfectly understandable that the fun of the fear might make people part with a bit of gas.
But the unpleasant odours lingered, and the scent seemed to change in different areas. I’m not sure how they did it, but the foul smells were another ‘nice’ touch, adding to the awful atmosphere.
If you’re looking for a scarily immersive all-sensory experience, you’ll be hard pushed to find one more frightening than this.
Was Hallowscream worth it?
Absolutely.
Hallowscream is a phenomenal experience. It’s vast, the attention to detail is incredible, and the amount of thought, creativity and planning that must go into bringing it all together each year is mind-blowing.
From the costumes and make-up to the sets, props, lighting, sounds and the actors themselves, everything has been carefully designed to keep you on edge. And the actors are so committed to their roles that you can’t help but admire them, even when you’re desperately trying to avoid eye contact in the hope they’ll leave you alone.
I came away thinking that everyone should experience Hallowscream at least once, just to appreciate the sheer scale of it all. It’s one thing to know that people put on a Halloween attraction. It’s quite another to walk through it and see just how much work goes into creating something so incredible.
Our standard midweek ticket cost £38, plus a £2 booking fee. That’s not cheap, but it included access to five scare houses and the live shows, with plenty to keep us occupied for the evening. There’s free parking, food stalls, and even the opportunity to toast your own s’mores over a real fire if you need a little sweetness to counteract the horror.
Just be prepared for a full sensory assault. The sights, sounds, smells and relentless anticipation mean there really isn’t much opportunity to relax.
Another spooky thing to do in York at Halloween
I felt weirdly proud that something this brilliant is happening in my home city of York. Okay, so when I say brilliant, I mean horrendously brilliant. But it was fantastic to see how popular it was on a Wednesday evening, and although there were a lot of screams, and it certainly isn’t for everyone, people genuinely seemed to be enjoying putting themselves through the ordeal.
York is a fantastic city for all things Halloween, and I’ve tried a fair few of the spooky experiences on offer. But if a traditional ghost tour or a visit to York Dungeon seems a bit too tame for you, you should definitely check out Hallowscream for a frighteningly hilarious night that’s sure to make you jump.
I loved doing something I had dreaded
Somewhere between the nervous anticipation, the involuntary screaming and the desperate attempts to avoid eye contact, I discovered just how much I was enjoying an experience I’d been quite happy to avoid.
I’m not saying we should all rush out and do things that terrify us. But sometimes it’s worth giving something a chance before deciding it’s not for us. You might discover something brilliant that you’d otherwise have missed.
Perhaps the biggest relief was discovering that, although Hallowscream had scared the living daylights out of me, the scares were the sort I could leave behind when I walked out. There was no lingering psychological horror to keep me awake replaying everything in my head.
And I’m pleased to report that I slept soundly that night. No nightmares!
Oh, and did the gloves help? The jury’s still out.
Want to try Hallowscream yourself?
For a terrifying night out, visit Hallowscream at York Maze. It’s based in Dunnington on the outskirts of York.
It’s only for over 16s
It’s open on evenings from 6.30pm on selected dates throughout October.
Check the Hallowscream website for all of the up-to-date details.
For younger guests, (or nervous adults) Hallowtween is aimed at 10-15 year olds and they must be accompanied by adults. This less intense alternative is open in the daytime from 12.30-5.30 on selected dates throughout October.
Check the Hallowtween website for the most recent details.
Cost Of Experience
We paid £38 per person for our standard midweek ticket plus a £2 booking fee.
This included free parking, access to the 5 scare houses, and all the ‘fun’ of the street theatre, shows and roaming creatures in the park. Fairground rides, food and drink were extra.
Not included in the standard ticket price was Corntagion. We didn’t experience it for ourselves – I think it might have shredded the last of my nerves! It includes a ride into the ‘infected’ zone where decaying employees resemble zombies. Just keep your fingers crossed that your military escort can keep you safe.
There are tiered tickets, so if you want to beat the queue you can buy fast track tickets, and if you want to go for the full shebang and really make a nasty night of it, the mega pass gives you unlimited fast track, unlimited fairground rides, drinks tokens, t-shirt, photos, and lots more.
Recommendations For visiting Hallowscream at York Maze
Check the FAQs This is one of the most intense experiences I have ever had, and it is definitely not suitable for everyone. Take a look at the recommendations on the website.
Follow the rules. The creatures can’t touch you, so don’t touch them. All the rules are there to keep you and the actors safe so make sure you pay attention to them.
You can get out. If you’re in one of the houses and it gets a bit too much, the signs do say you can leave through the nearest safety exit.
Dress up, or down. I’m not suggesting you wear your best outfit, but we did see plenty of guests in fancy dress. However, you’ll be crouching, maybe crawling, and probably keeping very close to the wall so no-one can creep up behind you, so don’t wear anything you don’t want to mess up. There are also parts of the park that are outside so you might want to layer up and wear something waterproof.
Sensible shoes. Don’t be like the typical victim in a horror film who loses a shoe when they’re trying to run away. Remember the floors are uneven and parts of the park are outside so wear appropriate footwear.
Leave the bags at home. If you don’t need to take a bag with you, it’s a good idea to just put the things you need in your pockets.
Give yourself plenty of time. We were there for three hours and went in 4 of the 5 scare houses. There’s so much going on you won’t want to rush it.
- Take some snaps. Capture some of the moments from your visit, and have fun, if you dare!
