We were invited to the press night for Terror Island at Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight, an award-winning scare event returning for its second year in 2021.
SPOILER ALERT! Although we have kept the spoilers within our review to a minimum, it does include photos from inside the scare attractions.
After passing through the impressive entrance portal, we entered the event via the new Terror Tunnel, which is a great start to the night. There are no scare actors here, but sound, light and smoke effects set the mood for what is to come.
Just moments after we arrived there was a brilliant flash mob, with a selection of the creepy characters that we would later encounter descending on us from all directions!
The three main scare maze attractions were all created by AtmosFEAR! Scare Entertainment, Europe's biggest scare entertainment company, which guarantees a very high level of quality. These are proper theatrical experiences with original storylines, detailed sets and impressive costumes.
Each of the key scenes convey the story, which are interspersed with dark and narrow maze sections. The scare actors were fantastic, with some excellent acting. A variety of effects are used throughout the attractions. We were particularly impressed with the distinctive themes used for each of them and the lack of repetition in the scare tactics used.
- Amphibious - This monstrous nautical nightmare is based on the tale of lighthouse keeper Magnus Warden, who requests our help after his home has become overrun with vengeful mythical creatures of the deep. There are some highly immersive sets and clever illusions.
- Hexcavation - An ancient evil has been unearthed by Professor Carter, who has discovered the skeletal remains of Pagan deity Malum in a recent archaeological excavation. This is a very claustrophobic experience with tight spaces to navigate and tunnels to crawl through.
- The Blood Shed - The half-human incumbents are dying to MEAT you inside their decaying Mill House. It's a gory blood drenched game of cat and mouse with a series of increasingly sinister and threatening encounters right up to a terrifying finale. This one is really intense!
We enjoyed live street entertainment throughout the evening by Circus Uncertainty, from knife throwing and fire breathing to some whip cracking acrobatics with a healthy dose of audience participation. The live band Last Chance City will perform every night from 6.30pm – 8.30pm followed by DJ Omar or DJ Jakey Chan from 8.30pm – 10.30pm. This gave the event a great atmosphere and kept us entertained while we enjoyed some delicious street food and drinks. A superb addition to the event was the iScream Cocktail Bar sponsored by the Isle of Wight Distillery, the home of Mermaid Gin.
There were two rides open as part of the event, the Cliff Hanger roller coaster and the Water Force racing dinghies. We enjoyed the opportunity to experience these rides in the dark, both illuminated and the former even had smoke effects added.
We were so impressed with the quality of every aspect of the experience and the press night was really well organised. For non-residents of the island it may require a little more effort to visit, but it's totally worth it.
Terror Island runs on select nights between 22nd - 31st October at Blackgang Chine - book online in advance at www.terrorisland.co.uk
There's even a special package available on 29th and 30th October which includes the ferry, coach transfer and event admission for just £35.
This is a strictly 16+ event, not to be confused with the Frights & Sprites event that caters to families during half term.
