The Curse at Alton Manor is a dark ride at the Alton Towers theme park near the village of Alton in Staffordshire, England, opened on 18 March 2023.[1] There is a minimum height restriction of 0.9 metres. Guests under 1.1 metres must be accompanied by an adult.[2][3]
The ride originally opened in 1992 as The Haunted House, before a retheme as Duel – The Haunted House Strikes Back! with the addition of interactive laser shooting in 2003. The same ride system and building was re-used for The Curse at Alton Manor with a new theme and scenes.[2][4][5]
Development
The Duel closed notice
After an initial teaser, Duel closed on 6 September 2022 and its replacement was announced as The Curse at Alton Manor the following January.[6][7][8] Later details revealed that the ride's new premise would revolve around a character named Emily Alton, based on the little Victorian ghost girl that inhabited a dollhouse in the queue area of both the Haunted House and Duel.[9][10][11] A main theme of the ride is that her spirit seeks revenge for being left alone and neglected in the house.[9] The ride and surrounding grounds include several easter eggs, such as gravestones memorialising former rides.[12][13][14]
The ride was intended to be closer to the original Haunted House than Duel.[15][16] As part of the renovation, the laser guns and targets were removed and the ride vehicles restored to six seats. The attraction officially opened to the public on 18 March 2023.[2][17] It includes performers and props around the house, as well as the ride inside.[4]
Responses
Coasters on the Coast said the ride was spooky and that the theme was stronger than in the previous ride, Duel, which had occupied the same location. The reviewer concluded, "It is our favourite dark ride in the UK. It's beautiful, spooky and atmospheric."[18] A year later, the site said the ride still held up, with the reviewer noting a number of new details that became apparent on a second visit.[19]Ride Rater gave it 3.5 stars, saying it was "a solid and commendable reincarnation of a classic" ride.[20]
Writing for Back to the Movies, Sean Evans said: "The Curse At Alton Manor has blown me away." He said the ride exceeded other dark rides in the UK, and compared the theme and details to Phantom Manor at Disneyland.[14] Dayna Farrington, writing for Birmingham Mail said she had found her "new favourite haunted house".[21]
Writing in The Liverpool Echo, Emily Sleight said, "For those of you into horror films, 'The Curse at Alton Manor' is essentially like stepping inside of one, creepy dolls and all."[22]Theme Park Insanity said, "Alton Towers' NEW Haunted House really is the UK's answer to The Haunted Mansion!"[23]
In Derbyshire Times, Katie Brooks said, "It's probably the best haunted house in the UK and much scarier than the Haunted Mansion at Disney World or Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris."[24]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Fastrack, Ride Access Pass available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Assistive listening available
