Blackpool Pleasure Beach has officially announced the biggest shake-up in the history of its Halloween scare event, and it completely changes how fans will experience Journey to Hell next season.
For the first time ever, the event transforms into a full day and night experience. Instead of requiring a separate evening ticket, guests can now grab a regular park eTicket and experience 12 straight hours of thrills from 10am to 10pm. That means coasters by daylight, scares by darkness, and no awkward exit-and-reenter routine.
This is a huge shift, and it brings Journey to Hell in line with some of the UK’s biggest Halloween events while still keeping that unique Pleasure Beach edge.
Journey to Hell Freak Fest History
Longtime fans will remember when the park’s Halloween offerings first began evolving into something much more ambitious. What started as seasonal decorations and light theming eventually grew into Freak Fest, a dedicated scare celebration that brought scare zones, live actors, and after-dark ride sessions to the Lancashire coastline.
Over the years, Freak Fest matured into Journey to Hell, leaning harder into immersive scare mazes, roaming performers, and nighttime coaster rides that felt completely different from the daytime park experience. It became one of the most anticipated events in the North West, drawing thrill seekers who wanted both classic woodie airtime and full-on horror vibes in one trip.
Now in 2026, we’re seeing the next evolution. Instead of being primarily an evening add-on, Journey to Hell is becoming an all-day Halloween takeover.
Daytime Fun Meets Nighttime Fear
From park opening until early evening, guests can enjoy full park operations, including family-friendly Halloween entertainment and a brand-new family scare maze designed for younger or less thrill-hungry visitors.
At 6pm, the South Park area closes, and North Park becomes the epicenter of terror as scare zones ignite and late-night Scare Mazes awaken. Live immersive entertainment, roaming performers, and a DJ will create that electric after-dark atmosphere fans have come to expect.
Night rides are very much part of the plan.
Guests will be able to experience Aviktas under the lights, along with Launch Pad, ICON, Big Dipper, Infusion, Derby Racer, Alice in Wonderland, and Ghost Train. Riding ICON in the dark with scare actors lurking nearby already sounds like a must-do for coaster fans.
New Ticket Structure and Maze Flexibility
Another major change is how scare mazes are handled.
In 2026, Scare Mazes become optional, aligning with other major UK events. Guests can purchase:
- Full Day Journey to Hell eTicket plus all Scare Mazes from £57 ($72.96 USD)
- Nighttime-only Journey to Hell eTicket from 6pm plus all Scare Mazes from £50 ($64.00 USD)
- Full Day Journey to Hell eTicket without Scare Mazes from £32 ($40.96 USD)
Those who buy a standard full-day ticket can add individual mazes on the day if they’re feeling brave. Individual maze pricing is:
- One scare maze £15 ($19.20 USD)
- Two scare mazes £25 ($32.00 USD)
- Three scare mazes £30 ($38.40 USD)
- Family scare maze £5 ($6.40 USD)
Season Pass holders get entry included but will still need to purchase Scare Mazes separately.
This new structure offers flexibility. If you’re more about night rides and atmosphere, you can skip the mazes. If you’re there for pure horror, the full package represents the best overall value.
All USD prices are approximate conversions based on current exchange rates at the time of writing and may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.
A Bigger, Bolder Future
CEO Amanda Thompson OBE described 2026 as only the beginning, promising something bigger and more terrifying than ever. Given how Journey to Hell has grown from its Freak Fest roots into a headline Halloween event, this format change feels like a natural next step.
Turning it into a seamless 12-hour experience removes barriers and opens the event to more guests, especially families who might want daytime fun before the real scares begin.
For theme park fans who love the mix of classic coasters and seasonal horror energy, 2026 is shaping up to be a major milestone year for Blackpool Pleasure Beach.