Outdoor scare maze taking guests into a post-apocalyptic Walker-filled world based on The Walking Dead TV series.
Outdoor scare maze taking guests into a post-apocalyptic Walker-filled world based on The Walking Dead TV series.
| Theme Park | Thorpe Park |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Swarm Island |
| Type | Scare Maze |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Season | Fright Nights |
| Debuted | 2017 |
| Retired | 2017 (replaced by The Walking Dead: Do or Die) |
| Location | behind The Swarm (access beside Swarm Island toilets) |
The shipping container entrance
Sanctum was one of two new scare mazes at Fright Nights 2017 based on AMC's The Walking Dead TV series. The maze was located out on land behind The Swarm not usually open to the public, and was accessed via a pathway to the left of the Swarm Island toilets.
Beyond the large cattlepen queueline built out of temporary crowd control fencing was a large shipping container painted with the word "Sanctum". Guests entered the maze underneath this container, and emerged into what was supposed to be a post-apocalyptic zombie themed land. Following in the footsteps of other survivors, they had to walk past various Walkers in an effort to escape before being eaten alive.
Unfortunately, it was clear that the budget had been spent on Living Nightmare, the other new Walking Dead themed maze, leaving little money left to build an immersive environment. Instead, there was a smattering of fences, barrels, shipping containers, vehicles, hanging washing and other props. The scare actors were actually pretty good, but they didn't have much to work with.
Unsurprisingly, Sanctum only lasted for a single Fright Nights season. It was replaced in 2018 by The Walking Dead: Do or Die, a much better conceived maze with a good storyline and decent theming. In many ways it was a refresher and a rebrand, and the version of the maze that Sanctum should always have been.
