Prepare for the ultimate Halloween night out at The Nightmare Realm, Ireland’s only indoor scream park, which has announced the dates for its brand-new immersive show ‘Night Terrors’, running from 6th October- 3rd November 2023.
Crowned the ‘Best Scream Park in Europe’ earlier this year at the European Scare Awards, The Nightmare Realm entertained thousands of Irish and international visitors last year including Hollywood royalty Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly. It’s already attracting ticket sales from all over the world and is hailed as one of the best in the haunt industry alongside Universal Horror Nights.
The event will return to its previous haunt on Mary Street in Dublin’s historic City Market, the 130-year-old Victorian red brick fruit and veg market. It promises to be full on fun and fear factor, whether you laugh or scream your way through the event, with a few shocks and surprises along the way.
The truly immersive experience lands you inside an expanded Victorian-themed Halloween Town, a festival village where Halloween is celebrated every day. Featuring street theatre, stage dancers, circus performers, interactive shops, a food court with werewolf burgers, black icecream and more, and scenes with memorable and shady characters, you can chill (or be chilled) here at your own pace!
You’ll be glad of this ‘break’ as you catch your breath after exploring each of the 5 new haunt mazes – Sundown Manor, BioX1ne Laboratories, The Shriekers, Death Row 2: Shank Season and Dead Carnival. Each maze that you choose to brave boasts highly detailed sets, elaborate animatronics, award nominated costumes, makeup and special effects, as well as digitally projected visuals to enhance storytelling. There are also more secret rooms along the way, which you may or may not come across, making each experience unique. And all the mazes are included in your ticket price!
The scream park also features an expanded museum of horrors where all your childhood monsters await your Halloween selfie! Or Visit Fanta’s Haunted Mansion luring the gutsy and the gutless. There, guests will have to survive the spine-chilling quarters of rat and leech collectors, Amelia and Edgar, if they are to grasp a complimentary can of Fanta Zero from the depths of their hosts’ gruesome kitchen.
Die-hard fans will also be delighted to hear that Nightmare Realm scream queen Molly Mayhem returns along with her ghouls from Halloween Town including The White Witch, Trick or Treater, Mistress of Evil, Betty Bedlam with some new pals joining the gang this year.
In addition to the recent title of Europe’s Best Scream Park, the attraction has been awarded the No. 1 Halloween event in the World by Unilad, Best Independent European Haunt at the European Scare Awards, Most entertaining Indoor Scream Park and the Most Entertaining Horror Experience by the EU Travel Awards.
The Nightmare Realm originated in 2009, and is now one of the world’s most triumphant and highly praised scare attractions, employing over 100 performers, in addition to an array of behind the scenes personnel.
Karl and Sylvia O’Connor, the acclaimed couple behind the screams, who are responsible for the spine-chilling experiences at The Nightmare Realm, have finely tuned their skills in the craft of blending enjoyment, fright, and entertainment over 14 years. The artistic duo, who specialise in horror and scare techniques, come up with the themes, craft every design, construct the impressive sets, develop the characters and design the costumes entirely from start to finish. They work on it all year, but it’s put together within a short three-week timeframe, which is unique for an attraction of its scale.
Entertainment and interaction is what’s most important to Creative Director and Founder Karl O’Connor:
‘If we’re not scaring you, at least we’re entertaining you’. The “Night Terrors’ theme originates from Karl’s own personal childhood encounters, which has provided a wellspring of creative inspiration. ‘Between the ages 7 to 12, I vividly recall experiencing night terrors and sleepwalking. I was the possessed child you see in all the horror films! Night terrors strip you of control, infusing a profound fear into your core. Your reasoning dissipates, often accompanied by erratic movements, emotions, and intense panic. My fear wasn’t the monsters beneath the bed; rather, it revolved around uncontrollable apprehensions triggered by moments like the clock striking midnight or the warped distance between my fingertips. Understanding perspective and distance proved challenging, amplifying the surreal nature of the terrors. Later, I discovered it’s termed ‘Alice In Wonderland Syndrome,’ a fitting moniker for my current profession. Nightmares occasionally plague us all, but at times, they escalate into terrors without clear triggers. It’s something everyone can relate to and was the perfect theme to build this year’s show around. Watch out for that ticking clock!’
Handing the award for Best Scream Park in Europe over to Irish soil, Michael Bolton, owner of the European Scare Association said “Everything about The Nightmare Realm was on top form. No other seasonal pop-up event is as big and ambitious as this, we are amazed that this is ALL temporary.”
Many celebrities have visited the event over the years including Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Brooklyn Beckham, Little Mix, Chloe Moretz and Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth).
Due to the frightening nature of the attractions, the age recommendation is 13+. The City Market, at Mary’s Lane, Dublin 7 (also known as the Fruit and Vegetable Market) is easily accessible – just a one-minute walk from the Fourcourts Luas stop or a two-minute walk from Henry Street.
The Nightmare Realm opens on the 6th October and runs for 24 selected nights until the 3rd November. Tickets, which are priced from €22 to €36 (depending on the ticket type and day) include all 5 mazes and entry to Halloween Town, and are now on sale at thenightmarerealm.ie. There’s also an early bird offer for OFF PEAK nights with 10% off using the discount code SPOOKY10 and a new Stay and Scare package. Be warned, this event sells out quickly. In partnership with Dublin City Council and proudly sponsored by Fanta.