The York Dungeon - Family Days Out in Yorkshire

Today i got the chance to visit one of Yorkshires best and top attractions. The York Dungeon is based in the heart of the city at 12 Clifford Street. Opening in 1986 the attraction was designed as a gory horror museum showcasing factual events throughout history. The York Dungeon is scary fun for everyone except, very young guest and wimps! As many of the rooms are dark i would say that this is one for kids over the age of five.

The dungeon operates on the basis of tours which start every 7 minutes and is a 70-minute journey into more than 2000 years of York's horrible history. The Dungeon brings together a cast of theatrical actors, special effects, stages and scenes in a truly unique and exciting walk-through experience that you see, hear, touch, smell and feel.

The outside of the building is branded just like a theatre in London, big bold banners make the site hard to miss. Walking up the venue we were greeted by a lovely dickensian women in character who was in high spirits and in her own jovial way directed us to the fast track queue. For those of you with a family i would advise investing in fast track tickets as you will gain entry quicker than general admission tickets. You don't want to be waiting outside for long so just bite the bullet and invest in the experience.

Together, you and your companions (Fellow customers) will follow the story of York's darkest history through 11 live shows and 8 live actors. It is based on real history (minus the boring bits) so it is fun and educational :)

The experience is fully themed experience - 360° sets, full of authenticity and theatrical storytelling. As i mentioned previously you venture through 11 live shows. I do not want to give a great deal away so here are some overviews that i have taken from the website, i hope that they give you a little snippet of what to expect on your journey through the dark pages of history:

  1. Cliffords Tower: Very nasty things happen here... Plague Spots, boils, pus... yuk! 
  2. The Doctor's assistant will see you now. 
  3. Guy Fawkes Remember, remember, this will bring the house down. 
  4. Ghost of York You will never drink alone in the Golden Fleece. 
  5. Lost Roman Legion Labyrinth Get lost in the disorientating, claustrophobic mirror maze. 
  6. Eric Bloodaxe You know how some people just suit their name... 
  7. The Torturer It’s back-breaking work. 
  8. Did I hit a nerve? The Judge Frantically funny. 
  9. Thief? Villain? Rogue? Clear conscience? Execution See how they roll at Mickelgate Bar. 
  10. Dick Turpin Some faces just stop traffic. Expect holdups ahead. 
  11. Witches A warm welcome awaits. Cackle as they crackle. 

So after visiting the Dungeons i have to admit i am very impressed. I had high expectations as i had only heard good things from friends, family and good old online reviews. I was impressed that throughout the journey i was continually captivated; all the actors did a superb job of staying in character and injecting enthusiasms and passion into each and every room, this made sure i watched every minute and was not once bored.

In fact the whole set-up was surprisingly realistic and top quality, it is obvious that the attraction is well invested in and upholds high-standards when it comes to customer-care.

If you were to ask me what would i say the best thing about the journey was i would turn to you and say that the role play and interaction with the crowd was the standout feature of the attraction. In several rooms an unwilling member of the crowd was asked to partake in a random scenario, with most ending in the most hilarious fashion.

The fact that you visit 11 different years throughout history also keeps you own your toes. You are never sure whether someone will be jumping out at you around the next corner or you will be given a history lesson my a mad doctor. It really was fun, i enjoyed it and would go back again tomorrow.

When you arrive you also have your pictures taken, you can collect these at the end in the shop - the shop is fantastic for those wanting to treat the little ones or a brave mummy or daddy to some awesome treats and gifts. I picked myself up a T-shit as i am a huge fan of horror attractions and have collected shirts from all over the world.

If you would like to find out more about details on the York Dungeon or you would like to do more research into the experience you can find out all the information you need from the list below:

The York Dungeons Website: http://www.thedungeons.com/
The History of The York Dungeon on Wikipedia 
The York Dungeon Facebook Page
The York Dungeon Reviews - TripAdviser
Visit York's Guide to The York Dungeon
The York Dungeon on Twitter

Google Map - Directions
 

Karl Young

Part-time daddy and lifestyle blogger. Father of 2 boys under 2. Golfer, scare-fan, tea-lover, traveller, squash and poker player. I write on the @HuffPostUK http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/karl-young/

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