The debut of The Alton Towers Dungeon took place on a busy opening day for Alton Towers, drawing a huge number of visitors to the Staffordshire theme park.

Firstly, a bit of background...

The Dungeons invite you to delve into horrible history. Participants come face to face with live actors who provide laughs, scares and shocks through mini interactive shows and sometimes rides. There are elements of theatre, lots of jokes and plenty of special effects, plus historical storytelling by the iconic characters themselves.

There were already five such attractions in the UK; in London, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Warwick Castle and York. The Alton Towers Dungeon is the sixth.

The Dungeons also operate elsewhere in the world; in Shanghai, Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg and San Francisco, which all offer a unique combination of real history, horror and humour to bring gruesome historic events to life.

The Alton Towers Dungeon is located in the building previously occupied by Charlie and the Chocolate: The Ride that closed in 2015.

The nicely themed facade is surrounded by barrels, crates, cages, skeletons and fire torches. It is a complete transformation of the former colourful exterior. Visitors are held in a waiting area just inside the arched entrance, where an actor invites you to have your photo taken in front of a mock medieval pillory. This would have benefited from some costumes or props being available to enhance the photo opportunity.

Thanks to entry being restricted to timed slots, there is no need to queue, and when your time comes you are called in and the 45 minute experience begins.

There are six sections to The Alton Towers Dungeon, and here's a summary of what happens in each (contains spoilers):

• The Judge - In the first show, three members of the group are randomly selected to take the stand in the courtroom of the Bishop of Stafford. Here they are humiliated a bit and must plead their case. It's an entertaining performance, which has got plenty of laughs.
  
  
• The Black River Boat Ride - Each boat takes up to nine people down The Black River for the four minute ride. For the first time ever, live actors are used during the ride section, on both the loading and unloading platforms. The ride is somewhat reminiscent of a ghost train, as the boats pass a series of sets with triggered animatronics or projected scenes. This could have been an opportunity to tell a story, but in each you simply witness a different form of torture. Upon disembarking, a mini rolling show entertains those arriving until the rest of the group gets there. 
  
  
• The Torturer - One member of the group is selected to sit in the Torturers chair and come face to face with the Torturers favourite devices. Much like in the first show, it's a mix of humiliation and comedy, but with some gory details thrown in.
  
  
• The Highwayman - Step into the Welsh Harp Inn, where the hilarious landlady begins her tale and it's not long before the infamous Dick Turpin drops by. A clever use of pitch black darkness, immersive audio and other effects, make this one of the strongest parts of the attraction.
  
  
• The Plague Doctor - Enter the operating theatre and gather around as the Plague Doctor reveals the disgusting consequences of bubonic plague. Several life-like human organs feature including intestines, a liver and even a beating heart. Watch out for the bladder!
  
  
• The Haunting - In this excellent finale to the attraction, which takes place in a cold and dark abandoned cottage, a local legend is revealed. Special effects bring supernatural events to life before your very eyes and then there's a dramatic encounter with the ghost of a witch.

For those that have experienced The Dungeons elsewhere, most of the scenes will be familiar, but they have all been given an Alton Towers overlay, making use of local history and legends.

Tickets to The Alton Towers Dungeon cost £5 per person when booked online in advance and subject to availability are £7.50 on the day. This doesn't include admission to the theme park, which must be purchased separately. We think this is good value for an additional attraction that is delivered by actors.

The stars of the attraction are undoubtedly the actors, who are professional throughout and really embody their characters. 

Towers Trading Company on Towers Street has an extensive range of The Dungeons branded merchandise, which is great to see as the attraction doesn't have its own shop.

The Alton Towers Dungeon is a brilliant addition to the range of rides and attractions at the park. The experience will be much better for those that haven't visited any of The Dungeons before, but those that have will find more of what they have enjoyed elsewhere along with some different elements.