Ireland's Best Halloween Experience, The Nightmare Realm, is Back! Here's Our Review!

The Nightmare Realm’s Village of Fear XV embodies everything that haunts your nightmares – from haunted houses, mazes, coffin-stays and dance performances, we review Ireland’s only indoor scream park!

The Nightmare Realm (now in its 15th year) showcased this years Village of Fear XV, which has returned to Dublin’s historic City Market on Mary Street for just over three weeks from 4th October-1st November! The brand-new show Village of Fear XV has five thrilling new mazes, interactive secret rooms, an expanded Museum of Horrors, a food court, and an even larger Halloweentown.

Travel2Ireland’s team was thrilled – pun intended – to be a part of the launch, and we were rightfully terrified after going through their spooky offering – here’s what’s in store!

What’s On

The Nightmare Realm has absolutely everything Halloween you’d want and need – from the Butchers’ Slaughterhouse, to the Ouija Board closed room, the coffin experience (if you’re claustrophobic, beware!) and the clown-filled abandoned circus, it didn’t disappoint! It will have you laughing and screaming as you explore new mazes like ‘House of Little Red’, ‘Possession 1692’, ‘The Meat Market’ ‘Slappys Birthday BASH’ and ‘The Last Gas Station on The Left’. You’ll meet unsavoury characters along the way including fan favourite Molly Mayhem just in time for the spooky season. No two experiences are ever the same.

The truly immersive experience lands you inside an expanded Victorian-themed Halloween Town – a festival village where Halloween is celebrated every day. Like us, you’ll be blown away by this year’s offering which includes more spooky shops in Halloweentown, like ‘Obscura’ antique and oddities shop, ‘White Witch Creations’, ‘Trick or Treat’ shop, and ‘Fall FM’. The little museum of horrors is also back, and is the best spot to capture your Halloween selfies with an abundance of childhood monsters and cult horror movie props on display.

Between two screaming sessions, we caught our breath while enjoying a dynamic dance performance from House of Swag – there’s additional stage and circus performances throughout the event, too!

We grabbed a bite from one of the food trucks at the dedicated foodcourt, which apart from post-screaming grub also had Halloween-themed treats, tarot reading, and a temporary tattoo studio. Don’t let your guard down though, because even out of the scare mazes, you will get spooked by the Nightmare Realm’s performers sneaking up on you around the venue! 

Our Takeaway 

Exciting and perfectly spooky – this years Nightmare Realm Village of Fear XV delivered on all fronts! Our personal favorite was The House of Little Red – it was the first haunted house we walked through, and boy did we catch on quick to just how terrifying the Nightmare Realm can be. No wonder it was voted as Ireland’s Best Halloween Experience and Europe’s Best Scream Park! The Ouija Board was a little much for us – but we are very glad to have experienced it.

Additional Information & Tickets

The experience is suited for both kids and adults, although children under 13 are required to be supervised by an adult. Tickets are priced from €24 to €38 (depending on the ticket type and day) include all 5 mazes and entry to HalloweenTown, are now on sale at thenightmarerealm.ie. Be warned, this event sells out quickly so pre-booking is essential!