SFMM - 2006 Fright Fest

Fright fest is soon aproaching, and I felt it appropriate to start a thread. At theming starts to appear around the park, and as a new fog rolls in, I'll be there to cover it. Feel free to discuss anything SFMM Fright Fest related here, and be sure to check back once or twice a week for pictures.

Update: 9-1-06

Fright Fest too, was also hit with the "budget cuts" epidemic this year, and as a result, we will have one less F.F. attraction this year. Log Jammer turned "Blood Falls" will not take place. Patrons last year will remember taht Log Jammer operated during the day, then closed for about 2 hours, while foggers were turned on, and the actors got into place. Instead Log Jammer will remain a normal ride during the Fright Fest hours.

It was asked in a different thread if Heckles and Twitch would be once again returning this year. The answer is sadly: no.

www.madclowns.com/

Official website

They were "already booked at a different venue". (Mostly likely better paying venue as well.)

Guests will remember this pair as the top scarers in Gotham City Backlot during the later hours. The backlot won't be the same, however the four times I took time to watch them, it seemed that they spent a greater amount of time socializing with the Santa Clarity Sherrifs than with guests.

The Supervisors in charge of Willoughby's Mansion, are currently trying to reverse the direction of the maze once again, back to the original design. The entrance being at Ninja's exit ramp and the end being at the door to the left of the vending machines under the old restaurant. The purpose of the potential change is to freshen up the maze for the guests who come to the park each year. The big problem preventing this change from occuring is trying to coordinate the Ninja exit ramp to accomidate both escaping passangers as well as visitors to the mansion at the same time.

The Supervisors in charge of Carnage E. Hall, in Magic Moments Theater, are trying to find a way to entertain guests as soon as they walk into the theater. The majority of the wait time is spent standing in switch backs created by the metal seats in the theater. The most simple solution was to add a large movie screen inside the theater, and have black & white horror films playing for the people in line.

A new Monster Alley will be constructed between Baja Ridge and Rapids Camp Crossing, at the paddock under the Revolution track. It is an ideal location for the low-hanging fog and the dim lighting. The only set back is that if people want to get from Viper to Tatsu without wanting to go into the Alley, they will have to go the other way. I know it is not unbearable to go through these areas, but not everybody feels comfortable experiencing them. The other two Alleys: Gotham City Backlot and by the Season Pass Processing Center, were positioned where people could easily avoid it, the new one not so much.

That is all for now, pictures will soon follow.

cool, i'm glad your doing these updates, I really would like to make it up to fright fest this year as I havent been to one. Sucks about the budget cuts and not theming up log jammer.well, at least they are still having a fright fest.

I am cast to be in Willoughby's Mansion maze for Fright Fest

That sucks the Heckles & Twitch aren't going to be there this year. Oh well.

^I just hope they will be around somewhere this Halloween. They were the only good thing Fright Fest had going for them.

omg! i love the new location of monster alley. that section is scary even in the off season!

Aragog - the spider is now up on colosus, and will put pictures up very soon.

I am cast to be in Willoughby's Mansion maze for Fright Fest

You'll really enjoy yourself. But you wont enjoy the walk up Samurai Summit each night. You have an awesome Stage Manager. Good Luck! Keep us updated.

How is the quality of SFMM"S indoor haunted maze (s?) Here at SFNE we used to have Brutal Planet which was pretty good, but now we have the outdoor trail throught the woods, the drained lazy river (nightmare island) walk-thru and the lame 3D clown haunted house. I'm not sure which is going to be at SFNE this year but I was surprised at how good the Trail Of Terror was!

My husband and I waited 45 freaking minutes for SFMM's Brutal Planet last year... we thought it totally sucked. By the end of the maze, my husband was walking through, guessing where every scary thing was going to jump out, then exclaiming, "THAT guy has my nachos!" or "Hey, did you take my nachos?" or something to that effect right before we were supposed to be *scared*. It was funny, but the maze was pathetic. I can't believe we waited for it. :yawn:

Needless to say I haven't been in another maze at the park due to this experience so I can't vouch for the rest of them.

As reported here is Aragog:

Taken on 9-1-06

As reported here is Aragog:

awsome!

but colossus dosn't start running backwards until october right?

In response to the indoor mazes, we have 4. Brutal Planet, Jokster's Hideout, Carange E. Hall, and Willoughby's Mansion.

Brutal Planet is the largest maze, built in the Games Warhouse found in Gotham City Backlot is the largest square-foot maze. You are transported to another planet, and find yourself walking down a street town, going into different buildings along the street, finding Brutal scenes. I too am personally disappointed w/ this maze. I dont like the idea of being a continuous walk through. (You snake in and out of the rooms with the rest of the guests. There is very little time to reset for the scarers in the maze because of the continous flow of people. So some people get scared by everyone, and some people just see them resetting. Wait time usually 30 minutes to an hour.

I'll finish describing the other mazes soon, but for now, off to the park.

(Yes, colossus will start running backwards only on fright fest days.)

(How do I insert a picutre w/ commentary and then continue to write in the body of the post?)

Sweet, there doing joaksters hideout again. That maze is the craziest thing ever! Any idea if collossus backwards will actiually start when fright frest starts, whats the state on those trains?

The trains they use to run backwards are the psyclone trains.

Some pictures pertaining to upcomming fright fest activities:

With the Orient Express still down, people will still have to walk all the way up to see the maze at the top of the hill. Though i'm sure the seasoned pro's have gotten used to it.

Let me introduce you to my friend: Mr. Stantion pole hole. He holds the poles that make up a queue line. But my friend Mr. Stantion pole, and all his stantion pole friends were crushed by the mean Tatsu bulldozers. These have about a month to be repared

Willoughby's Mansion next to Ninja. Might be getting a floorplan reversal.

This is under the Revolution track, between Viper and Rapids Camp crossing. The future sight of a new Monster Alley. The only problem is if you don't want to experience the scares, you have to go all the way around the park.

Display at night

Display in day.

Signs like these are all over the park.

All right I believe I said I'd describe Willoughby's Mansion next.

Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby, and their spoiled daughter Patience, lived in a beautiful mansion atop the hill with the best veiw of thier small town. One day they said "No" to thier daughter, so she stabbed them both to death. You see the house, right after the murder, and meet Patience as she mocks her parents denying here a new doll.

This maze can be found atop Samurai Summit. The wait time is usually between 45 to 75 minute wait. With a variety of different show room, and effects, this mazes is a don't miss. It is a wonderful place to house a maze. Once the Magic Pagoda, with its tails of already being haunted, it is a creepy building to begin with, even without the maze.

We'll talk about two of the smaller mazes in the next installment.

. It was funny

No...it's not. It's actually quite obnoxious.

How is the quality of SFMM"S indoor haunted maze (s?)...quote]

 

i've only been in terror at carnage e. hall, the ending was AWSOME!

...which brings us to our next maze!

I'll skip the two smaller mazes, and discuss them next.

I'll enclude some pictures from last years Carnage E. Hall Maze to get you in the mood for my favorite maze. Nothing very impressive though. I'll try to be as fair as possible, but I'm sure you'll see some bias.

Carange E. Hall:

Located in Magic Moments Theater.

Theater up for sale, S.F. Real Estate (super fine real estate) has this theater from the 20's up for sale. Though for many years now, the potential buyers were always reported to be fleeing for their life. You decide to take a tour of the property to see if it is an investment you may be willing to make. The real estate company was kind enough to put the news report of the previous owners arrest on display to all potential buyers. They were nice enough to make sure you know about the theater's past owner, and his downward spiral to insanity.

Once inside the theater, you and the other potential buyers are greated by Monice Fourtney, the real estate agent. She explains that she is going to take you on a complete tour of the theater, but you will have to take the service elevator to the top floor, becasue the lobby elevators have not been dependable for quite some time.

You step into the elevator, and suddenly the elevator drops to the bottom floor, the basement of the theater.

You step out of the elevator to the the gastly crash site of the elevator, continue into the costume room, a picture wall of past entertainers, through the costume room, a manaquin room, a prop room overrun with some creepy crawlies, a locker break room, a rigging room, a movie screening room, and end at the lobby and consession stand. All with unusual encounters along the way. You then proceed into the elevator lobby where you are met by Monica's real estate partner. She appoligizes for any unusual encounters that you might have experienced while on the tour. But she informs you that the lobby elevators are now up and running, so you would be able to leave in a few moments. She reminds you that the theater was for sale, and starts to ask if anyone was interested in buying the theater, but she vanishes. Everybody runs for their lives.

This is usually one of the longest wait times, because they are only allowed to let small groups in 20 at a time, with two show stops acting as choke points.

Usually around 45 to and hour and a half.

The good part is, they have a cooking show w/ Ghoulia Child for you to watch while waiting outside the theater. And once inside the theater this year, there may be a black and white horror film running for you to watch while you wait.

Some pics for your viewing pleasure.

dressing room

concession stand.

^ brings back memories, lol.

Let's keep going, shall we?

Deadman's Bog:

Found in the Queue line of Tital Wave.

Navigate through the mirkey bog that has infested the edge of the Tital Wave pool.

Wait time usually around 5 to 20 minutes.

Lots of fog, and takes about 2 minutes to walk through.

The maze is pretty short, and no actual scenes except for a person on a bungee rig.

The purpose of this maze is to be an alternate maze, for those guests who don't want to wait in 1 hour lines for the bigger mazes.

The Asylum

Found under the Metro Station in Six Flags Plaza.

Navigate through the chain linked Asylum which houses individuals who may be a threat to society.

Wait time usually around 5 to 15 minutes.

Mega use of strobe lights, and takes about 2 minutes to walk through.

This maze is also very short, and no actual show scenes.

The purpose of this maze is to be an alternate maze, for those guests who don't want to wait in 1 hour lines for the bigger mazes.

Next up on the list to discuss:

Jokster's Hideout

Let's keep going, shall we?

 

 

The Asylum

 

Found under the Metro Station in Six Flags Plaza.

Navigate through the chain linked Asylum which houses individuals who may be a threat to society.

 

Wait time usually around 5 to 15 minutes.

Mega use of strobe lights, and takes about 2 minutes to walk through.

This maze is also very short, and no actual show scenes.

The purpose of this maze is to be an alternate maze, for those guests who don't want to wait in 1 hour lines for the bigger mazes.

Just wondering... does this maze utilize part of Flashback's queue or overflow queue area? That would explain the "mechanic sightings" over there recently.( I saw Monster Alley over there last year, but didn't feel like waiting for the Asylum).

The purpose of this maze is to be an alternate maze, for those guests who don't want to wait in 1 hour lines for the bigger mazes.

=We're too cheap to pay for anymore real mazes, so we settled for complete and utter crap that anyone could put in their garage.

Oh, and Jokester's Hideout uses Flashback's queue.

^^No, Asylum does not use anything of Flashback's queue. The reason for the barier taken away was for the emergency exit for the Jokster's Hideout maze.