I visited on Saturday, and here is my review in which I focus more on what to improve than the positive:
Mazes
The Terror Tram : Enjoyed it, but the drive over seemed too scripted, no scares on the tram, Mummy tomb seemed irrelevant. 8/10
A Nightmare on Elm St.: Freddy's Revenge: I love Freddy, so this maze was awesome for me. True, a little short and a recycled Asylum, but exciting for me all the same. 9/10
Friday the 13th: Camp Blood: Friday the 13th is my favorite horror series. True, the movies are horrible, but they have a fun feel to them. Recreating all the movie scenes was an awesome treat, and made this my favorite thing of the night. 10/10
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Back in Business: This was a good maze, but it reminded me too much of the remake. I know, they had the licence only to the remake, but my hatred of it stoped me from enjoying this maze too much. 8/10
The House of Horrors: Same as day with more actors. Good, but familiar. 6/10
Shows
Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure: Good show, but the audience was REALLY not into it. I felt bad for the actors. When Sylar paused for the audience to say brains, there was like a 10 second delay. 7/10
Slaughterworld 2: A little too dirty for my tastes. Didn't make any sense 5/10
Chucky's Insult Emporium: Not much to say. A decent show. 6/10
Scare Zones
Just speaking in generalities here, but the scarezones this year were good, not great. The main problem was they just weren't big enough. If you walked quickly, you could finish one in less than a minute. I understand the space just isn't there, but they still were extremely small. The scareactors did their best though and I did get a few scares.
Overall: 8/10
Suggestions for next year:
- More Mazes:What you have is high quality stuff, I would just like to see more of it. 6 is a good number. Maybe 3 on the lower lot, 3 on the upper?
- Bigger Scarezones: Maybe combine them?
- Bring Back Bill and Ted: The audience was unresponsive this year, but don't let that discourage you! Write a better show for next year.
- Improve Terror Tram: Add another drop off point and have scares while on the tram. Try to combine the best elements of the old HHN and the new.
- Integrate Icon: Try to have the park themed more to the icon, possibly by adding a pre-show on the blues brothers venue or drop the icon idea altogether.
- Change House of Horrors: Don't use the same maze two years in a row! I know it is expensive to do so, but change the maze every year. Maybe close it in september, change it and reopen it on the first day of HHN each year.
- Don't bring back The Asylum: While the Freddy theme did work this year, I expect something entirely new next year.
- Make all attractions scarier and Halloween themed at night: Jurassic Park: In the Dark doesn't cut it! Put scareactors in Jurassic Park and Mummy, make things bloodier on both. Give the Simpsons a Treehouse of Horror theme! Make T2:3D more Mature and Violent. GIVE US REASONS TO GO ON THESE AT NIGHT!!!
-Put a better show in the Waterworld Venue: I see what you are going for with slaughterworld, but it could be so much better. Take a chance and try something new!
I hope that John Murdy takes these ideas to heart and gives us the best event possible next year!
Thanks for reading!
