j_dreamfinder

Just wanted to post a quick report from the park this past Friday which was mostly just to check out the Fright Fest mazes. There are 6 haunted houses this year like last year with Dark Oaks Mortuary being the new one replacing Slaughterhouse Pig Farms since Pacific Rim replaced it. If you want to avoid crowds during Fright Fest, Friday nights are definitely the way to go. 30 min wait on Joker and everything else was no more than 5 minutes. Dark Oaks Mortuary is easily the best maze I've been in at this park. It's LONG, has lot's of scare actors in it and has a really creepy awesome theme. I'm very curious what it was like before it got the changeover from the asylum theme because they did a great job with a short amount of time. Carnevil is still a great maze from last year which seems to add another layer of scare due to the recent creepy clown crazy that's been going on. Everything else is mostly the same as it has been for several years now. I think it's probably time next year to redo and refresh these older mazes to something of the same quality as Dark Oaks Mortuary. Was also hopeful to see a return of the halloween themed animal shows that I LOVE but unfortunately it looked like they were the same shows as the rest of the year. Only needed to stay a few hours in the park and left by 8:30pm. Overall it was pretty enjoyable time at the park with minimal crowds and a really really good new haunted house.

Looks like Insanitarium has been pulled from the website...

From my experience, most often the long lines at the food stands is because of people that don't already know what they want when they get to the window or are changing their minds at the last minute. Sometimes having so many choices isn't a great thing. I think this is why every time I've been to Macho Nacho the line moves so slowly because there are so many choices before you get to the register (i.e. rice vs. beans, chicken vs. pork, onions? tomatoes? salsa? etc.) GAH!

So if you are renewing, do you have to make it to the park by October 28? I might be wrong but I think the October 28 date is more related to getting the free bonus Fright Fest ticket, since pretty much soon after that date Fright Fest is over.

This^^ Similar looking rides, but VERY different experiences.

Wow. I'm so surprised (in a good way) that the park is getting another great thrill addition after The Joker. Like others I'm curious where this might go. I gotta think that this is going somewhere in the Joker, Superman, Penguin area to keep up with the theme (and to balance out the heroes to villains ratio). Great addition!

Was at the park over the weekend. Kong was closed and there is already scaffolding going up on different sections of the track.

You know when you stop and think about it, we really got a lot of new stuff this year compared to other parks. The Pacific Rim ride film is pretty terrible but at least they brought an unused attraction back from the dead (and there's always the option to switch out the film anyways). VR and a rehab of Revolution at SFMM was all they got and we are also getting new VR plus what looks like a minor rehab of Kong. And of yeah.. there's the addition of the Joker too After a year like that, I would expect something small. I predict a couple new kids/family rides in Looney Tunes Seaport. There's the empty cement pad where they used to have the water play area and also Daffy's Divers, which has been closed all year, as possible space to add new rides. I know it's not a thrill ride like we all hope (and I hope I'm wrong) but if you look at what the park added in past years there's definitely a pattern and I think this area of the park is due for some TLC.

Even without the ERT, Friday is the better option especially considering it's your first time at the park. Between July 4th festivities, fireworks, and hordes of people on Sunday due to the next day being a holiday - chances are you won't have a good park experience. Friday will be less crowded allowing you to enjoy all that the park has to offer which includes the unique animal elements. Whichever day you go, please share a TR!

when I was in there Wensday it looked like they had a decent selection. More variety but I didn't see any craft beer that I know of. ShockTop stood out to me, but thats a Anheuser-Busch brand.