Difference of theme at howl o scream?

[Ben]

Should BGW move away from their typical European theme and move to a more modern scare zone approach? For example, instead of having a vampire themed area have a toxic waste dump scare zone with intercoms blaring, "your lives are at stake! please evacuate now! it has worked at other places, including BGT. We need a high energy themed area with a sense of urgency. But that's just my 2 cents. what's yours?

 

[Party Rocker]

Should BGW move away from their typical European theme and move to a more modern scare zone approach? For example, instead of having a vampire themed area have a toxic waste dump scare zone with intercoms blaring, "your lives are at stake! please evacuate now! it has worked at other places, including BGT. We need a high energy themed area with a sense of urgency. But that's just my 2 cents. what's yours?

I have always felt that the park is very excellent at what they do in regards to Halloween, I mean they stick to their park theme while providing special attractions, not many parks still do that. That sets standards for the park and it makes things flow together smoothly.

Now, you can apply this is haunted houses as well IMO. Look at Deadline, still keeping with the general park theme of Europe but set in a more modern time obviously, but still based on basic ideas (ancient toxic gas) something that could tie into Volcanic gas which could tie Deadline to Pompeii.

I guess, it depends on how the park goes about "modern". I don't mind the modern nurses in Ireland and I don't mind the modern Deadline/zombie theme. I also don't mind the moderen greenhouse/zombie theme either.

As long as they keep the modern theme something European, whether it be modern European, I wouldn't mind it too much because it still ties in with the European theme rather than some random American location.

Also the theme decor they used has to be authentic, like the Italian graffiti decor in Deadline, which is all written in Italian, if you ever get the chance to stop and translate it for me, let me know the translation. Also, the modern museum theme with Dig It Up is another prime example of the park being modern. The fact that it is still Italian makes it okay. If you notice, the Dig It Up banners on the stage and around the area on light poles have Muse di San Marco in small text in the bottom corner, which makes it seem authentic.

Overall, I don't mind provided it stays European in some sense and the theme decor seems to be authentic.

EDIT: Things they can do to make their themes similar but modern could consist of turning the Catacombs into simply a sewer system, where you get lost with plenty of extra paths and dead ends with scare actors scaring you into the right direction. Obviously the Frankenstein theme has been applied to be modern day nurses rather than just some old time scientist and hump-backed assistant. Clowns in Festa are very modern, or can be considered such. Turn Bitten into a German Blood Bank, if they want to stick with Vampires. Root of All Evil is about their modern greenhouses already. 13, with a lot of love and help can be made a lot better, but is still pretty modern.

I think a change in the wording of the answers and questions might be needed. Modern European, Classic European, Modern in General seems to be the topics at hand.

 

[Brandon]

Should BGW move away from their typical European theme and move to a more modern scare zone approach?

Unfortunately, to me it seems like the park goes in this direction which is what partially drives me away from the event entirely. I like how a lot of the shows/ mazes/ scare zones/ decorations have a modern European tie-in, though.

 

[chickenking]

I like it how it is. Good ole BG during the day. Then the chime of 6 PM brings scares at night. Darkness, fog and the like provide plenty of mood & environment (as long as it doesn't take 3-4 weeks of the event to get it correct with adjustments and additions because of complaints).

 

[DrMoneyReturns]

I've said this before, but to me (gotta make that clear, before this thing gets WAY sidetracked) Halloween =/= All things scary. Not every scary concept necessarily fits in with Halloween, just like not every joyful concept fits in with Christmas. Halloween for me has a specific cast of characters, and that usually includes the more supernatural types like werewolves and vampires and witches and whatnot. The good thing for Busch Gardens is that most of those types of things have a strong European tie-in, because we inherited most of the legends about them from European sources.

With all that said, I think BGW has a good opportunity and a great built-in setting for a Halloween event, and I don't see a need to try and rework that setting just for the Halloween event.

 

[Shafor]

If you would have asked me before last year I would have said I'd prefer no modern themed stuff. Then...ya, know...Deadline.

 

[Ben]

I've said this before, but to me (gotta make that clear, before this thing gets WAY sidetracked) Halloween =/= All things scary. Not every scary concept necessarily fits in with Halloween, just like not every joyful concept fits in with Christmas. Halloween for me has a specific cast of characters, and that usually includes the more supernatural types like werewolves and vampires and witches and whatnot. The good thing for Busch Gardens is that most of those types of things have a strong European tie-in, because we inherited most of the legends about them from European sources.

With all that said, I think BGW has a good opportunity and a great built-in setting for a Halloween event, and I don't see a need to try and rework that setting just for the Halloween event.

I'm going to have to disagree, look at HHN,sure they have one or two houses themed after classic things(monsters, ghosts, ETC) then the rest are modernly themed( Silent hill, Walking dead, Alice Cooper). That might not work here, but it sure as hell works at other places.