Zachary said:
Kings Dominion thought the same as well being that Zombie High did win maze of the night for Saturday night.
2017 Halloween Haunt
- Thread starter Wooemwoemeht
- Start date
Kings Dominion thought the same as well being that Zombie High did win maze of the night for Saturday night.
Until we have a thread for Blood on the Bayou, I'm going to put this in spoilers.
and here is my drawing of the approximate layout. The four buildings are in black, and the ramps connecting them are blue.
My first reaction of Blood on the Bayou was that it is a beautiful house that was way too short. This is yet another house with a grand entry statement, following a formula similar No Vacancy and Trick-Or-Treat. Among the beautiful things to look at in the entry room is a giant window which looks out into swamp land. This is one of the most beautiful things about the maze, but unfortunately this also may spoil the entire maze for you if you are observant. What you might not realize is that you are actually staring at the entire layout of the maze trough that window.
The house consists of about six scenes, which is already a little bit short. However, you are really only walking through four small buildings connected by wooden ramps. Each building is about the size of one of the old Skeleton Key rooms. Although you go through some interesting scenes, the biggest thing missing from blood on the bayou is the bayou itself. In spite of all of the ramps that you would find in marshy swampland, the maze lacks water. The only exception is one lighting effect which looks like water reflecting on the hull of an old ship or yacht, but if you look back at the ground in front of it, it’s just concrete. They also make no attempt to hide things like the huge AC unit in the middle of the bayou.
Between this maze and Trick-Or-Treat, Kings Dominion seems to have found a niche in scavenging for antiques. The problem with this is that after a while, none of these props look unique, because they are regular household objects from certain time periods that you will likely find in another maze like this one. It is probably a great cost saving measure for Kings Dominion, since they most likely do not have the ability to create any of these props in-house like Busch Gardens does.
Overall, it is a beautiful maze, and the average park-goer probably won’t notice most of the issues that I have listed above. Kings Dominion is probably banking on that considering how well this same formula has worked for them in the past. This maze tells me that Kings Dominion found a gimmick that works for now, and now they are running with it. I just don’t think they can run with this same gimmick for very long. As beautiful as they both are, this house already looks too much like Trick-Or-Treat.
The house consists of about six scenes, which is already a little bit short. However, you are really only walking through four small buildings connected by wooden ramps. Each building is about the size of one of the old Skeleton Key rooms. Although you go through some interesting scenes, the biggest thing missing from blood on the bayou is the bayou itself. In spite of all of the ramps that you would find in marshy swampland, the maze lacks water. The only exception is one lighting effect which looks like water reflecting on the hull of an old ship or yacht, but if you look back at the ground in front of it, it’s just concrete. They also make no attempt to hide things like the huge AC unit in the middle of the bayou.
Between this maze and Trick-Or-Treat, Kings Dominion seems to have found a niche in scavenging for antiques. The problem with this is that after a while, none of these props look unique, because they are regular household objects from certain time periods that you will likely find in another maze like this one. It is probably a great cost saving measure for Kings Dominion, since they most likely do not have the ability to create any of these props in-house like Busch Gardens does.
Overall, it is a beautiful maze, and the average park-goer probably won’t notice most of the issues that I have listed above. Kings Dominion is probably banking on that considering how well this same formula has worked for them in the past. This maze tells me that Kings Dominion found a gimmick that works for now, and now they are running with it. I just don’t think they can run with this same gimmick for very long. As beautiful as they both are, this house already looks too much like Trick-Or-Treat.
and here is my drawing of the approximate layout. The four buildings are in black, and the ramps connecting them are blue.
Attachments
its funny you should mention the KD in house shop. I have spent some time looking at the set construction techniques used by both parks. Honestly KD's is generally superior for things like Haunt. BGWs technique seems to come from a proscenium arch world where as KDs seems to come from a much up closer world. It becomes obvious with small things like BGWs use of normal drywall screws instead of trim screws or finish nails and KDs use of finish nails. If you look at finish technique you may notice the same things here. The brush control looks like that of a scenic artist working on drops and flats seen form a distance at BGW where at KD often uses actual texture in their paints.
These are all valid stage systems, it is just that some are typically used on stages where the scenery is away from the eye of the audience and others are used when the eye is inches away. For obvious reasons the later is preferable in a haunt atmosphere. It is also more time consuming.
These are all valid stage systems, it is just that some are typically used on stages where the scenery is away from the eye of the audience and others are used when the eye is inches away. For obvious reasons the later is preferable in a haunt atmosphere. It is also more time consuming.
I think Busch Gardens uses a more naturalistic/impressionistic style, typically, whereas Kings Dominion tries to go for realistic. The problem for me is that I don't think Kings Dominion is ready for realistic, and I don't think they have the artistic skills for impressionistic, so they are awkwardly stuck somewhere in the middle.
As for walls, BGW only uses that "lesser preferred" method for temporary houses, and sometimes they take the initiative to cover the seams and/or screws. What you would never see at BGW are the blocky facades moved into place sloppily, with exposed (unpainted) parts. Right now, KD doesn't really have an example of a completely temporary house, so that's hard to compare.
Both events have their own shortcuts, but I think that most of BGW's shortcuts can be appreciated more from an artistic perspective. I think KD's houses are more for people who are used to more typical house standards. For the life of them, they still can't seem to drop the straight-edge. I would like to see them try to make things less flat and angular, and I think Blood on the Bayou is getting closer to that.
On a side note, I hope BOTB is able to expand in the future, because I really enjoyed it. I just don't think that building four houses within a house is enough to satisfy me. If the building has room, this maze could be really awesome, and fully deserving of its praise for detail.
As for walls, BGW only uses that "lesser preferred" method for temporary houses, and sometimes they take the initiative to cover the seams and/or screws. What you would never see at BGW are the blocky facades moved into place sloppily, with exposed (unpainted) parts. Right now, KD doesn't really have an example of a completely temporary house, so that's hard to compare.
Both events have their own shortcuts, but I think that most of BGW's shortcuts can be appreciated more from an artistic perspective. I think KD's houses are more for people who are used to more typical house standards. For the life of them, they still can't seem to drop the straight-edge. I would like to see them try to make things less flat and angular, and I think Blood on the Bayou is getting closer to that.
On a side note, I hope BOTB is able to expand in the future, because I really enjoyed it. I just don't think that building four houses within a house is enough to satisfy me. If the building has room, this maze could be really awesome, and fully deserving of its praise for detail.
This creepy cover of "Sweet Dreams" by Emily Browning has been added to International Street's Haunt soundtrack. I'm usually not a fan of vocal songs as theme music, but here the eerie tone of the piece blends perfectly with the chilling atmosphere of International Street.
HAUNT was performing really good tonight! There were actors everywhere. Mazes and zones were packed with scares. Crowds were low. Houses were not stacking. Probably just got the best night of the year for this one. Great job KD!
Houses last night weren't performing up to what I saw the first weekend (roughly an A- opening weekend vs a B last night). Across-the-board I think that the houses ranged from slightly below average (C-) to great (A+). I mainly attribute this slipping in house performance to staffing levels on a Friday (last night) vs staffing levels on a Saturday (opening night).
Note: I included a letter grade because I think that average is an perfectly acceptable score—especially if there are stand-out houses (A-ranked) in the lineup as well (Zombie High!).
Path scares. Thank god for path scares. Kings Dominion legitimately scared me on a path for the first time in ages. BGW hasn't been able to do it for years, HHN couldn't do it two years ago, and Howl-O-Scream Tampa couldn't do it last year. Haunt did it though. To the clown in Clever Bros who threw themselves directly in font of me, making me legitimately jump backwards, thank you. Also, sliders everywhere. More siders are always better, and Kings Dominion has that down.
Note: I included a letter grade because I think that average is an perfectly acceptable score—especially if there are stand-out houses (A-ranked) in the lineup as well (Zombie High!).
Path scares. Thank god for path scares. Kings Dominion legitimately scared me on a path for the first time in ages. BGW hasn't been able to do it for years, HHN couldn't do it two years ago, and Howl-O-Scream Tampa couldn't do it last year. Haunt did it though. To the clown in Clever Bros who threw themselves directly in font of me, making me legitimately jump backwards, thank you. Also, sliders everywhere. More siders are always better, and Kings Dominion has that down.
Maybe I hit them all during people taking breaks opening night, but the 3 houses I went in last night all were better staffed than opening night or the previous Friday. I also was finally feeling it -- didn't get hardly any actual scares, but enjoyed creepy too and any interaction with the monsters.
The crowd was already big for the overlord show last night when we got there at 6:45pm, so my wife and I decided to go up the Eiffel Tower and she took some pics from up there.
Monsters lining up a few minutes before 7:00 -
Monsters lining up a few minutes before 7:00 -
The crowd was already big for the overlord show last night when we got there at 6:45pm, so my wife and I decided to go up the Eiffel Tower and she took some pics from up there.
One pic is cast of monsters lining up a few minutes before 7:00 -
Another is view of the ceremony start, as the monsters are filing in and overlord coming up the back steps. Note that unlike the Friday show that has a smaller crowd, the security staff puts up ropes to keep the crowd from getting too close.
Another is wider shot that shows the fountains as well, and once the overlord sends out the monsters they can't go out into the crowd and start scaring (ropes are in place and it's way too crowded) so they split up along the left and right of the ropes and then move out to their locations.
One pic is cast of monsters lining up a few minutes before 7:00 -
Another is view of the ceremony start, as the monsters are filing in and overlord coming up the back steps. Note that unlike the Friday show that has a smaller crowd, the security staff puts up ropes to keep the crowd from getting too close.
Another is wider shot that shows the fountains as well, and once the overlord sends out the monsters they can't go out into the crowd and start scaring (ropes are in place and it's way too crowded) so they split up along the left and right of the ropes and then move out to their locations.
Attachments
I was there last night and while I never saw lockdown closed intimidator was for a little while after the rain. This was the first night I've been this year for haunt and it honestly didn't impress me too much. I wish I had the chance to have tried blood on the bayou but it's line was easily longer than any other maze. I thought no vacancy, blackout and zombie high were very good last night but out of that the other mazes did not make me have even 1 scare. A part I was also very disappointed in was scare areas because out of all them only one person tired to scare me or my group. Haunt was good and still very fun but didn't seem like it has been in the past.
horsesboy said:
Lockdown was temporarily shut down last night, but not because of any serious event. A guest spilled something in the maze, and for safety reasons Lockdown was closed while the spill was cleaned up.
jeffh said:
All I can say is thank God they got that crowd under control. Opening weekend was hell. Guests trampling shrubs and filling in the grass around the stage. It was terrible for optics because a majority of them were elevated above the curb, thus creating a lackluster line of sight for those obeying the rules and remaining on the path.
After finally catching their show, I think The Grave Walkers is now one of my favorite Haunt shows of all time.
It features an enormous cast with a New Orleans brass brigade as big as the entire Clown Band and about a dozen dancers. After wandering around the park in an eerie funeral procession (complete with umbrellas and a rolling casket), the troupe stops to perform a variety of classic New Orleans and contemporary songs with a Louisiana twist. The costumes have a deliciously old-fashioned, turn-of-the-century look and much of the dances have an equally antiquated charm.
The entire show is purely entertaining and fun. The simplicity of its concept (a large brass band plus dancers), the liveliness of the New Orleans music, and the eerie old-fashioned theme of the show's choreography and outfits put a smile on my face the entire time, and the huge crowd that gathered around the show really seemed to get into it.
Here are just a couple of short clips that I got of the show: (click the arrow on the right to see more)
[instagram=https://www.instagram.com/p/BaCzGoXj3TD/]
To me, The Grave Walkers is the new hidden gem of Haunt.
It features an enormous cast with a New Orleans brass brigade as big as the entire Clown Band and about a dozen dancers. After wandering around the park in an eerie funeral procession (complete with umbrellas and a rolling casket), the troupe stops to perform a variety of classic New Orleans and contemporary songs with a Louisiana twist. The costumes have a deliciously old-fashioned, turn-of-the-century look and much of the dances have an equally antiquated charm.
The entire show is purely entertaining and fun. The simplicity of its concept (a large brass band plus dancers), the liveliness of the New Orleans music, and the eerie old-fashioned theme of the show's choreography and outfits put a smile on my face the entire time, and the huge crowd that gathered around the show really seemed to get into it.
Here are just a couple of short clips that I got of the show: (click the arrow on the right to see more)
[instagram=https://www.instagram.com/p/BaCzGoXj3TD/]
To me, The Grave Walkers is the new hidden gem of Haunt.
I went to Haunt for my first visit of the year this previous Sunday 10/8 and had a pretty excellent times minus a few bumps in the road that should be paved out by the end of the season. With rainy weather being on the forecast for all day and suddenly disappearing around mid-afternoon the night lead to very low crowds with the longest wait of the night being a little over 20 minutes for a ride on Volcano around 10.
Quick Notes
-Not really sure what was up but in the park at 7:13pm the line for Cornstalkers was stretching across the midway with all the lights on the facade and the queue not open. Coming back around 9:20 the maze has a sign outside saying it's closed and all of the lights turned on, very strange.
-There needs to be a scare zone in Safari Village. It's extremely noticeable and just throwing in some well camoflauged actors and fog in an umarked zone would do the same effect. Safari Village is a large chunk of the park and it doesn't really feel like it's a part of Haunt minus Lockdown, this could change next year which I'll adress later...
-Tollway Terror was down around 9 for "technical diffuclties" which I have never heard before in regared to an antique car attraction so I thought that was interesting.
Houses Ranked
1.Blood on the Bayou
2.Lockdown
3.
4.
5.
6.
Quick Notes
-Not really sure what was up but in the park at 7:13pm the line for Cornstalkers was stretching across the midway with all the lights on the facade and the queue not open. Coming back around 9:20 the maze has a sign outside saying it's closed and all of the lights turned on, very strange.
-There needs to be a scare zone in Safari Village. It's extremely noticeable and just throwing in some well camoflauged actors and fog in an umarked zone would do the same effect. Safari Village is a large chunk of the park and it doesn't really feel like it's a part of Haunt minus Lockdown, this could change next year which I'll adress later...
-Tollway Terror was down around 9 for "technical diffuclties" which I have never heard before in regared to an antique car attraction so I thought that was interesting.
Houses Ranked
1.Blood on the Bayou
2.Lockdown
3.
4.
5.
6.
We hit up Haunt on a whim last night. Crowds were low, and we got to do everything we wanted inside of 2 hours.
I was really surprised (in a good way) to have encountered several scare actors outside of scare zones. There were a handfull on International Street (in addition to the shrubbery guys and the grocery cart guy), a couple around the carousel area, and even two over where Kuru Curse used to be. I don't know why they were there, but they were scaring the bejesus out of people because they weren't expecting it at all. Nicely done, and a very welcome surprise.
I was really surprised (in a good way) to have encountered several scare actors outside of scare zones. There were a handfull on International Street (in addition to the shrubbery guys and the grocery cart guy), a couple around the carousel area, and even two over where Kuru Curse used to be. I don't know why they were there, but they were scaring the bejesus out of people because they weren't expecting it at all. Nicely done, and a very welcome surprise.
^The park has surprised us with a new, unadvertised horde of monsters privately known as the "Scare Squad." It consists of roughly two dozen actors who roam the park pretty much on their own accord, with many of the characters paying homage to past Haunt attractions; for example, characters from Maze Of Madness, PrimEvil, and Slaughterhouse are among these prowling actors.