Howl-O-Scream 2016
- Thread starter Diamond Dave
- Start date
Funny thing, I went through Deadline for the first time last Friday. I have somehow 'skipped' it every single time for the last few years. I'll just say this, there are few places on earth with the special effects quality of the electricity room. For a walk through house, this room was really really cool. No actors to be found though. The toilet thing was cool too.
I have always liked the design within deadline it just works so well with the area and the special effects have always been top notch. Its one of those houses that has such potential that seems to be overlooked year after year
MAZ said:
Sometimes they do have someone in that room at least twice in my trips through this year other times not. They hang out to the right as you are "U-Turning" through that room. Kinda just enough to mess with your senses and not see them coming.
The toilet spraying the water is activated by trip laser as you round the corner near the floor. It's depended on others tripping it however they have had an actor in there in the first stall activating manually in other years haven't seen that yet this year.
When I went through Deadline earlier this year, there was an actress in the bathroom stall, and we got sprayed. I remember being really annoyed, because my shoes and socks got wet.
I pushed my dad through Deadline in a wheelchair, and it was actually quite a fun/funny experience. Right before the "going down" (claustrophobia 2) scene, the attendant gave us plent of space ahead of and behind us, which was really helpful. Aside from not running the risk of bumping into any guests, we were able to admire the detail (which my dad loved).
Now, this was technically my dad's first full experience with a haunted maze, and I believe the wheelchair helped a lot of his fears. He said he felt more like it was a ride along the lines of a Geisterbahn (ghost train). I was surprised at how easy it was to maneuver through the building. The only annoyances were the hanging vines, tarps and such in the first third of the maze.
What was funny is that the actors were trying hard to temper their scares for a (slightly nervous) man in a wheelchair, yet they missed him 50% of the time. Although they were aiming for him (like a guest of honor), they ended up scaring towards me. Therefore they missed him in his peripheral vision by a split second. Most of them ended up looking at me perplexed as to "How did I possibly miss him?".
With most of the hidden scares I had to signal them to scare him because they were unsure. This is the main problem with the maze in my opinion, not just under-staffing. The actors are hidden too well. That provides to many missed opportunities. Compare that to the other extremity which is Kings Dominion's tactic: They typically have no hiding spots due to the good ones being very expensive. Then you get more of a 50/50 chance that they will scare you. In Deadline, the chance of being scared is anyone's wildest guess.
We still had great fun, though. I think he is now more open to the idea of haunted mazes now that he has seen theming and set design at its best.
Now, this was technically my dad's first full experience with a haunted maze, and I believe the wheelchair helped a lot of his fears. He said he felt more like it was a ride along the lines of a Geisterbahn (ghost train). I was surprised at how easy it was to maneuver through the building. The only annoyances were the hanging vines, tarps and such in the first third of the maze.
What was funny is that the actors were trying hard to temper their scares for a (slightly nervous) man in a wheelchair, yet they missed him 50% of the time. Although they were aiming for him (like a guest of honor), they ended up scaring towards me. Therefore they missed him in his peripheral vision by a split second. Most of them ended up looking at me perplexed as to "How did I possibly miss him?".
With most of the hidden scares I had to signal them to scare him because they were unsure. This is the main problem with the maze in my opinion, not just under-staffing. The actors are hidden too well. That provides to many missed opportunities. Compare that to the other extremity which is Kings Dominion's tactic: They typically have no hiding spots due to the good ones being very expensive. Then you get more of a 50/50 chance that they will scare you. In Deadline, the chance of being scared is anyone's wildest guess.
We still had great fun, though. I think he is now more open to the idea of haunted mazes now that he has seen theming and set design at its best.
I've been sitting in the entrance plaza after the ticket scanners and the doll is a huge crowd pleaser people are stopping to look at it and saying man that's cool and stopping to take pictures much better than the unearthed prop from last year
Just so everyone knows, I keep hearing that the park is a madhouse today.
Here is the GP method of solving the issues of people being turned away due to capacity... Here is a quote from Facebook:
"have people claim "right to enter" tickets ahead of time then it doesn't matter if you are a seasons pass holder or not. Then everyone else who shows up will have to wait until people leave. No surprises."
"have people claim "right to enter" tickets ahead of time then it doesn't matter if you are a seasons pass holder or not. Then everyone else who shows up will have to wait until people leave. No surprises."
Some pics from the past week.
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL41lXAAp0Z/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL42GkTgmRd/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL43tetAHZz/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL44y_Rgb49/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL45r8ogJVn/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL46UscgX25/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL41lXAAp0Z/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL42GkTgmRd/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL43tetAHZz/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL44y_Rgb49/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL45r8ogJVn/]
[instagram=https://instagram.com/p/BL46UscgX25/]
Went to Howl-O-Scream for the first time today. It probably wasn't the smartest idea to go on a Saturday because I only managed to get in 3 coasters and 2 mazes.
Hello everyone! It's been awhile!
The park was very packed yesterday, but the houses and terror-tories were very well staffed. I was surprised by how many times I was surprised and impressed with how many good scares I got just walking through Vampire Point before even getting to the first house. There were actors EVERYWHERE. When we got to Cornered, there really did seem to be an actor around every corner. Wendigo Woods seemed well staffed, but there were so many people that the actors had to stay on the edges of the pathways. I surprisingly enjoyed Demon Street just because of the actors, especially the one who chased me into the outdoor dining area for Crêpes and Coffee. Sideshow square was nice, but also too congested to be effective. I did, however, get a good scare from the clown with the dwarf clown on his feet. We wanted to go through Circo Sinistro, but after considering the hour and forty-five minute wait, decided to go through deadline instead. This was the only house that seemed understaffed.
Overall, after reading all the comments about it on here and remembering the last time hi had gone to Howl-o-Scream, who's was during the Dark Side of the Gardens, I was pleasantly surprised by the houses and the scare zones, even though I prefer the roaming hordes. I look forward to going back.
The park was very packed yesterday, but the houses and terror-tories were very well staffed. I was surprised by how many times I was surprised and impressed with how many good scares I got just walking through Vampire Point before even getting to the first house. There were actors EVERYWHERE. When we got to Cornered, there really did seem to be an actor around every corner. Wendigo Woods seemed well staffed, but there were so many people that the actors had to stay on the edges of the pathways. I surprisingly enjoyed Demon Street just because of the actors, especially the one who chased me into the outdoor dining area for Crêpes and Coffee. Sideshow square was nice, but also too congested to be effective. I did, however, get a good scare from the clown with the dwarf clown on his feet. We wanted to go through Circo Sinistro, but after considering the hour and forty-five minute wait, decided to go through deadline instead. This was the only house that seemed understaffed.
Overall, after reading all the comments about it on here and remembering the last time hi had gone to Howl-o-Scream, who's was during the Dark Side of the Gardens, I was pleasantly surprised by the houses and the scare zones, even though I prefer the roaming hordes. I look forward to going back.
Sup. It's been a while. Prolly just gonna say this and then disappear for a while again.
Went last night, clearly knew it was going to be insane. But as I work at place where their main season is Halloween and it being my birthday, it was my one chance to at least get part of a Saturday off.
That being said I went through 4 houses, 2 shows, 1 Scarezone (Yes Scarezone, I know what I said). Which is about what I expected.
Sideshow Square: 2.5/5
I love the costumes. I love the makeup. But it being in front of Tempesto and only Tempesto is just... eh. There wasn't a ton of decoration. I know the front of Tempesto leans towards the circus theme, but you need more than a couple of boxes and some left over masks from Fear Fair to make an area.
Starfright Orchestra: 3/5
I was really excited for this to be coming back. There definitely needed to be something in that theater for HoS. It was rather nostalgic for me to watch. And it was about what I remembered. (Except the cast being... bigger.) They sang a lot of the same songs, dropped a few added new ones to replace it. Over all it was alright and it was basically what I remembered. It's not bad, but it wasn't great either.
Fiends: 4/5
My expectations for Fiends had dropped super low since 2012's version. Going into the show I always hope that it'll just be decent. And this exceeded my expectations. It's still not my favorite version, but I got quiet a few laughs from it, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Now for my nitpick, I don't like how they changed the nurses's dresses. This is again, a nitpick, but in previous years they had slits on the sides of their dresses. Which made their uniforms not bunch all up at their hips when they moved their legs a certain way. Otherwise, I really love Simplicity's new wig. It makes her stand out more.
Unearthed: 4/5
Did this house first, to try and do some of the waiting before HoS started. I had super low expectations for this house, coming off of last years experience. This house certainly wins the award of "Most Improved". I actually had a scare in there. Thanks Goatman for bleating at me, I guess? The screens still don't work. But, I guess it's scarier than giant dolls hanging from the ceiling with fans blowing on them.
I will ask, did they add a ton more hanging props?? Because I don't remember having to move so much out of my face while walking.
Cornered: 4/5
This was the second to the last house we did for the night. I had high expectations as it was my favorite house of the year last year. And even though we were stuck behind a family with a 2 year old, it still remains my favorite house. I'm so glad they moved the sheets to the very first thing you walk into. It makes the house go that much smoother. I wish they didn't have it at all, but if they kept it that's what I'd want it to be. We had quite a few scares in it. The mirrors were the favorite in my group. And despite them sending in very small groups into the house, the line still was moving constantly.
Lumberhack: 3.5/5
This was the last house we did for the night. Unfortunately, you could really tell the actors were tired by the time we went through (About 15 minutes before closing. No line for the house either, yay) Got a few scares. The sliding blade got us again. And so did the chainsaws at the very end on the ramp. I just wish i could have gone through it while the actors had more energy.
Now for the absolute worst house.
Circo Sinsitro: 0/5
This house was a giant steaming pile of shit. It was pretty. That's all it had going for it.
We'll start with the line. It's a Saturday, the second to the last weekend of HoS, the park hit capacity. I know the lines are going to be ridiculous. However, there is zero excuse for QQ to constantly have like 30-40 people being let in for every 10-15 of the regular queue. There's just none. I'm sorry, if you have to sit there and say "Well they paid for it", then you need to limit what you sell. There's just no excuse for this. Waiting for 2 hours, and then to go through the house like that. I was mad. Everyone leaving the house who waited in the regular line was mad. I'm also pretty sure several QQ people leaving the house were upset too.
Second of all, the staffing was atrocious. You can't have an understaffed house, and then send half your staff on break during the busiest part of the night, on your busiest weekend. We walked through several rooms where there was just nobody in it. We saw where people should be, but they just weren't there.
Third, The over use of "Is it real or not". One room like this, oh yeah really cool. I'm glad you did this. The last half the house, where I'm walking through 3-4 rooms of the same. thing. Not cool. I know the trick, I know what I'm looking for. The scare doesn't work. It was ridiculous.
Fourth, the first room should not exist as part of the main house. It should be a bonus room for QQ, like Skeleton Key rooms are for Cedar Fair parks. I don't even remember what they told me in the room. But it felt like that room had like half the staff of the house in it. It certainly had the most people in a single room.
Fifth, the dollhouse theme being shoehorned into the house doesn't work. I understood the connection between it and the theme for this year, but it doesn't work. Dedicate a house to the doll theme. Because it felt like this house couldn't decide if it wanted to be doll themed or circus themed.
Also, I have no idea what's on the right side of the house. Everyone leaving said to go right, we went left because going right, literally was at a stand still. And I'm not that sort of person to stand and wait. Going left would have been great... if there were actors in the room. I don't even think there was a house staff member in there.
Circo had so much potential. And it was an absolute garbage heap. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they do what they did to Unearthed this year. BG needs to stop creating new houses, and then not staffing them properly. They also need to stop with the theme of "Main New House on it's first year is god awful. But next year its basically the best house, when it no longer is the theme, and thus doesn't matter as much." We've gone through it with Root and now Unearthed, I expect Circo to do the same next year, and that really should not be the case.
Went last night, clearly knew it was going to be insane. But as I work at place where their main season is Halloween and it being my birthday, it was my one chance to at least get part of a Saturday off.
That being said I went through 4 houses, 2 shows, 1 Scarezone (Yes Scarezone, I know what I said). Which is about what I expected.
Sideshow Square: 2.5/5
I love the costumes. I love the makeup. But it being in front of Tempesto and only Tempesto is just... eh. There wasn't a ton of decoration. I know the front of Tempesto leans towards the circus theme, but you need more than a couple of boxes and some left over masks from Fear Fair to make an area.
Starfright Orchestra: 3/5
I was really excited for this to be coming back. There definitely needed to be something in that theater for HoS. It was rather nostalgic for me to watch. And it was about what I remembered. (Except the cast being... bigger.) They sang a lot of the same songs, dropped a few added new ones to replace it. Over all it was alright and it was basically what I remembered. It's not bad, but it wasn't great either.
Fiends: 4/5
My expectations for Fiends had dropped super low since 2012's version. Going into the show I always hope that it'll just be decent. And this exceeded my expectations. It's still not my favorite version, but I got quiet a few laughs from it, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Now for my nitpick, I don't like how they changed the nurses's dresses. This is again, a nitpick, but in previous years they had slits on the sides of their dresses. Which made their uniforms not bunch all up at their hips when they moved their legs a certain way. Otherwise, I really love Simplicity's new wig. It makes her stand out more.
Unearthed: 4/5
Did this house first, to try and do some of the waiting before HoS started. I had super low expectations for this house, coming off of last years experience. This house certainly wins the award of "Most Improved". I actually had a scare in there. Thanks Goatman for bleating at me, I guess? The screens still don't work. But, I guess it's scarier than giant dolls hanging from the ceiling with fans blowing on them.
I will ask, did they add a ton more hanging props?? Because I don't remember having to move so much out of my face while walking.
Cornered: 4/5
This was the second to the last house we did for the night. I had high expectations as it was my favorite house of the year last year. And even though we were stuck behind a family with a 2 year old, it still remains my favorite house. I'm so glad they moved the sheets to the very first thing you walk into. It makes the house go that much smoother. I wish they didn't have it at all, but if they kept it that's what I'd want it to be. We had quite a few scares in it. The mirrors were the favorite in my group. And despite them sending in very small groups into the house, the line still was moving constantly.
Lumberhack: 3.5/5
This was the last house we did for the night. Unfortunately, you could really tell the actors were tired by the time we went through (About 15 minutes before closing. No line for the house either, yay) Got a few scares. The sliding blade got us again. And so did the chainsaws at the very end on the ramp. I just wish i could have gone through it while the actors had more energy.
Now for the absolute worst house.
Circo Sinsitro: 0/5
This house was a giant steaming pile of shit. It was pretty. That's all it had going for it.
We'll start with the line. It's a Saturday, the second to the last weekend of HoS, the park hit capacity. I know the lines are going to be ridiculous. However, there is zero excuse for QQ to constantly have like 30-40 people being let in for every 10-15 of the regular queue. There's just none. I'm sorry, if you have to sit there and say "Well they paid for it", then you need to limit what you sell. There's just no excuse for this. Waiting for 2 hours, and then to go through the house like that. I was mad. Everyone leaving the house who waited in the regular line was mad. I'm also pretty sure several QQ people leaving the house were upset too.
Second of all, the staffing was atrocious. You can't have an understaffed house, and then send half your staff on break during the busiest part of the night, on your busiest weekend. We walked through several rooms where there was just nobody in it. We saw where people should be, but they just weren't there.
Third, The over use of "Is it real or not". One room like this, oh yeah really cool. I'm glad you did this. The last half the house, where I'm walking through 3-4 rooms of the same. thing. Not cool. I know the trick, I know what I'm looking for. The scare doesn't work. It was ridiculous.
Fourth, the first room should not exist as part of the main house. It should be a bonus room for QQ, like Skeleton Key rooms are for Cedar Fair parks. I don't even remember what they told me in the room. But it felt like that room had like half the staff of the house in it. It certainly had the most people in a single room.
Fifth, the dollhouse theme being shoehorned into the house doesn't work. I understood the connection between it and the theme for this year, but it doesn't work. Dedicate a house to the doll theme. Because it felt like this house couldn't decide if it wanted to be doll themed or circus themed.
Also, I have no idea what's on the right side of the house. Everyone leaving said to go right, we went left because going right, literally was at a stand still. And I'm not that sort of person to stand and wait. Going left would have been great... if there were actors in the room. I don't even think there was a house staff member in there.
Circo had so much potential. And it was an absolute garbage heap. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they do what they did to Unearthed this year. BG needs to stop creating new houses, and then not staffing them properly. They also need to stop with the theme of "Main New House on it's first year is god awful. But next year its basically the best house, when it no longer is the theme, and thus doesn't matter as much." We've gone through it with Root and now Unearthed, I expect Circo to do the same next year, and that really should not be the case.
The husband and I went this past Saturday and the park reached capacity at 5pm. What is capacity for this event??? I was expecting it to be crowded, but Saturday was absolutely nuts!!! Saying it was 'crowded' doesn't do it justice. There were areas where you couldn't even move and lines were over an hour long. I am glad we went on a Friday a few weeks ago, that was much nicer.
The thing that shocked me the most was the amount of strollers and little kids that were at the park late into the evening. Kids were terrified in the Terror-tories and newborns were screaming. That is pretty cruel to subject your newborn and little ones to this kind of atmosphere when they are too young to handle it.....
The thing that shocked me the most was the amount of strollers and little kids that were at the park late into the evening. Kids were terrified in the Terror-tories and newborns were screaming. That is pretty cruel to subject your newborn and little ones to this kind of atmosphere when they are too young to handle it.....
Wondering if anyone here has any info about what happened in Deadline last night (Sunday 10/23). Went by around 9:15 and it was closed. A couple staff standing guard at the entrance; we asked if it would re-open before park closing and they said "very small chance." Curious, we then asked if something was broken in the house and all they offered was a curt "no." There were a bunch of security officers at the exit and in the walkway from there back towards the house.
Luke said:
I'm so glad you got this pic! It was SUCH a gorgeous night with that full moon! I tried to take the same picture with my iPhone and it just wasn't up to the task.
RKRCC said:
The stroller convention and babies in the mazes are perennial problems that have been frustrating many of us for years. Unfortunately, KD seems t be heading in the same direction.
We did discover this year, however, that both BGT and SFA are stroller-free.