Howl-O-Scream
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
I have no hangover so I will post now. First, thanks to all of the work you wonderful folks behind the scenes did to make this event happen. Thanks to all of the wonderful performers. I arrived at 10 am and stayed until closing at 10 pm (my feet hurt). I walked almost ten miles in the park today. It may be time to update the Big & Tall thread a bit. I hung out with some very cool people at different times for different things. Thanks for helping make my day spectacular. All I want to say at the moment is...
I had an AWESOME TIME and a lot of FUN!!
I had an AWESOME TIME and a lot of FUN!!
Alright late night review-
Houses-
Dead Line- As always dead line is one of the best houses the park has to offer!
Root Of All Evil- MUCH improved over last year. It looks like they actually put some work into it this year instead of just spreading a bunch of plants all over the place. I was glad to see the improvements.
Bitten- Seemed a bit understaffed but still pretty good. Pretty much what you would expect from bitten.
Catacombs- I enjoyed catacombs this year. Was well staffed tonight and the scare crew in there did a great job. Pretty much the same as last year but was still fun.
13 Your Numbers Up- EHHHHH.... Same as last year besides the clowns
Cut Throat Cove- Surprise of the century! This was actually one of my favorite parts of the night. In my opinion was much better than fear fair. Even as a last second throw together the theming was great.
Terror Tories-
In my opinion so far these are a sucsess! I enjoyed these much more than hoardes or scare zones. Great theming! And YES THERE ARE PATH SCARES IN TERROR TORIES!!!
Ripper Row- I loved this one. They really did a great job immersing you in the theme. Along with some path scares there was a great amount of work but the actors done to make it feels as if a murder was on the lose. I also really liked the way it looked especially at night.
Demon Street- Another pleasant surprise. The fire effect was cool! I also enjoyed the path scares in this area (including chainsaws). The demon d.j. and his set also looked very cool. For what looked like a potential train wreck actually turned out to be a greatly themed and pulled off area.
Vampire Point- Quite a few great path scares from about Alpengiest to Dark Castle. The Wilkomen building also turned out to look great. Once againt there was quite a bit of good theming throughout.
Port Of Skulls- As with all the others I really enjoyed this one. Loved seeing the pirate bungee scare. This area to me wasn't quite as scary as the other but still pulled off great!
Other general themeing- The rest of the park also looked great. The ghost in Wild Reserve were VERY creepy! The spider/ wear wolfs in New France were also great.
OVERALL- Much much improved over last year. Terror Tories seem to possibly the final solution to what the park has been looking for. Also Cut Throat Cove seems to be surprisingly good and improvements to Root had me happy for tonight. I left tonight very happy and enjoyed the event.Thumbs up on this one.
Houses-
Dead Line- As always dead line is one of the best houses the park has to offer!
Root Of All Evil- MUCH improved over last year. It looks like they actually put some work into it this year instead of just spreading a bunch of plants all over the place. I was glad to see the improvements.
Bitten- Seemed a bit understaffed but still pretty good. Pretty much what you would expect from bitten.
Catacombs- I enjoyed catacombs this year. Was well staffed tonight and the scare crew in there did a great job. Pretty much the same as last year but was still fun.
13 Your Numbers Up- EHHHHH.... Same as last year besides the clowns
Cut Throat Cove- Surprise of the century! This was actually one of my favorite parts of the night. In my opinion was much better than fear fair. Even as a last second throw together the theming was great.
Terror Tories-
In my opinion so far these are a sucsess! I enjoyed these much more than hoardes or scare zones. Great theming! And YES THERE ARE PATH SCARES IN TERROR TORIES!!!
Ripper Row- I loved this one. They really did a great job immersing you in the theme. Along with some path scares there was a great amount of work but the actors done to make it feels as if a murder was on the lose. I also really liked the way it looked especially at night.
Demon Street- Another pleasant surprise. The fire effect was cool! I also enjoyed the path scares in this area (including chainsaws). The demon d.j. and his set also looked very cool. For what looked like a potential train wreck actually turned out to be a greatly themed and pulled off area.
Vampire Point- Quite a few great path scares from about Alpengiest to Dark Castle. The Wilkomen building also turned out to look great. Once againt there was quite a bit of good theming throughout.
Port Of Skulls- As with all the others I really enjoyed this one. Loved seeing the pirate bungee scare. This area to me wasn't quite as scary as the other but still pulled off great!
Other general themeing- The rest of the park also looked great. The ghost in Wild Reserve were VERY creepy! The spider/ wear wolfs in New France were also great.
OVERALL- Much much improved over last year. Terror Tories seem to possibly the final solution to what the park has been looking for. Also Cut Throat Cove seems to be surprisingly good and improvements to Root had me happy for tonight. I left tonight very happy and enjoyed the event.Thumbs up on this one.
I went in 13 right after it opened and it had large unpopulated areas and weak scares at the time. As usual the mirror room looked great. Deadline was...um...pretty dead through the first part of the maze but it really picked up right after the room with all the electrical cords and ended up being really solid thereon out. I really liked how they were interpreting the bathroom scare. It was disgustingly cool. Bitten seemed a bit understaffed but was good for a couple of startles. As usual, Catacombs was wonderful. Everyone there was on their game and produced the biggest scares of the night. I thought, in general, the houses were much better than on any opening night. I only went through Cut Throat Cove during daylight and really liked the way most of it looked. I thought it was well-themed and was surprised at the quality and level of detail. I didn't make it through ROAE; my friend said she thought it was much better than last year's. What did you think redsoxfan?
I thought RoAE was 100x better. Last year it was god awful, this year was pretty good. I went through it in the day time, and got startled a few times. The layout of the maze is entirely different. The green houses had things hanging in them so you couldn't see just "flowers". I'd give it a 7/10. Last year I gave it a 2/10.
I am extremely disappointed in this site and things are really getting on my nerves. I am posting my initial thoughts and opinions of the Terror-tories daytime versus nighttime. Screw anyone else who thinks I am wrong or disagrees with me because this is my post and I am tired and frustrated with everyone's pessimistic views. First let me start of by writing a review of the Terror-tories, and comparing them to night versus day and I will end with my overall feeling of the event, compared to last years and the overall issues I have with the forums that pertain to this event mostly.
Ripper Row
At Day ~ It looks very neat and interesting, it definitely gives you a more enclosed feeling while not really using up a ton of space as members have feared. I also think it is great for the park to have the severed limbs right when you enter because it really lets people know what this is all about.
At Night ~ Definitely in the top two Terror-tories. All the actors were amazing. It was if it was an ongoing skit that the actors could change up periodically and scare you. It was not just boring side skits, nor was it just scares it was a healthy mix of both.
Demon Street
At Day ~ I can't blame you guys for saying this Terror-tory isn't up to par during the day because it just isn't. I find the coolest thing during the day is the demonic figures.
At Night ~ You guys should really be ashamed of yourselves. This is in my top two for Terror-tories. The lighting and effects mixed with the fog and demon actors with chainsaws is perfect. The music may not be demonic, but it isn't extremely out of place. Its also not the "popular" music that people complain about either. It is simple and effective. Many guests enjoyed the music and DJ. This area is top notch after dark.
Vampire Point
At Day ~ I honestly think this area was the worst; however, it was an amazing transformation. The building really did resemble a castle. I was a little shocked at the outdoor seating, but still it was pretty decent.
At Night ~ I think this area yells out sparkly and flashy. The dining area is just nothing but sparkles. I did love the vampire actors in the area, they definitely made the are much more interesting.
Port of Skulls
At Day ~ Just like VP, it just didn't strike me as amazing during the day, but it was still impressive. The new gift shop is mindblowing. I do love the aged and dirty look that everything has now.
At Night ~ A mind-blowing transformation. I am not too thrilled about the main photo op areas, I think they should be more used like RR's set but it was still interesting and very interactive. I also love the pirates here because they are all different! They don't wear a ton of repeat costumes like other areas do, or like last year. They were all unique which adds depth and reality to this total transformation.
Now, my overall look is the Terror-tories are a success. They provide amazing immersive experiences while also giving guest path scares still. I think for a new revolutionary idea, they did amazing; especially with all these rumored budget cuts. In every Terror-tory guests were happy, scared, and excited. I did not see any frowns or upset people at all. I think this is something I can definitely get used to.
Also I do have a few comments about the team member Howl-o-Scream costumes. First off, many team members were mismatched or not changed at all. Apparently, the park did not have enough costumes in stock to give everyone a costume or a full costume. It is so bad that those who do have a full costume only get 1 outfit the entire event. So if they work all weekend either they have to do laundry every day or wear clothes that haven't been washed for a maximum of three days straight. I think this was the most lackluster part of the entire event and I hope this situation improves quickly.
Now I want to address pathway scares. Each Terror-tory has some scares. Do not fear, there are scares. However, most of the Terror-tories don't have scare actors just waiting to pop out and jump at you. A lot of these actors are just walking around as if you are really in whatever place you are in. I also very much enjoyed the variety in costumes for each area. The only areas that had similar costumes or identical costumes was Vampire Point and Demon Street, but they aren't carbon copies so it wasn't too bad. However, the best way to explain pathway scares is, it is a healthy mix between scares and full thematic immersion into real life of that specific place.
Finally I want to address the crappy attitude and appearance this site has been showing. I am not alone in this at all. I have friends who look at this site occasionally and there are members who agree as well. This site has been giving off a very negative tone and attitude towards Howl-o-Scream and budget cuts, and entertainment in general. I am saying this because I care, but you guys really need to cut out the politics. All I ever see is full posts about how crappy this event is and how terrible the park is doing and how we should all just hate every bit of it. It looks bad on our part especially in reports or news when people read those, they should be getting non-opinionated facts. I hate that you guys almost ruined my Howl-o-Scream this year. I was literally depressed about the event because all you guys did was make the event out to be trash. Guess what happened to me during my visit? I had fun! Guests had fun! Everyone enjoyed themselves! Why? Because that is what the park is about having fun and enjoying yourself. When you come into the event expecting crap, guess what you are going to get? Crap! All I am saying is walk into the event with an open mind, and open heart, and ready for fun. Don't go into the park thinking about budget cuts and a crappy infrastructure because you aren't supposed to be thinking about that. Heck, you really shouldn't even know about it! Also to note, why in the world is the first 8 pages of hate and crap? Get your stuff together people, time to grow up.
I want to give a large thanks to all the theater technicians who pulled 18 hour shifts every day the past week to really put together the meat of the event. I want to extend that to the costumers who did a fabulous job creating the different costumes for the scare actors. I also like to thank any other behind the scenes team members for really putting the event together and making it the exciting and fun event that it is. I do not enjoy a lot of what the management does, but I am only thanking them for what we have today as far as ideas, they tend to take a lot of crap from us because they pull of some of the stupidest things that make no sense but they do have a few lightning strikes of genius and I am giving credit just for that. All in all, I am thanking everyone for their outstanding effort and work that helped build this event and these ideas from nothing to something.
I am once again disclaiming that this is my opinion and I could care less if you disagree, Rip me limb from limb, Burn me at the stake, Feed me to the bloodsuckers, and make me walk the plank, I will forever say this event is definitely 100% better and more prepared than last year's event with no doubt. Once again, screw whoever thinks I am wrong or doesn't care about my opinion because frankly all that matters to me is how I feel!
It is all about FUN!
Ripper Row
At Day ~ It looks very neat and interesting, it definitely gives you a more enclosed feeling while not really using up a ton of space as members have feared. I also think it is great for the park to have the severed limbs right when you enter because it really lets people know what this is all about.
At Night ~ Definitely in the top two Terror-tories. All the actors were amazing. It was if it was an ongoing skit that the actors could change up periodically and scare you. It was not just boring side skits, nor was it just scares it was a healthy mix of both.
Demon Street
At Day ~ I can't blame you guys for saying this Terror-tory isn't up to par during the day because it just isn't. I find the coolest thing during the day is the demonic figures.
At Night ~ You guys should really be ashamed of yourselves. This is in my top two for Terror-tories. The lighting and effects mixed with the fog and demon actors with chainsaws is perfect. The music may not be demonic, but it isn't extremely out of place. Its also not the "popular" music that people complain about either. It is simple and effective. Many guests enjoyed the music and DJ. This area is top notch after dark.
Vampire Point
At Day ~ I honestly think this area was the worst; however, it was an amazing transformation. The building really did resemble a castle. I was a little shocked at the outdoor seating, but still it was pretty decent.
At Night ~ I think this area yells out sparkly and flashy. The dining area is just nothing but sparkles. I did love the vampire actors in the area, they definitely made the are much more interesting.
Port of Skulls
At Day ~ Just like VP, it just didn't strike me as amazing during the day, but it was still impressive. The new gift shop is mindblowing. I do love the aged and dirty look that everything has now.
At Night ~ A mind-blowing transformation. I am not too thrilled about the main photo op areas, I think they should be more used like RR's set but it was still interesting and very interactive. I also love the pirates here because they are all different! They don't wear a ton of repeat costumes like other areas do, or like last year. They were all unique which adds depth and reality to this total transformation.
Now, my overall look is the Terror-tories are a success. They provide amazing immersive experiences while also giving guest path scares still. I think for a new revolutionary idea, they did amazing; especially with all these rumored budget cuts. In every Terror-tory guests were happy, scared, and excited. I did not see any frowns or upset people at all. I think this is something I can definitely get used to.
Also I do have a few comments about the team member Howl-o-Scream costumes. First off, many team members were mismatched or not changed at all. Apparently, the park did not have enough costumes in stock to give everyone a costume or a full costume. It is so bad that those who do have a full costume only get 1 outfit the entire event. So if they work all weekend either they have to do laundry every day or wear clothes that haven't been washed for a maximum of three days straight. I think this was the most lackluster part of the entire event and I hope this situation improves quickly.
Now I want to address pathway scares. Each Terror-tory has some scares. Do not fear, there are scares. However, most of the Terror-tories don't have scare actors just waiting to pop out and jump at you. A lot of these actors are just walking around as if you are really in whatever place you are in. I also very much enjoyed the variety in costumes for each area. The only areas that had similar costumes or identical costumes was Vampire Point and Demon Street, but they aren't carbon copies so it wasn't too bad. However, the best way to explain pathway scares is, it is a healthy mix between scares and full thematic immersion into real life of that specific place.
Finally I want to address the crappy attitude and appearance this site has been showing. I am not alone in this at all. I have friends who look at this site occasionally and there are members who agree as well. This site has been giving off a very negative tone and attitude towards Howl-o-Scream and budget cuts, and entertainment in general. I am saying this because I care, but you guys really need to cut out the politics. All I ever see is full posts about how crappy this event is and how terrible the park is doing and how we should all just hate every bit of it. It looks bad on our part especially in reports or news when people read those, they should be getting non-opinionated facts. I hate that you guys almost ruined my Howl-o-Scream this year. I was literally depressed about the event because all you guys did was make the event out to be trash. Guess what happened to me during my visit? I had fun! Guests had fun! Everyone enjoyed themselves! Why? Because that is what the park is about having fun and enjoying yourself. When you come into the event expecting crap, guess what you are going to get? Crap! All I am saying is walk into the event with an open mind, and open heart, and ready for fun. Don't go into the park thinking about budget cuts and a crappy infrastructure because you aren't supposed to be thinking about that. Heck, you really shouldn't even know about it! Also to note, why in the world is the first 8 pages of hate and crap? Get your stuff together people, time to grow up.
I want to give a large thanks to all the theater technicians who pulled 18 hour shifts every day the past week to really put together the meat of the event. I want to extend that to the costumers who did a fabulous job creating the different costumes for the scare actors. I also like to thank any other behind the scenes team members for really putting the event together and making it the exciting and fun event that it is. I do not enjoy a lot of what the management does, but I am only thanking them for what we have today as far as ideas, they tend to take a lot of crap from us because they pull of some of the stupidest things that make no sense but they do have a few lightning strikes of genius and I am giving credit just for that. All in all, I am thanking everyone for their outstanding effort and work that helped build this event and these ideas from nothing to something.
I am once again disclaiming that this is my opinion and I could care less if you disagree, Rip me limb from limb, Burn me at the stake, Feed me to the bloodsuckers, and make me walk the plank, I will forever say this event is definitely 100% better and more prepared than last year's event with no doubt. Once again, screw whoever thinks I am wrong or doesn't care about my opinion because frankly all that matters to me is how I feel!
It is all about FUN!
While I don't agree with how you said it PR, I do agree about the overt negativity on the forums needing to be tempered a bit. I'm glad you had a good time.
Party Rocker said:
I'm going to try and keep this short.
If you are so unhappy here, why don't you just leave? Also, I don't really understand where you are coming from in regards to "the politics". Zachary (and others) report on the news, rumors, etc and report it how they hear it. No one is injecting lies and politics into anything. The chain is doing shitty, why try and pad that? If they are down 9% and everyone else is up, there is a problem. And it's clear there are many reasons why the chain is down.
Yes, I know I try and enjoy it as much as possible. But I guess you are missing the fact that there are a lot of people that have stopped following the site because they've lost the fun and enjoyment the park used to provide. I can't speak for him, but it seems even the founder of the site has lost that also.
But yes pr, you keep having fun. If there was the right position for me, i'd love to work at the park.
In short, I don't want to leave because despite the negativity, I love the park and I love what the name BGWFans stands for. I am just overall extremely concerned about the impact all this unnecessary negativity is providing the public image of the site in the eyes of guests/lurkers. Do you really think it looks good for a site called BGWFans to say nothing but crap about the park? I am not saying hide the fact things aren't going well, just don't dwell and over exaggerate them. Especially when it came to Howl-o-Scream, we heard inside sources speak of budget cuts, with that new and what we saw last weekend everyone immediately doomed the event without a second thought. I was worried but I wasn't over exaggerating the state of things either.
I will keep having fun because you can't take life seriously, you will never get out alive.
I will keep having fun because you can't take life seriously, you will never get out alive.
How about everyone shut the fuck up.
Party Rocker said:
As the self-appointed King of the Lurkers (and infrequent posters), I'll just address this little portion above.
I appreciate the differing viewpoints on the park. For the most part, Nic, CK, and you, PR, have a more optimistic view on the parks direction. Others have lately seen the park going in the opposite direction. I'd rather have a fair share of negativity rather than everyone being optimistic to a fault (and vice-versa).
If anything, I've found the site to be brutally honest as of late- and I appreciate that.
----------------
Now, to keep it HOS related:
I'm really happy they were able to put everything together in the last week. I haven't been yet, but Vampire Point looks really good from the pics.
I'm really happy they covered the flags in Demon Street- still don't get why they were necessary in the first place, but I don't think they take anything away either.
Not sold on the pergola in Ripper Row, but other than that I think it looks great (especially for England having no change recently).
Port of Skulls I'll have to wait until I go Sunday since there haven't been as many pics (or I may have missed them).
I do not see myself as optimistic to a flaw. I point out the bad things, I just choose not to flood the forums with the same "I hate [insert something]" message over and over again. I only push for optimism because as of late, others have been extremely negative for no apparent reason. Yes the park is going through hard times, as all things typically do.
For those who feel the need to continue this discussion with me, or if you have anything to say to me regarding the matter private message me.
For those who feel the need to continue this discussion with me, or if you have anything to say to me regarding the matter private message me.
For those who are more interested in my overall review of the evening and Terror-tories I posted a formal trip report in the proper forum. it is a carbon copy of what I posted here, but I edited out everything that wasn't directly related to my trip. This is for those who are solely looking for information regarding my trip.
Sights and sounds from Demon Street:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTKiupUet5w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTKiupUet5w
Quick question, were they playing the Jocelyn Montgomery song for catacombs again? Or was the DJ over powering it?
Just a small note, new signage has been added to the monsters in Ireland. The new execs as follows:
One-Eyed Jeff
Freeze Dried Franz
*VP of Finance
I will try to get pictures soon!
One-Eyed Jeff
Freeze Dried Franz
*VP of Finance
I will try to get pictures soon!
