Shaqtoberfest

[MikePat]

Brand new Halloween event opening in Long Beach, California at the Queen Mary ship presented by the twisted minds of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, ABG Entertainment, and Shaquille O'Neal.




Discuss.

 

[SailwiththeTide]

Meh

 

[Clive]

It doesn’t seem like it’s actually going to be on the ship, so… pass.

 

[Tobias]

It doesn’t seem like it’s actually going to be on the ship, so… pass.

Considering how the last owners neglected it, I wouldn't be expecting anything to be back on the ship itself for a long time. And as for this event, I'll say I wasn't expecting this kind of news. Though I have a gut feeling the reason Shaq is involved is due to his connection with Carnival, and Carnival being rather big in that area. Heck, they previously kicked Dark Harbor out of the dome because they turned it into their cruise terminal.

 

[Clive]

Considering how the last owners neglected it, I wouldn't be expecting anything to be back on the ship itself for a long time. And as for this event, I'll say I wasn't expecting this kind of news. Though I have a gut feeling the reason Shaq is involved is due to his connection with Carnival, and Carnival being rather big in that area. Heck, they previously kicked Dark Harbor out of the dome because they turned it into their cruise terminal.

Oh, yeah. I'm fairly familiar with the ship's unfortunate recent history, so this isn't at all surprising. But claiming it's "at/on" the Queen Mary is a bit misleading since the entirety of the event will likely take place *in front* of the ship in its parking lot... Not nearly as exciting-sounding, though.

 

[Wesker69]

Midsummer Scream 2022

 

[Wesker69]

While the website itself is STILL devoid of actual event info & content, here is an overdue update from Midsummer Scream

The actual Shaqtoberfest segment of the panel



Here is keyart shown during the panel






Event "map"


Event Info:
- All ages (including adults!) Trick-or-Treat trails
- Trick-or-treat by day, Monsters unleashed at Dusk
- 6 themed areas
- themed food & beverages (alcoholic & non-alcoholic)
- midway games
- Audio/video recorded by Shaq

UNKNOWN:
- Event Dates
- Ticket Prices
- Hours

 

[deadbydawn]

I think it's cool they are trying to make it family friendly in the daytime and then more of an adult event in the evening. Curious to see what reviews will be like once it opens.

 

[Wesker69]

So they FINALLY updated the website with event dates, tickets for sale & the spooky info...





OCTOBER 7th-31st there is a price increase



Now for the spooky areas of fun & Doom!

During the day, Shaq Diesel’s Pumpkin Patch offers a traditional experience where kids of all ages can explore the attraction by stopping at one of the many trick-or-treat stations, pumpkin sculptures, or inflatable play zones.

At night, the attraction erupts to life as a Shaq Diesel mix blasts throughout the area accompanied by an over-the-top light show mixing Halloween and EDM into a walk-through experience.


Midway Madness is a festive street carnival, complete with a clown-infested Funhouse!

Filled with rides, games, and a variety of food, the carnival offers trick-or-treating during the day and an adult experience after 8pm.


Located underneath the gangways alongside the Queen Mary, guests can explore the area where time and its inhabitants have been stuck in the 1920’s.

During the day, guests can trick-or-treat amongst the larger-than-life characters or grab a frozen treat at the waterfront Ice Cream Shaq.

But be warned- when the sun sets on Lost City Boardwalk, ghastly characters emerge from the seedy underbelly of the boardwalk!


On the hunt for buried treasure, pirates have invaded the local shore and caves searching for riches. Greeted by Blackbeard Bart, Guests make their way through dark alleys and caves of a waterfront village overtaken by pirates.

Located within the area is a secret pirate lair “Captain Shaq’s Hideaway” where guests can grab a shot of rum, toast to the pirate’s life and fire a cannon.


A quaint village on the wharf offers a family-friendly trick-or-treat trail during the day, as well as a Shaqtoberfest retail experience.

At night, the area boasts a craft beer pub for all guests and a VIP Speakeasy for the 21+ VIP Experience ticket-holders.


Rusted vessels and withering cargo shrouded in fog and whispering echoes lie between the boardwalk and a nearby fishing village, surrounded by dangerous seafaring undead surfacing from their watery graves.

This area is a family-friendly trick-or-treat spot during the day and an eerie gauntlet after 8pm.

 

[Freak]

So I'm confused. Are there actual haunted houses or are they just trails for Trick or Treat (Kinda like the Disney Halloween events) that turn scary at night?

 

[Wesker69]

So I'm confused. Are there actual haunted houses or are they just trails for Trick or Treat (Kinda like the Disney Halloween events) that turn scary at night?

Basically an overall "spooky" area by day, then "scary" by night. Think of it like a mega Halloween party with themed areas.

However I believe some of the "trails" will be similar to "Aftermath" at Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest being an outdoor haunt.

They don't make it very clear, especially without a proper event map. But just expect "outdoor haunts" instead of indoor.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I went to this over the weekend -- my media friend had an extra pass and he let me tag along. Honestly, it was a lot of fun.

It's not Dark Harbor at all -- if you're hoping for/expecting that kind of event, you'll be disappointed. It has the atmosphere of a block party or a small town fair, especially before 8pm, which is the family-friendly portion. There are carnival rides and carnival food, and the "trails" as they're called have people in them handing out candy instead of scare actors. After 8pm, the scare actors come out -- they do a bit where Shaq comes on a screen and does a spiel about the ghosts of the Queen Mary coming to life, and there's a little chainsaw performance followed by this cool marching band that walks around.

At that point it starts to feel a little like the old Dark Harbor event, but it definitely maintains the "block party" vibe all night, which again I really liked. Idk, maybe it's because my drinks were free but it was super fun. Definitely hokey in parts but in a way that feels intentional, like they're kinda winking at you -- one of the trails has a section called "The Pumpkin Shaq," that kinda humor.

And honestly when the scare actors come out, the trails are pretty good. They're short, but immersive and well-designed. One has a bar in it, like Dark Harbor used to do. This is a 13th Floor event, so they use a lot of the animatronics you see at Haunted Hayride, which can be hit or miss, but the actors were consistently good.

I'd rank the trails as such (Shipwreck Graveyard is essentially a scare zone):

1. Diesel's Pumpkin Patch
2. Dead Man's Wharf
3. Pirate's Cove
4. Lost City Boardwalk
5. Midway Madness

So yeah, all in all it's a fun time. If you're looking to go to a Halloween party that has the added benefit of also being a pretty decent haunt event, this is it.

 

[deadbydawn]

I went to this over the weekend -- my media friend had an extra pass and he let me tag along. Honestly, it was a lot of fun.

It's not Dark Harbor at all -- if you're hoping for/expecting that kind of event, you'll be disappointed. It has the atmosphere of a block party or a small town fair, especially before 8pm, which is the family-friendly portion. There are carnival rides and carnival food, and the "trails" as they're called have people in them handing out candy instead of scare actors. After 8pm, the scare actors come out -- they do a bit where Shaq comes on a screen and does a spiel about the ghosts of the Queen Mary coming to life, and there's a little chainsaw performance followed by this cool marching band that walks around.

At that point it starts to feel a little like the old Dark Harbor event, but it definitely maintains the "block party" vibe all night, which again I really liked. Idk, maybe it's because my drinks were free but it was super fun. Definitely hokey in parts but in a way that feels intentional, like they're kinda winking at you -- one of the trails has a section called "The Pumpkin Shaq," that kinda humor.

And honestly when the scare actors come out, the trails are pretty good. They're short, but immersive and well-designed. One has a bar in it, like Dark Harbor used to do. This is a 13th Floor event, so they use a lot of the animatronics you see at Haunted Hayride, which can be hit or miss, but the actors were consistently good.

I'd rank the trails as such (Shipwreck Graveyard is essentially a scare zone):

1. Diesel's Pumpkin Patch
2. Dead Man's Wharf
3. Pirate's Cove
4. Lost City Boardwalk
5. Midway Madness

So yeah, all in all it's a fun time. If you're looking to go to a Halloween party that has the added benefit of also being a pretty decent haunt event, this is it.

Very glad to hear this!

 

[MikePat]

Shaqtoberfest is introducing a new haunt this year, and it's finally on the ship. From what I hear, if you loved Dark Harbor, this will feel like that. It should be a strong headliner.

 

[Freak]

Shaqtoberfest is introducing a new haunt this year, and it's finally on the ship. From what I hear, if you loved Dark Harbor, this will feel like that. It should be a strong headliner.

Ohhhh interesting. I think I’ll check it out!