Eh…should I wait until the Saw maze to open (Which will probably be the end of October at this rate) or should I just rip the band aid off and just go check out Conjuring?
-
Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.
- Dec 29, 2022
- 3,358
- 9,997
I have a better idea... skip the whole event all together and save your money
Well at least one SF park got it ready. Ours isn't even that close yet. No facade yet.
If it's worth anything, Mexico's house looked alright and actually spans the whole series, so expect a house similar to 2017s games of jigsaw
While I certainly realize FF isn't perfect or nearly the same quality as HHN, I think some of you are hating on it just to hate on it. With the exception of last year's Truth or Dare (which totally deserved all the hate thrown it--though it does seem to look much better this year), the scareactors have greatly improved IMO. While not up to HHN levels, I'd argue they're above KSF maze scareactors, who I've always found to be extremely inconsistent at best.
Also, if nothing else, FF is easily the most affordable big name haunt. It's $50 for a ticket with Express ($30 without Express), while a GA without Early Entry or Express at HHN starts at $77 and will undoubtedly result in waiting in multiple 2+ hour lines for a single maze.
In terms of value, and being able to actually get things done in a timely manner, I usually find myself having more fun at FF (especially this year with all the new HHN ticket structures and upcharge for early entry). Obviously not everyone will feel the same way, and again, I understand the quality is a lower... but at the same time, there's something to be said about just having a good time without breaking the bank or spending the entire night just waiting in endless lines.
Also, if nothing else, FF is easily the most affordable big name haunt. It's $50 for a ticket with Express ($30 without Express), while a GA without Early Entry or Express at HHN starts at $77 and will undoubtedly result in waiting in multiple 2+ hour lines for a single maze.
In terms of value, and being able to actually get things done in a timely manner, I usually find myself having more fun at FF (especially this year with all the new HHN ticket structures and upcharge for early entry). Obviously not everyone will feel the same way, and again, I understand the quality is a lower... but at the same time, there's something to be said about just having a good time without breaking the bank or spending the entire night just waiting in endless lines.
- Feb 23, 2023
- 2,341
- 8,235
you have to buy a park ticket in addition to the attraction pass, so unless you’re a pass holder (I’m good!), it’s not exactly a screaming deal.
I had fun at fright fest last year! it’s a perfectly enjoyable night out. but not opening with your star attractions is atrocious — and it’s not exactly great that early returns seem to be they weren’t worth the wait.
I get the point you’re making but I would say Knotts is really the one that has the better value deal. Tickets there are still cheap, lines aren’t HHN level crazy and their lowest quality (anything really) is miles better than Fright Fest’s best.
I’m not hating on Fright Fest (I know this wasn’t directed at me haha; I also have been rooting for them to do well for a decade at least) but I am really disappointed in what the conjuring ended up being. Six Flags shouldn’t have tried to reach for that prestige without the resources to make it a good attraction. It’s almost an insult to the IP.
Maybe this is a learning year for SFMM and they now know what to expect when given big IPs for mazes. Maybe they wanted to have high quality for these two mazes but simply started too late and were unsure of the timeline to build, we don’t know who’s fault that is.
The other possibility is they tried to get away with the bare minimum in terms of quality and just wanted to bank on the name of the mazes to bring in attendance/revenue.
The other possibility is they tried to get away with the bare minimum in terms of quality and just wanted to bank on the name of the mazes to bring in attendance/revenue.
Well they learned it too late. I really doubt WB will be eager to lend them the rights to their other IPs.
If SFMM could do it right, imagine how crazy it would be if they did an Arkham Asylum house.
I do think the scareactors have been alright, but even just looking at mexico's energy puts conjuring to shame. Fright fest wants to play in the big leagues and unfortunately it's just not delivering the way it needs too. I think truth or dare is alright, house party is alright, conjuring is alright, sewer is alright, aftermath is alright, Willoughby Is alright, vault is alright, but nothing is spectacular. Everything is clearly run down if it wasn't put up this year, and the two new mazes have had delayed openings. Truth or dare is much better but that's like starting from an empty broom closet lol. Also, while more affordable in some ways, it's a way less valuable experience as line's for non express mazes are long, ride lines are longer since they let people stay without wristbands, and bathroom and food availability miserable.
If this park could sell this event as a seperate thing, invest a bit more in audience experience and talent training, man! That would be rad and probably a much better quality experience overall
I don't think the conjuring is that big of a dissapointment in Warner's eyes. They got paid. They lend out the conjuring like goddammit hotcakes to anyone except hhn, which maybe tells us something else (what that is, I'm not sure). Madam tussauds, warner Australia, Scary Closet, parque warner, they've all gotten conjuring to varying degrees of quality, yet they weren't shut down midrun or divorced of warner properties or anything like that.
This video shows the changing cast member in the preshow (which really should get revamped already, since it's clearly not playing right). Reactions seem pretty good besides the first room, and I do think the feel looks better and more tonally correct. I do still belive it isn't great, but it's got some cool moments. Way too short and definitely doesn't get any credit for how poorly put together the pre show is, but the rest seems to be working well. I really love the priest scene and think that's clearly the highlight of the maze. The pneumatic effects are genuinely impressive, albeit not super well integrated.
- Nov 7, 2016
- 1,820
- 2,156
Watching the video, the first 1/3 of the maze, I was actually shocked that they had some decent quality sets and moment or two -- preshow looks unnecessary but oh well. Then the final 2/3, you see all the budget went into that, the rest is just black walls and random scareactors screaming at you. You almost had me for a second Six Flags, but I will definitely not be attending this year.
Well.....to be fair....if this came to HHN in 2017 or 18, half of the house just would've been black walls. At least it was only 1/3 black wallz.
Looks like Six Flags is trying to improve the parking process with some automatic parking gates.
Interesting idea where passholders can (I think it is a $ add on, not sure how much yet) or day guest can purchase and add their license plate to the system so they just have to pull up and it will read your plate. It sounds like a good idea but knowing Magic Mountain it probably will be broken or closed most of the time.
Interesting idea where passholders can (I think it is a $ add on, not sure how much yet) or day guest can purchase and add their license plate to the system so they just have to pull up and it will read your plate. It sounds like a good idea but knowing Magic Mountain it probably will be broken or closed most of the time.
Six flags having genuinely creative people behind the scenes trying to fix real problems, only for management to somehow mess it up is a tale as old as time. Hopefully this works because it sounds pretty past due at any park tbh. Imagine at a park like ush with a giant annual pass holder base how much easier parking would be for everyone
- Aug 12, 2018
- 470
- 568
Actually, I'm hearing SF/WB will be striking more IP deals next year, for both Fright Fest as well as park attractions.
So HHN may be missing out on some IPs because they want to work with…Six Flags?
