I think we need to remember who the audience is for this incarnation of the maze. It isn't die hard haunt fans. It's the general public, who are probably not the sorts to typically enter a standard haunt event. It's the general theme park family and tourists with no little to no haunt experience. I mean, I can't tell you how many people were bringing in very young children into the line. Fortunately, most of them were scared off by the creepy queue, which means it's doing it's job.
But in any case, I'd guess 70-80% of the people visiting this during the day are people who would never do a regular haunt event. And for them, yes, it is pretty scary. I've been though it 5 times, and each time, there were people around me freaking out. Was I? Hardly. But I'm clearly not the majority, I'm a haunt fanatic. It wasn't entirely made for me. It was in the sense of detail, which I feel is the nod to the haunt fanatic.
I know lots of people bash Murdy, but he had a pretty tough job here... make it scary enough, but not too scary so that families/tourists would have a negative experience. That's a tough balance, and I think he generally did a good job in that department. That said, I will join the bandwagon in that I wish it were longer. But it is what it is.
I am curious to see how this will all be adapted to HHN.