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First I sadly report we lost our lease and were forced to close this season. We are currently looking for a new location in NC closer to our base, and are hopeful to find something for next year. The great news is that we have been given some much needed time off to re-think our theme and design. We also have time to visit other haunts, which we are doing with great fervor.
I am in California this week, and went to Knott's Scary Farm on Friday night. I liked the sets, but the costumes were generally random. No central character or themes that I could find. But I give them an A in sets - lighting was good as well. Scares were minimal - screams from teenage girls was pretty frequent but they scream at anything.
Last night I went to The Queen Mary and Dark Harbour. Awesome set outside the ship. I liked the whole atmosphere with stage acts and vendors galore. A real carnival/circus atmosphere. Costumes were well done, and a solid theme and set of characters helped this haunt tremendously. I was very disappointed in the attractions themselves. I walked into the Circus attraction only to find the first "room" void of anything except a bunch of wood strewn about one corner where someone obviously tossed crate material and left over stuff.
When I got into a room with props, they were cheesy, broken in many cases, and lacking anything of substance. I went through several rooms with no actors, and found many actors not in place when I entered. This is something I found in many of the other attractions. Deadrise had an interesting layout and loads of potential, but I walked through several "containers" being used as room that had nothing in them. Quite a waste of real estate - they could have at least dressed these out along the theme of a sinking ship (I think that was the theme).
Real scares were lacking throughout. Lots of "startles" where someone jumps out from no where, but actually having a setting that elicits pure fear - I only found one room that was good for this - total white out from fog and an actor dressed in all white. Awesome effect and well executed. You were fearful entering the room, and your fear grew as you attempted to find the way out. Well done.
Logistics - well they sucked. It began with parking. There are four lanes marked with a red light/green light over the top. All lights were green but only two lanes were open. This caused a lot of confusion as people had to move into other lanes when they got to the gate. Attendees were confused. A lot of discussion between them about how much to charge, what color parking ticket, etc. I bought the VIP parking, for $25. They gave me a yellow ticket and told me to go through the gate and someone would tell me where to park. A sign read "VIP Only" but the attendant there said I didn't have the right ticket. Had to park my car, walk back to the gate, and ask for the right ticket. I was told I had the right ticket ...... well you can see where this is going.
I finally got into VIP parking, and bought my tickets. As the lines started growing, I figured I would go get in line, but there were no signs at the front of the lines telling us which lines were general admission and which lines were for VIP (those of us that paid $50 more!). Again, lots of confusion as people tried to figure out which line to stand in, and lots of people being moved into other lines because they were in the wrong place. All the staff were standing around the front of the lines instead of where the lines started. Simple signage folks, and train your people every night so they know whats going on.
Overall they had more entertainment value for the money than Knott's. I enjoyed walking around and seeing the many characters and how people reacted to them. I had more fun at Queen Mary than I did at Knott's, but Knott's was nostalgic for me since I used to go there before they even charged an admission (you were able to walk around the park, and pay for the rides you wanted - back in the '60s - so yeah I am old).
I'll be hanging around LA for the rest of the week and then back home. We plan on hitting the home haunts next so be looking for Big T Productions around NC! Hope to see your place!
I am in California this week, and went to Knott's Scary Farm on Friday night. I liked the sets, but the costumes were generally random. No central character or themes that I could find. But I give them an A in sets - lighting was good as well. Scares were minimal - screams from teenage girls was pretty frequent but they scream at anything.
Last night I went to The Queen Mary and Dark Harbour. Awesome set outside the ship. I liked the whole atmosphere with stage acts and vendors galore. A real carnival/circus atmosphere. Costumes were well done, and a solid theme and set of characters helped this haunt tremendously. I was very disappointed in the attractions themselves. I walked into the Circus attraction only to find the first "room" void of anything except a bunch of wood strewn about one corner where someone obviously tossed crate material and left over stuff.
When I got into a room with props, they were cheesy, broken in many cases, and lacking anything of substance. I went through several rooms with no actors, and found many actors not in place when I entered. This is something I found in many of the other attractions. Deadrise had an interesting layout and loads of potential, but I walked through several "containers" being used as room that had nothing in them. Quite a waste of real estate - they could have at least dressed these out along the theme of a sinking ship (I think that was the theme).
Real scares were lacking throughout. Lots of "startles" where someone jumps out from no where, but actually having a setting that elicits pure fear - I only found one room that was good for this - total white out from fog and an actor dressed in all white. Awesome effect and well executed. You were fearful entering the room, and your fear grew as you attempted to find the way out. Well done.
Logistics - well they sucked. It began with parking. There are four lanes marked with a red light/green light over the top. All lights were green but only two lanes were open. This caused a lot of confusion as people had to move into other lanes when they got to the gate. Attendees were confused. A lot of discussion between them about how much to charge, what color parking ticket, etc. I bought the VIP parking, for $25. They gave me a yellow ticket and told me to go through the gate and someone would tell me where to park. A sign read "VIP Only" but the attendant there said I didn't have the right ticket. Had to park my car, walk back to the gate, and ask for the right ticket. I was told I had the right ticket ...... well you can see where this is going.
I finally got into VIP parking, and bought my tickets. As the lines started growing, I figured I would go get in line, but there were no signs at the front of the lines telling us which lines were general admission and which lines were for VIP (those of us that paid $50 more!). Again, lots of confusion as people tried to figure out which line to stand in, and lots of people being moved into other lines because they were in the wrong place. All the staff were standing around the front of the lines instead of where the lines started. Simple signage folks, and train your people every night so they know whats going on.
Overall they had more entertainment value for the money than Knott's. I enjoyed walking around and seeing the many characters and how people reacted to them. I had more fun at Queen Mary than I did at Knott's, but Knott's was nostalgic for me since I used to go there before they even charged an admission (you were able to walk around the park, and pay for the rides you wanted - back in the '60s - so yeah I am old).
I'll be hanging around LA for the rest of the week and then back home. We plan on hitting the home haunts next so be looking for Big T Productions around NC! Hope to see your place!
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