The Walt Disney Records 60th Anniversary Mixtape is now live on Pandora. The mixtape is hosted by Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter, and highlights the important role music has played in Disney films through out the years, as told by Disney historian, Randy Thornton. You’ll hear tracks from beloved Disney films such as Frozen, The Lion King, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, and more.
To stream the mixtape now, click HERE.
Pandora is the world’s most powerful music discovery platform – a place where artists find their fans and listeners find music they love. We are driven by a single purpose: unleashing the infinite power of music by connecting artists and fans, whether through earbuds, car speakers, live on stage or anywhere fans want to experience it. Our team of highly trained musicologists analyze hundreds of attributes for each recording which powers our proprietary Music Genome Project®, delivering billions of hours of personalized music tailored to the tastes of each music listener, full of discovery, making artist/fan connections at unprecedented scale. Founded by musicians, Pandora empowers artists with valuable data and tools to help grow their careers and connect with their fans.
Saban’s Power Rangers follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove – and the world – is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it’s too late, band together as the Power Rangers.
California never ceases to amaze me. I’ve been writing about it for more than a decade and there always seems to be more cities, landscapes, hotels, attractions and culture to explore. This wonderful fact was quite apparent last week when I met with a group of representatives from about 50 cities across the Golden State.
From Sacramento to San Diego, the event showcased a myraid of things to do and see. I’d like to now mention a few of the places I have added to my upcoming calendar.
One of the first places I want to explore more is Santa Rosa, “where wine country meets beer city, where world-class wine meets the epicenter of American craft beer, all with a bourgeoning spirits scene.”
Located about 55 miles north of San Francisco, Santa Rosa, has an abundance of recreational activities, epicurean delights and scenic vistas for visitors to enjoy. Situated in the heart of Northern California’s world-famous Wine Country and just 30 minutes from the stunning coast, it is Sonoma County’s largest city, with a small-town feel. The city is home to superb wineries and craft breweries, some of the country’s best bicycling routes, and the Charles M. Schulz Museum – along with many other attractions. For more information, go to: www.visitsantarosa.com
While I’m up in Northern California, I also want to visit Redding. Situated at the northern end of the Sacramento River Valley, the city is the hub city in Shasta Cascade and is located about two hours north of Sacramento. Redding offers a plethora of outdoor adventure and attractions all year long, along with great wine, food, sporting and cultural events, dining, lodging, and entertainment.
Situated near several scenic lakes, rivers, state and national parks, including Shasta Lake, Whiskeytown Recreation Area and Lassen Volcanic Park, Redding is a gateway for exploration in Shasta Cascade. Some of the most magnificent walking trails in the world are found here, including the Sacramento River National Recreation Trail. Year round visitors to Redding will also find themselves in a horseshoe of mountains, claiming short distances to wilderness and adventures from rock climbing, hiking and snowboarding, to birding, fishing and lavender gathering.
A few “must-see” attractions in and around Redding include the iconic Sundial Bridge, a unique glass decked pedestrian bridge with the tallest working sundial in the world; Mt. Shasta, a 14,179-ft, snow-capped mountain that dominates the northern skies; Shasta Dam, the second largest dam in mass in the United States; and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, replete with rugged canyons, forests, year round streams, and legendary Whiskeytown Lake. For more information, visit: www.visitredding.com
Continuing my Northern California fall tour, I’m planning on a visit to Lodi, another wine rich town located 90 miles east of San Francisco and 35 miles south of Sacramento.
With 85 wineries and more than 300 wine labels, Lodi is a premier wine country destination. But besides vino, the town boasts Lodi Lake where visitors can rent kayaks or paddleboards and cruise along the Mokelumne River. Other fun options include a stroll in historic Downtown Lodi to explore one-of-a-kind shops, galleries, restaurants and tasting rooms; a visit to Northern California’s largest Serpentarium, the Micke Grove Zoo, San Joaquin County Historical Museum, or the World of Wonders Science Museum. For more information, visit: www.VisitLodi.com
Heading back down to the Los Angeles area, I think I’ll take a luxurious getaway to Beverly Hills. Known for unparalleled glamour and sophistication and a global reputation as the home and playground of A-list movie stars and legendary personalities, the city has world-famous shopping, picturesque tree-lined streets, and landscapes filled with grand mansions.
The town also boasts five-star hotels and trend-setting restaurants with outdoor patios and private hideaways, as well as pampering spas. Though only a few miles from the San Gabriel Valley, Beverly Hills can offer a getaway that feels like a far away paradise. For more information, visit: www.lovebeverlyhills.com
The City of Long Beach will once again be overtaken by the holiday spirit when the fifth annual CHILL returns to the majestic Queen Mary ship November 23, 2016 through January 8, 2017. In addition to ice skating, ice tubing, sleigh rides, and visits with Santa, Southern California’s coolest holiday adventure will unveil a new interactive and immersive experience,Alice in Winterland.
Light up the night and follow the Queen down the rabbit hole this holiday season with Alice in Winterland. The newest attraction at CHILL brings an inspired re-imagination of the classic Lewis Carroll story to life through the magic of an interactive and digitally immersive 14,000-square foot walk-through experience. Guests can unlock the hidden secrets of the adventure with RIFD technology to make each individual visit truly unforgettable. Alice in Winterland features stunning, larger than life lanterns as you follow Alice and her adventure into the Hall of Doors, the White Rabbit’s Kitchen, Mad Hatter’s Work Shop, the proverbial Tea Party, the Hedge Maze and visits from the Caterpillar and the new Queen of Diamonds.
The fifth annual CHILL welcomes back Glacier Glide Ice Tubing with six lanes of glistening ice slides standing two stories tall and 100-feet long. Ice skate under the stars on the 6,000 square-foot ice skating rink with the backdrop of the picturesque Queen Mary ship.
Stroll through the North Pole Village and stop by the Queen Mary Village’s post office to send a letter to Santa. Take a spin on the Swinging Sleigh Ride, the Giant Rocking Horse or play Prancer’s Paintball for holiday thrills.
A trip to CHILL is not complete without a stop by the Gingerbread House to make a festive edible creation, and a visit to Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Claus Cottage. The holiday fun is endless.
CHILL pricing starts at $39.99 for adults and $29.99 for kids (ages 4-11). In celebration of CHILL’s return, Queen Mary is offering general admission tickets at 50% off Oct. 4-7, now available online. Tickets include entrance to Alice in Winterland, Ice Tubing, CHILL Village and access to the Queen Mary ship. Hotel and VIP packages are also available. CHILL will be open select dates Nov. 23 through Jan. 8. For more information, including hours or to purchase tickets online, visit http://queenmary.com/chill/
Carnegie Hall Julia Knitel as Carole King Photo by Joan Marcus 1 1
The incredible story of a 16-year-old girl turn multi-hit music legend has made its way full circle and back to California. Now playing until October 16th at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is a rocklickin’, music-driven, upbeat ‘biopicable’ dream with one strong number after another. Every singers performance stays momentous with each chart-topping hit getting bigger until The Bitter End. Headliner JULIA KNITEL delivers an astonishing portrayal remaining true to the soul of Carole King. There is no denying that BEAUTIFUL is a musical for all of those that believe in the power of working hard for your dreams and staying true to oneself.
This show won’t win anyones hearts with moving one-liners or powerful dialogue, instead the musical focuses on what made Carole the king of the Billboards charts for several decades, her songs. As for how musical biopics go, BEAUTIFUL lacks in riveting story development but makes up for a sped up Cliff Notes version of Carole’s life with an endless number of hit songs. You won’t find the songs helping tell the story as much as help us re-live nostalgic times. The moments when the music does align with the story, the actors emotions will run through the audience veins.
BEAUTIFUL tells the inspiring true story of the early years of Carole Kings career and her rise to songwriting genius. She persevered through the stigma of being a female songwriter in the 1950s and gain her stardom through her twenties. Joining forces with the talented Gerry Goffin, Carole’s career took off, but not without a few issues along the way. The story follows along their lives together as well as fellow songwriters and best friends, Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.
The story remains compelling and quick-paced enough to carry the song-filled show along a two and half hour running time. Based around troubled relationships and differentiating life goals, BEAUTIFUL focuses on the ambitions of Carole King and Gerry Goffin to produce number one hit after number one hit, but soon comes to road block when others want more than what any person should ever want.
Every performance feels Broadway worthy with an all around superb performance by Julia Knitel as Carole King. Performing opposite of Knitel was Liam Tobin, the “itching to get away” love interest and later partner of Carole Kings, who you can’t help but love to hate. Erika Olson and Ben Fankhauser play the competing friendly coworkers Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann respectively; each with their own set of impressive catalogues. The infectious and comedic Erika Olson kept the show witty and light-hearted exactly when the show needed it. Frankhauser had impeccable comedic timing and balanced out the duo. No actor outperformed another and every cast member mended well with the ensemble.
While the first act remains song-heavy, many of these short songs could benefit from an even shorter rendition such as done in JERSEY BOYS with much of their songs. With a healthy amount of songs, and a number of songs that do nothing to the advancement of the story, several seem to drag on for too long for a song that may not be that impressive to watch live. Afterall, much of these hits from the 60s were simple pop songs. Carole’s early songs are memorable and popular no doubt; meaningful or insightful less-than-likely.
With such an impressive collection of these poppy songs, the production remains light-hearted and peppy even during some more serious scenarios. This isn’t something to find fault in, but rather something worth noting for accurate expectations. The shows storytelling moves fast and at times seems to jump too quickly, but with so many musical numbers to get through and several decades of story to tell, this year-skipping storytelling is a necessity to get to the end.
Memorable songs include “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” thanks to the powerful bass heavy vocals of the faux Righteous Brothers along with “A Natural Woman” because yeah, how could it not be. Knitel encompasses all that it means to be Carole King in this very moment in the story and sings this powerful song with such genuine passion that one watching cannot stop from becoming overwhelmed with emotion.
When leaving the theater I over heard an adorable elderly couple talk about how they just relived their younger years. I could hear it in their voices and see it in the wife’s eyes, they were reminiscent all show long.
BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is not to be overlooked if your looking for an energetic, fun night out. It’s a motivational tale that follows appropriate story arching to a formulaic climax and exciting finale. This life story is without a doubt sensationalized and perhaps unrealistic at times, but there is no denying that I left a little more chipper with a new found respect for the songwriting King, or gender-neutral royalty.
For more information and showtimes, visit SCFTA.org.
Long Beach’s Queen Mary has officially opened the gates for the 2016 Halloween season with their terrifying Dark Harbor event. With six haunting mazes, three of which being in the bowels of the ship itself, a paintball gallery, an all-new 4D experience, an interactive Sideshow, and booze a plenty, Dark Harbor is now competing with the best of the best! The rich details among much of the lengthy mazes, countless monsters, and relatively incredibly low ticket prices have helped make this haunt one the best values in Southern California. Not only do the scares challenge other events to up their quality, the entire event takes place at a place that thrives on itself actually being haunted.
While you may not get the number of other attractions that Knotts, Universal Studios Hollywood, or Six Flags has to offer, you will have some detailed sets that rival the best, amazing characterization and scare actors that seem to care, be able to do everything the event has to offer, and best of all… have plenty of drinks! Dark Harbor has the feeling of a smaller community event at times yet has some of the best mazes I have ever gone through.
Walking through the gates at the start of the event haunt-goers will be welcomed by a truly countless number of monsters from all walks of life, or death, making it impossible to get anywhere without coming face-to-face with scares. The number of scarers is impressive. There are no real safe-havens like other haunts. Anywhere on the grounds you appear to be fair-game to monsters to attack.
I truly appreciated this aspect of Dark Harbor as I found myself halfway through the event feeling like these monsters were family. You think that’s weird you say? Yeah it is, but there was something that made me feel more apart of this event as I walked around and saw each unique scarer go after their next pray. After a couple of hours I found myself rooting for each one and excited to see their clever new way to interact with the patrons. While at Knotts Scary Farm and Halloween Horror Nights, the scare zones seem less interactive and more “boo”-like opposed to some actual verbal interaction you may find at Dark Harbor.
I will have to admit that this was my first visit to Dark Harbor, but know that the team there have upped their game considerably to just a few years ago. I was half expecting more painted plywood walls with haphazardly placed decorations, but instead I was welcomed by well-put together, rich-detailed sets with some excellently derived scare scenarios. All too often haunted houses bank on just being able to turn a corner and hit a wall to scare. This has increasingly become not the case for the major haunts and Dark Harbor is succeeding.
There is only one new maze this year, Interpid, that unfortunately missed the mark greatly. Following the creator and now protector of the Queen Mary, the maze is supposed to be based around the Iron Master who has returned to reclaim the ship and is now fiercely guarding with his ghouls. Well, the concept sounds good, but this maze is within that large fading gold half-dome that’s now the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. The interior is too open in general and so is the maze. While I enjoyed the fact they had a little more space to work with, the props and decor was lacking. Fortunately, this is the only one that I feel has this problem. Note: You have to crawl through some spaces.
While for me everything was all-new, I fear that some may be unhappy if they go to Dark Harbor year after year and come back to familiar haunts. However, if you haven’t been recently, I believe there are some very unexpected surprises around many corners.
I am not going to go through maze by maze as half the experiences are guessing what each has hiding behind the entrance. However, without giving too much away, I must say that I was very pleased with some of the less-than-handicap-friendly experiences Queen Mary has to offer. While other big haunts have had to dumb down there events by not allowing for many stairs, crawl spaces, or touching, Dark Harbor still offers some unusual paths and many small spaces that helps each maze feel semi-more authentic.
The most thrilling and scaring aspect of Dark Harbor is to be within the depths of the ship claimed to be actually haunted. It’s very fascinating to walk through these tight hallways and crew passageways while being faced with blood, guts and the dead. Much of these mazes benefit of not needing to add theming as the much of the spaces are just that… a haunted ship. Rivets, pipes, boiler mechanics and catwalks all are around. There are many awe-inspiring moments including walking right through the heart of the former boiler room and visiting the first class pool. No added decor is needed here, just the sound a echoing water drops in the distance and perhaps a monster or two.
I didn’t head through the new 4-D experience, Panic, nor the HEX Paintball Gallery, but I did have the pleasure to visit the Sideshow. At only a $5 upcharge, there is no need to skip. Part maze, part freak show, this feature has some interactive parts and cumulates to end at a bar featuring many different amazing acts. We spent a good while just sipping some cocktails and watching belly-dancers, comedians, magicians, and fire-throwers.
Dark Harbor general admission tickets start at only $24 and top out at $39. One of the drawbacks to most Halloween events are the lines, and Dark Harbor is no exception. I would HIGHLY recommend doing the Fright Pass “front-of-line” pass at just $35 more. The tickets and front-of-line passes are significantly less than Knotts Scary Farm and Halloween Horror Nights making this one of the best values around. Plus, alcohol everywhere! Other events have limited to beer or eliminated alcohol all together. This is not the case at The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. Drink up!
All three mazes aboard the ship are not to miss, especially B340 as it being my favorite of the night. Deadrise amidst the center of it all appears to be small and nothing special at first glance, but this is another that was surprisingly good and scarers definitely were good and finding every way to scare possible.
Dark Harbor should be a serious consideration if you’re looking for a good Halloween event option this year.
The unparalleled Disney Legend and eight-time Oscar-winner ALAN MENKEN performed Friday at Segerstrom Center for the Arts the World Premiere of his new one-man-show A Whole New World of Alan Menken. This unprecedented event featured Menken performing his immediately recognizable infamous Disney classics along with other countless hits while sharing some very personal stories and comical anecdotes. The performance took the audience along a historical journey through his epic career. From The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast to The Little Shop of Horrors, Galavant, and several Disney and non-Disney Broadway shows, Alan Menken has had a very cherished career that’s not showing any signs of stopping!
While there is no word whether or not this near-test of a show will make its way elsewhere or even continue, it’s these level of memorable shows that makes Segerstrom Center of the Arts such a local treasure for Orange County. Performing in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Spanish granite and a silver leak ceiling with warm wood accented walls provide a glistening backdrop for the show. While many are aware of the grand Segerstrom Hall, its worth checking out SCFTA.org for a calendar of events coming to the other several theaters The Center has to offer.
Alan Menken was such a delight to watch even with his nervousness being rather apparent, though he noted this himself. The performance opened with him explaining that this was his first time doing anything like this and half-joked that he wasn’t sure if it may actually be his first and only show. Reading through several prompters on stage, it was clear that much of the stories were being read as I am sure he didn’t want to leave anything out. However, I am excited if the show ever continues as it could benefit from some polished organic story telling in order to create an even more intimate feeling and setting.
A Whole New World with Alan Menken is more of a personal telling of his career opposed to a big-time production we have come to see with live concerts of famous composers or movie scores that have become increasing popular. I hope the show can continue with some added guest appearances and slower renditions. As you can imagine, there are musical numbers a plenty that Menken would want to play for audiences, but this format seemed to have forced him to play all songs at a rapid pace to cram in as much as possible. Fortunately, several of the more serious tunes were slowed to be enjoyed as originally intended such as “Santa Fe” from Newsies or “Tale as Old as Time” from Beauty and the Beast.
The show was separated into two Acts with the first highlighting Alan’s collaborations with his former music partner and lyricists Howard Ashman who passed away from complications with AIDS. It was evident that much of the show is dedicated to the talent and friendship he provided Alan during the breakout years of their career. Following a somber end to the first Act, the second visits some of Menken’s more recent Disney career after the “Disney Decade” of the 90s and bigger ventures onto Broadway.
The well-decorated and honored song writer has been thrilled with some of his favorite works coming back into the lime light lately. More recently the Disney’s original early 90s flop, Newsies, has grown a cult following that created an opportunity for Newsies to be revisited and brought to stage. This newer stage adaptation has won him a Tony and Drama Desk awards for his score of Newsies. He joked that once it served him a Razzie for the worst song “High Times, Hard Times” from the movie version to now receiving a Tony for the same show. Menken loves that what he calls his little children, his songs, have been receiving second and third chances with new productions hitting the stage.
Alan Menken has won more Academy Awards than any other living individual, including eight Oscars with four for Best Score and four for Best Song; 11 Grammy® Awards (including Song of the Year for “A Whole New World”); seven Golden Globes; London’s Evening Standard Award; the Olivier Award; the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award.
With this being said, it’s obvious that it was a privilege being able to see Alan Menken live performing such classics as a medley of songs from The Little Mermaid to one of my favorites from Newsies, “Santa Fe”, to the powerful Quasimodo solo “Out There” from Hunchback of Norte Dame, to the highlight of the night… an all-new song from Disney’s new live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast that has never been played for any audience.
The man may just want to continue these performances as he received thunderous applause after each and every song. It’s incredible the number of memorable and impactful songs he has written over the past 40 years, but it’s even more impressive the legacy he has already left behind for so many generations just since first Disney film, The Little Mermaid.
These songs from the many Disney animated films Alan Menken has provided his hand to weren’t just written for the younger audience, they also resonate for the parents. Not only has this eliminated a generational gap of who has nostalgia for these songs, but also will continue on for generations to come as parents introduce these movies to their kids. While Alan Menken continues to produce new scores and songs for television, movies, and musical stage productions like “A Bronx Tale”, he has already left such an impact on everyone one way or another. I look forward to continue to be lost in his music and taken to whole new worlds for many years to come.
To see more details of shows to come to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, visit SCFTA.org.
Disney just launched Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot, the newest game in the Frozen Free Fall mobile game franchise. The first game, Frozen Free Fall, has garnered more than 130 million downloads and 95 billion minutes of gameplay since debuting in 2014. Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot introduces an all-new style of puzzle gameplay and is available now for free download on mobile devices.
The new game features more than 100 enchanting levels and lets fans of the popular Frozen Free Fall game embark on new adventures with Olaf, Anna, Elsa and a few mischievous Snowgies. Players can experience an ice-shattering collection of engaging puzzles, shoot snowballs with ice magic, create dazzling free fall moments and earn unique power-ups, all while enjoying Frozen like never before.
Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot continues the success of the Frozen franchise on mobile devices and will later add new content inspired by Frozen Northern Lights, the upcoming all-new original series of animated LEGO shorts.
Knott’s Scary Farm is a staple to not only Southern California, but to almost the whole country. 44 years has made this the first and the Grandfather of Halloween Events for theme parks and there really is no slowing it down. Universal has picked up the ball and ran with it, but the direction Knott’s has taken the past 2 to 3 years has definitely been close in the foot chase. With maze designer, Jon Cooke, taking the reigns and making two of the most immersive mazes Knott’s has ever seen, this event is going to be on par with its competition in the next couple of years. I love this event for its original ideas and drive, but it’s still lacking in some areas and this year has some hiccups as well. This review will be spoiler heaven, so please be warned!
Let’s begin with the Mazes
Shadow Lands
Where do I even start with this incredible maze?! This maze has some of the best scares that I have ever experienced at Knott’s Halloween Haunt. With the beginning execution of a soldier, you are then transported into a Japanese forest inhabited by plant monsters. You then enter a building filled with Samurai Demons, Kimono ladies and more! You pass by execution rooms, shower rooms filled with the dead, a theater, wall crushers and end with probably the coolest room I have ever seen. A battle of Samurai Demons with scares popping out from left and right and a Warrior beheading his enemies!! This is easily the best maze I have seen at this Haunt and if Knott’s keeps this level of detail up, Universal Studios will be shaking in their boots!
The Dead of Winter: Wendigo’s Revenge
One of the worst mazes of 2015 has gone into my top 5 for 2016! If you’ve been through this maze in 2015, it lacked blood, terror and and a solid story and 2016 changed everything about that! What was once blues and whites is now smeared with blood and gore and this maze was actually really good/scary!! Even though they didn’t rid of the “Disney” feel of the maze with the abominable snowman and the Snow Queen, they killed the Snow Queen by a Wendigo who is absolutely terrifying! The Queen didn’t just get killed, but her death was completely humiliating and gruesome and I loved it!! I wish the spider room would just leave and fill this part of the maze with a lair of the Wendigo, but hopefully in the future it will come!
The Red Barn
I have mixed feelings about this maze. I enjoyed the talent, high energy and the feel of this maze, but it felt like they ran out of money for the maze and used cheap wood pallets and hay bales to make a majority of the maze. But the gore and scares are high and great! Some disturbing scenes are set to really creep you out like disgusting over-sized animals and torture devices, which I love, really make this maze a lot of fun! The use of chainsaws are brought back, really makes an exciting conclusion to the maze!
Paranormal Inc.
Still to this day, this maze is one of the most incredible mazes I have been through at the Scary Farm. The opening scene with the ghost girl still amazes me and the projection mapping brings this maze to life! Projections of spirits throughout the maze and animatronic items that synchronize with videos is absolutely incredible! The talent brings this maze to life and the atmosphere of moveable set pieces and rigging connected to some of the actors really makes this maze a lock to visit for whenever you enter the Scary Farm! The only problem with this maze, again, is when you enter the realm of the beast, there only seems to be one monster running around the whole area.
Voodoo: Order of the Serpent
This maze is still one of the coolest and deepest themed mazes at Halloween Haunt. The scares that use the loud noise/flashing lights are extremely affective and done very well. The bayou forest that you enter is great, but I feel bad for the talent that has to scare in there because it’s so wide open that it makes it hard to actually hide and pop out to scare. I’m also glad the serpent skeleton key room is now apart of the maze! It was a great skeleton key room last year and now I’m glad that everyone who enters this house can experience it.
The Toothfairy
Still one of the darkest themed mazes, The Toothfairy is unfortunately starting to get stale. I love it, I really do, and the talent is great with working in such a demented maze, but it’s just like watching your favorite movie over and over. You know where your favorite scares come from and the maze is known like the back of your hand. The audio in the maze still unnerves me with chattering teeth and wings flapping, as well as everyone’s favorite dental noises. But unfortunately it is time to see this maze retire with a few others.
Trick or Treat
So again, like Toothfairy, this maze is so well known like your favorite movie that you get numb to the scares. Yes, some still made me jump, but it’s the same old song and dance. The saving grace of this maze is definitely The Green Witches beginning and ending. If they redesigned the maze to bring in The Green Witches 7 deadly sins along with her tricksters, Trick or Treat would once again be a huge hit! I hope this maze is retired after this season.
Gunslinger’s Grave: A Blood Moon Rises
Hi, Knott’s Management. This maze needs to leave faster than “The Stepfather” scare experience back in 2009. This maze actually did make me jump once or twice, but the execution of this maze is bad! The Western theme fits nicely with Ghost Town right next door, but the fact that I can look up and see rollercoasters and palm trees is a definite mood killer and makes the maze unfortunately boring. The werewolves bring no excitement to this maze and it’s just time to retire it. I give the talent all the credit in the world with this maze!
Special Ops Infected
This! This is what I was waiting for!! It was so so silly running around an obvious Camp Snoopy trying to kill zombies, but now this has a permanent home and city theme to rock in! From a clown birthday party, department store and warehouse just to name a few. It really immerses you in the mission, but if you don’t keep up with your group. You will be left behind and it is extremely frustrating running through this thing alone because you got left behind. All in all, this was the best Infected to date and I can’t wait to return to experience it again!!
The mazes have been really good year in and year out, but I think it’s time to trash the idea of having so many monsters just standing in the maze trying to scare you. Shadow Lands is a great start to eliminating out in the open monsters and putting them in hidden doors to pop out and scare you. Hopefully more and more of that will be added in the coming years!
Skeleton Key Rooms
The 4 Skeleton Key rooms this year are completely different and are not connected to any mazes. It’s an upcharge from the current general admission ticket to experience and is included with your fright lane pass. Is it worth it? Not really. Only one of the Skeleton Key rooms were incredible, but the rest were either extremely awkward or just didn’t impress.
Zozo
This was the best one out of them all. You sit around a table with a Ouija board to summon the spirits of the dead But when a demon named Zozo takes over, your only choice is to witness and experience the poltergeist move the Ouija dial and chairs until you come face to face with the demon itself. This was amazing and the scariest one of the night!
Slasher
This was cool, but extremely weird. It felt like a cheap version of the Forevermore Killer in a box. He tells is tale and pops out from different locations and then a body drops down above you and then you’re shoved into an “L” shaped box with 5 other people. It was okay.
Prey
My most excited one disappointing! A man tells us to follow the trail with a flickering lantern, but if you hit a dead end, you better turn around and go back the way you came. It doesn’t make it fun or confusing when the path and dead ends are already set for you through out. I thought it was going to be more hedge maze where you have to find your way you, but it’s just like any other Haunt maze where you just follow the path and monster pop out at you and you then have to kneel through a cage. It was so blah!
Visions
This room gives you an iPad that uses VR technology when brought up to certain posters and gives you different scares/stories of the townsfolk in Ghost Town. The leaders than bring you to a final poster that has a noose that the green witch gets hung on, it shakes, then a random guy pops out of the poster. It was awkward as heck!!
Let’s start discussing the Scare Zones.
Ghost Town
There is nothing much to say about Ghost Town! It’s always such a solid scare zone with some of the best monsters at Haunt! It’s dark, foggy and terrifying and you can barely see your own hand in front of your face while walking through. It’s excellent and just sitting on a bench eating a funnel cake while watching monsters scare is the perfect way to pass time!
CarnEvil
This scare zone has always been hit or miss each year and this is definitely a hit! The clowns are terrifying and perfect in acting in a terribly creepy m, yet fun, way! I just wish there was a good clown maze to compliment this area!
Fiesta De Los Muertos
These monsters are fantastic and I just feel bad that the only real reason for people to come through this area is if they’re walking through Gunslinger’s Grave or if you purchased the Skeleton Key room for Zozo. These monsters killed it though and the sugar skull make up and the Mexican theme is just completely fun to have in the Farm!
The Hollow
I feel so bad for these performers. Just like I said before, the only reason to come through here is for Slasher or Prey which you have to pay extra for. There are no mazes in here which is unfortunate, but the talent was rocking it! They kept a high energy up all night and I salute them for all the great scares they were getting when I walked through!
With 13 haunted attractions and more than 1,000 monsters roaming the park and lurking in the fog, whatever you’re imagining, it’s here…at Knott’s Scary Farm. Visit KnottsScaryFarm.com for tickets and join the conversation using #ScaryFarm
Knott’s Scary Farm is a separately ticketed event on 24 nights September 22 through October 31. Due to the explicit and frightening nature of the event, it is not recommended for children under 13.
Halloween Horrors Nights is the best. There is literally no other way to start this article without stating that. If you want a “knock your socks off” Halloween Event, this is the one you should attend. The whole event is such solid quality and the scares are so in your face that I almost ruined my knee from jumping in every direction. So let’s start this review with the mazes!! I’m going to try my best to be spoiler free, because I want you all to go out there and experience it for yourself! This has seriously been the best line up for mazes in years!!
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Blood Brothers
So where do I begin? The last time Universal Studios did a Texas Chainsaw Maze, it was probably one of my least favorite mazes. This year changed all of that. Never have I walked out of a maze shaking and this maze had it all. Great acting that brought you, and kept you, into the realm of the story and amazing scares that I did not see coming a majority of the time! Chop top and Leatherface play perfectly together in this maze and the talent was completely top notch!! It’s incredible, because the sets in this maze are so basic, but they are so rich in detail and so well executed that it feels like you are in a part of this terror. An A for this incredible maze.
Halloween II: Hell Comes to Haddonfield
So unlike The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this was by far my favorite maze last year and there is no way that this years Halloween could be as great as lasts. WRONG! This maze blew away the year before and it was just astonishing how well executed the scares and scenes were done. My heart was pounding in my chest the whole way through and there was absolutely no place for me to catch my breathe. I’m not going to give anything away in these reviews, but this was by far my favorite maze of the night. And the ending, this was by far the best ending in any Horror Nights maze ever! The music was amazingly slow and creepy, the scares were perfect and on point and the smell just completed the whole thing!! A+ for this perfect maze!
The Exorcist
When I first heard that The Exorcist was coming to Halloween Horror Nights, I can honestly say that I wasn’t too thrilled. Yes, this maze is beautiful in every way possible, but I couldn’t help but wonder how they were going to bring to life a movie that takes a majority of its place in one room. Boy, do I feel stupid for ever doubting the creative minds of HHN. This maze was absolutely incredible and the scares were so amazing! I’ve never been too big of a fan of the mazes they put behind the Mummy, but this year was a for sure winner. From spider crawl Reagan to seeing all of the memorable scenes in this movie with the use of animatronics. I was completely blown away. There were tons of black hallways to transport you from one scene to another, but what’s hiding in those black hallways will scare the ever-living hell out of you!! Another A+ for an outstanding maze.
American Horror Story
So I’m going to be completely honest and say that I am not one of the biggest fans of the TV show, so my excitement for this maze was the lowest of all mazes announced. It’s more of a thriller than an actual horror show to me, but that’s besides the point. This maze was horrifying! From Rubber man in Murder House, Twisty in Freak Show and the Countess in Hotel. This maze had the most memorable scenes from each season in this maze. I do wish Freak Show was a little bit longer, but that damn monkey!! Even though the talent play characters from the show, they made this maze their own and I felt the love and passion they were spilling into it. Murder House was creepy, Freak Show was memorable, but I feel Hotel was the scariest of the three! I’m going to give this maze a solid A!
Krampus
I was most excited about this maze going in to this event and honestly, it was my least favorite of the night. I was the very first person to enter this maze and I do understand that myself being the only one in the maze caught performers off guard going through, I missed A LOT of the scares! That wasn’t the main issue. It was the girl being eaten by the Jack-in-the-Box. She was acting great and I was buying it because I was scared, but then she stopped right when I walked by her, shrugged her shoulders at me then just sat there. That blew it for me! Keep acting! There is nothing that irks me more than someone giving up and breaking character because I was the only person in there. The elves were great, the puppetry and snowmen were fantastic, Krampus was amazing, but every time I walked by that girl, the only vision I had of her was breaking character. The talent and sets are outstanding and I hope when I return this will be much higher rating for me, but it also doesn’t help that every time I went through, it was a cast change. This one gets a B from me.
Freddy vs. Jason
With Alien vs. Predator being an awesome maze for two years and getting into the middle of their battle, I was so excited to see how they were going to do this for Freddy and Jason. The maze was brutal and so cool! I felt the maze was more Freddy than Jason, but that didn’t ruin the maze in the slightest. The scares were definitely solid and the sets were mind blowing with the use of scrims! I felt really bad for Jason in the beginning of the maze, but later on through he just becomes ruthless!! Freddy pops out in so many different places that I didn’t think were possible and I just loved loved LOVED this maze. From Freddy’s Boiler Room to going through Camp Crystal Lake, the scares never seemed to stop! I have to give this maze an A!
Eli Roth’s Terror Tram
Terror Tram has always been my least favorite thing going into Horror Nights year after year. This year and its original idea of clowns was exactly what this attraction needed. The clowns were extremely high energy and fantastic and the settings were great for what you can actually do in Terror Tram. The problem with this will always be the mass amounts of people going through this small pathway all at the same time and it makes the attraction extremely unbearable. But I’m glad the clowns have taken over this and I hope to see more original ideas come through Terror Tram! I give this a B+.
The Purge
Alright, this will probably be the hardest one to review. I love the Purge movies and the concept of it all is extremely cool, but this as a Scare zone/Gauntlet is just a total let down. The talent is fantastic in keeping up high energy and the scares, but it’s just not scary to me. If the Gauntlet (located near Mel’s Diner) was a Purge maze it would have been a great transition from street to maze to be one full cohesive story and I probably would have enjoyed it more. I’m just done with the Purge as a scare zone. I hope a maze will change the way I see the Purge and it will probably scare me more with its close quarters. I give this a C+. The talent is what saved this from going lower.
So that’s my thoughts on this year. The scares, mazes and overall feel of this year has been nothing short of the best and I can’t wait to return. Visit Halloween Horror Nights if you haven’t before because this is definitely the year to attend. The line up of mazes is the best it has ever been and you will leave exhausted from screaming and jumping from all the incredible talent that put all that they have into this event!
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood has announced a brand new Halloween experience for fans of the horror genre. For the first time ever, Horror Made Here: A Halloween Screening and Twilight Tour will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy a Halloween-themed movie screening in the iconic Stephen J Ross Theater at Warner Bros. and a special twilight tour of the studio lot. This two-night only limited engagement is like no other Halloween experience in Los Angeles, as guests will visit classic set locations and hear insider tales of the most iconic horror films shot on the Warner Bros. Studio lot.
Horror Made Here will take place Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th offering guests the opportunity to go behind the camera with a special evening visit to exterior sets and stages where scenes from iconic horror movies like “The Exorcist,” “The Lost Boys,” “Gremlins,” “House of Wax,” “Monster Squad,” and “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” and HBO’s series “True Blood” were filmed. After the twilight tour, guests will watch a special screening of the supernatural horror film “The Conjuring” (Friday) and “The Conjuring 2” (Saturday). Movie-themed refreshments and treats are included in this exclusive Halloween package. Additionally, guests can get up close to props and costumes from some of studio’s best-known horror films at our immersive script-to-screen Stage 48 experience.
The sinister Annabelle doll from “The Conjuring” series, along with the costumes worn by the demon Bathsheba and Ed and Lorraine Warren will be showcased amongst a collection of ghoulish film props from our Archive in the Stage 48 attraction.
A spooky photo opportunity provides the final touch to the Horror Made Here experience, inviting guests to take the ultimate “head shot.” The final effect, achieved by a mirror illusion, reveals a photo of guests with their head on a platter to serve as a fun memento of their visit.
Tickets are now on sale to the general public for $75 per person (price includes the tour, screening, and movie-themed treats). Parking is available onsite for $10 per vehicle. “The Conjuring” and “The Conjuring 2” are rated R, so guests under age 17 must be accompanied by an adult age 21 or over. Valid ID will be required upon entry to the tour.
CLICK HERE for more info and to get your tickets now!
In an exciting new collaboration with Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, the Winchester Mystery House is launching "Festival Fright Nights." This all-new Halloween event will...
