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LA Haunted Hayride gallops back to Griffith Park in Los Angeles for another spooky season of frights. Nestled close to the nearby Griffth Park Merry-Go-Round, general parking and shuttle service can be found at the LA Zoo. After treking your way through security and ticket validation, find yourself at the pumpkin tunnel entrance into the town of Midnight Falls. The cursed town remains in purgatory destined to remain in 1980s era Halloween.
Be welcomed by the townspeople in Town Square with the prom queen, cheerleader, jock, ice cream man, diner cook, maintenance man, and a few others. The town could use more citizens, with more to do. The ice cream man has his truck. And that’s about it. The Halloween celebration offers sporadic Halloween decorations, hay covered floor, hay bale seating, wayfinding sign, and a swing. Photogenic pumpkin decorations include the iconic pumpkin wall and throne chair.
Even after the $45.99 (fees included) general admission ticket for an entry into the haunted hayride and three scare mazes, there are up-charges to other attractions that costs an additional $5-$10 for each experience. The Scary-Go-Round with novel skeleton horses returns to operating order after years of being a static set piece.
A new s’more station offers a tasty kickback. Zombie Splat Gellyball Experience lets guests take aim at undead targets. Take a swing at axe throwing. And Madame Aurora Seance Theatre conjures spirits. Photo opportunities with flat backdrops captures your memory of the evening. The gellyball and axe throwing could use more story to tie into the Midnight Falls story.
Town Square Photo Gallery
Three scare mazes return to LA Haunted Hayride. They’ve all been revamped and feel refreshed. But the scariest thing about them, like the rest of the event, is lack of actors. It’s great to see some upkeep and care in designing the mazes, but for years, the event just can’t seem to hire enough actors to produce a satisfying thrill. That and the lightning package could also use some work. It’s too dark to appreciate a lot of the detailed decorations. And when there is light, the result is mostly flat and dull.
“Monáe Manor” is hosted by music artist Janelle Monáe. The Halloween connection is less through her music but more of her elaborate costumes at Halloween parties. The scare maze takes what was essentially there before, exploring inside the manor then end with an outdoor cemetery. Hallways display portraits of Janelle Monáe dressed in regal affair. A kitchen uses severed human heads as the main ingredient. A greenhouse of roses in raised beds with green laser for whatever reason. Reference to “Alien”?
An out of place recording studio with dresses framed in the walls and Janelle Monáe projection in the sound booth. Navigate within the wall space accompanied by an unknown creeper. Watch your feet as the floor panel was literally springing up from alignment. No joke. A heavy door leads to the morgue then out into the cemetery. Janelle Monáe blends more into the maze more than taking centers stage. At least one actor in the cemetery appeared to have similar facial features to the music artist. After existing past the Hanging vampires, I had to remind myself if this was the scare maze that was supposed to feature the recording artist.
Personally I am not familar with the vocalist’s music, and is ultimately not essential for the experience. Not sure what real fans would have expected. After reviewing some music videos, some reference to Monáe like the skull playing a vinyl record from “Q.U.E.E.N.” or tall black cloaked figures with hooded mirrors from “Tightrope” would have been appropiate.
“Trick-or-Treat: Ding-Dong Dead” has guests as the trick-or-treats trolling through the suburban neighborhood collecting candy on Halloween night. After leaving an unkept home, through the backyard of hanging laundry, and past an oversized doghouse, to start the fun. The iconic feature to actually ring the door bell for tricks or treats make their return. You have to either be in know or brave enough to push random buttons to participate.
A staff member could encourage the first of each group to press the doorbell at the first house to imply the idea. The doorbell themselves could be difficult to locate given the lightning. If you’re lucky, an actor might point the way. Some door bells turn on an electric generator, tilt an overhead sign, or cause pipe to burst. A return to the maze’s former glory. Although they still give out the cheap candy.
“Hellbilly Halloween” is by far the scariest of the three mazes. “Monáe Manor” captures the mood and “Trick-or-Treat: Ding-Dong Dead” is more amusing. “Hellbilly Halloween” takes the grand tour of the farmhouse, backyard of hanging scarecrows, inside the brick labyrinth, back out by the water tower, then a finale through the barn filled with hanging pigs.
Metal chains, cages, chainsaws, and buckets of blood will take the squeals out of guests. Anyone with fear of the dark will get plenty at the indoor portions here. But also portions of rooms are showered in strobes and leave you temporarily blinded. Fair warning to anyone with medical conditions to light sensitivity.
Scare Mazes Photo Gallery
Now for the main event with the haunted hayride. New wooden seating configuration makes for a more comfortable ride in the trailer. Bales of hay still used in the center seat and back half of the trailer. Still enter a cleverly designed gas station with one of two garages. Double loading process has become more refined over time and staff seem to have a better handle on guest control. The tractors still drive continously forward without stopping at show scenes.
After passing by a swarm of monstrous pumpkins and a “Midnight Falls’ billboard, various sights to behold in and beyond the city limits. Down main street of the old west origins of the town. Lake shore with whale bones, shipwreck, glowing inflatable tentacles, and a large anglerfish. Movie theater screen at the drive-in. Shipping containers with head-throwing workers swinging over head. An alien light show armed with dry ice cannons. Less fun when icy projectiles from the cannons nearly blinded me. Greenhouse of quietly staring plantlife. The lonesome roadside diner is missing the revving motorcycles from past set ups. Clowns from a traveling circus hurtles an oversized beach ball. And an explosive finale through a mineshaft.
This year the silent transitions are gracefully filled by a radio broadcast setting up the scene the tractors will endure. The hayride is a slight improvement over last year. The themes are appropriate, but it’s curious decorations come and go over time rather than adding and building up. There is still a noticeable lack of actors in each scene. They all mostly repeat the same growl or silent stare. Plastic water bottles can be seen beside the actors. And many break character as soon as the tractor leaves their area returning to conversations before being interrupted.
Haunted Hayride Photo Gallery
The live cover band of Monte Revolta and his Band of the Living Dead still bring life to horror movie tributes. But the stage could use some sort gathering of the townspeople to reenforce the Midnight Falls backstory of the 1980s era to forever relive Halloween. A pumpkin carving contest to go with the pumpkin theme of the event that caters to each character. For more bang for your buck, make an effort to see Monte Revolta.
Monte Revolta Photo Gallery
Two food areas set up across from the Scary-Go-Round and scare mazes while food trucks and s’mores take over the other end with picnic tables. Food offering range from corn, potatoes, burgers, fries, hot dogs, nachos, cinnamon rolls, popcorn, themed ice cream, and more.
Food Photo Gallery
Midnight Falls General Store is the one-stop for souvenirs from clothing, drinkware, jewelry, keychains, plush, pins, and more.
Merchandise Photo Gallery
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride operates on select nights September 21 – November 2, 2024. For ticket sales and more information, visit https://losangeleshauntedhayride.com/
