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Six Flags Fright Fest conjures up even more scares for the 2024 season. Does it live up to the “extreme” in its refreshed marketing campaign? The final result in its second weekend is a mixed bag. Calling itself “California’s largest haunt” with 11 haunted houses and 9 scare zones. It’s easy to spread yourself too thin and let quality suffer. A lot of returning mainstays for long-time visitors and new horror-based intellectual properties join the line-up.
A significant investment in hopes of significant draws for fans of major franchises like Trick r’ Treat, The Conjuring, SAW, Stranger Things, and Army of the Dead. A majority of the chosen have seen haunted houses built for them in the past in other theme parks and movie studio events. So Six Flags has a lot to live up to that will surely be compared by long-time horror movie fans and haunted house attendees. Time to set off the trap and face possessed objects, we’re entering the demonic world of Six Flags Fright Fest Extreme.
Atmosphere Photo Gallery
Based on the 2007 cult film, director Michael Dougherty brought some hype up with his involvement with the development of the haunted house based on his movie for Six Flags. There are several Sam’s decorated throughout the park. So quite a bit of anticipation has been built. The experience itself has a noticeable amount of blank black walls, but many recognizable scenes and moments from the separate stories shine through. There’s the decorated front yard and eerie school teacher.
The school bus sunken in a laser water effect with lurking school children is an impressive scare. The werewolf has a cool set up but lacking reveal. The old man’s bedroom scene is fully fleshed out. A random mirror maze keeps you dizzy. And the end brings you to the unseen lair of Sam. The entrance was perplexing as the entrance is on the unthemed corner and the exit was out of the house facade.
Trick r’ Treat Photo Gallery
The Conjuring movie universe has been a popular modern horror movie series stable since 2013 with sequels and spin-offs based on supernatural items and spirits. Many of these are a featured conglomerate starring in the Warren’s private home collection, down dark hallways, deep inside a closet, slipping between the walls, bedroom, and cemetery.
The nun’s painting will surely send a shiver down yourself as guests walk closer and closer. The father splashing holy water helps keep evil at bay. The rotating color wheel casting moving shadows behind Annabelle makes for a creepy bedtime.
The Conjuring Universe Photo Gallery
20 years of games and traps are celebrated in the SAW haunted house that initially debuted last season along with The Conjuring. The flat facade is now a meat packing warehouse with guests walking into the workshop of the deadly Jigsaw. In his diabolical wake are trap construction, screaming victims, and pig-masked assistants. Set pieces have been moved forward while victims kept to the second half of the haunted house.
In fact, there seems to be less victims than before and the pig-faced assistants still spring out but quickly return to hiding. At least some have a metal tool prop in hand to look more menacing. The last big room got a new mini-wall to fill the large dead space directing guests to a waiting scare.
SAW Photo Gallery
Strangers Things is housed in a metal warehouse painted to look like part of the Hawkins High School Gymnasium here the students are putting on a Halloween event turning into a visit to The Upside Down. Unfortunately aspects of the rest of the haunted house looks like it was still built by a high school.
Rooms are so wide open taking away any claustrophobic sense it started feeling more like a walk-through of Instagram photo backdrops. An unlit demogod, one demogorgon behind a half wall, shadow projections of demobats, and a gently hovering statue of Vecna did not invoke the kind of fear the park would hope for. So little in fact a gihillie suited actor was placed with the Castle Byers set in the forest with the unworldly creature.
The falling particles provided a great effect for the Upside Down, but apparently agitated others. The character Dr. Brenner in his ’60s is played by a person not of the same gender or age. And when that actor pops out, no attempts are made to cover a clearly visible backstage behind them.
Stranger Things Photo Gallery
Army of the Dead is the second Netflix property after Stranger Things to get a haunted house. Redressing the old location from the first half of Aftermath, the outdoor location is themed to a devastated Las Vegas. Your group is tasked with infiltration to a Vault full of money. The catch is the area is swarming with zombies.
Sounds really good on paper, but in actuality, any sense of danger is watered down with more of an army of static statues. The first half remains to be visually impressive with apocalyptic destruction and burtsting fireball.
The maze itself is a rundown casino with gambling tables, showgirl stage, salon, and an open door vault. But there are hardly any actors to fill an actual army. Not even the zombie tiger can help this misfire.
Army of the Dead Photo Gallery
Creative and liberal choices were made bringing these IPs to life by Six Flags. Main characters take a backseat as most do not make any sort of appearance in show scenes. I will to choose to believe that guests respectfully take on the perspective of the main characters encountering the demogorgon, Annabelle, traps, and the undead.
But when you can count the number of actors in each haunted house with only two hands, there’s going to be a particular take away: not enough hired actors to live up to the “extreme” label. And that’s going to leave a lot of rooms unoccupied and uneventful.
The park was also experiencing a lot of downtime with the haunted houses. Particularly the ones located in the back of the park. Army of the Dead and Aftermath: Nocturnal are still connected. So if one side goes closes for emergency shutdown, the other side goes down as well.
Aftermath: Nocturnal Hunt takes what remains of the second half of the previous l experience, reverse the flow, and call this a brand new haunted house. Not sure this was all too necessary or an opportunity to claim the title of most houses to offer compared to other major amusement parks in the state. Even more lackluster is the last actor causally yelling “roar” at guests.
Aftermath Photo Gallery
Willoughby’s Resurrected is the reigning original haunted house in Six Flags Fright Fest Extreme. Highly detailed stroll through a gothic mansion. The attendants encourage you to check in, but checking out is another matter.
The silent walk by portraits, attics, bathrooms, bedrooms, music room, and more builds anticipation around every corner. Residents await your arrival. An oldie but goodie especially with enthusiastic performers.
Willoughby’s Resurrected Photo Gallery
Sewer of Souls sets up in a smelly dreary facility only to flush you down into a blacklit underground world of rats of unusual size, pipes, radioactive waste, and, well, human waste. Another quiet exploration of graffiti filled walls and a dip into a slanted air bag. Be sure to take a deep breath. The limited actors do what they can, but the park needs to add more to the lacking scare tactics.
Sewer of Souls Photo Gallery
Vault 666: Unlocked is arguably also another top original maze in the park. A long time stable even after its overlay as “Hellfest” (2018). A plethora of artifacts uncovered and unboxed from numerous crates ready for auction to the highest bidder. Get a closer examination of the items and take your pick. Highly detailed with talkative handlers in the silent setting. Linger long enough and you may become part of the collection.
Vault 666 Unlocked Photo Gallery
Condemned: Forever Damned is a classic decrepit house with solid set design. The levels of decay is consistent throughout and sticks to its main theme. Another disquieting exploration of a rundown home. An overlay of an undead spring break frat party vibe previously occupied this space. That was quite playful whereas the current iteration goes back to creepy and moody. Would love to see more creative overlays to break the mold from the repeating pathway.
Condemned Photo Gallery
There’s a love and hate when it comes to Truth or Dare. The television game show idea is great fun with contestants meeting their demise in deadly tasks. The concept was bare upon its debut. The next season improved upon what was already there. Now it’s about more or less the same.
The actors get loud, but doesn’t quite push the story forward. Other than signages for each room, the host could be making more appearances, or at least a pre-recorded dialogue playing to introduce the new games. The bee projected air bag is still a favorite gag. New scares are needed before this potential concept gets lost.
Truth or Dare Photo Gallery
The movie-based houses packaged with a music background and pre-recorded character dialogue to fill the air. The original houses were mostly silent, some sound effects, but largely leave the actors to use their voices and body to make up for the scaring. This can be stressful on the actor’s body working nightly weekends.
This does leave room for playful banter between actor and guest inside the mazes rather than just in scare zones. The crowd levels were low, so it didn’t seem express passes was necessary. Probably more so as Halloween gets closer. This does give groups enough time and space apart from each other rather than sending in conga lines of people in. Creating a more intimate and personalized scare experience.
Six Flags has a combined total of 9 scare zones! Some have better production values than others. These are our top favorites. The aquatic Devil’s Triangle, blacklit storybook tales of Nightmares: A Twisted Fantasy, and new this year is the whimsical Underworlds of Oz. Visually fun with entertaining cast of characters. Many would enjoy people watching in these areas.
Scare Zones Photo Gallery
Even more scare zones to cover the large footprint of the park. Some having more thought and set pieces than others. CarnivHELL is the carnival from Hell setting up camp in Bugs Bunny World. Grimmlore Ridge (new) with red hue and pecking crows. Plaza de la Muerte (new) tip of the hat to Day of the Dead. Gravely gruesome Exhile Hill. The Deadzone was more impressive last year with the apocalyptic city street. Mad world of clowns and holiday lighting in City Under Siege.
More Scare Zones Photo Gallery
Food Photo Gallery
Merchandise Photo Gallery
Hopefully the technical issues will be sorted out by the time Halloween approaches. Many haunted houses need more actors and creative scares. The scare positions need to have more consistent coverage throughout the evening. There is a stark difference between seasoned and beginner actors.
The park needs to refocus on less is more, quality over quantity. Especially if they want to compete with the likes of Universal Studios given their acquisition of popular horror movie franchises. Beware of new chaperone and bag check policies. Be sure to assess what you value in your Halloween scare experience.
Six Flags Fright Fest Extreme is open on select evenings now until November 3, 2024. As an added bonus, a Beetlejuice drone show is expected to be displayed over Six Flags Magic Mountain on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 at 8:30 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/events/fright-fest-2024
