Fright Nights - 2015

[Slick]

If you're uhmming or arrr-ing as to whether or not you should go... go.

[Zanstabar]

If you're uhmming or arrr-ing as to whether or not you should go... go.

What a pitch, Slick. You just sold me!

Any clue as to when we shall see some FN coverage on OurWorlds? I love seeing the photos you guys put up.

[Slick]

Any clue as to when we shall see some FN coverage on OurWorlds?

2017 at this stage.

Seriously though - I've got plenty of work on today but my aim is you'll see it tonight as the first public Fright Nights hits.

[FoolishMortal999]

Did anyone go to the media launch last night? Can you please give us a review without spoilers lol

[ShakeShack]

Did anyone go to the media launch last night? Can you please give us a review without spoilers lol

The two mazes are extremely good. Very dark and full of some real creepy moments. Personally Friday the 13th is scarier with tonnes of real creepy moments involving Jason. Wyrmwood will have over 40 scare actors in it on the nights, we got to experience it with only 20 last night and it was still awesome. 

[Slick]

Couple more until the full review drops.

[Brad2912]

Did anyone go to the media launch last night? Can you please give us a review without spoilers lol

one of the girls who works for me called in sick for her shift last night, before uploading copious amounts of photos of the VIP event on social media.

i'll get her to come on here and give you a review right after I have a meeting with her tonight - she'll have plenty of spare time for review writing moving forward 

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

just completed all the mazes, the queue lines are EMPTY no where as busy as last year, that's right I just said the queue lines are empty 

[j_m-kelly]

just completed all the mazes, the queue lines are EMPTY no where as busy as last year, that's right I just said the queue lines are empty 

How were the mazes? And I'm so surprised that their short. They must have limited the number of tickets per night :/

[Brad2912]

For anyone looking for tix, join the northern GC news/buy & sell pages. Over 10 posts today of people offloading tickets most went for $10-$15 a pop 

[themagician]

On MWs snap chat they have behind the scenes footage of a maze, where you see cameras watching people going through the mazes and telling the scare actors when to jump out. That's something that I've never thought about, but now I've seen that's how it works, it seemed kind of obvious that's how they would do it. 

[ShakeShack]

On MWs snap chat they have behind the scenes footage of a maze, where you see cameras watching people going through the mazes and telling the scare actors when to jump out. That's something that I've never thought about, but now I've seen that's how it works, it seemed kind of obvious that's how they would do it. 

Those screens are part of the two secret rooms within the two hero mazes. This is accessible only buy Terror Tour guest. The Scare actors have no directions from anyone besides the cast briefing at the start of the night. 

The screens show four areas that the guests can trigger certain effects to scare the maze goers. 

 

[themagician]

^Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up.

[Wil_i_am_not]

one of the girls who works for me called in sick for her shift last night, before uploading copious amounts of photos of the VIP event on social media.

Haha, maybe you could cut her some slack because you're a theme park enthusiast yourself!

[themagician]

A lot of people are posting on MWs FB praising the first night of FN saying it was the best one so far and the queue lengths were so much shorter than the first night last year. Really looking forward to it.

[Zanstabar]

Last night was a bit of an oxymoron for me. The event has this new sense of polish and thoughtfulness that I haven't seen previously, while somehow also feeling like it missed the mark. 

Mazes:

• Friday the 13th:

This was a really enjoyable maze. Some of the best scares I've ever seen in Fright Nights history are in here, such as the "Mine Shaft". I could tell that Michael, Chris, and the team give this franchise the best they could have and it really shows. It felt like I was in the film, for the most part. Some of the exterior sense started to feel a little bit lacking, as the repetition of one or two tree trunks and black walls did start to become a bit too much. This is a must do maze this year for anyone who attends the event. It's practically the essence of the event.

• Wyrmwood

The creative team really tried to emphasise Wyrmwood last night, and so they should have. A locally produced film on a shoestring budget that has received success is a great achievement. The maze is a different story. I wouldn't say it was crap, but I wouldn't call it gold either. Some scenes are very beautiful, such as the underpass, while others seemed a tad bare. Both of my runs also resulted in some pretty bad conga-lining. One last point to mention is that the story and some of the scenes seemed redundant. The opening scene is a guy looking into a fridge, not even scaring guests. Whether that's to develop the narrative is unknown, but it just seemed a little bit pointless. I wouldn't rush back to this maze, but if the queues are great then go for it.

• Wolf Creek

I didn't attend last year so it was great to experience this maze for the first time. While it was a great time, I just didn't really "connect" with the maze. It didn't have that "Je ne sais quoi" or that "X Factor". The sets were great, there were some awesome scares and it felt immersive in most scenes, but something just didn't feel right about it. This may just have been my least favourite of  the night. While that may sound bad, I will tell you this; it was not a trainwreck. It was a great maze but it was just a bit off and I don't know why. Maybe it will be better later in the season?

• Evil Within

Thank the heavens that the Scooby queue is not a maze location. This maze put every maze in the Scooby queue to shame, and for good reason. This maze had a plethora of scares around every corner, and some pretty nice environments. While it didn't really have any key set pieces, the whole atmosphere of the game was carried through nicely. The characters looked great, it had a good layout and even some admirable scares, such as the "Blade Room". Even though it's a repeat, this is a must do when attending.

Precincts

• Zombieland

What a pleasant surprise! I was expecting just a generic zombie zone, but the attention to detail really astounded me. They have a sideshow booth, with an almost picture perfect recreation of a clown zombie, the wedding gazebo complete with bride and groom, and even zombie Bill Murray. My only comment is this; it could do with some more scares. Yes, I saw people running from the zombies when I would pass through, but every time I went through it seemed that most people were avoided. It almost seemed a little "dead". 

• Freaks

This was a hot mess. To me, it was clear that this precinct was trying so very hard to nail the "Thrill-seeking" demographic while also appeal to the younger kids that should obviously not be heading to this style of event. The performers are great, don't get me wrong, but the roaming actors aren't scary enough for the thrill-seekers yet many are too disturbing for the younger ones. As an example, the "Uncle Sam" character sent people running, and I saw many young girls disturbed by the kissing booth, but the Strongman? He didn't really do anything. If this precinct returns next year, all I saw is to try and stick to one demographic, otherwise it's going to be a mess.

• Gothic Hall

Gothic Hall shouldn't be called a precinct; it should just be called a show stage. No scare actors found, just musicians. Admittedly, I didn't get to fully experience this precinct as I kept missing the shows, but I don't think a precinct should be completely void of entertainment outside of certain times.

• Demon's Lair

Probably my most disappointing precinct. It was clear to me that when this was on the drawing board, it wasn't a matter of how to make a cool experience, but rather a location for the fire-twirlers. During the tour, it was mentioned that the precinct were going for a festival atmosphere (*cough* Carnivale *cough*). This precinct came out as if they just wanted to recreate Carnivale, not a local Fright Nights event. There were some scares, but this was easily the worst for me. 

• Terror Tour

I don't want to spoil this for anyone, but what an experience. I never thought I would be groped in the WB Kid's zone while someone sings "Like a Virgin". The finale of the tour is going to stay with me forever. My heart was beating hard, I was panicked and anxious, and I adored every single minute of it. This is what the Fright Nights team can do when they go all out. We just need to see more of this. 

 

I have no idea how to rank this year. Somehow in my mind, it was the best Fright Nights yet while also one of the most disappointing. I at a loss for words to be honest. It wasn't two steps forward, one step back, as it made some really good progress in introducing precincts and managing the queues.Yet, it wasn't perfect because some of the precincts where a bit of a mess. I think I might have to return later in the season and see if I can actually solidify any viewpoint. 

 

Sidenote: I didn't check the queue times, but while Friday the 13th held a decent queue, Wyrmwood was barely a 10-minute wait. It was practically at the second switchback.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Zanstabar

[rappa]

So two things... Firstly I nearly tuned out at the point you named dropped, that's a bit sad. 

Then you said you wouldn't spoil it for anyone but told everyone it was in the kids zone, you got groped and that someone was singing like a virgin.

Thats after you have away half the maze contents also. Perhaps do a bit better with your spoiler alert next time hey. 

[Zanstabar]

So two things... Firstly I nearly tuned out at the point you named dropped, that's a bit sad. 

Then you said you wouldn't spoil it for anyone but told everyone it was in the kids zone, you got groped and that someone was singing like a virgin.

Thats after you have away half the maze contents also. Perhaps do a bit better with your spoiler alert next time hey. 

Sorry, it was more of a stream of consciousness. I tried my best, and if that's not good enough then so be it.

[BNErider]

TBH, I appreciated the review - thank you for providing. I think people can stop reading if they don't want to know too much.

I guess a spoiler tag/message could be placed at the top, though.

[Zanstabar]

TBH, I appreciated the review - thank you for providing. I think people can stop reading if they don't want to know too much.

I guess a spoiler tag/message could be placed at the top, though.

I would if I could edit the post. I tried to avoid spoilers, but due to this being my thoughts in a written form I clearly screwed up in that regard. Sorry if I've ruined anyone's time with the review.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Zanstabar

[BNErider]

Definitely didn't screw up, your points were very interesting and I can't wait to see how my experiences differ.

I know how long it takes to post these reviews so thanks for the effort!

[aqu]

Last night was a bit of an oxymoron for me. The event has this new sense of polish and thoughtfulness that I haven't seen previously, while somehow also feeling like it missed the mark. 

Mazes:

• Friday the 13th:

This was a really enjoyable maze. Some of the best scares I've ever seen in Fright Nights history are in here, such as the "Mine Shaft". I could tell that Michael, Chris, and the team give this franchise the best they could have and it really shows. It felt like I was in the film, for the most part. Some of the exterior sense started to feel a little bit lacking, as the repetition of one or two tree trunks and black walls did start to become a bit too much. This is a must do maze this year for anyone who attends the event. It's practically the essence of the event.

• Wyrmwood

The creative team really tried to emphasise Wyrmwood last night, and so they should have. A locally produced film on a shoestring budget that has received success is a great achievement. The maze is a different story. I wouldn't say it was crap, but I wouldn't call it gold either. Some scenes are very beautiful, such as the underpass, while others seemed a tad bare. Both of my runs also resulted in some pretty bad conga-lining. One last point to mention is that the story and some of the scenes seemed redundant. The opening scene is a guy looking into a fridge, not even scaring guests. Whether that's to develop the narrative is unknown, but it just seemed a little bit pointless. I wouldn't rush back to this maze, but if the queues are great then go for it.

• Wolf Creek

I didn't attend last year so it was great to experience this maze for the first time. While it was a great time, I just didn't really "connect" with the maze. It didn't have that "Je ne sais quoi" or that "X Factor". The sets were great, there were some awesome scares and it felt immersive in most scenes, but something just didn't feel right about it. This may just have been my least favourite of  the night. While that may sound bad, I will tell you this; it was not a trainwreck. It was a great maze but it was just a bit off and I don't know why. Maybe it will be better later in the season?

• Evil Within

Thank the heavens that the Scooby queue is not a maze location. This maze put every maze in the Scooby queue to shame, and for good reason. This maze had a plethora of scares around every corner, and some pretty nice environments. While it didn't really have any key set pieces, the whole atmosphere of the game was carried through nicely. The characters looked great, it had a good layout and even some admirable scares, such as the "Blade Room". Even though it's a repeat, this is a must do when attending.

Precincts

• Zombieland

What a pleasant surprise! I was expecting just a generic zombie zone, but the attention to detail really astounded me. They have a sideshow booth, with an almost picture perfect recreation of a clown zombie, the wedding gazebo complete with bride and groom, and even zombie Bill Murray. My only comment is this; it could do with some more scares. Yes, I saw people running from the zombies when I would pass through, but every time I went through it seemed that most people were avoided. It almost seemed a little "dead". 

• Freaks

This was a hot mess. To me, it was clear that this precinct was trying so very hard to nail the "Thrill-seeking" demographic while also appeal to the younger kids that should obviously not be heading to this style of event. The performers are great, don't get me wrong, but the roaming actors aren't scary enough for the thrill-seekers yet many are too disturbing for the younger ones. As an example, the "Uncle Sam" character sent people running, and I saw many young girls disturbed by the kissing booth, but the Strongman? He didn't really do anything. If this precinct returns next year, all I saw is to try and stick to one demographic, otherwise it's going to be a mess.

• Gothic Hall

Gothic Hall shouldn't be called a precinct; it should just be called a show stage. No scare actors found, just musicians. Admittedly, I didn't get to fully experience this precinct as I kept missing the shows, but I don't think a precinct should be completely void of entertainment outside of certain times.

• Demon's Lair

Probably my most disappointing precinct. It was clear to me that when this was on the drawing board, it wasn't a matter of how to make a cool experience, but rather a location for the fire-twirlers. During the tour, it was mentioned that the precinct were going for a festival atmosphere (*cough* Carnivale *cough*). This precinct came out as if they just wanted to recreate Carnivale, not a local Fright Nights event. There were some scares, but this was easily the worst for me. 

• Terror Tour

I don't want to spoil this for anyone, but what an experience. I never thought I would be groped in the WB Kid's zone while someone sings "Like a Virgin". The finale of the tour is going to stay with me forever. My heart was beating hard, I was panicked and anxious, and I adored every single minute of it. This is what the Fright Nights team can do when they go all out. We just need to see more of this. 

 

I have no idea how to rank this year. Somehow in my mind, it was the best Fright Nights yet while also one of the most disappointing. I at a loss for words to be honest. It wasn't two steps forward, one step back, as it made some really good progress in introducing precincts and managing the queues.Yet, it wasn't perfect because some of the precincts where a bit of a mess. I think I might have to return later in the season and see if I can actually solidify any viewpoint. 

 

Sidenote: I didn't check the queue times, but while Friday the 13th held a decent queue, Wyrmwood was barely a 10-minute wait. It was practically at the second switchback.

Heya, thanks for the review, I can't wait to go on both the 16th and the 23rd, but I was just wondering, what did you mean by getting "groped" while somebody sung "Like a Virgin"? Also, what is the "Uncle Sam" actor supposed to be?

Thanks in advance.

- Connor

[Zanstabar]

Heya, thanks for the review, I can't wait to go on both the 16th and the 23rd, but I was just wondering, what did you mean by getting "groped" while somebody sung "Like a Virgin"? Also, what is the "Uncle Sam" actor supposed to be?

Thanks in advance.

- Connor

"Uncle Sam" was in reference to the iconic piece of American propaganda during World War I and II. You will most likely recognise the actor in question during your visit. 

 

Seeing how bad I've been with spoilers, I'm being very self-conscious to try and avoid them while also answering your question. If you are familiar with the special experience during the UTT last year, then this would seem no different. Whereas the actors in the mazes and precincts try to scare you while simultaneously keeping a safe distance, the actors during the tour have no boundaries. They're vulgar, they get physical, and they can get very, very personal. I will leave it at that to save those who want a surprise...

[kujotess]

Fright nights was scarier prior 2013 when they had the horror icons like leather face roaming Main Street with the chainsaw and Michael Myers. They seem to just reuse the same characters nowadays as well as picking teenagers off the street and slapping blood on them and calling them zombies and clowns.. The streets felt very empty last night. It was very rare to see people running and screaming like they used to. 

[aqu]

"Uncle Sam" was in reference to the iconic piece of American propaganda during World War I and II. You will most likely recognise the actor in question during your visit. 

 

Seeing how bad I've been with spoilers, I'm being very self-conscious to try and avoid them while also answering your question. If you are familiar with the special experience during the UTT last year, then this would seem no different. Whereas the actors in the mazes and precincts try to scare you while simultaneously keeping a safe distance, the actors during the tour have no boundaries. They're vulgar, they get physical, and they can get very, very personal. I will leave it at that to save those who want a surprise...

Are they only allowed to touch you during the Terror Tour? Thanks for the reply!