Movie World Fright Nights 2016

[Reanimated35]

So do I

[Gilberty]

Ok, avidly following progress of this board in anticipation of Fright Nights 2016!! Watched Wyrmwood for the first time tonight, cool movie and was my favourite maze last year. 

Conjuring 2 tomorrow night. Lil bit excited about heading up to Qld next week! Keep the photos/updates and commentary going guys, it's fantastic!! 

[flipp]

35 minutes ago, Gilberty said:

Ok, avidly following progress of this board in anticipation of Fright Nights 2016!! Watched Wyrmwood for the first time tonight, cool movie and was my favourite maze last year. 

Conjuring 2 tomorrow night. Lil bit excited about heading up to Qld next week! Keep the photos/updates and commentary going guys, it's fantastic!! 

I work at a cinema and had the chance to watch The Conjuring 2 for free on release, but I decided not to as I hated the first one, I reckon it was so bloody boring, had no story and was absolutely filled with cliches. BUT, as soon as the Conjuring 2 maze got announced I decided to finally watch it, and IMO it is absolutely incredible, definitely worth the watch and I'm so hyped for the maze, can't believe how easily it crushed the first one. Enjoy!

On another note I'm loving all the news and images aswell, kinda sad I can't go on the first night, but I'll be there on the 8th, 15th (UTT) and 22nd. The hype is so real rn.

 

[JaggedJanine]

It looks like the UTT Lounge will be in the the Legends Dining Room this time round. The room itself has been fully decorated in halloween props. The courtyard has a little grave in it and they are currently installing more decorations as we speak. Also has the UTT hearse outside. 

And also just a few more photos as well. 

They are also using the Boot Hill sign. Assuming they are putting a UTT Lounge sign on it.

The queue line for C2 has been put up. 

The car in the Halloween precinct has changed and themed. And a few shots inside the room opposite.

[BNErider]

It seems this year they've really expanded the footprint of the event, and used areas that are usually out the way, to avoid disruptions during day operations and around major attractions.

GOOD JOB MOVIE WORLD!

[rappa]

Don't know if I love that. 

I enjoyed the atmosphere of being able to sit outside the UTT Lounge and be amongst the park still. Not tucked away in Legends which is a horrible old space. 

 

What is actually in the old Stars Cafe location?

 

Itll be interesting this year as I feel the fountain area will be a lot quieter without people heading that way to the two hero mazes. 

[Theme Park Girl]

4 minutes ago, djrappa said:

What is actually in the old Stars Cafe location? 

A discount merchandise shop ?

[BNErider]

I agree the Legends dining room is far from perfect. I had the misfortune of having Christmas dinner there, but I think for Halloween it might actually suit the location more, perhaps? Depends on the theming inside, I guess.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Slightly off topic, but interesting nonetheless - i'd like to see MW bring out a VR fright night attraction such as this:

http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/north-america/haunted-house-attraction-shut-down-after-public-backlash/news-story/5d758028822bc3a8518ae4d19014d0c6

Quote

A CALIFORNIA theme park will have one less attraction at its annual Halloween event this year after mental health advocates complained about a virtual reality attraction.

Fear VR was a new haunted house ride at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, featuring a storyline about a possessed patient running around a mental institution, Fox News reported.

Park visitors were strapped into chairs and moved through the attraction wearing virtual reality headsets.

The hospital-themed attraction, which opened on September 22, was originally named Fear VR 5150, numbers for the official state code used to authorise the detention of a person who may be suffering from a mental disorder that caused an individual to be considered a danger to others or themselves.

On its website, Knott’s warns that attractions at the Halloween event contain “extremely adult material” and while there is no minimum age requirement, the “event is recommended for mature audiences only and not recommended for children under 13.”

Immediately after its debut, the ride was criticised by several mental health advocates for its portrayal of mental illness.

Kay Warren, the wife of prominent evangelical pastor Rick Warren, told the OC Register the attraction’s original name struck a nerve because her son, who committed suicide in 2013, was “held on a 5150” several times.

On the ride’s opening day, the park announced that it would drop the “5150” from the attraction’s name.

 

But many other California residents continued to speak out against the ride’s portrayal of people suffering from mental illness.

 

Los Angeles resident Julia Robinson Shimizu penned an open letter about Knott’s to an LA Times editor.

“Knott’s Berry Farm is horrifying because it demonises people with mental illness,” wrote Shimizu.

“Shame on Knott’s Berry Farm and on Los Angeles Times for presenting illness as entertainment. People with mental illness are our loved ones and yours…. People with mental illness are statistically more likely to be a victim of a crime than to commit a crime.”

The ride stayed open through the weekend but after numerous complaints continued, Knott’s (which is owned by amusement giant Cedar Fair) announced that it would shutter the Fear VR attraction entirely.

The park sent a statement about the decision to the LA Times: “Over the past week we have heard from a number of people expressing their concern that one of our temporary, Halloween attractions — Fear VR — is hurtful to those who suffer from mental illnesses.

“Contrary to some traditional and social media accounts, the attraction’s story and presentation were never intended to portray mental illness. As it is impossible to address both concerns and misconceptions in the Halloween time frame, at this time we have decided to close the attraction.”

California’s Great America in Santa Clara, California and Wonderland park in Toronto, Canada (both owned by Cedar Fair) also cancelled the featured attraction at their Halloween events in the wake of the controversy.

Mental health advocates praised the decision.

“I feel good about what happened here,” John Leyerle, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Orange County, told the OC Register.

“Thankfully, this attraction will no longer further mental health stigma. By closing this ride down, they’ve moved things away from a negative place.”

But Knott’s Scary Farm, which has been held at the theme park every year 1973, isn’t cheap. Nightly tickets cost $40 ($AU52) and many thrill seekers have started to criticise the park’s decision to close the VR-enhanced haunted house.

On Wednesday night, thousands signed a petition asking the park to reopen the ride.

“It is a haunted amusement park, the things that exist in it are meant to terrify and disturb you, this is what people sign on for when they go to the park,” reads the Change.org page.

It continues: “Closing the attraction is not going to help advocate the increase of knowledge on the subject either. People are still going to be afraid of what they do not understand in regards to mental illness.”

The park states that there are no ticket refunds for the event.

Representatives for Knott’s Berry Farm and Cedar Fair were not immediately available for comment.

 

[mickayel]

@JaggedJanine thanks for those images! I love sending my friends the link to this forum to hype them up for their first FN and UTT!

[Jamberoo Fan]

Small news about the panic rooms here.

@AlexB, I don't know how many amusement/theme parks have done horror-like VR experiences or the success of them but I read this ABC article a while ago and I do hope, after reading it, amusements/theme parks don't go too graphic when doing horror-themed etc. VR attractions. That article you shared just then made me concerned that amusement/theme parks may be beginning to approach the line in regards to how graphic a horror-themed etc. VR attraction should be.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Jamberoo Fan

[Brad2912]

As long as there is warnings and stipulations on age restrictions, why is does there have even be a 'line' in which to cross?

[Jamberoo Fan]

3 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

As long as there is warnings and stipulations on age restrictions, why is does there have even be a 'line' in which to cross?

I'm talking more to the point where people could develop PTSD as a result of how graphic something is in VR particularly if there is extra non-VR special effects that add to the VR experience.

[themagician]

CATATONIC Virtual Reality Horror Experience
Catatonic invites you to strap yourself in and take a ride that’s unlike anything you’ve endured before. In one of the world’s pioneering VR horror experiences, you’ll step into the shoes of a mental patient being welcomed into an insane asylum, where you undergo a sense-stunning thrill ride as the world around you descends deeper and deeper into madness.

Catatonic is available at the Roxy Theatre and is a pay per play experience.

 

ALSO:

Fright Nights: The Final Party
Join us on Monday, 31st October for Fright Nights – The Final Party! It’s everything you love about Fright Nights...with a twist!

If you think you’ve got what it takes to survive the horrors lurking inside Warner Bros. Movie World, then come dressed in your favourite Day of the Dead cosplay, devour the food & beverage included in your ticket and unleash your inner demon in the mazes, horrific scare precincts and panic room experiences.

The dead have spoken, they want their final party and they want you to join them. But you’ll need to hurry, their invite list is exclusive and numbers are strictly limited. Tickets are $99.

Edited September 30, 2016 by themagician
More info

[themagician]

And also, it seems that the whole alley wont be open, meaning from Main Street, but will just be the second half that was used as the AA enterance during SE maintenance. And will also be one of the access points to the mazes

And these signs have appeared around the park:

Edited September 30, 2016 by themagician

[JaggedJanine]

The VIP Launch is entry for the night, a viewing of C2, canapés and drinks and then you will be in the UTT viewing area for the opening performance.

[j_m-kelly]

What maze is everyone most excited for and most scared for? Personally, I'm most excited for The Conjuring 2 because I really enjoyed the movie and can't wait to see how they bring it to life. However, I'm most scared for From Dusk Till Dawn because I believe there are snakes in the television show and I don't cope well with them haha.

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

Conjuring 2 and F13^

[rappa]

I have probably missed it in this thread and I'm a little out of the horror genre loop as its not my thing. But which of the two new mazes is the major IP that was hinted that they'd secured as mentioned on last year's UTT?

[Reanimated35]

8 minutes ago, djrappa said:

I have probably missed it in this thread and I'm a little out of the horror genre loop as its not my thing. But which of the two new mazes is the major IP that was hinted that they'd secured as mentioned on last year's UTT?

I would assume FDTD as it was something along the lines of "a big new IP that is building but hasn't taken off yet" or something. To me FDTD makes sense as it's a series gaining traction. 

[BNErider]

Conjuring 2 maze/theme seems more scary... but I don't really watch horrors so who knows what'll actually be best.

[FoolishMortal999]

1 hour ago, reanimated35 said:

I would assume FDTD as it was something along the lines of "a big new IP that is building but hasn't taken off yet" or something. To me FDTD makes sense as it's a series gaining traction. 

From Dusk till Dawn has been done before. At Halloween Horror Nights so I believe they were referring to The Conjuring 2.

 

 

on another note : I'm going to miss The Evil Within and Wolf Creek 2 Mazes.

[JaggedJanine]

It is 1:13am and i have just finished watching C2. It was alright. There are definitely a few good rooms and scares that they will be able to bring to life really well in the maze!

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

today is the day everyone!  

[Santa07]

8 hours ago, JaggedJanine said:

It is 1:13am and i have just finished watching C2. It was alright. There are definitely a few good rooms and scares that they will be able to bring to life really well in the maze!

Wait, did I hear that right?

You were up at 1:13am and you had to be up for the Star Tour today?

You must be very strong-willed to be able to do that...