The Scare Zone

The Scare Zone Has a New Home!

2010-08-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

We've moved to www.scare-zone.com. Be sure to check us out over there. There's a TON of great haunt information coming in now, so be sure to keep up with all the latest news!

Rob Zombie Returns (in Maze Form) to HHN Hollywood

2010-08-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

Not only is Rob Zombie judging the Halloween Horror Nights Scary Film Competition, but he's also helping create a new maze for this year's Halloween Horror Nights.

We're not exactly sure of the title yet, but the maze will be based on House of the 1000 Corpses and will include the characters of Captain Spaulding, Baby, Otis, Mother Firefly, and Killer Karl. We know that the maze will begin with the Murder Ride (though it won't be an actual ride, duh) and that it will also include the Firefly House and Dr. Satan's Lair.

And if that's not enough for you, it's going to be in 3-D. John Murdy, HHN Creative Director, promises this will NOT be a typical "black light" 3-D maze, though. He claims they will be taking "a different approach" although 3-D glasses will still be involved.

We can't wait to see what Universal does with 3-D. Quite honestly, the gimmick is becoming tiresome at some of the other haunts, where the approach has been to paint polka dots or stripes in orange and blue on black plywood walls and light it up with black light. We know this is not Universal's style, and we hope they'll infuse a little more "dimension" into the concept.

Also, some of you may remember Rob Zombie had a maze back in 2000 themed to House of 1000 Corpses. Rob and HHN go way back.

First Look at HHN Hollywood's Klownz

2010-07-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Halloween Horror Nights (Hollywood) released some scareactor concept art this week for their new scare zone, Klownz. Check it out:

For a couple more images, visit the exclusive story on Dread Central.

If you've always dreamed of being a chainsaw-wielding clown manic, scareactor auditions are being held next week, Monday, July 26th at 5pm and Wednesday, July 28th at 10am at the Globe Theatre at Universal Studios Hollywood. They're looking for stilt walkers and scareactors, plus actors for the Bill and Ted Stunt show.

And if you're in Florida, auditions for HHN Orlando are going on now.

Once people start getting hired to work in a particular maze, it's hard to keep the themes and names secret, so we hope this means that maze information will be released soon.

KSF 2010: L.A. Times Preview

2010-07-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

The LA Times has an article about Knott’s Scary Farm’s 2010 mazes and Scare Zones. It also ranks what they believe are the best, rest, and worst mazes coming back. Scare Zone will have to disagree with some of their rankings such as cronstalkers which isn't one of the worst and The Salughterhouse which isn't one of the best.

The thing with Knott's, like other haunts, is one's expereince in a maze and the scare factor can vary greatly depending on when they go. That is why we reccomend going to haunts earlier in the season when the talent is fresh or during weeknights. Opening weekends can be fun but then you must keep in mind that the scareactors are still learning what scares really work on their victims.

Knott’s Berry Farm unveils Halloween Haunt 2010 mazes

Knott’s Berry Farm will add three new mazes for Halloween Haunt 2010, according to theme park officials. The 38th annual Knott’s Scary Farm will take place on Wednesday through Sunday nights from Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 (except for Sept. 29). Knott’s Berry Farm. The granddaddy of Halloween events will feature 13 mazes scattered throughout the Buena Park theme park, with construction currently underway in backstage areas.

New mazes for 2010:

> Sleepy Hollow Mountain, featuring the headless horseman legend with ghosts, ghouls, witches and goblins, replaces the Pyromaniax theme (on the Timber Mountain log ride).

> Virus Z replicates a small town overrun by infected cannibals, zombies and blood-thirsty corpses, replacing the woefully bad Quarantine maze (in Fiesta Plaza).

> Fallout Shelter, where the insane residents haven’t seen the sun since the Atomic Age, replaces the tired and predictable Alien Annihilation 3-D laser-tag maze (near Reflection Lake).
Returning mazes from 2009:

The Best
> Terror of London
> Lockdown: The Asylum
> Slaughterhouse

The Rest
> Dia de los Muertos (in 3-D)
> The Labyrinth
> Black Widow’s Cavern
> Club Blood

The Worst
> Uncle Bobo’s Big Top of the Bizarre (in 3-D)
> The Doll Factory
> Cornstalkers

Halloween Haunt will once again feature three scare zones, including:
> The Necropolis, with Victorian Steampunk vampires haunting a city of the dead, replaces The Gauntlet scare zone in Camp Snoopy (New for 2010).
> Carnevil (in the Boardwalk area)
> Ghost Town (in the Wild West area)

Also returning for 2010: “The Hanging” pop-culture comedy revue plus several shows

HHN: King Kong Sized Line?

2010-06-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

According to a tweet from HHN Hollywood the new King King 360 will be presented as it's own attraction and not part of the Terror Tram at this year's haunt. This seems strange as Kong is part of the Tram Tour. If this turns out to be true, then this will be an (bad) attempt for them to try to squeeze out another attraction for HHN. This would mean yet another line to stand in for what is a less than 2 minute experience (according to the YouTube video) so we hope this isn't true.

Nonetheless, for those of you you can't wait until HHN or even this Thursday's opening of the ride here is a video of the experience here.
*Spoiler Warning*

Zombie Manor: Sneak Peek August 13!

2010-06-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

Zombie Manor, in Arlington, Texas (Dallas-Ft. Worth area), will be letting victims in for a sneak peek at their 2010 haunt on Friday, August 13, from 8 to 11 pm.

Zombie Manor bills itself as "DFW's top-rated zombie experience." Just how many "zombie experiences" ARE there in the Dallas area? Regardless, it's nice to see a haunt that has a consistent theme throughout and isn't just a bunch of rooms with different "scary" themes (we're looking at YOU, Blood Manor). Zombie Manor opened in 2009, and though it hasn't earned any "skulls" yet on HauntWorld.com, it lists some positive reviews on their own web site. Some photos available on their site show some pretty creepy sets.

Their site doesn't list ticket prices for the August event, but the haunt was $15 last Halloween season. How can anyone resist $15 for a haunt on a summer night, and on a Friday the 13th, no less? You Texans are lucky.

Blood Manor Adds to the Terror

2010-06-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Blood Manor will be adding new scenes to their haunt this year. According to their web site, we can look forward to these additions for 2010:

The Wolves Den
Zombie Attack
It's Alive!
Vortex Laser Tunnel
Serial Killer's Thriller
Electrocution
Vampire's Lair
3D Circus of Horrors

I think most of those concepts are self-explanatory, except for maybe It's Alive! (described as a “chaotic chamber of sights and sounds”) and Serial Killer's Thriller (which might be some kind of scary portrait gallery). Is there anything this haunt DOESN'T have???

Blood Manor opens October 1st.

Knott's Halloween Haunt Maze Lineup for 2010

2010-06-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's official! Knott's will once again feature 13 mazes at their Halloween Haunt. The full lineup is as follows:

1. Club Blood
2. The Doll Factory
3. Black Widow's Cavern
4. Labryinth
5. Slaughterhouse
6. Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre
7. Dia De Los Muertos
8. Cornstalkers
9. Terror of London
10. Lockdown: The Asylum
11. Virus Z*
12. Fallout Shelter*
13. Sleepy Hollow Mountain*

* New for 2010

(Gone to the Ghost Town graveyard: Alien Annihilation, Pyromaniax, Quarantine.)

Knott's Reveals 2 More New Mazes for Halloween Haunt 2010

2010-06-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

New for Knott's Berry Farm's Halloween Haunt 2010:

"Virus Z": Fiesta Plaza explodes with a brand new zombie nightmare. The virus is out and the end is near... Enter the barricaded town of Pleasanton, where the virus has turned the entire population into ravenous zombies! From the insane mind of Brooke Walters, designer of Doll Factory and Terror of London.

"Sleepy Hollow Mountain": Ghosts and ghouls, witches and goblins, long-legged beasts and things that go bump in the night...take a dark ride through haunted Sleepy Hollow. The witching hour is at hand and the legends of long ago haunt the living. Specters and witches are on your heels as you try to out run The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Can you keep your wits? Or will you lose your head? Brought to you by Haunt Designer, David Ortiz (Dia De Los Muertos)! (Description from Theme Park Adventure.com)

So this means that Virus Z is replacing Quarantine and Sleepy Hollow Mountain will replace Pyromaniax (Timber Mountain Log Ride). We're VERY excited for Sleepy Hollow Mountain. It sounds like it could be a nice, traditional Halloween theme, which really is missing from many haunts these days. Most haunts are overrun by post-apocalyptic zombies, vampires, and aliens. We can't wait to see a few pumpkins and witches, and hopefully a fog-filled graveyard.

Knott's Halloween Haunt opens on September 24.

BREAKING NEWS: HHN HOLLYWOOD NEWS ANNOUNCED!

2010-06-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

From the LA times:
After getting bigger and better ever year, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood this year will offer more mazes and more nights in a bid to out-scare and out-gore the competition.

For 2010, Halloween Horror Nights will feature five mazes and six scare zones over 17 nights running from Sept. 24 through Oct. 31, theme park officials confirmed.

The 2010 dates: Sept. 24 and 25 and Oct. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31. That’s every Friday and Saturday over six consecutive weekends plus a few Thursdays and Sundays.

No word yet on themes for any of the 2010 haunted mazes, which in years past have been tied to classic horror movies such as “Saw,” “Halloween,” “My Bloody Valentine,” “Friday the 13th,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

I would be shocked to see any of those movie properties reappear in 2010, although the park’s year-round House of Horrors attraction will almost certainly be one of the five haunted mazes.

For 2010, Universal also promises to unveil an all-new Terror Tram studio tour through the backlot that will include a stop at the new King Kong 360 3-D attraction. [!!!!!!]

No word yet on this year’s shows either, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see a return of the “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure” pop culture parody and last year’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” live musical revue, which has been a perennial favorite at Universal’s sister park in Orlando, Fla.

Universal’s Halloween event has had a sporadic history at the Hollywood movie and television theme park, returning with renewed vigor in 2006 after an extended hiatus. Since then, the rebooted event has grown from seven nights in 2006 to 10 nights in 2007 to 13 nights in 2008 to 16 nights last year and to 17 nights this year. Expect the park to tack on a few extra nights this Halloween season if ticket sales prove brisk at the beginning of October.

Universal will have a long way to go to catch up to the sheer volume of Halloween Haunt at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, which featured 13 mazes, seven shows and three scare zones over 28 nights in 2009.

Universal has taken a decidedly different approach than Knott’s — relying on marquee movie monsters over generic vampire, alien and zombie themes, while significantly amping up the blood, guts and gore.

Halloween Horror Nights Orlando: 2010

2010-06-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, HHN Orlando updated their Web site with dates and a few details for 2010. The dates will be:

September 24, 25, 30; October 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31, 2010

There was also mention of the "20 year" theme, but it appears that has been removed from the site for the time being.

Tickets are on sale now!

Are You Ready to Rock?

2010-06-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has updated their Howl-O-Scream splash page with a teaser image for 2010 and the note: "Howl-O-Scream Is Gonna Rock!"

While we're not sure what this means for this year's theme, it at least seems better than last year's mascots: bored-looking vampire models.

Meanwhile, Williamsburg's Howl-O-Scream page claims a new "spooky" site will be up in June. We'll be checking back...

Reign of Terror creator Bruce Stanton featured on HauntCast

2010-05-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

Bruce Stanton, creator of the excellent home-to-commercial haunt Reign of Terror, located in Thousand Oaks, California, is the featured guest on the April 2010 episode of HauntCast, the podcast for "haunters and Halloween fanatics."

Bruce talks about taking his haunt from his house, to a community center, and then to a busy mall, as well as the difficulty in opening a commercial haunt in the somewhat oversaturated haunt market of Southern California. (Although we would like to be the first to say that there can never be TOO many haunts in Southern California.)

We had the chance to visit Reign of Terror in 2009, and it was great! So much attention to detail, great scares, and great animatronics. The haunt was long—there were so many rooms, we lost count. And 2010 promises to be even better: Their Web site says they're planning to add 6 to 8 more rooms "with all new scares throughout."

2010's theme: Asylum for the Criminally Insane! And if any community needs an asylum, it's Thousand Oaks. Trust us, we've been there. Oh, how we've been there.

Here are a couple of pictures from last year's facade:

Ready For Freddy?

2010-04-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Freddy returns to the stalk victims in the remake of A Nightmare of Elm Street. So far reviews have been positive about this remake giving credit to Jack Healy who is now playing the man of our dreams.

If you can remember, Freddy's maze at Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando proved to be one of the funnest and scariest mazes during those years. Here's a nightmarish flashback of Freddy's terror at Universal's haunts.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy's Nightmare (Hollywood 2007 & 2008)

A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers (Orlando 2007)

HHN Hollywood Updates

2010-04-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

There have been some updates from our friend John Murdy, Creative Director of HHN at Universal Hollywood. He says that the last deal has been closed and now all the maze themes are locked in. No official announcements as to what we can expect will be made until June. He was asked if they will increase the number of mazes and his reply is that they have to go for quality over quantity as space they can use is limited.

In the meanwhile, Universal's House of Horrors is undergoing some upgrades that will include sets with an added Horror icon, and a lot of audio/lighting enhancements for the scareactors. The upgrade is expected to be completed by Mid May.

This all is promising news and hopefully HHN Hollywood can add at least one additional maze to their 2010 slate. We expect that Saw and Halloween will return in some fashion but don't expect for My Bloody Valentine to have a sequel. Of course, they may take a lead from Orlando and start with a completely new slate of terrors which also would be welcomed.

More to come...

Hitchhiking Ghosts Come Home

2010-04-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

Here's an inspired yard haunt for all you haunt stalkers in So Cal to look forward to this year. Located not far from the orginal Haunted Mansion at Disneyland (a Scare Zone favorite) in Trabuco Canyon, Ca; this haunt looks like a fun and "not so scary" tribute to the Disney classic. Oh, when you go "don't forget your death certificate"!

The Haunted Mansion Haunt
Ever wish you could ride the famous Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland with a scarrier tone? For a few nights in October we transform our house into the Haunted Mansion with all the characters and effects you absolutely love! While all the Nightmare Before Christmas characters invade the real Mansion, the happy haunts are delighted to come visit us in October. During the walk through there will be appearances from Madame Leota, The Singing Busts, Little Leota, and MUCH MUCH more. Full sized jumping Animatronic figures and live actors are present. Mansion fans just can't get enough of this event!!! The best part, it's free with KING SIZED candy bars available for the first 30 children. Last year we had over 1500 people show up on October 31st and it was a blast! Small children might get spooked out by the enhanced haunted mansion soundtrack which creates loud lightning sound effects and bright strobe lighting. Hurry Back....... and check out our collection of pictures and videos!

2010 OPERATING HOURS AND DATES:

WALK THROUGH: 6 P.M. - 11 P.M. October 29, 30, and 31st Extended Hours if Necessary
MILLWOOD RD.
TRABUCO CANYON, CA 92679

Website: http://www.myspace.com/hauntedmansionhaunt

A Look Inside Fallout Shelter at Knott's

2010-04-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Westcoaster has put up some GREAT photos from Knott's West Coast Bash. Knott's revealed more detailed art for its newest maze, Fallout Shelter:

You can see plenty of hiding places in the "Barracks," and we can already imagine monsters hiding within the bunk beds, arms reaching out.

Some aliens, some nuclear war, what more could you want? (Although Alien Annihilation kind of sucked, Alien Attack was a great maze, so the alien theme really can be scary.)

We can't wait to hear what the next maze will be. Halloween Haunt begins in less than 6 months!

Click here for even MORE photos!

Monsterpalooza: April 9-11, 2010

2010-04-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Los Angeles area and looking for a little bit of horror, haunts, or Halloween this weekend, check out Monsterpalooza at the Marriott Burbank Convention Center.

It's really centered around horror makeup and sculpture, and we don't expect anything particularly haunt-related, but it should be a good time. If you're into doing your own makeup on Halloween or creating your own props, you might find this interesting.

Events include demonstrations, live bands, vendors, a walk-through museum, and more.

http://www.rubberroom101.com/monsterpalooza2010/index.html

More Concept Art From Knott's

2010-04-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

Knott's is really leading the pack when it comes to releasing teasers for their 2010 haunt. Last week, they released artwork for their new maze, Fallout Shelter (replacing Alien Annihilation).

6 Feet Under the Boardwalk

2010-03-23T22:54:00.000-07:00

The Santa Cruz Broadwalk is a famous Northern California vacation spot and home to some classic horrors. You might also remember those Lost Boys who hung out there in the 80s'. Now the Boardwalk is in the process of updating one of their most famous attractions The Haunted Castle. The terror comes back to death this summer. The new ride system is described as being a classic dark ride without any shooting guns with 4-passenger cars, that may have some doombuggy style action.The Castle is going to be two stories tall, starting on the boardwalk level and then spiraling down into the terrors below on a floor underground to the beach level.

This upgrade also seems to offer more scares with state of the art animatronics and effects.
It's been reported that the rotating cars will begin your journey by traveling backwards down a creepy “tower spiral” section of track to the basement level. At the bottom, the cars will quickly spin around forward where you will encounter the first of many new surprises. Other scenes to expect include a trip through the Royal Kitchen / Banquet, Wine Cellar, Ghastly Caves, a Murky Swamp, a Torture Chamber / Dungeon area, a crypt full of coffins, a castle “furnace” scene and possibly some kind of scene of the underworld.

Sounds fun, so we'll see you in Santa Cruz this summer... 6ft under the boardwalk and beyond!

Here are a few videos with a look at the old ride and previews of the new one.

More Knott's Scary Farm News

2010-03-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Alien Annihilation, here comes FALLOUT SHELTER!

Over the weekend, Knott's announced the first new maze concept for 2010: Fallout Shelter. This maze will replace Alien Annihilation, their half-maze, half-laser tag offering. No details were given about the concept, but they provided this tag line:

"The denizens are insane, and they haven't seen the sun in decades. True terror in the atomic age."

This concept is bringing back (bad) memories of "Revenge of the Dead," "Industrial Evil," and "The Underground." Knott's has been free of the postapocalyptic-themed maze for a while, so we suppose it was only a matter of time before that theme reappeared. No word as to whether laser guns will be involved in this maze. We hope not.

We've heard that 2009 was the last year of Doll Factory, so we expect another new maze to be announced in the coming months. Also, it's about time Pyromaniax got a new theme. The log ride has a lot of potential, but Pyromaniax has been one of the worst mazes in the park over the past 2 years. We hope that with Universal's event building steam, Knott's will consider stepping up their game this year and add bigger and better concepts, and perhaps more innovative scares. We can't wait to find out!

Here's a video of Alien Annihilation, for old times' sake:

Knott's Halloween Haunt 2010: New Scare Zone Announced

2010-03-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

Last month, Knott's revealed that the Gauntlet scare zone (located in Camp Snoopy) would be laid to rest this year and would be replaced by a steam punk–themed scare zone for 2010. They released a couple of early sketches of the costumes on Twitter. Today, Knott's announced the name of the new scare zone: NECROPOLIS!

They describe the scare zone as "Necropolis: the city of the dead where the fuel for their hideous machines is your very blood." Dun dun dun! We're scared. Well, not yet. We're still not sure if steam punk can actually be scary. But we're excited to be getting some Haunt news this early in the year, and we know that if anyone can make it scary, it's Universal! Err...I mean Knott's!

L.A. Haunted Hayride to Return in 2010

2010-03-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

According to their Facebook page, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride will be returning in 2010 for their second year. They claim that "big news" will be coming soon and that 2010 will feature new designs. We're excited to hear what this big news might be. We're hoping maybe an expansion of the hayride or an addition of a haunted house/maze. They certainly have the room for it on the grounds.

We attended in 2009 and were impressed by the event overall, given that it was their first year. They were pretty organized, and the sets were cool. Overall, we didn't think it was too scary, but it takes a lot to scare us these days. The price was a little steep ($25 Thurs-Sun), but if they added a maze or something else to that price, it might be worth it.

The location can't be beat, though. It really is in spooky ranch area, or at least as "ranch" as you can get just off the 101 freeway. And given that L.A. has no other haunted hayride, their lack of competition should really allow this event to grow. We'll keep you posted when we hear more about what they're planning for 2010.

In the meantime, check out some video from last year:

Early Rumors for HHN Orlando 2010

2010-03-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

So we've got a few rumors circulating around the Internet regarding Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando. 2010 is an anniversary year (20 years, or "XX"), and of course that means a most likely "best of" theme this year. We hear the most popular icons will be back to host, as well as the possible return of some of the most popular mazes. (We're partial to Superstitions from 2001, mostly because of the hallucinogenic properties of a certain cocktail called "Eddie's Revenge". Don't ask.)

But really, didn't they already do this sort of thing back in 2006, with their "Sweet 16" theme? Exhibit A:

Other rumors include themed queues, expanded scare zones, and even more mazes (the most likely seems to be 10 mazes). (Side note: Those of us on the West Coast have our fingers crossed that HHN Hollywood expands their event this year to include more mazes as well.)

Finally, the new site HHN Rumors has a copy of a trademark renewal application for "Festival of the Dead." We at the Scare Zone have not seen this parade, but the word is that it wasn't that great. Maybe they're just protecting their intellectual property, but only time will tell if this is brought back. Be sure to check out HHN Rumors. It'll be a great site to watch for future updates about HHN Orlando.

Sinister Pointe to Sell Props on eBay

2010-02-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Sinister Pointe, a haunt in Brea, California, is auctioning "a number" of the props used in their 2009 Silent Hill haunt. The first on the auction block is a life-sized replica of the "Pyramid Head" creature.

The prop is 7 feet tall, and according to the listing, the head can be removed and worn as a mask.

(Photo above is NOT of the actual item for sale.)

Bidding starts at $300 and ends in a few days. This looks like a re-listing of a previous auction, so there might not be a lot of people in the market for this specialized item.

Of course, the REAL story behind this is what the auction means for the Sinister Pointe haunt. Last year, they had 2 walk-throughs: Silent Hill and Fear. Although Silent Hill was well-themed and had a great eerie atmosphere, Fear was undoubtedly one of the scariest (and most fun) mazes we attended in 2009. We can assume from the auction that Silent Hill, at least, will not be returning in 2010. We can't wait to see what theme they cook up for this year. The haunt hadn't been on our radar before 2009, but after our first visit, we DEFINITELY plan to make the trip to the O.C. to experience it again. Sinister Pointe is a "must see" for all haunt fans in Southern California.

The Darkness: Haunt Tours Scheduled for March 25-27

2010-02-20T22:11:00.000-08:00

The Darkness, St. Louis' premiere haunted attraction, will open its doors again this March during the annual Transworld Haunt Show.

The Darkness is consistently rated as one of the best haunts in the country and has been featured on the Travel Channel and National Geographic Channel, among others.

The Darkness is offering a behind-the-scenes "lights-on" tour on Thursday, March 25 (price: $100), as well as "full production" tours on Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27 (price: $50). The full production tour will feature live actors. Prices go up after March 1, so if you plan to go, be sure to buy early. Although the tour is created for those attending the Haunt Show (which requires registration with industry credentials), it doesn't seem that credentials are needed to attend the Darkness tours.

For tickets and more information, go to The Darkness Web site.

Haunt Review: Blood Manor Bloody Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-15T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a Happy and Bloody Valentine's Day. If you were in NYC this past weekend then you could have had a bloody good time at Blood Manor anti-Valentine's day haunt. Scare Zone was in the city to check out this haunt favorite.

Blood Manor is located on the (far) Westside of the city and was a little hard to find as 27th street which it's located on, doesn't connect direct to avenues 9-7. That is a minor detail but better directions from the website would have been appreciated. Blood Manor is in a fairly nondescript building and sets the right feeling of foreboding for a city haunt. Upon entering the building guests have to climb up 5-6 (lost count) stories to get into the Manor. Not sure if they have disabled access but even for those in shape it was a workout! On the main floor guests walk down a dark corridor painted with images of monsters and ghouls lit with florescent lights. People walking out of the Manor seemed to be very pleased and some very scared which added to the anticipation for those of us in line. The wait was fairly short (no need to spend the extra $15 for a VIP pass). There also were a few scareactors trying to spook guests in line.

After a brief safety spiel (no touching monsters, no pictures, etc.) we pushed through the dark curtains and entered the Manor. The first scene was a very detailed foyer which made you forget you were in a city building. The scares started right away with a monster jumping at out from a hidden doorway. From there you went through various scenes of the house with some good scares and sets. Being Valentine's Day there were cryptic message of 'love gone bad' painted in blood throughout the scenes. There was not a set story or theme but rather various scenes of horror, where even Michael Myers stalked a long dark hallway with a strobe light and Freddy was lurking in his boiler room. However, we wondered where was the miner from My Bloody Valentine or a Jason Takes Manhattan scene?

In other scenes aliens and 3D clowns ran amuck. A note on the 3D rooms, they give you 'used' paper glasses before you enter the 3D rooms and then take them back after. While this is eco-friendly and cost savers for the Manor, it isn't really hygienic and at $30 a ticket they should let guests keep the glasses perhaps with a coupon printed on them to return in October (?).

The Manor did have some kink horror which may not be suitable for children but it was marketed as an anti-Valentine's Day event for adult singles. In one scene there was a bondage session taking place which wasn't scary but very freaky as a helpless male victim locked in a cage in his very tighty whities, with back piercings, was being pulled in two separate directions by his female masters. There also was a scene with strippers and anatomically correct female mannequins. Freddy was also feeling frisky making some strong innuendos to both female and male visitors, but that's always been his style. Another scene in a bathroom included a guy in his underwear being threatened by a Mrs... err Mr. Roper-looking drag queen who was wielding a plunger in only a towel and daring guests to take it off. None of it was offensive and all in fun. It actually felt somewhat right for the holiday... love goes bad sometimes, doesn’t it (?).

Overall, Blood Manor was a Valentine's treat. It's nice to get some haunt action throughout the year. The scareactors had full energy, were in the moment, and tried everything they could to keep you scared. The sets and props were very detailed also offered some scares of their own. The crowd got backed up making a lot of the scares less effective, but controlling New Yorkers can be a difficult task so we won't hold that against them. The price was on the very high side (Regular: $28.50 adv - $30 on site, VIP: $42.50 adv - $45 onsite). The full value for the price didn't feel recognized as the prices should be dropped by $10-$15, or even a discount offer for same-night return visits or for October visits would add some value.

We Smell A Wolf In The Mist

2010-02-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

On Twitter, Halloween Horror Nights was asked if they have any movies yet which would be certain for the 2010 haunt and the somewhat cryptic relpy was "we're gonna be able to keep some of the WolfMan pieces that long".

This is interesting and one could believe that there is a strong possibility of there being a WolfMan maze this year. They filmed the movie on the Universal Studios Hollywood lot and it's reported that many of the set pieces are still set up which would make for a good maze if they can use the authentic sets. In addition, the DVD/BLU Ray release wil most likely be late summer/early fall making it a good time to cross promote.

Scare Zone is going to check out the Wolfman movie and will update the post with a review. We will be watching for anything that could translate into good elements for a haunt. Share your thoughts too if you've seen the movie!

First Look at the SteamPunk Vampires of Knott's Scary Farm 2010

2010-02-04T21:54:00.000-08:00

Knott's has released this early sketch for their SteamPunk Vampire scare zone:

Knott's Haunt Update: R.I.P. The Gauntlet

2010-02-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

Knott’s has confirmed that The Gauntlet scare zone has (finally) been killed off and will now R.I.P. in the Ghostown graveyard. According to their Twitter, taking its place in 2010 will be a new scare zone with a Victorian Steampunk Vampire theme.

This could be interesting and very effective if they invest in the right costumes and props, but if it's done on the cheap, it runs the risk of looking like a Lady GaGa video (which actually could be horrifying in itself). Let's hope for the best!

One has to wonder if this means Knott's obligatory vampire maze will return to this section of the park (Camp Snoopy). If so, let's hope that the Club Blood theme goes away and they create a more foreboding setting for a vampire maze. This also could spell the end of the Labyrinth maze, which should also be put to rest.

Molar Manor Opens for One Final Weekend

2010-01-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

Haunted Attraction Magazine is reporting that Molar Manor in Canyon Country, CA, will be open for one final weekend...January 29-31, 2010.

There's not much information available about what to expect this weekend, but The Scare Zone is making plans to check it out on Saturday night.

UPDATE: The Scare Zone was able to experience Molar Manor on both Saturday and Sunday nights. We were really impressed with their collection of amazing props and animated figures. The sets were really great. The black-light vortex nearly knocked us over, and the elevator ride to hell was fun. On Saturday, there were a few "scareactors" inside the maze, which heightened the scares. So we were somewhat disappointed to find that there were no actors inside the maze on Sunday night. But still, we had a great time. And you can't beat a $5 haunt in January!

We were able to speak just a little bit to one of the workers at Molar Manor. She indicated that the haunt could be back in the future, maybe at a new location. The haunt's future seems uncertain. We see great potential in this haunt, and we hope that it will live on, in one form or another.

Take Your Valentine to Blood Manor

2010-01-20T18:53:00.000-08:00

Looking for something different this Valentine's Day? Blood Manor in New York City will be open Friday and Saturday, February 12 and 13, from 7:30 pm to 1 am.

Blood Manor is 5,000 square feet of themed rooms, corridors, and passageways.

Tickets are $25 if bought online; $30 if purchased at the door.

They're also offering a special Valentine's RIP Package, which includes express entrance and a special surprise gift package.

Blood Manor is located at 542 W. 27th Street in New York City.

To purchase tickets and for more information, click here:

Monster for the Night

2010-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

Ultimatehaunt.com has just posted the "monster for the night"experience of the grand prize winner for their Ultimatehaunt.com 2009, 10 Years of Fear Contest. The winner had the amazing opportunity to be a 'monster for the night' in the Terror Of London maze which also was voted as the 2009 Ultimatehaunt.com Maze of the Year! Click the experience to read all about it!

HHN 2009 Pictures: Saw Maze

2010-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Theme Park Adventure have posted more pics of Universal Studios Hollywood's 2009 Saw: Game Over maze. Check them out here along with additional photos and coverage from the 2009 event.

Friday the 30th

2010-01-14T23:01:00.000-08:00

May 9th, 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the orginal Friday The 13th. It's highly doubtful at that time the creators knew that they were launching a franchise that would take it's anti-hero from Camp Crystal Lake, to Manhattan, to Hell and ultimately space. The franchise has also brought us some great haunt cameos by Jason and even a two-year run of the the Friday the 13th: Camp Blood haunt at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.

For those Voorhees fans who can't wait until haunt season to experience some interactive Friday the 13th terror, you can go mingle with the O.G. Cyrstal Lake campers at one of the many upcoming conventions. Below is a list of upcoming conventions for 2010 that include Friday the 13th alumni. We'll keep you updated throughout the year when more people from the franchise are added to these conventions.
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MARCH 19-21, 2010
Saturday Nightmares Expo
Jersey City, NJ

1. Tom Savini (Make-Up: Friday the 13th 1980, The Final Chapter)
2. Harry Manfredini (Composer: Friday the 13th 1980, Part 2 through 7, Jason Goes To Hell, Jason X)
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MARCH 26-28 2010
Horrorhound Weekend
Indianapolis, IN

1. Miguel Nunez ("Demon”: A New Beginning)
2. Tom Morga ("Jason Voorhees” aka “Roy Burns”: A New Beginning)
3. Tom Savini (Make-Up: Friday the 13th 1980, The Final Chapter)
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APRIL 23-25 2010
Full Moon Tatoo and Horror Festival
Nashville, TN

1. Ari Lehman: ("Jason Voorhees”, Friday the 13th 1980)
2. Steve Dash: ("Jason Voorhees”, Part 2)
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APRIL 30 – MAY 2 2010
Texas Frightmare Weekend
Dallas, TX

1. Kane Hodder ("Jason Voorhees”: The New Blood, Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes To Hell, Jason X)
2. Betsy Palmer ("Mrs.Voorhees”: Friday the 13th 1980)
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JULY 30 – AUG. 1 2010
Fright Night Film Fest
Louisville, KY

1. Ken Kirzinger ("Jason Voorhees”: Freddy vs Jason)
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AUGUST 13-15 2010
Camp Blood: Friday the 30th
Lewisville, TX

1. For full guest list, visit the link above.
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Saw VI DVD and Blu-Ray to Feature an Exclusive Look at Halloween Horror Night's 2009 Saw Maze

2010-01-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

On January 26, Lionsgate will release Saw VI to DVD and Blu-ray in three different versions: an R-rated theatrical full screen edition, an unrated director's cut widescreen edition, and an unrated director's cut Blu-ray disc. According to the press release, all three versions will contain an exclusive look at the Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) 2009 Saw maze.

Both Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida featured a Saw maze last year. The footage for the DVD was filmed in Hollywood during HHN last October. Can't wait to see it and hear your thoughts!

Welcome to The Scare Zone

2010-01-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

The Scare Zone contains the latest news and rumors regarding Halloween haunts and attractions across the country. Check back frequently for updates about the 2010 haunting season!