- September 30th, 2007, 2:27 am
#22349
OK folks, here I go.
Scarowinds 2007 1st visit. I'll just ramble so hold on. Remember now, I don't get scared easily. I guess watching too many Horror flicks your entire life makes you kind of numb.
Upon entering and dropping the ropes there was a mass of ghouls and creatures that walked right into the crowd and started the scares. I was impressed to see the amount of actors that were in this mob knowing there were supposed to be a lot in the mazes. I was getting pretty excited but it didn't last.
Alien Annihilation. The entrance to this attraction is between the Log Flume and the Candy store. It took us a few minutes to find it and even the employee I asked had no idea where it was. Once there it was a 15 minute wait to enter which is not bad. The trail is the same trail we've walked on before with rope lights on the ground to light your path. There were ALIEN Spaceship lights up on the hill which gave a good look and a ton of Aliens walking about. These Aliens had full face masks and black capes and did little to actually scare you other than follow you around and stare at you. The end of the trail was pretty cool to look at but still nothing scary.
The Dream Factory. Scarowinds newest “construction†inside the Hurtler. With a little maturity this could be a great attraction. Plenty of weird characters walking about and doing a decent job at jumping at you and screaming but just no substance. Just a maze with a little twist. After a very brief time inside we ended up outside and I was like, This is it? But, after a little walk about you re-enter and get to walk through the tunnel that makes you lean. I love those things, complete with skulls everywhere. Then a little more maze traversing and it was over. The actual walls of the maze were pretty cool looking but I could not for the the life of me figure out where the Dreams were. Maybe some of you can shed some illumination on it.
Big Top Terror. Same place as last year by Action Theater. Well, it ain't like last year, that's for sure. Last year you could actually get lost but this year was pretty much an easy walk through. The clowns were awesome and I take my hat off to them. Every single one of them had either a wicked or evil laugh. One even said he was going to shoot us and the “BANG†flag came out of the end. That was pretty cool.
Dead Inn. Located in the old Arcade by Wings and game alley hell. We almost missed this as I am not accustomed to that side of the park being open. OK, the actors in here were quite good and I heard a couple of them tell another get this person because they are scared and screaming. Hearing that might take away from things but to me it was people who were enjoying what they were doing. The place was set up like a Motel, complete with lobby, a couple rooms, and a bathroom with a wicked girl inside, and the rooms were great in their decor but after the bathroom we came into a room that was made from the old 3D alien maze. WHAT? 3D Aliens inside a Haunted Motel? You figure this out. After that I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the maze.
Final Summons. Located in the same picnic area C3 used to be held in behind the Nickelodeon Stage. The name says it all. This should be the Final Summons and it should be removed. Same roach wall minus the roach sound, same rubber dummies, same lights, etc, etc, etc. Snoozing time.
Slaughter House. Located over by the Cyclone. Same attraction as last year but with a bunch of actors. There was even one girl crawling around on the floor between guests, talk about loving your 8 dollar an hour job. She gets my vote for the creepiest actor in the House. The action in here was a lot better than last year but still no real punch.
Freak Show Deluxe. Obviously in the Theater. The artists were good, the MC was good, the ladies did not hurt my eyes at all and this is NOT a show for kids. This was without a doubt an ADULT ONLY show. From the one liner jokes and hints of sexual things to the girls themselves and the audience, kiddies need not attend. There was sword swallowing, knife throwing, hands in a bear trap of sorts, whips whipping the flowers off their stems while someone holds them, a condom going through the nose and mouth at the same time, a nail hammered into the nose and a needle going through the arm. The acts were good but hardly any atmosphere. Oh, there was also the one where the MC laid down, put his face on a pile of broken glass and someone stepped on his head and yes, you could hear the glass breaking. After the show you could make donations by STAPLEING them to a guys body. For the right amount of money you could staple his chest, tongue, or forehead. We gave him a dollar and stapled his belly.
Oh, I almost forgot the 2 foot balloon that got “swallowed by another name†by the very well blessed female. I did get upset as I didn't get to see my contortionist. The show lasted about 30 minutes.
The park was decorated way more than previous years. Almost everywhere there were skeletons, spiderwebs, tombstones, lights, fog, etc. Even a couple of the drink and souvenir stands were coffins. My favorite area goes to that spot by Vortex called Vampire Woods. It was actually closed off and had only one entrance but was a maze of sorts with coffins and a lot of vampires walking about. I actually took video of that part because I thought it was a cool looking addition. The walkway beside of Borg was transformed into a graveyard with plenty of Mr. Deaths walking around and following you. Over by Scoobie Doo Haunted Mansion and the Country Kitchen where the big red ATM used to be, that entire area had some major Headstones and they even have one with the name Kinzel on it. Hmm, where have I heard that name before? It was a pretty cool site with all those tall headstones and the lighting.
There are a lot more things to see this year but I missed the Scaryokie. There just isn't the atmosphere to be scary inside the attractions. Sure, you've got the sounds, the lights, the fog and the actors but nothing to scare you except someone jumping out at you. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't you be scared just to continue walking? Shouldn't you be scared to see what's around the corner other than someone jumping at you and screaming? Add some major subs to vibrate your skin, have music and sounds that fit the attraction you are in, something please. And please, please, please, put a top on the mazes. Nothing scares me more than looking up and seeing the walls stop a good 8 feet from the ceiling and seeing all the “effects†right out in the open. Yep, that's pretty scary, talk about a mood killer.
If this was Cedar Fair's first BIG investment in our park then they need to go get a refund. There were only 2 new mazes, more decorations and actors but overall it wasn't much different than last year in my opinion. The 3 good things were I had B.1.G.1. Free tickets, the actors were better, and they didn't charge me for parking. I heard a lady yell “Why isn't anyone paying†as I drove off. Oops, guess someone didn't get the memo. If it weren't for a promise I made I wouldn't go back. I get more scared watching the HD version of the original Exorcist with the lights on and the sun shinning. My electronics class in high school had better haunted houses than what I went through tonight. There is plenty of potential just no delivery.
Take this review for what it's worth. It is only binary 0s and 1s.
Mark
Oh, click <a href='http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e88/foreseer2001/Scarowinds%202007/?start=all' target='_blank'>HERE</a> to see the pics and video. Thanks to Seth who went with me and added a bunch of pictures himself.
No, I didn't check out Top Gun and yes the employee parking is still empty.
Scarowinds 2007 1st visit. I'll just ramble so hold on. Remember now, I don't get scared easily. I guess watching too many Horror flicks your entire life makes you kind of numb.
Upon entering and dropping the ropes there was a mass of ghouls and creatures that walked right into the crowd and started the scares. I was impressed to see the amount of actors that were in this mob knowing there were supposed to be a lot in the mazes. I was getting pretty excited but it didn't last.
Alien Annihilation. The entrance to this attraction is between the Log Flume and the Candy store. It took us a few minutes to find it and even the employee I asked had no idea where it was. Once there it was a 15 minute wait to enter which is not bad. The trail is the same trail we've walked on before with rope lights on the ground to light your path. There were ALIEN Spaceship lights up on the hill which gave a good look and a ton of Aliens walking about. These Aliens had full face masks and black capes and did little to actually scare you other than follow you around and stare at you. The end of the trail was pretty cool to look at but still nothing scary.
The Dream Factory. Scarowinds newest “construction†inside the Hurtler. With a little maturity this could be a great attraction. Plenty of weird characters walking about and doing a decent job at jumping at you and screaming but just no substance. Just a maze with a little twist. After a very brief time inside we ended up outside and I was like, This is it? But, after a little walk about you re-enter and get to walk through the tunnel that makes you lean. I love those things, complete with skulls everywhere. Then a little more maze traversing and it was over. The actual walls of the maze were pretty cool looking but I could not for the the life of me figure out where the Dreams were. Maybe some of you can shed some illumination on it.
Big Top Terror. Same place as last year by Action Theater. Well, it ain't like last year, that's for sure. Last year you could actually get lost but this year was pretty much an easy walk through. The clowns were awesome and I take my hat off to them. Every single one of them had either a wicked or evil laugh. One even said he was going to shoot us and the “BANG†flag came out of the end. That was pretty cool.
Dead Inn. Located in the old Arcade by Wings and game alley hell. We almost missed this as I am not accustomed to that side of the park being open. OK, the actors in here were quite good and I heard a couple of them tell another get this person because they are scared and screaming. Hearing that might take away from things but to me it was people who were enjoying what they were doing. The place was set up like a Motel, complete with lobby, a couple rooms, and a bathroom with a wicked girl inside, and the rooms were great in their decor but after the bathroom we came into a room that was made from the old 3D alien maze. WHAT? 3D Aliens inside a Haunted Motel? You figure this out. After that I didn't pay much attention to the rest of the maze.
Final Summons. Located in the same picnic area C3 used to be held in behind the Nickelodeon Stage. The name says it all. This should be the Final Summons and it should be removed. Same roach wall minus the roach sound, same rubber dummies, same lights, etc, etc, etc. Snoozing time.
Slaughter House. Located over by the Cyclone. Same attraction as last year but with a bunch of actors. There was even one girl crawling around on the floor between guests, talk about loving your 8 dollar an hour job. She gets my vote for the creepiest actor in the House. The action in here was a lot better than last year but still no real punch.
Freak Show Deluxe. Obviously in the Theater. The artists were good, the MC was good, the ladies did not hurt my eyes at all and this is NOT a show for kids. This was without a doubt an ADULT ONLY show. From the one liner jokes and hints of sexual things to the girls themselves and the audience, kiddies need not attend. There was sword swallowing, knife throwing, hands in a bear trap of sorts, whips whipping the flowers off their stems while someone holds them, a condom going through the nose and mouth at the same time, a nail hammered into the nose and a needle going through the arm. The acts were good but hardly any atmosphere. Oh, there was also the one where the MC laid down, put his face on a pile of broken glass and someone stepped on his head and yes, you could hear the glass breaking. After the show you could make donations by STAPLEING them to a guys body. For the right amount of money you could staple his chest, tongue, or forehead. We gave him a dollar and stapled his belly.
Oh, I almost forgot the 2 foot balloon that got “swallowed by another name†by the very well blessed female. I did get upset as I didn't get to see my contortionist. The show lasted about 30 minutes.The park was decorated way more than previous years. Almost everywhere there were skeletons, spiderwebs, tombstones, lights, fog, etc. Even a couple of the drink and souvenir stands were coffins. My favorite area goes to that spot by Vortex called Vampire Woods. It was actually closed off and had only one entrance but was a maze of sorts with coffins and a lot of vampires walking about. I actually took video of that part because I thought it was a cool looking addition. The walkway beside of Borg was transformed into a graveyard with plenty of Mr. Deaths walking around and following you. Over by Scoobie Doo Haunted Mansion and the Country Kitchen where the big red ATM used to be, that entire area had some major Headstones and they even have one with the name Kinzel on it. Hmm, where have I heard that name before? It was a pretty cool site with all those tall headstones and the lighting.
There are a lot more things to see this year but I missed the Scaryokie. There just isn't the atmosphere to be scary inside the attractions. Sure, you've got the sounds, the lights, the fog and the actors but nothing to scare you except someone jumping out at you. Correct me if I am wrong but shouldn't you be scared just to continue walking? Shouldn't you be scared to see what's around the corner other than someone jumping at you and screaming? Add some major subs to vibrate your skin, have music and sounds that fit the attraction you are in, something please. And please, please, please, put a top on the mazes. Nothing scares me more than looking up and seeing the walls stop a good 8 feet from the ceiling and seeing all the “effects†right out in the open. Yep, that's pretty scary, talk about a mood killer.
If this was Cedar Fair's first BIG investment in our park then they need to go get a refund. There were only 2 new mazes, more decorations and actors but overall it wasn't much different than last year in my opinion. The 3 good things were I had B.1.G.1. Free tickets, the actors were better, and they didn't charge me for parking. I heard a lady yell “Why isn't anyone paying†as I drove off. Oops, guess someone didn't get the memo. If it weren't for a promise I made I wouldn't go back. I get more scared watching the HD version of the original Exorcist with the lights on and the sun shinning. My electronics class in high school had better haunted houses than what I went through tonight. There is plenty of potential just no delivery.
Take this review for what it's worth. It is only binary 0s and 1s.
Mark
Oh, click <a href='http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e88/foreseer2001/Scarowinds%202007/?start=all' target='_blank'>HERE</a> to see the pics and video. Thanks to Seth who went with me and added a bunch of pictures himself.
No, I didn't check out Top Gun and yes the employee parking is still empty.