Hey everyone!
As part of a Haunt Enthusiasts event hosted by Knott's Berry Farm yesterday, I got to have a very interesting experience of being dressed up as a haunt monster for the evening!
First off, of all the crazy theme park "being an employee for a day" stunts I've been allowed to do, this is by far the most amazing and memorable moment!
As for what it was like being in the maze...
On one hand, I was amazed that people literally fell to the floor cowering over a simply **BANG** on the wall and me shouting "BOOGEY! BOOGEY! BOOGEY!" (I actually did this!)
On the other hand, watching some of the other scare actors who really had their act down was impressive to see first hand, and gives you a lot more appreciation for the hard work these guys do.
There were a few moments where just my presence standing in front of them would freak people out (understandable!) and the whole fear factor that they would have no idea what I was going to do to them, or I'm sure in their mind, what I was allowed to do to them.
In my short stint as a haunt monster, I did learn, or I should say this is what I took away from watching and interacting with the other monsters, is that they are there to have just as much fun as the guests are. But there are two very distinct sides to the coin. The monsters fun is to scare, creep out, freak out, while the guests are there to challenge those same fears. The guests come to the event to cower from the characters. If I was in the maze in just my normal clothes doing and saying the exact same things, it wouldn't be nearly as believable or scary...but a bit of makeup, a brief backstory for your character, and creepy smile and you could bring these guests to their knees. It was actually a very exhilarating experience! But having said that, everyone needs to remember...
Both parties, the guests and the actors, are there for the same reason - pure enjoyment!
Here are a few photos from our day at Haunt and our experience…
I like this lanyard. It tells me I am a "VIP" which unless the "P" stands for something else…probably really isn't true! =)
Translation: Geeks go here.
Jeff Tucker and his Haunt Makers took time out if their day to answer our amazing questions.
The panel was great...there needs to be a reality show based on haunt.
Time to go behind the scenes at Virus Z.
"What part of your body would you like to eat?"
Remember when maze designer Daniel Miller unveiled the concept art for Fallout Shelter at TPR's West Coast Bash event? Now his maze has become a reality!
The entrance to Fallout Shelter.
Not only was I invited to become a haunt monster for the evening, they also raffled off this rare opportunity to two other lucky Theme Park Review members!
Here is the "before" shot.
Getting made "Scareactor beautiful" in the make up department!
"Don't blink!"
The make up department was very impressive. I was told they have about 40 make up artists and they do between 8-10 characters per night.
"How much for your little girls. Sell them to me!"
I am Dr. Alvey and I will suck your blood!
The "after" picture!
Getting ready to go into our maze, Club Blood.
They couldn't have picked a better maze to put us in. We were all vampires, surrounded by...
Amazingly hot pole dancing women!!! YES!!!!
I was in the hallway RIGHT before this room. I would tell the guests "Come dance with my women" and many of them would get into the groove and break into a rhythm! From a psychological standpoint, it was very interesting to see how much control I had over the people walking through the maze.
Because they had no idea what I would do to them, they would follow my every instruction. Even the most buff macho strong guys broke into dance with their warms flailing and body limp and moving to the beat. Seriously, I'm a 40-year old dude in a vampire costume and I turned these big-muscle wielding dudes into flamboyant disco dancers! Amazing!
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
"I like your women! Sell them to me! Dance with my girls!"
I want to send a huge THANK YOU to all the familiar faces I saw in the maze tonight. Many of you didn't recognize me until I started talking, which I thought was very cool! I think I saw at least 40 TPR members come through, and if you're one of the people who took a picture of me in the maze, please post them!
Knott's has certainly upped the bar in terms of their mazes since my last visit. Attention to detail was better, use of audio and environmental scares was improved.
I think what I love most about Halloween events is just the overall atmosFEAR of the park!
Halloween Haunt was purely amazing this year! I really see where Knott's has improved their show and are making it stand out even more than before!
A **HUGE** thank you to Meghan, Jeff, Daniel, Tim, and all the Knott's staff who put together this event and helped us with our short stint in the maze. It was a very memorable experience for all of us! THANK YOU!!!!
We have an expanded version of this report including more photos from Haunt, Knott's, and more about my experience as a Haunt Monster. To view the full update
CLICK HERE! I will WARN you though, as with many Halloween events, the full update is rated PG-13 for adult humor and language.
Hope you enjoyed our report!
--Robb
