Post by wolfblood on Oct 23, 2010 3:50:49 GMT -8
Hello once again everyone, last night my Mom and I had a double-dose of haunted attractions. We checked out the brand new "The Last Ride: Redemption" over at the Haunted Hollow Halloween Store in the Everett Mall, and we headed back to the Stocker Farms Field of Screams.
Once again, there will be marked spoilers ahead. For my short and simple review of things, it's near the bottom of this post.
The Last Ride: Redemption
This haunt is pretty unique considering where it is and how it's presented, the haunt is located in the Haunted Hollow Halloween Store, which is located in the former large building in the Everett Mall that used to be Steve and Barry's. (Clothing store)
Haunted Hollow is a family owned and operated Halloween Store, they came to the Everett Mall last year, but had no Haunt. However they had "The Last Ride", which is the only burial simulator attraction in Washington State. While I've never been on it, the concept is simple. You get in a coffin, and go on a little trip compleate with motion, sounds and smells as you're taken to your gravesite and buried.
This year, the store decided to add to it...creating "The Last Ride: Redemption" While The Last Ride is your burial, Redemption is the walk-through. Where you go through trials and monsters to find your way back to the light.
When you enter the store, the enterance and exit of the haunt is immediatly to the right. Now you really can't tell how big the haunt is, especially since the store has tarps that go all the way up towards the ceiling to section off the store and the haunt. However you can easily hear all the choas happening in the haunt, which does provide a nice atmosphere to the store. Many people were constantly looking over when screams, growls and loud banging were happening.
Spoilers ahead!
Now I'll be upfront and mention my Mom and I didn't go on "The Last Ride" portion of the haunt, though next week I might head back to try it out.
Once you've bought your tickets (A combo of the ride and walk-through, or just the walk-through.) , you get in line and are taken into a dark funeral parlor. Since my Mom and I wasn't doing the ride, we were taken to a spot where we had to watch a animated bust give out the rules of the haunt. (Now this is the exact same special effects prop that's used in Wild Waves Fright Fest, however I feel it's utilized much better here. Especially since it's the main focus point, and you're in a really dark room so the effect comes out very nicely.)
Once the rules were given, we were let in to take our journey of Redemption. The haunt kicks off with a very simple-yet-effective mindbender, a hallway and room full of doors where you have to find the door that opens to get out.
Also in the room is a large mirror, I expected a scare would happen with the mirror...though unfortuntly nothing happened with it. However none the less, things were still tense since there was a actress inside the room...and I had no clue what would happen when I tried opening the doors.
To add to the confusion, one of the doors was lit red. So I was extra apprehensive trying to open that one, though interestingly enough I tried opening all the doors in the room...but none of them would open!
As my Mom and I are scratching our heads that none of the doors open, the actress in the room pointed to one of the doors. I tried opening the door and the freakin' thing opened up. The door had to be pushed open, however I clearly recall pushing on that door but nothing happened...so with it mysteriously opening after the actress pointed it out...it was a nice "What the heck?!" moment.
---
After escaping the door room, you go through several nicely decorated and dark rooms. Stuff like caverns, dungeons, and a whole lot of skeletons and ghouls around. Now there's also a good amount of tape arrows to point the way, since things do get pretty dark. There was also a good amount of talent in the haunt, many of them hiding pretty well in the darkness and fog...or just flat out crawling right at you. Also after scaring, some of the monsters will silently point the way if you're lost.
After a couple scenes, the haunt throws a special effect I didn't expect to experience...I call it a Claustrophobia Tunnel. Plain and simple, there are two very lage inflatable walls. They're positioned so both walls are touching each other, which forces you to squeeze your way through.
I've heard about this effect, but never experienced it till now. It's a very freaky experience, you're enveloped in total darkness, both walls are pressed right up against you, and the tunnel is surprisingly long. The longer you're in it, the more unerving it gets. If you're claustrophobic, this is heck.
After escaping the tunnel, you go through a couple more scenes, including a dungeon with a victim in a cage, and a rather large bat-like creature popping out from the darkness.
After going through the various scenes and monsters, you finally reach the light. The light being a green laser which is projecting a tunnel effect that's pretty neat, though you can't get too awed as you walk towards the light...since there's still plenty of monsters to chase you out back into the store. (I got a extra surprise with the large bat creature following me out into the store.)
End Spoilers
My Mom and I were pleasantly surprised by how decent this first year haunt turned out, while it is on the short side (Thing is, we probably would have been in it longer if we did the ride)...it was nicely decorated, it had a good amount of talent working inside it and it displayed several nice special effects that we didn't expect to see.
We talked with the owners and they're pretty happy with how the haunt is turning out and how it's being recieved, especially since the haunt is just running by Word of Mouth.
Stocker Farm's Field of Screams
Now this was my 2nd visit to the haunt, and the 1st for my Mom. I'm not going to get into too much details since I covered this haunt pretty well in my 1st review.
Plain and simple, the haunt was certainly a lot busier then when I visited a few weeks ago. They certainly wern't kidding that this weekend is their busiest, we arrived about 30 minutes after it opened...and the parking lot was pretty well full.
Somewhat Spoilers ahead, but nothing too big
Compared to my previous visit, the haunt did not let up at all. The field was full of talent (In fact, it felt there were even more talent around the field), and scares were constant.
Since the crowds and lines were much bigger, there was more queue line monsters going around. While the creepy nurse wasn't in the line, I could tell the guy who plays the nurse was simply being another character.
He had some nice skull makeup on and was wearing a special costume that allowed him to give the illusion that his head was dropping down. One time I wasn't paying attention and he just jumped right next to me, had his head drop and simply said "Hi". That caught me off guard pretty good.
Once we got closer to the enterence, we got free candy from the staff! Also, two of the funnier moments happened. My Mom and I let a trio of people in the queue join us, a boyfriend and girlfriend and one of their friends. The friend was the scaredy-cat of the trio, and the monsters of the queue had fun with her.
---
The first thing that happened in the queue was a ringleader that went about and talked with people, he had a nice conversation with my Mom, me and the boyfriend and girlfriend. The scaredy-cat however, did whatever she could to avoid eye-contact with the ringleader.
What happened next was the ringleader trying to get the girl to say hi to him, when she mentioned she thinks clowns are creepy. He quickly replied back with. "I'm not a clown...I'm a "performance artist"!" Surprisingly, he did manage to get her to say hi to him. To which he delivered hi fives to everyone...except for the scaredy cat who was still pretty much afraid of him.
The second funny thing that happened was when the head-dropping guy came by, he freaked the scaredy-cat out...to which the girl mention something along the lines of having a "Personal Bubble". Big mistake.
The head-dropping guy just grinned and stepped over the rope, getting even closer to the scaredy-cat who proceeded to hide the best she could behind her friends. My Mom and I knew this would be a funny trip through the field since we let them go with us as a group.
---
Now interestingly enough, even with the place being busier...the haunt was still letting people go in their own personal groups. I felt that was very nice, you're not paired up with people you don't want to be with, and it's possible to go through alone. When we went, a 12 year old boy went through alone. To which the line managment announced to the queue line that he was going alone, and everyone else is chicken.
As for the trip through the field, it was full of plenty of scares and plenty of laughs. While I was leading the group and my Mom was in the back, the trio shuffled a lot. Sometimes I would have the girlfriend right behind me, while other times the scaredy-cat would be clinging to me with quite a grip!
There was also a few moments where the boyfriend tried to be brave and lead the group, I certainly didn't mind that since he had some priceless reactions to getting scared.
---
The best scare I saw was when he decided he wanted to be in front, I let him get in front of me and I noticed we we're approaching one of my favorite scenes, Suzies Playhouse. I told him the name of the section and he said "Ooo, sounds fun!" The moment he walked in and saw all the hanging dolls and the big teddy bear, he turned around and tried getting behind me saying. "Oh crap, too creepy!"
However I didn't let him get behind me, I just turned him forward and pushed him going. "Oh no, you wanted to be the brave man leading, so lead!" I'm glad he lead, since when the Teddy Bear went in the for the scare...the guy just jumped and screamed with the most priceless face I've seen...and he booked it behind me pretty quickly!
The whole trip through the field was very amusing, and one of the talent really surprised me by reconizing that this was my 2nd time through. I also give props to the chainsaw guy for listening carefully for names, since if he heard one given out...he would say something like "I'm comin' ta' git' ya' Sarah!" rev up the chainsaw and run straight to the group.
Speaking of chainsaw guy, it was pretty fun waiting in line and looking towards the exit of the field. For when we hear the chainsaw go off, chances are we saw plenty of people sprinting out of the field.
Overall, I enjoyed the field once again. My Mom really liked it and the trio did as well. (Though the scaredy-cat did mention she'd prefer to go through the non-haunted corn maze.)
Now there was one major change, the little maze you had to find your way out of near the end of the cornfield wasn't there. (However the harder pitch-black one still remains, being a very nice warm up.)
End Spoilers
Alright then, short and simple overview of things.
The Last Ride: Redemption, while it's on the short side. It's not bad at all, and features a good amount of talent and special effects you really wouldn't expect to find in a first year haunt.
As for my 2nd visit to Stocker Farms Field of Screams, it's still one heck of a haunt. Lots of talent, plenty of surprises, it's a kickin' haunt.
The website for Haunted Hollow Halloween Store is
www.hauntedhollowhalloweenstore.com/
The Last Ride: Redemption is open Thursdays-Saturdays from 5pm-9pm, and I believe they will be open on Halloween, though the operating times may be different.
There are two prices for the The Last Ride: Redemption, there's a combo ticket which includes both the ride and walk-through for $17....and the price for just the walk-through is $12.
The website for Field of Screams is
www.stockerfarms.com/fos-home.asp?pid=13455&tid=13455
The Field of Screams is open this Saturday from 7pm-10pm, and for next week it'll be open thursday-Halloween from 7pm-10pm.
The price for Field of Screams is $15, while the non-haunted corn maze is $10. There's a combo ticket of both the FOS and corn maze for $20, and you can add a vip ticket (shorter wait for FOS) for $5 extra.
Finally, both Field of Screams and The Last Ride: Redemption are part of a gathering of several haunted attractions in Washington for a discount book called the Fright Pass.
www.vipfrightpass.com/
Both FOS and the Haunted Hollow store are selling Fright Passes for $10, so if you plan on hitting both or any of the other haunts being a part of the Fright Pass....the pass can certainly save you money since it gives 25% discounts for regular tickets, and 50% off for VIP tickets.
Once again, there will be marked spoilers ahead. For my short and simple review of things, it's near the bottom of this post.
The Last Ride: Redemption
This haunt is pretty unique considering where it is and how it's presented, the haunt is located in the Haunted Hollow Halloween Store, which is located in the former large building in the Everett Mall that used to be Steve and Barry's. (Clothing store)
Haunted Hollow is a family owned and operated Halloween Store, they came to the Everett Mall last year, but had no Haunt. However they had "The Last Ride", which is the only burial simulator attraction in Washington State. While I've never been on it, the concept is simple. You get in a coffin, and go on a little trip compleate with motion, sounds and smells as you're taken to your gravesite and buried.
This year, the store decided to add to it...creating "The Last Ride: Redemption" While The Last Ride is your burial, Redemption is the walk-through. Where you go through trials and monsters to find your way back to the light.
When you enter the store, the enterance and exit of the haunt is immediatly to the right. Now you really can't tell how big the haunt is, especially since the store has tarps that go all the way up towards the ceiling to section off the store and the haunt. However you can easily hear all the choas happening in the haunt, which does provide a nice atmosphere to the store. Many people were constantly looking over when screams, growls and loud banging were happening.
Spoilers ahead!
Now I'll be upfront and mention my Mom and I didn't go on "The Last Ride" portion of the haunt, though next week I might head back to try it out.
Once you've bought your tickets (A combo of the ride and walk-through, or just the walk-through.) , you get in line and are taken into a dark funeral parlor. Since my Mom and I wasn't doing the ride, we were taken to a spot where we had to watch a animated bust give out the rules of the haunt. (Now this is the exact same special effects prop that's used in Wild Waves Fright Fest, however I feel it's utilized much better here. Especially since it's the main focus point, and you're in a really dark room so the effect comes out very nicely.)
Once the rules were given, we were let in to take our journey of Redemption. The haunt kicks off with a very simple-yet-effective mindbender, a hallway and room full of doors where you have to find the door that opens to get out.
Also in the room is a large mirror, I expected a scare would happen with the mirror...though unfortuntly nothing happened with it. However none the less, things were still tense since there was a actress inside the room...and I had no clue what would happen when I tried opening the doors.
To add to the confusion, one of the doors was lit red. So I was extra apprehensive trying to open that one, though interestingly enough I tried opening all the doors in the room...but none of them would open!
As my Mom and I are scratching our heads that none of the doors open, the actress in the room pointed to one of the doors. I tried opening the door and the freakin' thing opened up. The door had to be pushed open, however I clearly recall pushing on that door but nothing happened...so with it mysteriously opening after the actress pointed it out...it was a nice "What the heck?!" moment.
---
After escaping the door room, you go through several nicely decorated and dark rooms. Stuff like caverns, dungeons, and a whole lot of skeletons and ghouls around. Now there's also a good amount of tape arrows to point the way, since things do get pretty dark. There was also a good amount of talent in the haunt, many of them hiding pretty well in the darkness and fog...or just flat out crawling right at you. Also after scaring, some of the monsters will silently point the way if you're lost.
After a couple scenes, the haunt throws a special effect I didn't expect to experience...I call it a Claustrophobia Tunnel. Plain and simple, there are two very lage inflatable walls. They're positioned so both walls are touching each other, which forces you to squeeze your way through.
I've heard about this effect, but never experienced it till now. It's a very freaky experience, you're enveloped in total darkness, both walls are pressed right up against you, and the tunnel is surprisingly long. The longer you're in it, the more unerving it gets. If you're claustrophobic, this is heck.
After escaping the tunnel, you go through a couple more scenes, including a dungeon with a victim in a cage, and a rather large bat-like creature popping out from the darkness.
After going through the various scenes and monsters, you finally reach the light. The light being a green laser which is projecting a tunnel effect that's pretty neat, though you can't get too awed as you walk towards the light...since there's still plenty of monsters to chase you out back into the store. (I got a extra surprise with the large bat creature following me out into the store.)
End Spoilers
My Mom and I were pleasantly surprised by how decent this first year haunt turned out, while it is on the short side (Thing is, we probably would have been in it longer if we did the ride)...it was nicely decorated, it had a good amount of talent working inside it and it displayed several nice special effects that we didn't expect to see.
We talked with the owners and they're pretty happy with how the haunt is turning out and how it's being recieved, especially since the haunt is just running by Word of Mouth.
Stocker Farm's Field of Screams
Now this was my 2nd visit to the haunt, and the 1st for my Mom. I'm not going to get into too much details since I covered this haunt pretty well in my 1st review.
Plain and simple, the haunt was certainly a lot busier then when I visited a few weeks ago. They certainly wern't kidding that this weekend is their busiest, we arrived about 30 minutes after it opened...and the parking lot was pretty well full.
Somewhat Spoilers ahead, but nothing too big
Compared to my previous visit, the haunt did not let up at all. The field was full of talent (In fact, it felt there were even more talent around the field), and scares were constant.
Since the crowds and lines were much bigger, there was more queue line monsters going around. While the creepy nurse wasn't in the line, I could tell the guy who plays the nurse was simply being another character.
He had some nice skull makeup on and was wearing a special costume that allowed him to give the illusion that his head was dropping down. One time I wasn't paying attention and he just jumped right next to me, had his head drop and simply said "Hi". That caught me off guard pretty good.
Once we got closer to the enterence, we got free candy from the staff! Also, two of the funnier moments happened. My Mom and I let a trio of people in the queue join us, a boyfriend and girlfriend and one of their friends. The friend was the scaredy-cat of the trio, and the monsters of the queue had fun with her.
---
The first thing that happened in the queue was a ringleader that went about and talked with people, he had a nice conversation with my Mom, me and the boyfriend and girlfriend. The scaredy-cat however, did whatever she could to avoid eye-contact with the ringleader.
What happened next was the ringleader trying to get the girl to say hi to him, when she mentioned she thinks clowns are creepy. He quickly replied back with. "I'm not a clown...I'm a "performance artist"!" Surprisingly, he did manage to get her to say hi to him. To which he delivered hi fives to everyone...except for the scaredy cat who was still pretty much afraid of him.
The second funny thing that happened was when the head-dropping guy came by, he freaked the scaredy-cat out...to which the girl mention something along the lines of having a "Personal Bubble". Big mistake.
The head-dropping guy just grinned and stepped over the rope, getting even closer to the scaredy-cat who proceeded to hide the best she could behind her friends. My Mom and I knew this would be a funny trip through the field since we let them go with us as a group.
---
Now interestingly enough, even with the place being busier...the haunt was still letting people go in their own personal groups. I felt that was very nice, you're not paired up with people you don't want to be with, and it's possible to go through alone. When we went, a 12 year old boy went through alone. To which the line managment announced to the queue line that he was going alone, and everyone else is chicken.
As for the trip through the field, it was full of plenty of scares and plenty of laughs. While I was leading the group and my Mom was in the back, the trio shuffled a lot. Sometimes I would have the girlfriend right behind me, while other times the scaredy-cat would be clinging to me with quite a grip!
There was also a few moments where the boyfriend tried to be brave and lead the group, I certainly didn't mind that since he had some priceless reactions to getting scared.
---
The best scare I saw was when he decided he wanted to be in front, I let him get in front of me and I noticed we we're approaching one of my favorite scenes, Suzies Playhouse. I told him the name of the section and he said "Ooo, sounds fun!" The moment he walked in and saw all the hanging dolls and the big teddy bear, he turned around and tried getting behind me saying. "Oh crap, too creepy!"
However I didn't let him get behind me, I just turned him forward and pushed him going. "Oh no, you wanted to be the brave man leading, so lead!" I'm glad he lead, since when the Teddy Bear went in the for the scare...the guy just jumped and screamed with the most priceless face I've seen...and he booked it behind me pretty quickly!
The whole trip through the field was very amusing, and one of the talent really surprised me by reconizing that this was my 2nd time through. I also give props to the chainsaw guy for listening carefully for names, since if he heard one given out...he would say something like "I'm comin' ta' git' ya' Sarah!" rev up the chainsaw and run straight to the group.
Speaking of chainsaw guy, it was pretty fun waiting in line and looking towards the exit of the field. For when we hear the chainsaw go off, chances are we saw plenty of people sprinting out of the field.
Overall, I enjoyed the field once again. My Mom really liked it and the trio did as well. (Though the scaredy-cat did mention she'd prefer to go through the non-haunted corn maze.)
Now there was one major change, the little maze you had to find your way out of near the end of the cornfield wasn't there. (However the harder pitch-black one still remains, being a very nice warm up.)
End Spoilers
Alright then, short and simple overview of things.
The Last Ride: Redemption, while it's on the short side. It's not bad at all, and features a good amount of talent and special effects you really wouldn't expect to find in a first year haunt.
As for my 2nd visit to Stocker Farms Field of Screams, it's still one heck of a haunt. Lots of talent, plenty of surprises, it's a kickin' haunt.
The website for Haunted Hollow Halloween Store is
www.hauntedhollowhalloweenstore.com/
The Last Ride: Redemption is open Thursdays-Saturdays from 5pm-9pm, and I believe they will be open on Halloween, though the operating times may be different.
There are two prices for the The Last Ride: Redemption, there's a combo ticket which includes both the ride and walk-through for $17....and the price for just the walk-through is $12.
The website for Field of Screams is
www.stockerfarms.com/fos-home.asp?pid=13455&tid=13455
The Field of Screams is open this Saturday from 7pm-10pm, and for next week it'll be open thursday-Halloween from 7pm-10pm.
The price for Field of Screams is $15, while the non-haunted corn maze is $10. There's a combo ticket of both the FOS and corn maze for $20, and you can add a vip ticket (shorter wait for FOS) for $5 extra.
Finally, both Field of Screams and The Last Ride: Redemption are part of a gathering of several haunted attractions in Washington for a discount book called the Fright Pass.
www.vipfrightpass.com/
Both FOS and the Haunted Hollow store are selling Fright Passes for $10, so if you plan on hitting both or any of the other haunts being a part of the Fright Pass....the pass can certainly save you money since it gives 25% discounts for regular tickets, and 50% off for VIP tickets.