It does not seem to me that the popularity of Halloween has started to taper yet, each year it grows and grows and along with it are the park celebrations we love so much. This year Six Flags Great Adventure has stepped up their game and are holding the largest
Fright Fest in their history, that's more entertainment, more monsters, more terror trails, and more zombie zones than ever before!
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A scene from the Shipwreck Cove Zombie Zone |
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure is also running for a longer season this year too, stretching a full six weekends. With so much new this year, it is almost hard to decided where to head first, but whatever the decision is spine tingling entertainment awaits.
Once six o'clock falls the park transforms into a most demented version of itself, overtaken by a legion of monster and ghouls. To mark the transformation The Awakening takes place each night, where the Ghoulmaster awakens Dr. Fright to release the zombies into the park.
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Bone Butcher Terror-Tory, a Zombie Zone |
The park offers four separate Zombie Zones, where the ghouls roam freely and utilize many props and decorations along the way to scare the wits out of guests. Oh, and of course there is fog... lots of fog.
Frontier Adventures becomes the Bone Butcher Terror-Tory, with crazed western zombies, and colonial era zombies stalk prey near the park entrance by The Bloody Fountain. Anyone with a fear of clowns will want to avoid the midway area of the Boardwalk, as it turns into Circus Psycho. New this year is Shipwreck Cove, an area in the Lakefront that's packed full of undead pirates.
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A scene from Doc Swan's Sideshow of Oddities |
One area where Six Flags Great Adventure's Fright Fest has excelled in the past - and especially this year - is with live entertainment offerings. The
uber popular show called Dead Man's Party - The Guest List has moved over near the former Batman stunt theater, and received a sweet new set up. This year it features all new music and storyline as the zombies put on their best song and dance performance.
Many smaller shows takes place throughout the park as well, such as the Circus of Thrills along the Boardwalk, which has a "globe of death," wheel of destiny and sway poles. There's also Doc Swan's Sideshow of Oddities, showcasing amazing feats and superhuman strength in Frontier Adventures.
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Crazy western zombies in the Terror-Tory! |
2012's Fright Fest sees the return of a couple fan favorites from the park's past. Todd Robbins is back in Professor Zombini's Freak Show after being on broadway for several years, and Bad Bob the Bone Butcher, a comedy gunfight show, is back after a six year hiatus.
For those looking to rock the Dead & Local Music Showcase in the Lakefront is the place to be, where live bands perform for the crowds. Maybe they'll catch their big break!
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The great new Dead Man's Party set up |
Those who are really looking for a terrifying experience will want to check out the park's four Terror Trails. This year there is one totally brand new trail, and two others have been completely rethemed. I must say that the trails are vastly improved over past years, featuring tons of live actors and much more detailed sets.
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Insanity: Gears of the Mind |
Brand new this year is Voodoo Island, which is set underneath the park's
log flume, out on a peninsula by the lake. The story is this: "a
location tour for TV's newest reality show turns into a horrific path of
black magic, human sacrifice, taboo rituals and cannibal carnage."
Needless to say things have gone very wrong over at Voodoo Island, and
you can count on many scares along the winding, wooded path.
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The entrance to Wasteland, one of the four Terror Trails |
The Manor, a very long terror trail located in the Golden Kingdom, is back for a second year after opening in 2011. The trail has been beefed up considerably for this season, making it worth a visit even if you went through last year.
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Just entering Insanity: Gears of the Mind |
Two locations from previous Fright Fests have all new terror trails this year. The area that used to house the Chiller roller coaster now holds Insanity: Gears of the Mind, where you enter the mind of a totally insane, and at times rather gross, individual. There were a lot of great scares to be had in this trail, with actors using their props to the fullest.
Back on the edge of the park, and in the woods, is Wasteland, where botanical experiments in the Demented Forest have gone wrong. Really wrong!
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Ghouls from Circus Psycho and the Bloody Fountain |
Now obviously that is a lot of scary stuff, but the park also has a nice daytime Halloween celebration that the whole family can enjoy, including small kids.
A Halloween celebration wouldn't be very fun without ... CANDY! The Trick-or-Treat Trail takes care of that need, and everyone gets to meet their favorite Looney Tunes characters. There's several shows for kids like the Spooky, Kooky Magic Show, which features tricks and illusions that will mystify viewers.
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The Wolfman in Haunted Wagon Spells, howling, of course |
The Sea Lion Celebration show is both entertaining and educational, and if you want to go on a really neat journey check out the Haunted Wagon Spells hayride. The wagon takes guests way out beyond the park boundaries and past several friendly scenes with characters like Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman.
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The Bloody Fountain at dusk |
When all is said and done 1,200 pounds of webbing, 1,400 cornstalks, 9,000 pounds of CO2 to make fog, 11,000 pounds of propane for fire, and 1,300 ounces of makeup are used to create Great Adventure's Fright Fest. With all that work going into the production, and so much new this year, it is a great time to check out the event.
Many thanks to the park for having us out to see all that's new!