As promised, we have a special treat on NPN where we can take a look at the set up currently underway for Dorney Park's 11th Halloween Haunt, taking place this fall. The park is busy with sets and props being put in place, and while this isn't the biggest year in the event's history in terms of new attractions, there's still plenty that will be new.
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Kept out of public view for now, here is the set being fabricated for the park's new evening show, called the Overlord's Resurrection. Technically the park did offer a similar show last year, but for 2018 this brand new set is being created and the show is moving to Hydra Plaza, where Skeleton Crew was the past few seasons.
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This view gives a bit more detail on the theme of the set, and the weathering that has been applied in creating the finished product. The point of the show is pretty obvious from the name, the idea here is to resurrect the Overlord, he who reigns over the park's hundreds of monsters. It will kick off at 7:00 pm with attractions starting to open a half hour later. Final details of the show will wait for opening night, but it is being produced as a collaborative effort between the park and others within Cedar Fair. One thing is for sure, there will be a ton of monsters involved this year!
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One other really cool aspect of Overlord's Resurrection will be this giant skull set piece, which the Overlord will use during the show. The skull has an interesting background, as it was originally fabricated for use in the 2018 Philadelphia's Mummers Parade. If you're not familiar with that parade, it's known for its outlandish costumes and props, and takes place on New Year's Day.
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Since I am a super-geek I went and found a clip of the prop when it was in last year's parade, featured above. If you want to see more of the prop in action you can check out the
video here. I'm looking forward to seeing it in use at The Haunt.
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Dorney Park is also adding new decorations in the lower part of the park, specifically in the former home of Stinger. The park has ordered a ton of pumpkins of various shapes and sizes, along with some faux ones that they are carving (above). Both will be used to create what sounds like a set of beautiful displays in the open area.
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The pumpkins will be laid out on the ground to make different patterns and shapes, all fitting with the Halloween theme. It sounds similar to the displays that Cedar Point has incorporated into their Haunt, which are pretty stunning. I can't wait to see the finished product - but until then do not get excited if you see work in Stinger Field - it is just preparations for this display!
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It is always super cool to be in the Haunt make-up room, even when it is the middle of summer. The park makes nearly all of their masks in house, and here is a selection of completed and a few works-in-progress. Pretty creepy to see them all lined up like this!
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While Cut Throat Island is not returning this year as a scare zone, its presence will still be found in the new Port of Call area, located along Possessed. The area is designed for those ages 21 and older, and features the giant pirate ship props that were a part of Cut Throat Island. The area will feature a DJ playing today's hits along with a few haunt characters - although this is not designed to be a scare zone. You can also see that the stage for Skeleton Crew has been moved into Port of Call, and a show will return on the stage under a new name, featuring shorter shows that repeat throughout the night, with the DJ taking over in between.
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Panning to the left a bit, you can see the new addition to the area in the back, which is the bar. Obviously since this area is meant to be for those 21 and over the bar will have a prominent focus in the area, something that I think will be greatly received by Haunt guests! The park will debut their third custom beer of the year for Halloween Haunt, named Haunted Hops, naturally available at Port of Call.
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I also was able to check out the Haunt build area, where we found these new props being fabricated. They will be set out along the midway and feature lighted signs along the middle... though they are meant to also add a creepy flavor to the area. Another interesting item I look forward to seeing at the park.
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This new ghoul was also on display in the Haunt build shop, though I'm not sure where he will end up in the park. He looks great though! I'm glad to see a refresh of decorations and props going into the park this season.
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Another one of the larger changes for this year is the transformation of Grave Walkers into Necropolis. The maze will be located in the same spot, but feature an all new layout and facade, which you can see being built above. The scaffolding that is present here will be covered with more facade before the attraction opens.
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The facade is located further into the open area than the entrance to Grave Walkers way, which will allow for a queue to be set up further off the midway, helping with congestion on busy Haunt nights. This close up of the facade shows more of the detail that is going into the build.
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While many of the props are still being put into place, you can get a feel for the attraction's layout using the white spray paint on the ground - you can see that above if you look closely. Necropolis will feature a more linear path and will not have the large open section at the start that Grave Walkers did - a plus in my opinion as this will give many more scares.
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As I said, the attraction is still very much so being put together, and while it does feature a lot of the props that were used in the former scare zone, there are some new items scattered around as well - with more to come.
Finally, one more attraction change this year will be Trick Or Treat - Lights Out. The maze will keep the same name and overall theme, but this year visitors will carry dim flashlights and make their way through the darkness of the witch's house. The park is adding new props and other scares throughout the haunted house to make it feel even more like a new experience - I'm really looking forward to trying it out!
A notable change this year is the retirement of the Skeleton Key rooms at Halloween Haunt, which is actually taking place at all Cedar Fair parks. While they were a benefit to the Frightlane passes, the main draw was the ability to get into the haunted houses quickly, and that will not change.
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That does it for our preview look at Dorney Park's 2018
Halloween Haunt - the event starts on Friday, September 21st! Many thanks to the park for the tour and information!
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