Halloweekends 2011

"Sideshow" is my favorite show for HalloWeekends! It's great and I'm so glad they brought it back!

Yeah, I really enjoyed Sideshow as well.

Something I've been curious about but have always walked on by: Gypsy Fortune Tellers. Now obviously I'm not seeking life advice, but are they entertaining for the wait?

And what direction do the fortunes take? Are they haunted fortunes, as in "You're going to die today while riding your favorite Intamin." Or more comical... "A grand Seagull will be sending you a gift from above." ...or the expected serious fortunes of prosperity?

I've been curious what they discuss and how long it lasts. Also, can 1 person from your group get a fortune while the others crowd around and watch, or is it a private 1 on 1 experience?

The Gypsy Fortune Tellers are certainly a hidden gem in my opinion. I always make a point to visit them at least once a year. They've always been very comical when I've visited. I'd say it lasts about 5 minutes, but I've never visited when they have a line, so I don't know if they vary it depending on how many are waiting. It's a pretty cool, personal encounter with the actors, who have always done a great job.

so after another trip through screamworks my statements stand. I also miss the opening speech/blackout for the zone start. I could live without the speech and be fine as long as it still had the blackout. the way it currently just fades out at 8 is confusing not only for monsters but guests. Everybody kind of looked around and said.... now what? does that mean we start or is it fading to do something (30 second wait)... ok I guess nothing else is happening so that must mean its started, time to go...

it was confusing for everybody involved. Now knowing that the weather was crap friday I can cut everybody some slack, I know what it's like when the weather blows and there are less than 5000 people in the park. That being said, I've seen the event ROCK on nights like that (just as often as it gets phoned in on those nights) for the TL's or monsters on here I didn't talk to in the ballroom I'll say these things. Everybody had an off night, it was pretty bad across the board, BUT there were still some great moments of huge talent and well placed lights/monsters that made both myself and cyrus have some good talks.

Ralph, I'll admit it, as much as I hate it, you got me a little because I was looking back at cyrus talking, and that area you got me has a couple of really great short distance rush out type lights and that was great. TI as always was great on character but at times that seemed to be the only thing people focused on and didn't try to scare.

Zeek, Bayou was great. it's not at it's peak yet but there is some great talent and the kinks that I know are getting worked out give it the potential to be the best zone out there. keep the talent together and at the same level the scenery is at and you'll have it I think (and you know me, I wouldn't say or admit that lightly) Also Bayou was the only zone/house that I didn't notice any dead zones, if there were some the monsters were covering them real well.

Fear Fair was good, but too many people were on break (and I know why and that they were lacking a specific person that night) and there were dead spots. Having started out there the first two years it was open, it has made some great improvements since then.

screamworks... I've said it before and I stick with it, and since we were all together in the ballroom going over all of it, I know and feel your pain, but like I mentioned to a few specific people, I saw the same crazy, weird talent that we have for finding ways to make things work and it might not be as good as fright zone was, but you'll make it happen. I know and love you guys and you still had the typical gem performances even if we're missing donnie over there this year haha.

I'll skip the houses since we don't have many maze monsters here so I'll cross post the rest of this on fb with a bit extra for them to see.

Like I said, I know what kind of night that was so take everything I said with a grain of salt because I know how off our game we are when the crowd is that small, so I know part of it was that. Also I realized this leading everyone out to the overlord just how long the new speech is. I like the voice change, but good lord is it long and drawn out now and it doesn't do as much for me. I preferred the shorter one, especially since I didn't have the slider pads on when I knelt this year haha.

I just looked at the forecast for our stay this weekend. Looks like it's going to be the best weather of the fall so far. Sweet.

Thanks a lot for the feedback Josh. Definitely means a lot to me.

Found out about the breaks thing from a specific lady friend. It got takin care of. I take great pride in knowing who that specific person you speak of is :-D

I agree as well that FF has made amazing strides even just from last year to this year.

AndyG said:
I just looked at the forecast for our stay this weekend. Looks like it's going to be the best weather of the fall so far. Sweet.

Looks like I chose the right year to skip BooBuzz. :)

If the forecast holds, it's going to be an absolute madhouse in the park, especially considering the crappy weather the last few weekends.

Thanks Josh, I know we're doing all we can to make sure we get the areas covered. And for all of you Paddlewheel fans out there, Muddy Rivers is now a resident of the Bayou...a long with a few other great additions. Swine coolers anyone?

I for one would love to go to the front of that park. I love to scare and most of the time in the zone I go for the big knockdown scares. I would really enjoy the change of pace to be able to goodf around with guests and hassle the kids :)

Zeek said:
Thanks Josh, I know we're doing all we can to make sure we get the areas covered. And for all of you Paddlewheel fans out there, Muddy Rivers is now a resident of the Bayou...a long with a few other great additions. Swine coolers anyone?

Cyrus and I thought Muddy Rivers was awesome and a perfect choice.

Definately. There's a few other things I would like to see brought in in certain areas, so we'll see.

KevinL332 said:
I for one would love to go to the front of that park. I love to scare and most of the time in the zone I go for the big knockdown scares. I would really enjoy the change of pace to be able to goodf around with guests and hassle the kids :)

Remind me to take volunteers so you can go. I keep forgetting.

Zeek said:
Definately. There's a few other things I would like to see brought in in certain areas, so we'll see.

actually the other thing (other than donnie and his mooing slaughterhouse of course) was the motion activated dog across from muddy. It wasn't good for a scare really, but it's so well hidden and when it activates its actually a pretty neat little effect. I was glad to see it again under the dining room table in erie estates.

Congrats to the park and all my fellow Screamsters on receiving their 3rd consecutive "Frightmaster Award" from Hauntedhousetour.com!

djDaemon said:
Looks like I chose the right year to skip BooBuzz. :)

If the forecast holds, it's going to be an absolute madhouse in the park, especially considering the crappy weather the last few weekends.

Other folks must have done the same thing. They were running 3 MF trains for the ERT and there were, I would guess, maybe 35 or so people there. You exited a train and walked up to the train that was loading without a wait. There were a couple people waiting for the back seat (sometimes) and for the first seat (pretty much the entire time). Otherwise the station was empty. 15-16 laps before the regular ERT started.

ERT on raptor was empty too. I rode it 6 times (5 in front row), rode blue streak once and then headed to the dinner about 6:20 or so.

Park was crowded the rest of the night but I didn't think excessively so. Certainly not to the level of Saturday and Sunday. Waiting 30-45 minutes for a couple of haunted houses. Smaller rides/non-big coasters were walk ups. Waited about 40 minutes to ride MF again at close.

I was at the point last night and with the majority of the rides down, they showed the NLCS baseball game on the big white screen by wildcat. Was that just last night or have they been doing that throughout the playoffs? I found it very fun and exciting because you don't get that at most parks

They usually do that, tonight they will probably have the Tiger game on! College football is another option.

Other folks must have done the same thing. They were running 3 MF trains for the ERT and there were, I would guess, maybe 35 or so people there. You exited a train and walked up to the train that was loading without a wait. There were a couple people waiting for the back seat (sometimes) and for the first seat (pretty much the entire time). Otherwise the station was empty. 15-16 laps before the regular ERT started.

ERT on raptor was empty too. I rode it 6 times (5 in front row), rode blue streak once and then headed to the dinner about 6:20 or so.

Park was crowded the rest of the night but I didn't think excessively so. Certainly not to the level of Saturday and Sunday. Waiting 30-45 minutes for a couple of haunted houses. Smaller rides/non-big coasters were walk ups. Waited about 40 minutes to ride MF again at close.

I went on Friday too, it was a decent crowd, but definitely not bad at all. :D When the rain hit around 11:30, we decided to pop into Happy Jack's (and then Disaster transport, which was open even though it wasn't supposed to be [on a friday]).

I need to compliment the Carn Evil this years screamsters. To me Carn Evil is better than ever. They are doing a super job this year. They have added a few new characters this year. They really are working hard and often teaming up for the scare. I like to sit at the entrance and watch them at work. That is just as entertaining as walking through. Two years ago I thought CE had become lame and would only do one walk through. This year I walk through many times. The improvement is amazing. Keep up the good work.

The other walk throughs are doing a good job too. I will say that Screamworks still needs to step things up a bit overall. Too much walking and not enough scaring.