Anyone like Halloween Haunted House Events? (San Francisco, Vallejo: 2015, hotel, houses)

[cachibatches]

If anyone goes to any this year, please post your review here.

I used to go to these like mad, 12-13 a year as far North as Callson Manor in Roseville to as far South as World's Largest Haunted House (name only, its pretty riny-dink) in the South Bay.

My wife an I settled on two a few years back, the Winchester House event which was the best ever, but was discontinued, and the Pirates of Emerson which is a a favorite with six houses, live entertainment, and fun environment.

For years I avoided the Great America event like the plague because I felt it was too corporate, but when they discontinued the Winchester event, I broke down and went three years ago. I thought it was amazing, went again last year and on opening night tonight. Last year was a bit of a let down because we went too late in the season and it was so packed that we only got in 8 of nine of the houses.

This year we went opening night, got in all nine hosues, did our favs a second time, went on both of the roller coasters that were open and watched some of the live entertainment.

It is incredible how sinister they make the park, with mosly low black and red lighting, decorations and scare zones that turn the entire park into one big haunted house. The two roller coasters add the sounds of screams, and they both have an archaic feel in their own way that adds, the Goldstriker having a 19th century wooden feel and the Demon being a piece of pure seventies nostalgia.

The house are all high quality and fun, but in terms of theming a mixed bag. A tip, if you go, move clockwise. The newer houses are at 7-12 Oclock, so to speak, and you will get to them first and travel against the tide of the crowd. My wife and I got to the newest ones, the Asylum, the Wax Museum and Mirror Mirror with virtually no one else in them. That was eerie, and Halloween as it is meant to be experienced.

My own rating per house:


The Wax Museum- 5 stars
Very rich and detailed exhibit in which characters from antiquity, the Victorian age, the Old West and and the Roaring twenties come to life and stalk you.

Dia De Los Muertos- 5 Stars
3D Day glo exhibit with scenes from old Mexico, inclduing various Dia De Los Muertos set pieces, the jungle, a bar, a church, and the inside of Mayan pyramid.

Corn Stalkers- 4 stars
Probably the scariest one, various scarecrows and pumpkin monsters jump out at you in an ourdoor corn "maze" (its actually linear). The smell of the hay gives you the feel of some of the old school haunted attractions from places like Petaluma and Livermore.

Road Kill Cafe- 4 Stars
Your standard Texas Chainsaw Masacre, Hills Have Eyes haunted house, but well done. Particularly nice use of machine sounds inside.

Insanatarium- 3 Stars
My wife loved this new attraction. There is nothing wrong with it except that it is a very standard crazy doctor and patients begging you for help type house. If you are an afficianado you have seen this before. Well done though.

Madam Maries Massacre Manor- 3 stars
Beautiful but low on scares, depicts a New Orleans Hotel run by a vodoo Queen, I would say circa Prohibiton era.

Toy Factory- 3 Stars
A lot of creativity in some ways, depicts a toy fatory in which the toys have taken over. It is hard to say why it doesn't fully live up to its promise. There is an annoying theme that blares in the background, and in the end, it just doesn't have a lot of scares. My wife's least favorite.

Zombie High- 2 Stars
I am a George Romero and Walking Dead nut, but I have never found zombies to work particulalry well in a haunted house and this one just does not work at all. The high school theme works against it and makes it more of a comdey act. Also, the sets are the most pedantic of the bunch, since the subject matter--a high school--is pretty pedantic.


Mirror,Mirror- 1 star
This is bascially a mirror maze the kind of which they have at Pier 39 or Cannery Row in Monterey, with a couple of young girls dressed in Marie Antoinette outfits roaming around. Last year, the wait was so long becasue of people getting lost that we could not get into it, so this year, they have the Antoinette girls more or less directing traffic so that you get out in about three minutes. Why have the exhibit at all?

The scare zones and entertainment were also terrific, and my wife liked an eerie gymnastical show better than any of the houses. Throw in the roller coasters, and you can't beat it. The Gold Striker is an incredible, almost indescribable wooden roller coaster, and the Demon, apt for the event with its theme and decoration, is like an old friend from back in the day.

Great experience, but if you are going to go, go early in the year and get there at the opening, or you will hate your experience due to long lines and and angry young crowd.

Remember, please post your own reviews of this and other seasonal events. I may do the Pirates of Emerson although for the first time in nine years, I am not sure that I will be able to get there due to going out of town for two weeks at the end of October.

Have a horrible Halloween!

[LoriBee62]

It has been a long time, but years ago I went to Six Flags in Vallejo (was Marine World at the time) during October. They dressed the place up for Halloween and had a big haunted house. It was a LOT of fun.

[justmeinca]

It is perfect day for women to dress slutty without excuses

"Halloween International Ball at W Hotel San Francisco 2015"