Six Flags Fright Fest 2024 (Magic Mountain)

[queenmetroid]

I genuinely feel for the creative / production teams handed such a challenging task. We'll see what they end up scraping together for opening night, but I hope that lessons are learned from this as we head into 2025.

Edit to add: They've got until Sept. 7. Tickets for opening night go for $99 if you don't have a season pass. If you do have a season pass, the haunted attraction pass is going for $50. View attachment 22804

Knott's Scary Farm inexplicably opens 12 days later (Sept. 19) and charges $60 for admission. I have no idea what Six Flags is thinking here.

What really boggles me is this is just such a massive unforced error. Those licenses are such a slam dunk; they can easily charge that price for all of them IF they had 11 really solid (not even top tier) mazes based on those licensed properties that were done ON TIME. I'd even say the asking price is a great deal and certainly could rival with anything HHN has done recently in the IP department.

They also would have a really decent opportunity here to soak up some of the traffic before Knott's opens, or even contend with the undisputed heavyweight HHN with those names. Imagine if they spend a ton of money on really high quality mazes (which could be amortized over a few years), and really knocked it out of the park in terms of experience. Add in some advertising and influencer coverage, and you might just have the next big Halloween thing from out of nowhere. Is it a huge capital investment? Sure. Would that be risky? Absolutely. But the park is hard to get to and you need a draw. It is so weird to spend all that money on increasingly expensive and difficult to obtain IPs just to waste the opportunity on a beta test that people may not return to.

We literally WANT Six Flags to succeed but they really like to get in their own way. As you said, I feel for the creative team.

 

[Wishmaster]

So who exactly is at fault for this?

 

[queenmetroid]

Knee jerk response? Cedar Fair.
Thoughtful response? You don't get licenses overnight and usually the creative heads or showrunners do some sort of sign off on plans*, so this has likely been in the works for a long time. However, since last year had pretty much the same issue, it's very likely wrought by poor management at Six Flags, no Cedar Fair involvement required.

What is strange to me is so far that multiple studios seem to have the attitude that, "Yeah, advertising houses at an event when they won't be available for half the run or be half-assed at is great PR for our brand!" No blame on the creative people, but surely someone in management has heard that Netflix *really* dislikes bad haunted houses. HHN got their wrist slapped for less.

*I could always be wrong and someone signed off on it last minute. The way WB is run these days, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Wesker69]

However, since last year had pretty much the same issue, it's very likely wrought by poor management at Six Flags

Yea. When I worked at Six Flags I got "scolded" by our department manager for questioning the lazy "Holiday in the Park" decorating. The event had already started & they were putting up garland & whatnot 2-3 weeks later. Literally simple things that could've & should've been done overnight beforehand (NOT during operating hours)

She didn't like my "negative attitude" towards their "product". Yes, she actually referred to HITP as a product. Which shows you how much "guest satisfaction" experience she doesn't have.

So it doesn't surprise me that years later, Six Flags is still struggling with time management & priorities. I just expect the worst, hope for the best.

 

[ghostsarejerks]

Seeing multiple advertised job postings for set painters for Fright Fest as well as monster talent, they're offering $250 a day for painters

 

[Clive]

Seeing multiple advertised job postings for set painters for Fright Fest as well as monster talent, they're offering $250 a day for painters

Yep. Lot of specific calls for face characters of specific heights, too.

 

[ghostsarejerks]

I was speaking with one of their cast coordinators at a function recently and she said they're pushing for more face characters in the Stranger Things haunt, because they initially planned on having none.

 

[Clive]

I was speaking with one of their cast coordinators at a function recently and she said they're pushing for more face characters in the Stranger Things haunt, because they initially planned on having none.

I'm glad those with enough sway are pushing for more and better, but this is probably another indicator that we should adjust our expectations here.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I know its a long shot but just wanted to ask

Has anyone ever emailed Six Flags and been able to move your ticket date if all the houses aren't open in the first weeks of the event?

 

[Jake S]

I know its a long shot but just wanted to ask

Has anyone ever emailed Six Flags and been able to move your ticket date if all the houses aren't open in the first weeks of the event?

I think it can’t hurt to be proactive and ask for a new date. But if you show up and many of the headliners are closed, you at least have a good case for emailing guest relations and asking for some sort of compensation.

 

[Wishmaster]

Y’all are setting y’all selves up. Wait till Oct for the event.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Y’all are setting y’all selves up. Wait till Oct for the event.

I mean I have tickets

This is the only....stressing this only major haunt event I know of that doesn't have things ready to go by the first weekend

So hoping I can move a date at least if they fail to get things up

 

[Wesker69]

Just need to point out that these ticket prices are honestly pretty reasonable. And the "increase" in October is only $5-10 more.


I've noticed that Knott's also shows the (slashed) "gate price" vs online & even their "gate price" is ridiculous. Which I do actually hate because there are people who somehow miss that these events are happening when planning to go to the park & don't find out until they get there. *sigh* Oh well.

I'm planning to go the end of September. If every house isn't ready, "oh well". If everything is good to go, then great! It is what it is.

 

[DTH]

You're telling me they're just NOW hiring people to paint?! It's in 2 and a half weeks!

 

[downunder]

I'm bringing a gas mask, so I'm not overwhelmed by fumes from the drying paint lol.

If they don't deliver in September when I go, it will be the first and last time I go to Fright Fest. I'm sure I'll still have some fun, and the mazes likely will be so poorly executed that if any of them aren't open you haven't missed much. I'll definitely be going to guest services and politely complaining if everything isn't open (intentionally vs an operational issue).

 

[DTH]

I don't understand their appeal to be open early (obviously more money throughout the season) while risking having a lot of people complain to get their money back or to revisit another night where all the mazes are open. Sounds like they're purposely losing money. And granted, the GP will not know the difference and 95% won't complain, but if something catches wind randomly on TikTok which will push the knowledge to GP, there is potential for a major shove back. Why risk it in this day and age?!

 

[Jerroddragon]

I don't understand their appeal to be open early (obviously more money throughout the season) while risking having a lot of people complain to get their money back or to revisit another night where all the mazes are open. Sounds like they're purposely losing money. And granted, the GP will not know the difference and 95% won't complain, but if something catches wind randomly on TikTok which will push the knowledge to GP, there is potential for a major shove back. Why risk it in this day and age?!

I have no idea

Obviously some will go either way but the nice you have most bloggers saying to wait and not go, it won’t help attendance

I just get why you’d pay for IPs and not have them day one, I can’t imagine it makes the deal any cheaper to bring houses in later.

 

[Wesker69]

While I do put blame on Six Flags' time management & priority skills, I mean come on... not everything was 100% ready for their DC event which looked thrown together last minute. Also, they didn't have all their "heroes" day 1.

But I do have to wonder how much blame is on the corporate side of things for this year. However, not even Knott's nor HHN can pull off a slam dunk of 10+ houses, you're always going to have duds (a lot of times thats a cast/run-through issue).

We'll see what happens in 2 weeks. Not gonna lie, for $250 a day, I'll go paint the plywood black (half joking)

 

[Jerroddragon]

While I do put blame on Six Flags' time management & priority skills, I mean come on... not everything was 100% ready for their DC event which looked thrown together last minute. Also, they didn't have all their "heroes" day 1.

But I do have to wonder how much blame is on the corporate side of things for this year. However, not even Knott's nor HHN can pull off a slam dunk of 10+ houses, you're always going to have duds (a lot of times thats a cast/run-through issue).

We'll see what happens in 2 weeks. Not gonna lie, for $250 a day, I'll go paint the plywood black (half joking)

I went week two besides Robin and them adding a few more things to take pictures went that event was basically at 100%

Like missing 2-3 houses is insane.....to me it comes down to also a false advertising. Like go to HHN and all the houses they talked about are up not just day one but in previews...same with Knotts.

Heck even Sea World does it, and I know local events that are ready to go night one when they say they will be

 

[Wesker69]

Yea but again is this a time management issue, park management issue or a corporate related issue. And how much did the recent merger affect it. Lots of things can happen behind the scenes screams. Sooo...

Eitherway, I'm expecting the worst hoping for the best. Of course this applies to all events (except maybe Dark Harbor)