Six Flags Fright Fest 2024 (Magic Mountain)

[DTH]

Obviously this is just a matter of opinion, but I’ve never found the “follow you to the next room” thing particularly scary or interesting. I like that performers have more freedom to freelance, but it’s not really my cup of tea.

Same. I have never once liked this anywhere. I get that it freaks some people out, but it just annoys me. You had your chance to scare me, now I am moving along. Following me because you didn't get the reaction you wanted or because you got the reaction you wanted and now you just want more -- breaks the immersion for me. I'm immediately reminded it's just some undergrad theatre student at CSU Fullerton. You're a spider in the spider's nest scene, you shouldn't be in the sewer scene with the sewer rats. Literally, go where you belong and leave me alone lol

However, I do like when before or after someone scares me, they stare at me as I walk in/away. It's like "this scene is designated to scare YOU."

 

[Wesker69]

Bunch of downers. As I've stated, it depends on the scenario because as someone that HAS/WILL do it, it's effective when implemented a certain way.

If i have the ability to be in multiple scenes & you scurry out in a hurry thinking you're "safe", i will chase after especially when there are multiple unoccupied booholes to attack from. The easy scares aren't always as fun, but if we can at least get a double or triple scare, we take it.

Trust me. It is very effective. BUT not every scareactor has this ability due to being tied down to a specific scene. Flex roles are fun.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Bunch of downers. As I've stated, it depends on the scenario because as someone that HAS/WILL do it, it's effective when implemented a certain way.

If i have the ability to be in multiple scenes & you scurry out in a hurry thinking you're "safe", i will chase after especially when there are multiple unoccupied booholes to attack from. The easy scares aren't always as fun, but if we can at least get a double or triple scare, we take it.

Trust me. It is very effective. BUT not every scareactor has this ability due to being tied down to a specific scene. Flex roles are fun.

lol

I do love how picky some of us get with the houses

I feel like its a cool thing not in all houses, like for example strangers thing and Saw it wouldn't make much sense but in Sowers of Souls or Aftermath the theming works with scare actors following you/rushing to another room again to try and get you again from another angle.

 

[Jake S]

Bunch of downers. As I've stated, it depends on the scenario because as someone that HAS/WILL do it, it's effective when implemented a certain way.

with all due respect, your insistence that this works because of your individual talent is exactly why I think it’s not a great tactic

 

[DTH]

^ LMFAO This exactly. Been going to haunts for 25+ years. I guess every single scareactor I've ever seen is an amateur then.

 

[Freak]

So I did a thing and went to Fright Fest on Thursday. Decided to go solo.

I got there pretty dang early. Arrived at the gate a little after 6 and just waited for them to open the gates. Bought my house wristband ($50. Ugh) and went on with the evening! Did Stranger Things first thing and got a solo runthrough! Got a solo front row ride on Wonder Woman right afterwards.

I waited only five minutes tops for all of the houses but waited about 45 min for X2 and 35 for TC. I went on some coasters since the house lines were so short and wanted to go on the coasters as it's been a hot minute since I went on them. Overall, I had a good time! The solo runthroughs of the houses made for a great experience. While I think Universal far surpassed how they did ST and, TrT, they were not bad houses in isolation. Saw was actually really good and I enjoyed it more than HHN 2017's house! Absolutely an improvement from last year as well as Conjuring (Though that was barely staffed lol). Strongest houses for me were Saw, Condamned, and WIlloughby's.

So Fright Fest is not quite as bed as what everyone was saying it was. I had no operational issues once I went. The biggest problem is that the price for the wristbands are.....ridiculous. Even as a passmember those prices are kinda steep. That's especially considering when you gotta pay for parking AND admission on top of that if you're going for a full day. But the thing is, when I went, the whole park didn't open until 7:00PM. So if you don't have a pass, you'd be paying north of $200 just to get in and do the houses. THAT is insane. If you are going to command a $50 pricepoint to get in, you might as well just have it as a hard-ticketed event.

Again, I had a good time. Houses were not too bad, especially considering I got a solo runthrough on a lot of them. They should really focus more on a quality-over-quantity approach and strongly consider a hard-ticketed event if they're gonna charge that much for maze wristbands.

 

[saint.piss]

So I did a thing and went to Fright Fest on Thursday. Decided to go solo.

I got there pretty dang early. Arrived at the gate a little after 6 and just waited for them to open the gates. Bought my house wristband ($50. Ugh) and went on with the evening! Did Stranger Things first thing and got a solo runthrough! Got a solo front row ride on Wonder Woman right afterwards.

I waited only five minutes tops for all of the houses but waited about 45 min for X2 and 35 for TC. I went on some coasters since the house lines were so short and wanted to go on the coasters as it's been a hot minute since I went on them. Overall, I had a good time! The solo runthroughs of the houses made for a great experience. While I think Universal far surpassed how they did ST and, TrT, they were not bad houses in isolation. Saw was actually really good and I enjoyed it more than HHN 2017's house! Absolutely an improvement from last year as well as Conjuring (Though that was barely staffed lol). Strongest houses for me were Saw, Condamned, and WIlloughby's.

So Fright Fest is not quite as bed as what everyone was saying it was. I had no operational issues once I went. The biggest problem is that the price for the wristbands are.....ridiculous. Even as a passmember those prices are kinda steep. That's especially considering when you gotta pay for parking AND admission on top of that if you're going for a full day. But the thing is, when I went, the whole park didn't open until 7:00PM. So if you don't have a pass, you'd be paying north of $200 just to get in and do the houses. THAT is insane. If you are going to command a $50 pricepoint to get in, you might as well just have it as a hard-ticketed event.

Again, I had a good time. Houses were not too bad, especially considering I got a solo runthrough on a lot of them. They should really focus more on a quality-over-quantity approach and strongly consider a hard-ticketed event if they're gonna charge that much for maze wristbands.

I was actually about to ask how Fright Fest is on Thursdays, thanks for the report!

 

[saint.piss]

I went for my first time last night. While it's not as good as HHN or Knotts, I had a really fun time! A lot of the houses weren't really well staffed but I was surprised by how good the sets are. It was pretty cool that for basically every house I got to experience it by myself since there was barely anyone there. I got ALL the houses done in less than 3 hours and did Saw twice. I don't really feel like doing a complete ranking, however I'll say my top 3 favorites were: Saw, Sewer of Souls and Trick R Treat. I honestly enjoyed all the houses, but a lot of them were mostly empty so I don't want to judge them fully because of that lol. I would definitely recommend this event to people if you're huge into haunts, it's very enjoyable. Also, go on a Thursday! I've never been to a haunt event this empty before and it was so nice. I'll also add: it was my first time going to this park. I didn't do any of the rides but I would definitely come back to experience them, however this park is HUGE. It was really a pain in the butt to navigate and I wasn't expecting that despite being told how huge it is all these years. So yeah, SFFF was a decent surprise for me. I'll probably go again next year !

 

[Jerroddragon]

I went for my first time last night. While it's not as good as HHN or Knotts, I had a really fun time! A lot of the houses weren't really well staffed but I was surprised by how good the sets are. It was pretty cool that for basically every house I got to experience it by myself since there was barely anyone there. I got ALL the houses done in less than 3 hours and did Saw twice. I don't really feel like doing a complete ranking, however I'll say my top 3 favorites were: Saw, Sewer of Souls and Trick R Treat. I honestly enjoyed all the houses, but a lot of them were mostly empty so I don't want to judge them fully because of that lol. I would definitely recommend this event to people if you're huge into haunts, it's very enjoyable. Also, go on a Thursday! I've never been to a haunt event this empty before and it was so nice. I'll also add: it was my first time going to this park. I didn't do any of the rides but I would definitely come back to experience them, however this park is HUGE. It was really a pain in the butt to navigate and I wasn't expecting that despite being told how huge it is all these years. So yeah, SFFF was a decent surprise for me. I'll probably go again next year !

Glad you had a fun time there, I also was there and it had the most amount of people I've seen on a Thursday but all houses were walk on's with the exception of Saw which they wait like a minute per group and can take a little more time but you do get the house mainly to your self


My experience last night was great.

Walked on Stranger Things (Vecna wasn't working the first time but was the second time) was the only one in the house, went on Saw and the actors were killing it. I got on Trick R Treat and one time it was just me in the house and the second time ran into a group that was lost in the mirrors room. Army of the Dead had like 3 or 4 actors in it....just by far the worst IP house for me. Aftermath was not open when I got to the maze but was by the time i finished Army of the Dead. Aftermath was a good run mainly at the end they had lots of zombies
Did Conjuring twice, got the Nun coming out of the wall once.
Willoughby was a good run and Sewer of Souls was very well staffed and had some good jump scares.

Truth or Dare was somewhat staffed and people got lost at the Bee's part and walked into the backstage instead.
Vault 666 was fine, was somewhat staffed when I went and Condemned was also good but nothing of note


That was my last visit of this year.

My House/Maze Order this year
1) Saw
2/3) Trick R Treat and Conjuring (tied)
4) Sewer of Souls
5) Willoughby
6) Stranger Things
7) Aftermath
8/9) Vault 666/Condemned (tied)
10) Truth or Dare
11) Army of the Dead

Scarezones
1) Oz
2) Devil's Triangle
3) Clowns
4) Nightmares: A Twisted Fantasy
5) Grimmlore Ridge

The Rest (its hard for me to judge the rest, many of the scareactors just ignored me in most zones outside the ones I listed)

 

[Jerroddragon]

Was about to go back the last night

The few houses I did mainly had more people then Thursdays with an expectation or two

Trick r Treat was my best run of the season....felt fully staffed and everyone was ready to go and the Sam's were aggressive in the best ways

Sewers of Souls was good but more people then normal so less scares for me but still good

Willoughby's Resurrectedhad good staffing and energy, of my best runs.

Didn't hit Saw or Conjuring because of lines and skilled the two Zombie houses because I assumed lines

Stranger things is a walk on and the the forest room has 4 actors and it was a great scare...the rest of the house was fine. But glad they leaned into the best room to add more actors and scares to.

Also was about to the do the three classic houses in front walking on them all.

Saw the Slider show its fun and glad they have a great show...just sucks its soooo late for me at least

Six Flags was a great event that started rough, but because of the scareactors I think is still a really fun event to go to

 

[Wishmaster]

This event is better than last year but I won’t put it in the top tier category. No matter what IPs they secure for next year, it won’t be a top tier event until management changes. It’s a fun event and they do have good scare zones. I’m exited for Scream Break and I think it’s a better event than FFE.

 

[Jerroddragon]

This event is better than last year but I won’t put it in the top tier category. No matter what IPs they secure for next year, it won’t be a top tier event until management changes. It’s a fun event and they do have good scare zones. I’m exited for Scream Break and I think it’s a better event than FFE.

What makes the spring break better? (Haven't gone to one yet)

Isn't it just the same houses but less of them?

 

[Wishmaster]

What makes the spring break better? (Haven't gone to one yet)

Isn't it just the same houses but less of them?

Yes it’s less but also the fact they are the only park celebration Halloween during spring. Less mazes equals to more scare actors filling up the house.

 

[Rideguy70]

I, too, am curious how many houses will be open for Scream Break. I'm suspecting Condamned, Vault 666, Saw, and Stranger Things. But that's still double what it was the very first year, so I'd be okay with that.

I think Conjuring was much improved, but it's out of the way location makes it hard to bundle with the other mazes.

 

[downunder]

It will be interesting to how this event evolves (or devolves) in 2025. 2024 was my first time at FF, even though I have visited LA every year since 2009 for Knott's and HHN; and I plan on that being my last time at FF. Went on media night and they really muffed their audition, it will take a lot to build any consumer trust. Could be good, if everything works - plenty of good points in every maze, some more than others. Scare actors were giving it their all, applause for them.