As a whole, I feel the event has improved, but I've only been going since 2010. I do feel like the park put a lot more effort into it this year, but it's still plagued by one problem: staffing. I don't feel like they currently have enough workers to sustain the number of haunted attractions they try to provide. I'd really like to see the park take a year off from adding new things for FF, and just work on getting the number of scare actors up. It's great that they add new characters every year, but it's not good that they take away ones to bring them in. (I'm referring to completely new characters only, not upgrades or newer versions to costumes.) Characters I've seen completely replaced are the striped clown, mime, both voodoo dolls, the three vampires, all of last years Tinsletown and so on. Seeing the huge crowds that Fright Fest pulls in, I can't imagine it would really be that hard to maintain constant growth in the scare zones, rather than having the number of actors stay the same or go down as some have this year. That would be, in my opinion, the best thing the park could do for the event.
Carousel Plaza: Of the three years I've been going, I think it looks best this year. Rather then spreading the graveyard through the whole area it was contained to the sides of the reflection pond looks much better in my opinion. The old hometown square decorations are also being used. This years scare actors include a witch, female vampire, scarecrow and pumpkin head. There is also a large grim reaper and crow, but the last time I went a mummy and male vampire took their place.
Bayou du Vaudou: The Curse of Laveau
Formally seven sins cemetery, this area seems to have finally wiped away any last trace of its past. All of the graves have been updated to fit the theme and Rue Le Morgue has become La Maison d' Obscurite. Scare actors include Marie Laveau, voodoo priest, swamp guy, a possum and a warthog. The voodoo dolls did not return.
The Last Stop: Burn Em and Buried Circus. As always, clowns will get great scares. A few new set pieces have been brought in, but the area is more or less the same as the past few years. Characters include a ringmaster, fortune teller, music box monkey, and two clowns. Sadly, this is one less actor than last year, but I do believe this cast looks much better.
Wicked Woods: Despite its location inside Burn Em and Buried, this has nothing to do with clowns and is instead about urban legends of the forest such as big foot, jersey devil and the chupacabra. Overall, it was surprisingly good. The theming was pretty well done, it had some good scares (if youre in the front) and the line moves pretty quickly as you go through with a large group. The ending could be worked on though. Most of the scares are before the cave, so the ending is a bit anticlimactic. Still, it was better than I thought it would be and is something I'd like to see brought back and improved.
Port Dread: Rise of the Black Tide. Not quite as good as last year. The theming is pretty much only around Whirligig, the Batmobile wasn't covered, and the actors just weren't very good. They did more standing off to the side and talking to supervisors or little kids than actually scaring people. Six pirates this year. Five generic ones and then the captain with a black outfit and red skull face. The costume wasn't used for opening day though, when these were taken.
Ruins of Fenrir: Still very lackluster. Valhalla Fyre is nothing to write home about, the ride cemetery was better last year, not much theming, one less scare actor, and the costumes aren't as good. The vampires were replaced with three cult members, and the werewolfs, which used to look awesome, now look like store bought halloween costumes. The actors did a decent job though, especially the bald one. Still, with not much space or atmosphere, this just isn't the best place for a scare zone. It would work better over by Little Dipper with a walkthrough on the go kart track. (Not like that would ever happen though.)
Massacre Medical Center: Easily the best looking of the haunts. The scares were just ok, but I was in the back of the group and moved very slowly as the people I was with were more concerned with looking at the details than getting scared. Nevertheless, it's pretty good for a Six Flags haunt, and the first scene in the elevator room is great.
Tinseltown Terror: This area makes no sense. It's left over Area 51 theming with Southwest Scare-tory costumes. With Studio 13 gone, TT should just be scrapped. Bring back the Area 51 scare zone inbetween X Flight and the amphitheater, and use the current TT area for Southwest Scare-tory. It just doesn't make sense to keep the TT idea when nothing in the area has anything to do with it. TT2 is just as amazing though.
Manslaughter Manor: Kind of a disappointment. It relied too heavily on special effects and seemed understaffed. Still fun, just nothing amazing. It has potential, and I hope it can realize it in the next few years. I did go through right after it opened, so that might have something to do with the staffing. Perhaps someone who went through later could share their experience.
Theming in MMs queue line.
Sector 7: Just like last year, this was my favorite scare zone. Hometown Square just lends itself its as a scare zone so perfectly. The actors and theming are great and the area has a great atmosphere. I'd just like to see the theming extended to the buildings more as well as Triple Play to really top off the area.
Deadline: Deadline was much more creepy than scary. The train was really just used for the storyline, not the scares with those all taking place on Iron Wolfs plot. The area was well staffed and the actors did pretty good. Just make sure you take your time in the area and stay towards the back of the group, or you may find that you walk through the whole thing before the zombies are released.
Hellmouth: The smallest of the scarezones, but the most improved from last year. It went from no theming to lots of it. Still only three actors though, but it's now on the small path in front of BB, so there isn't much room for lots of actors to be chasing people around.
Necropolis: While Necropolis doesn't change much from year to year, I did feel that this one was better than years past, mainly due to the actors. I don't know if it was just not as crowded as normal when I went through, but it seemed like they were making more of an effort to interact with everyone. Old favorites like the doll, bums and butcher are back as well as some new ones like a mailman, motel employee and pawn shop worker. It was still more fun then scary and I doubt that'll change anytime soon based off the number of strollers I saw in it but it's still entertaining and is probably the closest thing we'll ever have to a free haunt.
Mausoleum of Terror: Surprisingly, this was my favorite haunt. I feel like it has an advantage in being so old, that it has to rely on scares, not special effects or theming. Some of the gags, despite being a bit cheap or fun house like actually work really well and the actors all seemed to be really enjoying themselves. The false ending is a great bit as well.
The first scene is a school playground.
Followed by the school itself. Didn't see a teacher, but the student was there.
Boneswick bowling alley employee.
Frankie, the shop owner. Not having pictures or video taken of him are part of his shtick.
Love that they put heart rot cafe right next to a sign for park food.
Whoever plays her, is amazing. Shes so much fun to watch and always draws big crowds. At night she puts on little shows in the toymakers shop.
Only saw one police officer this year.
Scare actors: Finally, the most important part, the scare actors. While I was disappointed at the number of actors, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of them. As a whole, they seemed to be doing very good and were getting lots of scares and actually chasing people down. The lawsuit really had no impact on the event. Like I said before, they still need more, but it's good that they were at least able to increase the quality of them this year.
Ruins of Fenrir cult members.
Hellmouth Demons.
Carousel Plaza actors. They do really well despite their location, especially the scarecrow.
Not scare actors, but Fantome singers. Seems the show lost two members this year.
Used to be 8, only seeing 6 this year.
They sure do look interesting.
The reaper is in Carousel Plaza, the pirates Port Dread, obviously.
Burn em and Buried cast. Watch for the monkey, he's really good!
She's great as well, and really has her creepy movements down.
Sector 7 costumes look great. The one in the middle has been another gas mask character the last few weeks.
Watch for the one on the left, she is amazingly flexible and will pull some really cool stunts. Quite creepy as well.
More Ruins of Fenrir and Tinseltown.
He really gets into his character.
See what I mean about the werewolfs not looking as good this year? Plus theres less of them.
TT costumes look great though.
Shes my favorite in the area. Unlike many of the actors which hung out on the side of the midways, she was always in the middle and actually kept moving all the time.
Unfortantly, I'm used to the parade ending after the second trolley, so this is the only shot I got of the Bayou du Voudoo actors. This one, the possum, is very good though. You can see the rest of them in my parade video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7fdnuN7OHA
Thanks for reading!
I suggested Poison Ivy.