Fright Fest Attractions Announced!

[jglonek]

We just received the official press release for Fright Fest 2011!

FRIGHT FEST FREAKY FACTS

WHAT:   20th Annual Fright Fest - the largest Halloween party in the Northeast, with seasonally-themed rides, shows and attractions offering Guests “thrills by day, fright by night.”

WHERE:   Six Flags Great Adventure, America’s largest regional theme park.  Jackson,
New Jersey - off exit 7A of the NJ Turnpike to I-195 East (exit 16A - Rt. 537 West).
Or, take exit 98 off the Garden State Parkway (I-195 West) to exit 16. 

WHEN:   Weekends in October plus Columbus Day.  Fridays from 5 to 11 p.m. beginning Oct. 7, Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. beginning Oct. 1 and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Oct. 2, plus Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day)  from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
The drive–thru Six Flags Wild Safari animal park will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October plus Monday, Oct. 10.

DETAILS:   Thrills by Day: Ghastly Rides, Shows and Attractions: 
• Doc Swan’s Magical Comedy – New! Magician Doc Swan takes kids on a magical, mystifying journey of comedy and amazement.  Adventure Seaport Theater.

• Haunted Wagon Tales – New!  Families can board a wagon and journey deep into the woods while a storyteller’s twisted tale comes to life.  Lakefront.  Fee required.

• Mr. Six Spooktacular Street Party – Guests can get their ghoulish groove on with our creepy crew as they dance to party songs and Halloween tunes!  Liberty Fountain.

• Trick-or-Treat Trail - Kids can receive sweet treats while visiting with their favorite characters.  Next to Character Café.

• Professor Slither’s Creepy Critters - Join Professor Slither and his ghoulish gang as they conjure up the creepiest of critters like rats, snakes, spiders and more.  Seafari Theater. 

• Monster Mash Bash – A Tale of Love at First Fright - Kids’ musical comedy featuring Halloween monsters and all-new pop hits by Lady Gaga, Pink, Bruno Mars, Cee Lo Green and more.  Wilderness Theater.


Freaky Facts

• Dawn of the Dead & Local – Guests can check out great live music from local artists.  Lakefront Festival Stage.

• Dolphin Discovery Summer Spook-tacular – Families will catch a closer look at our amazing bottlenose dolphins…if they dare!  Fort Independence.

• Safari Discoveries  - Includes live presentations by animal experts on lion and bear cubs and playful California sea lions, and an array of exotic animals.  Seafari Theater and Safari Discoveries yard.

• The Haunted Heist – Guests can creep through the laser maze to reach the ancient cursed artifacts.  Fantasy Forest next to Kingpin Bowling.  Fee required.

Fright by Night: Ghastly Rides, Shows and Attractions: 
• Demon Barber of Main Street – New! Guests can catch haunting, live Broadway songs from Wicked, Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera in this solo production followed by photo sessions with the Demon Barber.  Main Street’s Liberty Scare Gazeboo.

• The Awakening - Witness the park’s transformation to “fright by night” as the insidious Ghoulmaster resurrects the father of Fright Fest, Dr. Fright.  Fantasy Forest’s Big Wheel.

• Dead Man’s Party - Dr. Fright’s bash features amazing music, dance and special effects that have made it the signature of Fright Fest for more than 10 years.  Fantasy Forest’s Big Wheel.
               
• Hypnosteria - Laugh in awe at this amazing mentalist/comic hypnotist.  Showcase Theater.

• The Ghoulmaster’s Ghosts - The sinister Ghoulmaster welcomes guests to his mansion for a haunted stage production that assaults the senses.  Showcase Theater.

• Zambora – Guests can watch as evil spirits dominate the beautiful Zambora of the Amazon.  Movietown next to Dark Knight .

• Fright Fest Freakshow - Shocking feats of oddity from Demented Donny and Haunted Heather, straight from Coney Island.  Boardwalk Four Tents Area.

• Dead & Local Music Showcase - Live & Local takes a sinister turn with dark, local rockers. 
Lakefront Festival Stage.

Terror Trails (fee required):
• Project XI - Mortuary Manor - New! Dare to enter a funeral parlor where a mad scientist is transforming the dearly departed into flesh-eating zombies.  The Golden Kingdom. 

• Demented Forest – Guests will encounter bizarre creatures in this fantasy gone horribly wrong.    Adventure Seaport. 

• Escape from the Asylum – Guests become the mental patients trying to break free from the insanity down every hall.  Movietown.

Freaky Facts

HAUNTED   • The Bloody Fountain & Freaky Forest
MIDWAYS   • Circus Psycho    
• Lakefront Graveyard   

GHOUL-FREE   •  Movietown
ZONES      •  Plaza del Carnaval
•   All kids areas
•   Lakefront between Dolphin Discovery and Safari Kids

GHOUL       •  At 6 pm, Six Flags takes a frightful turn and the ghouls come out to play.  We recommend
RULES:   that families with children who scare easily exit by 6 pm.
•   Masks or face coverings, costumes and full face makeup are not permitted on anyone over the age of 12.  Guests will be required to remove such items for security reasons.
•   Ghoul Repellant Whistles are available for children 12 and under to ward off pesky ghouls. However, they do not work in terror trails and for guests over the age of 12.

FUN       To create the look and feel of Fright Fest, we're adding…
FACTS:      • 700 bales of hay             
      • 4,000 mums            
      • 1200 pounds of webbing
      • 1,400 corn stalks
      •  9,000 lbs. of CO2 and 2,200 liters of liquid CO2 to create the "dry ice" effect of low-level fog         • 770 gallons of “fog juice” to create the mysterious, rising fog
      • 11,000 lbs. of propane for spooky flame columns and fire bursts
      • 1,300 oz. of airbrush makeup to create more than 150 ghouls
      • 7 tons (14,000 lbs.) of average-size pumpkins
      • 800 lbs. of extra-large pumpkins
      
SPECIAL   • Oct. 2 - Susan G Komen Race for the Cure – to fight breast cancer. 5k walk/run.
EVENTS:      sixflags.com/greatadventure – visit events tab.

• Oct. 8 – American Red Cross Blood Drive – Donate a pint of blood and receive a free   Fright Fest 2011 ticket.  Call 732/928-2000 ext. 2836.  Up to 200 donors on a first call, first serve basis.

• Oct. 29 & 30 – Cockroach Eating Event – 20 guests can eat a live, Madagascar hissing cockroach for the chance to visit the new Project XI-Mortuary Manor terror trail free and with front-of-the-line access beginning at 7 pm in The Golden Kingdom.

PRICING:   General admission at gate ticket (54” tall and over):      $59.99+tax
ONLINE PRICE                     Varies - $10 to $20 savings
Junior admission (under 54” tall)/Disabled:         $36.99+tax
Safari ticket    ($11.99 with theme park ticket)         $21.99+tax
Age 2 & Under                     Free

2012 Season Pass – unlimited theme park and Wild Safari visits the remainder of the 2011 season and all of 2012.  Also includes free tickets for friends, more than $300 in savings on

-more-

Freaky Facts/Page 4

in-park food and fun, and free access to exclusive Season Pass events.  Plus, when purchasing four or more in one transaction, guests will receive one free Season Pass
Parking for 2012 when processed in the park by Oct. 30, 2011 – a $50 value.   
            
Two-park Season Pass (includes theme and safari parks)      $59.99+tax
Three-park Season Pass    (also includes Hurricane Harbor)   $69.99+xax

The park has unleashed a really neat, detailed website for all the Fright Fest entertainment and attractions this year!

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the most terrifying Halloween events in the world! With numerous horrifyingly delightful haunted terror trails, shows and rides, you and your friends will have the fright of your life.
Fearful Frights
    
Project XI: Mortuary Manor
With almost all evidence of the 2005 zombie apocalypse erased, humans are once again willing to reenter the town of Jackson. Dare to explore the one place where the zombies have yet to be eradicated. One twisted scientist is desperate to ensure zombies regain their stronghold on society, minting new zombies from the dearly departed in the dark, back hallways of a funeral parlor. And these undead creatures have only one mission – eat the living.
    
Demented Forest
Take a haunted tour through the Demented Forest and fight your way passed foggy woods, abandoned cabins and wicked creatures. These woods was the site of a grisly triple homicide case that was never solved so all are encouraged to venture in pairs and not veer from the designated path.
    
Escape From the Asylum
Enjoy a nighttime tour of The FJM Sanitarium for Wellness – originally known for its innovative methods and techniques but now remembered for the night a lobotomy turned deadly — for everyone at the hospital.
    
Lakefront Graveyard
The Lakefront Graveyard is the rumored home to an ever-growing number of ghosts, ghouls and monsters. Traverse coffins, tombs and other cemetery horrors when you visit the haunted burial ground.
    
The Haunted Heist
Deadly lasers eliminate almost all sources of escape in this haunted maze. Manage your way through the path unscathed or risk being sliced alive by these unpredictable machines.
    
Zambora
Sightings of Zambora, the half-woman, half-gorilla are at an all-time high. Those lucky enough to spot her are rewarded with a first-hand view of the mythical beauty’s transformation from woman to animal. Those even luckier, make it out alive.
Monstertainment
    
Demon Barber of Main Street
Guests can catch haunting, live Broadway songs in this solo production starring the Demon Barber, featuring music from Wicked, Sweeney Todd and Phantom of the Opera. Just be careful not to sit in his barber chair. His fingers often tend to slip.
    
Dead Man’s Party
Join the haunted party with 10 zombie performers, hit songs and red-hot choreography starring the murderous Dr. Fright. The most wicked dance party in the Northeast is only recommended for the strong of heart.
    
The Ghoulmaster’s Ghosts
This dance party had been a Halloween tradition for thousands of years bringing the most morbid and macabre characters together to shun the “normals.” Enjoy the anticipated return after a horrible incident took place a few years back.
    
Fright Fest Freak Show
This Coney Island freak show appears in New Jersey area every Halloween chock full of the most death-defying and awe-inspiring creatures ever seen by man. Sword swallowers, human block heads, light bulb eaters, fire breathers and more for your horror and amazement.
    
The Awakening
On Halloween, a funeral procession takes on a life of its own. This isn’t a somber affair and there’s no grieving. It’s a parade that culminates with a giant zombie party. At The Awakening, you can watch The Ghoulmaster resurrect Dr. Fright right before your very eyes.
    
Hypnosteria
Get a first-hand view of our amazing mentalist/comic hypnotist. This twisted man will be putting the bravest audience members under his wicked spell before your very eyes.
    
Dead and Local
Great live music from local artists. Head over to the stage to see ghouls rocking out this Halloween in the park. Just be on the lookout – New Jersey bands have a tendency to go a bit off the rails. Take local band, Biz Arrow, for example…
Spine-Chilling Adventures
    
Green Lantern
Leeches suck your blood. Snakes lick your eyes. And bats will fight each other for an unpunctured bit of your flesh.
    
Big Wheel of Doom
The greatest scientific minds in New Jersey have gone mad trying to understand the deadly and befuddling mystery hidden deep within one of the most scariest and brain melting rides in the world.
    
Bizarro
Underneath Bizarro used to be one of the most profitable gold and silver mines in the south until a terrible incident that caused hundreds of men to disappear. The old track has been closed for years, but we’re pleased to reopen it to celebrate the 100th anniversary!
    
Batman The Ride
Batman the Ride has become home to millions of man-eating insects who have a particular craving for young flesh. Young skin – once smooth – bubbles, crusts and erupts with sores that itch, ooze, and contaminate.
    
The Haunted Tornado
Tornado may be one of the most popular rides in the world, but it is also the premier residence in the park for angry, disillusioned spirits whose only joy in death is tormenting riders in the most painful ways imaginable.
    
The Kingda Ka Witch
Beneath Kingda Ka lies the remains of a witch who destroyed a thriving town and left a terrible curse for anyone who dares to set foot on the property.
    
El Toro
A secret toxic dump right behind the ride is producing animals that crave human flesh. Rare. A bowl of shiny eyeballs to pop in their throats, like olives. Soup made from the blood and fluids of thrill-seekers.
    
Superman: Ultimate Flight
A failed park lab experiment has resulted in thousands of cuddly white rats developing an insatiable taste for human flesh (especially teens).
    
Dark Knight Coaster
There is a nest of Orc chefs living beneath Dark Knight Coaster. The delectable culinary creations they create from for our park guests make for fine eating.
    
Nitro
Right below the entrance of the Nitro a porthole descends to another dimension. What crawls out in the night is stinky, sinewy, and awfully fond of human flesh.
    
Rolling Thunder
Beneath Rolling Thunder rests an ancient zombie burial ground. Inert until recently, the thousand year old zombies seek to expand their ranks while enjoying a feast of young brains.
    
The Twister
It may seem like the safest place at the park, but it isn’t. Twister is the home of the Sirens, beautiful, captivating creatures who quickly and painfully suck your brains out.

That's the basic information, but make sure you click over to their page to see it all, and the in-depth information for each event!

For instance, did you want to know the Dead Man's Party backstory? Here it is!

Join the haunted party with 10 zombie performers, hit songs and red-hot choreography starring the murderous Dr. Fright. The most wicked dance party in the Northeast is only recommended for the strong of heart.
Several hundred years ago in a small town near London, a family physician, Dr. Landon, lived quietly with his wife and teenage son.  He always appeared friendly and mild mannered but there was a problem- his patients kept disappearing.  No one knew where they went just that they left without a trace.  Eventually the townspeople grew suspicious and demanded his license to practice be revoked.  Desperate to clear his name, the doctor halted his medical work to embark on a full-length investigation.

He became obsessed with the search but always came up empty-handed.  That was, of course, before his bathtub cracked causing a flood throughout his cottage.  The good doctor headed down into the depths of the basement to examine the damage.  That’s when he felt the drops on his head.  Slowly they came as if the tub continued to leak and he was getting rained on.  He ran his fingers through his hair and then saw it- blood covered his fingertips.  He looked up and saw the severed limbs.  Body parts from all of his patients stored high in the basement rafters.  In a scramble, he began pulling them down one by one.  Arms, legs, even heads of his patients all-together in a pile.  That’s when Dr. Landon heard footsteps coming down the stairs.  He spun around and, to his horror, the footsteps belonged to his son.

“I see you found what you’re looking for” his son remarked stoically.  The doctor begged his son to tell him what happened to his patients.  “I’m bringing her back,” he said.  “I’m bringing Mom back.”  Jr. had been ripping out the hearts of patients in a gory attempt to bring his dead mother back to life.  The doctor told his son to run away and to never look back.  When the police arrived, Dr. Landon accepted all the blame for his son’s deranged actions.  After a full confession, Dr. Landon was hanged to death in the middle of the town square.  Jr. was never seen in the town again.

Years passed and eventually the story of the family was treated as nothing more than an urban legend.  But, recently, sightings of the doctor’s son have been recorded “across the pond” as they say, around New Jersey.  Multiple calls to the Jackson police department have been made describing a young man matching Jr.’s description lurking around the local hospitals accompanied by the faint sounds of music.  Dressed in his late father’s suit, the apparition is now referred to by the town as Dr. Fright.   New Jerseyans believe that every fall, he is resurrected by an evildoer named The Ghoulmaster to wreak havoc upon the town.  Some say he travels with a band of nine followers he stitched together in his father’s basement from leftover body parts and that his terror is so vast, that he is the root of the modern Fright Fest event celebrated today.

Also, does this mean all the coasters are going to have themes on them? If so that's awesome!

[rjholla2003]

I'm hoping that does in fact mean themed rides because those storylines sound pretty cool

[WadeJ]

This seems to backup the reports of a significant budget push for FF so let's see what they can do with more $ .

[jglonek]

One thing I think they should do is adjust the times, especially after seeing how the Florida parks handle it (okay, a bit biased!)

Busch Gardens Tampa is open until 2am most nights, and so is Universal. If it's not 2am it's 1am for the majority. Makes 10PM look sad by comparison!

[jglonek]

Also, the park has updated their Fright Fest video page! (This link was empty last night)

Although it looks like they just took fan videos from Facebook. I was hoping for official stuff!

[WadeJ]

I've attached the official press release in the very first post of this thread.  It should clear up any questions people may have had.