It's Offical! The Wizzarding World of Harry Potter is Coming to

As seen from this article on Newsday, Universal Studios Hollywood will be expanding--yes, that's right, EXPANDING their park for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Knowing how land-locked Universal Studios is, never in many moons would I have imagined that USH would actually be expanding their park as opposed to their normal trend of replacing attractions. To make way for this massive project, it is said in the article that the Gibson amphitheater will be done away with.

After doing a comparison on Google maps with the Gibson Amphitheater in Hollywood and the HP area in Orlando, I've discovered that they can't cram Forbidden Journey and Hogwarts solely in the proposed area. They would have to utilize some other area to build the ride (Maybe the tram storage lot by the Curious George parking structure and the storage area next to it) and use Gibson for Hogwarts. If they are doing what I think they are going to do, they will have quite a bit of space to work with. If they're going to use all of that area for the expansion, would it really hurt to throw the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster from the Orlando park into the mix? USH could use another family-oriented ride, after all--especially if they get rid of the Curious George playground.

Regardless as to whether we are only getting Hogwarts and FJ or not, I'm VERY happy that it looks like USH will actually be ADDING to their attraction rather than replacing. This also puts to rest my fears of this interfering with Halloween Horror Nights, one of the best Halloween events in the nation. After hearing the news, I look forward to being able to ride one of the world's finest rides and have Butterbeer in such a short distance from where I live. I'll try not to be too eager as this ride will open around 2015.

Hatbox Ghost May Return to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion in 2012?

Image courtesy of Jim Hill Media.com

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Hatbox Ghost, allow me to fill you in on who this fellow was. He was a character that appeared in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, but was removed before the ride opened in 1969. Before he was removed, he was located in the attic scene (As seen in the image above). His head would vanish from his head and reappear in the hatbox that he held in his arm (Hence the name). This old-fashioned, but interesting illusion was pulled by using an ultraviolet that would light up the Ghost's head and then turn off, using the black collar around the Ghost's head to "cover up" the darkened face, while another ultraviolet light would simultaneously light up in the box, unveiling the Ghost's head in it.

To this day, it is still a mystery as to why the Hatbox Ghost was removed. Popular rumor suggests that he was removed due to "maintenance issues", while other rumors suggest that he vanished because Disney officials thought he looked too frightening for a family audience. After decades of the absence of the never publicly-seen Hatbox Ghost, there were rumors floating around for years that his spirit would return, but as time went by these rumors were shown to be dead wrong.

Once again, the rumors of his return have resurfaced for the umpteenth time. By now, you would probably say, "Seriously? This has been rumored for how long now?". But when I first heard of the resurfaced rumor, I thought the same thing until some signs of his possible return occurred to me...

Disney is coming out with a new Haunted Mansion movie, directed by Del Torro, that will revolve around the Hatbox Ghost. Considering that Disney loves using their theme parks to promote their movies, this would be the opportunity to finally fulfill the wishes of Disneyland enthusiasts, while at the same time, promote their own movie. It would be a win-win situation.

Another factor to consider is that the park right next door to Disneyland, California Adventure, will be opening up their highly-anticipated Cars Land. Because of that, all of the attention will be focused over there. Disney may want to promote the Hatbox Ghost's return to the Haunted Mansion to help balance out the crowds.

Considering both of the factors that I have just mentioned, I think 2012 may be the year the Hatbox Ghost will make his long-awaited comeback to the classic Disneyland attraction. With a potential cross-promotion and a way to help develop a draw with both Disneyland and California Adventure, Disney would be foolish to pass up this frighteningly perfect opportunity. If, by some chance, the Hatbox Ghost doesn't return as a result of the movie--well, let's just pretend this article was never posted.

Halloween Horror Nights 2012 Survey Now Up

The survey is now up for Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights. This is your chance to vote for what you specifically want to see for next year's event and share your thoughts about this year's event.

After I have taken the survey, there was one section in the survey that asked me something that I didn't see in the one last year: "Which celebrity would you like to see involved in next year's HHN?" The choices ranged from Ozzy Osbourne, SlipKnoT, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Tim Burton Clive Barker, Lady Gaga, Wes Cr--wait a minute! What was the last one? What on earth is Lady Gaga doing on the survey? How does she, in any way at all, relate to horror? Well, that's just something I hope doesn't happen at HHN.

Despite the few bizarre options on the survey, I highly suggest you take it right now as the survey will only be up for a week. Remember, HHN wants to hear your thoughts, and the event will only improve as long as you give them your thoughts!

Knott's Scary Farm Rumors for 2012

Now that Haunt 2011 has come and gone, rumors are already beginning for Haunt's fortieth anniversary. With the new general manager (Which will, from here on out, be referred to as the "GM") on board for Knott's Berry Farm, the rumors point out that things are definitely going to change in more ways than one.

Over at Theme Park Adventure, rumors are very rampant about the Log Ride and Calico Mine Ride no longer being used for Haunt. The reason for this is because the new general manager is wanting to stop using those rides for haunt due to "safety concerns". This will be bittersweet for me and I will miss the Log Ride overlay (Sorry Mine Ride, no love for you), but you know, there was only so much they could do with that attraction anyway.

Another rumor that's been floating around is that the haunted house quantity will change; whether it will be less or more it is not certain. I have heard that the quantity is going to be upped to fourteen houses, while at TPA, sources over there say that the quantity will be dropped to "Mirror Universal's" (Maybe seven haunted houses or even eight). To back this up, Westcoaster shows in their photo update that a new warehouse is being built by GhostRider. I have been told that this is where they will use one of their Haunt mazes for next year for either the added fourteenth house or one of the new locations for the "fewer houses". I see the latter rumor to be more accurate as finding make-up locations for two haunted houses as well as finding an extra one to be quite daunting, even with the new warehouse.

Also from TPA, the last rumor that I've been hearing is that Knott's talent will receive reformed scare-training; this means that each monster in the scarezones and the houses will be taught to be a certain character. If this rumor is true, I really hope they also "up the scare tactics" as well. I have seen far too many monsters at this year's Haunt go out of character and stray from their scare spots, which I found quite frustrating. I hope that they will fix that issue with the reformed training and use it to really make Knott's Scary Farm scarier.

Whatever happens, it looks like Haunt will be making drastic changes for the fortieth anniversary. Whether or not they will be for the better will be seen. I hope the drastic changes will be for the better and lead Haunt down a road of improvement. Even if it involves a reduction of houses and the loss of the Log and Mine rides, then so be it. Knott's Scary Farm is the granddaddy of all theme park haunts and I want to see it thrive.

(Spoiler-Free) Paranormal Activity 3 Review

After the wild success of the last two installments of the low-budget franchise, it should come to no surprise at all that the studio producing the the films would seize the opportunity to do a third Paranormal Activity movie. Though this is the third installment of the franchise, the movie is really a prequel to explain how all of it started.

Like the first film, Paranormal Activity 3 does start off a bit slow to help develop the characters. The technique does also keep the audience's guard down but the downer is that it does make the film seem slow or uninteresting at first. Thankfully, things pick up a bit more quickly towards the beginning of the film which is one thing PA3 does have over the original one.

The film uses the documentary-style camera more effectively as the scenes rely more on "first-person" views a bit more than the still-camera nighttime scenes for the more intense moments. It enhances the uneasiness factor for the film as it puts the audience in the protagonists' POV to make them feel like they're more into the action. Like most horror films there are those few, "No you idiot! Don't open the door!" moments, but it is inevitable considering that they have to do it to cause the film to progress.

Overall, the vibe of the film is a bit creepier than the first one and doesn't really "drag" quite as much as the first one. Though there are a couple of jump-scenes that are a tad pointless and even silly, Paranormal Activity 3 is a descent horror flick and is worth checking out.

Transformers: The Ride Opens Dec. 3rd at Universal Studios Singapore

December third is a date you will want to mark on your calender. That is when Transformers: The Ride - The Ultimate 3D Battle will open at Universal Studios Singapore.

After three years of eager anticipation and speculation on what the ride will involve, all will be laid bare on the very date that has just been mentioned. Will the ride live up to its hype as being a "jewel in our collection of world-class rides" as stated in the official press release --or will the ride become a victim of being over-hyped like Revenge of the Mummy in the Hollywood park?

With the attraction opening on December third at Universal Studios Singapore and the Hollywood counterpart opening Spring of 2012, we shall see if Transformers will finally give Universal Studios Hollywood the much-needed E-Ticket ride that it has so desperately needed for the past fifteen years. With the ride utilizing 21st-century "Amazing Adventures of Spiderman" technology, I have extremely high expectations that this ride will the most spectacular ride Universal has ever done.

This is just some wishful thinking here, but at the end of the ride, as the ride vehicle slowly approaches the exit dock, I would love to hear the Stan Bush song, "The Touch", as a throwback to the original Transformers. Highly unlikely, but one can dream, right?

Whatever the case, Transformers: The Ride will definitely be the biggest attraction to come to both Universal Studios Hollywood and the recently-opened Singapore park. With anticipation soaring high for this promising ride, we can only hope that this will definitely be one of the greatest rides ever done in theme park history.

Conrad Murray: GUILTY!

After two-and-a-half years, the inevitable happened. According to CBS News, Conrad Murray, aka
Michael Jackson's doctor, "has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter". 

What a surprise, huh? That's what happens when somebody doesn't keep good records of someone's over-the-counter drugs being used. Because of his criminal negligence, Not only will Murray be in the slammer for four years, he will have his medical license removed as well his dignity.
 
Apparently, many Michael Jackson fans are overjoyed about the outcome of this case. M.J.'s fans were even outside of the courtroom chanting, "Guilty!", according to the article. While it is nice to see justice served and all, I can't help but think, what is this guy going to do with life after his time in jail? His medical career is over so I don't think going back to medical school will be wise. At the end of it all, he can always look on the bright side. Had Murray been white, he probably would have spent four times as long in jail for hate crime.

There's noting more appropriate than ending this article with a little advise: "Remember kids, don't do drugs!"

Christmas Fear at Sinister Pointe Selling Tickets

For those of you crazy haunt-goers that are a bit depressed that the haunt season has ended and the holidays have begun, I bring not just good tidings, but good news. Sinister Pointe, the really cool haunt in Brea, California, has just started selling their tickets yesterday for the first holiday haunt on the West Coast called, "Christmas Fear".

If you have already checked out their haunted house during October, then this will not be a totally new experience for you. According to their Facebook page, the entire layout will be similar, but furnished with Christmas decor and offer added Christmas-themed interactive elements. You will not have the option of choosing which way to go, which will be a good thing since they do not offer an all-nite Scream pass.

This is a limited engagement haunt that will last only from December ninth through the eleventh. Buy your tickets now before they're snowed out--I apologize for the horrible pun.

R.I.P. Log Jammer

2011 is really a bleak year for Six Flags Magic Mountain. First De'Ja'Vu leaves the park to be in Six Flags New England, and now the classic Log Jammer, one of the park's original attractions, is being removed.

To make matters worse, the news came out quite abruptly that the ride would be gone the day after Halloween--which has already passed. That's very little short notice to get our last rides in if you ask me. Oh, by the way, there were no last rides. The Warehouse 13 maze for the park's annual Fright Fest had occupied the entrance so that the ride was completely blocked off during the event's run. Wow Six Flags, what a wonderful way to treat a ride that has been there since the park opened.

On the flip side, according to various sources, Six Flags officials have spoken up and said that a new attraction will be on the way to replace the Log Jammer that will be announced next year. I think it's safe to assume that after Lex Luther's Drop of Doom opens, a major roller coaster will be on the way for 2013 in that same location. I guess this will be their opportunity to take the theme park stage after the hype for Cars Land and Transformers will have worn off. Now that the Log Jammer has sailed out of the picture, I hope Six Flags takes full advantage of that large space and puts some amazing thrill ride in the classic ride's place.

The Empty Grave Review

 From the Empty Grave

On the same evening I went to Sinister Pointe, I decided to check out the Empty Grave, located in the not-so-empty Anaheim Garden Walk that is across the street from Disneyland. While The haunt is located inside of an empty department store complex, it is also located right next to the parking structure. You can park and walk right towards the haunt. Talk about convenience, huh? It was easy to spot with the fog and the monsters around the entrance.

Because of this location, the rooms felt a bit broad and not really claustrophobic. This would be great if there was more detail and sets in the environment but because the haunt mostly consisted of some sets and several black plywood walls, the intimidation factor was hurt and affected most of the scares. There were not very many hiding spots for the actors and it was mostly dependent on corner and pop-out scares rather than some clever hiding spots. Empty Grave should take a hint from Reign of Terror and use some more sets for the actors to hide in like drop-doors, closet doors, and things of that nature.

Despite these factors, the talent was good with the few scare spots they had to work with and used them to the best of what they could do. The house was very dark and foggy but it felt like the designers depended too much on this for the scare factor. There were also some obstacles along the path that had to be pushed aside or ducked under to help enhance the experience.

The Empty Grave was, overall, an interesting haunt checking out. While not worth a long drive from Glendale or the greater Los Angeles area, it is worth checking out if you happen to live in the O.C. area or are there for Disneyland or Sinister Pointe.

Sinister Pointe 2011 Review

From Sinister Pointe

 

The drive to this Haunt was very interesting as I have been through a part of L.A. that I had never seen. There were several Vietnamese restaurants and shops, a gorgeous view of Orange County while going over a hill, and several drivers who had poor judgement of where they were going. If there was anything scarier than a kid on his bike who almost rode out in front of me or almost crashing into a badly rear-ended car on the way, it was my final destination--a haunt located in a cul-de-sac of an industrial area called Sinister Pointe.

The haunt itself is located inside of a warehouse, with the movie Trick 'r Treat playing on a screen at the entrance and several monsters scaring patrons to keep them entertained while waiting in line; there are even some monsters at the side of the building where the tickets are to keep everyone on their toes. Never a dull moment at this place.

As soon as I entered the warehouse, I ended up waiting in another short line that took place indoors like what Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks did (Read my review on that haunt here). Unlike that haunt, the indoor queue was set in the middle of a foggy swamp with monsters scaring patrons and a large house-like facade that resembled something like it was out of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre or House of 1000 Corpses. It's pretty obvious that the haunt was influenced by those movies considering that the official theme for this year is "The Texas Hills House Massacre has 1000 Corpses Eyes".

Though I prefer to call these kind of places haunted houses, I think the term "maze" would be more appropriate considering that the whole experience was just that: a literal walk-through haunted maze. This is where I highly recommend buying the All-Nite Scream Pass. Unlike most haunts that you will see on the West coast, there were some spots in the maze where patrons have to pick which way they want to go and do certain things in order to proceed. The interactive elements were alone well worth the $28 dollars I had to pay for the All-Nite pass and the drive down there. Though the scares and the sets would be almost on-par to what you would see at Universal, a major theme park haunt like that or Knott's would never be able to pull off anything like what I saw for crowding reasons; that's the luxury of being an independent haunt.

Sinister Pointe's theme for this year, "The Texas Hills House Massacre has 1000 Corpses Eyes" definitely had about 1000 great effects and scares inside the house as the talent did a frightful job at trying to make me feel like they were going to massacre me before my eyes. See this while you can because next year, there will be a completely new theme like they have every year. That's one thing that makes Sinister Pointe one of the best haunts of the West.

Reign of Terror Review

After hearing wonders about this haunted house, I decided to take the drive from the Glendale area (Where I live) all the way to Thousand Oaks to check it out. Even though I knew ahead of time that it was located in an outdoor mall called, "Janss Marketplace", I had a bit of trouble finding it as I was expecting to see a large facade in a parking lot with crowds lined up for it. After doing some wondering and asking around in the shopping area, I finally found the ticket booth - but where was the house?


The people at the booth (Who were wearing make-up to add to the experience) told me to walk down the pathway behind it and then turn right. I did just what he said only to come upon some really dark ally with a small door to the side. Hoping not to get mugged, I approached the door hoping that was where the attraction was. I asked the guy standing there if the house was in there and he said, "Up the stairs".

As soon as I entered the room, I was blown away at what I saw! The entire room was set up like a graveyard with props that jumped out and scared people while they were waiting in line. All of this was brilliant and I'm pretty sure this was a first for a haunt. I really did feel like I was outside when I was really in a giant room on top of a gym (Quite an odd place for a haunt, isn't it?).

Unlike the houses at Knott's or Universal, they only let one group in at a time. It could be a large group of friends, a couple, or in my case, one person. Even though this makes the line a bit longer than it usually should, it's worth it since each group can get all of the scares in the attraction.

As soon as I entered the haunted house, I was stunned with all of the set design, detail, and the scare tactics used. It was so well-done it actually looked (And even smelled) like a Universal haunted house; I'll even go as far as to say that they could've easily dropped this in Halloween Horror Nights and it would have been very well-received. It makes me wonder if the main inspiration for this house was from Universal's event since there were a few scenes that felt like they were inspired by past Halloween Horror Nights mazes like Saw, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alice Cooper, and House of 1000 Corpses.

With the maze being professionally done with sets and scare tactics, the end product was astounding and was well-worth the forty-five minute trip up there. Whether you're a fan of Universal's event or haunted houses in general, Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks hails as one of Los Angeles' best haunts.

Old Town Haunt in Pasadena Review

   Image from Old Town Haunt's website

In the middle of Old Town Pasadena is a bank building. Underneath that bank is a basement that is not only said to be haunted, but contains probably one of the scariest haunted houses in Southern California. Though it is small and right in the heart of Old Town, one should experience it before judging the haunt by its size.

Before I tell of the terrors that I have experienced at the haunt, let me address the issue of getting there. If you're trying to find parking, note that there is a public parking structure right next to it. That way, you won't have to walk for several blocks to get there, which is great. If they tell you to park in the lower level of the structure, you will notice that all of the spots have signs on them that read, "RESERVED".  Do not let this concern you. I parked in one of the "reserved" labeled spots and asked the attendant about this and said that it's totally fine. Even though all of the spots are labeled, they're apparently open to the customers for the haunted house.

Now let's talk about the cost: Parking is $7 and it does cost $15 to get into the house, making it a grand total of $22 for the experience. They do provide a VIP pass for $5 more than the general admission, but it's really only for the front-of-the-line privilege. I have gone on a Friday night (Which should be its peak night) and I was the first one in line. Even if the line is a tad long, I would say it's not worth the extra five bucks.

Before entering the haunt, the attendant gave us the spiel that some of the sets that we were about to see down there were used in the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Rob Zombie's movie: "House of 1000 Corpses". Afterwards, he ushered only five of us down the stairs into the haunt. The setting was very dark, tight-spaced, and eerie, giving me and the other four people behind me a feeling of discomfort. Not only that, but the fact that they only let a handful of us in at a time made the experience all the more terrifying. Though much of the maze contained material that looked familiar from last year, the features they have kept were the best parts of the maze that set itself apart form the other haunts on the west coast like the dark crawling tunnel, the actors making you lost in there, and the pitch dark tight hallway.

Overall, Old Town Haunt is one of the scariest, if not THE scariest haunted houses I've ever been in. It's so scary, I would say that it is the closest thing one could ever get to an extreme house in California. The actors and even the props and effects in the haunt received some very good screams out of me. While Bigger haunts like Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, Knott's Scary Farm, or Queen Mary's Dark Harbor are bigger-budgeted and offer much interesting content, they just cannot pull off certain effects or scare techniques because of their size, which gives them a disadvantage. Though they all are great events, I have never gotten as scared as I did in Old Town Haunt. It may not have the vast movie-set quality or otherworldly feel of Universal Studios' haunted houses, but the intense scare factor is what really sets itself apart from any haunt. If you do not live too terribly far way, I suggest you get down there as soon as you can and check out this amazing haunt. If you do live a bit of a drive from there, have dinner at Old Town afterwards to make it worth your while.

AppleAreGood's Overall Review of Halloween Horror Nights 2011

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, the Western United States' premier Halloween event, has returned for the 2011 haunting season--except this time, the event has grown to seven haunted attractions since its return in 2006. Though it may be bigger than ever before, is it actually better?

First of all, what I like about this year is how they have expanded their horizons by delivering original content to the variety of haunted attractions. The wonderful thing about original theming is that the haunted house designers are not restricted to just scenes in a movie. Though in certain cases, they may be able to "go outside the box" and do some original scenes specifically for the house (Just like they did with Hostel), they have to abide by the film's world and stay within that realm; this gives patrons a sense of predictability before they enter. With original theming, the designers are free to do the sets and scenes the way they want.

Secondly, This year has the most diverse line-up by far. When I go to an event like Halloween Horror Nights, I not only want to get a good scare, but to be immersed in rich, detailed environments to escape reality; just as if I were in a horror movie. With places ranging from a haunted Mexican village to a ruined Antarctic research outpost containing a loose space alien, this event provides great diversity. In fact, this year is so diverse, I fear we may not have another year with this much variety in quite a while.

With Universal's Halloween Horror Nights stepping up their game this year, there are some flaws that need to be addressed. The scarezones feel like complete rehashes of past ones and are really nothing new. Same old props and some new costumes. After seeing how Halloween Horror Nights Orlando's scarezones look, the ones here need improvement...very badly. Secondly, the Terror Tram is has grown stale and repetitive. The attraction really needs to be relocated somewhere else on the backlot in order to stay fresh. Maybe next year they can utilize Six-Points Texas or Little Europe. If they do insist on keeping the trail at the same location, at least be creative and add some more sets, mini mazes, or anything of that sort. Another thing that bothered me was the return of House of 1000 Corpses. I will admit I had a good time experiencing that house once again this year, it was disappointing to do all of these new haunted houses and then go through a repeat from last year. Though the repeat is forgivable since they have added a sixth house, I do not wish to see Universal rehash another one from this year. Lastly, the House of Horrors overlay feels like the same thing as it always has been. To be fair, I will give the designers some credit for putting some effort into adding some things, but the house needs to be redressed.  Hopefully in the future they will add more sets, props, effects and lighting to the overlay without having to interfere with the daytime experience.

Despite the event's flaws, 2011 is Universal's best year for Halloween Horror Nights. With its improvement on variety, originality, and diversity, this event sets itself apart from all of the other years it's been around. Anybody who enjoys horror, haunted houses, or even Halloween Horror Nights should not miss out on this year.

University of New Hamphsire Stops Selling Energy Drinks

 Photo courtesy of Google Images.

As Acossiated Press reports, the University of New Hampshire no longer permits the sale of energy drinks on the campus. The whole purpose of this movement is to "...be sure (that) we respect our students' ability to make informed choices about what they consume," says the president of the college in the article.

Just like how elementary schools have banned chocolate milk and usually only serve fruits and vegetables, I think it's ridiculous how now a college is forcing healthy "options" down their throats. If students are feeling tired and need a boost to get through class or homework, how will others manage to stay awake during classes? How should it be the job of the president of the school to tell them what to eat or drink? Since this is a free country, shouldn't we have the freedom to drink something that we like and keep us awake for other classes? This doesn't sound like "respecting the students' ability to make 'informed' choices" to me.

As mentioned in the article, the main root of this ban of energy drinks can be traced back to one student who drank too much of it and was landed in the hospital. If another student happens to do what that undiscerning student just did, at least he will most likely never do it again. Maybe after that, he'll learn to be a bit more conservative when it comes to energy drinks.


I wonder what's next? The ban of the sale of green tea because it caused one student to have diarrhea? With that sort of reasoning, we might as well ban everything. After all, too much of anything is bad for you.

What on Earth is the Point of Planking?

Fairly recently, a wide-spread fad had started just a few months ago known as "planking".  It is where some one lies down flat on his belly and acts out as a plank, then having the person's friend take a picture of him and post it on his Twitter or Facebook. 

I have absolutely no idea why anybody would even think to do this, let alone think it's actually cool to do such a thing. What's the point of it, really? If one of your friends came up to you and said, "Hey Bubba, I'll give you $20 if you plank on top of those pool railings", then that would be the only good modivation I could think of on why anybody would want to plank. If you're just doing it to look cool, then I pity your soul.

There's one big factor here on why I don't think it's the best idea to plank. What if you applied for a job, and after the interview, they do a background check on your media and find several pictures of you "planking" on everything? Now that employers are more picky on who they hire in this economy, it probably wouldn't be such a good idea to post those pictures on your Facebook or Twitter feed.

The moral of this article: If you're only planking just because your friends think it's cool, then don't do it. It looks stupid and it's just not cool at all. It could even effect your future. No, really. It actually could.

Photo from Six Flags

Six Flags had just announced that they are adding a new ride to their Magic Mountain park. According to the L.A. Times, "Six Flags Magic Mountain will add a new 40-story thrill ride in spring 2012 themed to DC Comics villain Lex Luthor that will rank as the world’s tallest and fastest drop tower. The 400-foot-tall Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom will be attached to both sides of the Valencia amusement park's 415-foot-tall Superman: Escape from Krypton coaster tower."

Whenever I have gone to Magic Mountain, I have always enjoyed their coasters, but I felt like there was an empty void to fill when the Freefall ride was taken out a few years ago.  The park was lacking a solid drop ride that would be a nice break from the traditional coaster; now that void has finally been filled.

When I first heard the rumor that Six Flags would finally be adding a drop ride to the park a few months ago, I figured that they would build their own tower to accommodate the ride. I have no idea why, but I never figured that they would attach a drop ride onto the Superman tower. I think this move is genius on Six Flags' part. Not only would it really save money from the expense of building a separate tower, but it will be good for marketing purposes to be able to say, "We are opening the world's tallest drop ride!"

As thrilled as I am about this, I can't help but think of how loud it's going to be knowing that the Superman ride vehicles will be right behind riders' ears. I'm sure all they would have to do is cover their ears but still, it would be a serious nuisance. What I'm worried about is having to hear that while waiting in line. Hopefully they'll utilize an indoor queue or something. Lastly, the ride looks like it'll be pretty low-capacity, meaning long lines....just like almost every ride at Six Flags.

Whatever the case, I'm pretty excited for 2012. Universal will finally get their long-awaited West Coast version of the "Amazing Adventures of Spider-man" with their upcoming "Transformers: The Ride 3D"; Disney will have their highly-detailed Carsland with their highly anticipated "Radiator Springs Racers"; Sea World will be adding their first true coaster with Manta and Magic Mountain will finally be adding the world's tallest drop ride. 2012 is going to be a very good year for theme park freaks. 

California Starts the First Pot Street Fair in the Entire Country

 Photo from Inquisitor.com

According to NBC News, Californians will now have something else to boast about their state. Besides earthquakes, overwhelming bureaucracy, gang members, the gay pride parade, and state bankruptcy, we may now take pride in the fact that our state has hosted the country's first Pot Street Fair now that the state's government has legalized the drug.

According to the article, "People inside the so-called '215 area'...will be able to smoke, vaporize or otherwise ingest cannabis to their heart's delight. Though no marijuana will be for sale." I don't know about you, but that sounds like the perfect place to spend the day with a family and meet some interesting new people.

Not surprisingly, the fair happens to take place in Oakland...just a fairly short distance from San Francisco, which happens to be possibly the most left-wing city in the entire country. What really gave me a good chuckle was one sentence in the article that mentioned, "The festival will also feature an eclectic mix of speakers, music and info booths, but it's the medical cannabis patient smoking area in front of City Hall that's bound to draw the most attention." You know your city is in trouble when you have several civilized tax-payers (or most likely welfare recipients) smoking pot in front of the city hall.

As bad as this is for the Bay area, the very few sane people that live in San Francisco can have a breath of fresh air for one day. Why? Because all of the crazy people that live in San Francisco will all be out of town to have a breath of fresh pot. 

La Llorona Returning to Halloween Horror Nights

The "announcement" was not a surprise by several HHN fans, but Universal has apparently made a major leak on their website saying that the final maze is "La Llorona: Villa de Almas Perdidas" (That's translated, "Village of Lost Souls" in case you didn't pay attention in Spanish class). The maze will take place in the Shrek queue and will feature probably the tallest facade that HHN has done.

I am a tad surprised that they decided to bring La Llorona back but in maze form. When her scarezone was featured last year, it received quite a bit of negative feedback on the internet from how "un-scary" it was. The scarezone had a nice, creepy tone to it, but it just wasn't executed properly.  Since her scarezone will most likely come back because of the maze, I hope they make some improvements like put in hiding places or "boo holes" for La Llorona and her children to hide to scare the guests. It'll be interesting to see what they do with that Western area that it was  in last year (If they do bring the scarezone back) knowing that the left half of the street is completely gone.

Despite the negative feedback, I think Universal made a wise choice overall to bring back La Llorona and do a maze based off of her. She's a perfect marketing icon to use since she was a legend that has haunted many generations of Hispanics, who happen to occupy the majority of LA's population.

Personally, I am very excited to see how this maze will be done. This maze will have a lot of great environment involved in it, making it stand out among the maze variety in the event. We know that the maze will start off in a church (Probably holding La Llorona's funeral) and then go on through a forest, a tomb, and possibly other places. Being that this is one of the first true original mazes since the Asylum in 2006, this will give John Murdy the ability to flex his creative muscles, do what he creatively wants in the maze, and not be restrained by what scenes or kills are in a movie.

For those of you worried that it will suck who are judging this by the inferior scarezone last year, I don't think you all need to worry. It's not going to be just a bunch of La Lloronas jumping out at you and babies vomiting in our faces. It will most likely feature her children and other lost souls that have died in the village; hence why the subtitle is, "Village of Lost Souls" in Spanish translation. I think this maze will be a pleasant surprise for those who have low expectations. 

I look forward to see what John and his creative team have in store for us in the Village of Lost Souls. I'm positive the maze will be so detailed and so scary that guests will weep in terror when they hear the sorrowful weeping of La Llorona fade away as they exit the maze.

The Wolfman tears his way into Halloween Horror Nights this year!

As some of you have known, I have been chomping at the bit (No pun intended) for a Wolfman maze ever since 2009's event. Finally, after two years, my wish has been fulfilled to bring one of the legends of classic horror to Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood.

The Wolfman: The Curse of Talbot Hall will be the overlay for the year-round House of Horrors attraction. Though I would have preferred that the fuzzy fellow get his own maze in a legit venue (i.e. the Shrek queue or the Wild West arena), I think it will fit very well in the House of Horrors if Murdy and his team play their cards right.

Making the theme work for House of Horrors is going to be a bit of a challenge for Murdy and his team. They won't have to worry about the graveyard and tomb scenes since they can be easily replicated from the Wolfman movie with some minor additions; however, the second floor of the attraction is going to be a bit of a challenge to make it fit. I'm curious what they're going to do with the Mummy's tomb, Chucky's doll room, the Psycho mirrors, body bag room, Frankenstein's Lab, and the slaughterhouse room.

For those of you that are worried that this maze will suck just because it's the House of Horrors overlay don't need to be afraid. It doesn't sound like they're going to pull another Vampyre here (Meaning replace the daytime cast with the overlay actors, change the name and call it a new maze without changing anything). John Murdy has said from his Twitter that some additions will be made for the House of Horrors to make the theme work. He even said that he has plans for the empty room.

I don't think I've ever been this excited for the House of Horrors overlay at any HHN event for the past two years that I have been going. I'm very much looking forward to seeing my long-awaited Wolfman maze and how they're going to pull this off in the House of Horrors and see what the costumes/make-up will look like. I anticipate this being our best overlay for House of Horrors yet!

Three thugs mug a Bible from a man.

Courtesy of CBS News

According to the article, a trio of African-American teenage thugs have mugged a guy of his wallet, cell phone, and his Bible. Yes, that's right, his Bible. They were even rude and inconsiderate enough to tear the guy's pants pocket pretty good to get the possesions out for themselves.

It's quite odd that this had happened since I have been wondering lately if someone would actually be so hell-bent on just "taking things" that they would actually steal the Word of God from someone. The article I just linked to had answered my question.

This definitely shows the true depravity of mankind. These guys were so determined to take what they could for themselves, they didn't even care what it was that they would steal. To quote Genesis 8:21: "...the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth...".

Thoughts on Scream coming to this year's HHN for the Terror Tram

As you probably heard, Universal has officially announced that the Terror Tram will feature the infamous Ghostface Killer in the haunted attraction "Terror Tram: Scream 4 for Your Life!". As you can infer from the title, the Terror Tram will be solely based off the most recent film "Scream 4."

Being a big fan of the Scream movies, I was overjoyed when I first saw the announcement go live on the Facebook page despite the fact that most of the hard-core fans (like me) saw this coming all the way back before 2010's event even started. It was pretty obvious that Ghostface was going to show up at this year's HHN for the fact that Universal loves to "strike the iron when it's hot" with film properties. With the fourth installment of the Scream movies coming out earlier this year, Scream being the most requested property in the HHN surveys, the fact that Scream is the second highest-grossing horror franchise of all-time (Saw being first), it should have been no surprise that Ghostface would come this year.

According to the press release, the Terror Tram will transport guests to the Universal backlot where "Stab 8", the fictional franchise from the Scream movies, is being filmed. While the guests are prowling around the backlot, they will be stalked by the infamous Ghostface Killer.

Let me share my thoughts by saying that John Murdy (Creative director of HHN) made a perfect choice of doing Scream on the Terror Tram. There's just so much creative opportunity for the tram video unleashing Ghostface onto the backlot. According to Murdy, not only will guests walk through film sites of Stab 8, but also "Four (other) fake films".  This makes sense knowing that one film can never be filmed in different locations at once. I can see it working out as having one movie where the Whoville set is, another at the Bates Motel, another in the forest, Stab 8 close to the Psycho house, and another in the WotW sets, which is a really cool idea and it works.

I think this will be our best Terror Tram theme yet knowing that this will have the largest cast ever hired for the Terror Tram (Over 100!), according to John Murdy in an interview with MiceChat. There will also be a scene on the tram monitors where a video blogger, who will apparently be a big "fan" of HHN, will make criticisms on the event, only to be killed off by Ghostface. That should be fun to watch! ;-)

Hopefully, John and his team will put their all into this since this is now my most-anticipated attraction at Halloween Horror Nights this year. I'm sure they will since the studio that does Scream will make sure it'll be a screaming good time and represents the series in a way the fans and the studio would want.

My First Post on My First Blog.

Hello, I'm Raleigh. After almost two years of posting on discussion forums on random sites on the web, I have decided to start my own blog.  Mainly, this blog will cover crazy things going on in this world, things that are on my heart, and of course things that I'm interested in that I post on the forums about: The SoCal parks and Halloween events.

I know you have many choices for Blog-looking. Thank you for choosing AppleAreGood's blog.