Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest 2019

Each Halloween season, theme parks tout more mazes, bigger attractions and spookier scares. Some live up to that boast, some not as much, so it’s best to set the right expectations. This year, like the ones before, Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest skews toward family-friendly haunted mazes, favoring atmosphere over jump-scares, leaving the screams to their roaring behemoth roller coasters.

The Mazes

Vault 666 Unlocked

Branded as the new maze of 2019, Vault 666 Unlocked borrows heavily from past mazes Hell Fest and Vault 666. Guests enter through a store of sorts, only allowed to proceed into its depths after giving the shopkeeper the secret password. Designed like a museum full of morbid artwork, Vault 666 Unlocked lets maze-goers peek into the various snippets of Hell on display. Vault 666 Unlocked contains a handful of animatronic feats as well as many clever opportunities for live scare-actors to catch guests unaware – like in a room full of dolls and shrouded women, or a black room with masked mannequins… or are they? While Vault 666 Unlocked reuses several props from previous years, and doesn’t really have a cohesive storyline, the enthusiastic actors and macabre imagery are amply effective.

CondAmned

A carry-over from last year and probably my favorite maze of 2019, CondAmned has guests ducking and squeezing through the dilapidated house of a family of what very much seems like cannibals. The attention to gross detail – from the cockroaches crawling on the kitchen table to the bloody shower curtain to the young boy who has wet his bed – is impressive on its own, but CondAmned is elevated further by its interactivity. Guests duck through closets full of clothes – or something else hanging from the ceiling – squeeze through the walls of the house, get confronted by unruly family members wielding drills or chainsaws, and might get squirted with water. Spanning what feels like an entire house, from the living room to the back yard, CondAmned is definitely a maze worth keeping around.

Sewer of Souls

This glowing neon, 3D maze has guests traversing a toxic sewer, complete with plenty of gross-out toilet moments, which are appropriate given the theme. Sewer of Souls is full of fun black-light visuals that hide upcoming jump-scares, clever optic tricks that could make stomachs drop, foul smells, a compression tunnel, and insane maintenance workers – both live and animatronic abominations. While Sewer of Souls is generally less scary than simply gross, it does have some interesting inclusions that make it a fun, albeit smelly, time.

Aftermath 2: Chaos Rising

Aftermath 2 begins with an intro video setting up the military-issued evacuation from Ash Valley, in which an unknown virus has been let loose. This sprawling outdoor maze is filled with massively impressive effects and sets – cars, motorcycles, several building facades – plenty of fog, and many scare-actors, both military personnel and the contaminated. Aftermath 2 includes a brief element of isolation when groups of friends are split up and urged down different paths, which can definitely elevate the frights.The large size of Aftermath 2 is both its asset and its weakness; the large open space might spoil jump-scares that lie ahead, so the set is pumped so full of fog that it’s difficult to see and appreciate the set design. Additionally, the constant barrage of “hurry up” from the military scare-actors borders on frustrating for the guests who want to take everything in. However, what guests CAN make out is definitely worth seeing.

Red’s Revenge

A staple of Fright Fest, Red’s Revenge welcomes guests into the aftermath of the Little Red Riding Hood story. A brief introductory video explains that Red is now in the afterlife and seeking vengeance on the villagers who refused to help her against the threat of the Big Bad Wolf. The sets of Red’s Revenge are its best feature; the eerie forest and snarling trees are simply gorgeous, and the imposing animatronic elements are nice and startling. The mediocre make-up and costume design of the villagers, however, may leave guests wanting more.

Willoughby’s Resurrected

Another mainstay of Fright Fest is the ghostly Willoughby’s Resurrected. Set in the Willoughby’s 1800s mansion, aesthetic here is everything. There are little-to-no jump-scares in this maze despite the many scare-actors within. The towering mansion walls, portraits lining the hallways, and sinister cemetery are stand-outs. However, the simple make-up and old-timey costumes are very generic and lackluster. Willoughby’s Resurrected is a good starter maze to ease into the scarier mazes of Fright Fest.

The Scare Zones

City Under Siege: Evil, insane clowns have taken over the DC Universe area, interacting with guests and occasionally threatening them with oversized mallets while a laser light show accompanied by thumping music plays overhead.

Demon’s Door: Upon entering and leaving the park, guests must pass through Hell – literally. The main gate area is full of impish demons lurking behind the craggy rocks and gargoyle-like statues just waiting to give guests a tour of the Underworld… permanently.

Exile Hill: Dressed in a similar aesthetic to Willoughby’s, the angry lost souls of Exile Hill wander the area looking for a final resting place, and perhaps another soul to take with them.

Nightmares: Always an enjoyably trippy area, the glow-in-the-dark Nightmares is home to a much grimmer version of beloved fairytale characters, like the Big Bad Wolf, Pinocchio, and the March Hare. If you see a witch with glowing yellow eyes and a glass slipper, be sure to ask her about her spa treatments.

TERRORtory Twisted: In this steampunk scare zone, half-human/half-clockwork monsters – some even on stilts – tick-tock their way after their next prey.

Witches Lair: Witches lurk behind the free-standing walls and gnarled trees in this scare zone, waiting for the next victim to add to their bubbling red cauldron.

Other Entertainment

If you like to play things a little safer and choose to NOT subject yourself to the monsters in the dark mazes or scare zones, Fright Fest’s shows might be a better fit. Two entertainments are returning from previous years – Voodoo Nights, a rollicking stage area with DJs, live bands and contests; and High Sierra Hypnotist, a comical, supernatural stage show – and one brand new show makes its debut – Sliders of the Night. Sliders takes place an hour before the park closes in the City Under Siege Scare Zone. Clowns and other undead monsters cause sparks to fly as they slide, skate and jump over each other in thrilling feats. Cheer for your favorites and enjoy the performers’ skills.

Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest enhances the everyday park with haunted attractions for all ages. Kids and their parents can enjoy Pumpkin Patch Crafts in the safety of sunlight, or go on a Trick-or-Treat Masquerade around Bugs Bunny World. Adults – or at least those tall enough – can see how brave they are when the roller coaster lights turn off with the darkness, plunging and looping into the unknown. And don’t forget to pick up some tasty Halloween-themed treats – try desserts like “Spookies N’ Cream” or “Graveyard Pudding,” or adult beverages like Michelada in a glowing skull mug or Sangria in a blood bag.

Final Thoughts

Fright Fest, for the most part, is the same as last year and in need of more new and interactive mazes, like CondAmned, to replace the tired Red’s and Willoughby’s. The rides, energetic scare-actors, and exciting Sliders show, however, make Fright Fest a worthwhile addition to the Halloween season. While it might not be the scariest or most innovative of the haunted theme park attractions, Fright Fest offers just enough chills and thrills to whet your appetite for more spooky fun. Happy Halloween!

Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest is open now through November 3rd; find more information and purchase tickets HERE.