Six Flags Scream Break
Submitted by guest writer, Katharine LaRonde
Six Flags has found a way to keep the Halloween spirit going all year long with Scream Break. By mashing together two disparate but equally scary things, the Undead and college students enjoying themselves without supervision, they’ve come up with a theme that is campy and fun. I’ve never actually been to Six Flags before; in fact I haven’t been on a rollercoaster since I was in college REDACTED years ago. I’ve also never been to a haunted house, but I was invited as a guest of Media Geeks, so here is a total and complete newbie guide to this event.
Far and away the coolest thing about Scream Break is that it takes place after hours. Admission is valid starting at 7:30pm and you can stay until midnight, long after most of the crowds have left. The whole vibe is that you’ve snuck in after close to have the run of the park without waiting in lines, which echoes the teenage hooligan theme. My friend pointed out that in the dark, you can’t appreciate the theming on certain rides as much as you can during the day. I wouldn’t know, but I did think being upside-down on a ride and looking up to see the stars is pretty special.
Haunted Mazes
There are two Haunted Mazes, Condamned: House Party and Vault 666: Initiation. Honestly they are both the same concept, a frat house full of zombies. Vault 666 is basically a rush party. When you enter, a gatekeeper in white asks you if you are here for “the initiation” and if you reply with any variation of “ummm, sure?”, they let you pass. Each room is separated by hanging rubber slats, like a walk-in freezer, and invariably as you pull them aside to step through, an actor in a mask screams in your ear. Each room has a distinct theme and someone clearly put their heart and soul into the set dressing. There is a creepy Victorian doll room, a dungeon, a hallway lined with disembodied arms reaching out to grab you, etc. However, Condamned was far more immersive. As you walk through a decaying frat house, unlike Vault 666, it isn’t always clear where you are supposed to go once you enter each room. It’s a bit more of, well, a maze, so you’re forced to interact more with the actors. The performers are credibly creepy, leaping out to surprise you and made up to look hideous, but they are also relishing the chance to lean into the comedic bits that come with playing a dead idiot at a rager, and this saves the experience from being too cheesy.
Scare Zones
Walking through the Scare Zones on your way to the rides is what makes the experience cohesive. Any time you’re walking down a path and suddenly you see fog and mood lighting, that’s when you know that some weirdo creep on stilts is about to approach you to do a little improv, and I mean that in the best possible way. Like in the maze, the actors are loving the chance to mix being a ghoul with being a teenager. One of them called out to me, “Look how cool I look in this fog! Isn’t that sick? Isn’t that tight dude?” in a pitch perfect valley bro accent and my honest review is that this was extremely funny. Definitely sick and absolutely tight, bro. Fellow introverts take heart, the characters won’t make you interact with them more than you want to. They are pretty deft at reading your cues and if you just want to giggle a bit as you pass by, they will move on to the next victim. There are two different DJ’s playing, one in Full Throttle Plaza and one in DC Universe, if you’re moved to join the monsters and haunted dolls in a dance party.
Haunted Cocktail Hour
Six Flags’ website advertises “devilish drinks” like Sangria Blood Bags. We didn’t get a chance to try them but we did knock back some Skull on the Beach, which is sort of an alcoholic ginger ale garnished with whipped cream and gummy worms. We also tried a few different types of mac and cheese, topped with brisket and BBQ Chicken. My review of the mac and cheese is twofold: Firstly, why is the spork it’s served with so unbalanced? The spoon part is huge and the fork prongs are teeny tiny, but they’ve stuck the utensil in prong first, condemning me to spend precious minutes of my life chasing macaroni around the bottom of a cardboard tray with the smallest fork I’ve ever seen. Secondly, it’s delicious but possibly the heaviest thing I’ve ever eaten. I was so stuffed that I was actually relieved when Full Throttle broke down while we were standing in line, as it gave me a few more minutes to digest.
The Rides!
The best part! When it comes to thrill-seeking, I usually opt for something really and truly terrifying, like falling in love, or the sober contemplation of my own faults, over death-defying heights. I wasn’t sure if, now that I’m old enough to legally rent a car, I’d even enjoy the rides. No, I do. These rides are sick and I’ll be back. Scream Break comes with unlimited rides on Wonder Woman Flight of Courage, Batman The Ride, Goliath, Full Throttle, Twisted Colossus, and Scream. Throughout the night, we wasted little time waiting in lines. Very often we just walked up and got on the next train. This meant I had very few excuses to chicken out and spent a good portion of the night hurtling through the air. I’ll leave the ride reviews to those who can pay attention to the finer points of each one instead of holding on tight and staring into the howling abyss.
The Details
Scream Break 2023 is March 18-19, 24-26, 31st, April 1-2, 7-9, and 14-16. After hours admission from 7:30pm-Midnight, with complimentary parking after 7:30pm, is $39.99 for a single night ticket. Admission to Scream Break is also free with a valid Season Pass or Membership and event wristband. Tickets and more information are available at their website here.
