ALERT! THIS DOES CONTAIN MAZE SPOILERS!!!
I too was able to attend Fear Fest. I enjoyed it!
Cornstalkers, is fun, and a nice way to change up the park a bit. The costumes here were cool.
Headless Hollow was pretty good, I liked the whole train deal, thought it a nice touch. There was one guy who did an especially great job of being creepy. We walked by a box, and in it, a guy did a really weird sounding growling/clicking noise. Think of the sounds the aliens make in Signs, but a little bit deeper. I did think the ending was somewhat anti-climactic, but it's the first year, and should improve with time. I think it's a great concept though.
Fear Street was much better than House of Darkness this year. The whole nice little suburban home gone horribly wrong theme was awesome. Also, the pictures of "Emily" (The baddie of the house) are everywhere, and are slightly creepy, in that "Stepford Wives" kinda way. The actors did a great job in dealing with my joking...
Me: "Is Emily this way?"
Actor: "You don't want to see Emily, trust me!"
My favorite maze of all of them is once again Psycho Path. It was almost exactly the same, so I knew what was coming, but it still rocks. Also, the best bit of actor/guest interraction happened in here...
Girl in group (In high pitched, child-like voice): Hi, What's your name?"
Actress: "Berry, what's yours?"
Me (In another high-pitched, child-like voice): "Berry! I like berries! They are yummy!"
Actress: "I bet you're yummy too! Yummy yummy!"
Me (in same voice!): "I like yummies!"
OK, so it wasn't scary, but it was a nice bit of improv (which I feel is importaint to this kind of thing).
This year was my circus of horrors trip ever, and I must say, I liked it! While not scary, it definatly was confusing. The dot scene, where you don't know where the exit is really confused our group leader and walked right into a wall! Also, the second dot part with the guy who blends in with the wall was a great effect, but poorly executed. The guy didn't match the background quite right, and it was clearly visible that the area of the room the guy was standing in wasn't quite right, so as soon as he started moving, we knew what was coming. Also, the "spinning" tunnel at the end was great. As this was the first of these things I have ever walked through, I definatly didn't know how much that really does effect your balance! Also, yet another notable mention of an actor in the maze. There was a part where a hall was lined with clowns, so obviously one was an actor. We walk by, and instead of jumping out, he just honks his horn at us! Definatly made me laugh!
Massacre Manor was also new to me. It was ok (especially the guy at the start of the maze who hid inside the boxes...
Actor: "Who's the short one?"
Me: "[insert female group member's name here]"
Actor (a little bit further along the maze): "Is [name] still there?")
but the rest of it was kind of lame. I mean, what was up with just walking back and forth between empty wine holders? I'm sorry, but it was kinda a dissappointment.
Coney Maul made it's return with the "sliders" as I call them. They look like Darth Maul kinda, but they are still sweet as ever. Still my favorite characters in Fearfest.
We did not get to Maze of Madness, by the time we got out of the last maze, it was 10:01 (foiled by the clock again!)
I think I mentioned all of the mazes (cept MoM), but if I forgot one, just tell me, MoM was the only one we missed.
There is one thing that I didn't like: The over-kill of the Headless Horseman theme. They had the exact same effect for the 2 Horseman mazes (walking through the heads on strings), and everyone in my group mentioned that effect reappearing. I know Sleepy Hollow is Paramount's big scary movie (in recent history), but my group thought it was a little overkill for it to have a full area.
Of course, I left out alot that happened. It wouldn't be fun if I gave everything away, now would it! Here are my awards for FearFest 2005...
Best Overall Maze... Psycho Path! (3rd year running). With it's "Where the hell are we?" feeling returning once again, being lost in the woods has never been more fun.
Best Maze to Have a Good Time... Circus of Horrors 3D! (1st time winner). With it's crazy music and confusing layout, it's sure to be the talk of your friends at the end.
Best "New to Me" Maze (for maze that I had never been through before)... Circus of Horrors 3D! It beat out the 2 Horseman mazes for its creativity in the effects. By far the best special effects in the park.
Most Improved Maze... R.L. Stien's Fear Street! It's new look and story give it a much needed lift in foreboding. No londer are you just wandering around a random haunted house, but notice something isn't quite right ("Why are these pictures everywhere...")
Best Potential in a Maze... Headless Hollow. The train idea is brilliant, and I'm glad to see rides get incorporated into the haunting experience (Route 666 is still one of my all time fav attractions). While it still needs the work all 1st year mazes need, it definatly has the chance to take over as my top maze.
Needs Most Improvement Maze... Massacre Mannor. Yes, the beginning was cool, and had good guest interation, there were major "dead" spots (pardon my pun) where nothing seemed to happen. The biggest example was the wine cellar area. Was that supposed to be scary?
I must say thought, that in my 3 years of going to FearFest, this has to be the best one yet. The fog machines that are EVERYWHERE add a much needed feeling of evil all around the entire park, and the new "scare zone" of Cornstalkers was also a much needed improvement. Now, everyone gets a chance to be scared, even those who are to chicken to go into the mazes (just make sure you don't tell them there are monsters in Cornstalkers and Coney Maul). A congratulations goes out to everyone involved in FearFest this year!