Exploring the Scariest Theme Park Haunts | An In-Depth Breakdown of Maze Designs

This Halloween season, I was able to visit five large haunts located across different theme parks in the United States. This includes Halloween Horror Nights at both Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood, Howl-o-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld Orlando, and finally Knott's Scary Farm. This video does an in-depth breakdown of the event, analyzing house design and overall execution. There are of course many other haunts I could have covered, whether independently operated or located at other theme parks, but I still think that you'll find the content of the video interesting.
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[@natpv]

I've always considered haunted house creation to be an art form, so it's nice to see a video from someone who shares the appreciation. Of course, you put your thoughts into words far more eloquently than I ever could. I'm a regular HHN visitor, but wasn't able to make it there this year and I've never visited the other four, so it was great to hear your takes on them. I would like to see this become an annual series.

[@OnyxTheGreat]

I know I'm fairly late to the party, but I actually have info on that La Llorona house that you saw in Universal Hollywood! You were wondering why it felt so much more different and well set up in comparrison to the other houses in the park. Well, that's because it was originally made in Universal Orlando back in 2013. Based off of your footage and footage and photos from people who attended last year and the first release in 2013, I can see that most (if not all) of the house is the same. So they probably shipped original house parts over, or recreated set pieces and elements based off of already existing plans. Nice to see it brought back though! Still looks as great as it was back then!

[@Lc._.1]

Hollywood HHN has been doing La Llorona and other Latin American Legends since 2010, its started off as a scarezone before back to back mazes in 2012 and 2011, that is what the 2022 iteration of the house is based off, a best of if you will. Urban Legends: La Llorona from HHN 23 in 2013 is Orlando's take of the legends they continued from Hollywood while Hollywood did El Cucuy that same year. Hollywood just brought it back in 2022 because it connected to the Dia de Los Muertos Plaza.

[@jlma889]

I work at sea world orlando as a scenic arts craftsperson. I made a lot of stuff for Howl o scream this year and ur assessment is very fair. 😂 What particularly got me was when you said “it feels like it was thrown together very last minute.” I was like “Omg! Was he in the room; because nail meet head.” 😂

[@OwlsOfEpicness]

That’s so awesome that you did that! I’ve wanted to throw my hat in that ring, when did the build process start?

[@theshockinglyeloquentdog9945]

too bad you worked for career animal abusers

[@bananonymoussupreme3345]

From someone who works as an actor, you are a goddamn hero. Tech teams are so important and making fixes during the show is an art.

[@NinthShinigami]

I’ve never been to a single one of these kind of events, so seeing your perspective on them and diving deep into what make these events so fun and outstanding in the first place is very much appreciated. Another fantastic video 👍

[@emmapavan4949]

I appreciated this video so much. I hate scary movies and jump scares, but I've been so fascinated by hearing about these Halloween events. This gave me the opportunity to see how the events are done without actually scaring me. I don't think I'll ever go to any of these events, but I can really appreciate the production quality

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That's mostly the appeal for me. I can't say that I search them out to be scared, but rather for their artistry.

[@spartenkiller456]

You should make a point to ge next year, the artistry and atmosphere of these events are pretty much unrivaled in the theme park business. Go with someone you like, I make a point of heading to Scary Farm every year.

[@hypocrite4318]

honestly i hate them too but the thing that always keeps me moving at scary farm is, "they're just people, and they're not allowed to touch you". idk if its the autism, but telling myself that shuts down like 75% of my fear

[@cherylmaden5989]

I get that it's very different in real life..lol but I think maybe ur missing out a bit. I was terrified my 1st hhn but that was back in 1997! ( less rules DEFINITELY got grabbed and held..lol but all in good fun. I also was thanked for being such a good sport bout it, and bcuz of that got to go backstage and be in the bill n Ted show. ( Alex winters' actor looked ALOt like him, keanus' not so much😅❤. Anyway my point is go with people u really trust. 1st time was a blind date (who I ditched cuz he was creepier than the monsters!😮😅) next time went with close friends and long term BFF. Much better experience ❤

[@cherylmaden5989]

​@@hypocrite4318u put it perfectly. I too get lost in the lighting and music and effects(they're amaaaazing) it's not fun unless u can feel safe and laugh WITH THEM😊❤

[@rb5078]

Fewer scare actors inside mazes is a BIG plus for me. I get annoyed with people constantly jumping out and yelling at me. It’s predictable and takes away from my enjoyment of the atmosphere. In fact I’d prefer no scare actors jumping out and only actors doing skits or interacting with each other or their environment.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That could certainly be interesting. I've wondered why parks don't host Christmas events with walk-through houses like this. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens used to (kind of) do something like this when meeting Santa, but I think that USF could really pull it off as part of their Christmas offerings.

[@redmagpie1761]

as a former haunt actor, it was pretty frustrating having other actors in every single room. it doesn't let the guests have time to appreciate the environments, or build tension. you pay to get in, then it's just a line of people yelling, then you leave it's nice seeing the opposite now and then!

[@klandgraf6956]

Yes and it would make the tension that more prominent I would think like any good horror movie sometimes you’ve gotta build the tension

[@geekygamergirl7259]

There is a third awesome option. Only time this was ever affective in my book is when I was a kid but it would still work today. There was a sinking ship scene with only one actor and she pretended she was going to grab me.. Amazing actress. She did a great job acting distressed and desperate making me feel like she actually thought grabbing me would get her out of the situation. Meanwhile as an adult, to your point on jump scares being bad, clowns tried to jump scare my mom on a hayride once. I tried to help them by screaming at her to turn around. The poor actors were clearly upset when they had to leave back to their scene but jumping out really is a weak scare and relied so much on her witnessing it. Was kind of on the actors for trying to scare her when she wasn't looking where they jumped out.

[@mikediaz6783]

>goes to an event where people pop out and go boo at you >gets mad when people pop out and go boo

[@hamptonwooster]

I encountered the Harry Potter scare zone in Hollywood two weeks ago. The staff were super into it! One of the Death Eaters came out of nowhere and basically "led" me to the alley. It was super cool and unexpected since the zone wasn't advertised. A really memorable experience!

[@dbraget3233]

FOMO over here

[@geekygamergirl7259]

Knowing someone, internet friend, that works in the Harry Potter area, I can safely say they love their job. She said people really want to work that area and tend to have a lot of fun doing it. So I can really see someone getting that into it.

[@MegsTravelLife]

Thank you for caring about your viewers by adding the strobe light warning!! ❤

[@celestemcduff]

As a SoCal native, I'm happy you were able to come over and see our HHN and Knott's Scary farm! I always wondered if Orlando's HHN was any better than Hollywood, but now your video just makes me want to see it even more!

[@Deganveran]

Been going to knotts Scary farm for 6 years. Past years were much better with scare actor amounts but even the regular park is short on staff. I also noticed less scare actors (the night I went Bloodlines had only 4-5 people with shootable collars on) and I hope it gets better in coming years.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That seems like an industry-wide issue at this point. Granted, Knotts seemed to have nobody in the park when I went, so the lack of staffing wasn't really a problem other than how slowly they dispatch their vehicles.

[@connquernaut6190]

I am so glad that you have made this video. I often had the belief that Knotts scary farm was the superior event to universal but often had some trouble pinpointing specifics on why that is. this perfectly illustrates my thoughts and why I thought Knotts was so special.

[@LetsbeFrank38]

My wife and I are heading to Halloween Horror nights this Monday in Orlando Florida.

[@chekherjoy]

The only one of these I did was Knott's, which was the most impressive haunt I've done. The production values on the haunts, the overall story telling, and the scares work together really well. The Cedar Fair parks do a good job of making the Halloween events appealing to people who don't want to do the haunted houses too. My brother went with me and was doing night rides on coasters, watched the band in the roaring 20s section and the Puppet Up improv show, and I think still found fun while avoiding scares. Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Kennywood have solid mid-budget houses that let their scare actors improv scares well. Kennywood did a really good job of having surprising intentional funny moments that had me laughing. Cedar Point and Kings Island both have really good scare zones where the scare actors can be more aggressive while also mixing up interactions well. The scare zones in the Ohio parks are on par with Knott's. Kings Island has by the far the best night rides though and is my favorite Halloween event overall.

[@ZelVoices]

I work as a scare actor at Howl O Scream (Tampa, not Orlando) and I really appreciate the amount of effort put into this video!

[@alexoskierko4183]

With a little insight on HOS Orlando (I work there so I know a little more) it definitely just needs to find it’s footing and things are definitely thrown together. Especially last year, they were expecting to start it. It had been in talks for a while but they were gonna start it until either this year or next year. They took some houses from the other scare events and finding spots to put them has been a challenge for them which has also been interesting to see

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

There are certainly unique aspects of the event that make it stand out. The event entrance with its dancers and the bar definitely has its own vibe that I think they should keep. I have to say that the new house near Manta is really weak though. It's design leaves a lot to be desired. Siren of the Seas is an improvement though.

[@YTAnalyzed]

I visited all 5 of these this year (first time for all of them), and I'm glad to hear I got some of the best events in the country. I'd rank them: 1. Knotts scary farm - houses are almost as good as HHN, but scare zones are way better 2. HHN Orlando - obviously very high quality, but very overcrowded. Also got rained out for half my night there 3. HHN Hollywood - quality is similar to Orlando, easy to navigate such a small park, but slightly less 'wow factor' than Orlando 4. Howl-O-Scream Busch Gardens - really fun park, got extremely rained out at night, but still hit all 5 houses 5. Howl-O-Scream Seaworld - you can tell they are really trying, excited to see them improve 6. Magic Mountain Fright Fest - it was fine enough for what it was 7. Lagoon Frightmares - home park, garbage tier in comparison. I've walked through nearly 50 houses this season, and my top favorite houses would be Mezmer, Weeknd (orlando), and the Terror Tram. HHN is probably more repeatable than Knotts, as they update every house every year, but I hope to see them all again whenever I can.

[@dasoupsoup]

So better quality, better houses, more popularity, and inconvenient weather make HHN Orlando worse that Knott's Scary Farm? Just trying to understand your ranking justification.

[@YTAnalyzed]

@@dasoupsoup did you miss "houses are almost as good as HHN, but scare zones are way better"?

[@MrPhilosophicalguy]

Really cool video breaking down the major scary events! Knott's also has some cool easter eggs with some houses having interactive elements. Dark Entities has "hand scanners" that will activate certain scenes and in Wax works all the display buttons are interactive with narration and the scare actors usually react to you doing so. They also have "secret shows" within the scarezones that tie into the themes, you saw the big band show in the goring 20's area but there's also the funeral procession in the forbidden lake and burning of the wicker man in the hallows. I might be biased but I feel like these really add to the immersion and make Scary Farm feel like a new park =)

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I'm disappointed to not have known that. I had a pretty exhausting trip, so as much as I enjoyed it, I pretty much just quickly did everything and left. In the future, I'll definitely make a point to take more time through the houses and get multiple run-throughs.

[@a_cowwithlegs]

This is funny cause I pressed one of the hand scanners and an alarm went off and I simply thought it was just really good timing.

[@rb5078]

I live for Halloween season. The best Halloween event I ever went to was at Warner Brothers in 2017 (I think). It was small and located on their backlot, which was super cool to walk around. But the absolute best part was that every attraction was different. There was a traditional haunted house walkthrough, there was one where actors portrayed paranormal investigators and took you on an investigation filled with special effects, jump scares, and actors playing ghosts as well as actors on the tour with you who you’d think were regular guests like yourself until they became possessed or attacked by ghosts and then you’d realize they were part of the act. There was a very long outdoor walkthrough that took you into Camp Crystal Lake. You just walked around all on your own past the lake, through the campground, and into a cabin. There were so many details where you’d see torn tents and bloody sleeping bags, and bodies hanging from trees and such. There was also a 20 minute attraction where you went into a church to watch footage of an Exorcism (it was treated like it was real, but it was actually extra previously unseen footage from the movie The Excorist). While watching the exorcism there were all types of special effects happening around you that made it seem like the demons were in the church with you. So like the lights went out, the church got really cold, they used bad smells, sounds effects, etc. and the nuns had to rush us all out so no one got hurt or possessed. They were all so different and so creative. Not a lot of people jumping at you and rush you through. You could take your time and really take in all the incredible details. Sorry about the novel, but I was just so impressed with this event and so sad it hasn’t returned. It was truly special and unique. 😢

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That sounds pretty awesome, I didn't know it was ever a thing. I would probably plan a trip around it if it came back though.

[@ewanedwards6822]

One of my favorite times going through a scare zone is Gore-ing 20s in Knotts, they have a swing show that goes on occasionally to add to the ambience, but what really sold it for me was what happened in the past couple of years during that show: First time i went there, the scare-actors were timing it so that when the music started to die down they suddenly collapse or seem to go unconscious, only to start marionetting back up when the music picks up for the next song. Second time there was this drunkard scare actor who was absolutely killing it during the show, he talked a bunch of people into dancing with him down the street and pretending to pour the "poisoned rum" that's part of the scare zone's story down their throat, absolutely amazing. Gore-ing 20s is a really small scare zone, literally just between the bumper cars to the Johnny Rocket's next to the evil clown boardwalk, but every time I've gone its been my favorite scare zone, both in theme and in just happens there consistently-- seen what I Think are plant parkgoers be enticed into following a newsie into a news stand prop only to never be seen again for example. I hope they expand the scare zone in the future, for certain.

[@nobunnyspecial]

the footage of knott's scary farm actually brought tears of joy to my eyes. as a huge practical effects in horror movies fan, their body horror elements looked STUNNING! i much prefer viewing and exploring the environments so it sounds like i should take a trip to california this year!

[@geoschilling]

I disagree with the placement of number 1 and number 2. Knotts scary farm (in my opinion) is way better then Orlando’s HHN. Universal at times feels almost cheap with how almost all of their mazes are based on already created films and ideas. This makes the unique feel of the maze diminish a lot, also, some of the mazes feel much too similar. In contrast, at knotts, every single maze is a completely original idea and every single one is EXTREMELY different. You have an underwater maze, an alien maze on a spaceship, a vampire maze (with guns), a maze based on an abandoned wax factory, a maze where you enter a haunted pumpkin, a maze where you travel with a group of teenagers through a book with the worlds most tragic events, in my opinion, the best maze ever created anywhere (more on that later), you also have a maze where your mind is being overtaken and you are inside a nightmare, and finally a maze in which you travel through an abandoned dark ride. I also feel your point about the mazes getting stale year after year is not completely valid, at knotts, they have a system, each maze stays for 4 years, they leave in pairs of 2 or 3 and 2 or 3 new mazes are put in every year. The mazes also do change a lot year to year. I also belive the scare zones are much better at knotts then universal. Knotts has 5 HUGE scare zones, each one is around the size of a land in the park, they have ghost town, gore-ing 20s, clowns, forsaken lake, and the hallows (snoopy land): the abundance of scare zones results in the entire park feeling scary, no matter where you go, there will be scare actors. The actors also are more unique on how they scare you. Scary farms “sliders” are a staple of the event, scare actors who run, scream, then sliding across the ground, sending sparks flying, is extremely scary, unique, and fun. They also do a better job of scaring people, they are relentless, I’ve seen sxared children, crying, and instead of being nice and leaving them alone, the scare actors surround the kids and terrify them beyond their nightmares, this may sound like a bad thing, but the point of a scary event is to be scared, this means the talent is doing their job PERFECTLY. I also believe knotts scary farm has the best maze at any Halloween event this year; the grimoire, no other maze has told a story, scared, as many people as this. The maze starts in the line, with an video, setting the stage for what’s to come. Next uou enter the truly frightening pre show, the bloody, grim lines the teenager is saying, distract you from the intensity and fog and strobe lights and sound about to be thrown at you. Then you enter straight into the maze, the first few rooms are completely white black and gray, symbolizing the very old times, next you enter a scene very expertly depicting world war 2, sound, lights, blood and gore, and more. NEXT, you will be suprised as you come back to the same campfire scene in which you started, a scared teenager tells you to return the book to the old treehouse, finally, you travel into the treehouse where the book was retrieved, and the house ends. I could talk for years on why knotts scary farm is my favorite Halloween event, but I will leave it at that, if you truly read all the way to here, I appreciate it. Keep scrolling now🤙

[@NinthShinigami]

Very long but extremely interesting post. I appreciate how much you elaborated on your feelings and provided a unique and Greta perspective. I’ve never been to either (particularly because I still live with my family, am only 17 so I can’t afford to go by myself when I’m still three hours away from Orlando, and am just not big on horror really), so this was pretty… thought provoking for lack of a better word lol. Some of the IP houses and original houses in HHN do look really good too tho. Then again, I wouldn’t be able to speak on them like you or Poseidon lol. Good post man 👍🤙

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I did like the scare actors quite a bit in the scare zones, but they're not really doing anything unique. Howl-o-Scream has plenty of sliders or people carrying around shovels that spark on the ground, in addition to people in ghillie suits blending in with the bushes. This isn't to diminish what the scare actors at Knotts are doing, but they're definitely not the scariest I've encountered. I also found that there were very few of them in some of the zones because they were so big, resulting in them spreading out and missing most of them except during the very opening of the event. I also really liked the opening scene of The Grimoire but I actually found it to be one of the weaker mazes. The story and sets are interesting, but the house was completely empty of scare actors when I went. I do like the black and white scenes and how the story progresses, but its impact felt off to me. I also disagree to an extent about HHN's IP inclusion. Off the top of my head, Poltergeist, Beetlejuice, the Universal Monsters houses and this year's version of Halloween were all extremely strong. They are often misses as Stranger Things and The Haunting of Hill House tended to be, but the original houses also more than make up for the duds. Even their weaker houses tend to be better than what most other events are offering though.

[@ManJayCA]

@@PoseidonEntertainment The scare actors at Knott's are doing things uniquely-- since Knott's INVENTED the "scare actor" role in a "haunt". All of the other "haunts" copied and built on what Knott's invented: the "Modern day highly themed Halloween Haunt in a theme park". All of the other scare actors built on top of what Knott's created.

[@calebgoldman6978]

I went to Knotts Scary farm for the first time this year. It was dope.

[@jacobselleck9750]

There was an original house last year at HHN Hollywood called Pandoras Box that I felt about the same as you do about La Llorna. It was leagues above every house there in terms of scares and absolutely out of control. Maybe they designate one house as the “scary house” there for their market, I’m not sure.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Perhaps that's the case. I've noticed with HHN Orlando, there's always one house every year that feels much more intense than the others. I don't know if that's by accident, but I now wonder if Hollywood does this as well.

[@Spessforce]

The background music choice was great in this video. In a few years time the Seaworld’s underwater themed horrors could be something really unique. John Carpenter’s The Thing would be perfect for the arctic research facility queue.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That's kind of what I was hoping for when it debuted last year. Honestly, I would really like to see them place the house throughout the exhibit. I don't know if the animals need to stay in the viewing areas at night, but if they took them out and had house-goers walk through that part, it would really bring the house to a whole new level.

[@kirkvandewalker3574]

I should point out with regards to the goring 20s scare zone at Knott's Berry Farm: It's actually less decorated year round when it's the memory lane section of the boardwalk (so that sign welcoming you to Memory Lane, the newspaper stand, the flower stand, etc.) That's only during the scary farm. I wish some of those decorative elements stayed year around.

[@pengu_3928]

These videos are amazing! Personally as someone who loves to go to these kind of events I can agree with a lot of the points you make in this video. Also did the amount of scares you got in the Blumhouse maze in HHN in Orlando effect how much you liked it? Because I personally had a pretty nice run through of the house.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

The issue I have with the house is that it relies far too heavily on your knowledge of the films to be good. In contrast, I feel that Halloween or other great IP houses of the past can stand on their own without knowledge from the films. I've been through Blumhouse plenty of times because I have the Fear Pass and go quite often, but it still consistency ranks lower, only above Coven.

[@bjvincent8786]

As always you never disappoint us; another incredible video with an amazing topic.😀 Thank You!!!💗

[@vectorwolf]

I'm sure a hundred people have mentioned this already, but the reason LA Llorona is so good is because it's literally a HHN Orlando house that they boxed up and mailed to Hollywood, instead of asking them to build their own. Sets, facades, costumes, puppets, all just got shipped out there and set up.

[@Lc._.1]

@@andynava5144 3rd*

[@playboss-xo1eh]

Hey, I think that Disneyland Paris's Terrorific Night would be a good topic for you to talk about. It's not that known and it's surprising that this event was made by a disney park...

[@NinthShinigami]

Was that the event that was like Mad Hatter cutting someone’s head off and Pinocchio lookin all creepy and whatnot?

[@C._Bradford]

@@NinthShinigami could be but those are both in the public domain technically so as long as they don't blatantly rip off the Disney version they could have been anywhere. I know universal has done Pinocchio themed houses before.

[@playboss-xo1eh]

@@NinthShinigami I don't remember this, I have no idea. It could be tho

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It might be interesting for next year

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@NinthShinigami That was the one at Hong Kong. The DLP event was more traditional with scare actors if I recall correctly.

[@klandgraf6956]

Maybe it’s just me but feel like Universal Hollywood should have houses and attractions that fit their space and feel different than Orlando while still being tied to the shows theme of that year

[@geekygamergirl7259]

15:00 I feel so bad because I giggled when you mentioned scare actors hovering behind you. The one time an actor actually hovered over my shoulder it was a vampire that decided to flirt me instead of scare me. Very sure it was because even though I was an adult I was with my mom and the goal was to distract her. Considering she got so scared she stepped on the other actor's foot, mission accomplished. And yes, he was okay.

[@FanThemePark]

Knott's Scary Farm is the best Halloween event I've been to! I really want to attend a HHN sometime though. Hopefully I can make it to one of the Universals during Halloween time sometime in the coming years.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

If you can, I obviously recommend Orlando's. It's such a top tier event.

[@wherethetatosat]

I can't do Horror Nights and here Poseidon is saying Hollywood has the weenie version XD

[@suninmyeyesyes]

Dark Ride at Knott's is the greatest. Something about the meta of walking through a broken down dark ride is just hilarious and well executed.

[@TheOnlyBongo]

Great video as usual Poseidon, you do a great job of bringing out great points of contrast in a subjective manner. Unrelated but at 28:27 I wonder what sort of last-minute repairs needed to happen whilst guests were flowing through the house during operation.

[@stashmerkin9576]

I don't want to tell Universal Hollywood their business but should scare actors be working over patrons who are looking for the bathroom? This seems like a really bad idea.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

There were only a few of them roaming and even then, they weren't particularly aggressive. I suppose they added to the atmosphere more than they were scary.

[@stashmerkin9576]

@@PoseidonEntertainment I was making a joke but appreciate the extra context. Thank you!

[@premiumlolz2984]

I don't know where you got the idea that the parade float was a repainted superstar parade float, but that's simply not true. They're all original. Superstar parade floats have totally different chassis.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Someone else had told me that the float was repainted from the parade and having only seen it in passing, I thought that they were correct in saying that it was an old Despicable Me float. Someone else in the comments already pointed out that this was incorrect though and having gone through a video, I've seen that they're completely different.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

I just got back from HHN at Universal in Orlando. It was really good. I went on a weeknight to avoid the crowds, but it still got surprisingly crowded by late evening. Loved the theming. The bug thing was creative. My only criticism is that since the format is people in a continuous line, the houses can feel very cramped and tight. That is fine for contrast, but there should also be more larger sets too. Bush Gardens Williamsburg had larger sets too.but he theming was great.

[@broodwars64]

I went to Halloween Horror Nights a long time ago, like over a decade ago, and I found the Haunted Houses to be rather annoying, personally. You're in a constantly-moving line, so you can see everything well before you reach it, so nothing can really surprise you. Meanwhile, it's just constant flashing lights and blaring sounds. I wasn't scared. I was just irritated. I put up with it for the sake of a friend who really wanted to do the Haunted Houses, but I just wanted to ride the rides instead of spending hours actively developing a headache. At least the Bill & Ted show was amusing.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I can't speak for then, but it certainly seems to have evolved quite a bit. The artistry that goes into these houses is astounding.

[@cherylmaden5989]

Best show EVER!!(biil&ted

[@sinner13halloweenfiend76]

Universal used to do dope but they fell off knotts dose it better and has been at least in cali.

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

One of my favorite things to do at the one Haunt I worked was to listen to what people said, particularly names, in the first room, then sneak through the hidden scare talent passages to pop in and out of the rooms further along, "Joooooohnnnn, I see you joooohn, I'm gonna get ya johnny boy, eeeeeehehehehehHAAAHAAAHA." By the end of the house I usually hear stuff like, "this clown knows my name! Why is this clown stalking me!? Who ARE you!" Bonus points when I can give the other scare talents tips on little details like that so everyone is in on the maximum scare

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Do you mind if I ask which haunt it was?

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

@@PoseidonEntertainment certainly, the Dorney Park Haunt in the early 2010s. Even got some stories about how the quality of the talent performance changed DRASTICALLY when the man in charge of the Haunt who was a performance entertainment enthusiast left the company to audition for positions at Disney, was replaced by someone who grew to a higher position in the park from a lowly position and had zero training or experience with entertainment of any sort. Not trying to say he is unqualified to be managing stuff in general at the park, just that it was clear the head of Haunt made ALL the difference in coordinating things and helping out the teenagers get ideas on how to perform beyond just screaming.

[@lolplzlolplz1]

USA isn't the "world" though. . . That being said, HHN at Singapore is smaller in quantity but much higher in quality imo, compared to the USA counterparts. hardly any IP houses too. this yr's HHN at USS was still scaled down cause of covid though, only 3 house down from the usual 5

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

The title was meant to catch the KZbin algorithm (not very successfully it seems lol). I would eventually be interested in trying a version of the event at USS or USJ.

[@gdy2shus]

Fun to hear your thoughts on Knott's Scary Farm. You picked a sad year to come to all these, considering all are having obvious staffing shortages that deeply affect the experience. Hope you come back to Knott's on a better year.

[@synsol1008]

Compared to hhn Orlando, Knotts and hhn Hollywood let their scare actors walk around and ad lib, which is more unpredictable and unique, but Orlando is way too crowded to try to copy that

[@synsol1008]

Orlando does a better job with house sets and props, and the whole park usually has a stylized theme that runs through the scare zones, food booths and a couple houses

[@ms.porter4385]

Great video, as always, but you didn’t have to go this hard with the synthwave music!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

2019's HHN taught me that synthwave should be used at Halloween events, every year, all of the time.

[@ms.porter4385]

@@PoseidonEntertainment Agreed!

[@ilovegodzilla]

Hollywood Horror Nights has always gotten the shaft. The sets can be interesting but it feels as if a risk management representative went through and told the park exactly what can't be done and took all the fun, surprise, and mystery out of the event.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Did it used to be better? That's how I felt about it as well.

[@cherylmaden5989]

Yeah being in Florida actually does hhn some good who cares about public health and safety everybody's bribed down here LOL

[@everywhirlingplanet]

Ding ding ding! The number of rules & regulations is nearly Disney level, which is to say super intense & emphasized as houses get planned/built/operated. I believe that's even why the lighting is on the brighter side--they regulate exactly how dark it can be (not very).

[@Shag471]

It’s funny because just a couple years ago Sea World was still only doing a spooky kid-friendly Halloween event. Guess they are trying to reach for those HHN guests but they have a LONG way to go.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I wondered why they never hosted Howl-o-Scream, but I'm glad that they're at least attempting it.

[@yousaysilver]

The only event like this I've been to would've been Fright Fest at Discovery Kingdom a few years back, and I barely got to experience it because the person I was with was too scared of going into any of the actual haunted houses, so it's really cool to hear about other events like this. I didn't even know Scary Farm as an event existed and it looks amazing- I'll definitely have to try to make a trip out there someday especially since I've never made it out to that theme park before. I think the whole steampunk vampire hunting house is really cool because I hadn't considered interactive houses like that (plus I'm just a sucker for steampunk theming and find it sad how underutilized that genre/aesthetic is)

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It's stupid how fun that particular house was. I definitely recommend trying your hardest to get to Knotts.

[@a_cowwithlegs]

Knotts wins this battle for me simply because it’s a much more enjoyable event. The lines at HHN are so miserable that going back for 7 great return mazes and 2 just a good new ones at scary farm while barely having to wait in line for them is a easily the more enjoyable option for me. I do agree though that Knotts need more scare actors.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

HHN is always crazy, but this year feels particularly bad. I suppose that my view is biased because I bought a pass with express for the entirety of the event, but I was also surprised how few people were at Knotts.

[@a_cowwithlegs]

@@PoseidonEntertainment I agree, in 2019 I went to HHN and was able to do all the rides and 7/9 of the mazes. I went again this year and was only able to do 3 mazes, the terror tram, and Jurassic world. This was in September, as of in 2019 I went early October. I’m just really hoping in the coming year Knotts is able to fill in the gaps with scare actors, the only maze that actually scared me was pumpkin eater, but the set design and building tension is easily enough to make up for the lack of in your face scares.

[@GloriousDutchPancakes]

Could you do a deep dive into Spookslot for halloween? Seeing how the Efteling doesn't do anything for halloween, how would you do it a Efteling way?

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Could be interesting, though I'm not sure if there's enough content there to make a full video about.

[@anadraham2995]

As usual, incredibly well done content Poseidon💯‼️‼️‼️

[@maxwellcohen2917]

Digging the synth wave background music, man.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

2019's HHN taught me that synthwave works so incredibly well for events like these. I wish they would embrace it more.

[@pidgeonpatrol861]

I feel like Universal California could absolutely work around the clean designs, a serial killer who’s obsessed with keeping his kills clean? A space station?

[@adamshows1142]

😆😆😆

[@adamshows1142]

And with the ongoing promotions with celebrities, maybe make the killer’s face as a stand-in for Howie Mandell? He just needs a film or a show to coincide promotion with this haunted house.

[@witchygrrl]

For 2021 and 2022 I made it my mission to do my Halloween park stuff in California due to Disneyland's Oogie Boogie event (SO much better than WDW), but last year I only did Universal in addition. This year I finally did Knott's Scary Farm and I was so impressed! I agree it's WAAAY superior to Hollywood Horror Nights, especially because this year's HHN was so disappointing to me. The Terror Tram last year was much better.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

What was better about it?

[@witchygrrl]

@@PoseidonEntertainment I think sticking to one story/universe with The Purge was better than trying to blend two very different Jordan Peele movies. Plus it seemed like there were more scare actors last year that interacted more with guests on the Backlot sets. This year felt like we were all rushed through.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@witchygrrl Ah, I went into the tram completely blind, but I figured it was probably relatively similar year to year. Good to know that they change it quite a bit.

[@gamesforgamers6017]

I really enjoyed Hollow Scream at Sea World Orlando. The main stage show was amazing.

[@sterospa]

I thought BG Tampa stepped it up this year. Way better then 2021. HHN Orlando is my #1

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

What made it better? I went last year and didn't feel much was too different other than the new house.

[@sterospa]

@@PoseidonEntertainment it’s possible the actors were more engaged. Last year there were restrictions. This year seemed more encompassing. Idk.

[@DrewTrox]

Instead of Epic Universe, Universal should do a Horror themed park. Beetlejuice Coaster, Universal Monsters Dark Ride, a Halloween Stunt Show with an unstoppable Michael Myers. Move the Mummy coaster over, and bring back the original Kong. Could bring Jaws back too. Plus year round Halloween Horror Nights! Maybe a big event each night. Like the closing shows.

[@fireflyfox93]

I go to HHN in Orlando every year and it's by far my favorite event. I get scared constantly and I love the quality of the houses. I go to HOS in Tampa every few years but it's not nearly as scary to me. This year was definitely one of their best but I don't think I jumped more than once or twice the whole night. Yet at HHN I'm screaming constantly through the houses 🤷‍♀️ Personally I find HOS boring most years.

[@acornheart465]

I will add that I think the pandemic really hit Hollywood’s HHN hard. A lot of the houses in the 2013-19 time felt better than those of the last few years. I remember being so impressed with mazes like Poltergeist and Krampus back then.

[@donjernigan3435]

Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ has horrible houses. However their show Unleashed I thought was better than Nightmare Fuel at HHN. Hersheypark only had 4 houses. They were well done, but are not close to HHN. Kings Dominion has some good houses, but they are recycled (1 new house, 5 recycled this year). Kings Dominion used to have the Haunted Tollway which is the antique cars ride that many parks have with scare actors jumping out. It was fantastic, but it hasn't run since 2019. Knotts I thought had a haunted log flume 20 years back, but I don't think that exists anymore which is a shame :(.

[@silasoconnell6413]

As a scare actor at a "regular", non-theme park haunt, I can safely say that Busch Gardens looks, for better or for worse, closest to a haunt event that you might be able to find in your own town/state. So, if you enjoy the unpredictability, actor agency/original characters, and looser theming of non-theme park haunts, Busch Gardens might be your best bet. But if I were going to go to one, it'd be Knott's Scary Farm all the way. Those huge open hallways in Wax Works are the stuff of my daydreams.

[@al.109]

Vin Diesel: Its been a LONG time since I've smelt beautiful (your videos)

[@mrcoasterswag]

Knott's is my favorite theme park haunt event in SoCal. You gotta check out Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks some day. Best haunted house I've ever done, bar none.

[@timpaxew712]

While it’s no top level park king’s island (Cincinnati)‘s Halloween haunt has always been amazing for what it is, exploring the defunct ride houses-turned-haunted houses is so rad

[@doa7351]

I don't know what it is, but the scare zones at scary farm have greatly decreased in quality the last couple years. A few years ago, the actors would interact with guests instead of just scaring them and moving on. Nowadays, there's much fewer actors and they interact less.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That definitely seemed to be my observation. I still liked it, but I've also been told that the houses being empty is an unusual problem as well.

[@doa7351]

@@PoseidonEntertainment I've also experienced that. There's times when the houses are FULL of monsters, and other times when they're really not

[@blaster-zy7xx]

One of my favorites is Bush Gardens Williamsburg. They tended to include larger sets than Universal so it felt less like walking through tight small hallways. You should check that one out.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I'll probably try to get over there next year. I've heard good things about it.

[@JakeCoasters]

Halloween Horror Nights has the big budget Howl-O-Scream has the scares

[@cherylmaden5989]

Bcuz alot of us really appreciate set design and if ur running....remember Terror on church street? Omg my 1st one. They were soooooooo creative. It was awesome

[@stellaluna6421]

Sounds like if you want a high-value production but are value personal space &/or are easily scared, Hollywood Horror Nights is the choice

[@bingotheraccoon]

I've heard that Knott's has driven away most of their repeat scare actors by offering less and less incentives. They used to have to turn people away, lately it seems they have to have repeat hiring events to achieve even minimal staffing. Universal is too reliant on sound and light cues. After a couple mazes, you can pinpoint where and when 90% of scares will occur, and it becomes a bit tedious.

[@stellaluna6421]

As someone who's never participated in this sort of thing, I'm surprised there aren't more planted "guests" to be victims to increase the immersion. But then I guess people usually go in with groups of people they know...

[@megansawyer2778]

I didn’t know SeaWorld Orlando just now started doing Howl-o-Scream. SeaWorld San Antonio has been doing it for years and while it's very similar in setup from what I can see in this video, it seems to execute it much better. Perhaps that's a sign that Orlando just needs more time to establish themselves.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That's how I feel about it as well. With how chaotic HHN has been this year, it may draw a lot of people away as an alternative.

[@somnobunny]

lol as some one who works as a an operator at SeaWorld San Diego I'm not even surprised you didn't go to Howl-o-scream, it sounds the same as the Orlando versions except i didn't hear anything about houses at ours.

[@bananonymoussupreme3345]

So I have been a scare actress for 7 years going on 8. Knotts is considered the best of the best. Im surprised you didnt feature their unique sliders! They wear kneepads and literally slide on the pavement with spark gloves and pads on their shoes. Its so fun just to people watch!

[@GenerationalSavant]

I freaking love the lore, execution, etc of everything theme park Halloween, but I am too big a baby to actually do it xD Love content like this for that very reason c:

[@therallybeard]

Knotts scary farm was great.. The maze that was walking through a giant pumpkin really took my breath away aesthetically. It looked like so much work went into it, well done knotts! I just wish the fast pass didn't cost a stimulus check..

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It was the first house I went through and I couldn't stop thinking that HHN ripped it off for The Wicked Growth. Still, it's pretty great. It's my understanding that this is the last year before it's replaced?

[@therallybeard]

@@PoseidonEntertainment Also walking through the grimoire I was like "This is stranger things but they cant call it stranger things"....

[@ilovegodzilla]

Pumpkin Eater had been around for a while now, not sure it will be back next year.

[@bethanyb3766]

I love videos about haunts 🖤🎃 so I can live vicariously through them 😂

[@AlexMartinez-gv7hy]

Yeah horror nights 8n Hollywood can be a hit or miss for me. Some mazes feel pretty good while others feel cluttered or empty

[@Blossommoon64]

honestly i love horror but haunted houses dont do it for me, i cant see anything so i end up either hugging the walls or have to get lead by someone else especially if its like a maze honestly the fear of getting lost in the dark is more than whatever is in the house, all the noises and flashing lights only annoy me rather than scare me, also its almost always super cold, and again i cant see shit in the dark its literally always dark as shit i just wanna be able to see god still love horror though just havent been to a haunted house that i actually like lol, ill probably just stick with the movies or something edit: you know what if a haunted house was like a rave or something id go, that might be silly but like rave house thatd be epic

[@mikebrown8126]

Another fantastic video! You definitely provide the most accurate and concise analysis on themed entertainment topics (although I will disagree and say KSF is superior to UO’s HHN 😊). Would really like to see a video on your thoughts about the D23 parks panel (let’s hear what you think of those pitiful, scared, outlandish “blue sky” ideas that they threw together last minute).

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I don't have much to say about it, other than I have a sense of relief. To know that they have no real plans, no real desire to change things is fine with me. The less damage they can do before new leadership comes in, the better.

[@gbresaleking]

I absolutely love HHN orlando Ive been like 5 times so far, Make sure you bring a pretty gf to push ahead of you into the mazes so she doesnt have to hear you scream if you get scared first lol

[@Gabriel-hs1dc]

I mean, at Knotts scary farm this year, I too saw a disabled scare actor, it was a clown in a wheelchair. Just saying it’s not just a howl o scream thing

[@caror.s.2508]

Hey! I love this channel I think it’s so interesting. I was wondering where do you get your music? Or do you write it yourself?

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

The music for this video came from Karl Casey at White Bat Audio. There's a link to his music in the description.

[@RavenStation711]

I'm sure this is a controversial opinion and it'll probably just get buried in the sea of comments but now that I've been experiencing other haunt events, HHN is now among my least favorite and I find it vastly overrated (it's not bad by any means, just not the holy grail of halloween events like its regarded to be). The biggest gripes I have with it are the over reliance on "loud jumscares" by just having blaring music or stingers blasting in your ears to scare you, it feels as lazy as a crappy jumpscare in modern horror movies and as you said it's all very predictable when you go year after year as I have. The other gripe I have is the layouts of the houses are pretty uninspired, lots of tight corridors with 90 degree turn after 90 degree turn. They don't feel like mazes like at other events, for the most part they just feel like big conga lines through hallways to me). Another huge thing for me that wasn't mentioned was park atmosphere: USF really doesn't lend itself very well to feeling like you're in a horror environment. Contrast that with halloween events up north such as Haunt at Kings Dominion which can be very immersive being in the woods in the midwest. There's nothing Universal can do to change that obviously so I don't fault them for it, just bonus points for events that naturally have great horror atmospheres. Even the scare zones typically feel too small and lackluster to me, there are exceptions sometimes though none stand out to me at all this year. To me HHN peaked in either 2017 or 2018, Poltergeist was and still is my favorite all time house and nothing has come close to how intense and immersive it was and it's a shame. I guess for me now HHN is like a 6/10, fantastic production quality, but the execution can really be hit or miss. It's still very much worth experiencing, I just see a lot of missed potential. My wife and I were shocked at how good Haunt at Kings Dominion and HoS at Tampa were, definitely our favorites so far. Kings Dominion just did a fantastic job at having a lot of interesting mazes with unpredictable scares and they didn't have loud noises repeatedly blasting in our ears, and HoS Tampa had nearly the production quality of HHN with a TON of creativity in the mazes and even the scarezones. Williamsburg has a fantastic park atmosphere for halloween as well, but I feel as though the mazes were lacking just a little (seemed to be a lot of staffing issues), and Kings Island Haunt is great because there are so many horror themed coasters in the park as it is so it feels more like a complete package.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I'll have to disagree that USF doesn't lend itself to the Halloween atmosphere. Part of what I liked about it and Hollywood was that it was mostly city streets. Standing in the scare zone in the middle of New York is always a vibe. I'll agree with Poltergeist though. That's easily my favorite house that I've had the chance to experience.

[@EntityEX21_Finn_notfound]

16:06 looks kinda like AHS(AMERICAN HORROR STORY)

[@milkcan6141]

oh shit 2 of my favorite things poseidon entertainment and halloween

[@cherylmaden5989]

Yup floridians expect dirt! Lmao we live in a swamp rt?!

[@RAIZ0R1211]

i went to hollywood universal horror nights for the first time recently and had a great time, my only complaint was that it was PACKED, we were only able to get to 3 mazes and the tram, if i were to go again id probably grab the fast pass or whatever it was called

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I used express when I went and it definitely helped. I believe the longest I waited for anything was about 15 mins for Scarecrow.

[@RyanShyffer]

I agree that the number and quality of scare actors at Knott's this year was poor. I think they had trouble getting enough actors this year, but not sure.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

That seems to be the case. Still, their house design can stand on its own.

[@thedevilgoose2482]

I knew I wasn't going insane when I said I smelled something in Dead Man's Pier! Although I don't remember the pine smell in Bugs. I do believe the "spice smell," though, is the smoke from fireworks going off due to the festival. Aside from the already mentioned stuff, I also remember heavy dirt smells at the end of Descendants of Destruction, and also throughout the entirety of Legends Collide. Anyway, some interesting (smaller) Hollywood and Orlando HHN differences I noticed: Orlando, compared to Hollywood, tends to have much more narrow and claustrophobic houses, California usually having much wider halls and larger set-piece rooms (though Orlando does have similar set-piece scenes as well.) (Edit: yeah this was mentioned, I made this comment before finishing the video.) Oh, and also Orlando has a greater focus on original houses, which I love. I mean, makes sense, we started the whole "original icon" thing, and all this original stuff is often celebrated during anniversaries (see the whole lore thing.) Hollywood has more IP stuff, though, I do believe. I personally enjoy a healthy balance of IP and original, as I do love to enter a horror movie and experience it through the eyes of a victim, but the original (I'm saying that too much) is excellent too, with stories made specifically to work narratively as a haunt.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I definitely agree a balance is good. Some of my favorite houses have been IP when executed well. It makes me wonder how well the event would fare if it ditched it completely though. If they can sell out on so many nights as they are this year with a weaker IP presence, I wonder what a non-IP event might look like.

[@thedevilgoose2482]

@@PoseidonEntertainment I wouldn't mind one or two years without an IP. I think they could still entice people through their skill and creativity alone. I, personally, got more excited when all the original stuff was revealed than when the IP's were, it's definitely possible. Though, as an Orlando person, I'm already used to stuff like icons and lore, etc, so it'd be easier for me to adjust. Hollywood, though, I'm more curious about.

[@coasterkraken6088]

Oh hey I’m in this video! 😅 I work at USF, glad you got my good side.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

One of the scare actors?

[@joshzilla8947]

I had never been to one of these before (I was worried how I would handle it, I don't want to embarrass myself.) but there is a Park near me called Silverwood (In North Idaho.) that changes to Scarywood during October. I finally decided to go this year, and it was soooo much fun! I don't think they have anywhere near the budget of the ones listed in these videos, but to me it was absolutely incredible. I'll definitely be going each year from now on.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

The lower budget haunts are definitely worth the time to experience. That's what makes these events so interesting to me, in that there's radically different designs that go into the execution of their scares, sometimes dictated by the budget, leading to a large degree of creativity. I would definitely try to go to something like HHN if you get the chance though.

[@spikedwk]

You forgot to put in six flags scream break.

[@SaturnTubes]

Your music kept making me think someone was knocking on my door

[@noahswart]

Maybe you can talk about Walibi Holland's Halloween Fright Nights next year! In my opinion a pretty high-end event with some very high quality experiences! For example Below, The Clinic and Slaughterhouse. The last two are personal 1 on 1 experiences and are really intense!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It would be interesting to experience other events outside of the U.S.

[@michaelturner5050]

Where is David S. Pumpkins?

[@JungleJetAviation06]

I am still getting through the video which I find extremely impressive as I love these events. I attend Scary Farm annually and I notice that what I like the most is how the actors can you scare you how they please, unlike HHN where they scare you and a strobe effect goes off and it's the same every time and they don't follow you through like they do at Cedar Fair parks. Do you mention this is in the video? What is your take on this? Great vid!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I kind of made that point. However, I would definitely say that's an oversimplification of the role HHN actors play. At least in Orlando, there's a large degree of puppetry or more interesting takes on scares (such as the flying Dracula) that break up the monotony of their formula.

[@lorig5003]

Although Knotts is now a Cedar Fair park, Knott’s Scary Farm originated years before the takeover. I was part it back in the 80s when still owned by the family. Not only were the streets full of scares, there were also fun theatrical shows like Doctor Cleaver at the Birdcage Theater. It was a treat for us to step away from the daily melodramas and camp it up for the season! It would appear that Knott’s was an early original.

[@JungleJetAviation06]

@@PoseidonEntertainment Do you plan on going to Scary Farm this year for it's 50th?

[@cherylmaden5989]

Seaworld has the best cocktails tho🎉❤

[@Richy.Boi.]

That’s a great analysis, thank you PE

[@shannonp888]

i’m sorry my thumbs up ruined the 666 number