Spooky Season is in full swing and we here at That Hashtag Show are checking out all your favorite SoCal Haunts. First up, was Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights. Next up, Fright Fest at 6 Flags! Yes, there are COVID Rules, so make sure you bring your masks, read the latest updates on the Six Flags website – there may be some big changes as of October 7th –  and get ready to get spooky!

So, if you’re planning on checking out the event, here’s a rundown of the mazes, shows, and other frights!

  • Aftermath 2: Terror Rising
  • Condemned – Forever Damned
  • Ghostober Presents: Willoughby’s Resurrected
  • Red’s Revenge
  • Sewer of Souls
  • Vault 666 Unlocked
  • 8 Scarezones
  • 5 Spooky Shows
  • 10 Roller Coasters to ride in the dark!

The dates of the event are: September 11-12; 18-19; 24-26 & October 1-3; 8-10; 15-17; 21-24; and 28-31. You can buy tickets to Fright Fest at sixflags.com/magicmountain/frightfesttickets.com

It’s so exciting to have our favorite fall events back, but there is a question about health and safety. 

COVID-19 and FRIGHT FEST

As far as I’m concerned, this is the park/event you go to if you have zero concerns or worries about COVID-19. 6 Flags seems to be running at full capacity, and the Fright Fest event is no different. The park is doing the bare minimum required of them. There are rules about wearing masks on the bus to and from the parking lot, as well as inside the mazes. I even saw a handful of scare-actors wearing masks inside the houses. 

The walkways around the park are large, but when you’re packed in with this many people it didn’t feel like it mattered. Walking shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of strangers, there was nary a mask insight when walking through the incredibly crowded park. I understand that there is no rule about wearing masks while walking through the parks, but when around this many people I would highly recommend it for the health and safety of yourself and others. 

Overall, I’d give them a D rating for COVID-19 Safety. If the bare minimum works for you, you’ll be fine.

SCAREZONES

I made my way through almost all of the scare zones. The park is large and for someone unfamiliar, I found it incredibly confusing and the map did not help. So, somehow I missed the Witches Lair.

My overall thoughts are the same for almost all of them. Fun ideas, poorly executed. Where are the scare actors? In each scare zone, I counted three actors max – with the exception of City Under Siege – which is the best for obvious reasons. These are scare zones, and the actors are working overtime in order to create a scary experience, but failing – which is not their fault. By having so few characters in these zones they are set up to fail.

City Under Siege is the most popular and most populated as far as actors go. The Clowns are incredibly fun, wildly interactive, and you can feel how much they love interacting with the crowd. Due to its popularity, this scare zone is very crowded and had six police officers standing by. Why, no idea – that many officers in one place don’t make me feel safe, just saying.

Overall, I give the scare zones a C+

THE MAZES RANKED: WHICH IS THE BEST AND MOST TERRIFYING?

6. SEWER OF SOULS

Vanish into an underground world of lost souls and terrifying tunnels where evil oozes and creatures taunt. This attraction is presented by M&M’s®.

5. GHOSTOBER PRESENTS: WILLOUGHBY’S RESURRECTION

The haunts of Ghostober take on dark visions of spirits, haunted artifacts, and supernatural investigations gone wrong. Brought to Fright Fest by discovery+, the streaming home of Halloween.

4. AFTERMATH 2: CHAOS RISING

‘In the City of Ash, the spirits of the dead and the near-dead inhabit the post-apocalyptic city releasing a deadly poison. This attraction is presented by DOVE® Chocolate.’

Everyone loves zombies, and most people enjoy a Zombie maze. The entire maze was outside, the set dressing was fun; I thought the fireball, in the beginning, was really cool. However, this was my least favorite maze. The scares were designed poorly. There was even a section of the maze where my group walked in a circle completely lost with the actors jumping at us, but they weren’t scaring us in the correct direction.

GRADE: 40/100

3. CONDEMNED – FOREVER DAMNED

‘Dare to step inside the horrific haunts of this dilapidated home where the walls are alive with the souls of those who once lived there and unleash fury on anyone who enters. Presented by TWIX®.’

The front of the park mazes were my absolute favorites. They all have fantastic stories and not just a bunch of things thrown together. Condemned was such a blast. The story was fun – very Hills have Eyes meets The People Under the Stairs. The scares were creative, and you could tell those working the maze were having a great time. 

GRADE: 75/100

2. VAULT 666 – UNLOCKED

‘Demonic relics and obsolete oddities are locked in an abandoned vault in this dark and sinister antique shop. This attraction is presented by 3 MUSKETEERS®.’

This maze was really close to taking the number one spot – I loved each and every room inside. The atmosphere was creepy and beautiful. It felt like we were walking through the relics and memories of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The scares were inventive and the actors were having a blast!

GRADE: 85/100

1. RED’S REVENGE

‘Enter the world of Red Riding Hood, but in this fairy-tale, you and the wolf are being hunted by Red and her demonic minions. This attraction is presented by SNICKERS®.’

I am a sucker for a fairytale storyline with a badass female lead and this one does not disappoint! Red’s Revenge uses incredible atmosphere, actors, and giant, terrifying figurines including a giant spider that could’ve been Aragog’s cousin. The only thing that could’ve made this better is if the figures were animatronic. Seriously, if they moved… let’s just say I would’ve needed a change of clothes.

GRADE: 90/100

OVERALL THOUGHTS ON FRIGHT FEST 2021

This was my first time going to Fright Fest and I had no idea what to expect. Six Flags is an extremely large park with lots of hills, teenagers, and fun frights. Fright Fest also has one of the cheaper ticket prices, especially if you’re already a season pass holder. If you’ve never been to Halloween Horror Nights, Knotts Scary Farm, or the Queen Mary, and looking for affordable family fun, Fright Fest is a great way to give these types of creepy haunts a try.

The COVID-19 protocols and safety really drop the score for me. If you’re looking for a good place for scares, Fright Fest is it, but you’ll have to weigh the safety costs.

So, are you ready for Fright Fest 2021?

For more on horror, check out THS Fright-A-Thon, or stay tuned to That Hashtag Show.