| SPRINGBORO HAUNTED HAYRIDE:
The Hayride begins in a scarecrow infested cornfield that gives
rise a few sudden attacks by the glowing, red-eyed cornstalkers before
exiting into a wide open field and an immediate confrontation with The
Headless Horseman, who appears out of the shadows, quickly riding up
behind and along side the wagon, lunging and grabbing at terrified passengers
afraid for their lives! Eluding Ichabod Crane's Legend
of Sleepy Hollow
nemesis delivers the ride into B.D.'s junkyard, which
suddenly bursts into flames as monsters begin to pursue from both sides!
Soon thereafter, the first of several motorized chases thunders onto the
scene from the rear - a hearse-like truck with emergency lights flashing,
and fire belching out of the stacks from its powerful engine as it loudly
revs up beside the tractor pulled Hayride. Driven by fiendish
looking ghouls, the vehicle crowds its way closer and closer revealing
a hidden, chainsaw carrying passenger that unexpectedly leaps from the
back of the "pick-up" and onto the wagon threatening everyone on board!
Outlasting the pursuit lands the carriage smack dab in the middle of machine
gun crossfire that leads to a run-in with wicked witches brewing something
or someONE in their flaming cauldron; then a a gallows where people are
hanged, and their executioners turn their axes and attention toward YOU!
Brace yourselves for another vehicular assault in advance of a drive-in
movie presentation of the horror flick Psycho that accompanies another
conflict with frenzied lunatics armed with a variety of deadly weapons.
On the horizon lies a demented ER where crazed, bloody doctors choose chainsaws
as surgical instruments, then a blitzkrieg attack unleashed by a villainous
truck that's followed by another installment of climb aboard assaults.
Still to come is a duel with creepy clowns that witnesses one of the jokesters
grabbing onto the wagon, and being dragged along until he loses his grip
permitting our escape. A family of horrendous hillbillies lies in
wait, as does a relentless battle with a farmhand driven combine, an evil
cemetery ceremony where a body is tossed off a platform onto the ground,
and a close call courtesy of the (s)hell gas station that yields to a customary
chainsaw chase-out of The Springboro Haunted Hayride.
Analysis:
LENGTH - 9, 18½ minutes.
ACTORS - 9, Motorized assault drivers are quite intense,
and Headless Horseman is awesome as always. Remainder of cast shows
a great deal of improvement in comparison to last year, as they are more
aggressive in nature and deliver meaningful dialogue. Total Characters
= 43.
SCARINESS - 9, There's never a dull moment on this action
packed adventure that's highlighted by several motorized scares,
and the best Headless Horseman you'll see anywhere. Dead spots
(the downfall of many outdoor attractions) are covered by the surplus of
pursuits, and monsters engaging and boarding the wagon. Better acting
this season has resulted in a more frightening experience.
DESIGN - 9, Multiple motorized chases and an ultimate
confrontation with The Headless Horseman deliver authentic scares.
Crossing the creek several times amplifies the legitimacy of the environment.
Tractor drove a bit faster than usual which cut the overall time down from
25 minutes a season ago, and finishing chase remains a bit uninspiring
in comparison to the frenzied send off present just a couple of years back.
PROPS - 8½, Mostly attributable to the vast array
of actual vehicles that relentlessly terrorize the hay wagon. Use
of fire is likewise an authenticating factor. Turning combine
blades
would add to the authenticity of that particular chase.
VALUE - 9½, No price increase for 2011!
The combo ticket remains the best bargain as it also includes admission
to The Black Bog which gets better every year!
RATING: 9, Now celebrating its 22nd season,
this tractor drawn terror is annually, the best Hayride around! |
| THE BLACK BOG: An
old, mysterious elevator hides an unexpected surprise as it beckons visitors
inside, then thrashes wildly about as its lights flicker off and on, before
eventually arriving at its destination - the "Hell" that's better
known as The Black Bog. This year's expedition
continues into an impressive "underground" cavern that houses a couple
of attacks from a pair of excavating miners, and exits out onto the fog-thickened
trail. Many legitimate structures have appeared on the terrain over
the past few years including a demented barber shop, but instead of receiving
haircuts, customers suffer the misfortune of being completely scalped,
and having their severed craniums proudly placed on display! Werewolves
inhabit the adjacent woods where an old school bus has broken down blocking
the path, and forcing hikers to actually board and pass through in order
to continue on. An unexpected threat lurks in the darkness as the
course exits back to the outdoors and into a spooky looking building that
leads first to a confrontation with a wickedly speaking creeper armed
with a sickle and promising death; then to a panic-stricken about to be
victim fleeing for her life due to some unknown terror that soon reveals
itself to be Michael Myers! The heartless slasher grabs the
innocent girl, brutally throwing her up against the wall, and stabbing
her to death right before your very eyes, then turns his attention directly
towards YOU! The course next progresses as a crawl space through
an actual hearse, then into the clutches of a Pig-faced villain that resides
in a tombstone filled cemetery. Sounds of chainsaws can be
heard off in the distance, but there's no way to avoid that ultimate destiny
as The Graveyard Grill serving body parts only prolongs the inevitable!
An area of radioactive barrels provides a brief respite that soon yields
to a boiler room confrontation with Freddy Krueger in advance of
brief clown engagement. A spinning vortex is on the horizon,
as is a demented collection of stuffed rabbits complete with an overgrown
bunny surprise just prior to the buzzing conclusion of
The Bull
Run Farm Black Bog.
Analysis:
LENGTH - 9, 21 minutes.
ACTORS - 9, Much improved in comparison to last season
with great dialogue throughout! Creeper is most memorable
due to his intimidating face to face confrontation as well as the way he
speaks. Elevator attendant has stepped it up too. Costuming and make-up
are impressive, and most characters are armed with some sort of noise making
weapon which further accents intensity and believability. Total Characters
= 47 (up from 29 in 2010)!
SCARINESS - 9, Fog density has increased making The
Bog a most impressive sight to behold. Authenticity of the structures
weighs heavily in its favor especially with a larger, more intense cast
of inhabitants. Sounds are a bit too quiet through much of the experience,
relegated to crickets creaking and blowing wind and piercing the stillness
of the night air, which is somewhat intimidating unto itself. Cavern
is silent as well.
DESIGN - 9, The Bog has come a long way since
its inception mainly due to the construction of legitimate structures.
Duration is good, and direction of the course is never in doubt.
Little has changed this season from a design standpoint, and the main drawback
comes from the inclusion of scenes that just don't seem to fit in with
the ghost town-like theme that's being portrayed. Examples of which
are polka dot room, stuffed animal room, and to a lesser degree Myers
and
Freddy.
They're all interesting scenes, but questionable for
The Bog.
PROPS - 8½, Scenes are adequately decorated, but
the buildings themselves still attract the majority of attention.
Need some high impact mechanical surprises to up the score.
VALUE - 9, No price increase this season for The Bog
or
combo ticket, and this is the strongest Bog presentation to
date!
RATING: 9, The Black Bog is
a unique because of its structures and setting. It continues to improve
with age, and the quality of acting this season has raised it to the next
level earning it the highest rating it has ever achieved! The combo
ticket is definitely the way to go when visiting the ever-popular Hayride! |
