Welcome back to our new feature focusing on “only in NYC” experiences. This fun-filled column will uncover some of the most unique and epic family destinations in and around New York City. Strap on your safety belts, grip those handlebars and come along for the ride!
Six Flags Great Adventure is our family’s favorite theme park. We’re season pass holders and we go several times a year for our fix of adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, thrilling attractions and family entertainment. Usually less than a 90-minute drive from New York City, Six Flags Great Adventure is an easy day trip.
Felling ready to conquer our biggest fears and with my son finally at a more “mature” age (11 years old), we decided to journey at dusk to immerse ourselves in Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest 2019. As the sun set over the hills of Jackson, N.J., our favorite theme park became the scariest place on the planet. Around 6 p.m., hundreds of Six Flags performers wearing professional make-up and costumes disguised as demons, ghouls, zombies, frightening clowns and freaky beasts flooded the entire theme park.
In a span of two hours, we navigated through eight different haunted mazes — indoor and outdoor — and were living in a nightmare and loving every minute of it. We dodged through fog zones, disorienting lights, frightful scenes and sometimes were being chased by zombies armed with real chainsaws (without the chains). Everything felt so real – you could smell the gasoline emanating from the chainsaws!
There’s something for everyone at this massive Halloween fright night. Along with the mazes, there are performances, photo ops and also all of the everyday rides. Beware: A “Haunted Maze Pass” (extra fees apply) is required to meander the eight, spooky labyrinths. Our favorite indoor maze was “Reflections of the Dead,” a mysterious and memorable hall of mirrors where we came face to face with some ghastly zombies at every turn, there one minute, and gone the next. After our escape, we decided we loved this unique maze so much we had to go a second time.
If you only have time for one maze, we highly recommend “The Wicked Woods.” Set in a dense, dark, and remote section of the amusement park, this particular attraction is sure to give you hair-raising chills. Evil creatures lurk behind trees, oak barrels, and abandoned cars then jump out at you when you least expect it. The heavy fog in the woods made it nearly impossible to see what’s directly in front of you so this unique experience took lots of courage for all of us. There’s definitely a reason why the suggested age for the mazes are 12 and up!
Overall, we had an incredible experience at Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest and can’t wait to add it to our annual family traditions.
Six Flags Fright Fest has a limited engagement so make sure to visit before it disappears on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019.
Disclosure: We received a complimentary “Haunted Maze Pass” and admission to facilitate this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are genuine.
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