DisneyDustin22
05-07-2004, 02:05 PM
Just got back from checking out the new Van Helsing Haunted Attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. Spoilers below, you have been warned.
Almost all of this attraction is the same of the old mummy haunted maze, it just has a new overlay, however there are some new things to keep you interested, like adding a whole nother level to the attraction so instead of 2 levels its 3. adding about an extra 5-6 min inside. a real time buster. it took me a good 10min to walk through.
The attraction starts out with the usual lobby que holding props from the film. Unlike the Mummy que, this one feels more appropriate. There are the traditional props but a unique feature I found is art prints on the walls of the various characters from the movie. Also, a sound loop with a narrator warning you to "get out before its too late" along with some other narration replaces that annoying mummy sountrack that was played in the old attraction, this builds some suspense before you enter.
You enter the same was the mummy did and the first half of the maze is virtually exact as it was in the mummy. same layout and same scare points. only difference is all new props and sets. as you wind your way through and come to the first set of stairs, an animatronic dracula voices some dialgoue, though hard to hear over the screaming of teenagers, plus you cant really stop to watch as you are being directed upstairs. once in the upper level, the layout is still the same, still just new props and sets, then you come to the bridge room which is pre-empted by some nifty strobe effects hinting you are going into Frankensteins lab. Once inside, you find yourself on a catwalk high above the lab. Some VERY unique set design at this point as props reach from the floor up past the catwalk. A good 3 stories high. Traditional AA's jump up on the cat walk and spook you. A plus is you can look down into the lab, which is the last half of the maze and see guest being spooked by "little people" blending in with the scenery. Only downside to this, you now know where the scares are for you. A real dissapointment.
After going over the catwalk you come across another room with some nifty jumps in there. From here you navagate through a very very tricky mirror maze. This is where the crowd starts to back up. Its virtually black and very hard to navigate if its your first time. Then down a second set of stairs into the basement of the building. Winding through some unused space, youre now in the lab where you were looking down earlier. Again, another good look at some great set design and prop use. You have a better perspective of how big this room is from the floor. Little people jump at you and you walk by frankensteins monster and into another set of dark hallways. From here, you enter the finale room which is quite dissapointing, same as the mummy had with the annubis statutes, only this time its the Wolfman. This ending can be pretty good if the right "scare actor" is working. When I went through, it seemed the guy didnt care about his job and was just waving his arms. But the effect is he is supposed to come within "biting distance". From here, youre already at ground level, no more stairs, and youre done.
All in all. Its just another thing to do in the park now. Nothign special. if youre a fan of set design and props, you might enjoy just gazing at everything. The scares are all the same, nothing new in that department. The overall size is immense. However, there is a LOT of unused space. by that I mean, there are lots of times when you are just walking down dark hallways, no scares or props, just a hallway. So they could have utilized it more in that department. Otherwise, I give it a B-. Take it as something to do when youre walking around saying, "thats all there is to do here?" Now you have 1 more thing! :D Enjoy!
Almost all of this attraction is the same of the old mummy haunted maze, it just has a new overlay, however there are some new things to keep you interested, like adding a whole nother level to the attraction so instead of 2 levels its 3. adding about an extra 5-6 min inside. a real time buster. it took me a good 10min to walk through.
The attraction starts out with the usual lobby que holding props from the film. Unlike the Mummy que, this one feels more appropriate. There are the traditional props but a unique feature I found is art prints on the walls of the various characters from the movie. Also, a sound loop with a narrator warning you to "get out before its too late" along with some other narration replaces that annoying mummy sountrack that was played in the old attraction, this builds some suspense before you enter.
You enter the same was the mummy did and the first half of the maze is virtually exact as it was in the mummy. same layout and same scare points. only difference is all new props and sets. as you wind your way through and come to the first set of stairs, an animatronic dracula voices some dialgoue, though hard to hear over the screaming of teenagers, plus you cant really stop to watch as you are being directed upstairs. once in the upper level, the layout is still the same, still just new props and sets, then you come to the bridge room which is pre-empted by some nifty strobe effects hinting you are going into Frankensteins lab. Once inside, you find yourself on a catwalk high above the lab. Some VERY unique set design at this point as props reach from the floor up past the catwalk. A good 3 stories high. Traditional AA's jump up on the cat walk and spook you. A plus is you can look down into the lab, which is the last half of the maze and see guest being spooked by "little people" blending in with the scenery. Only downside to this, you now know where the scares are for you. A real dissapointment.
After going over the catwalk you come across another room with some nifty jumps in there. From here you navagate through a very very tricky mirror maze. This is where the crowd starts to back up. Its virtually black and very hard to navigate if its your first time. Then down a second set of stairs into the basement of the building. Winding through some unused space, youre now in the lab where you were looking down earlier. Again, another good look at some great set design and prop use. You have a better perspective of how big this room is from the floor. Little people jump at you and you walk by frankensteins monster and into another set of dark hallways. From here, you enter the finale room which is quite dissapointing, same as the mummy had with the annubis statutes, only this time its the Wolfman. This ending can be pretty good if the right "scare actor" is working. When I went through, it seemed the guy didnt care about his job and was just waving his arms. But the effect is he is supposed to come within "biting distance". From here, youre already at ground level, no more stairs, and youre done.
All in all. Its just another thing to do in the park now. Nothign special. if youre a fan of set design and props, you might enjoy just gazing at everything. The scares are all the same, nothing new in that department. The overall size is immense. However, there is a LOT of unused space. by that I mean, there are lots of times when you are just walking down dark hallways, no scares or props, just a hallway. So they could have utilized it more in that department. Otherwise, I give it a B-. Take it as something to do when youre walking around saying, "thats all there is to do here?" Now you have 1 more thing! :D Enjoy!