Eric M. Davis : crowds

Behind-the-screams at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights

Eric M. Davis — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT

This may seem like kind of an odd question, but ...

Have you ever been to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights ? If so, have you ever found yourself stumbling through one of their mazes? And as some performer jumps out of a darkened corner and scares the living cr*p out of you, have you ever thought: Who would take a job like this?

Well, meet Matt.

Matt works here at Orlando Fun Tickets. And for the last two years, he's been one of the scare-actors at this seasonal event. A job (that I might add) that Matt enjoys very much.

As to how he got this gig ...

"I went to the auditions that Universal Orlando holds annually for that resort's Halloween Horror Nights. These typically start in July and run through the end of September.

Copyright Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved

The process itself is pretty simple. They look at actors in groups of 5, making note of your size, shape and sex. At that time, you're quizzed about why you want to work at Halloween Horror Nights. They ask you what your favorite horror film is. More importantly, why that's your favorite horror film.

Which -- I know -- seems like kind of a weird question. But the reason that Universal does that is they're trying to get a sense of the type of performer you are. The role you might potentially fit.

You then might be asked to demonstrate a scare tactic. Or be asked to remove your shirt and show off your physique. Because -- after all -- this is an audition. And they want to know if you look right for the part that they're trying to cast."

Matt must have impressed the folks at Universal. For he found himself cast in one of the "starring roles" for Halloween Horror Nights 17. You see, Matt played Leatherface from the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies.

"Actually, I was one of the scare-actors who played Leatherface. Leatherface 13, to be precise. Last year, there were 24 performers who played this chainsaw-wielding maniac in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds' maze.

Copyright Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved

Why so many? Well, you have to understand that there were multiple Leatherfaces in that maze. More to the point, that each of these performance positions in the maze was doubled. That way, you could perform a 45 minute set, then go take a break while another Leatherface stepped in and filled your position."

And when it comes to portraying a horror icon like Leatherface, Universal expected a lot of its scare-actors.

"We were actually asked to watch the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' movies so that we could learn the character's mannerisms. There were also strict rules about how & where Leatherface could be seen in the park. Given that this character is one of the true stars of the horror realm, they never wanted to give the Guests the impression that there was ever more than one Leatherface. So while you were in costume and moving through the park, you had to wear these hooded robes. So that no one would know who you were until you were backstage and in position."

But it wasn't just the characters that Universal was protective of. During the 23 dates that Halloween Horror Nights is presented this year, the theme park also stresses safety both for its guests as well as this event's performers.

"They kept drilling into our heads to 'Scare but Be Aware.' To always be aware of our surroundings. And it's not just for the guests' sake. Sometimes when people get frightened, they'll react instinctively and lash out at you, actually try & hit you. And if you maintain a proper distance between you and the guests ... Well, it's safer for everybody."

Copyright Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved

Beyond that, if you can look past all of the horrific details -- the scary make-up, sound effects and smells -- working at Halloween Horror Nights is just like any acting job. Sort of.

"We have two nights of rehearsals before the event actually begins. The first night, we're just in costume and no make-up. And that night is actually kind of fun because the people who are going through your maze are performers from all of the other haunted houses in the park.

That's when you learn how to deal with all of the technical issues involved with the operation of your maze. How to quickly switch from A cast to B cast so that those change-outs every 45 minutes don't interrupt guest flow through your house."

Speaking of the guests ... Matt was always surprised at how people would react when confronted by a horror icon like Leatherface.

"When we closed up for the night, we'd often find shoes or pieces of clothing inside of our maze. Which meant that people were so frightened by what they saw that they'd literally jump out of their clothes. Or that they were moving so fast in an effort to get away that they'd leave things behind.

Copyright Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved

But then there were the guests who -- when they got frightened -- would just stop in their tracks and/or ball up in a corner and wouldn't leave. We'd sometimes have to get a member of our backstage crew to come in and help clear a guest who reacted like that out of a scene."

Mind you, it wasn't just the guests who'd freak out when they'd come face-to-face with Leatherface. Matt often got some interesting reactions from Universal cast members as he wandered around backstage in costume.

"I'd have the mask off. I'd actually be carrying it in my hand. But as I walked back to the break room to get a drink or a snack, I was still in costume. I was still wearing Leatherface's trademark apron. And the people who were working Food & Beverage who were walking back into the park would see me coming and then cross over to the other side of the street."

It was these sorts of stories that Matt and his fellow scare-actors would share after a long night of frightening tourists. They'd gather together at the Orlando Ale House and then decompress, compare notes on what the crowds had been like that night.

"Like on Halloween night. I thought for sure that that would be our busiest night ever. But it was actually pretty quiet. I guess only the true hardcore fans come out to Universal on Halloween night."

Speaking of which ... Where does Matt fall when it comes to being scared? Is he more of a hardcore fan or something of a wimp? By Matt's own admission ...

Copyright Universal Orlando. All Rights Reserved

"Universal has this one scare zone at this year's Halloween Horror Nights -- The Skoolhouse -- that's so scary that I almost burst into tears walking through the thing. That one was really, really intense."

And when you can almost make Leatherface cry ... Well, that must be one very scary maze.

Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights will be presented 23 times this year, now through November 1st. For further information on this year's event, please follow this link.

And if you're looking to score some tickets to this year's Halloween Horror Nights, why don't you drop by Orlando Fun Tickets? Our offices are located less than 2 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort, 2 lights west of I-4 at 8472 Palm Parkway. Their office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For further information, please call 866-225-4712 and/or check out the official Orlando Fun Tickets website.

Share this Article email it! | del.ici.ous! | digg it! | reddit!

Subscribe in a reader (RSS)

Do you ever wonder what became of Splendid China Florida?

Eric M. Davis — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT

What with Pleasure Island closing this weekend, I've been getting nostalgic for some of the other attractions that Central Florida lost over the years. With perhaps the most bizarre being Splendid China.

I don't know how many of you ever got the chance to visit this 76-acre theme park during the 10 years that it was in operation. But Splendid China Florida truly was something worth seeing. This $100 million attraction featured 60 recreations of famous Chinese landmarks, among the Great Wall of China.

It took two years to build this theme park, with 120 artisans laboring to make sure that Splendid China Florida was authentic in every way. Which -- in the case of the park's quarter mile long replica of the Great Wall -- meant that 6.5 million miniature bricks that were used to build this Wall had to be laid by hand.

Splendid China Florida opened with great fanfare in December of 1993. And given how close their theme park was to World Drive (i.e. Walt Disney World's main entrance road), SCF investors thought that Orlando's newest attraction was sure to be a hit with both tourists & locals.

Alas it wasn't meant to be. Though the people who did visit Splendid China Florida marveled at the obvious care & craft that had gone into the creation of the place, they were also puzzled by this theme park's lack of traditional rides, shows and attraction. And once word got out that SCF was beautiful but boring ... That's pretty much all she wrote.

Splendid China Florida limped along for ten years before its owners finally threw in the towel in December of 2003. The contents of this theme park were auctioned off back in December of 2004. And since that time, the property has basically been abandoned.

But ever since then, I've heard stories from friends who have actually visited what's left of Splendid China Florida. And from what they told me, there was a surprising amount of stuff still standing within the walls of that park.

So one recent Saturday, I decided to go see for myself. I drove over to Splendid China Florida and -- at the entrance of this now-defunct theme park -- I encountered a very sympathetic security guard. Who -- after hearing my extended explanation about how I just wanted to experience Splendid China one more time, and how I promised not to disturb anything -- let me into the park. But only after saying "Okay. But I didn't see you and you didn't see me."

And once I got inside the gates ... I have to admit that I was stunned by what I saw. Nature is rapidly reclaiming the land that Splendid China Florida was built on. So there were weeds everywhere. But if you can look past all of this overgrowth, you can see that a lot of this theme park is still intact.

Oh, sure. A good portion of the park's miniature recreations of famous Chinese landmarks were sold off at auction. But the truly huge pieces -- the ones that were too heavy to carry -- are still here. The Stone Forest, for example ...

... was still intact. As was that not-so-miniature recreation of Potala Place.

But -- that said -- it was still rather depressing to see this theme park's elaborate recreations of famous Chinese landmarks (Like SCF's beautiful miniature version of the Forbidden City) ...

... reduced to rubble and strewn with trash.

But then again, nothing lasts forever. Even the real Great Wall of China is in need of repair these days. Which is why it (sort of) seemed okay to stroll the length of the miniature recreation of this Wonder of the World the day that I visited Splendid China.

Now remember, folks. This Central Florida theme park is no longer open to the public.

I only got to tour Splendid China Florida because I was in the right place at the right time.

Given the general conditions of the grounds ...

... I can understand why Security shoos most visitors away.

But given that so many JHM readers seem to be concerned about what's happening to Pleasure Island this week, I thought that it was important to remind you guys that WDW's nighttime entertainment district isn't only thing that we've lost over the past few years. That not that long ago, there was this neat little place in Kissimmee called Splendid China.

And speaking of neat little places in the Kissimmee area ... Orlando Fun Tickets is located less than 2 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort, 2 lights west of I-4 at 8472 Palm Parkway. Their office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For further information, please call 866-225-4712 and/or check out the official Orlando Fun Tickets website.

Share this Article email it! | del.ici.ous! | digg it! | reddit!

Subscribe in a reader (RSS)

How does Aquatica stack up against Central Florida's other waterparks ?

Eric M. Davis — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:00:00 GMT

You'll have to forgive any typos that you find in this month's OFT column. You see, I've been to Aquatica 2 1/2 times over the past month. And -- to be honest -- my fingers are still kind of pruney.

But after a month of soft openings, SeaWorld Orlando's waterpark has its official grand opening this past Friday. And -- to date -- the only real complaint that I've heard about Aquatica has to do with that park's capacity.

Now I know that this is going to sound kind of strange. Particularly given that Aquatica is a 59-acre waterpark with more than 80,000 square feet of beach. But this waterpark really can't handle more than 7,000 guests at any one time.

Aquatica's entrance sets the tone for the entire park.
Which entertains but doesn't overwhelm.
Photo courtesy of Denise Preskitt of MouseSteps.com

Mind you, that was a deliberate choice on the Busch Entertainment Group's part. They wanted Aquatica to be a much more intimate & luxurious experience for SeaWorld Orlando visitors. Which (they hoped) would help set their waterpark apart from all the others in the Orlando area.

The downside of this is that -- according to what SeaWorld insiders have told me -- Aquatica typically fills to capacity by 11:30 a.m. Which is why -- if you really want to experience Orlando's newest waterpark during your next Central Florida vacation -- you need to be entering Aquatica no later than 11 a.m.

The upside of arriving by 11 is that you'll be just in time for lunch. Which would be an excellent time to sample Aquatica's three restaurants: the Beach Coconut Cookout, Mango Market and the WaterStone Grill. These onsite eateries offer a much wider variety of foods & beverages then you'll typically find at a waterpark.

But that was the Busch Entertainment Group's goal all along. To create a different sort of waterpark. Which explains the bigger chair-to-guest ratio that you'll find at this new SeaWorld Orlando facility. Not to mention those 18 private cabanas that are available for rental inside the park. You can really live the lush life when you spend the day at Aquatica ... If you'd like.

Okay. This isn't to say that SeaWorld Orlando's new waterpark is completely flawless. Take -- for example -- Aquatica's highly touted Dolphin Plunge. Where you're supposed to get this great view of some Commerson's dolphins as you slide through a clear acrylic tube. Well, it took me three separate trips down Dolphin Plunge before I finally learned which angle I needed to keep my head at (More importantly, when to keep my eyes open) before I finally got to see those dolphins.

You see? There really are some Commerson's dolphins in that pool.
Photo courtesy of Denise Preskitt of MouseSteps.com

But that quibble aside, I have to admit that I've really enjoyed the days that I've spent at Aquatica so far. And after chatting with other friends who work in the hospitality industry down here, I'd have to say that SeaWorld Orlando's latest addition is quickly becoming the preferred waterpark of young professionals in the Orlando area.

"But where does that put Central Florida's other waterparks?," you ask. Well, Wet 'n' Wild ... I'd have to say that that's the waterpark in town that has true teen appeal. This International Drive mainstay -- with its assortment of speed tubes as well as its cable-operated knee-boarding & wake-boarding WakeZone area -- goes over big with the high school crowd.

Whereas Blizzard Beach over at Walt Disney World ... That's the waterpark that (I think, anyway) appeals most to tweens. I don't know if it's BB's silly backstory (i.e. The place is supposed to be Central Florida's first ski resort) or the park's goofy mascot (i.e. Ice Gator) or just the fact that there's a miniature golf course right next door (i.e. Disney's Winter Summerland). But 9 to 14 year-olds just can't seem to get enough of Blizzard Beach.

As for Typhoon Lagoon ... I think that this WDW favorite (Which celebrates its 20th anniversary next June) is the area's best waterpark for families. With that huge wave pool at the very heart of the park (Which -- FYI -- is still the largest one in the U.S.) as well as its elaborate theming, Typhoon Lagoon is still a great place for you, the wife and kids to go cool off. Particularly since that they've added those Crush 'n' Gusher water coasters to TL's Hideaway Bay section.

But if you're looking for a more intimate & upscale waterpark experience while you're vacationing in Orlando ... I'm thinking that Aquatica is the way you ought to goo ... gop ... go ...

(Sorry about that. Dang pruney fingers.)

Orlando Fun Tickets is located less than 2 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort, 2 lights west of I-4 at 8472 Palm Parkway. Their office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For further information, please call 866-225-4712 and/or check out the official Orlando Fun Tickets website.

And if you've like to see even more great shots of Aquatica (like the one below), go check out Denise Preskitt's photos of SeaWorld Orlando's new waterpark at MouseSteps.com

(L to R) Heather, Eric and Aaron doing their "High School Musical" poster impression.
Photo courtesy of Denise Preskitt of MouseSteps.com

Share this Article email it! | del.ici.ous! | digg it! | reddit!

Subscribe in a reader (RSS)

Patience and maintaining a proper attitude are the real keys to enjoying New Year's Eve at a Disney theme park

Eric M. Davis — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Thinking about spending New Year's Eve at a Disney theme park? Then stop thinking and start moving.

Trust me, folks. December 31st is not a day to dawdle, particularly if you plan on spending New Year's Eve inside of a Disney theme park. The key to having a fun time at this guaranteed-to-be-crowded event is arrive early. So get in the car NOW!

And whatever you do, don't plan on park-hopping today. Should you suddenly decide to change locations (Like -- say -- moving from EPCOT over to the Magic Kingdom), you may step off the monorail and then -- due to a capacity-related closure -- find yourself unable to gain entrance to that new theme park.

It's better to be safe than sorry. So decide in advance which fireworks extravaganza you want to see tonight. Then head straight for that park and stay put.

Photo by Jeff Lange

But before you head out the door, be sure and toss a few bottles of water & some nibblies into a bag. Given the huge numbers of people that you'll encounter in the park today, you can plan on there being lines at virtually every food service location. So if you pack a few snacks ... Well, that's one less line that you have to stand in.

Okay. I know. So far, this article has only touched on the more negative aspects of spending New Year's Eve at a Disney theme park. The crowds, the lines, etc. But truth be told, this can be an incredibly fun event. Provided -- of course -- that you go into the park with the proper attitude.

First and foremost, you have to plan on being patient today. And please be aware that you're not going to be able to get on all that many rides.

But that said, you're never ever to forget what it was like to be an individual amid that huge sea of people. To be one of the 80,000-plus people who are expected to be standing around World Showcase Lagoon tonight as "Illuminations" brings 2008 in with a bang.

Photo by Jeff Lange

Speaking of EPCOT ... If you want to see a particularly spectacular fireworks display tonight, stake out a spot along the World Showcase Lagoon that gives you a clear view of Morocco. That way ... Well, you'll not only able to see the Holiday version of "Illuminations" but you'll also be able to see the fireworks display over at Disney-MGM.

Mind you, once the show is over, it's going to take quite a while for those 80,000 people to clear out of the park. So rather than rushing back to your car, why not grab a bench and do some people-watching? After all, no matter what you do, it's still mostly likely going to be 2 a.m. before you're finally on the road headed for home.

Which -- I know -- sounds negative. I really don't mean it to be. Please keep in mind that -- for most people -- attending a New Year's Eve celebration at a Disney theme park is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So if you wind up getting home late late late tomorrow night and/or early early early tomorrow morning, big deal. You'll still have a great story to tell your friends & family about how you braved the crowds and rang in the New Year with Mickey.

One final tip: Resist the urge to dress up. Given all the walking that you're going to be doing tonight, the most important part of your wardrobe will be your shoes. So be sure and put on a sturdy, comfortable pair before you leave the house today.

Photo by Jeff Lange

Speaking of which ... Time's a-wasting. So if you really want to do New Year's, Disney style, get in the car NOW and head out for the parks. You can thank me later.

Mind you, if one of your New Year's resolutions is to be wiser about the way you spend your money ... Well, you may want to check out Orlando Fun Ticket's latest offer. Which gets you a 4 Day "Magic Your Way" ticket with a 5th day for free.

Orlando Fun Tickets is located less than 2 miles from the Walt Disney World Resort, 2 lights west of I-4 at 8472 Palm Parkway. Their office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For further information, please call 866-225-4712 and/or check out the official Orlando Fun Tickets website.

Share this Article email it! | del.ici.ous! | digg it! | reddit!

Subscribe in a reader (RSS)