Haunt ‘O Ween is back for the first time! Clever wordplay but we meant every sense of it. Haunt ‘O Ween returned this year as an interactive/family-friendly walkthrough experience unlike any other. Last year, they were under heavy pandemic rules and constraints and had to opt for a drive-through experience; which we did not mind at all because it was so wonderful. In 2021, they were able to do a walkthrough of this “Halloween Town” and the experience was indeed a grand one.
The Experiential Supply Co. experience
started off in front of these large black gates that are swung open with a grand marquee on top that read: “Welcome to Haunt ‘O Ween LA” The experience contains different areas of this Town of Haunt ‘O Ween. We’ll explore each individual zone below.
HAUNT ‘O WEEN ZONES
Funnybones Graveyard featured dancing skeletons and featured live actors that brought the scene to life. It gave it a very Louisianan feel especially with the graveyard. As horror geeks and fanatics; it’s obligatory to read every name on every tombstone/gravemarker. To no surprise, we recognized the majority of them and what show they were from. It was a nice way to pay homage to well loved characters and the people behind certain films.
Malibu Wines Garden (switched with Illumination Realm on map) featured a saloon and a western town facade. However, the saloon is sponsored by Malibu Wines & Beer Garden and only serves beer and wine. Nonetheless, it boasted an impressive facade and was one where we can sit in front and just enjoy the scenery. Face painting and restrooms could also be found here.
The Forgotten Carnival was where we and I imagine most of the citizens of Haunt ‘O Ween spent most of their time. Contrary to the name, this carnival was definitely not forgettable. There are juggling acts, there are performers, people on stilts, a ringmaster, photo-ops, a couple rides, carnival games that are free with prizes, basically lots to do and see here.
Illumination Realm contained a couple of hay mazes, 2 separate illuminated tunnels for walking through or for a photo op. The entire area actually contained bales of hay. In this zone is where you’ll find the pumpkin carvers. For the little kids, there is a fun hay maze if you enter from the left entrance and just keep heading towards that direction. For the grown kids, if you turn right; it's a short but tall hay maze to the illumination tunnel. Of course, one may always feel the urge to feel like a little kid and hit the shorter (in height) hay mazes on the left.
Town Of Halloween was probably the highlight of the night and the event for most folks. In this town, it seemed that Halloween lasted forever. Each house we visited offered candy no matter the age of the trick-or-treater. As we walked from door to door, we trick-or-treated from each jovial resident and enjoyed looking at the architecture of their little homes. It turned out, these were oversized haunted houses sponsored by KiwiCo which produces innovative learning tools such as little haunted houses for one. The statue of the mayor of Haunt ‘O Ween can be seen in the courtyard/town square area. It is a notable mention that you will pass through a facade and photo op of the Addams Family mansion, a 50 feet tall vignette of The Addams Family 2 mansion before entering the Town of Haunt ‘O Ween.
The Pumpkin Patch offered a large area for dining and pumpkin painting. It is here that you will also find a hot food vendor and more alcohol. We suggest hitting the food stand first if you are famished because with one food vendor, the food can take a while. What was also cool about this area was the pyramid of hay that is topped with a small boat with the Haunt ‘O Ween flag. This pyramid was definitely climbable and a great photo spot but just be careful because you are standing on hay at the end of the day.
HAUNT ‘O WEEN CONCLUSION
In Conclusion, aside from having an exorbitant amount of eye candy and opportunities for Kodak moments and Instagram posts; Haunt ‘O Ween LA does make it a memorable experience for you without the need of a camera. If you truly are here just for photo-ops or even a family portrait, Happy Dad seltzer and Umami burger set up a living room photo booth. When we think of a “Halloween Walk-Through” or an interactive experience, we often think of a scary haunt or some type of creepy immersive theatre show. Haunt ‘O Ween does not offer that but it does offer an unforgettable Halloween experience with its interactions, activities, and visual and audio stimulation. Though it is a timed-entry event, there is no cap on how long you can stay. A logistical tip, the food vendor C3, is located at the end in the pumpkin patch. We were just glad to be able to witness this version of Haunt ‘O Ween compared to last year’s drive through . Perhaps, this was how Haunt ‘O Ween was intended; just the sheer magic of a small town with 35,000 pumpkins. Don’t forget to bring a bag for the candy. There is no “Halloween Town” in California, but Haunt ‘O Ween is darn close to it! Happy Haunt ‘O Ween.
(Click on Image for Photo-Journal)
https://socalhauntoween.com/
