When The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor announced a return there was both excitement and trepidation. The ship’s management selected a new company, 13th Floor, to produce the beloved Halloween Event and, aside from Peggy Magee’s return as The Ringmaster, no one knew how high they should set their expectations. Would 13th Floor be able to raise Dark Harbor from its watery grave one again for all the world to enjoy? The short answer is a resounding “Aye aye captain!”
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is back and just as good as we remembered it, if not better. We get the same wonderful maritime madness developed over a decade by David Wally and Epic Entertainment Group that mixes cheeky scares with the storied vessel’s history with the paranormal. We also get 13th Floor’s penchant for placemaking and their experience with large-scale temporary events. We also get the problems that have plagued this port since it became wildly popular.
This article will give a brief review of each of the mazes and a special seance experience and we will let you know what we consider a DO NOT MISS. We will also give our advice on attending the event and how to possibly avoid the highly publicized pitfalls with parking.
Now onto the fun.
The Event
Once guests enter the gates they are guided through the old seaside village. Fog drifts through the air and the trees seem to close their grip around you as you enter.
Heading to the left, we make our way past the exterior scenes of the BREAKOUT maze and to the iconic fiery entrance to The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor.
Seaside Village
This is the first area that guests see, and is essentially the entrance to the event. Under this canopy of trees, guests are also invited to pick up their one complimentary token that grants access to any one of the bars hidden within each of the mazes. If the line is long at opening you can always come back here later.
Voodoo Bayou
Just beyond the entrance and Seaside Village is Voodoo Bayou. A sort of shielded enclave, this area features a hookah lounge, live performances, and a themed bar. You can also make s’mores here for an additional fee.
Shipyard
Closer to the Queen Mary itself is the industrial-themed Shipyard. Yes, there is a bar, but this is where the large performance stage is. During our visit there was an amazing DJ spinning music and mashups that were pretty awesome.
The Midway
Next to the Shipyard is The Midway. It is here that the terrifying swings from the Neverland Ranch is prominently placed.
Halloween Carnival
The newest area to Dark Harbor is the Halloween Carnival. Here guests can take a ride on the strange double ferris wheel, they can ride The Widow (octopus flat ride) or they can take a spin on a spooky merry-go-round.
Lady Mabel Presents: The Summoning of Samuel – DO NOT MISS
Hidden way at the back end of the ship is the wonderful Lady Mabel Presents: The Summoning of Samuel. This is a 10-minute theatrical experience that features some fun effects and talented performers. To find the show, head to the aft, or tail end of the ship. Look for the arches that point out the Spirits of Dark Harbor bar. Once onboard, make a left down the ramp and enter the Spirits of Dark Harbor bar.
To the left you will see the bar, but you will also see gif shop to the right of the bar. Check-in here to get your ticket into the seance. As of this writing, guests were given either a red or a black group assignment by way of a card. The show lasts 10 minutes and cycles every 20 with a red group for one show and a black group for the next and so on.
Lady Mabel, our medium for the evening.
At showtime we were instructed to sit in a small theatre space of no more than 150 seats. In front of us was a single table and a crystal ball. Lady Mabel addresses the crowd and then begins to call on the infamous, violent resident ghost, Samuel the Savage.
Things go terribly wrong and that is precisely why we waited in line. What ensues is a very theatre of the mind, almost an ‘Alien Encounter’ experience where Samuel has a lot more fun with his new victims than we hoped for.
Go here first and get a group assignment. Then check on the wait times throughout the night. This is a fun little jolt of a show.
MAZES -DO NOT MISS
There are a total of five haunted mazes at Dark Harbor this year. Some are returning themes and remixes and one is entirely new. This is the only haunt in southern California where we can say confidently that every maze is a – DO NOT MISS.
Breakout – DO NOT MISS
Situated near the entrance of Dark Harbor is the impressively massive maze BREAKOUT. At just over 11 minutes long, This maze follows the exploits of Samuel the Savage as he breaks out of a jail, suffers at the hand of religion, makes a break for it through the swamps, and ultimately finds a life on the run.
We start in the rusty jail cells of yore where the path winds here and there. We are plagued by religious figures who look suspiciously like Bonnie Aarons. We traverse an alligator swamp of sorts and we end up fleeing. The maze is impressive and almost consistent in quality. The talent here was wonderful and the sheer size of the attraction had us wondering if we would ever make it out alive.
Feast – DO NOT MISS
Utilizing many of the set pieces from previous years is FEAST. Here a cannibalistic cook aboard the Queen Mary has decided to serve up the ultimate delicacy, you. We get to explore the aft of the ship and take in the smell of low tide while the creepy chef hunts us down.
This one almost missed the Do not Miss status, but was saved by the voracious talent and a few new effects. This team in here is brilliant.
Infirmary – DO NOT MISS
This was the first maze that we experienced at the new Dark Harbor and it totally knocked it out of the park. That said, the storytelling got a bit unhinged and by the time we ended up on the Queen Mary at a party I had been beaten into submission.
Yes, we enter the Queen Mary’s Infirmary and things are not at all right. Soon we are being pursued by patients and are dodging the advances of a nefarious surgeon. This maze featured a collection of impressive show scenes, including a creepy surgery theater, and a story that made so much not-sense that it seemed to make sense. Our takeaway was that the mentally ill and infirm in the Queen Mary suddenly busted into the main decks and joined the Halloween party above.
The point is that this one was a lot of fun.
Lullaby – DO NOT MISS
Wow. The character of Scary Mary gets a very proper homage in the wonderful maze Lullaby. This theme has been done before. Little Mary has drowned in the first class swimming pool aboard the QM and her ghost haunts the halls ever since.
Here though, the creative team puts us in Mary’s shoes. We are pulled into the famous vortex that sits in the first-class changing rooms and in one striking scene we dwell at the bottom of the pool where Mary plays. This one has some wonderfully clever effects that had a few in our group grateful that they actually got a good scare.
Big Top Terror – DO NOT MISS
Big Top Terror is a twisty-turny homage to one of the greatest haunt icons ever created, The Ringmaster. This circus-themed addition to Dark Harbor isn’t the strongest to be had on this fine port, but it succeeds on the graces of a talented cast, a disorienting layout, and a clever design that mixes UV and conventional lighting.
“Do something every day that scares you” is scrawled on one of the walls in this maze and it is pretty much the theme here. Sideshow performers and mischievous clowns taunt and leer. Meanwhile, the circus motif holds tight as we search for the egress. Super fun, silly, and playfully scary.
Tips for a fun Voyage
Two words. PLAN AHEAD. The Queen Mary is a notoriously difficult venue to create an event that is easy and fun. The producers of this celebrated event are the victims of their own success, having created an event that exceeds crucial resources. There IS A WAY to survive the riptide.
Plan your parking first. No question. BUY AHEAD HERE.
Before even setting foot on the dock, go to the Queen Mary Website and get your land legs. From here figure out what is important to you and your crew and choose to pay for it.
ARRIVE EARLY and be patient.
AGAIN, THAT IS…
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is back, thankfully. The mazes are strong, the performers are hitting their collective mark, and it is on you, dear sailor, to navigate before leaving port. If you do, it will be smooth sailing through a sea of relentless terror.
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