Los Angeles Haunted Hayride 2011

Ah, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. It may only be in its third year of existence, but the LAHH is easily one of my top 5 favorite Halloween activities. Back in 2009, the Hayride took place at a rather secluded ranch in Calabasas, and it had a deliciously Ray Bradbury-esque carnival-gone-weird vibe unlike anything else I had ever experienced at a commercial haunt. Last year, the Hayride was relocated to the old abandoned zoo in Griffith Park, a more easily accessible location for most of L.A., but one that was a little lacking in the original's rustic charm. While I still enjoyed myself in 2010, I did feel like the Hayride was too brief and the Hey! Maze (as it was then known) left much to be desired. Luckily, the LAHH is back and even better for 2011.


When I entered the Hayride grounds this year, the first thing I noticed was that the "haunted carnival" aspect had been scaled way back. In fact, it had been pared down to just a handful of booths: A food vendor selling cleverly-named refreshments (including candy apples, popcorn, hot dogs & other "fair food"), a fortune-teller, and a "gift shop" tent. There was also a sideshow and a couple of rides/attractions - a house of mirrors and the adorably macabre "scary-go-round."



One nice change this year is that you can walk through the house of mirrors or take a (backwards) spin on the scary-go-round at no additional charge, whereas in '09 and '10 you had to spring for tickets. Even though the carnival has been downsized for 2011, it still has that same magical autumn vibe that I love so much, and that sets the LAHH apart from its peers in the haunt world.


While we were waiting to board the ride, a number of characters in full costume came out to taunt the crowd, including some sort of black-feathered bird creature on stilts and the unfortunate bride pictured above (it's hard to tell in the picture, but that's actually a bloody fetus protruding from her belly). I loved how inventive the characters were - another unique aspect of the LAHH is that the actors seem to be given far more creative reign, and that makes for a more exciting, unpredictable and genuinely haunting experience.

The Hayride itself was not unlike its predecessors; those of you who went last year or the year before will recognize many favorite set pieces, including the "Angel of Death," the "I Scream Man" and the clown tent. There were also a few new pieces, including a creepy Christmas scene and - my favorite - three robotic masked farmers promising to "make you barbecue" as they inch closer and closer to the captive riders. And yes, the ride was longer than last year's - about 25 minutes total.

Another way in which the Hayride has improved over last year: The maze! It's actually fun and scary this year! Now dubbed "the In-Between" and included in the price of general admission, this maze is unique in a couple of ways. First, you're in the dark. I'm talking complete pitch blackness, with only a flickering lantern to guide your way. They also stagger the line so everyone goes through in groups of 2 or 4. (No safety in numbers!) When we went, one of the characters - an unwholesome, Charles Manson-looking fellow carrying what appeared to be a bloody pillowcase full of who-knows-what - actually accompanied our group through the maze. The smaller size of the Hayride when compared to behemoths like Knott's or Universal means that you can get that kind of one-on-one attention - who says customer service is dead?!

When all was said and done, Mr. Spooky and I only spent about an hour and 15 minutes at the Hayride, but it was time well spent. I can't think of any other Halloween attractions in or near Los Angeles that have quite the same anarchic, backwoods feel. And the spooky memories, of course, will linger long after you leave Griffith Park: "Close your eyes and take a picture," one of the clowns whispered in my ear as our tractor pulled away from their tent. "We'll be in your dreams..."

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary passes to review this event.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride 2010

In 2009, my absolute favorite Halloween event was the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, then in its inaugural year. I had only seen haunted hayrides on TV, and the experience completely lived up to my expectations. (You can read my detailed review for CreepyLA if you're curious about what you missed out on last October.) I adored both the Hayride itself, which served up unexpected scares in a unique setting, as well as the whimsical feel of the Haunted Carnival, resplendent in orange and black in the rustic setting of the King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas. While I loved the old setting, I was excited to hear that the Hayride had moved to the old zoo at Griffith Park - a space that, according to L.A. legend, is genuinely haunted. Not only would the drive be more manageable, but the locale seemed ripe for Halloween mayhem. So how did the LAHH fare in its 2010 incarnation?

The first thing I noticed while driving to the new location, which is near the old merry-go-round, is how much it feels like you're in the middle of nowhere when you're really just a stone's throw from downtown. The faux traffic signs along the way, warning motorists of "OPEN GRAVES" and "PARANORMAL ACTIVITY," helped set the mood before we even got out of the car. It's nice to have the Hayride in a more accessible location without sacrificing any of the secluded atmosphere that helps define its spookiness.

The Carnival of Souls, as it's now called, has expanded since 2009, incorporating more full-size carnival rides and a greater array of refreshments, as well as a rickety-looking Ferris wheel in front of which a "Traveling Wonder Show" promised to occur at regular intervals. The freakshow murals helped set a demented, creepy mood.




I did find myself a little less enchanted with the carnival portion of the event than I was last year, simply because it seemed less uniform in its execution. Not all of the tents were orange and black, and not all of the games were specifically Halloween-themed. Still, I like the fact that the Carnival of Souls really feels like some sort of ramshackle affair that rolls into town unbidden from origins unknown - a Twilight Zone episode come to life. (Oh, and the Hoffy hot dogs are delicious.)

Apart from the carnival and the hayride itself, there is only one other attraction to speak of: A Haunted Haymaze (or "Hey! Maze," as it so cleverly calls itself). I had high hopes for this hay maze, as the one complaint I had about the LAHH last year was that the price tag was a bit steep for a mere 15-20 minute hayride. The website describes this maze as a "towering house...of lurking mayhem," and all I can say about that is, umm...not quite. Compared to last year's hay maze, which was a very small affair, I appreciate their efforts to make the walls taller and the maze itself more disorienting, but there was only one scare, and no additional attempts (lighting, fog, etc.) to set a mood. Was the Haymaze a fun little diversion on an autumn night? Yes. Was it worth the $10 (!) it costs to enter? Unfortunately not.

Finally, it was time for the Hayride itself. I'm not sure whether we just got lucky last year, but I remember our tractor driver being part of the show - riling up the crowd, cracking jokes and generally adding to the party atmosphere. This year, we received a brief intro before departing, but our driver stayed silent. As we passed through the gates, the first "scare" we encountered was a staff member who appeared to be attempting to fix a fog machine - not quite the terror I was expecting. But a few minutes later, the ride began in earnest.

You'll see almost all of your favorites from last year (although the headless motorcycle rider is, sadly, missing), along with a few impressive new additions. My favorite was the massive Angel of Death set piece, and the way the old zoo's empty cages have been incorporated into the asylum scenes. The deserted playground/creepy children scene was another winner; I especially appreciate how the ghouls at the Hayride are allowed to move at their own pace rather than aggressively charging at you again and again. Note to haunt organizers everywhere: A little boy with a burlap sack on his head trudging slowly down the road towards you can be just as terrifying as a psycho charging with a chainsaw! Yet just as the Hayride seemed to be truly hitting its stride, it was all over - and rather suddenly at that. There was no big finish or definitive ending to the scares; they just sort of...tapered off.

I'm still a huge fan of the L.A. Haunted Hayride, and I think Los Angeles is lucky to finally have its own take on such an iconic October event. But I also think that this year's Hayride felt somewhat incomplete - like perhaps the organizers learned that they would be able to host the event at the Griffith Park location without much advance notice and had to scramble to make everything work in an unfamiliar setting. I also maintain that the LAHH should either lower ticket prices or (preferably) add a little something to enhance the value of the event for guests. A more involved walk-through maze (included in the ticket price) or just another 15 minutes or so added to the Hayride would work wonders. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride has a great deal of promise, and I hope it will be back again - and better than ever - in October 2011.

The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride (running now through October 31st) takes place at Griffith Park's Old Zoo, 4730 Crystal Springs Ave., Los Angeles. Tickets are $25-30 general admission (hayride/carnival only), $35-40 for an all attractions pass (hayride/haymaze/carnival) and $50-60 for VIP admission (all attractions + front of the line). Group discounts are available and coupons can be found at Gelson's Supermarket and Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt. See the website for detailed information regarding specific dates and times.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary passes to review this event.

LA Haunted Hayride Moving to Griffith Park Zoo

The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride was one of my favorite haunted attractions in 2009, and I've been waiting patiently for updates on the 2010 incarnation. Today, my patience was rewarded! According to the LAHH Facebook page, the hayride will now take place at the old zoo in Griffith Park - a location that is rumored to actually be haunted. Here's the announcement:

We are proud to announce that The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride has moved to GRIFFITH PARK's OLD ZOO!!! In this NEW PHENOMENAL location, LAHH will be bigger and better than you can ever imagine. The Woods are darker, The Carnival is bigger, The Haunted Haymaze is heart stopping, and the HAUNTED PROPERTY...IS REAL!!!!

I'll miss the secluded feeling of the old location at the King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, but I'm excited to see how the new spot will add to the fright, and of course I'm thrilled that everything will be "bigger." (Let's just hope the prices don't go up!)