Delays Hamper Fright Fest Extreme Opening At Six Flags Great Adventure

JACKSON, NJ — People going to Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure have been unable to visit some of the attractions for the annual celebration of all things spooky at the amusement park in 2024, a situation park officials hope to rectify soon.

This year’s celebration of scary things was supposed to open a Fright Fest Extreme on Friday, Sept. 13, but on Sept. 12 park officials announced it would open as a preview instead. On Sept. 18, park officials said the Fright Fest Extreme Preview would continue for a second weekend.

Staci Wheeler, a spokesperson for Six Flags Great Adventure, on Monday said only that the delays were due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

“Due to unforeseen circumstances some of our mazes are opening later than expected, but during our Fright Fest Extreme Preview Weekends, guests had the unique chance to enjoy ALL of our fall events — Kids Boo Fest, Oktoberfest, and of course, Fright Fest Extreme — all included with their daily park admission,” Wheeler said.

She did not say which mazes have not yet opened or respond to a question of whether needed inspections are the cause for the delays, as some posters on the park’s social media have said.

Wheeler also did not immediately respond to a question of whether Fright Fest Extreme would be fully operational for the coming weekend of Sept. 26-29.

A Sept. 20 post on the park’s Facebook page indicated the mazes that were operational were the Big Top Terror and The Witches Reflections.

Park season pass holders commenting on the park’s Facebook posts expressed frustration with the delays, in part citing an extra charge Six Flags was charging for the Fright Fest Extreme attractions.

“Why did you make people get prestige passes that already had passes?” one woman asked.

“Get it together Great Adventure, you’re embarrassing!” another patron wrote.

Fright Fest Extreme is anticipated to run weekends and select nights through Nov. 3, according to park officials, and has “bone-chilling Halloween-themed attractions” with “new scares and classic shows.”

Some of the new mazes are inspired by legendary horror brands, including the SAW franchise, “Stranger Things”, “Army of the Dead,” “The Conjuring,” “Annabelle” and the 2022 version of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

• The SAW Franchise – Celebrate the 20th anniversary of SAW with an all-new experience honoring the franchise’s legacy of terror by plunging guests into the depths of Jigsaw’s twisted mind. Guests will endure torturous trials and come face to face with some of John Kramer’s most diabolical contraptions before time runs out.
• The Conjuring Universe – Strap in for a tour of the Warrens’ most hair-raising and gruesome cases including those that inspired The Conjuring, Annabelle and The Nun. In each investigation, encounters with cursed artifacts make you the target of possession.
• Stranger Things – The students of Hawkins High decide to team up to create a little innocent Halloween fun for their community – but things quickly turn upside down and morph into something far darker.
• Army of the Dead – The City of Las Vegas is under lockdown following a recent viral outbreak and survivors must look for an escape while battling the undead.
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)– Guests are “cast” as visitors to Harlow on the heels of the influencers set on revitalizing the town – but their arrival leads to a stunning and deadly secret being revealed.

“Guests can enhance their fright by upgrading to an ‘RIP’ tour which provides guests with a personal ‘gore’ guide and express access to all haunted attractions,” the park advertised ahead of Fright Fest, adding the upgraded experience “is not recommended for children under 13 and those who scare easily.:

In addition to Fright Fest, during the day the park is celebrating German culture with Oktoberfest, withpotato pancakes, bratwurst and beer and German flare including folk singers and more.

Kids Boo Fest aims to appeal to the “littlest ghouls and ghosts,” with trick-or-treating and family fun in Cornstalk National Park.