Marina Spooktacular - 2019

Marina Spooktacular 2019 Is the Marina’s Best-Kept Community Secret

Marina Del Rey has been quietly throwing stand-out events for the community for years now, turning a semi-hidden park into a wonderland of seasonal delights. Last year, we got the chance to see one of their many events, the Marina Spooktacular – an entirely free, and crazy fun attraction for haunt lovers of all ages and scare levels. However, there was one problem – we couldn’t pack in all the activities in just one day. There’s seriously too much to do, and in all the best ways. marina spooktacular 2019

 

After paying for parking in the Marina, it’s a delight to follow the crowds to what looks like a dead-end of a cul-de-sac and find that their sprawling, hidden park event is completely free – the price of admission is just one release form. Similar to other haunts, you’re signing so that they may take photos of you, but also uniquely for the general liability of climbing aboard ships in the harbor and jumping down blow-up slides (totally worth it).

 

Marina Spooktacular 2019

 

Luckily, they equip you with a map, and send you on your way through Burton Chace Park. Outside of the numerous events going on around you, tons of photo opportunities await those looking to cozy up to a skeleton on a vintage ship, or “steal” some unearthed treasure from the pirate section of the park. Of course, you’ll find your traditional bales of hay, and other fun fall photo ops as well.

 

The entire place looks like your wildest Halloween store fantasy come to life, with ghost ghouls, and of course the Marina theme of pirates and skeletons, hung and placed around every section of the park. However, when the sun sets, the spook factor gets creepier, as colorful and well-placed lights linger over the enormous rolls of fog throughout the park.

 

Though, the most exciting part of the event has to be the immersive opportunities. Those familiar with other Halloween Conventions and carnivals might remember Deadzone 805 or Mobile Escape Room LA, who make an appearance around town for all sorts of haunts and events, but unique to the place is the Black Out Maze, and for smaller children, the Graveyard Treasure Hunt.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

IMMERSIVE ENTERTAINMENT

 

BLACK OUT MAZE

Hanging on a sign outside the maze there is a warning: For now the scare level is 5/10, but as soon as 5pm rolls around, the scare level jumps up to 10/10. The early version of the haunt is charmingly creepy; guests wander through tight corners from scene to scene – including movie monster replicas, hanging obstacles, and a variety of lights and smoke that cover handmade props. With absolutely no jump-scares, it’s quite the low-level haunt.

 

However, as soon as it turned 5pm, it was the scare-actors that really turned the maze up a notch. The actors are trained and familiar with the layout – silently staring at you in one room, and suddenly standing over you in the next. Each one has an iconic character prop as well, from fake knives to squeaky horns, and know how to use them. Of course nothing is scarier than forgetting about the waiver you signed, only to feel a fake chainsaw nip at your feet while running out of the maze’s exit.

 

While not the scariest maze, it’s certainly the most exciting free maze I’ve ever seen. Black Out Maze gets the blood pumping and created a fun soundtrack of chainsaws and elated screams that were heard throughout the park for the rest of the night.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

DEAD ZONE 805

Located inside of a mobile trailer, this immersive experience is definitely worth waiting in line for – though it’s a quick one. Lasting roughly 5 minutes, you find yourself locked in a room with several other participants. The décor is decayed, apocalyptic even. Though it’s only when a window into another room lights up, that you find the true horror – you aren’t alone in the trailer, something wicked this way comes. Without spoiling it, we’ll just say that you might want to be familiar with the exits in this haunt – most people find themselves sprinting out of the trailer with a devilish grin at it’s end.

 

Midsummer Scream, Dead Zone 805, Mobile Haunt, Los Angeles, CA, 2018, Convention, Halloween Hall of Shadows Haunts

 

MOBILE ESCAPE ROOMS LA

Setting up two mini-escape rooms in the Marina, Mobile Escape Rooms LA are enchantingly complex despite their unassuming mobile trailer appearance. Even with two options, all of the times slots filled up quickly. Luckily we were able to snag a spot in one – Mr. MacGuffin’s Halloween Party.

 

Once inside, you and your group of party guests must find the antidote to a poison you’ve unknowingly been slipped, before the time runs out. Even with 10 minutes, our team made it out with only two seconds to spare – meaning that we were constantly on our toes looking for clues and puzzles in the tiny space, and providing a thrilling ten minutes with lots of hidden items to find, and a few fun technical tricks up Mobile Escape Room’s sleeve throughout. It was definitely a fun and clever way to use a limited amount of space.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

GRAVEYARD TREASURE HUNT

Aimed at young trick-or-treaters, this event goes on just a few times a day, but is well worth waiting in line for. Hidden throughout a decked-out fake graveyard is candy for all the participants to discover. Some treats are easily snatched up within seconds, but others are hidden away where only the bravest kids dare stick their arms to find. Most exciting, though, are the volunteers at the park, who play up the excitement for the kids’ enjoyment, with quick quips and childlike giggles. The spirit of tricks-or-treats is alive and well at this experience.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

Outside of the immersive experiences are a few other fun delights to find, as well – from blow-up carnival games and bounce houses, to face painting and creation stations, and even some live entertainment throughout the day.

 

BUILD-A-COSTUME / FACE PAINTING

Filled with ribbon, fabric, masks, and more, the Build-a-Costume booth was made for anyone who wants their own costume – DIY style. Endless possibilities await those ready to create, with a box-shaped monster outside of the booth for inspiration, and helpful staff available to help you make whatever your heart desires come to life.

 

Not too far from the costume creation station is also a line for face painting – perhaps one of the longest lines in the park, as the glittery face art being sported is well-designed, giving super heroes and princesses alike a professional-grade look for free.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

CARVING PUMPKINS

Another fun treat for those in a Halloween mood is the carving pumpkins section of the park – with little pumpkins and tools to create your own dazzling orange gourds. Most exciting is seeing what other creations participants have carved up as you wander around the area.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

CARNIVAL GAMES / ACTIVITIES

A very impressive feature of the event is the amount of blow-up bounce houses, mazes, slides, etc. throughout the park. Kids could be entertained for hours, as they must have rented out an entire party rental store to fill up every corner of the place.

 

The carnival games and bounce houses are aimed at the younger ages in the crowd, who have swarmed them with giggles and fake swords and light sabers that go with their costumes. Though, if you search for it, you’ll find an adult-sized blow-up maze, and slides that people of almost every age can enjoy.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

JAM SESSIONS / MAGIC SHOWS

When you’re worn out from the fun activities, or ready to crash after your candy sugar high, there is entertainment scheduled throughout the day to enjoy. While we weren’t able to stay for a show, the oohs and aahs can be heard if you’re nearby the staged magic show, and the Dia de Los Muertos Jam Session had the entire audience up on their feet dancing along – creating quite the spectacle from afar.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

In general, the Marina Spooktacular is aimed at families, but honestly anyone with nostalgia for fall carnivals, and love of all things spooky can find something to do here. Their Halloween season event is sincerely remarkable, as there is something fun to do in every corner of the park. Adding to the Marina’s long list of events, from snow slides in December to fireworks and boat parades throughout the year, it’s a wonder that the crowds and lines aren’t bigger, especially when you factor in the free admission.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

Perhaps Marina Del Rey’s best kept community secret, the Marina Spooktacular knows how to throw a party – a weekend-long, dancing, bouncing, screaming, exploring, high seas and low stakes kind of party that delights year after year, for many the Halloween enthusiast to enjoy.

 

Marina Spooktacular - 2019

 

Marina Spooktacular has finished its run for this year but will be back in 2020. Check the Marina del Rey website and Facebook page for more events in the area. Check out our Event Guide for more Halloween and horror entertainment throughout the year.

MORE ABOUT HAUNTING


Haunting is a resource for immersive theater and horror fans in Los Angeles and across the world, promoting art and community. Want to help us reach even more people, and get some cool perks and experiences? For as little as $1 a month, you can join our Patreon and help us keep bringing content to life.

 

If you like the above article and want to find more like it, make sure to join our community. If Facebook is your favorite, follow us there and become a part of our groups for Immersive Horror fans and/or Immersive creators. We’re active on Instagram, posting evocative imagery and informative stories to promote our reviews and recollections; follow us there. You can even find us on twitter; click here to follow. For those who want to explore deeper, we have a vibrant Slack community with new event alerts and immediate ticket sale announcements; click here to join. And subscribe to our event calendar to get emails for all or specific events (look for the link right under the calendar)! Finally, we have a newsletter that comes out once a week; click here to sign up.

Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019 Marina Spooktacular 2019

No Comments

Share your Haunting words...

H A U N T I N G
Contact us : [email protected]
© Haunting 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Immersive Theater Intensity Scale Haunting Glowing A - Immersive Theater - Extreme Haunts - Horror Experiences
Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our Feed


Expand your world
Become immersed in the artistic and evocative narratives of Immersive Theater

Check out our sister site:

Immersed Logo - Green
ENTER THE FOG
Generic filters
FILTER YOUR SEARCH
Reviews
Company Hub
Events / Experiences
Haunting.net | [email protected]