By Monsters, treats and cocktails galore; the Dark Hour at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor offered something special for true horror enthusiasts.
Providing six different mazes, each based on legends that have been told throughout the years on The Queen Mary, the Dark Harbor behind the scenes tour offered a special glimpse the general public does not usually get to see.
“We have new technology in our mazes and more interactive elements this year to really round out our 10th season,” said Steve Sheldon, director of events for The Queen Mary. “We look at the history of the ship to get inspired when creating the mazes, which sets us apart from our counterparts, we try to hold true to the historical value The Queen Mary has.”
The monsters who haunt Dark Harbor came out to greet guests personally, giving them a good scare for their money. The photo-op allowed everyone to get up close and personal to each ghoul. Individuals were also able to speak to various crew members who bring Dark Harbor to life, like Sheldon, who is co-producer with Epic Entertainment
“The moment that makes it all worth it is the opening ceremony,” Sheldon said. “Being able to hear everyone’s cheer and excitement over the wall.”
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The process of getting ready for each week’s haunt takes a lot of work, especially when it comes to designing costumes and dubbing the makeup for each scarer. Making sure the audience can have an experience that is to die for is really important.
“We cast between 300 and 400 monsters per year, 20 to 35 makeup artists, and we like to spend five to 10 minutes per monster,” said costume designer Katy Brisbois. “We work with an exceptional group of people that make each experience better.”
A new maze called “Rouge” immersed the audience in a boat tipping over in the ocean and gave the feeling of being caught in the middle of a storm.
There are secret endings and bars in some of the mazes that can only be found by interacting with the cast. In order to enter the secret bar, a token must be found outside or earned by interacting with scarers.
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Edgar Molina experienced Dark Harbor for the first time.
“It is truly something you don’t experience every day,” Molina said. “We are not disappointed at all … Queen Mary gives an eerie feeling and the fact that it’s haunted adds a bit more to the mazes.”
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor will be available to spook guests until Nov. 2.
