Event Report: DARK HARBOR 2019
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is back this year with a maritime vengeance for its 10th anniversary, and we were there this past Thursday, September 26th to take a swim in its spooky waters. Read on to see what lurks in the bowels of the eighty-two-year-old ship which houses this long-running and immensely popular SoCal fright fest.
Taking place as it does historically on the dock and aboard the 1,000-foot-plus, three-stack, Art Deco steamer RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA, the 2019 rendition of Dark Harbor offers up six fright mazes (five returning from previous years), two performance stages, thirteen bars (with more hidden inside some of the mazes themselves), numerous food stalls, and countless roaming scare actors, all delivered within an engagingly fun, carnival-like atmosphere.
With three mazes situated inside the vessel, we first ventured into Feast, located near the ship’s stern, and if a galley run by a cannibalistic chef whets your appetite, then you’ll more than likely get a kick out of the maze. Unchanged much from years prior, visitors must make their way through the labyrinth that is the Queen Mary below decks, while encountering scare actors portraying murderous meat-eaters along the way. Littered with faux human body parts, the maze also features a meat-grinding chute guests may choose to climb through on their hands and knees (fun!), and a finale that traverses the ship’s impressive engine room (which for those interested in nautical engineering is a treat in of itself).
Also on board is B340, a maze based on the alleged exploits of a murderous QM passenger Samuel the Savage, who in 1948 dispatched several of his fellow travelers, only to disappear into the titular room. A relative repeat of last year’s design, B340 still suffers from not only a blaring techno beat that does little to set a mood that says anything other than ‘dance party,’ but also a rather confusing narrative. On the plus side, the scare actors and their costumes which populate it have received an update, with the majority wearing altogether disconcerting masks that are one part Edvard Munch’s The Scream and one part DC’s The Scarecrow, and the maze finishes with an effective trick catwalk that’s sure to induce vertigo.
The final maze onboard, Lullaby, sadly was our least favorite. A sharp turn from last year (in which we found it rich in atmosphere, production design and score, all of which were centered around the story of Mary, a young girl who purportedly drowned in the QM’s first class swimming pool), the maze for 2019 oddly starts in a bar. And not to be daunted, the ensuing narrative continues in its schizophrenia, featuring cathode tube televisions showing a 70’s style “In Search Of” ghost hunter show (huh?), life-sized porcelain dolls (some animatronic, some acted) and a rather amazing realization of an inverted, flooded room, in which the drowned victims which populate it float above you (visually arresting). Due to such, Lullaby’s latest iteration is a mixed bag, though as this was opening night, perhaps it’ll find its footing as the run continues.
Oh, and be prepared for the humidity below decks.
Not to be deterred, the next maze which we visited was Circus, one of the three mazes located on the dock. Historically one of our favorites. 2019 is no exception. Housing carnival performers seemingly straight out of Tod Browning’s classic film Freaks, it’s a sensory riot, capturing in vibe the feeling of those traveling carnival haunted houses once so prevalent. Calliope music, a ball pit, a vortex tunnel, shifting floors, committed scare actors, oddities galore and a hidden bar that allows you to trigger scares for other visitors from within, Circus delivers equally in both inducing scares and laughs alike.
Also on the dock and returning for 2019 is Intrepid, another maze relatively unchanged from last year’s mind-blowing refresh. Opening with visitors stepping into the car of a speeding vintage steam train and subsequent debarkation at a bombed-out British 1940s train station and church amidst falling snow (yes, it’s literally snowing), Intrepid is truly awe-inspiring, with an entirely disconcerting sound design throughout. The only downside of the maze is that following the enthralling opening, the narrative literally runs off the rails. Our hope for 2020 is that Plague Productions, the crack design team behind Intrepid, retools the story to continue the period greatness which its opening act sets up. Regardless, Intrepid is not to be missed.
Also not to be missed, and new for 2019, is Rogue. Epic in design, scale and execution, Rogue revolves around the story of an eponymous wave which nearly sank the QM, and plunges visitors into an entirely cinematic experience. From the rear-projected bridge which features Dark Harbor’s Captain screaming for passengers to, “Go! Get to safety!” to inverted sunken cabins, plentiful pyro, moving decks, massive animatronics and 1940s Allied zombie sailors to boot, Rogue delivers a fully realized and immersive world that puts to shame every other SoCal mainstream haunt maze we’ve attended this year, hands down. Want to flee a sinking ship safely? Then Rogue is your bet.
Dark Harbor runs 7:00 pm to midnight through November 2. General admission starts at just $34-39 online, with Evil Express upgrade tickets available (which we recommend, along with staying the night on the Queen Mary for added fun and convenience). For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit Dark Harbor online at: http://www.queenmary.com/ follow them on Instagram @qmdarkharbor and engage with them using #DarkHarbor2019.
Writer’s note: my thanks to Tori Elder for arranging our visit.
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