“We’ve seen an exploding demand for what we like to call the ‘scream economy.’”

Edithann Ramey
CMO and “Chief Fright Officer”
Six Flags
.…on turning hit horror movie franchises into Fright Fest attractions at Six Flags Over Texas through Nov. 3.

Haunted houses are scary. But when something pops out from a movie that once sent your popcorn flying, the chills kick up a notch. That’s the idea behind Fright Fest, going on now through Nov. 3 at Six Flags Over Texas. Along with park-wide spooky vibes and “scare zones,” new haunted mazes inspired by horror brands have come to life: including Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ SAW franchise, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Warner Bros. Discovery’s The Conjuring, Legendary Entertainment’s Trick ‘r Treat, and Netflix & Legendary Entertainment’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Rendering of The Conjuring’s occult museum at Six Flags. [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

“The popularity of the genre is clearly booming, and presents a big opportunity for our business,” Ramey—who’s overseeing the attractions at all Six Flags parks—told Dallas Innovates. 

“Working with these major franchises gives us the opportunity to engage with an already enthusiastic and loyal fan base, and by offering experiences based on a number of these franchises, we can make sure our parks provide something for everyone,” she said.

The main room of The Conjuring occult museum [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

Immersive experiences that ‘feel real’

To turn the horror classics into Fright Fest attractions, Six Flags focused on authenticity and “really making the mazes feel real.”

“This wasn’t just us taking a logo of a famous movie or TV show and placing it on a generic maze,” Ramey said. “We, along with the studios that we worked with, wanted this to feel real, and we wanted this to be an immersive experience that actually produces screams and thrills.”

Slaughterhouse at the Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted maze. [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

“We also collaborated with our long-time partner RWS Global, who made the physical experiences,” she noted. “As they built innovative new animatronics, props, and creative and production aspects, the experiences took on a new life as they just felt more real.”

Along with “incredible lighting, sound, and visuals that make you feel like you are stepping into a new world,” Ramey said that trigger sensors, holographic effects, and “scare actors” take this year’s experience to the next level.

The calm before the storm: Inside Six Flags’ Stranger Things haunted house [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

“I’m also proud of the work we did with animatronics this year,” she added. “For example, our Stranger Things maze has animatronic figures of Vecna and the Demodogs, which add a whole new element to how guests can experience the maze.”

For more info about Fright Fest, go here. 

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

More looks at Fright Fest

Things get strange in Six Flags’ Stranger Things haunted maze. [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

Rendering of Six Flags’ Stranger Things haunted maze. [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

A spooky sight at the SAW Legacy of Terror haunted maze. [Image: Six Flags Over Texas]

OK, this is getting too scary. The person at Dallas Innovates who puts in these photos has now left the building. [Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted maze image: Six Flags Over Texas]

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.