Is the Urban Legends Experience Worth the Cost?
Illustration above depicts a Jack-O-Lantern, bringing out the spirit of Halloween.
October 25, 2020
The Urban Legends Experience at the Orange County Fair is a fun alternative way to celebrate Halloween during these unprecedented times. The event runs 24 ghoulish nights, Wednesday to Sunday evenings from October 1 to November 1. The drive in is about 45 minutes long and gives guests an entertaining Halloween experience.
Or so the creators of this attraction say. Is this experience worth it? Is it worth the cost? Other important factors to consider are the safety protocols put into place and if the attraction is scary enough.
I believe the Urban Legends Experience is worth the cost. Here are the pros and cons of this attraction.
PROS
Gives People Something to Do or Look Forward Too
Let’s face it. We all need something to distract us from the grief brought by the pandemic. What’ is a better way to do so than opening an attraction for people to go out! First off, people have not been able to go to many places and are probably feeling enclosed and overwhelmed in their homes. Even the number of depressed people has gone up due to this virus.
Alternative Way to Celebrate Halloween
By going to this attraction, people are finding an alternative way to celebrate Halloween, while following safety procedures and protocols. I don’t feel as though I’m missing out on this holiday which is a tradition in most households. This event offers many scares, optimal performances, and plenty of fun!
CONS
Health Factors Come Into Play
By going to this attraction, your well being can be at risk in addition to the people who portray the monsters. According to OCRegister.com,actors began to surround vehicles toying with those inside.” While this is going on, there is zero social- distancing between monsters. Another potential accident that can occur is if someone gets scared, and moves the car, hitting the actors, and therefore hurting them. Pedestrians are already at risk when trick- or- treating, and driving cars in front or beside people increases this likelihood.
People are Enclosed in Their Cars
Throughout this whole experience, people are enclosed in their cars, with no escape from the monsters that are scaring them. This can affect people with health conditions negatively, such as anxiety or claustrophobia. It can cause them to lose control and feel a tendency to run, which can affect both parties. Even putting the window down can prove to be a problem; you can potentially be exposing yourself to infected individuals. “…but the risk of getting infected is always there,”Julia Quezada said.
Noise Ruin the Experience/ Not Entirely Organized
During this event, people have complained that there are various noises in the background that prevent people from hearing the lore and legend behind the event. According to OCRegister.com, “A lot of that immersive storytelling that was supposed to help patrons understand each urban legend was lost to background noise, even with all four car windows down and everyone’s engines off.”
VIP experience on the first night did not turn out as planned. Despite obtaining a VIP Ticket that cost $100 for 5 people in a car, people did not find the promised VIP Lane, and therefore paid more money, but received the same experience.
After reviewing the pros and cons, I stand by my position that the attraction should be welcomed this Halloween. People should get to celebrate an alternative way, following the health guidelines. Everyone should wear a mask, and refrain from physical touch. I believe we should all enjoy Halloween ourselves and maintain social distancing. If we do so, Halloween can almost have a sense of normalcy.
