UNLEASHING TERROR: THE ULTIMATE CONJURING UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE AT SIX FLAGS FRIGHT FEST

For the season of Halloween, and this year only, Six Flags Fright Fest is amping up the terror alert with the debut of a franchise-spanning series of mazes based on The Conjuring Universe. Starting with the desecrated halls of The Nun and working up to the demon-haunted nursery of Annabelle, Fright Fest will offer a twisting and terrifying adventure that intertwines iconic scenes and characters from the films based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

THE BIRTH OF A HORROR LEGEND AT SIX FLAGS

With tales of real-life hauntings and an expansive cast of characters (including the real-life Annabelle doll), The Conjuring Universe has become a legend of the 21st century in modern horror. Now, fans can experience the franchise in a whole new way. ‘The Conjuring Universe as a horror legend is undeniable,’ Warner Bros Discovery Global Themed Entertainment’s Kathleen Wallis says of the brand’s partnership with Six Flags. ‘Its expanded format with Six Flags is going to bring fans of the franchise deeply into the sinister world of the Warrens in a new and terrifyingly immersive way.

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE MAZE: ENCOUNTER THE HORROR

Imagine taking a journey through the Warren Museum of the Occult. The boundary between the living and the dead, between the seen and the unseen, has been erased. A host of artifacts is nowhere to be found: you stand at a crossroads, and on either side of the path is a door. What lies on the other side of each door? How did the artifacts end up missing in the first place? What dark outcome stems from these objects, and by proxy, from the people who came into contact with them? How do they haunt us today? If this sounds like a dissertation to you, I’d agree. The phenomena we’ve discussed are of interest to neuroscientists, historians of medicine, and scholars of magic. However, these phenomena are also of interest to theme developers at Six Flags parks. Starting 6 September, a 13-minute tour of the Warren Museum of the Occult will haunt patrons at amusement parks including Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas until 3 November.

CRAFTING THE ULTIMATE CONJURING NARRATIVE

And mashing together The Conjuring, Annabelle and The Nun didn’t happen by accident. The use of storytelling is a cornerstone of the ride, with the Chief Fright Officer of Six Flags, Edithann Ramey, saying there was a deliberate effort to make the stories complementary. ‘There’s a fine balanced effort to weave together a seamless narrative that honours each franchise while bringing them together to a unified spine of terror,’ Ramey says. ‘It’s a type of cinematic adaptation of a narrative into visual and emotional storytelling, bringing the film franchise into a fully immersive “lived” experience for fans.

AN ATMOSPHERE BRIMMING WITH TERROR

What makes it special? The jostling of multiple horror franchises into a singular palpable experience. Last year’s Conjuring-themed maze was merely the precursor. ‘This year, we’re bringing together these iconic stories to create one large scale and cohesive Hollywood movie storyline,’ says Ramey. ‘It’s three mazes in one, in a way, all coming together in this very unique immersive horror experience.

EVOLVING WITH FANS' FRIGHTFUL DELIGHTS

Part of Six Flags’ dedication to providing the best terror is turning to their customers for feedback on what they can do to improve the experience from year to year. This year’s new focus on improving the maze flows and adding more scares demonstrates that the park is hopefully getting the message across to the Halloween hardcore that they understand what we want out of the experience and they’re here to deliver it.

THE FUTURE OF FEAR: CONJURING NEW SCARES

As more Conjuring movies are in the works, Six Flags hopes to give fans of the franchise a taste of what’s to come – and to stoke anticipation ahead of time. ‘I can’t spoil it, but I will say these two [maze] experiences will both create a lot of excitement and leave our guests wondering what’s going to happen next in the film franchise,’ Ramey says.

UNDERSTANDING THE LEGEND BEHIND THE CONJURING UNIVERSE

At its very core, The Conjuring Universe is less a horror film series and more a cultural zeitgeist that has mesmerized hundreds of millions of people around the world. A lot of what made The Conjuring Universe such a success is not its scares alone but the rich mythology, character and world-building, and the creation of a terrifyingly real universe like Ed and Lorraine Warner’s ‘dark universe’. Warner Bros and Six Flags are giving fans an exciting new way to experience their favorite horror universe. The debut of the mazes marks a new moment in horror fandom by bringing film, storytelling and immersive experiences together into one unified ride.

This Halloween season, step into the world of The Conjuring Universe like never before at Six Flags Fright Fest. It’s not just a walk-through haunted attraction, it’s a journey into the very soul of horror iconia. It’s guaranteed to thrill, chill and provide you with a lifelong scar that you can share with friends. Are you ready to face your fears?