Monster Mania Re-cap

I know I promised you guys a part 2 from Monster Mania and well... this isn't it. This is our audio recap of the weekend. Written part 2 with pictures and everything is still coming. This is super raw. Enjoy!


Darkest Child A by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100783 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Monster Mania 35 part 1

So we're going to do a special episode about this, I promise. We showed up, got our wristbands as they never reached us in the mail. However I registered after the 3 week mailing mark so it makes sense to me. We then immediately went to go eat because we were a bunch of hangry bitches. Coming back we visited one of the 2 autograph rooms.

 I being the art nerd that I am ignored every guest but the guy who does the poster art for Monster Mania, Scott Jackson. He was a really nice dude and totally listened to me awkwardly ramble. I'm gonna insert a picture here of his table once ruby wakes up. We got an autographed version of the Monster Mania poster.

His website is Monstermangraphics.com. Go check him out he's a cool dude. We bought some stuff. Talked to people with some movies coming out. And I met the man behind "Fear of Clowns" and "Fear of Clowns 2". I haven't seen them yet but I've heard about them. I'm interested in checking them out. I saw quite a few of the bigger guests not in the autograph room but wandering around. Shannon Elizabeth almost ran into Nadine.

The movie that was chosen for the chose your own movie was "Evil Dead 2". It's a good choice and we love it. The audience was fun but a little sparse. All in all it was a first day of a con and we'll see what the rest of the weekend has in store for us.

-Molly

Escape the Movies

Escape! First Time Visit to an Escape Room

Recently the Sole Survivors had a chance to experience Laurel's House of Horror's escape room, "Escape the Movies." It's located just off of I-95 exit 35A if you're coming from the north.

The Arrival

We had a full company of 8 and arrived about 15 minutes early for our session. The venue is an old re-purposed movie theater. The doors to the theater were locked, so the event kicked off with a little bit of a locked door mystery. As we started walking around the perimeter, looking for a way in, someone dressed as a zombie threw open the front doors. That little touch of confusion really started things off on the right note.

The Decor

The lobby is decorated with horror movie posters, classic and new alike. The sitting area decor pushes the horror ambiance with a bunch of old tvs, only one working. That one displays the logo for Laurel's House of Horror.

Movie memorabilia sprinkles the landscape with nifty items like a Robert Englund signed Freddy sweater, and a literal barrel full of movie props to stage your own photos. While waiting for our time slot, we clustered around a table covered in puzzles, including one that held tickets for the haunted house opening in September. Don't bother asking for hints, the staff doesn't know the puzzle solution - some enterprising patron reset the lock. I can say for sure that the answer is not "asses," nor is it "butts" or "fucks".

Stepping into Haddonfield

When they were ready for us to enter, they asked us to pick a group leader (since this was for my birthday, it was me),  and we were given a walkie and a flashlight. You get 45 minutes. After watching the instructional video, we were off. This escape room attraction runs you through four different rooms, all differently themed.

Running for Our Lives

Watch your time here, there is so much to see in each room that you can lose minutes just going over the decor. The first drew from the Michael Myers mythology, the second set the stage for Insidious with Tip Toe (Through the Tulips) by Tiny Tim playing ominously in the background. The third was unmistakably an ode to Freddy Krueger, and the fourth was almost a replica of the room in the original Saw movie.

You don't get any more details. I don't want to give away anything that could ruin the surprise. (Plus, they asked us not to. Be nice.)

As we wove through the maze of rooms, we scrabbled on the floor, climbed on chairs and overturned furniture. There were screams and surprises, and ultimately, satisfaction and victory. We were the first group of the night to escape within the 45-minute time limit (with 4 minutes to spare). And, we were far from the first group through that night. Go Sole Survivors!

Bright Lights and Things to Come!

In two weeks we might have to head back out since they are re-puzzling the rooms. There will be new puzzles and an advanced level escape room (themed Dracula and Frankenstein!) which will definitely bring us back for more. In 2014, they received the online award for Top Overall Attraction from DCHauntedHouses.com, so when the haunted house opens in September, we'll definitely want to see how they spruce everything up for the horror season!

Things that are good to know: They are wheelchair accessible, they have snacks and drinks, and parking is free. I wouldn't bring your younger children, but they say they are appropriate for ages 10 and up.




- Molly, The Official Chicken of the Sole Survivors