Cavalcade of Awesome

Okay, here we are at Week 2 of AWESOME-tober-fest 2009 (click here to see past articles).  Last week I discussed Halloween treats you can find in the supermarket.  This week, I’ll be discussing some of my favorite as well as some other famous haunted rides.

During the Halloween season, who doesn’t enjoy going to a scary haunted house?  Well, my wife doesn’t, but we do it anyway (last year we went to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights).  So I thought I’d look at some cool haunted houses and rides.  Today, we start at one of my all-time favorites.

Today’s haunted ride can be found at Six Flags Over Georgia.  It opened in 1981 and is consistently listed as one of the most popular rides.  It’s called The Monster Plantation.

Monster Plantation was a very mild haunted dark ride that ferried riders in a boat through a monster infested plantation during an annual monster party where humans were allowed.  The party was hosted by monster Mizzy Scarlet, who would greet you as you glided into the main doors.

Once you got inside, the plantation was populated by hundreds of crazy monsters all partying and doing crazy stunts throughout different rooms of the plantation (pie eating contests, kissing booths, boardwalk games like Hit the Human, etc).

To see some other “inside the ride” pictures click here.  Also presiding over the party was Marshall Billy Bob Fritter.  He was there to make sure the humans didn’t go to certain parts of the house.

Marshall Billy Bob would greet you in the beginning after Mizzy Scarlet, but then you would also see him at the end.  You float towards him during what seems like the end of the ride.  He’s telling you to go right, as that’s the way out.  However, your boat goes left, away from the exit, and towards a scary swamp section labeled “The Marsh”.  As your boat heads into the darkness you hear Billy Bob screaming after you “don’t go into The Marsh!”

The last “Marsh” section is the scary part of the ride, but it’s tame compared to most haunted rides.  It’s dark, with slimy monsters and creatures lurking and jumping at you.  More of a “fun” scary.  You successfully navigate the Marsh and you meet Marshall Billy Bob again at the end acting relieved you made it out alive.  The ride as a whole is fun and during Georgia’s blistering summer heat, it’s a welcome and cool getaway from standing outside in coaster lines all day.

In November 2008, Monster Plantation received a major overhaul (see details here) and was renamed The Monster Mansion (Not surprisingly  similar to Haunted Mansion, you think?).  It opened again in May 2009.

The ride added all new monsters and a different storyline. I think I still prefer the name The Monster Plantation, it better fits with the whole “Old South” theme of the original ride, but I haven’t been on the new ride so it may not be relevant anymore.

I’m sad to see this classic ride get changed at all, but I’m excited to actually go ride the new attraction and see how it compares.

Stay tuned, on Wednesday I’ll take a look at another haunted ride that is much, much older than today’s entry.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

This entry was posted on October 5, 2009 at 9:00 am and is filed under Atlanta, Georgia, Halloween, holiday, Six Flags with tags Atlanta, AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2009, Georgia, Halloween, haunted houses, holiday, Six Flags. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.