Queen Mary's Shipwreck terrorizes Halloween guests

By David Whisler
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

Ghouls, goblins and even scary clowns went all out to scare the ship out of Long Beach as the Queen Mary was transformed into the Queen Scary for the tenth annual Shipwreck, Halloween Terror Fest.

For the price of admission, fright seekers are treated to seven mazes constructed throughout the grounds of the Queen Mary complex and aboard the ship itself.

The Fright Mistress holds court in the plaza, she beckons visitors to come take "one last photo," with her before entering the mazes, "certain death awaits," she warns. With names like the Trail of Terror, Corridors of Carnage and Decks of the Doomed, it would seem that she could be right.

Blood splattered walls, insane doctors and nurses and chainsaw wielding freaks are in store for all who dare to brave the event.

The mazes aboard the Queen Mary include catwalks that span the boiler rooms, views of the hull below and peeks out of the occasional open porthole, all while dodging dark figures and walls that seem to possess a life of their own.

The dance, located 30-feet below water level underneath the ship's exhibit hall, is hosted by KIIS-FM. Full bars help to calm the nerves of those over 21, but everyone else must rely on a night of dancing to quell the adrenaline rush.

"To know what it's like to really be scared you just have to come to Shipwreck," Lizeth Patino said. This is her fifth year working at the event and she is already planning to be back next year. "The Queen Mary is just a spooky place in general, a lot of strange things happen here," she said.

Queen Mary's Shipwreck Terror Fest is held each year during the last two weekends in October.