Learning From My Experience at “Fright Nights" in Vancouver

I had been waiting since the beginning of October to go to the infamous “fright nights” in east Vancouver. I prepared to beat the entrance lines by buying tickets ahead of time. I even printed them off for extra measures. Despite my meticulous planning I was still only able to go on two rides and in four haunted houses in four hours. Here are a few things I wish I had done to enhance my experience.
Eat Before You Go
I wanted to be at the gates before they opened, so I decided I would eat when I got there. That started out fine because we got in quick and there was small lines for the food at the time. However, while we ate, everyone else started lining up for the rides and the haunted houses. By the time we lined up for a haunted house the wait time was thirty minutes to get in. Another foreseeable problem with not eating before you go is the case that you had decided to go on a ride or in a haunted house first. The food lines were very long (like every line) and then waiting for your food took longer depending on your order. In hindsight I wish I had taken the time to eat first!
Go Earlier in October
I went on Halloween night, which was fun, but a lot of people with the same idea meant long wait times. I had hoped, that because Halloween was on Wednesday this year, people would go the weekend before. This was not the case. It was very because it was Halloween and it was an activity that could be done without getting too drunk to go to school the next day. Next year, my plan is to go on a weekday closer to the start of October, to try and beat the crowds.
Buy a Rapid Pass
If you have no other choice and need to go to Fright Nights on a weekend or Halloween buy a Rapid Pass. Rapid passes are considerably more expensive than regular admission. My thought process is, if I had a rapid pass, i would have been able to hit every haunted house and five rides, before I was forced to wait in the general admissions life. The extra fifty dollars paid would have saved me over an hour of time I spent waiting in line. So the question is, how much is your time worth?
I still had a lot of fun going despite some of the fall backs. The smoke machines create an eerie air around the park. The guests that are dressed up in full costumes and face paint add to the sense of wonder, almost as if I got be a child experiencing Halloween for the first time. I will be going back next year, but I’ll take these valuable lessons with me.
