Welcome back to the Fog Report, intrepid readers! Sometimes a lantern just isn’t enough to cut through the October murk, you know? Sometimes you need the help of a foghorn - perhaps one you might hear blasting from the peak of an archaic and haunted luxury liner. Fortunately for us, this October marks the return of an old favorite after a 5-year absence. The Queen is back, and so are its myriad spirits in Dark Harbor: The Spirits Rise.
In truth, the Queen Mary has been through a lot these last few years and is seeing a revival beyond just Dark Harbor. In brief for those not in the know (or anyone who would like a refresher - it has been awhile since I wrote my first Fog Report on it), she was a legitimate top-of-the-line Cunard ocean liner with an impressive, haunting history that now permanently resides in Long Beach. Having nearly been run into the ground by its original private company owners who were content to let it wallow in rust and neglect, the ship has been taken over by the city itself and genuine effort has been put into restoring and promoting this unique landmark. Several community events and temporary venues have appeared over the last year or so as public interest returns to the ship, anything from weekly live music at the Observation Bar to a Poe-themed theatrical speakeasy I attended earlier this year.
That uptick makes it feel only natural for Dark Harbor to also rise from a watery grave, this time under the management of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment, the folks behind Halloween attractions like the LA Haunted Hayride and Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns. For the past two years they’ve put on Shaqtoberfest at the Queen Mary, which I did not attend myself but was a mixed bag from what I heard. Dubious thematic ties between the ship and Shaq aside, I was holding out hope for a proper resurrection of Dark Harbor at some point. And those hopes were realized this year.
So, how was it? Did it manage to stir up any old ghosts for me?
The Event
A lot of what made classic Dark Harbor enjoyable is still here and still rings true in this newest iteration. The parking lot and port village areas are utilized for the bulk of the space, with occasional dips into the ship itself for a maze, bar or show. Five mazes are the main draw - three on the ship, two on land - while the rest is a mix of live performance, wandering monsters, fairground rides and carnival food.
Things kick off at 8:08pm properly with the Maiden Voyage showcase, the introduction that brings out all of the ship’s iconic characters. The gang’s all here, along with at least one new face and a couple of returning figures from Dark Harbor history, and it’s a delight to see them again. Once the monsters have been unleashed, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to bump into them as you wander the grounds… unless they come after you first! Talent is absolutely on point this year, doing what they can despite the often loud and distracting festival vibe around them.
Atmosphere-wise, Dark Harbor skews more toward that same party energy I noted in 2019, with the marked improvement that the majority of pumped music I heard was more electro-swing than pop hits; way more fitting for the ship’s heritage if you’re going to put in some jams. Choice bits and pieces of decor were recycled from Shaqtoberfest, but nothing that didn’t fit with the spooky ambience of a haunted harborside town or demented circus. I actually want to give big ups to the entry to Dark Harbor, which like in previous years wends through the village section with heavy theming and even grants a little peak toward the Breakout maze as a hint of things to come.
There’s a lot to do for the discerning patron, but keep in mind that most of those things are upcharge attractions, which is my biggest nitpick. While there’s always been extra cost content at Dark Harbor, The Spirits Rise felt particularly egregious in that respect. The now-abundant carnival rides, the private cabanas, Fast Fright, VIP packages, a Pirate shooting gallery and the like are all there and all with varying fees attached. It can absolutely be enjoyed as-is and I certainly did, but it seemed like there was a lot of little bits and pieces that were intended to try and coax a few extra dollars out. As long as you’re prepared for that, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue, and I don’t begrudge Dark Harbor for this; it just lends that added county fair effect that I think is more of a detriment to what is otherwise a very solid Halloween attraction, and the ubiquity of it felt a little overwhelming.
In that sense, my recommendation is to pay a visit to the Spirits of Dark Harbor, located on the ship. Visiting is free, and it’s a nice quiet(ish) escape from the cacophony of the outdoor spaces where one can enjoy ambiance and a drink. What I enjoy so much about this place are the informational placards set up that give insight into which myths and legends of the Queen Mary inspired Dark Harbor’s own ghostly creations, and transparent nods like that to the ship’s storied past tell me that the folks running this iteration of Dark Harbor haven’t forgotten their roots.
It’s also here you can get tickets to see The Summoning of Samuel, a 10-minute immersive theatrical show where medium Lady Mabel will attempt to conjure the spirit of Samuel the Savage and everything goes exactly as you expect. Though short, it is suitably intense if you’re looking for something with more thrills, making effective use of its space with bouts of strategic darkness and unsettling sound with surprise scares. At $10 a ticket, I’d say it’s something to seriously consider
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I forgot to mention that the “secret bars” are back, albeit in a more reduced form. There are two this year, and tokens cannot be simply attained from monsters anymore, sadly. Charming as the idea was, it inevitably led to much of the talent being straight-up harassed for tokens in previous years, something The Spirits Rise has taken note of. Now you can acquire tokens (again, for a fee) earlier in the night, and a lucky few might acquire some through other mysterious means. Luckily for yours truly, a friend of mine I attended with happened to have acquired four tokens, getting us both into the secret bars; big thanks to Sandy for the opportunity!
Finding the bars hidden in the mazes is half the fun, so I won’t spoil it for you. What I will say is there’s one on land and one on the ship, with the latter being my old favorite Fathom 6 Bar. You’ll end up way down in the dank bowels of the ship, hearing the distant screams of those passing through Lullaby. The Witch’s Heart they serve there is quite good.
The Mazes
Dark Harbor: The Spirits Rise dredges up five mazes to experience, which is where the event is most put to the test against its preceding displays. Three are spiritual returns of past mazes in name and concept, while two are new themes. Besides the obvious advantage of the location in the case of the ship’s mazes, I think there’s a quality to the storytelling and the design that plays to the strengths of Dark Harbor’s lore, even with the newest pieces. These are where the legends of the icon characters can be told, and to varying degrees they work. I can already see some areas where there’s room for improvement, but for making a comeback after a 5-year hiatus, I appreciate the effort that went into them.
I can say with some confidence that the mazes at Dark Harbor make up for their quantity by being very long mazes, with plenty of twists and turns, ups and downs - especially aboard the ship. The term “maze” never felt more applicable to me than with Dark Harbor, as I legitimately feel like I’m lost in the metal depths of the liner and am surprised where we often end up. Accessibility could be an issue here, but I noticed at least in the landlocked mazes, consideration has been made for ADA compliance.
As always, my personal ranking of each maze is as follows. I stress that I don’t think any of the mazes are bad; the numbers are just pure preference.
5 - Feast
In a strange move, this version of Feast is a prequel to 2019’s maze of the same name. Going back in time from the distribution center once again, we see the Butcher as he hacks and cuts his way through the ranks to become the Chef we knew him as back then (or know he will be someday?). Tried of the attitude and disdain of the first-class passengers, the Butcher takes to discreetly killing and preparing them into dishes that the unknowing diners rave about.
I’ve written before how the cannibal theme is a very trite, but something about 2019’s Feast made it stand out more than this one. I think a lot of it has to do with the different footprint - the original maze eventually found you ending up in the boiler room and in the territory of Half-Hatch Henry, while this maze just meanders through dark and fetid corridors heaped with gory cooking motifs and complete with, in one bloody section, a literal fetid stench that I’m not sure is intentional or not that reminded me of a stale unplugged refrigerator. Otherwise, it is pretty much the same idea, without much present to make it feel like a prequel in my mind; even stranger is that the maze ends with a sign explaining that this is a prequel and that the story will continue next year, meaning it is literally spelled out for you!
4 - Big Top Terror
Set in the back of the Ringmaster’s Halloween Carnival, the Big Top Terror is one’s anticipated spectacle of circus sideshows and sinister clowns. It’s got the now-iconic ball pit, a mirror maze within a gigantic pumpkin, spinning tunnel and other funhouse gags with blacklight scenery to boot. Unfortunately, the maze lacks something that was present in 2019’s Circus - a certain feeling of traveling sideshow from a bygone era that doesn’t hit the same in this one, save for a few sections. I get the distinct feeling a lot of leftover props from Shaqtoberfest went into Big Top Terror as well, though there are earnest attempts to tie the pumpkin patch section in with the notion of this being a Halloween carnival.
That said, this ranks higher than Feast because the carnies and clowns in the maze manage to do the double-duty of being both startling and funny, where every jump is met with cackling mirth from both myself and the scarer. There’s no lack of monsters here, and they do a fantastic job being fun to engage with.
3 - Breakout and On the Run
The sequel to B340, Breakout (and On the Run, apparently) continues the story of Samuel the Savage, the murderous passenger who seemingly lost his life in the infamous stateroom. As it turns out, rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated, as Samuel has popped up in a prison in a seaside village. But they haven’t built a box yet that can hold ol’ Samuel; he and his fellow inmates have busted out and are wrecking havoc on the town. It also seems like Samuel brought his demons with him, since the place seems to be overrun with ghastly entities and undead creatures of a more Gothic bent.
This might be the longest maze of the lot, and that’s a good thing. It’s billed as a double maze (hence the additional On the Run title) though I just assumed it was one, and it’s hard to tell thematically where one ends and the other begins, which might just be splitting hairs but I digress. While I still dearly miss Intrepid which once occupied this spot, Breakout uses its location well, with the old-town buildings as a superb backdrop for this largely outdoor trail in the majority of the maze. It peters out a little for me in the back end once you get into what seems to be a nautical scrapyard and partitioned barn, but it kept my interest all through. It’s got a great manic energy to its cast, whether its frantic security guards, sinister inmates, eerie villagers or Samuel himself. If this returns next year, I’ll be very interested to see how it evolves.
2 - Infirmary
This all-new maze brings us into the realm of the Surgeon, the newest icon in the Dark Harbor mythos. Dr. Edwin Masters performed horrific surgical experiments on sick third-class passengers with impunity, but he didn’t work alone: his partner in crime was Graceful Gale, who helped lure patients into his clutches. Whether or not Dr. Masters was helping Gale try and build the “perfect man” in Soulmate remains unclear, but theirs seemed to be a match made in Hell until one fateful Halloween night, when the souls of everyone they had wronged returned to crash Gale’s first-class party.
Infirmary makes a spectacular debut and more than earns its place as a classic. From beginning to end it has an unsettling, disorienting feel as you wander deeper and deeper into the Surgeon’s demented workspace and see the results of his malpractice. It would not surprise me if the Medical Pavilion of BioShock was an inspiration for this maze, and that association is a welcome one. Great sets and scares in the grimier first parts eventually give way to climbing stairs to mingle with what’s left of the rich and influential at Gale’s Halloween party, complete with vintage All Hallows decorations and masquerade masks, giving the maze a superb narrative flow that I really appreciate. Plus, it’s just good to see Gale in a maze again, as her wandering spirit definitely needed a place to call home.
1 - Lullaby
Scary Mary is here to remind everyone why there should always be a life guard on duty. The tragedy of her drowning in the pool permeates this maze as you explore dingy, ethereal hallways rippling with soft aquatic lighting and dense shadows where you just know Mary is hiding. You find her several times throughout the maze, including barring the way to the actual first-class pool for a neat peek into the genuine inspiration.
While not terribly different from the past, Lullaby excels at quiet tension more than the rest. Long, unsettling passages through the dark and seemingly empty pool locker rooms with barely-discernible static figures tucked into corners give this maze a truly haunting atmosphere. This feels like walking through a ghost story, and it once again culminates in an distinctly unsettling set piece where you’re standing at the bottom of a pool while above you floating bodies seem suspended from a foggy surface. It’s chilling enough on its own, but because of that seeming emptiness each scare is suitably built up, and you never know when someone is going to jump out and capitalize on it. It’s very effective.
Oh yes, and the collapsing bridge from B340 makes a triumphant return here. Don’t miss it!
Final Thoughts
I didn’t think that after I wrote about Dark Harbor in 2019 it would be a half-decade before I could visit again, but I don’t imagine anyone is surprised in hindsight. It’s refreshing to see and experience, still hitting the soul of what Dark Harbor has always offered thanks to its location and vivid real-world history. Props to the maze designers and builders for coming out swinging, and the monsters for bringing such sinister immersion within and happy distraction from the street fair without.
So yes, I had a wonderful time and am optimistic about the future of the event. I’m understanding that there’s a lot of growing pains and adjustments for The Spirits Rise, which is off to a great start but still falls short of the peak it hit back in 2018 and 19; that’s to be expected, and was what I carried with me as I visited. This might be a excellent year to attend if you’ve never been before. And if you are familiar with what came before, take it from me: things are looking up.
Honestly I’m just grateful I get to return to this version of the Queen Mary and look forward to seeing what comes up next year - knock on wood. Thank you for joining me on this voyage if you made it this far. Be prepared to disembark, just mind the gangway and you should be fine. Be on the lookout for my next report a little later this season, and I’ll see you in the fog.
Dark Harbor runs select nights through November 2nd. Tickets can be found here.