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<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
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Want to know about the 2008 Haunted Carriage Rides at Fort Wilderness?
How much do you want to know?
If you read this report, you will know everything. Including some things that might be more fun if you don’t know them ahead of time.
This is a spoiler alert. If you read this review, you will know it all-surprises and secrets included.
You have been warned.
On with the report.
This is the first year that Haunted Carriage Rides have been offered. Last year, 2007, there was a Haunted Hayride, which itself was a new version of the Haunted Hayrides offered in years past. Here is a link to a report that I wrote last year about the Vineland themed Haunted Hayrides:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1618553
This year what had been wagon rides in large wagons with 20 or so fellow passengers, have been replaced with a carriage ride, with each carriage holding only 4 passengers. For four adults, the cost is the same. Tickets to the Haunted Hayrides last year were $15 per adult. The carriage rides are $60 per carriage. The drawback, of course, is that the charge is still $60 even if you do not have four in your carriage.
Here is a sign advertising this year’s event:
The route followed this year is different from years past. As was the case last year, the ride begins at the bus stop next to the Black Smith Shop in the Tri-Circle-D ranch area. Here is a map of this year’s route:
As you can see, the carriages head out from the Black Smith Shop, toward Clementine’s Beach. Then they hang a right, and head toward the Settlement Trading Post. Then out onto the Wilderness Swamp Trail, where you will loop around, and head back. On the way back, the driver will hang a left after exiting the Wilderness Swamp trail, take you down the sidewalk behind the 100 loop, then back to the Black Smith shop.
As stated, the journey begins at the bus stop by the Black Smith Shop. When I made reservations, the person taking the reservation read down a script that said to report for your ride outside of Crockett’s Tavern. That is not correct information. This sign was posted right across from Crockett’s Tavern:
By the way, at the place where wagon rides normally begin, just across from Pioneer Hall, this sign is posted:
I guess that answers any questions about whether regular wagon rides are available in October. The answer is that the Haunted Carriage rides are your only option this October.
Once you arrive at the bus stop by the Black Smith Shop, a castmember will check you in, and collect your payment. We had reservations for 10:30 pm, the last ride of the evening, and only one other group was there when we checked in. Normally, three carriages ride out on the course together, spaced out a little. But all three carriages are on the course at the same time.
Here is a horse and carriage pulled up at the bus stop. Notice the Vineland Station sign. These signs were used last year.
Our driver introduces himself and his horse. Our driver is Joe, our horse Ned. We ask the driver about the Vineland sign. He says it has always been there, and that this area used to be called Vineland (that is from last year’s story). As we drive off, the driver begins to tell us about how this area was originally settled by pioneers who attempted to grow grapes and cattle, but that they were unsuccessful and had died off. Then, the Von Tassel family from New York moved into the area, and the population began to grow. The Von Tassels opened a tavern, that we would be passing shortly.
The driver then pressed a button, and a tape player began to narrate a story for us. The voice of the narrator was reminiscent of the voice of the narrator in the Haunted Mansion. The narrator on tape begins to tell a long, detailed story of Ichabod Crane, and the Van Tassel daughter, Katrina. The rest of the ride was narrated on tape, with the driver stopping at appropriate times to stay in synch with the story.
We head out past Crockett’s Tavern, and to the right of the Settlement Trading Post, where we enter the Wilderness Swamp trail, and see this sign:
Of course, we enter anyway.
We come into a small clearing, and see this sign:
(note- some of these photos were taken during daylight hours during a secret surveillance mission as I was unable to snap decent photos of some things during the ride itself).
In this clearing, we see a wrecked carriage with a skeleton:
And we also see an old graveyard:
Notice that these graves are from the Trent family, who were the subjects of the Vineland Hayride.
We continue on our way, and come to some corn stalks and a scarecrow:
We come to a fork in the road. There are signs marking the way:
Of course, we go the wrong way. Joe says it is because someone switched the signs, so the wrong way is really the right way.
We come along the banks of the lake, and see an old school house across the water. That is where the Headless Horseman lives! We see the building, but no signs of life. It is lit up with spooky lighting at night, but here is a day time photo:
We continue on our way, and turn back onto the trail.
We seek cow skulls in the trees:
I believe that this is a saddle, or some type of horse riding equipment, hanging from a tree. I think this has some significance to the story, but I am not sure that I caught any mention of why there were cow skulls or riding equipment in the trees:
In the prior Hayride version, this is where the Headless Horseman would chase the wagon. We are kind of expecting it here. But, nothing happens. We hear some rustling in the bushes, but see no signs of life. We continue on, back past the scarecrow and corn and into the clearing.
Something is different here.
There is now a glowing Jack-O-Lantern sitting atop the crashed carriage.
And then, silently, from the dark, he appears . . . .
Sorry about the photo quality, but it was very dark out there.
The Headless Horseman circles our carriage. We scream! Joe gets us out of there!
We ride back to the Black Smith shop.
Joe pulls up to the station, and helps us off. He offers us each a piece of candy (a Twizzler Licorice stick to be exact), and we are done.
The Haunted Carriage ride was fun.
I would have preferred live narration, and I think the lighting in the Headless Horseman scene could use some work. Also, I think he needs to carry his Jack-o-Lantern. Small complaints.
Overall, I would say this is a fun experience, and worth the charge.
Give it a go!
TCD
How much do you want to know?
If you read this report, you will know everything. Including some things that might be more fun if you don’t know them ahead of time.
This is a spoiler alert. If you read this review, you will know it all-surprises and secrets included.
You have been warned.
On with the report.
This is the first year that Haunted Carriage Rides have been offered. Last year, 2007, there was a Haunted Hayride, which itself was a new version of the Haunted Hayrides offered in years past. Here is a link to a report that I wrote last year about the Vineland themed Haunted Hayrides:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1618553
This year what had been wagon rides in large wagons with 20 or so fellow passengers, have been replaced with a carriage ride, with each carriage holding only 4 passengers. For four adults, the cost is the same. Tickets to the Haunted Hayrides last year were $15 per adult. The carriage rides are $60 per carriage. The drawback, of course, is that the charge is still $60 even if you do not have four in your carriage.
Here is a sign advertising this year’s event:
The route followed this year is different from years past. As was the case last year, the ride begins at the bus stop next to the Black Smith Shop in the Tri-Circle-D ranch area. Here is a map of this year’s route:
As you can see, the carriages head out from the Black Smith Shop, toward Clementine’s Beach. Then they hang a right, and head toward the Settlement Trading Post. Then out onto the Wilderness Swamp Trail, where you will loop around, and head back. On the way back, the driver will hang a left after exiting the Wilderness Swamp trail, take you down the sidewalk behind the 100 loop, then back to the Black Smith shop.
As stated, the journey begins at the bus stop by the Black Smith Shop. When I made reservations, the person taking the reservation read down a script that said to report for your ride outside of Crockett’s Tavern. That is not correct information. This sign was posted right across from Crockett’s Tavern:
By the way, at the place where wagon rides normally begin, just across from Pioneer Hall, this sign is posted:
I guess that answers any questions about whether regular wagon rides are available in October. The answer is that the Haunted Carriage rides are your only option this October.
Once you arrive at the bus stop by the Black Smith Shop, a castmember will check you in, and collect your payment. We had reservations for 10:30 pm, the last ride of the evening, and only one other group was there when we checked in. Normally, three carriages ride out on the course together, spaced out a little. But all three carriages are on the course at the same time.
Here is a horse and carriage pulled up at the bus stop. Notice the Vineland Station sign. These signs were used last year.
Our driver introduces himself and his horse. Our driver is Joe, our horse Ned. We ask the driver about the Vineland sign. He says it has always been there, and that this area used to be called Vineland (that is from last year’s story). As we drive off, the driver begins to tell us about how this area was originally settled by pioneers who attempted to grow grapes and cattle, but that they were unsuccessful and had died off. Then, the Von Tassel family from New York moved into the area, and the population began to grow. The Von Tassels opened a tavern, that we would be passing shortly.
The driver then pressed a button, and a tape player began to narrate a story for us. The voice of the narrator was reminiscent of the voice of the narrator in the Haunted Mansion. The narrator on tape begins to tell a long, detailed story of Ichabod Crane, and the Van Tassel daughter, Katrina. The rest of the ride was narrated on tape, with the driver stopping at appropriate times to stay in synch with the story.
We head out past Crockett’s Tavern, and to the right of the Settlement Trading Post, where we enter the Wilderness Swamp trail, and see this sign:
Of course, we enter anyway.
We come into a small clearing, and see this sign:
(note- some of these photos were taken during daylight hours during a secret surveillance mission as I was unable to snap decent photos of some things during the ride itself).
In this clearing, we see a wrecked carriage with a skeleton:
And we also see an old graveyard:
Notice that these graves are from the Trent family, who were the subjects of the Vineland Hayride.
We continue on our way, and come to some corn stalks and a scarecrow:
We come to a fork in the road. There are signs marking the way:
Of course, we go the wrong way. Joe says it is because someone switched the signs, so the wrong way is really the right way.
We come along the banks of the lake, and see an old school house across the water. That is where the Headless Horseman lives! We see the building, but no signs of life. It is lit up with spooky lighting at night, but here is a day time photo:
We continue on our way, and turn back onto the trail.
We seek cow skulls in the trees:
I believe that this is a saddle, or some type of horse riding equipment, hanging from a tree. I think this has some significance to the story, but I am not sure that I caught any mention of why there were cow skulls or riding equipment in the trees:
In the prior Hayride version, this is where the Headless Horseman would chase the wagon. We are kind of expecting it here. But, nothing happens. We hear some rustling in the bushes, but see no signs of life. We continue on, back past the scarecrow and corn and into the clearing.
Something is different here.
There is now a glowing Jack-O-Lantern sitting atop the crashed carriage.
And then, silently, from the dark, he appears . . . .
Sorry about the photo quality, but it was very dark out there.
The Headless Horseman circles our carriage. We scream! Joe gets us out of there!
We ride back to the Black Smith shop.
Joe pulls up to the station, and helps us off. He offers us each a piece of candy (a Twizzler Licorice stick to be exact), and we are done.
The Haunted Carriage ride was fun.
I would have preferred live narration, and I think the lighting in the Headless Horseman scene could use some work. Also, I think he needs to carry his Jack-o-Lantern. Small complaints.
Overall, I would say this is a fun experience, and worth the charge.
Give it a go!
TCD
I appreciate you taking the time to post this.
