Review: Coffin Creek 2021
One of our favorite multi-haunt events is back after going dark last year, as many did for reasons we all know. For Halloween 2021, Coffin Creek resurrects its traditional four walk-through attractions and a hayride.
Coffin Creek is split into 2 sections. You’ll find three walk-throughs near the first parking lot; the remaining attractions are in the back and up the hill. It is walkable, takes about five minutes; or you are more than welcome to drive your car up there and park up there as well. Here is our experience….
Coffin Creek 2021 Review: Walk-throughs
The Brimstone Asylum for the Criminally Insane is always the first one to hit since it’s next to the ticket booth. Since the same mazes general feature the same themes from previous year, we did not expect any changes. But boy were we wrong. Gary and Ryan, the creators behind the haunt, re-tooled certain areas and drastically improved the overall experience. This rundown asylum started out as a dark maze of sorts, but unlike other dark mazesit had what seemed to be endless scare actors. Literally every turn, we got blindsided. Once the maze gets brighter, we got to see the patient’s rooms and doctor’s offices: each room had a scare actor and its own decor, typically a product of the deranged person inside that room. The highlight of the maze was meeting a doctor with Rorschach-like paintings in his room; instead of a syringe, he held on a paint brush indicating that he’s gone mad and he probably sees things. The other highlight – or should we say black light – was in the final room with a patient dressed as a life-sized doll glowing under black light. It was creepy and wonderfully eye-catching at the same time.
The Curse of VooDoo Bayou is their revamped haunted trail for this year, in its new location but still near the first parking lot. It is now located near the front of the parking lot; you’ll see it when you see lights. The Curse of VooDoo Bayou uses a lot of the elements of darkness to provide scares. With enough faint lights to command your focus, you won’t see the scare actors sneak up on you. Sometimes, it may be the same actor twice! This one is short and sweet compared to The Brimstone Asylum; we would’ve loved to see it go just a bit longer. However, if doing the full multi-haunt experience, you’re legs might be thankful that it’s shorter, because Coffin Creek gives you a lot of ground to cover.
The Dark Realm is a medieval themed walk-through where you encounter dark magic, creatures and orcs. Sounds scary, but have no fear because the brave knight/part-time male model will escort you through and ward off all evil spirits and beings; at least that’s what was advertised. The knight tells us the story of The Dark Realm and teaches us to follow the lighted path that will take us to safety in case he gets occupied. The advice came in handy because less than midway through the maze, he had to duke it out with an orc. We continued and had to escape the wrath of magical creatures, witches, and a spider’s lair just to name a few. Long story short, we survived. Therefore, we should be knighted as well, or at least I should; I could also be a “male model.”
The Catacombs and the Raven Cult was not reviewed because of an unexpectedly long wait. The Raven Cult members may have decided not to show up for work.
Coffin Creek 2021 Review: Hayride
The Shady Hollow Hayride is actually better known as Uncle Zed’s Extraterrestrial Excursions. Once started as a zombie farm for whatever reason, Uncle Zed’s SCF Foundation now houses other species and objects along with the zombies. Just like any hayride, there were scare actors who approached without an announcement. We encountered zombies, sick subjects, and giant creatures to name some. However, the most entertaining part wasn’t the hay ride itself but the two staff members on board: both were interacting with the scare actors who approached the vehicle. There were non-stop puns and corny jokes all through the ride. Though the storyline may be a bit farfetched, The Shady Hollow Hayride offered a comedic experience as opposed to a spooky one. We were definitely entertained by the performer, especially Jesse, the site manager.
Coffin Creek 2021 Review: Conclusion
On top of the five main attractions, there is also a renaissance village where you can find a folklore storyteller and some merchants. If you finish early, there’s also a “House On Haunted Hill” movie screening near the hay ride (the original featuring the one and only Vincent Price). Coffin Creek is a legacy mainstay in the community: you generally know what to expect and what you’re getting for your dollar. Many independent pro haunts have come and gone; Coffin Creek is still alive and well.
The Coffin Creek 2021 Ratings
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100%
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85%
-
90%
-
100%
Bottom Line
Still the Inland Empire’s best multi-haunt Halloween event – it is hard to beat 5 attractions for $45. With front of the line access, it’s only $20 more, total. However, if you only have enough time or resources for a single haunt, we highly recommend The Brimstone Asylum.
Coffin Creek continues at Riverview Recreation Park on October 24, 28-31. The address is 14600 Baron Drive, Corona, CA 92880. Tickets Available Online or at the Door, Parking $5 Cash only at the gate or $5 + service fee Online. For more info, visit: www.coffincreek.com
*Note: The author of this post is a close acquaintance of the creator(s) of this haunt. However, this review is still written from a haunt-goers perspective and from a purely objective point of view.