The obvious is going to be very distracting until it's addressed here, so we're going to do that first before getting into this particular review.

This year, you will notice that both Red Moon Massacre as well as Army of the Underworld have almost nothing in the way of images or video.  There are a few reasons as to why.  First, Knott's employees working the attractions give us grief each year about either shooting video or still pictures - so, rather than get into it with someone, we behaved.  In all fairness, the reason we are asked not to take pictures or shoot video is the overall safety of the talent inside both rides.  Obviously, the problem is the use of light - something that is necessary for both video as well as still photography.

We agree that the use of our flashes or camera lights pose a threat to the talent within the Log Ride and Mine Train, so TPA held off on using either.  The final reason is selfish and simple - the toys we use to capture the Haunt are too expensive to take anywhere near a flume ride, so we didn't even think of attempting to document Red Moon this year.

That all said, Theme Park Adventure wishes to extend this invitation of participation to its readers - both Haunt employees as well as fans:

If you have images of Red Moon from this year that you would like to share with us, we will post them to this page as part of our review if you email them to us in large file format (send 'em as your camera takes 'em, in other words) and they are of quality we can use.

We apologize for any disappointment resulting from the lack of pictures/video from Red Moon Massacre; there are just too many things working against us when it comes to covering this attraction the way we'd like.

Now, with all of that out of the way, on with this year's review!

The most exciting news is that the ride operators working the Log Ride were actually nice this year!  Those of you who have been with us for a long amount of time may remember how utterly horrible the ride ops at Red Moon were last year; total cornholes.  The fact that they were very polite and cool this year is enough to make us swell with joy - and shed a tear or two.  Way to go, Log Ride ops!  We knew you could do it!  Honestly, while ultimately expected, we appreciate that the team this year represented the Knott's family well - not just the Haunt team, but everyone at the Farm.  Kudos for the 180-degree change.

It's no secret that of the Haunt attractions, Theme Park Adventure has placed both Red Moon Massacre and Army of the Underworld at the bottom of the To Do list, simply because we have been unimpressed over the past several years with the ride transformations.

Red Moon Massacre has actually gotten better over the past couple of years.  2004 is no exception.  While we still wish that Knott's would really do it up right with large-scale props and sets within the Mountain, this particular attraction does seem to hold its own with the props and talent it does have.

There are genuine scares to be had along the way - monsters popping out of nowhere with shaker cans, air horns, etc. will make anyone jump.  In fact, as our logs clunked along the flume, a werewolf jumped out and actually got us pretty good - one of the only TPA scares of the season!  Props to whoever that was (now everyone can fight over who gets to claim that scare - it was in the covered section of flume prior to entering the Mountain)!

Red Moon does feature some nifty creatures - from a massive werewolf outside near the water pump gag to a massive head and mouth that the logs pass into just before heading up the lift toward the final drop.  We took note of these creatures and gadgets - they were lookin' good!

The one part of the ride we did find very cool was a chain link cage that is inside the Mountain - to the left of the flume.  A sexy young thang in a Red Riding Hood cloak like the one above to the right sits on a bench, her perfect leg covered in fishnet swinging nicely at the passers by - and then the creature lunges at the log... a werechick!  Nothing hotter and scarier than that!

Red Moon Massacre uses a lot of fog within the Mountain - almost too much.  But the designers have little choice.  Any haunter will agree that fog is the great savior when it comes to filling dead space and covering up things they don't want guests to see.

The only other thing that could happen is that Knott's spend a TON of cash and all-new sets and props are introduced to Red Moon.  Frankly, we don't see that happening - which means that Haunt fans are going to have to be happy with close to the same experience each year at Red Moon until it ends its run at the Scary Farm.

Does Red Moon Massacre have another year in it?  Maybe.  The werewolf theme is a brilliant one - just as good as the vampires, if you ask us.  However, the whole werewolf thing will always be more effective in the maze format such as Curse of the Werewolf from Haunts past.  You gotta give it to the talent in Red Moon however - they really give it their best and have tremendous handicaps to overcome, which are built in:

In a maze or street environment, a monster can take a moment to size up a guest and determine how to best scare him or her.  That is not the case when working a ride at Haunt.  You have a fast-moving log in the case of Red Moon, that is full of guests - some guys, some girls - and you have about two seconds to size them up, deliver a scare and then set yourself for the log a few seconds behind them.  It's not an easy job and take a lot of skill and patience; in a ride, you really have to work it for the screams.

We weren't overly impressed or disappointed at all with Red Moon Massacre this year - if you liked it last year, you will like it this year.  If you hated it last year, you'll probably still feel the same way.  If you're on the fence, we say go for it and give Red Moon a shot; it's worth a ride - and there's no better log ride in the world, anyway.

Our hats are off to the crew of Red Moon Massacre 2004.  Keep the screams coming from the Mountain and be proud of your attraction - it's definitely the must-do of the two Haunt rides at the Scary Farm.  We look forward to receiving pictures of Red Moon from our readers in the coming weeks!

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