Photos courtesy of the Polynesian Cultural Center
(Click here for more photos)
One of the most popular and unique Halloween attractions in Hawaii is the Haunted Lagoon at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). Beginning its fourth Halloween season this year, the Haunted Lagoon has become Hawaii's premier haunted attraction, welcoming more than 40,000 guests in 2010. This year, the event features an expanded storyline with new characters, a longer canoe ride, and a thrilling 3-D walk through haunted hall adventure prior to boarding the canoes. The Haunted Lagoon is a full scale ghastly production with a cast of over 100 ghouls and ghosts including movie quality special effects, creepy costuming and amazing animatronics designed to frighten even the bravest among your family! Guests cast off on double-hulled canoes for a 30 minute journey through the dark waters of the lagoon said to be haunted by tortured souls, crazed monsters, and the not quite dead. The storyline evolves around the legend of Nalani, or “Lady Laie”, a tortured soul said to really haunt the cultural center. She was slowly driven insane by family tragedy and seeks vengeance on those who dare disturb her. Shrouded in a flowing white gown she wanders the lagoon searching for her lost son. This year, she is not alone in her search, her vengeful husband aiding her and seeking retribution for his own demise. In addition to her husband, she is also joined by Egyptian mummies, pirates, a crazed troupe of creepy clowns, and for the "thirtysomething" crowd, Chucky, Jason, and Freddy all haunt the lagoon among many others. If you enjoy a good fright, be sure to sit on the side of the canoe or in the front or back, this also affords you the best views. You will also most likely get a wet sitting in these positions so be prepared. If you are faint of heart or easily scared (or just want to stay dry!) sit in the center of the canoe. Canoes run from now until October 23rd every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and daily from October 24th to October 31st. The box office is open from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., or until tickets sell out. Rides start at 6:30 p.m. and the stop at 10:00 p.m. We highly recommend that you book in advance as space is limited and crowds are quite large especially on the weekend when wait times can reach 3 hours or more (not a typo!). To avoid the long lines, the Polynesian Cultural Center offers “Fast Pass” for an additional charge. Similar to the FASTPASS system at Disney parks, visitors can purchase “Fast Pass” tickets for preassigned times (7:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.) and the additional fee will get them into a special lane bypassing the crowds, cutting wait times to 10-15 minutes. Consider this if the thought of hours in line are not appealing to you, we did and the extra money spent was worth every penny! If you chose the more social line option, there are vendors that come around offering snacks and drinks, and you can watch a haunting video giving a bit more background on the “Lady Laie” legend. For kama’aina, a General Pass is $19.95 for adults and $14.95 for keiki. If you want a Fast Pass, it will cost $35.00 for adults and $30.00 keiki. For non-residents, a General Pass will cost $25.00 for adults and $20.00 for children or $45.00 for adults and $40.00 for children for Fast Pass. The prices are a bit on the high side, especially the Fast Pass, but there are discounts available through 7-Eleven ($3.00 off coupon), 76 Gas, Dominos Pizza, and Pepsi ($5.00 on Wednesdays). Also, check discount websites like Groupon Hawaii and Hot Deals Hawaii, they are currently running occasional BOGO free discounts and $25.00 Fast Pass deals. Kama’aina Annual Pass holders may ride free on weekdays and for a discounted rate of $10 on Fridays and Saturdays. Parking at PCC is an additional $5.00 and if its crowded, you may end up in obscure parking lot on the side of the center that we did not even know existed. Don’t worry though, there are shuttles that run from theses distant lots to the entrance. The Haunted Lagoon is not for the faint of heart, so the PCC also offers milder "keiki canoes" for family members of all ages from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aboard each "keiki" canoe is a "lost warrior" who, to protect his passengers, carries a mystical light staff that repels monsters or creatures, including the ghostly “Laie Lady”. Even with this option, we saw several very young children on the regular canoe ride (as young as 2). Most seemed to handle the scary side of the ride fine but use your parental discretion. There are numerous loud and startling noises, ghouls jumping out of the water and from behind stuff, and startling illusions which may scare children. If yours are prone to nightmares or scare easily, the keiki ride may be for your family. The Haunted Lagoon is the only haunted canoe ride in the country and its delivers Halloween scares superbly. It is extremely well done by the folks at PCC. It is a fantastic family Halloween adventure! You can check out the trailer or head to the Haunted Lagoon website for more details. You can also check out Twitter (@LaieLady) for the latest updates.
