2008 USS Nightmare Preseason Tour
By Noah Wullkotte
USS Nightmare brings terror to Newport Kentucky for its 17th year of fright. City Blood was lucky enough to be able to take a preseason tour to see how things were coming along the week before opening night. Every year this haunt classic alters its paths in some way and adds new and interesting rooms and effects to keep its loyal customers coming back for more. This year was no different. As we walked inside the rustic boat we noticed right away that much more of the boat was exposed. Overall this helps the customer forget that this is a haunt and makes them believe that it’s an actual haunted boat inhabited by evil spirits.
Over the years people have complained about how USS Nightmare doesn’t use a specific theme throughout the boat, but that has changed this year. Many of the rooms have been altered to reflect the story of captain Mitchell and his family. Rooms have been littered with old documents, antique photos, animal skeletons and historic items that were used over 100 years ago and some items dating back to the 1800s. While many people won’t notice these little items here and there; they add to the realism of the haunt and open up its history.
USS Nightmare has really exposed much of the boat with the help of new Hollywood lighting with vibrant colors you’ve never seen before in the boat. Instead of using big and bulky strobe lights USS Nightmare has purchased new mini strobes that are hidden away in scenes. But lighting is only as good as the scenes are and there are plenty of new rooms you’ll come across this year. What is sure to become a favorite is the new Mitchell dinning room with Victorian era curtains that have been cut up to decorate the walls. Anna will no longer live in a small room off to the side. Other rooms include a 2 way mirror scene, an enhanced jungle, a caged beast lair, hidden passages and much more.
While I would love to give away more of the surprises and secrets of this years USS Nightmare I won’t. For more information on USS Nightmare please visit www.ussnightmare.com.
