[Event] Doors to “HELL”owee​n – The Terror Maze @ Downtown East D'Marquee (WIN TICKETS!)

I can't emphasize how much I love the season of Halloween and the thrill it instills in me.

It's more than just dressing up!!

Strolling haunted houses, experiencing"ghosts"jumping out of every dark, unseen corner..Screaming out loud with friends and laughing at each other's silliness.. There is NO REASON for me not to love Halloween!

I was honored when I received an invitation to Downtown East for an exclusive Preview of Doors to "HELL"oween - The Terror Maze.

(Thank you, Zenna!)

Ah, in case you are not aware - This event is a collaboration between Downtown East and a team of Year 2 Singapore Polytechnic students. (Being an ex SP student, I feel so proud!!)

If you are wondering what is lurking around the darkness at Downtown East during this Halloween season, here's a *sneak* preview and exclusive photographs. Don't worry, there's loads more in store for you when you are physically there!

And OHHH... ...

Do stay tuned to the very end of this entry as YOU, my beloved reader, can get the chance to WIN a pair of tickets to this Halloween event, too! (And all you need to do is to answer a very simple question!!) 

Do you know that there are 16 trails in the terror maze?!!!

It made me so excited that I couldn't wait to step foot into it and experience it.
The anticipation was killing me more than anything else.

Was greeted by this large sign when I reached.

*squeals in excitement*

I could feel the Halloween atmosphere around Downtown East (I love their decorations!)

Imagine walking down the walkway and feeling the creeps already...

We were issued 4 tokens that can be used for photobooth, make-up session (there was a talented make-up artist present whom was able to recreate any scary-looking wounds on your hand/face), carnival rides and games!!!

Holy. It's like having all of my favorites in one!

Pardon my ugly nail polish, LOL. Ahem.

Being the vain old me, I decided to go for a photobooth session before bracing myself for the Terror Maze. 

There were a variety of costumes and props available for us to try on, and GUESS WHAT COSTUME I PICKED FOR MYSELF?!?!

Yes... It's none other than... ...

Qing Dynasty Princess costume! (Or more commonly known as "Princess Pearl" costume - Huan Zhu Ge Ge)

I know you are laughing!! Stop smiling at your screen - I can feel it. Hmph.

Just so you know, I have always been a HUGE fan of such ancient costumes (I even have one myself at home!) and seeing it as part of the photobooth costumes made me squeal like an excited little girl.

Must take more, must take more.

There are still tons of photos I have taken of myself in costume (Gosh, I am such a camwhore queen), but I shan't post all of them here!!

And there was instant printing services in which I was able to take home a hard copy as a momento.

Thank you sooo much for the wonderful service!!

Here it is.

Pardon the blurry photo. I was trying to take a photo of a photograph!

NICE?!?! I'm a Qing Dynasty Princess leh, don't play play!

Finally, after all the photo-taking fun... We were told that the Terror Maze was ready and awaiting us.

"OH YES!" I squealed.

While standing around the entrance of the Terror Maze, I thought it was my imagination when I heard what seemed to be evil laughter echoing from inside.

"HIEK HIEK HIEK HIEK! HA HA HA HA!!"

*shivers*

Oh dear.....Do I.. Do I.... really... have to go in?

It was then that the doors to the entrance opened... 

In no time, I was engulfed in darkness as I stepped into the unknown world of fear. I totally had no clue what was in store for me except that there would be ghosts lurking around and observing my every move... 

As the place was simply too dark, I had no choice but to activate flash for some of the photographs that I'll be posting here (Believe me, it feels completely different when you are physically there - It's DARK!)

Caution! Now I've been warned....

One of the scary settings.

(The photos are not taken in sequence. I actually went TWICE to the maze - First to experience the terror and second to capture photographs! See? I sacrificed myself to face the terror twice just to capture photos for you readers!! How noble. )

The maze has different parts that we needed to conquer ... It just seemed to get spookier as we walked deeper into it...

Some of the photos are not in clear state as there were smoke. Yes, the ATMOSPHERE!!

Notice this somehow ugly-looking witch sitting at this long dinner table below? He/She was seriously scary and has a thunderous voice - loud enough to have me scrambling off to the next part of the maze.

A clearer look at him:

(As we got further from him, he said "Don't look back".... The tone was so scary, lah! )

The maze seemed to be endless while you are in the midst of it. And there is no turning back.

Lend me a helping hand??

(I was extra careful when crossing this....It seemed as though there were hundreds of hands reaching out to us..*imagination running wild*)

Now. Don't forget that these look so much more scarier in real life.

The hands looked kinda' real!!!!! Yucks.

Spotted this huge black thing lying at a corner. I had no idea what it was. A corpse?

(For a moment, I was afraid that it would suddenly move and jump at me!)

Trying to act brave inside a haunted maze

Right.. This is one scene I will NEVER forget.

Did you guys spot anything weird in the picture?

No? Look again. Closely.

YES. THOSE WERE REAL WORMS (They are harmless though) wriggling around on that freaking skeleton. 

EEW.

But I was not exactly worried as I did not get near to those wriggly creatures.

Came across a few faceless "nurses" as well that reminded me of Silent Hill. (One of them was even holding an injection needle and looked like she was ready to strike anytime! Not to mention that she looks like a mannequin) 

You know what is it that I find scary?

That I couldn't differentiate between what's a mannequin and a real person! 

There were several times when we had a scare as what we thought was fake suddenly moved. Urgh.

... So yes, we eventually survived the Terror Maze, not once... But twice! 

Time seemed to pass exceptionally slow when we were in there.

When we came out, we headed for the fun make-up session.

Finally... A time to sit down, relax and let the make-up artist do the job.

She was able to create any "wounds" on any part of your face/hand. 

Urgh ...Looks sick!!

There were many other fun activities there other than the Terror Maze. It was like a small carnival (Does Uncle Ringo ring a bell to you?)

 Do try these out when you are there. Trust me, it's much MORE scarier than it looks.

I didn't give much thought when I agreed to climb up this harmless-looking cliff.

And BELIEVE ME when I say I SCREAMED while sliding down at the other side. I SCREAMED so loud that a young little kid (who happened to witness me sliding down) was screaming with me too. Funny shit!!

But it was hella' FUN, really. Try it with your friends if you are there - The experience will be unforgettable.

There is also a wheel-looking thing that will spin you 360 degrees - I admit I was too scared to sit on it. So I just stood around and watched others.

If you are in for a totally harmless, nothing-to-be-afraid-about activity, there are carnival games as well for the young and old.

And you can win soft toys as well!!!

I WON 2 CUTE PANDAS there!!!

Photos are not very well-taken, but here they are:

CUTE RIGHT?!

And yesss... Here's a pic of myself and lovely Shirley from Downtown East. She was really kind and extended such great hospitality by bringing us around the area! Thank you so much, Shirley, and it was a great pleasure meeting you!

Now that I have enjoyed my share of fun, IT'S YOUR TURN!!

Yes - Here's a really simple contest that you can win yourself a pair of TICKETS to event on 2nd November 2014!

How to win the tickets?!

Watch this below video first:

And answer the following simple question: 'Which tarot card did The Fortune Teller represent?' Submit your answer to me at: catherinejaevans@hotmail.com with the following details:
Subject Header: I want to win tickets to The Terror Maze! Answer: ____ Name: _______ Contact number: _______

Contest will end on 31st October 2014, midnight.

Winners will be contacted on 1st November 2014 for the collection of tickets to the event.

Hurry... The terror awaits...

More information about the event:

Venue

Downtown East D'Marquee

Date & Time

29**, 30 Oct** |5pm - 11pm

31 Oct & 1, 2 Nov**| 1pm - 11pm

Ticket Price

NTUC/nEbO Plus! Members: S$30

Plus! Members: S$35.00^

Public: S$35.00

[HALLOWEEN Review] Sentosa Spooktacular 2014

It's the month of October and this means that my blog will be clogged with Halloween-related entries!

Knowing that I am a HUUGGEE Halloween fanatic, my dokiboy secretly purchased tickets to Sentosa Spooktacular (He even topped it up with Express passes *cries*) as part of my birthday gift. The tickets are NOT cheap, definitely.

Thank you, my dokiboy. :')

As some of you may have heard about it, I lodged a complaint to Sentosa Spooktacular last year due to the horrendous waiting time that scarred me. 

(FYI, I purchased normal tickets last year)

Personally, I would say that purchasing NORMAL/STANDARD tickets to Spooktacular is pretty much pointless as you will find yourself spending the entire time queuing up rather than enjoying the experience in the haunted houses.

In other words, if you do not have the budget to top up for express passes - then be prepared to queue your asses off.

Since I had the luxury to have express passes this year, my experience was a complete opposite this time round.

Fancy that - We actually completed the WHOLE of 3 haunted trails in LESS than 1.5 hours. 

THIS AMOUNT OF TIME IS EQUIVALENT TO THE WAITING TIME OF 1 HAUNTED TRAIL WITH A STANDARD TICKET.

So much difference when one holds the express ticket, eh?

With the express ticket, we got to cross an alternate lane that granted us fast entries into the haunted houses with almost zero waiting time (while those with normal passes were still queuing at the back in another lane).

Unlike last year's version in which Spooktacular had 5 haunted trails, there were only 3 this year. (They were, however, built on bigger scales)

And of course, more wandering "ghosts" (Probably they expanded their budget this year to hire more scare actors, LOL)

I was actually prepared to dress up as Queen Elsa (Heck, I even purchased Elsa's costume and wig!) but ended up dressing up as a cross breed between Elsa and myself due to a last minute wig crisis.

What a waste of my money. Duh.

I had to dress down (My Dokiboy surprised me with an Elsa crown which I wore on my head happily that day. LOL) and here I was.

With one of the random wandering "ghosts".

I love this setting! It made me look... Mysterious. *smiles*

Uncanny resemblance. Sisters?

*cough*

And... This is my favorite :) I call it "Immortal Love". Don't we look like a sweet couple? LOL

Was kinda hungry after exploring the 3 haunted trails and we settled down to have dinner -Kampong style. Haha.

Satay and Seafood Tom Yam set!

(Not cheap either)

Sorry that they weren't taken in an appetizing manner as I took them under darkness using camera flash.

Surprisingly, the food wasn't that bad. They actually tasted good. 

Overall, I would say that my Spooktacular experience this year was great. (I will still emphasize that its due to the express ticket) I doubt I will say the same if I were holding a standard ticket.

So what's my favorite trail at Spooktacular, you ask?

I guess it would be "The Swimmers" or "Alone".

(I love that they created the atmosphere like the movies! The Swimmers will make you feel like you are trapped @ a haunted swimming pool and there were even water dripping down at some corners!)

From physical reconstruction of the scene to even the SMELL. they've nailed it.

I shan't talk more about it so as not to spoil the surprise! (NO SPOILERS!)

Do keep a lookout for more Halloween-related entries coming up in my blog before 31st...

Till then, Enjoy your Halloween and have a great one!!

My Halloween Memories!

It's August and I smell Halloween already! 

(Yeah, I know it's still a wee bit early, but well... ...)

It's a shame that Halloween isn't a WIDELY celebrated day in Singapore; but its getting more well-known now, with thanks to annual Halloween events such as Halloween Horrors (Universal Studios) and Sentosa Spooktacular, etc.

My love for Halloween began at a really young age, with my dad bringing me to an event that was held at Jurong Bird Park (I still remembered it was called Hocus Pocus). I was deeply intrigued by those scary-looking props and being "frightened" by humans dressed in ghostly costumes. 

As years went by, I began looking out for Halloween-related events in Singapore... and even had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity working for Universal Studios during its first Halloween Horrors Night. What an honor! It became part of my memories that I will NEVER forget, and I thank God for the opportunity.

Here were a few of my dress-ups from previous years:

This was for a Halloween Audition and all 3 of us went all out for the deal!
(YES, WE EVENTUALLY GOT THE JOB! *squeals*)

And here's another look @ the Singapore Flyer:
With le' bff, PW. :)

The 3 of us - That's Miao on the left; I did the make-up for her and it was a success as kids were frightened!

And I was Michael Jackson last year. LOL

Ahh, so many fond memories just by looking back at my Halloween pictures. HALLOWEEN IS THE ONLY DAY WHEN I CAN DRESS UP FREELY WITHOUT ANYONE THINKING I AM CRAZY!

So.. You might be wondering what I am planning to be this year...

I have got my costume and wig ready..

So...

.

.

.

.

.

Behold..

YES! I will be Queen Elsa from Frozen! 

LOL. I am quite excited about the turnout though *trembles*

Stay tuned to my blog for more updates nearer to the Halloween period! I'm just as excited as you are!

P/S: Do feel free to contact me if you do know of any Halloween event in Singapore that is worth joining!

[Halloween Love] Cursed Studio 2013

Halloween~ Halloween~ Halloween!!!

*sings and dances happily*

With thanks to Halloween.sg , I was given the opportunity to attend yet another chilling Halloween event - this time with my BFF, Pei Wen, whom shares the same Halloween passion as I do.

(I always find it exciting to attend such events with close friends. It adds on to the tension and excitement altogether!)

Seriously, I feel an adrenaline rush whenever it comes to Halloween. So you can imagine how ecstatic I was to attend Cursed Studio's very first organized Halloween activity!

(Media and bloggers were invited as well; BUT no - I did not attend under my usual identity as a blogger; just a normal participant this time! Hence, there was NO photograph taken since we were told it wasn't allowed.)

Nonetheless, I took a few photos outside while queuing for our turn. Guess what- we were actually the first in queue! In other words, we would be the first group to enter the Cursed Studio. *smirks* It pays to get there early. Ha.

I redeemed my tickets and there they were; with spooky graphics and all!

Here's an official teaser that was released by the team on Youtube; I watched it before attending the event to get a better idea of the storyline:

My Halloween verdict: It's apparent that the team has came together and invested a hell lot of effort and time in creating Cursed Studio. Despite that it is their first time organizing it, I felt that they have managed to grasp the right atmosphere.

Stepping into Cursed Studio was just like stepping into a real haunted house; there were "cobwebs" spotted at certain corners of the areas; and it seemed as though we were at a place that has been long abandoned.

However, there were certain parts that I felt could be further improved; such as safety precautions. I felt that  their precautions were not adequate as the staircases in the studio were quite steep. To make matters worse, the only light source was the electronic small candles that were decorated along the staircases, giving the area a dim glow.

I felt they weren't enough, and had to switch on my mobile phone for better source of light. (Unfortunately, we were told not to do that). I ignored the advice and proceeded as there were certain areas that I really had difficulty seeing and making my way through. The darkness was so much of a hindrance; and I was being VERY careful not to trip and tumble down the stairs. (I won't be surprised if someone actually rolled down the stairs at that kind of condition we were in!)

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the atmosphere that was built around the studio.

But the price of $48 wasn't really worth it (in my opinion) due to the fact that it is a small-scaled one.

Well... Whatever it is, I am glad to go through the experience!

Complaint: Sentosa Spooktacular 2013

Well, I can't even fathom how infuriated I am right now at the time of typing this entry; but I just hope to voice out my opinions after attending the event.

(Credits to my boyfriend for helping me to carry my bags and taking the photos while I was in costume. Most of the below featured photographs were taken by him.)

In fact, it is heart-wrenching for me to be posting this as I am just an ordinary Halloween fanatic just like anyone else who deserves to have a well-spent one with loved ones ; and I had been looking forward to writing how much fun I've had.

Unfortunately, reality is just not the case but a far cry from my expected version of Halloween. Don't get me wrong - I am not a tough customer, but just one who simply wants to enjoy the event for the price I paid.

Just as some of you are aware, I was so, so looking forward to what was supposed to be one of the grand Halloween events in Singapore - Sentosa Spooktacular. 

After hearing about how highly raved it was from previous years, I decided to purchase the tickets for my boyfriend and myself despite feeling the pinch of how much I've paid. (Fancy that - It was NOT cheap at all even though I got them through a deal website for $66.60 with a few perks.)

In fact, I had been wanting to go for Spooktacular since it was held during previous years; but the price ALWAYS never failed to stop me in my tracks - and it took me a great deal of hesitation before I finally decided to go for it this year.

Of course, with that amount of hefty price paid - I was really expecting an awesome and one of the most memorable Halloween ever spent. I pinned my hopes way too high.

However, it was one of the worst turnouts for me - beyond ridiculous waiting time, illogical time frame of walking the haunted trails and the treatment of having to be classified as "low class" just because the tickets I purchased were just NORMAL passes instead of EXPRESS ones. (People who can afford the express passes will be given priority)

It was so apparent that money is still the bottom-line above all. 

Simply put; if one cannot afford the express passes (which will require a top up of around $26?) ; then one shall suffer the fate of having to go through the long waiting time just for a trail that lasted less than 15 or 20 minutes; whereas those with express passes will be able to smile happily and complete the 5 haunted trails.

The main reason WHY I am so infuriated was because we were only able to complete ONE freaking trail out of the FIVE that we were supposed to enjoy for the price that were paid. It's not even justifiable as we were not even late when we got there; but somehow wasted majority of our time on queuing up.

In other words, we spent money to QUEUE and waste our time - Just because OUR tickets were NORMAL passes.

Don't get me wrong - I am fine with queuing; but the waiting time can make even the most tolerant person flare up.

 Let me recount how I spent my Halloween at Sentosa Spooktacular:

- We reached Beach Station at 7pm. (Spooktacular was supposed to start at 7pm and end at 11pm)

-We had to wait for the tram that would be sending us straight to the venue at Fort Siloso (We had no other option as it was our first time there and thought it was good that there was transport to the destination). However, the tram queuing part was quite bad as well; and we had to spend quite some time waiting for it.

-I believe it was nearly 8pm when the tram dropped us off where Spooktacular was held - BUT alas; there was still a long walking distance away from the ACTUAL destination. So we had to spend more than 10 minutes walking through the pathways that led us there, etc.

- We were made to wait again and watched scary videos on a large screen at the entrance before the curtains were opened for us. (Note: Time was wasted on the waiting part before the video was shown)

-When we FINALLY got in, there were wandering scare actors; which I thought was kinda cool as I loved the atmosphere. We took some photographs together before proceeding to the queue for the haunted trails. As there were 5 trails available, we had to choose one randomly (since we thought we would be going for the rest eventually anyway). However, we were completely appalled when it was stated that the queue was around 60 minutes long PER trail. In reality, it took MORE than that. (And can you imagine they only allow small batches to enter at one time? This added on to the insanity of queuing as we felt as though the queue was taking forever. Is this right that we should feel like this for the amount of price we paid?)

-After so much impatience and helplessness, we finally got our turn (like FINALLY!!). Right, the haunted trail was quite good and the scare actors were very professional - there is no denial about that. The whole trail lasted for around 15-20 minutes.

And... That was it. 

Yes.. Just like that.

There was no chance for us to queue up for any other trail anymore. The queues for the rest of the trails were INSANELY long - so ridiculous that I felt it was impossible for us to complete even the slightest 2nd trail. I believe the event staff were busy filtering between those with express passes and normal ones ; as those with express ones would be given priority to enter. We were asked what type of passes we had - and could only helplessly reply they were the normal ones. The staff took a look at the queue, and gave us an embarrassed smile. It was apparent that it was impossible for us anymore should we want to catch the last train back home.

Can you imagine how sucky I felt at that very point of time? For the $66.60 paid PER person, I actually felt cheated. In fact, I can safely say that I spent $66.60 just to take photographs with the scare actors; queuing up for ONE of the FIVE haunted trails.... and that was it.

Let me breakdown the time frame and you will understand why I mentioned it's illogical:

Sentosa Spooktacular event: 7pm to 11pm (4 hours)

There are 5 haunted trails in total. 1 trail requires around 1+ hour of waiting time for normal passes. (There were people who experienced up to 90 mins of waiting time!)

5 haunted trails = 5 x 1 hr+ = Approx. 6 hours

And the approx 6 hours are SOLELY the time spent on waiting and EXCLUSIVE of the amount of time spent on walking the haunted trails.

So how..? Technically speaking, one will need around 7- 8 hours to complete everything; whereas the event is only 4 hours. Even with extended hours, I doubt they are enough!

So can I safely assume that this event is only catered for people who can afford express passes?

Normal passes were treated as the lowest class of the lot; and I believe it is one of their gimmicks to get people to "upgrade" to express ones so they could earn more. Well, Sentosa Spooktacular - If this is one of your ways to scare off those with normal passes using the "wasting-time" method, then I shall tell you that you have succeeded.

You have successfully scared my friends and I, YOUR first-time customers into not returning anymore. I know that you could make do with not earning our money since there are still so many people out there who were willing to PAY for express passes and get to enjoy what they wanted; but I just hope to voice out my displeasure and opinions on what I think of the event as a normal pass holder.

To cut the long story short, if YOU do not have the capability and ability to cater to the amount of people, then there is no point in pushing your ticket sales because there are bound to be very unhappy customers like me who felt underprivileged to go through this undeserving experience.

It beats me why there were even express and normal passes in the first place; it's just like encouraging people to invest in the express ones for the ultimate experience and normal ones are just for people who couldn't afford it and yet trying their luck to get the most out of it.

Even if this is not their intention; but this is exactly what and how I feel like as a customer.

I thought that it would be better if Sentosa Spooktacular only charges for what we go for. In other words, to charge per entry to one haunted trail instead of making customers pay full price and yet had us give up the rest of the trails due to the insanely-long queue which we have no control of. I understand that we are at the losing end no matter what- but still; it's just a simple welfare and spare of thought for people like me. At least, I will be contented with only paying what I go for.

Nonetheless, I shall post the few photographs that were taken at the event - Now the only thing we can do is to make ourselves look like we are soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying the event when we are apparently not...

With my love:

Ending this entry with a bear I bought at the event; the only thing that I thought was cute:

I am not posting this with any means of "spoiling" Sentosa Spooktacular's reputation or anything for that matter; but I am just expressing how unjustifiable I felt the whole event was for me. So much for a Halloween!