The Haunted Rose presents Realm of the Supernatural: 2021 Review
The Whittier Museum, Whittier, CA
This season has seen some coincidentally recurring themes among the haunt community as haunters return toward a semblance of normalcy after last year’s severely restricted, COVID-infused Halloween season. Namely, we’ve seen instances of home haunters creating amazing productions in going pro—as evidenced by Hauntington Beach Manor and Dark Harvest, and we’ve seen haunts set in historic location, as in the case of this year’s Delusion: Reaper’s Remorse. Well, today’s update features a Westcoaster favorite that has managed to combine both of those actions! The Haunted Rose—the amazing creation of Ryan Banfield—has installed their first non-home haunt production entitled Realm of the Supernatural, and they’ve transformed the historically-oriented Whittier Museum into a full-fledged haunted history gallery in the process!
Dr. Macabro greets and warn visitors on their trip to the supernatural of Whittier.
We’ve written before of our adoration of The Haunted Rose, one of the best home haunts in Southern California with beautifully rendered sets, exquisite theming, creepy lighting, and fun scares in each of its productions. We were hooked starting from our first visit to Maritime Horror in 2017, and loved their “last minute” mini-haunt two years later at Millmur Manor entitled Carter’s Crypt. Last year brought Coronavirus-induce limitations on haunted walk-throughs, so Ryan and company pivoted to an outdoor-based haunted show called The Colour Out of Space, after the H.P. Lovecraft short story.
This year is actually the first Haunted Rose not to draw off of H.P. Lovecraft as a theme. Instead, it has focused its attention on the city of Whittier itself and its rich history, all lovingly and charmingly presented at the wonderful Whittier Museum in uptown. During the regular year, the Whittier Museum offers exhibits and displays and reproduced sets showing life as it was like in Whittier over a hundred years ago and documents the city’s development over the years. Run by the Whittier Historical Society, it is a really lovely educational setting that is great for families and school children.
Various characters representing early citizens of Whittier lurk inside the haunt, such as this blacksmith.
The reverend welcomes guests to this funeral. Could it be theirs?
For Halloween, though, the Whittier Museum has been transformed into a conduit for history to come alive—or perhaps dead—with a spooky, supernatural experience that runs throughout the entire museum. It seems that Dr. Macabro—recurring icon character for The Haunted Rose, has been conducting experiments that tamper with time and space and spirits, resulting in a condition that has brought back the past souls of Whittier to haunt the museum for an exclusive three-night weekend run.
Guests are ushered into the museum by Dr. Macabro himself, who warns them to be careful. It seems his wife has disappeared inside, and there are chaotic apparitions lurking about. Once guest duck through the curtains, they are transported into Whittier as it was over a century ago. Making their way through various historical scenes and collages, from a church to a classic schoolhouse to a farmstead to a blacksmiths to a burgeoning town and more, guests encounter figures associated with each. These aren’t famous historical characters. Instead, they’re the everyday citizens that would have populated Whittier as it slowly developed—farmers, teachers, barbers, clergymen, and more. Each of them has been resurrected in their settings, but they also seem a little sinister and on edge—perhaps because no ghoul likes being disturbed from eternal slumber!
Endless ghouls and echoes of the past abound in The Haunted Rose’s Realm of the Supernatural!
Whittier’s history and phantasms come to life in this enchantingly haunting Realm of the Supernatural!
This maze is the longest yet from The Haunted Rose, comparable to those at full theme park haunts like Knott’s (and longer than most of the mazes at Universal Studios Hollywood this year!). The amount of content and visual stimulus contained must been seen to truly be appreciated, and even these photos don’t really do the ambiance justice. In fact, multiple trips may be in order to truly appreciate all there is to see. Thematically and scenically, everything is absolutely spectacular.
It helps that the Whittier Museum has been seamlessly integrated with the haunt itself, to the point where it’s difficult to tell what part of the maze is the backdrop that the museum provides throughout the year and what part is added theatrical set pieces supplied by The Haunted Rose! The way that Ryan has woven his lighting, decor, and furnishings into the various exhibits and galleries is stunning and superb, and the resulting walkthrough experience is rich with real history and visceral spooks. Guests from previous Haunted Rose attractions will recognize parts of the haunt’s own past incorporated into this year’s attraction. Imagine if Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town was turned into one giant dressed up maze where guests could walk through the historical peek-in’s and engage with characters of each establishment. Sure, we do have a good deal of this with Knott’s Scary Farm and Ghost Town Alive!, but it’s not to the intimate level that is presented in the Realm of the Supernatural.
Past visitors of The Haunted Rose may recognize certain set pieces from prior haunts. Haunters always recycle!
This may not be the most trustworthy barber to get a shave from…
Within the atmosphere of this display of history, The Haunted Rose manages to incorporate some great scares as well. Where feasible, animatronics have been brought in for distractions and startles. The bountiful scareactors inside also provide some fun startles without risk of damage to the exhibits. There is a great mix of boo box jump scares, statue scares, misdirection scares, and creeper scares. One of the highlight scares of the evening involves a double swerve where a figure at first appears to be a pepper’s ghost effect, then turns out to be a reflection, then turns out to be more than just a static prop!
The conductor will check your ticket… and your soul.
There are also interactive moments with some of the talent, such as the schoolteacher who sternly requests guests’ homework, or the girl in a nightgown pointing toward a church and claiming that something killed her husband inside. The theatrical element of this year’s production seems to mix in last year’s amazing haunted show with The Haunted Rose’s traditional maze experiences. This variety helps lend an element of unpredictability and makes the experience exceedingly enjoyable.
A creepy class is in session in this part of Realm of the Supernatural.
Throughout it all, though, the fright level is never intense. There’s a fun and appreciative revelry in the history that pervades this year’s Haunted Rose, respecting the space and the knowledge being showcased in the museum.
This ghoul beckons toward a sinister church.
Bottom line: The Haunted Rose continues its stellar run of sumptuous, magnificent, thrilling haunted attractions. The move from a residential setting to a commercial one doesn’t seem to have phased Ryan and his team at all. If anything, it seems to invigorated the haunt into producing something even richer and more evocative. The Haunted Rose remains a can’t-miss haunted attraction, and we highly encourage anyone who is anywhere near the Whittier area this weekend to carve out some time to visit. They won’t regret it!
The Haunted Rose is located in The Whittier Museum this year, at 6755 Newlin Ave, Whittier, CA 90601. It continues its run tonight and tomorrow night, from 6:00 - 11:00pm. There is also a hearse show from 6:00 - 10:00pm tonight. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is recommended and welcome. Parking is free on the street. This attraction is absolutely stellar and deserves plenty of love and support from the haunt community and Halloween fans in general. Plus, one can pair a visit here with a trip to nearby Arbolita Drive in La Habra for an especially spirited holiday weekend excursion. The Haunted Rose has always been a limited, Halloween weekend-only attraction. Don’t miss it before it fades away into the fog this year!
Addendum:
If you didn’t get a chance to visit this season, never fear. Original Westcoaster trio member, Andrew, put together this snazzy video of this year’s event!
Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.
