Immersive Experience: I LIKE SCARY MOVIES

Who’s your favorite horror villain? Is it Freddy with his claws ready to invade your dreams? Are you down to float with Pennywise? Are you volunteering at Camp Crystal Lake hoping for a bloody encounter? Well, good thing that I Like Scary Movies is back for its new run in downtown LA ready to fulfill your horror yearnings. We got a chance to check out the new location with some revamped favorites and a whole new section.

First up is the opening room with a couple of new sets. The iconic ‘I Like Scary Movies‘ wall returns from the previous run along with two new sets of the coffin and a Sleepy Hollow-esque tree. The coffin set is my personal favorite from this room. It is surprisingly and also terrifyingly comfortable. So, watch out that you don’t lie down and never get up again.

Next up is the revamped section from The Shining. Most of the sets from the last run have returned, although in a different space. This section is smaller, but all of the old favorites have returned from the creepy twins to the “Here’s Johnny” door. The best thing about the smaller section is that the giant REDRUM letters are able to fit into one photo without having to do a panoramic shot.

Switching it up from the last run, the Nightmare on Elm Street section follows with the same rooms as the last run. You can choose to perish under a massive version of Freddy’s glove, or you can sit on a throne of his face and take on the glove yourself. Beware as you selfie, though. You never know where Freddy is going to come from.

Coming out of Freddy’s world, the psychedelic tunnel leading to Derry has returned. That being said, if the disconcerting tunnels aren’t your thing, there is an alternate pathway behind the curtain to Pennywise’s domain. Walk through the paper boats and prepare to float as you enter the Derry section. It should be noted that the IT section is based on the 2017 version with Bill Skarsgard vs the Tim Curry version of the 90s. Write down your fear and stick it on the wall to get a shiny Pennywise penny and then you can play with some clowns, become Georgie, or get eaten and float.

Exit Derry through the tent and find yourself in the world of Beetlejuice where you can emerge from the grave, become the top half of an amazing set of legs, or meet a shark that just wants to eat whatever part of you that you want to give it. This section is definitely the brightest and most fun of all the areas. It also benefits the most from an open floor plan. Instead of giant lines for each section, now people can just jump to whichever set is open.

The Lost Boys set is gone at this location, replaced by Camp Crystal Lake where Jason glitters as he seeks his latest victims. Roast some marshmallows, stay in a tent, visit the lake, but just be wary that Jason is everywhere and so are his machetes.

Make sure that you see everything you want to before you move from one section to the other. I Like Scary Movies is a one-way experience so, once you leave a section, you can’t go back. I Like Scary Movies is primarily a photo op and horror-nerd-out experience so don’t worry about anyone jumping out at you. Everyone in an I Like Scary Movies shirt is there to help. They are a fountain of information about whatever room they’re working in and can also help you get group photos of you and your friends.

The new run of I Like Scary Movies definitely came with some improvements. First and foremost, the new space is air-conditioned. Last time, there were definitely moments where I was sweating and not comfortable while waiting for the next section. They opened up the floor plan so, instead of there being only one direction from each set to the next, guests can flow to whichever set is open which cut down on waiting in line for each set. Plus the Friday the 13th section is bigger than The Lost Boys one that it replaced, offering all the more chances to be murdered by Jason.

If you like horror, this experience is definitely worth checking out. Tickets are available at ilikescarymoviesexperience.com.