by Jonathan Bilski
Dress-up to time travel.
Pfffhhh. (I'm blowing on my singed clothes) Gotta just cool off. Been busy time traveling. Y'know, it's an LA thing.
This year Delusion is not really a haunt and more of an adventure made for Sunday mornings on the old WB channel. You're one of the cast as you've gotta stop a mad women from ruining history. It's sort of When Is Carmen Sandiego? If Carmen Sandiego caught wind of you trying to stop her, so she's tries to kill you by killing your ancestors.
An adventure awaits you this Halloween season. Not a haunt, but your own cheesy SyFy channel adventure!
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| all photos in article by Robert Kozek |
Delusion: The Blue Blade is the latest work from special effects man turned haunter, Jon Braver. He worked on Nolan's Dark Night-Batman series. His interactive Delusion series has become legendary in SoCal. It's so beloved, well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but this year's experience is already sold out. Update: Spring Session just added, look at end of post. There is a wait-list
here. And we believe this year's run extends into early December. And, tickets cost more than $80 a head. Now, that's telling of how much people want to try Delusion.
We got to try it out on a perfect, perfect night with rain, thunder and lightning coming down. (Rain, thunder and lightning are not part of Delusion: The Blue Blade unless weather deems so.)
This year, before going we suggest getting into the mood for it by not wearing a simple t-shirt. Go out and wear some time travel apparel. If you're thinking Indiana Jones-chic, steam punk or even looking like an explorer, go for it. We really wish they told us to dress-up for the experience. It adds a little dash to the adventure.
This Delusion, you're part of a group trying to stop a rogue agent of a secret society, The Safeguard Society. Your Carmen Sandiego is a miss Professor Evelyn Lowell. She has in her possession The Blue Blade and it can cut through time. She's been using it like an expensive travel agent (a time travel agent) and making a boat load of cash. She's also been corrupting time and might be causing her brain to be corrupted. You just joined Safeguard and have to go after her. Sounds kinda strange for rookies, but hey.
Without going into the spoilers, we have to say we were blown away by this year's Delusion. A remarkable adventure that sets you and your group barreling through time. It is very much like an episode of a current sci-fi show. You and your group will visit different eras. Meet new and threatening people... and friends. All while piecing together a mystery that could cost you YOUR VERY EXISTENCE!
The Delusion team and The Great Company have built up an entire fun-house for you to get your time adventure on. You will travel to different periods with wonderful sets. It's not a stupid plastic background you can tape to a wall from Party City, it's a winding road of different places that makes you feel like your there.
Then you have a great cast, either there to help you or make your life...not so easy. Delusion sets you up with some just phenomenal actors who have to stay in character. We hated some of them and we were sad to see some go when it was there time. We got emotionally invested in some in the short period we got to know them. At least part of the TTDILA team. A fellow reporter sort of was mesmerized by a new location after a friend was lost to us. Uncaring bastard. That man (?) saved my life.
Looking at the pamphlet provided to you, you are playing roulette with cast as there's multiple people playing the roles. So, it'll be different for each group that goes through based on time and date.
It's also different per person. In my own experience, I got separated from the group and went on a different path. This happens multiple times to different members on your team. So, you and your colleagues in Safeguard will have to compare notes after.
It ain't no haunted house this year. Though, it's taking place during Halloween and the series is known for its horror elements, it's not a haunt. It's a sci-fi adventure and could take place at anytime of the year. If you're wanting a haunted house, this isn't it.
We're not saying it's bad and it has some fun scares, but it's not a haunt.
Spoilers
Now, we're gonna go over what really happens. You"ll start with an explanation in a van. All the backstory will be explained to you there. Your first task it to find somebody who looks out of place at the bar, Stanfield. Eventually, you"ll chase after him and really start your adventure time traveling. Turns out Stanfield worked with
Carmen Sandieo, we mean Professor Evelyn. He wants to find her and you need to help, because you are all stuck somewhere in time.
Oh, and shadow monsters our after you. Credit where credit is due, they look scary and weird. Great
design from whatever these things are or use to be.
You"ll have to escape to another time and luckily it's a bar. Though it is infested with something that rhymes with Mazis. It wouldn't be time travel without those jerks, would it?
My path changed from the rest of the group as an evil German lady name Uta took me into a separate room, hooked me up to a machine, drugged me and made me see bizarre visions throughout time.
Uta left me to be "disposed" of when out of nowhere a friendly android named Carrick came to my rescue. Soon, Carrick and the rest of our group we trying to solve mysteries from Professor Evelyn's past that had us hiding from Germans and other monsters. We also got a warning from the Professor that she would sort of kill us, but worse, by making us never exist, which kinda sucks.
We traveled once again to another time with I believe Mayans on the mind to a jungle area. We had to decipher more clues while finding out a few
surprises. This was one of the best areas of Delusion. Watch your head though and throughout the whole experience your step. Things out there in your jungle are not your friends.
Finally, we sort of went into a stone temple hot on the trail of old Professor Evelyn. Would we find our final confrontational there? Don't wanna ruin the ruins.
End of spoilers
Delusion: The Blue Blade is your sci-fi adventure that stars you. Don't be afraid to crack one-liners as you play out Doctor Who or whatever time travel fantasy you reference when you think of time travel. Play along, look for the clues and avoid those creepy shadow things...or you might become one.
We can't wait to see what a year round place will look like as promised by Delusion ages ago. If it's anything like this though, you"ll probably want to sign up now.
Delusion: The Blue Blade
Select Nights Now- Dec 2018
5257 W Adams Blvd. 90016
Sold out,
wait list only
Update:
- Spring Season - Thursday, February 14, 2019 - Sunday, June 30, 2019. Every Thurs-Sunday, shows from 6:40pm - 11:40pm.
- Pricing - (all prices below are before service fees)
- General Admission has 2 prices, $95 and $115, depending on peak timing.
- There's a VIP package available now! (a lot of people have been asking for this, so it's exciting that it's now an offering!)
- VIP
Package Includes (for 1 guest per package): Blue Blade Prime Time
Admission, Behind the Scenes VIP Tour, 2 Complimentary Drinks, Signed
Blue Blade Poster, Discount Code for Delusion Official Merchandise,
Collectible Show Ticket. Only available at 8pm and 10pm per day.
- Priced at $185
Parking
Reserved parking is available at Launderland Coin Op Laundry
(5238 West Adams Blvd. 90016) at $10/car. We'd like to keep our relationship
with the neighborhood in good standing and ask that you DO NOT park on
Cloverdale Ave. north of W Adams Blvd
next to the venue. Note: street parking is extremely limited and ridesharing is
highly encouraged. Use Lyft to get to and from the event! Enter BLUEBLADE in
the Promos section for 25% off rides to and from Fai Do Do.
