Shaqtoberfest returns to Long Beach with a new scary maze aboard the Queen Mary

Shaq is back with his massive Halloween party on the grounds of the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

But this year, things are getting a little scarier since the basketball star is taking part of the celebration inside the famously haunted ship.

Shaqtoberfest, a Halloween event conjured up by former Los Angeles Lakers all-star Shaquille O’Neal that features walk-thru haunts, mazes, carnival rides, themed bars and DJs returns for select evenings on Sept. 28-Oct. 31.

“We are making our haunted trails longer and scarier and we are opening a new haunted trail on the Queen Mary,” said Brett Bertolino, director of special projects for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, who along with the NBA legend and ABG Entertainment, launched the event in 2022.

In the beginning, Shaqtoberfest was meant to be a family-friendly festive Halloween celebration with more emphasis on spooky fun than pop-out scares and gore. This year, the scare factor has been elevated, but there’s still safe spaces for those not into being spooked.

“All the trails are pick and choose. If scary things are not your cup of tea that’s fine,” Bertolino said. “So for folks that don’t want to do these scary trails, there’s additional entertainment, there’s additional bars and lounges and people can do other things if you’re not into the scares.”

While outside there’s a party vibe, aboard the Queen Mary is a new walk-thru haunt dubbed The Grey Ghost. This experience will mark the first time a haunt has been constructed on the recently reopened vessel since Dark Harbor in 2019.

“There’s no other experience like stepping on board that ship,” Bertolino said.

The new haunt incorporates the history of the Queen Mary, which was originally designed as a luxury ship. But during WWII the ship was tasked with carrying troops to battle and nicknamed the Grey Ghost. The haunt will take people onboard the ship to meet the spirits that lurk throughout its dark, damp corridors.

“While the ship was closed over the last three years these spirits have had the energy to really take over the space,” he said.

History of haunts

For about a decade, the Queen Mary served as the home for Dark Harbor, a popular Halloween haunt and festival that was made up of six mazes on and off the ship that attracted more than 120,000 people during its annual runs. But like many other live events, Dark Harbor was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and never returned.

The inaugural Shaqtoberfest brought a Halloween celebration back to the ship’s grounds in 2022, but none of the mazes took place on the ship.

“Now you’re going to encounter moments of history that took place on the actual Queen Mary. You’ll see the souls of those that have perished come to life in front of your eyes. So you may encounter a bellhop, you might encounter a first class passenger, a child who is chasing around a ball, a piano player who is playing a tune from the 1930s,” said Amy Holloman, creative lead for Shaqtoberfest.

In keeping with the choose-your-own-scares vibe, at one point in the maze, guests will be confronted with a choice.

“They will be asked if they’re brave enough to continue forward to prepare the ship for battle. If they’re too scared at that moment they will be allowed to leave the ship and we’ll thank them for sailing with us through the history of the Queen Mary. But if they’re ready for a more intense experience, they’ll take a left turn and go down a dark hallway,” Holloman said.

Besides taking part in supernatural battles, people will also be able to walk through several haunts located off the ship like Deadman’s Wharf: The Storm, where they’ll need to navigate through fog to escape sea creatures. There’s also Pirates Cove, which is filled with demonic pirates; the funhouse-themed Midway Madness; and Diesel’s Pumpkin Patch is a maze that has walls made out of hay.

The scary fun continues with nightly block parties and pop-up performances throughout the festival that include fire spinners and sliders.

Be on the lookout for the star of the party, since O’Neal was spotted walking through his event last year dressed in all black, checking out mazes and taking pictures with fans.

Shaqtoberfest

When: Various dates and times through Oct. 31

Where: Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach

Tickets: Starting at $29.99 for adult general admission at shaqtoberfest.com