Good Evening and welcome to my fun-filled zombie survival tale.
Agent Daddy here giving you my after action report. When Mom asked the Tech Monkey and Airborne if they wanted to spend a Friday night shooting Zombies, the simple answer was, "Where and when?" It turns out in Bellflower, Ca.
Per the staff, for the past three years Hollywood Sports Paintball and Airsoft Park converts a portion of its 23 acre complex into a zombie survival park and shoot house. Beginning in the last week of September, and running through October 31st, you and the whole family can fight off zombies and get the crap scared out of you every Friday and Saturday Night from 8:00 pm until midnight.
Though a "local" I did not know this place existed. I decided to conduct a little reconnaissance on Google Maps and get a satellite view of this place. Looking down, it looked like a typical bombed out city or certain parts of Detroit, MI. Driving there, minus the big sign that says Paint Ball and Airsoft, you could easily mistake it for an industrial complex.
Once in and getting past the queue line and the usual security screenings, you enter into a darkened area, where signs point you to your impending doom.
First, you must run a gauntlet of malevolent looking figures which appear to roaming aimlessly, but always coming toward you. To actually enter, you are forced into a maze, filled with horrific sounds, foggy mists, and other creepy things that jump out at you.
Both boys took the things charging at you in good stride, but Airborne stuck pretty close when forced into the mazes, especially Cannibal Cavern. I ate before, so I was not as peckish as I normally would be.
The big question I had to contend with was, "When can we get to shoot zombies?" Well, there were three opportunities we took a chance on...The Vodoo Killhouse, Zombie Killhouse and the Evil Axis Shooting Range. To be very candid, all I remember was shooting and moving and trying to avoid getting grabbed at and infected. Unlike video games, this required you to use more than your thumbs and fingers. Trying to move with a team can be like herding cats, because the person in front of you was too scared to turn the corner. Your senses were challenged in the darkness and noise, and trying to get a clear shot in your rifle's sights through your fog filled protective goggles was not as easy as pressing the toggle lever on your tricked out controller.
Each of the killhouses used a different technique for the carnage. The first was Airsoft. After a quick safety briefing of weapons handling (which was true in every shoot house) they handed you a rifle. In this case, a HK G36 Style Rifle.
Your assault team, which consisted of other "survivors" and two staff dressed in various levels of Modern Warfare One, Two and Three War Fighters, were your guides to fight your way through mazes and buildings to retrieve the designated object. The Zombies charged at you, or jumped out at you from sides that were open and through open windows. Yes, you shot the Zombies and they did fall if you hit them.
In the second killhouse, you were given a modified M4 Carbine type rifle that used laser tag type technology. Here, you fought your way through a town and you shot at anything that moved that was not living and breathing. When you scored a hit, the sensor light attached to their bodies lit up like a Christmas Tree. The zombies fell where they stood.
The last mission we opted for was at that the Evil Axis Shooting Range. Here, you actually shot paint balls at the on rushing Zombies (more Night of the Living Dead, than 28 Days Later)
Your survivor party, which in our case also consisted of a Mom, Dad, and two pre-teen kids formed a defensive line trying to stop these Zombies from breaching and get at the nuclear bomb next to you. The catch here is unlike the Airsoft Killhouse, where your magazine had in excess of 400 rounds in the magazine, and the laser tag killhouse where you had ammo so longs as are your battery did not die, you have about 30 rounds of paint balls to stop the zombie wave attack and that's it.
Bottom line, they boys had fun, they got to shoot three types of role play rifles and saw first hand that it took real effort to fight the undead. Additionally, they enjoyed the in-house store to see the various weapons and gear used for the gaming. By the way, did I mention they had rock climbing there as well just in case you ran out of ammo and needed to escape.
Short of being in a George Romero Movie or an episode of the Walking Dead, this was a novel way to have fun with the family, especially around this time of year. That was the thing that struck me was that whole families, Mom, Dad and kids from all age ranges were going and fighting off the undead and enjoying themselves immensely. The staff was very courteous, and helpful. Even the zombies were family friendly, in between scaring the crap out of you and consuming mass quantities of flesh. Now Tech Monkey and Airborne can tell the kids at their respective schools that Dad and I fought Zombies on Friday Night and made it home in one piece.
If you would like to see for yourself, go to www.HAUNTEDHOLLYWOODSPORTS.com. If paintball and airsoft, minus the zombies are more to your taste, check it out in the day time. They are located at 9030 Somerset Blvd, Bellflower, CA, 90706, 562-867-9600. Just North of the 91 Fwy, take the Lakewood Blvd exit. Special thanks to www.Sinfulcelluloid.com whom we came across at Queen Mary's Dark Harbor for giving the 411. Thanks!!!
Agent Daddy here giving you my after action report. When Mom asked the Tech Monkey and Airborne if they wanted to spend a Friday night shooting Zombies, the simple answer was, "Where and when?" It turns out in Bellflower, Ca.
Per the staff, for the past three years Hollywood Sports Paintball and Airsoft Park converts a portion of its 23 acre complex into a zombie survival park and shoot house. Beginning in the last week of September, and running through October 31st, you and the whole family can fight off zombies and get the crap scared out of you every Friday and Saturday Night from 8:00 pm until midnight.
Though a "local" I did not know this place existed. I decided to conduct a little reconnaissance on Google Maps and get a satellite view of this place. Looking down, it looked like a typical bombed out city or certain parts of Detroit, MI. Driving there, minus the big sign that says Paint Ball and Airsoft, you could easily mistake it for an industrial complex.
Once in and getting past the queue line and the usual security screenings, you enter into a darkened area, where signs point you to your impending doom.
First, you must run a gauntlet of malevolent looking figures which appear to roaming aimlessly, but always coming toward you. To actually enter, you are forced into a maze, filled with horrific sounds, foggy mists, and other creepy things that jump out at you.
Both boys took the things charging at you in good stride, but Airborne stuck pretty close when forced into the mazes, especially Cannibal Cavern. I ate before, so I was not as peckish as I normally would be.
The big question I had to contend with was, "When can we get to shoot zombies?" Well, there were three opportunities we took a chance on...The Vodoo Killhouse, Zombie Killhouse and the Evil Axis Shooting Range. To be very candid, all I remember was shooting and moving and trying to avoid getting grabbed at and infected. Unlike video games, this required you to use more than your thumbs and fingers. Trying to move with a team can be like herding cats, because the person in front of you was too scared to turn the corner. Your senses were challenged in the darkness and noise, and trying to get a clear shot in your rifle's sights through your fog filled protective goggles was not as easy as pressing the toggle lever on your tricked out controller.
Each of the killhouses used a different technique for the carnage. The first was Airsoft. After a quick safety briefing of weapons handling (which was true in every shoot house) they handed you a rifle. In this case, a HK G36 Style Rifle. Your assault team, which consisted of other "survivors" and two staff dressed in various levels of Modern Warfare One, Two and Three War Fighters, were your guides to fight your way through mazes and buildings to retrieve the designated object. The Zombies charged at you, or jumped out at you from sides that were open and through open windows. Yes, you shot the Zombies and they did fall if you hit them.
In the second killhouse, you were given a modified M4 Carbine type rifle that used laser tag type technology. Here, you fought your way through a town and you shot at anything that moved that was not living and breathing. When you scored a hit, the sensor light attached to their bodies lit up like a Christmas Tree. The zombies fell where they stood.
The last mission we opted for was at that the Evil Axis Shooting Range. Here, you actually shot paint balls at the on rushing Zombies (more Night of the Living Dead, than 28 Days Later)
Your survivor party, which in our case also consisted of a Mom, Dad, and two pre-teen kids formed a defensive line trying to stop these Zombies from breaching and get at the nuclear bomb next to you. The catch here is unlike the Airsoft Killhouse, where your magazine had in excess of 400 rounds in the magazine, and the laser tag killhouse where you had ammo so longs as are your battery did not die, you have about 30 rounds of paint balls to stop the zombie wave attack and that's it.
Bottom line, they boys had fun, they got to shoot three types of role play rifles and saw first hand that it took real effort to fight the undead. Additionally, they enjoyed the in-house store to see the various weapons and gear used for the gaming. By the way, did I mention they had rock climbing there as well just in case you ran out of ammo and needed to escape.
Short of being in a George Romero Movie or an episode of the Walking Dead, this was a novel way to have fun with the family, especially around this time of year. That was the thing that struck me was that whole families, Mom, Dad and kids from all age ranges were going and fighting off the undead and enjoying themselves immensely. The staff was very courteous, and helpful. Even the zombies were family friendly, in between scaring the crap out of you and consuming mass quantities of flesh. Now Tech Monkey and Airborne can tell the kids at their respective schools that Dad and I fought Zombies on Friday Night and made it home in one piece.If you would like to see for yourself, go to www.HAUNTEDHOLLYWOODSPORTS.com. If paintball and airsoft, minus the zombies are more to your taste, check it out in the day time. They are located at 9030 Somerset Blvd, Bellflower, CA, 90706, 562-867-9600. Just North of the 91 Fwy, take the Lakewood Blvd exit. Special thanks to www.Sinfulcelluloid.com whom we came across at Queen Mary's Dark Harbor for giving the 411. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteMobile laser tag is an exciting, new and fun way to experience the thrill of outdoor skirmish. It’s an ideal activity for kids birthday parties or teenagers with lots of energy to burn!
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