“Get on the Bus” ValleyScare Trip Proves Success

On Saturday, Oct. 18, University of Wisconsin-River Falls students participated in the “Get on the Bus” (GotB) trip that took them to Valleyfair Amusement Park in Minneapolis.

During select nights throughout the month, the park offered a Halloween-themed event, “ValleyScare,” in which there were haunted attractions, mazes, and live-action performances for guests to partake. Every year these themed nights are highly anticipated by Valleyfair fans, both on account of the park’s extended hours and the new, thrilling experiences released in the season.

Expecting similar enthusiasm in River Falls, the university brought students to enjoy this limited-time adventure while offering its own worth-while benefits. By purchasing a ticket from the front desk of the University Center, students were provided a ticket cheaper than commercial value ($20 compared to the average $35), full access to the park’s themed attractions, as well as free transportation both ways. Sales began the month before and were open until the day of the event, and by the end had attracted 60 to 70 students out of the 100 allotted spaces – a very high demonstrated interest.

The night of the event, students gathered at the Cup of Knowledge to check in and receive their wristbands, and shortly thereafter the buses left campus at 6 p.m. sharp. They arrived at ValleyScare around 7:15 p.m., and students were allowed full run of the park until everyone would regroup and head back two hours later.

Much of the appeal of this GotB event was the flexibility and independence that it entailed. Rather than trail through the park as a massive group on a set itinerary, students were able to separate with their friends and enjoy attractions they were personally interested in.

Additionally, students also had two very appealing choices: driving earlier to ValleyScare themselves, or staying later in the park. The only restriction was communicating these plans with GotB organizers, so as not to hold up the group that would wait on them to arrive. Otherwise, students enjoyed their night however they (safely) saw fit.

ValleyScare was packed with horror actors interacting with guests, decorations both frightful and creative, and more fog than one could possibly see through.

There was a little bit of everything for people to enjoy, from an area infested with killer clowns that would stalk you down a bridge, to a pathway lined with treat stalls of frozen, frosted, and salty assortment. There were plenty of performances as well, both of the musical and comedic variety, which provided some light-hearted relief between all the haunts and frights.

Regardless of their scare capacity, students participated in a litany of thrills of their own choosing. The ValleyScare GotB was an overall success for students, in which the time to leave seemed to just fly by.