I first must admit that I was super excited to go to a haunt that combined two of my absolute favorite things, Alice in Wonderland and haunted houses.  I loved the terrain changes and all the crawling, sliding, and squeezing that came along with these changes.  The vortex was wonderful and you were lead into it through a room that was decorated the same with people who blended into  the walls of both.  In my opinion, these actors worked wonderfully to entertain their guests.  There were many scenes that very interesting to visit, including a room where Alice seems to grow taller and shorter right in front of your eyes!  The combination of Wonderland characters and movie serial killers including Jason Voorhees seemed a bit odd but actually worked well.  They definitely got great screams out of our group.  Overall, this is a  haunt like one you have never seen before, part play, part haunt, and all extremely eerie fun.  I highly suggest taking the trip down the rabbit hole into the House of Bathory.

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Dominion of Terror was excellent on every aspect. Fun and dedicated staff, terrific acting, and a lengthy haunt guarantees you won’t be disappointed with this one. There were sets in Dominion that were so realistic, I was actually questioning if this old building really had a diner or hospital in it! Actors performances were tops! The devil character was one actor that showed a dedication that is so rare. This is one haunt that will not disappoint!

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Schuster's Haunted Forest is one of the many fall activities at Schuster's Playtime Farm in Deerfield, WI.  I was really excited to go to an outdoor haunt at a farm and really didn't know what to expect - a quaint little farm with a few patrons and a petting zoo?  Sure, their playfully-decorated website talks a big talk (http://schustersfarm.com/haunted-forest/) but could this "playtime" farm really bring the big scares?  

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This was my first year attending Schuster's Haunted Forest and was really impressed with all the activities they offered for you to do, especially during the day.

At the beginning of the haunt they take you on a tractor trailer ride. To me this is the most creative transportation that I have yet to see at a haunt. You feel like you are being loaded up into a fenced in trailer that will lead you to your death.

The haunt itself I was a little disappointed with. It started off kind of slow with not a lot of actors involved to scare you. They do have different scenes set up throughout the woods but it just seemed like there was something missing. I love the haunts that interact with you and make you part of the scene, and this was missing that aspect so maybe that had something to do with it. It could also be the fact that it was 11pm by the time I actually got in and the actors were getting tired.

At the end, you are then loaded back up on the trailer and taken back to the parking area.

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Elements of Fear is the perfect haunt to take kids ages 8-12 to. It isn't as gory or scary as the haunts that I am used to. However, they did a good job at putting it all together. Every actor kept in character and made the scenes really come to life.

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By far my favorite haunt I've visited so far this year!!! It was put together incredibly well, I appreciated how long it lasted, and it was absolutely entertaining! When you get there, the wait is outside in lines and they do have a few clowns in the lines with you to keep you scared and entertained. Once inside, it is instantly creepy. The rooms are all redone from last year and a lot of them were really innovative and interesting - different from things I've seen at other haunts. The floors are uneven (especially in the room with the coffin!) and the walls are diagonal in places... it really messes with your senses. The restaurant/kitchen is absolutely revolting... but great! My favorite area was probably the hospital - every room in that area was fascinating. The make-up, the props, the fx, it was all so well done and so well put together... it was awesome. The actors throughout the haunt were phenomenal - they timed their scares perfectly and they were interactive and worked off of the group walking through the haunt. I highly recommend this haunt to everyone!

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Well all I can say is WOW! This haunt is branded as the best in Milwaukee and now I have seen that not only is this true but why it deserves this title. I have to tell you now that I had to go through this haunt TWICE in order to take in all the work that this haunt has put into its house. I was amazed.

I was most impressed that this haunt really relies on its actors. I have seen too many haunts that have turned to relying on animatronics and not on actors that to see what the Mars actors were capable of was extremely refreshing. I spoke with the manager of the haunt who you could tell is proud of his actors, as he should be. These actors will absolutely blow your mind!

Next to the actors the haunt's scenes and sets were just as impressive. You really could not tell that you were in an old office building. The sets were so expansive and well made that it was hard to focus on anything else. I sometimes found myself just starring at the scenes and of course the actors used this time to their advantage.

A lot of hard work was put into this haunt. Everything looks as if it was done for a Hollywood horror movie...the makeup, the sets, the lighting...everything. Needless to say I really enjoyed this haunt.

The level of passion that those who work this haunt is really admirable. They really help to set the tone of the haunt. Depending on the person this passion is going to build up sweet anticipation or dread of what is to come. Either way it is quite a thrill.

Simply put these guys go all out and it provides for one heck of a ride!

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I think that because we went on a such a busy night and had to be grouped with 3 other people we missed out on a lot of the good scares. Also, we felt kind of hurried because another group caught up to us. I did enjoy the unexpected scares from above us and some of the actors did attempt to scare us in the back which I appreciated.

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Monster Mayhem, as presented by Lister F/X, is a little bit different than your average haunt.  The same theme runs throughout and everything fits within the environment they have created.  My nephew and I thought that this allowed us to get more 'into' the haunt and it felt more believable (as far as haunts go) and I'll say that's a plus.

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Elements of Fear sounds like it would be pretty scary, but it you are looking for something more to the mild side of haunting this might be your ticket.

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I'll be upfront. This is not the type of haunt for those that really seek to be scared. It appears that the haunt was more focused on younger viewers or those that want an entertainment only haunt. To sum it up in one word, it was, simple. This is not an entirely bad thing, however. It provided a few effects that I actually have not seen in a long time. As a whole, though, the haunt left a lot to be desired.

When my father and I arrived at the haunt we were required to take a number and wait in a small room that left little in ways of entertainment. The idea of taking a number would not have been so bad if there actually appeared that there was a line.

When we were finally called we had another wait outside the doors to the haunt. One time I actually entered early as the actors were re-setting due to the lack of instruction. After we were finally admitted we were quickly whisked away to a room where they had a séance (I was able to really "take in the first scene".) The whole experience of the séance would have been a lot more enjoyable if I had not heard all the actors talking and coughing in the background.

This interference was so bad that the actor who was doing the séance was required to improvise with "what the spirits were saying." I will say, however, that I saw some neat effects in the room but they just could not make me forget about the interference.

From there we were moved out of the room by the unrested spirits and through the rest of the haunt. Again some pretty cool effects but a lot was left to be desired. Decorations, and scenes were minimal. Further as we walked along I caught several actors that were late in their scares or that were not ready.

All in all it was an interesting haunt and for a charitable purpose had a good cause and provided a, however short, form of Halloween entertainment.

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Disturbing! Grotesque! Unsettling! These were a few of the words my tour group of 6 used to describe their journey through Oblivion. For a first year event I was VERY impressed with the attention to detail found in this haunt…a visual treat to say the least. The website for Oblivion advertises that it is a "professional Wisconsin haunted house". It certainly shows.

What impressed my tour group the most was:
* How elaborately dressed the actors were with a keen attention to gore.
* The massive front door to this venue complete with thumpin’ sound system and smoke…very, very effective at building your anticipation!
* The acting performance of the greeting room.
* The creeped out elevator ride…was it real or just an illusion?
* The determination of the Puppeteer…the acting performance was so unsettling that I can’t get him out of my head.
* The keen attention to detail with the grotesque filth on display in many of the rooms.
* Original set designs made for a very unique experience.
* sound system really set the tone of the haunt nicely…wish the volume weas a little louder inside though.
* length of tour. Really felt like I got my money’s worth!

If you’re easily scared Oblivion will definitely send chills through your body. For those who are a little more desensitized with reality and pride themselves on being a tough scare don’t relax too much the ghouls at Oblivion appear to be very talented at getting to you when you least expect it….they may have gotten me once…or twice.

You may have noticed that I didn’t give Oblivion a perfect score in the scare and fun factors. My rational for this was a follows:

* Fun Factor – to maximize my fun factor ideally I would have like to have encountered more rooms when you can interact with the ghouls. There were also a few rooms where I couldn’t figure out if I was supposed to hang out for something to happen or to just continue the tour.
* Scare Factor – while many of the scenes set the stage for a great scare with a keen attention to detail and gore the room execution fell short of making me jump or encourage me to run for my life. The potential is definitely there…perhaps I just caught them on an off night?

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Caution! All who enter this haunt may not leave!! Admittedly, adults may not find Elements of Fear to be the scariest haunted attraction they attend this year but there’s a good chance that younger haunt goers may feel differently. I had the opportunity to interview 3 boys ages 10-12 prior to entering Elements of Fear. All 3 were talked wildly about the fun time they had but none were willing to admit to being scared. (…interestingly though, there were 2 girls sitting close by….)

I was very pleasantly surprised to find that my tour group for Elements of Fear consisted of just 2 adults and 2 younger teens who were attending this haunt for the first time. While the sizing of the group may have been purely coincidental or perhaps due to the logistics of some of the rooms it definitely helped maximize my immersion into the Elements of Fear found at this haunt. Surprisingly, while talking with the 2 young boys in our group I was able to get them to admit to being a bit nervous prior to embarking on our journey. While I have my doubts that they’d ever admit to being scared I did catch them jumping on quite a few occasions during our adventure. Of course I had every intention of interviewing them following our tour but in an odd twist I completely lost track of them in the fast and furious action of the final room. Did the Elements of Fear send them racing home….or did they perhaps fall victim to the ghouls chasing us through the last room. Of course when it comes to haunts, the words I live by are “he who falls behind gets left behind!”

What I particularly enjoyed about this haunt was how some very simple household items (mirrors, cloth, curtains...etc.) were used to create some really creepy effects and scares.....it really captured my dreams of someday creating my own haunt. I also really enjoyed was the enthusiasm and energy the actors put into their roles. Many of the actors were youthful but there were also a few adults sprinkled into the mix to support some of the more interactive rooms.

This haunt was a challenging one for me to rate. My inner youth definitely would place this haunt at a 5 out of 5 for the fun and fear factors. The adult haunted connoisseur placed it at a 2 out of 5 for the following reasons: For the fun factor there were only a few rooms that allowed you to interact with the actors/scenes via a skit and in those instances there were quite a few distractions (screams, yells, loud bangs) from other parts of the haunt. For the scare factor while there are some parts that have the potential to make you jump most of the scares are geared more towards a younger crowd.

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Bravo! Of the 3 haunts I toured in the Appleton area, Neenah’s Most Haunted did the best job of providing a ghoulishly fun time for haunt goers of all ages. While the scares here are definitely kid appropriate, adults will definitely enjoy the clever room layouts and polished performances of the ghouls.

This was the first time I’ve visited Neenah’s Most Haunted and from what I’ve read it’s been around for 25 years. While I’m guessing many of the actors are only half the age of this haunt I was pleasantly surprised with the superb job the young actors did portraying their roles. The years of experience are definitely evident in the creative room and hallway layouts, the elaborate detail found in many of the rooms and the articulately dressed and skillfully positioned ghouls.

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13th Nightmare, a fundraiser for Dare to Dream Children’s Theatre, is a brand new haunted house located in an old church in downtown Manitowoc. While the haunt is brand new, the people in charge of art direction are anything but. They have experience with other haunts and it shows through from the minute you descend into the catacombs. 

13th Nightmare has a double edged sword when it comes to their location. They are in a mostly residential neighborhood loud music and noise outside are pretty much out, as is the heavy drive by visibility some haunts get. What they do have is a kick ass building. What’s better than a haunted house being in an old building? When that building is an old church building (steeple and all!). Maybe it’s just me, but hearing someone freak out about the devil coming while you’re standing on the altar is almost mind blowing.

Fortunately for us (and unfortunately for them) there was no line when we got there. We chatted with the people running the ticket booth while the actor’s got reset and then we made our way in. The wait is outside, but they do have a small canopy for shelter from rain if needed.

The actor’s were really good. I’m not sure if any of them were a part of the theater itself or not, but they seemed like they have had training. I prefer psychological scares over the standard make you scream type scares that are typical, so this was one of my favorites on that regard. I’d rather have actors following me around or acting behind bars freaking me out than people jumping in my face and screaming. They had one of the best Asylum scenes I’ve seen, and with the high ceilings the church provides, the swamp actually felt and looked like you were outside. 

The only problem I had with this haunt was the length. Coming in at around 10 minutes it definitely could have been longer. With such great actors it would be easy to add some more stories/skits to the rooms to make it last longer. We had the opportunity to talk with the directors after the haunt and they mentioned they had more plans that they just ran out of time to do, which in a first year is understandable. They definitely need to work those ideas in for next year.

 Overall this haunt is definitely above average. In some aspects they don’t look even close to a first year haunt, but in others that is evident. You can tell the people in charge really care about this and want to succeed. They really seemed to take to heart our thoughts and ideas. They have a great start already, and I expect even bigger things from this crew next year. I can’t wait to see how they progress!

My third haunt of the year was Neenah’s Most Haunted; a haunted house fundraiser for a youth drop in center in Neenah called Youth Go. Celebrating 25 years of fear, this attraction has not lost a thing. I have attended this haunt in the past and was impressed by what they do with what they have.  While they do not use animatronics or holograms, their scenes and actors are more than capable of giving you a good time. Nonprofit haunts are refreshing in that they care more about the experience than the “cattle herding” you can experience at some of the more commercial haunts.

Getting to NMH is a little tricky, but if you have directions you should be fine. I came into town from a completely different area than I’m used to so that made a big difference. I did not notice any signs along the way, but once you are upon the haunt you know you’re in the right place. The building they use is an old city garage that looks like it was abandoned. It gives off a pretty good aura.

They do not have an indoor waiting area, so be sure to dress warm if the temps are cool. There are a few actors walking around and getting in your face. One of the best line actors I’ve seen this year was here. He never once broke character as he stared you down. We only had to wait about 7 minutes, and there was only one group ahead of us. They send groups in about 5 minutes apart, but we still ran into the group ahead of us at one point. That’s not necessarily on them; it could have been us going fast or the other group going slow.

The actor’s were very good, especially considering a vast majority of them are probably in their teens. They didn’t break character, and even if we were lost and needed help finding our way they helped get us straight while using it to enhance their characters.

As mentioned above they don’t go all out crazy on expensive pieces of equipment, but they still build a great haunt. They utilize favorites such as dark mazes and a vortex, but also use some original things such as multiple rooms with things hanging from the ceiling. (You’ll think its original when you see it!) This effect makes it easy to get lost at times.

It took us roughly 15 minutes to get through, which I would say is average. Overall with finding a parking spot, getting tickets and waiting in line we were there for around 45 minutes.

At $10 a ticket this a good valued haunted house. It’s fairly family friendly, and it’s wheelchair accessible (the only one I have ever been to that is) so it gives people who don’t necessarily have the chance to go to experience it. Add in the fact that it’s run for a good cause and you have a win-win.

The Burial Chamber remains one of the most popular haunted attractions in Wisconsin. The lines of screaming fans waiting to enter the attraction is only a small indication of their popularity. This year they are back and better than ever! If you are a thrill seeking adrenaline junkie then The Burial Chamber is for you. They are also the largest haunted attraction in Wisconsin. With two very different haunted houses, a haunted woods, and a burial simulator you can plan on making an "evening" of fear.

The Burial Chambers popularity was evident the moment we arrived and noticed the line for tickets was at least 60 people deep. I was slightly discouraged by the long line and almost didn't attend the haunt. Instead of waiting in the regular line I opted for the VIP line hoping to cut wait time drastically. The wait for tickets in the VIP line was at least a half hour long! If the weather is bad you could probably experience a much shorter wait, but be aware that all of the waiting is outside and Phobia is entirely outside. The lines for each attraction were also very long and you should expect to spend a lot of time outside waiting. There were a few ghouls wandering the lines spooking guests which made the wait seem shorter.

The final attraction we attended was Insanity. To say that it was "insane" is an understatement. I would compare some of the actors in this haunt to circus freaks. They climb walls and do things that I didn't even know was humanly possible ... perhaps they were NOT human? There is a lot of interaction with the actors in insanity and the costumes were gory and very realistic. The rooms are set up so that an actor could be across the room at one moment and in your face in one second. Don't be surprised if you feel drips of blood trickling down your back or if you are sprayed by a corpse's guts. The total walk through time of Insanity was 19 minutes.

We bypassed the burial simulator this year, but from previous experience it is just one of those things you need to try once. The cameras weren't working so you couldn't watch your friend's faces as they are buried alive (the best part).

Although the lines were long there are plenty of treats and souvenirs to help pass the time. They have the most amazing warm doughnuts and everything from corn dogs to hot cider. The only thing that would turn The Burial Chamber from "amazing" to "out of this world outstanding" would be a better wait area. Perhaps an indoor seating area with entertainment (however it would have to be a large area to support that many people).

Elements of Fear is a good choice if you are younger, or not into gory in-your-face haunts. Before we entered the haunt, we had to wait in a small bingo hall, with no entertainment, it was kind of boring. We were directed to many different workers that would show us to the entrance. Finally a very young girl in a princess costume escorted my friend, two younger teens, and me to the haunt. Things seemed disorganized in the beginning; we had to wait outside for about 10 minutes before we were let in.

The first area was a séance, there was a few good effects in this room, but the walkie-talkie that kept going off distracted me and focused my attention elsewhere. The rest of the rooms were all different, but had minimal props and decorations. The actors were young, none seemed excited to be there, and relied heavily on screaming as their major form of spooking. The one exception was a creepy crawler, she really made me jump. The vortex was fast and amazing. The haunt took no more than 5 minutes for us to get through. I would have liked to have seen more. In all, Elements of Fear is a fast-paced jaunt through a charitable haunt.

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In 2009 I attended 8 haunts around the state and rated this one as the scariest. To date this year I have attended 8 different haunts and on the scare factor scale, Burial Chamber’s Adrenalin attraction is once again totally off the charts!! For those who haven’t been to Burial chamber it’s actually a mega complex of haunted / scary attractions. This year I checked out the two indoor haunts Adrenalin and Insanity as well as the outdoor attraction, Phobia. All are definitely worth the price of admission.

Adrenalin offers a unique experience unlike the other haunts I've been to this year. Rather than stop you on occasion to allow you to interact with actors, Adrenalin parades you through a complex maze of dimly lit hall ways and rooms, all with a fairly consistent theme. Acting was kept at minimum and was usually limited to a quick entrance from out of nowhere in an attempt to scare you and then a quick disappearance into the shadows....a very effective tactic to scare you regardless of where you might be positioned in your group.

Insanity offered a similar experience to Adrenalin but without as much consistency between rooms and also included a few rooms with actors who would attempt to interact with you. This tactic, however, was a bit disappointing as the mandatory group sizes of 8-10 made it impossible for everyone to fit in the room with the actor at the same time and prohibited everyone from enjoying the entire skit.

I found the experience with Phobia to be quite unique. Only a brightly lit moon illuminated this experience. In one instance the shadow of a creature rushing toward us at a very rapid pace actually made my entire group of 8 scatter to avoid what appeared to be an imminent collision.

IF you don't like standing in long lines while being exposed to the weather elements I would strongly recommend the VIP pass. The VIP admission allows you to skip everyone who hasn't purchased it. It does not, however, limit your group size or guarantee that you'll be able to enter immediately.

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Walking up to the building from where we parked, I thought maybe we were at the wrong place.  It wasn't until we went to the back side of the building that we knew we were at our destination.  A long line of people, bass pounding dark music, boarded up windows with lights flashing to the music, and the sound of screams coming from inside the haunt.  Game on!

Once we entered the building, I froze.  It looked like an old abandoned building with clutter everywhere.  It felt like we were being watched even though I didn't see anybody at the time.  That changed in about 30 seconds, they came out of no-where!

Every room we went into was completely different from the last.  I had to laugh as we walked into a restaurant, as a lady sitting in a booth gurgled 'Don't eat here!' as she choked down some soup.  Walking through the restaurant and then through the kitchen was very entertaining.  Also highly entertaining was the good ol' red-neck boys that wanted to eat us!  It was really funny until it felt like they weren't going to let us through! 

They have a very good mix of skits and good old fashioned scares.  It must have taken months to design and setup this attraction.  I appreciate the time and effort they put into their work.  It does not go unnoticed!

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In you enjoy scary adventures that allow you to participate in your adventure rather than being limited to just being a spectator then you’ll love Monster Mayhem! Sure, you can limit your involvement in the Monster Mayhem experience to being just a mere spectator…but if you’re looking for an opportunity to maximize your thrills by totally emerging yourself into a horrific adventure you’ll definitely want to check out Monster Mayhem.

It’s not often you encounter a haunt that actually gives you a mission to complete. The unique aspects of this haunt don’t stop there. Custom made special effects and a very unique consistent themed story line for the entire venue give you the opportunity to play a role in this adventure. Probably the best way to explain the theme of this haunt is to liken it to a mix between Aliens and Resident Evil. What I particularly enjoyed about Monster Mayhem is that you don't just see and hear scary things....you actually get to FEEL them on a few occasions!

The superb acting, special effects and the detailed story line at Monster Mayhem made this a very enjoyable experience for me. While every scene didn’t motivate me to run for the hills there were a few rooms that made me jump or quicken my steps. As a result, I gave this attraction a 5 out of 5 on the fun scale and a 3.5 out of 5 on the scare factor. This is definitely a haunt for all ages and not just adults.

(note: one thing I’d like to point out…I attended this haunt on opening night and then again two weeks later. The experiences were totally different. One of the key elements of a participatory event is the interaction between the actors and the participant. As the actors were just getting acclimated to their roles on opening night I found the thrills to be a lot more intense on my recent journey through Monster Mayhem than on the original.)

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The House Of Bathory is unlike any haunt I've ever been to.  Across the board, they stand out from all the others.  I was a little worried with the location being downtown Manitowoc.  I like my haunts in the middle of no-where, as it helps set the mood!  But what they lacked for in location, they made up for in creativity!

One of the big differences is the theme of the haunt.  It centers around Alice In Wonderland.  I never really thought of that story as spooky or even remotely scary.  That all changed after attending this haunt.  It's very interactive, making you a part of what's happening.

As we were about to enter the haunt, something happened where they said it would still be a few minutes.  As we waited, one of the employees entertained us with a baby monster puppet.  It was great!  I don't know how many times she had to put on a little show like that with the puppet, but she was great.  I was highly entertained! 

Once we were allowed inside the haunt, we were ushered into a room where we sat down at a large table.  The mad hatter was there, as well as the rabbit.  They made small talk and really took the time to set you up for a big scare that was about to happen.  This happened several times!  Tweedledee and Tweedledum also set us up for another scare.  I sure wasn't expecting it when it happened!   

One thing to note: At this attraction, they are allowed to touch you.  I can't recall the last haunt I've been to where that was allowed.  It startled me!

Another strength of this haunt is their use of sounds and music.  This was the only haunt that I attended this year that played some old school, scary music.  Loved it!  They also used several iconic monsters throughout, mixing the Alice In Wonderland story with more of the traditional monsters that we associate Halloween with.

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I attended Oblivion Haunted House in Menasha, WI (http://www.oblivionhauntedhouse.com/) last weekend with Mr. K, the easily frightened, and Cousin K, the former haunted house actress.  Tickets for Oblivion are $12 at the door, though they can be purchased online through their website (or their iPhone/touch app!) for only $10 and discount coupons can be found at various locations around town.  For the amount of thought and detail that went behind the production of Oblivion, this haunt is incredibly reasonably priced.

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In my opinion, the House of Bathory is a definite must see. I first attended this haunt three years ago and have gone back every year to the point where it is now my favorite. They incorporate a lot of the old school haunt. I will warn you they do touch you in there. They are also very interactive. In every scene, they make you feel as though you are apart of it. Just by having you crawl through tight spaces or answering questions that the monsters or demons have for you.

This year they went with the Alice in Wonderland theme. They did a really great job at keeping the theme throughout the entire house. However, I wouldn't exactly call it a Wonderland. You can't even begin to imagine what is waiting for you around the next corner.

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Now in its 25th year of operation, Neenah's Most Haunted is the longest running non-profit Haunted House in the Fox Valley and its experience shows.  This haunted house is a fundraiser for Youth Go, a non-profit youth drop in center in Neenah and is fully wheelchair accessible.  At only $10 a ticket, it is also a budget-friendly haunt!

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The Haunted Barn in Stoughton, WI (http://www.the-haunted-barn.com/) was, hands down, one of the best haunts I have been to...EVER.  I agree, that's a bold way to start a review - but hear me out...  

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Burial Chamber has always been a favorite haunt of mine to attend to. They have four different attractions that you can attend, Adrenaline, Phobia, Insanity, and the coffin ride.

Adrenaline was the first haunt that I went through while I was there. From the beginning you could tell you were about to walk into something that would make your heart start racing. There were monsters lurking everywhere and you just didn't know where the next one would be.

I then headed to Phobia. In the past I was never really impressed with the wooded portion of their haunt but they definitely added some very much needed changes. They included scenes along the trail that let you thinking you were walking through woods with cannibals living within it.

Insanity was the last portion that I attended. They start you off by watching a movie explaining what you might see inside the haunt. This part of the haunt I was a little disappointed with. I felt there were too many dark mazes and the scenes they did have set up didn't have actors as a part of it making the scene come to life.

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The Hubertus House of Horror has quite a few unique characteristics that I haven't seen used in any other haunt this year - which I thoroughly enjoyed! When you arrive, you can purchase your tickets and wait in a heated area where they serve concessions and can even play arcade games. Although it's not scary (though there are some actors in costumes walking around), it's really nice to have something to do when the wait can be quite long -about an hour and fifteen minutes when we were there- and to be able to stay warm is well worth it.

Once you're on your way into the house... the bus is fantastic and something I've never seen before. The house (school) featured plenty of different rooms so it keeps you entertained. The other thing that's different in this house which I had never experienced before was 3D glasses! They hand them out and you wear them through I think 3 or 4 different rooms and the paint like... comes off of the walls... it's a crazy feeling! It was kind of difficult to keep the glasses on, and I felt a little dizzy... but I thought it was something different and new and I applaud this haunt for trying something outside the box! Overall, I enjoyed this haunt for it's innovation and new ideas, but I wasn't entirely scared through the majority of it. Definitely a good choice for a younger crowd, though!

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This is Dare To Dream's first year putting on a haunted house, and it's held in a old church. I’m not sure how I feel about a haunt being in a church. Granted, it does add to the creepy factor. But I can see how this might offend some people. I have to admit, I was creeped out before I even entered the haunt! Old churches can be creepy. Add some mood lighting and some spooky music, and I didn’t want to enter!

Our first few seconds in the house, we received a slight scare right off the bat. A wall with skulls caught us off guard as we walked by. As we walked into the next room, Michael Myers was waiting for us. Now, I have a soft spot for MM... and I’m not talking about any of my organs. The first Halloween movie was the inspiration for many of my early nightmares! So having Mikey following us throughout the haunt just seemed right to me. The actor had the mannerisms down pretty good, from the slow strides to the dog-like cock of the head. He was taller which helped too. One word of advice though: Dirty up the mask and suit. Both looked like they were just purchased. Mess up the hair. Get some wear and tear in the gray overalls. Make it look like Mr. Myers has been around the block a few times.

There was a great scene where we walked down a long hallway, and there were little girls (I would guess around age 10) screaming on either side of you ALL the way down the hall. It felt like we were in an insane asylum. They were behind doors, so I couldn’t make out what they were screaming. Not scary, but visually creepy as Michael was still following/chasing us!

It felt like there was a lot of dead space. More actors can easily fix that.

The final scene had some vampires in it. We walked by as they acted out a quick skit. Another word of advice: Get in our comfort zone. People are paying to get a good scare, so give them what they’re asking for

Not a bad first year effort, but there’s much that can be improved. I think the time spent in the haunt is the most important to improve on. Make people feel like they are getting their money’s worth. You can do this by blocking exits with actors, doing more skits in more rooms, etc... Personally, I would think that 20 to 30 minutes is a reasonable amount
of time to spend at a haunt.

An old church is a great fodder to build a story around and use to your benefit.

Some people will drive from other cities (like we did), so give them something to talk about on the way home.

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Do you like to interact with lots of actors who just ooze (sometimes literally) Halloween?  If you like all of that in an intimate setting full of creepy scenes then make sure you visit Mar's Haunted House.

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If you like your haunts loud and over the top, you better visit Hauntfest in West Allis.  Be prepared to be inundated with loud music, sound effects, bright lights and movies...  And that's all before you get into the haunt!

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Freakin' Exhaustin'! This is one haunt you want to set aside the whole night for, 'cause it's going to put you through the ringer and back again. Sweet satan, it's a 45 minute hike through a maze of the tallest corn this reviewer and companions have ever seen, they grow 'em big up there in West Bend, maybe it's something in the water, something like...Evil! You're literally wandering through corridors of corn here, it must have been 15 feet high, I kid you not, constant reader, twice the height of a normal person. There's a nice mix of animatronic and live actors sprinkled throughout the haunt, as well as various scenes and little buildings placed at spots in the maze to keep your interest up. You're literally trapped in some of the scenes, too, which is wonderfully unsettling, we ended up banging on walls at one place to try to find an exit, of which there turned out to be none -- these ghouls don't screw around!

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As I said, it's a working farm, and there are a bunch of things to do, like shop in the little store (lots of Halloween stuff and craft stuff in several rooms), and you can get stuff to eat at a little stand that gives its money to a German Shepherd rescue organization; it has things like hamburgers and brats and popcorn and candy bars and there are a bunch of picnic tables at the bonfire that you can go eat at. You buy your tickets at the store checkout counter, and then get a bracelet with a number on it. They have an LED sign system with several locations on the farm, so you can wander around a little and watch for your number to be called; they call numbers in groups of 50, and then you go line up and wait to get let into the haunt. There's also a "quickline" ticket that allows you to get directly in line without waiting.

There are also a bunch of living animals in various fenced-off areas that you can marvel at or bother while you wait, like a donkey (whose braying was pretty creepy), emus (yes, emus), ducks and geese, llamas, goats, and then there was Bunnytown, which has little bunnies all romping about, apparently impervious to the terror being visited on the humans only tens of feet away -- where is your sense of decency, little bunnies? There's also a bonfire you can go sit around; there appeared to be a large man in a black leather hat and coat with a cane tending the bonfire, and I got the impression he may tell spooky stories or something, but we didn't hear any while we were there, though we were there quite early. No ghouls wandering around that we saw, but that was okay, the freakin' haunt is 45 minutes long, and you don't really need any pre-show entertainment.

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We were impressed. Scenes have clearly been thought out, and the ghouls haunting them are really good, but beware, it's a really long maze, and there will be some lag-time between the more coherent scenes and the things that just sometimes pop out of the corn on hydraulic lifts. This is actually okay, though, there's something really cool about just walking through a literal tunnel of 15-foot high corn and seeing the moon shining down on you as you wait to see what's around the next bend. They obviously really put a lot of time into this and it's clear someone here really really loves Halloween and scaring the peoples. Some of the animatronic stuff is really extremely convincing, there were actually a couple of times in which we were never sure if what was going on was animatronic or a live actor, which is a compliment to the animatronics and not a slam on the excellent actors!

Also ghouls are placed in odd locations, like above you and on the ground level, which makes things even more disorienting and unsettling.

Loved that there were also emergency exits thoughtfully placed throughout the haunt, helpfully marked "Chicken Gate," and just to add a little extra sumthin' sumthin', there appeared to be ghouls lurking just behind the "Chicken Gates!" Perhaps chicken is a favorite delicacy amongst the ghouls, and this ends up acting like a kind of feeding trough.
Oh, there are also lots of strobes and fog machines and stuff, so be ready for that; man, they don't kid around with the strobes, either -- bring your epileptic friends if you want to see a real show! Kidding!

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS:

Excellent excellent excellent op-art house with accompanying op-art clown, and a really cool decaying pirate ship. Very cool webbing area with a screaming web-cocooned man, and one house with the uplifting title of "Welcome to Hell," boasts not only a scene where you're locked in with a bunch of ghouls, but then the ceiling, which has huge spikes in it, starts to slowly lower, and, good lord, there's no door to get out of. There's also a giant octopus, yes, a giant octopus, now how cool is that?

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Disorienting House with its Disorienting Accompanying Clown, and Welcome to Hell.

And just to say it again, two words -- Giant Octopus.

I have routinely attended the Dominion of Terror year after year for approximately the last 5-6 years.

My thoughts upon my first few moments into the house this year were, "my how you've grown up".

The Dominion has been at its current location for several years and has been entirely redone from last year's version.

I did not recognize one familiar scene from last season and that was very much appreciated after visiting some houses familiar to me and seeing recycled material and scenes.

For this year's version of Dominion, visitors will pass through a restaurant and kitchen with items you won't find on the Food Network.

There is also a carnival midway with a carousel, a margin of woods with a waterfall, an elaborate medical and dental clinic you will visit among numerous other scenes and can expected to be aggressively welcomed into all of those areas.

The sets in the Dominion are elaborate and detailed down to minute elements like a gruesome dental set that actually smelled of clove oil. Those little factors enhance the experience, nicely.

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Creative, innovative, intimate, imaginative and startling.

This year's House of Bathory is darkly themed around the recent Alice in Wonderland movie, and its characters and sets represent that story nicely.

This is the first and only haunt I've visited this season that holds one theme throughout, and that made the trip through it very different and enjoyable.

The journey through the house takes you through multiple rooms on different floors that will bring you into direct interactions with the principle characters of Alice in Wonderland, except with startling twists and turns. They aren't quite what you saw on screen anymore.

Your trip through the House of Bathory is at a leisurely pace and staff do a good job of creating distance between tour groups so that you may not run into one another.

Visitors should be aware that some crawling and climbing throughout your tour is required.

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As was mentioned in a previous review, the Haunted Barn is a novel experience as a rural take on a haunting.

What makes this place distinctive is the farm nature of the haunt beginning with your walk through a well appointed barn and then continuing on to a stroll through the woods before returning to the barn for some alternative sensory experiences.

There is heavy usage of props and decoration throughout the barn that make it visually appealing.

After initially exiting the barn on your tour, you will walk a lighted path that takes you through a graveyard and past a hearse. Stop along the way to appreciate the atmosphere.

Next, you will pass through a small cabin before concluding your trip back at the barn.

Along your way through the Haunted Barn and its surrounds, you will be confronted by various creatures of the night who do a nice job of creating startles for you, if you aren't paying attention.

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Okay...I usually don't start my reviews by raving about one of the rooms but I'm finding it nearly impossible to contain my enthusiasm. Without a doubt, this year's edition of the Hubertus House features one of the coolest new special effects I've seen in years! For me it not only stimulated my visual senses but it also shocked my sense of touch/feel. You could say it blew my mind....but of course I won't give it away. If you're a freight fanatic who loves to be technically freaked out you'll want to check this one out.

If there were a Granddaddy of Haunted Houses this one would probably be it. The Hubertus House of Horror has been coming back year after year for as long as I can remember. (what is it, 15, 20 years now?) The venue has always remained the same...a creepy lone standing house in what feels like the middle of nowhere. But if you attended this haunt last year and are worried about finding the same experience, don't be. Many of the rooms have been redone since last year with a some new effects to go along with a few of the best sets from last year.

In addition to the special effect I alluded to above I also particularly enjoyed this year's 3D experience. While many of the rooms in this year's Hubertus House may not have been particularly scary the special effects and their ability to stimulate all your senses make for a very unique and enjoyable experience.

As you may have noticed I didn't give this haunt top marks in either the fun factor or scare factor. None of these were deal breakers for me and I still strongly recommended this haunt for everyone. My rational behind the imperfect scores are based on the following:

* Group size of 8. We weren't given a choice in this matter. While I understand why they group so many people together it definitely distracts from your fun when you're stuck in the back as the scare is often times spoiled by the time you enter a room. Also, in a few of the rooms it was challenging to see/feel/hear the action that was taking place. ...this isn't the only haunt that tries to push as many people through as possible with each group. I often wonder, though, if the time spent cramming a large group through each room could be saved with a smaller group that can move through rooms easier.

* There are definitely sets that appear geared to provide a few scares...but for some reason our group found them to be more entertaining than scary. Not sure why. Perhaps due to set execution or perhaps due to the actors expecting a younger group?

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Looking for the mecca of haunted houses? Look no further than the Hartford/Slinger/Hubertus area for 3 of the states scariest attractions! As they are just a few minute car ride apart, avid haunt fanatics are certain to be foaming at the mouth at the opportunity to frequent these three ghoulish gems.

Arguably the best venue of the 3 is Hartford's Terror on Rural Street. Located right off of Hwy 60 it's very easy to find. The parking lot is well lit and offers a plentiful supply of spots. The waiting area is heated and indoors and offers a wide selection of treats and beverages as well as an occasional spook or two to heighten your anticipation of the terror that's to come.

...and then there's the haunt.

I've attended this haunt with the same group of friends for a number of years now. Traditionally this haunt has been one of our favorites...and this year was no exception. A few of the scares were eerily similar to last year but there are also a few new scares to keep the avid fan of this venue sufficiently satisfied.

The fun and scare ratings indicated on this review reflect the collective feedback I received from everyone in my group.

Favorable Comments from the group included:


** I had a blast interacting with the actors.

** I think that corpse splattered real blood on me!

** played peek-a-boo with a hole in the wall...got the crap scared out of me in return!

** Great attention to detail with the costumes and set design.

** Just when I thought we reached the end there was another room!

** Liked the Vortex...loved the laser room!

Rather than to leave you wondering why Terror on Rural Street didn't receive a perfect score the following comments were made:

** a couple dark hallways had uneven floors...nearly tripped a few times and I'm sure the person behind me would have fell right on top of me.

** too many dark hallways for my taste...not really comfortable with a complete stranger bumping into me from behind.

** Caught up to the group in front of us.

** felt rushed as the group behind us entered the room before the actors in our room were finished.

** I was stuck in the back of my group of 6 the entire time and missed what was going on in a few of the rooms.

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Neenah's Most Haunted celebrated their 25th year of fear this year. Neenah's Most Haunted is a non-profit haunt and all the proceeds go to help youth in the area. There are no animatronics and all of the rooms are designed by the students themselves. I have often said that the imagination of the youth is much more creative than most adults and they contribute greatly to anything "haunted". The students of Neenah's Most Haunted attend a class in the summer that teaches them how to design and how to scare. The students or "scharacters" (as they are referred to) comprise of up to 70 different actors throughout the entire haunt. The night we attended there were about 40 "scharacters" acting because of homecoming that weekend, but you couldn't tell as every corner masked a ghoul or two.

Finding Neenah's Most Haunted isn't difficult as there is a very well lit sign and plenty of ghouls wandering about the grounds. As we walked to the enterance one of my friends reached for the door of a port-a-potty and a large masked man with a chainsaw came barreling at him. It was at that point that we knew we were in for a real treat! The tickets are only $10 at the door (the most inexpensive I have seen yet) and again they go towards a really good cause. I will admit that the admission price had me concerned that this haunt may not be very scary. Boy was I wrong! From the moment you leave your car until the moment you get back in (that is if you make it out) there are ghouls surrounding you. The wait is outside so be prepared if the weather does not cooperate. The wait to enter the house was brief, but for me it seemed long as a werewolf was intent on making me his next victim.

As we entered the Haunt we were grouped into a clan of 7 people. The introductory room contained two very well versed "scharacters" and they were disturbing in a very good "off-putting" way. They taunted and teased our group until everyone was ready to leave the room screaming. However, we could not find a way out! The theme of mysterious exits echoed throughout the entire house. Nothing was what it seemed and even a veteran would find themselves confused and trapped. Each room was very carefully designed and there was never a point that we felt we were in a "non-profit" haunt!

My biggest moment of fear was walking through a hallway and hearing someone in our group say "those are REAL spider webs". I'm still uncertain if they were or not, I just knew I had to get out of there! You will notice ramps throughout the house, but that is because this haunt is 100% wheel chair accessible. We played a good game of "Ring around the Rosie, but after that each member of our group slowly disappeared. We regrouped and finally found the exit, but to our friends dismay the masked man with a chainsaw found him once again. The entire haunt took us about 25 minutes without a second of downtime. The only bad thing I can say about this haunt is that I wish I would have been able to make it to "The Hallow's", their haunted walk through the woods. The Hallow's is usually put on the opening weekend and is set at Memorial Park. It is only $5 to enjoy the fear of The Hallow's and I look forward to enjoying it next year when Neenah's Most Haunted celebrates their 26th successful year.

I had a lot of anticipation for going to this haunted house. This was my first time to what is becoming a classic. Hauntfest has been known for the attention to detail that they give there haunted house every year. It's got a great location that is accessible to those both in and outside of the city.

It is interesting to see the area usually given away to cream puffs, cows, and nature conservation booths filled with a large crowd gathered together blasting themselves with sounds of horror and enjoying the enjoying zombies and serial killers running pell mell all over the State Fair grounds.

The haunted house that they awaited held nothing back and was nothing short of amazing. The attention to detail in the scenes and the non-stop pace of screams and scares made what probably was a fairly short haunted house seem much, much longer.

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Ahh...The Country...Rolling Hills...The sweet smell of freshly cut silage...The red barns....The Zombies.....

...Zombies???

Yes, something sinister has arisen out in Stoughton and it has taken over the farm. The adventure here doesn't just leave you inside, but it takes you outside into the dark, mysterious woods behind the barn. You get to experience all the trappings of a rural haunting.

I arrived early at the farm, which I had little difficulty finding. I enjoyed the wait watching the different families wait to get into the haunt. I was actually surprised at the amount of families there, as most of the crowds at the haunts I have frequented as of late have tended to the high schooler/college-aged groups. I have, usually, seen more adults/kids inside the haunt, than waiting in line. It actually was a relief to me to see families in attendance. It is diversity of ages here and the atmosphere of the haunt reflected that.

The haunted barn actually was a barn, with all the trappings of a barn and scenes which seemed to depict a more rural way of haunted living. This does not mean that the haunts special effects were any less than the larger, more big budget haunted houses. The special effects here were great and more effectively used than in many other places.

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Ah outdoor haunts...how they have always held a special place in my heart. It takes a special breed of actor to work in and work with the elements to achieve a scare. Schuster's Haunted Forest did not disappoint. First and foremost I have to say that this attraction used strobe lights and darkness amazingly well. If you are expecting to be able to attain your night vision on this outdoor attraction you can just forget about that now.

There has always been something about wandering through the woods, freely, and getting scared that most people enjoy. The Schuster's have set their haunt up for success. When you begin the haunt you really feel as if you have been dropped off in the woods and you are working your way back home. This aspect I really enjoyed.

The haunt had plenty of scare variety. Haunts can get boring if all they are is actors jumping out and screaming. This haunt had a good combination of role playing type scenes and flat out jumping out of the darkness. The one thing I was disappointed in, however, is that there are some spots that are dull due to the lack of scares or scenery.

This minor "hic-up", however, was few and far between. The haunt still did well with keeping the creep factor up. Being in the woods alone (mostly by yourself) is enough to put anyone on a bit of an edge, but the way the haunt moves you around and pinch points that it puts you through it definitely keeps you up on your guard.

Schuster's Haunted Forest is definitely a must for those that want that "Halloween feel". Nothing quite beats woods, creeps, and only moonlight to guide you home.

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The Burial Chamber Haunted Complex is a haunt that I attend every year, and for good reason, it's that good! Some might ask if it gets boring... NO! Burial Chamber is outstanding each year, changing with the times to remain fresh for return guests. With three haunts and a simulated casket ride, you get your moneys worth in this haunt!

Burial Chamber doesn't give you three small haunts either, all three are huge, and time consuming! All three haunts are put together with the goal of making the customer satisfied, and spooked! The two indoor haunts are theme based, I won't give anything away, but I will say that both are different, and both are worth the price of admission by themselves. The third haunt, an outdoor haunted forest, is great as well. Something about a dark forest, with ghouls jumping out, and back-woods freaks screaming at you makes me wish this time of year was here forever! All three haunts prey on fear, and the actors are worthy of awards. All of the actors risk their bodies and voices to make this haunt one you will remember! For my money, Burial Chamber is the best haunt in Wisconsin! Two thumbs us, four stars, A+++!

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An enjoyable storyline-driven haunt in Milwaukee located underneath a fifties-themed working pizza parlor. This is one of those haunts where you're a legitimate part of the story, in that you interact with characters throughout and outcomes are dependent on your participation. It also has a couple of godd**ned scary points where companions and I thought we were going to have heart attacks, which would make for really good publicity for Monster Mayhem, I suppose. Oh, and read the website stuff before you go -- it has some background information on the storyline that will help you put things in context.

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I attended with two other people to get different perspectives on Terror on Rural this year.

Both of them raved about the actor's make up and the large and elaborate sets.

On the trip through Terror, you will pass through a prison lock up, witness an electrocution and observe an operation on a patient with very active arteries.

There is a crematorium to pass through as well as an area featuring hanging, wet meats.

There are some nice sensory effects this year with a tunnel filled with changing patterns of light and another hall with walls that will close in on you backed by strobe lighting.

Depending on how easy you scare, you may not find Terror particularly chilling, but at the very least there are some nice scenes to explore and staff that want to startle you.

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This is Oblivion’s first year in action. You can purchase tickets online for only $10, but make sure that you purchase them 200 minutes before the house opens that night. When we went to purchase tickets online 2 hours prior to the opening of the attraction it gives a notification that states “tickets must be purchased 200 minutes in advance”.

Walking to the haunted house, the first thing you notice is the smell of treats. They had quite the selections of treats and toys, but chocolate covered bacon is what really caught my eye. I feared the heart attack I might encounter in the haunt, so I did pass on the bacon. As you approach the haunt you can hear loud music and the outside is well decorated with laser effects and props. There were two great areas for dancers, but since we were there right before they opened there were no ghouls in them. Before you reach the outside, you are given the option to purchase glowing necklaces/headbands for $1. As explained to us the glowing necklaces help you to determine who is a friend and who is a foe.

When you first enter the haunt, you are lined up (similar to an amusement park ride) and shown a video. The actress in the beginning was great at encouraging ghoulish talk. The most unique thing about this haunt is the elevator ride in the beginning. I grasped the elevator wall fearing that it would drop at any minute, but alas the ride was over and everyone was safely on their feet. The attraction is in a warehouse that is 15,000 square feet! I would have liked to attend later in the evening as it would have given the volunteer ghouls more time to find their "niche". However, there were a few natural born ghouls that left their mark.

Oblivion started construction in November of 2009 and the detail and props definitely showed the hours well spent. I do not scare very easily, but there were several areas that caught me off guard. Expect the unexpected at Oblivion and even if you are prepared to be scared ... they will get you! I had to stop at one point because I couldn't figure out how the ghoul managed to drop from the sky. One room contained the MOST disturbing scene I have seen thus far ... the blood, screaming and acting was too real!

The total time spent going through the haunt was 14 minutes, however it seemed much longer. Our group surpassed the glowing necklaces, but we were paired with another group that had them. The necklaces were great for seeing where you were going, but I would have preferred wandering in the dark. Our "big guy" was in the back of the group and he was followed by a ghoul the entire way. He explained that it was freaky because he was never "safe".

The Hubertus House of Horror has been around a while and I attend it routinely.

Creation/re-creation of the house requires a good deal of effort throughout the year to change things up, and staff there are always attentive to trying to keep things as fresh as they can, which is appreciated.

The house features a nice swamp scene and a restaurant with a butcher that wants some acknowledgment, as well.

You will also have an early session with Santa that was an interesting twist.

There is an excellent animatronic effect that awaits you.

There is also a surprise after your instructions before entering the house.

I went with a group of three to get different reactions to the haunt and my guests felt there was too much glow make up at one point in the house and they felt the 3D aspect was not much of a novel experience.

Some of the scenes had rather poorly hidden actors lying in wait, so those scares were unremarkable.

I'm not sure if in week two of the season the actors aren't quite at peak performance, but some of the scenes were slow to develop and the timing was off. There were some awkward waits for the scare during my visit.

The house begins with a bus ride that has essentially zero scare factor and doesn't really provide much of an enhancement to the experience.

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House of Bathory is back again and they continue to go above and beyond every year. The theme this year is, "Alice in Wonderland", but do not expect tea and cookies at this party. It's in your face, or rather I should say "beyond in your face". (Yes, this IS a touch haunted house. If that bothers you, then I recommend going elsewhere). What makes the House of Bathory such a success is the outstanding actors, fine detail, and unique creative designs. The actors are primarily high school age or younger. Think the younger ones can't scare? Think again! Every actor is there on a volunteer basis because they live to scare year round! They even open the Haunt in the summer and may open it in December as well. This isn't your typical 4 weekends and its over ... they live for this stuff.

The Mad Hatter invited us to dinner and he had us laughing and trembling. The details of the rooms do not consist of your typical electronic, technologically advanced props. Most of the rooms and hallways appeared to be something you would see in a classic horror movie. The "Alice in Wonderland" theme flowed flawlessly from start to finish with an added bonus "scene" at the very end! There are no concessions and the wait outside has some ghouls wandering around, but as "Dead by Dawn" explains on their website ... they are not there to serve warm doughnuts, they are there to "scare the S*%@" out of you. And that is exactly what they do best!

We were fortunate enough to go when the wait wasn't very long, but I know from previous years the wait can be long. However, the wait is well worth it as they specifically make sure that every room is properly prepared for each victim. You will never have to worry about being rushed or running into another group. The staging of the haunt is meant to play out like a movie rather than herding cattle through hallways and glancing at rooms. According to the website if you are 21 or older you can buy your tickets at the door and wait at a nearby bar until bartender summons you. PLEASE make sure to bring a designated driver if that is the route you choose. At only $15 a ticket you can't afford NOT to attend this haunt, no matter where you are coming from. I am uncertain the EXACT length of the haunt, but we estimated it at about 25-30 minutes! My group is already making plans for a second visit this year!

One never knows what they will come across in a cornfield in Washington County, as it turns out.

On your visit to the Haunted Cornfield, you will traverse a glowing spider web and eventually meet its spitting creator.

There is a pirate ship with its captain and a surprise guest.

Throughout the field, you will encounter glowing red and white eyes staring at you from the dark amidst the sounds of the night.

There are witches brewing concoctions in cauldrons and aliens that have found earth to be a fertile area for colonization.

You will meet the Wolfman and will contemplate a solitary walk through a graveyard.

On your trip, you will pass through a house of confusion with tapestry the same pattern as the walls.

Prior to entering the maze, there are plenty of options for how to spend your time.

The Cornfield is a pumpkin farm and has an impressive array of pumpkins, squash and gourds to buy.

There is also a gift shop on site selling Halloween themed gifts and a snack area selling cider and caramel apples among other fall treats.

The staff maintain a raised fire pit and snacks are sold in that area.

I am told they tell scary stories around the fire. When I visited, people sat and enjoyed the warmth in silence awaiting their call into the field.

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I have to say that this is the first time that I have visited this haunted house even though that I had great things about this haunt since I was 16. I am happy to say that those excited murmurings proved true.

The event started off slow. I had to wait for my number to be called and then have the rules of the house explained to me by a mad doctor but after that the fun began! The entrance was perfect. A creepy door, slowly opening and fog pouring out. This opening, in one word, was creepy.

The attention to detail and entertainment value only continued. The scares began only seconds after I set foot in the haunt. These guys know how to scare. They used extreme darkness and strobes well. When you expected a scare because of the set-up they didn't scare you. When you passed that point that is when they got you. I loved it. They really had the art of the haunted house down to a science.

I have to be honest, at the beginning I was nervous when I heard this haunt had inventive animatronics. I have often found when haunts start collecting animatronics they start relying WAY too much on the technology and not enough on living and breathing actors. Terror on Rural, however, knew what to do with this technology. They used it to help the actors do what they need to do. This was great to see.

I will touch more on this later but right now I have to say that you can tell that the men and women that run this haunt put their all into making it highly entertaining. The scenes and effects were amazing. They were some of the best that I have seen in a long time.

One of the most interesting aspects of this haunt is that it forced those within the 4 or 5 person group (even if they were strangers) to come together and hold on to each other to get to the next area. Why? This house had some VERY dark areas. We are talking you-cannot-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face dark. So get ready to get close to whoever. That may be the only way to get through without running into a wall.

Quite simply this place was great. Just entertainment value alone makes this event well worth visiting. Terror on Rural Street had no lack of scares, no lack of effects, and no lack of fun.

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I really enjoyed this haunt this year! We arrived pretty late on a Friday night (around 11 pm), so it was really busy and we had to wait quite a while to get into the house - we got in around midnight. However, there was plenty to keep us entertained while we waited - there is a concession stand, a DJ playing music, and scary movies playing on a giant screen. I actually feel like the wait made the haunt seem scarier because we kept seeing people coming out crying or screaming, so we were psyching ourselves out a bit.

Once inside the haunt, we were put in an elevator (creepy!!!) and moved on to a ton of really creepy and well designed rooms with some great actors. Some people may not agree, but I acually really love children actors since I think they're incredibly creepy, so I liked that in this haunt. And I got a lot of weary looks from actors, too - they relied more on a psychological thrill than jumping out and saying "boo" as often as possible, and I think that's great!

The haunt plays with the senses a bit too; it's difficult to explain how, but you'll understand when you go through. There's a few mazes in this haunt and WOW did we get turned around and confused, but it was pretty entertaining. I liked this haunt more this year than I did last year, so kudos for making it even better this time around!

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Monster Mayhem is really a unique haunt in Milwaukee and I enjoyed it! I was a little disappointed that there is very little "scary" atmosphere when you arrive since it is located in the basement of a busy restaurant and you actually have to walk through part of the restaurant to get to it. We had a short wait and once inside, you completely forgot that you're in a restaurant basement.

The hallway (stairwell) we waited in was fun and scary since there were actors in there with us (and by the way, kudos to the actor in the stairwell - so creepy!!). Also, the guys on the intercom, though not at all scary, were incredibly entertaining and we liked them a lot! What I liked the most about this haunt was the unique theme employed throughout - I won't say much about it, but everything was connected and there was a story to follow, and I really liked that! Also, they used quite a few actors in makeup and costumes as opposed to animatronic scares, which was really nice. Lastly, although the trip through the haunt was pretty quick, my friends and I really enjoyed that there were scenes throughout that caused you to stop and listen to the actors rather than just running straight through without any interaction. Overall - well done!

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This was my first time visiting Green Bay Fear/Shawano Manor. Even though I'm from the area I've somehow never found myself out there. Boy was I missing out. Located at the Beja Shrine Center on Bond St. right next to Hwy 41 you get a sense of seclusion even in the middle of town. You purchase your tickets and head through the woods to the waiting area.

This weekend was their first weekend of the year, so the crowds were pretty small. When I first saw the facade of the haunt I could have sworn I was in the middle of the woods up north looking at a dilapidated house. These guys have been around for a while and you can tell; they really know what they are doing! Their use of 3d is what they are known for, and they pull it off well. About the time I was thinking that wearing the glasses wasn't worth it, sensory overload kicked in as they upped the ante with their 3d paint.

The haunt is easy enough to get to, however there are no signs until you are there. Its unique location in the city still makes it feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. The whole location gives off a nice aura even in town.

When you first get there you go up to the ticket booth to purchase your ticket before walking through the woods to the waiting area. They have two options for tickets, one is your basic $13 admission and the other is $23 RIP admission. The RIP admission includes a waiting area with hot chocolate, a bonfire, a live band and a t shirt. The regular admission does not, however it's pretty close by so you can still see and hear the band. There was no wait when we were there so it's hard to say what kind of entertainment they might have when it's busy.

The actors were great from start to finish. The first person we encountered on the way to the house was the bride, and she played her character well. Our realtor greeted us at the door and welcomed us to Hell. He advised us we find a place to live seeing as we'll be there for a while. He explained the features and let us on our way. All the actors after this were just as good, from the butcher to Sparkles and her dad and everyone in between. The scenes were really good as well. The use of 3d was perfect, not so much that was overwhelming and not so little that you felt stupid wearing the glasses. The non 3d areas were done just as well, never more evident than in the theater.

It took us around 20 minutes to get through, and we didn't see or hear another group while we were in there. Their crowd control inside and outside was spot on.

With their take on classic scenes, and original scenes of their own they are not to be missed. If you want to spend your money on a haunt that has experience, quality sets and actors, and provides you with a fun time, Green Bay Fear by Shawano Manor is the place to go in Green Bay!

Our first haunt of the year was Oblivion, a brand new haunt located next to the UW Fox Valley campus. Seeing as we were one of the first groups on their second day ever, I was a little concerned it might be too early to review them. Well, any fears on that were put to rest once the real fears started. From start to finish this haunt is done right. The actor's were spot on, the sets were excellent and the overall atmosphere was chilling. This is a very impressive haunt even without it being their second day. If they keep up what they started they will be haunting us for years to come!

Getting there is a breeze, as they really are located minutes off hwy 441 in Menasha as their profile and website say. I did not notice any signs on the freeway, but once you get close they had a sign pointing the way. Their haunt is located in a non-descript warehouse building that they project their name onto at night. As mentioned earlier Oblivion is located right next to the UW Fox Valley campus, which makes it very convenient. They have been using the campus parking lot for their needs while their lot is under development. According to their website they are expecting to have it completed soon.

We were one of the first groups through, so there was not a lot of waiting to do. The wait area didn't seem to have any sort of organization to it, but that could change later in the evening when a line starts to form. Their entrance is a small but detailed facade with the customary light and music show pounding out metal tunes. They have a concession stand and a few actors walking around while you wait. My favorite costume out here was the miner, there's something about a head lamp and breathing apparatus that's kind of freaky!

The actors were great from start to finish. So good in fact that to pick favorites wouldnt be fair. The new mother, the married couple, the factory worker, the insane and everyone else was done to perfection. All the actors fit their scenes perfectly, and vice versa. The sets were elaborate but not overbearing, with lots of blood and gore where it needed to be, and nice and quaint where that was the needed style. Walking through the house it was very hard to tell this was their first weekend ever.

Crowd control is the only sticky point I could see, and even that was minor. We were there too early to know what it's like in the waiting area once a crowd starts to form, but the inside control was a little lacking. We took an average pace throughout and we almost caught the people in front of us and were caught from behind. It's hard to judge too harshly on Oblivion's part as there are a lot of variables that can factor in but the actors could hold some faster groups in their room and torment them for a while if another group was just through. Other than the one time this happened it was great; and it took nearly 20 minutes to get through.

This is a very good haunt, and an excellent value! With times being tough for a lot of people it is still important to get out and have some fun. At $12 ($10 in advance!) you get a very high quality haunt that will leave you wanting more! They are now on my must see list for future years. If they are this good in year one, I can't wait until next year!

This haunt has undergone nearly a complete transformation for 2010! The location has remained the same, a haunted hearse continues to be parked directly in front of the entrance and a few familiar fiends can be found roaming around outside and inside this haunt. Beyond that the horrific experience that lurks within this haunt has been completely redone.

Traditionally I have declared this attraction to be Milwaukee's Scariest haunt. This year's edition of the Mars Haunted House once again makes a really strong case to continue as the area's top attraction. If you've enjoyed Mars in the past you certainly won't be disappointed this year. If you haven't, the new sets and techno-scares that have been added this year are definitely worth checking out.

If you're looking to totally immerse yourself into a nightmarishly good time, look no further. This year's Mars Haunted House offers an even more interactive experience than in the past. Sets and passage ways are elaborately decorated with a keen attention to detail to provide ample visual stimulation. Encounters with ghouls seeking not only to scare the bajeebus out of you but also to creep you out make for both a bloodcurdling and chilling experience.

If you're into evaluating haunts with your senses you might find this helpful:


* Sight: Elaborate sets with great attention to detail. Lighting and special effects were frequently used to surprise me even though I was expecting it.


*Sound: Superb! The sound experience allowed me to become totally immersed in many of the rooms….especially immediately upon entering this haunt!


* Smell: Believe it or not I think there were sets that intentionally smelled a little musty (like BO or perfume) to compliment the scene. Interesting thought...if Barn yard Bob is chasing you around with an ax why shouldn't he smell like one?


* Touch: Nothing special on this front...although there are haunts that venture into this realm.

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I enjoyed this haunt a lot and would attend again. Once I got there, I walked right up to the ticket booth with no waiting and went into the heated waiting area, where I enjoyed a really hot and tasty apple cider. Once my number was called I was called to enter and then we were placed on lines and the workers went over the rules of the haunt. The interior of the haunt was very dark, let me tell you one more time, it was very dark, I must have walked into about ten dead ends or walls trying to find my way around. There were props but not tons. This haunt is all about the actors and trying to disorientate you. The haunt took a total of about 20 minutes. When it was over we were greeted by Michael Myers, who followed me out to my car.

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We arrived, the parking was ample. We got our wristbands and headed to the campfire, where a gentleman was telling ghost stories. Our wait was fairly quick about 10 minutes or so, however, I advise you; generally your wait will be longer especially the closer to Halloween it is. Once we got to the line we were let right in as our own two person group which is nice because you have the feeling that you are alone out there, and the only thing that brings you back to the reality of that others are in the haunt as well, are the many screams you hear all around you.

Once in the corn field, you are instantly brought into another world where fear is fun and screams are equivalent to happiness. The actors are good, the effects are better, and the animatronics are out of this world! I can't tell you the exact number of different scenes but they are abundant so you are never walking for two long without serious entertainment. It took my guest and me about an hour to finish the haunt and it was a fully packed hour with creepy feelings, jumps aplenty, and scares that would knock your socks off, if that was actually possible. This is a great haunt and recommend anyone over the age of 16 to go now.

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I attended Shawano Manor for the first time two years ago with my brother and we purchased the RIP tickets. We had such a great time then, that I was excited to return this year. This year we also went RIP style. It was the 2nd night Shawano Manor was open and although there was a very small line, the RIP passes are still well worth the investment.

Shawano Manor is located on the far Northwest side of Green Bay. If you are not very familiar with Green Bay, you will want to take note of the directions as it may be difficult to find. If you are on HWY 41, you want to exit on Shawano or Dousman and then take an immediate left on to Taylor. Once on Taylor you will see the large sign a block away.

As we entered the wooded entrance, we ran into two teenage men that ran screaming in fear from what sounded like a loud chainsaw. The actors and props along the path did a phenomenal job prepping us for what was to come. The two men in front of us were so afraid, they tried to turn back several times. I'm not certain what ever happened to them because they were never seen again after their tickets led them to the house and ours led us to the RIP area.

At the RIP area, you are given an endless cup of hot cocoa and a very cool t-shirt souvenir. There was a large bonfire and a huge stage with a LIVE band playing. It is very rare to see a LIVE band at a haunt, especially such a good one and so early in the season. We remained in the RIP area listening to the band and sipping hot cocoa until we were ready to go into the house. We walked right up to where the main line meets the RIP line and were in the house within minutes.

3D glasses bring your nightmares to life with the help of brilliant fluorescent paints and "ultraviolent" black lights. Instead of walking down endless hallways of darkness, you will encounter floating doors, long shrinking hallways, mind twisting "sparkles", and walls that will attack you. The 3D was so effectively done that I actually thought I was rubbing up against a cold corpse. Every actor was right on target and their twisted passion for "bringing the fear" is very apparent. The usual "boo's" and "gargling" you hear in most haunts were rarely heard. The costumes were also very well done and very real in a grotesque way.

The entire house from start to finish lasted about 23 minutes. If you are on a budget you can purchase the tickets for the house for $13 a person. However, (for the total experience) I do recommend spending the extra $10 for the RIP tickets. As one person in my group pointed out, "going to the haunted house without RIP is like going to a Packer game and not tailgaiting".

One thing to be cautious of is the weather. If it is raining there is little to no protection until you are in the house.

Shawano Manor is great for those looking for an evening of fun and fear.

One of my favorite haunted corn mazes is The Meadowbrook Haunted Cornfield, because other than the monsters waiting to frighten you in the maze, they offer such a great Halloween atmosphere as well. They offer many different fun and spooky things to do for both kids and adults, day and night.

I attended the farm in the evening, but during the day you can also take a walk through there haunted corn maze for those looking for a little less scares. At night, the corn maze becomes more frightening with more actors ready to jump out at you! During the day they have hay rides, an animal park/petting zoo, over 27 different varieties of pumpkins to chose from in the pumpkin patch, food and beverages while you wait to enter the maze and they do a very good job of creating a fun Halloween atmosphere with Halloween decorations set up around the farm.

The thing I enjoyed the most was the large bonfire they had for those waiting to enter the maze. One of the actors was telling ghost stories by the fire about how the land was really haunted and all the creepy things that had happened to him growing up on the farm. It was such a fun way to start the evening and stay warm while we waited.

Once we made our way into the maze, which was ¾ of a mile of trails through very tall and dense corn stalks, it was clear to me that it was going to be an exciting and creepy adventure. The props are some of the best ones I have seen in a haunt. They were original and did not look like the props you could easily buy from a Halloween store. They did a good job of using fog and strobe lights in some areas of the maze which could be a little disorienting at times and added to the fear of feeling lost in the maze. They used great animatronics in between actors to startle you and keep you on your toes, sometimes it was hard to tell if the shadow ahead was a person ready to chase you or a prop which kept the suspense high. I liked how there were areas throughout the maze with a theme, whether it was Pirates, Aliens, Ghosts or Werewolf's, it was fun to look at the detailed sets.

The wind blowing through the cornstalks kept me feeling as though someone was walking behind me and sometimes a monster was, which was always unexpected and frightening! The last room was probably my favorite because it was the scariest, I don't want to give anything away so I am not going to specify why, but trust me, just when you think you are in the clear, they throw in a little extra scare for you that you wont be ready for!

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I attended Fear several years ago when it was just know as the Shawano Manor. I must admit, it didn't do anything for me then. I'm just not a fan of 3D haunts. At the time, that was their claim to fame. This year, they advertise that they have gone back to more of a 'old school' style of haunts. Needless to say, I was very curious!

After you get your wristband, your journey starts out with a stroll along a wooded path. The tiki torches are a nice touch along the path! It creates a lot of shadows, and makes the dark seem that much more dark. There seemed to be only two actors working the woods when we went through. I'm sure this was because it was early in the night. I would hope that normally they would have several more, as there's a lot of opportunities to get some scares in there! Once you're out of the woods you wait in front of the house. If you upgraded to the RIP package, you get to sit by a nice warm fire with some hot chocolate. Not only that, but you receive a high quality T-shirt and there is a live band playing there. They looked a little cold while I was very content by the fire taking it all in. Despite looking cold, they sounded good!

The house itself looks great from the outside. It's very creepy looking as it hovers over you. Once you walk in, you're handed a pair of 3D glasses to put on. I was a little worried at this point. Again, not a fan of 3D. But my fears were scared away quickly enough! The first few actors were VERY impressive, a great little show that helped set the mood. There were many themed rooms, and I was impressed by how many actors they had in each one. Although there were 3D elements throughout the house, they helped enhance the rooms rather than take them over. We had many good scares, I loved it! I did not see one actor break character, they all did a great job!

I admit I was a little bummed out when we walked through a door and it brought us outside. I thought it was over, but to my surprise, there was more! As we started to walk back in another door, I turned around and saw many eyes staring back at me. Only a foot away and very quiet. Following us. Watching us. Now THAT creeped me out! I really do not want to give too much away, or is my memory blocking out the horrors we saw? None the less... we left the house smiling and laughing, thankful we made it out alive!

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This will be my 8th year visiting the ghouls and goblins at The Mars Haunted House and what I can tell you is that every year I have been impressed with the set designs and the actors performances!

The atmosphere starts before you even enter the haunt, the actors in line are ready to tease and taunt you to get you ready for the scares inside. The haunt does a very good job at making you feel afraid once you make your way into the first room and they tell you the history of the building REALLY being haunted as floor boards rattle violently beneath your feet.

As you make your way through the creepy hallways you can hear monsters lurking in the dark and getting ready to scare you. The great thing about Mars Haunted House is they build up your anticipation before the scare happens, and most of the time it will come when you least expect it! I love that the actors will follow you into the dark hallways slamming on the walls and yelling at you to make sure you are afraid, this is always that "little something extra" that impresses me in haunted houses.

There are very well designed rooms throughout the haunt that make you feel like you are in another world and keep you distracted from the scare up ahead. The make up effects and masks are top notch, even when they get in your face, which they are not afraid to do, and you see all the blood and decay! One of the best things in this haunt is halfway through they add a bit of humor to lighten the mood a bit, it is a great way to calm you down just before the last few scares! I recommend this haunted house to anyone who enjoys a great creepy atmosphere and good actors that are ready to stop at nothing to scare even the bravest of souls!

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Terror on Rural Street has always been one of my favorite haunts to go to. Right from the beginning they bring out the scares and the fun. As you are creeping around the completely dark hallways you just never know what to expect to be lurking around. From all around you, you hear whispers and someone breathing down your neck. They have different scenes set up bringing out everyones worst fears. Their scenes are also interactive making you a real part of the scene.

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The Haunted Barn is a haunt that I feel is a must see. This was my first time attending this haunt and I was left very impressed. The use of their space is simply amazing to me. They have you going in and out of building, through the woods, past graveyards, you just never know what to expect around the next turn. It truly makes you feel like you are inside of an eerie haunted farm.

The house portions of this haunt have very detailed and creative scenes. They had scenes set up that I haven't seen really anywhere else. There were monsters lurking in all the right places.

The wooded portion was one of my favorites. Although it did start off kind of slow it definitely picked up speed as you wondered further into it. As I walked further into it not only did I have the actors scaring me but the atmosphere did as well. There is just something about wondering in the woods not knowing where you will end up that has always creeped me out.

It isn't over yet when you walk out of the woods, you are then led back into the house for more nightmares that came to life.

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