Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.

The Wisconsin Fear Grounds

by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 16, 2009 at about 2 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review

This reviewer had never attended this event before, however, had heard good things about it and the producers of this project did not disappoint.



If attending all three attractions, the order of progression of what you will see is Morgan Manor, Morgana's Torment and Unstable.



Morgan Manor is a fairly elaborate house featuring a walk through a library, wine cellar and various other rooms full of actors waiting to meet you. Conditions are dim and hazy, but one can make out the dimentions of the rooms and see most of the actors approaching.



Morgana's Torment is essentially a series of darkened mazes to negotiate that involve passing through several inflated air bag enclosures and a hallway with a lazer light effect. You will hear from actors, but they tend not to appear.



Unstable is a walk through various stables, tool sheds, slaughterhouse/smokehouse where you will come upon actors working at their various crafts who become annoyed at your presence and make that known to you.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Once you get to the Waukesha Co. fairgrounds, it is simple to find your way to the well lit main entrance. The haunts are at the extreme North end of the parking lot. Signage is posted along the fencelines of the fairgrounds and they were not lit. There are no signs to the event from the highway, so you must first know your way to the fairgrounds to locate the event.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The initial wait places you in several lines seperated by snow fence and you are then moved to horse pens to await your call into the attractions. The waiting areas are covered, but chilly. Dress accordingly.

While you wait, expect to be visited by actors who will enter your pen through the gate or climb over the walls to greet you. Their presence and interaction help to pass the time time as you wait to be called to the houses.

Closed circuit TV shows tape delay footage of people going through the attraction prior to when you are led to the horse pens.

Actors' Performance


The actors throughout this attraction gave a very, very invested presentation, bordering on over the top. Morgan Manor was extremely well staffed with actors who approach you on foot and on all fours. Beware.

If you find yourself disoriented while negotiating the exhibits in Morgan Manor or Unstable, follow the actors who will subtly direct you to the exit of the various rooms, etc.

During my visit, I was well impressed with the investment the actors took in trying to startle and engage the visitors. Comparivitely, this was a strength of this haunt.

Look out for actors approaching you on foot, on all fours and even occasionally from above.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Morgan Manor is well appointed with props, however, is dimly lit so it is sometimes difficult to appreciate the details. Clearly, great effort was put into the decoration of this haunt, however.

Morgana's Torment is reliant on maze strategies and is lightly staffed. The maze effects of Morgana are a diversification from typical haunts, however.

Unstable is also well stocked with table top and hanging props that the actors are using to enhance their performances.

Length


Morgan Manor took approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete and my party attempted to walk at a slow pace.

Morgana's Torment was completed in about 10 minutes and would be somewhat disorienting to those unfamiliar with how to address inflatable bag tunnels. It is lightly staffed and reliant upon dark maze negotiations and sensory deprivation.

Unstable took about 15 minutes to complete and is a fairly open air concept attraction in a barn, thus is easier to follow if one looks up for perspective when confused/disoriented.

Crowd Control


The crowd was light during my visit, however, there were more than adequate staff to route visitors and there was a police presence of at least three officers.

There are staff in-between each of the three attractions to route and organize guests and there are also portable toilet facilites available along the way, which is a well thought out convenience.

Most Memorable Moment


Morgan Manor, in general, stood out as the star of the three exhibits during my visit. It was overflowing with engaging actors bent on trying to interact and startle. The home is full of props to attempt to give it the feel of an old manor home and the designers were successful at approximating that. During your visit, you will have cause to walk through a smoldering fireplace, which was an imaginitive twist. You are also greeted with an eerily lit fountain while approaching the entrance to Morgan Manor, which sets the table for what you are about to experience.

Summary

The Wisconsin Fear Grounds is a very well done and polished event. It offers three options at one location to entice its guests. The amount of actors and their investment in their performances make this a memorable and recommended experience.

View all The Wisconsin Fear Grounds reviews

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