2010 Event Reviews

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221 total reviews. Showing 10 of 15 on this page (5 filtered).

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

The Wisconsin Fear Grounds

by Scorpio after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

I had a lot of fun when I went to FearGrounds. There seemed like a stunning attention to detail. The make-up on the actors was amazing and the work the actors did was awesome.

View all The Wisconsin Fear Grounds reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Dr. Scary's Haunted House - CLOSED -

by jdwelty after attending on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at about 2 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

I attended dr. Scary's on september 15 2010. I am skeptical on a lot of haunted houses. I have attended quite a bit of places before. I would have to say that this house was really good. The actors did a wonderful job. And the house it self was one of a kind. There were quite a few rooms and the rooms were quite different. The amount of time and effort put forth was amazing. Now I am not one to get scared very easily but I was startled a few times. The creativity was one of a kind. I seen things that I have never seen before. I personally do not recommend this haunted house to persons under the age of 12. My friend also went with me and he was on the tips of his toes the whole time. There were many rooms that he ran through because he was frightened a bit. The realism of this house was quite unique. So my final conclusion on this house is that I would recommend going to see this house.

Summary

I highly recommend going. It was a lot of fun and very unique.

View all Dr. Scary's Haunted House - CLOSED - reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Mars Haunted House

by bunnehop after attending on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at about 3 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Low

Review

I went to this haunt not expecting much from the previous reviews,but was intrigued by the location. So a friend of mine and I went to check it out.
Actors' Performance
The stayed in character well, some spots were way too dark to appreciate the time they had taken to do their makeup. One man in particular was by for the creepiest of all! He was an large man and just creepy even the sounds he makes. They did seem to be short quite a few actors as well, we went on a thursday so maybe that was part of it.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
The utilized their small spaces well, however with some constructive criticism; they had way too much stuff hanging from the ceiling. It was over kill! The meat room where the man offered us some guts was priceless. I asked for some but the spoon was empty.The actors are great at standing still to look like statues etc. so beware!
Length
12-15 minutes. I wish I couldv'd done another go around just to see alot more of the props. Which were very neat.
Crowd Control
Waiting line is clearly roped off and patrolled frequently by ghouls. Yet there was no line when we went.
Most Memorable Moment
I'd have to say the large creepy guy with his belly hanging out. He was pretty awesome.

Summary

It's overall a good sight, kind of short for the money though, other haunts do seem to take longer to get through. I didn't get scared once and I'm female. So was looking form them to pick on me more. I led the entire time and still didn't get a scare, I was disappointed over all.

View all Mars Haunted House reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Oblivion Haunted House; The Gathering

by HocusPocus (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 15, 2010 at about 3:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review


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?

Signage / Visibility / Location


Directions to this haunt were easy to follow and once we turned on the road leading up to the parking lot spotting Oblivion was really easy…just look for the “Oblivion” search beam. Convenient, plentiful, paved and well lit parking make this a great location.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


When we arrived there wasn’t a line but we definitely took the time to enjoy the concessions and line entertainment. Was very impressed with the attention to detail with the costumed puppeteer actor and his/her determination to creep us out.

Actors' Performance


Arguably the best acting performances we’ve seen at the 9 haunts we attended so far this year.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Very professionally done with an outstanding attention to detail. Not the most elaborate, sophisticated or numerous props we’ve seen this year but executed with precision.

Length


Our tour lasted nearly 20 minutes. Of the 9 haunts we’ve attended this year only 1 has lasted longer.

Crowd Control


Wish I could say more about the crowd control as there wasn’t a line when we arrived. A haunt of this caliber should have a line…very surprised there wasn’t.

Most Memorable Moment


The determination of the Puppeteer to creep us out. My nominee for ghoul of the year!

Summary

Disturbing! Grotesque! Unsettling! 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.

View all Oblivion Haunted House; The Gathering reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Elements of Fear

by HocusPocus (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 3:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review


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.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Located along a major street (27th St) with lights and monsters found hanging in front of the haunt. You really can't miss this location as long as you're looking on the west side of the street.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


When I attended there really wasn't a wait. There is a an indoor waiting room located in a separate building from the haunt. It's small (perhaps can hold 30-40) but I do not believe you’re required to wait inside. The volunteers were very social. A few concessions were available for purchase to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Actors' Performance


Most of the actors were young and had a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. Very fun to see and to interact with.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


One of the best vortex rooms I've been in this year. Some of the scenes were elementary in nature but were still very effective in achieving ghoulish results. This haunt probably did a good job with pulling off scares without the luxury of elaborate props. This isn't meant to imply that there weren't any elaborate props, just that the creative staff at Elements of Fear were very successful in getting the most out of what they had to work with.

Length


It took our group approximately 10 minutes to complete the terrorizing tour.

Crowd Control


The waiting room is rather small so crowd control may become challenging if you're waiting inside. As the haunt is actually in a different building I don’t believe you’re required to wait inside.

Most Memorable Moment


The Vortex room!

Summary

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.

View all Elements of Fear reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Sun Prairies Most Haunted (6th Annual)

by horror11 after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 4 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Me and my husband have been attending this Haunted House for the past 3 years. It is a great Haunted House that is made up of highschool and middle school kids. They must have had close to 50 kids working the house while we were there. The house has very dark hallways which are always fun trying to get around. The rooms are very unique. The thing that seperates this house from the others is the acting that is in the rooms. They don't just jump out and scream at you. A lot of the rooms have "ACTS" that the students do and it totally adds to the experiance. If you like Haunted Houses you should definately swing on by and check them out. It was totally worth the $8 price.

Summary

Overall it was a fantastic event. The money goes to a great cause in supporting the Sun Prairie Youth Center. This is by far one of the best Haunted Houses that I have ever gone too!

View all Sun Prairies Most Haunted (6th Annual) reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

The Haunted Woods - CLOSED -

by alowriderswife after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 5 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Aside from the long line which moved fairly quickly...... This Haunt was GREAT!!!! Love Love Love the Hearse ride to the woods, the characters are well played and only 3 chainsaws. I really liked this Haunt.

Summary

You take a hearse into the woods to the start of the haunt, there are many different senerios in the woods, like the Cheech N Chong bus, Carneval, cemetary all leading up to the grand Finale which I will keep a secret!!!!

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Neenah's Most Haunted

by HocusPocus (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 15, 2010 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Medium

Review


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.

Signage / Visibility / Location


While there may not have been much in the way of signage to lead you to this haunt the location and visibility of the venue from the street make it very easy to find.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Come dressed for the elements as the wait line is outside. A few costumed actors roam the parking lot and waiting line to help build your anticipation.

Actors' Performance


Nicely done! The actors may have been youthful but their enthusiasm and ghoulish roles made their performances very enjoyable.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Elaborate set designs and secret passage ways make for a very visually stimulating experience. While this haunt may not have the big FX effects and props as some of the other venues the attention to detail and execution of each rooms theme more than make up for it.

Length


Took our group 14 minutes to complete our adventure.

Crowd Control


The waiting line was clearly roped off….but there was no line when my group attended this haunt.

Most Memorable Moment


Quite a few rooms standout….the one that stood out the most for me was how perplexed I felt trying to find the exit for the ghost room. I’m still not quite sure how I exited the room…or how it was that I didn’t find the exit sooner.

Summary

Of the 3 haunts I toured in the Appleton, Neenah and Menasha 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.

View all Neenah's Most Haunted reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

13th Nightmare Haunted House

by pud27 (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 4 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Medium

Review


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!

View all 13th Nightmare Haunted House reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Neenah's Most Haunted

by pud27 (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 15, 2010 at about 4 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Medium

Review

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.

View all Neenah's Most Haunted reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by majorXpsycho (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 2:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review


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 first house we visited was Adrenaline. As the name states Adrenaline is meant to make your heart palpitate, if you have a heart condition I highly recommend against attending this portion. From the moment you step foot in Adrenaline you are caught off guard by in your face actors and loud noises. Most of Adrenaline is very dark, but you can occasionally make out the faces of some of your worst nightmares. The floor sinks, the walls shrink, and if I hadn't been cowering I would swear I almost got hit by a car. The actors don't just say "boo", they shriek and come at you with a lot of loud props meant to startle you. There were no dead spots and every actor was right on target. The crowd control was perfect as we never once ran into another group. I bet my partner that he would scream in Adrenaline and I won within the first 5 minutes of being in the house. The total time we spent in the haunt was 22 minutes.



The next attraction we visited was Phobia. Phobia is not your typical walk in the woods. The dark path and the moon glistening on the trees created a perfect "horror movie" atmosphere. In the past Phobia has been my least favorite attraction at The Burial Chamber, but this year the actors were right on target. The only bad thing I have to say about Phobia is that I wish it would have lasted longer. The total time it took us to walk Phobia was 13 minutes.



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).

Summary

The Burial Chamber is a great haunted attraction for haunt enthusiasts. The lines are long, but well worth the wait. No matter where you live in WI this is one attraction I would not miss!

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Elements of Fear

by dubstyle_2k (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Low Fear Factor: Low

Review


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.


Signage / Visibility / Location


Elements of Fear is very visible. There is a good size marquee and it is well lit. Elements is on a main street and is very easy to get to.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The waiting area was a small church bingo room. There wasn't much to see, and it was kind of boring. There were snacks and sodas on a table, I am not sure if they were selling them, no one was there to inform us if they were, or how much each item was. We were in this waiting area for about 10 minutes.

Actors' Performance


Elements of Fear is a non-profit haunt, most of the actors appeared to be teenagers and young adults. The actors seemed to rely on screaming as their major mode of frightening you. One actress was a crawler, which always gives me the creeps, she was great!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The sets at Elements of Fear were pretty minimal. However, Elements is a non-profit, so they did a good job working with what they had. The vortex is fantastic, perhaps one of the best I've seen, and it was very fast and disorientating. One of the last rooms features a bunch of hanging bodies that were rather realistic looking.

Length


This haunt was a quick one. We got through it very fast; this haunt will take you approximately 5-10 minutes to go through.

Crowd Control


On the night we went, there weren’t a whole lot of people there. When we got there we were directed to a basement waiting area, there we waited for our number to be called. Lines aren't evident, so when you park, head into the double glass doors and down the stairs.

Most Memorable Moment


The most memorable moment for me was the vortex tunnel, these are severely disorientating. You will feel like you are spinning, and it will leave your equilibrium off balance for a bit!

Summary

Elements of Fear is probably a good haunt for ages 8-16, or those who scare easily. I am basing these ages on the fact that I helped run a non-profit haunt years ago for a youth organization. If you are looking to have a fun time, with minimal gore, and lots of screams, Elements of Fear is for you.

View all Elements of Fear reviews

Comments: (0)

Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by HocusPocus (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 15, 2010 at about 3 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Very High

Review


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.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very easy to find as its just minutes from Hwy 41. The sheer size of this complex combined with several parking attendants flagging you into the parking lot make it nearly impossible to miss this place.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Come dressed for the elements as the wait lines for Adrenalin and Insanity are both outside. Two large screens along the waiting line along with a few costumed actors help to build your anticipation. There's also a snack wagon parked out back to help satisfy your cravings for munchies.

Actors' Performance


The actors were very skilled at providing quick and unexpected scares. Nothing noteworthy in terms of an academy award type performance...but in their defense these haunts weren't designed to provide an opportunity for a theatrical display. Occasionally the actors would flash a performance that may creep you out.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Brilliant use of shadows and dimly lit rooms to maximize scare and creep factor. Not the most elaborate set designs I've seen this year but very effective in immersing you into the theme of the haunt. Enjoyed some of the unique concepts and special effects...particularly the cleverly laid out lab maze in Adrenalin.

Length


Took our group 19 minutes to complete Adrenalin. Insanity took 14 minutes while Phobia took around 12 minutes.

Crowd Control


Waiting lines for both Adrenalin and Insanity were clearly marked off along with the separate VIP lines. With the VIP passes we didn't wait more than 10 minutes to enter the haunt.

Most Memorable Moment


Several great scares....but I won't give any of them away here. Really enjoyed some of the acrobatic actors…watch your head!

Summary

If you're looking for a good scare you'll be hard pressed to find a haunt that does it better than Burial Chamber. Of all the haunts I've been to this year Burial Chamber’s Adrenalin is off the scare factor charts!

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Onalaska Jaycees present FearWater Farm's FreakHaven

by daisy123 after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 2:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Not fun - I got a rock. Fear Factor: Medium

Review

This place really looked promising when we arrived. They had spooks wandering around and the sounds from inside the shed sure added to the atmosphere. We had a group of 12 women. We knew we would have to be split up, which we were, into 3 groups of 4. We had fun waiting in line. The ghouls haunting the outside worked their way through the line frightening anyone that was caught off guard. This is pretty much where the fun ended. When we were escorted inside the 'haunted shed', a 'security' person followed us through the place. (There was a 'security' person following every group.) The 'security' person that was assigned to us is what destroyed any chance of us having a good time. I was the 'tail' person in our group. The 'security' person was much bigger than me and was pressed up against my back, literally pushing me (us) forward constantly telling us to 'MOVE'! We weren't able to see anything or even get a chance at being spooked. When she wasn't telling us to 'move', she was speaking into her walkie-talkie telling someone our exact location in the shed. This was ridiculous. Why bother to go to all the work setting up the place when we weren't even allowed to view the rooms? The ghouls in the shed seemed to be trying hard to scare people. I'm sure we would have enjoyed it if it weren't for our 'security' person.

Summary

Our group goes to a haunted house every year. We pretty much know what to expect. You are told before entering not to touch anything. It's a shame they don't follow their own rules. My recomendation to the Jaycees.....Lose the 'security' people!! I can't even tell you what the rooms were like because we weren't allowed to actually see them!!

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Please note: this review is for the 2010 season rather than the current season.

Dominion of Terror

by wm (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at about 2:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: High

Review

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!

Signage / Visibility / Location


It was easy to find with a GPS, but might be hard to find without one.  From the street, it looks like a normal building for the most part.  There is a sign out front that let's you know you're at the right place.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The wait area is similar to a waiting in line for a roller coaster.  There were several clowns lurking around scaring people.

Actors' Performance


Everybody in the haunt gave it their all.  I never saw one actor break character.  They were all very entertaining!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


My favorite this year for scenes and props!  Wow, they really went all out!  My favorites were the restaurant and the carnival.

Length


It took us about a half hour to make our way through the haunt.  We felt it was a good length of time.

Crowd Control


They do a very good job of crowd control.  We never once bumped into another group.

Most Memorable Moment


Definitely, it would be the padded room!  It was fun jumping around in there, and the actors in straight jackets were hilarious! 'Wanna spread poo on the walls with me?'

Summary

This is a very creative haunt, with incredible sets and props.  A quality haunt that you should check out if you're in the area!

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Comments: (0)

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