Chris (CC2)
Other Years: 2011 | 2010 | 2009
2011 Reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.
Wisconsin Fear Grounds
by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at about 9 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Review
I have attended this event in the past and continue to be impressed with the production.
I will detail some specifics of the haunt in the effects section, but I want to be careful not to foreshadow too much of what you will experience at the Fear Grounds.
The Fear Grounds is one of the more highly decorated attractions in the State, and rightfully so.
I attend a lot of Halloween productions around the nation and the Fear Grounds presents on a high level.
Signage / Visibility / Location
The Fear Grounds are located on the grounds of the Waukesha Expo Center.
Follow signage to the Expo Center to your destination.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
The Fear Ground wait area is a covered barn, of sorts. You will wait in corrals before being sent in small groups to enter the attraction.
Actors will visit you along your way as you wait.
There is a snack trailer at the Fear Grounds, as well.
Expect long wait times. This is a popular attraction.
Actors' Performance
Comparatively speaking, the actors at the Fear Grounds give you quite an inspired performance.
They make efforts to attend to the guests and interact in attempts to scare and startle.
Dialogue is witty and we were impressed with the make up and characterizations of the performers.
The presentations were quite polished.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
Morgan Manor in particular is very elaborate and highly detailed. Try to be sure to look about you when you visit to appreciate the efforts of the producers.
Morgana's Torment presents an extensive series of mazes to confuse and disorient the guests. This makes for a distinctive, different and challenging Halloween experience.
Unstable is probably the most interactive with the actors and their dialogue is amusing. The theme of this haunt is redneck, hillbilly country life and you will pass through numerous sets where you will get to experience their chores, first hand.
Length
Completing all three attractions at the Feargrounds took us about an hour.
Be sure to allow ample time for your visit.
Crowd Control
Crowds at this attraction can get quite large.
Crowds are moved through a series of corrals before being led into the attractions in small groups.
Law enforcement is present on site, as well.
Most Memorable Moment
I have a hard time thinking of one particular moment to highlight as I enjoyed all of my time at the Fear Grounds.
If I were forced to pick a highlight, I would say the entire passage through Morgan Manor.
I appreciate detail and the entire route through the Manor provided much to attend to, which just increased the startle values for me since there is so much to notice.
Summary
The Feargrounds is rather expensive compared to its peers, but it provides a high caliber entertainment experience and three separate attractions for the price of your admission.
This is a highly recommended stop for Halloween enthusiasts.
This is certainly one of the premier haunts too experience, if you can.
It may be too intense for young visitors.
Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.
Terror on Rural Street
by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 14, 2011 at about 8:30 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Review
Terror on Rural Street has been almost entirely re-done since last year's production. That effort is always appreciated.
The creators of this event put much time into the development of the haunt and much attention is taken to present a safe, secure and fun event.
This year's haunt, per usual, features elaborate and intricate displays and high attention to detail.
The actors interact with the guest and are loaded with amusing dialogue.
Along your way, you will meet various creatures of the dark and have to squeeze your way through a maze.
Signage / Visibility / Location
Terror on Rural Street is located just off of Highway 60 running through Hartford.
There is a flashing sign to direct you to your destination.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
Terror on Rural Street has a spacious, heated and covered waiting area.
We appreciated that they provided a television in the waiting area that had the Brewer game on during our visit.
Actors entertain you while you wait and that lighting affords you the opportunity to appreciate the excellent make up effects that this haunt executes.
Terror also now holds the distinction of being the only haunt with a concession stand that serves...wait for it...BEER. Candy and hot dogs are available, as well.
Actors' Performance
Terror's crew of volunteer actors always provide enthusiastic performances.
They are equipped with clever dialogue and let the guest know they care about their entertainment role.
My group really enjoyed their efforts.
Their make up staff is excellent.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
Terror on Rural is always an elaborate production. Be sure to try to pay attention to the detail along the way.
Length
It took about 25 minutes to complete the attraction.
Crowd Control
Visitors wait in a separate building than the actual attraction. When their ticket numbers are called, they move across a decorated courtyard to the attraction where groups of about 6 or more go in at regular intervals.
Crowd control is a non issue and there are police present, as well.
Most Memorable Moment
My group really enjoyed many aspects of this year's haunt.
There was much commentary on the excellent make up of the actors, the elaborate masks and sets and the overall aura of the attraction.
Personally, I appreciated an area in the attraction that featured spinning lighting effects that are quite unusual.
Summary
Personally, I visit Terror on Rural Street every year and have been coming for many years.
The reason I return is because of what a dependably pleasurable experience the producers of this event provide.
This is not the most intense scare you can get, but you will get a quality production staffed with invested actors and a lot of seasonal fun.
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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.
Haunted High
by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at about 8 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Review
This was my first ever visit to the Haunted High and I found it quite enjoyable and distinctive, as did my group.
This production makes use of an abandoned school and provides a rather lengthy tour.
The haunt is themed around the progression of a school day and takes one through such stops as a detention hall, the weight room, the sick room, shop class and many others.
You begin your tour following a bloody trail into the attraction and there is a lot of detail to attend to along the way.
The producers of this event took good attention to staying in theme and that has resulted in a very believable presentation of a haunted school with remembrances of students past.
There are some very clever themes and nuances put into this haunt that I will leave you to discover yourself.
I especially appreciated the final acts of the haunt.
Signage / Visibility / Location
The attraction is on a side road off of a main entry road into the city of Oconomowoc.
If you are not familiar with the area, you may have some difficulty finding it, but we found there was fairly significant traffic flow to it that one can follow.
It may be somewhat difficult to locate without a GPS.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
The wait area is a gym and the producers of this attraction supply the customers with projections of movies on the walls to watch while you wait.
The School was quite busy when we visited.
Actors' Performance
Relatively speaking, my group felt the actors were solid, but a bit more reserved than many other haunts we have visited.
They were attending to a large group of people, however.
Overall, we were pleased with the effort of the crew.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
The School is very novel in terms of what it presents to its visitors.
I have yet to see a structure this large to have a production in.
The scenes were detailed and thematically solid and that made for an entertaining trip through the darkened hallways.
Length
It took my group about 40 minutes finish the tour, however, it was a pleasurable trip with ample distractions along the way.
Crowd Control
Crowds are well regulated in the gymnasium and there were police present, as well.
Visitors moved efficiently through the attraction in groups of about 6 or so.
Most Memorable Moment
As has been mentioned in other reviews, the Haunted High has a very entertaining last act in store for you.
Summary
Haunted High is a recommended stop.
As was mentioned, it has its own niche and its theme is clever.
If one is looking for intense scares, this is a more mild stop.
If you want distinctive Halloween theater in the literal sense, this is your place.
See if you can graduate from the Haunted High School at the conclusion of your visit.
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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.
Hubertus House of Horror
by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Friday, October 14, 2011 at about 7:30 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Review
The Hubertus House of Horror makes use of an old house on the grounds of a school to produce its haunts.
Because it is a house versus a warehouse, it has its own, distinctive charm and Halloween mystique.
The home has undergone significant updating since last year, which is always appreciated.
This year's house begins with a bus ride and progresses through sets where you will meet Little Red Riding Hood, rednecks and zombies, a monster factory and several other themed rooms.
You will also get to experience a different twist on what I call a "squeeze maze".
Signage / Visibility / Location
The house is located in the town of Hubertus and once in the area of it, there is ample signage to find your way.
In addition, there are restaurants very near the attraction in the event you should want to have dinner before or after your trip.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
Hubertus supplies its guests with ample parking, restroom facilities and a covered waiting area in the school gym. There is also a concession stand.
Actors' Performance
Hubertus' actors routinely give good performances and this year is no exception. The staff show investment in their roles and in trying to startle their customers.
Staff interact with the guests and there is some dialogue that is clever.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
Much effort was put forth in coming up with new themes and decor this year. Make up was quite good. Be sure to try to appreciate the work of their make up artists, if feasible during your trip.
Length
It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the house.
Crowd Control
Groups of about 6 are let into the house at regular intervals. Crowd control is a non issue and staff route people through the home efficiently.
Most Memorable Moment
On your journey, you will have an interesting elevator ride as well as an interesting, interactive scene looking out of a window.
Summary
The staff at the Hubertus House always put forth a good production. There is care put into the development of the home and that is apparent. Hubertus continues to be a recommended locale for Halloween scares.
As has been mentioned, Hubertus is not a particularly fearsome attraction, it is still a fun stop.
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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.
A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt
by CC2 (Review Crew) after attending on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at about 9 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Review
Fear Factory will present you with two floors of attractions. One of the floors is exclusively 3D effects and is themed on various nursery rhyme characters.
The principle floor is more traditional in its presentation, but features some elaborate sets.
There were numerous live actors throughout the factory who gave good performances, especially considering it was an opening weekend. The dialogue was fairly witty.
Signage / Visibility / Location
Fear Factory has a lot of space to work with and they put a lot of effort into their project. There is a spotlight in front of the entrance.
We had no problem finding the Factory using a GPS.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
There seemed to be some effort on the part of the operators to allow for gaps between groups being sent in.
Despite there not being many people in line when we arrived, we had to wait about 20 minutes or so to enter.
There was an actor at the entrance who played the roll of a bumpkin and made attempts to interact with people in line.
Actors' Performance
Among the characters you will meet at the factory are Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, the Mad Hatter and numerous clowns.
The producers of the factory did a very creative presentation with their darker takes on nursery rhymes.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
The attraction will take you through catacombs with walls of skulls, a graveyard, a walk through a swamp and extensive hospital scenes beginning with a mattress walk among the other environments in the haunt.
As was mentioned, one floor is devoted entirely to 3D effects.
The Factory made use of some interesting lighting effects and even featured a live guitarist at one point.
Length
It took a little more than half an hour to complete the two floors, walking at a leisurely pace.
There are some organizational problems with the layout of the house, however, as our group got off track several times and in one instance accidentally exited the main area and ended up outside the walls.
Crowd Control
The crowd was regulated by one staff person who allowed patrons to enter at fairly regular intervals.
It appears that if the line is long, it will exit the covered area inside the building and extend to an exposed area in front of the attraction, so be mindful of that in the event of rain.
There was one portable toilet inside the entrance area and a concession stand, as well.
Most Memorable Moment
My group agreed that two performances were the most remarkable experiences of our visit.
We found the person who affected the Cinderella character to have been particularly amusing. The clown who introduces you to the 3D area was humorous, as well.
Summary
Fear Factory is a large attraction and certainly worthy of a visit, if in the area.
I haven't seen an entire floor of an attraction devoted to 3D effects before.
The producers of the event put together a nice attraction and the actors gave invested performances. Good creativity was shown in the development of the sets and the overall concepts.
View all A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt reviews
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