Senior Review Crew Member

Ted (Captn_DeathSchlager)

Why do I like Halloween? Here are a few reasons why my ghoulish tendencies come out for Halloween every year: (1) Imagination: What other holiday encourages kids to pretend they're adults and adults to pretend they're kids? (2) Creativity: Fueling our imagination while providing a chance to showcase our creativity so that our alter egos can shamelessly take center stage for a day! (3) Originality: No two Halloweens are ever the same! (4) …plus the candy is a pretty nice perk too. J

What do I look for in a haunt? These are elements that give me the heebee jeebies at a haunt: (1) Anticipation of the element of Surprise such as wondering through a dimly lit hallway (2) interactive haunts that include you in the action rather than relegate you to the mere role of spectator (3) techno-effects that excite your senses while challenging your mind to figure out how they did that.

Previous Reviews: 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014

2019 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2019 season rather than the current season.

Abandoned Haunted House Complex

by Captn_DeathSchlager (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 4, 2019 at about 6:30 p.m.

Submitted: Monday, October 7, 2019

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

While the early bird may get the worm the early haunt goer definitely gets the best scares at Abandoned! For the first time in my 30+ years of touring haunted houses I was able to score the pole position for Abandoned's Hysteria and Ambush adventures. (Surprisingly the Friday evening traffic through the I-94 construction between Milwaukee and Abandonded wasn't nearly as bad as it was a few months ago.) As a result of my good travel fortunes I was able to score a prime viewing spot for "The Rising" in addition to be the first ones to tour Hysteria and Ambush. If you're considering arriving early (prior to 6:45pm) to abandoned...DO IT! The parade of monsters and theatrics you'll witness will absolutely blow your mind!

Okay, for starters, let's just cut to the chase. If you're reading this review you fall into one of three categories. (1) Never been to a haunted house before; (2) Been to a haunted house but not Abandoned; (3) you've toured Abandoned in that past.

For those of you in Category (1)...if you or someone in your group is under the age of 10 you may want to think twice before touring Hysteria and Ambush. This haunt should not be taken lightly as you won't find a scarier haunt in Wisconsin! "The Rising" and Stalker are a little less intense and may be a better option to start with for those looking to test their courage.

For those of you in Categories (1) and (2), if you're capable of being scared (i.e. you're not 100% fearless) this haunt WILL scare you. If this haunt doesn't scare you, or at least make you jump on several occasions, it's very unlikely any haunt in Wisconsin will do that for you either. If you're a gore goer, appreciate a keen attention to elaborate detail or techno-scare junky like me Abandoned will NOT disappoint you.

For those of you in Category (3), Abandoned’s scare tactics have not changed in 2019. (i.e. walk-through style in your face scares with brief encounters with ghouls) You'll be pleasantly surprised with how many NEW techno-scares await in Hysteria as well as a few new twists in Ambush. (I'm still buzzing with excitement over the new Castle Room...it's SENSATIONAL!) 2019 was my 4th consecutive year visiting Abandoned and my most favorite edition yet!

Miscellaneous thoughts you might find helpful:

* Ever wondered how many ghouls await you at a haunt or what they all look like? If so, Abandoned gives you this chance every night at 6:45pm with "The Rising". Simply put "The Rising" will AMAZE you with how many elaborately made up monsters are onsite to scare you silly. Not to mention the spectacle of the parade is definitely worth the price of admission for it! (side note: viewing the parade is free and is certainly worth checking out!)

* You may have read that Abandoned is comprised of 3 haunts (...named Hysteria, Ambush and Stalker) In my opinion, there are actually only 2 haunts here. The best way to describe Hysteria and Ambush is one haunt with an intermission in the middle. You can't pay for each of these haunts separately like you can Abandoned's Big Brother Haunt Burial Chamber. NOR, are you forced to get back in a long line after you complete Hysteria. While you may notice a slightly different theme between the two sections of the haunt the scare style remains the same.

* While the terrifying tours through Hysteria and Ambush are all inside the waiting area is not. Stalker's horrifying haunt includes both an outdoor creepy corn maze and demented dwellings. Definitely DO come dressed for the elements

* This haunt does NOT offer numbered tickets. To enter the haunts, non-FASTPASS haunt goers must wait in a very slow moving line that's exposed to the elements. (The wait line entertainment is the best I've experienced though!) If you'd rather have your toe nails slowly ripped off than stand in a slow moving line I definitely recommend purchasing the FASTPASS!

Signage / Visibility / Location

With the recent progress with I-94 Construction Abandoned is much more visible this year than it was last year. As you approach Abandoned along the frontage road, look for the bright blue and red flashing light that sits alongside the road at the parking lot entrance. The parking attendants will guide you in from there.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Come dressed for the elements as portions of the wait lines for Ambush, Hysteria and Stalker are outside. As you near the entrance to Ambush and Hysteria the waiting lines are covered. A courtyard with ginormous movie screen, bumpin sound system and a concession stand along with a few costumed actors help to build your anticipation while you wait to enter the haunts. Be sure to arrive early and check out the parade of Ghouls which takes place nightly at 6:45pm. If you don’t like long lines and lengthy waits be sure to purchase a FASTPASS to take advantage of the shorter VIP lines.

Actors' Performance

The actors were very skilled at providing quick and unexpected scares. Only a few actors performed on sets that provided an opportunity for a theatrical display and in these situations they did not disappoint! I particularly enjoyed the introductory performances for Hysteria and Stalker as well as the unforgetable performance of Cookie Cake.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Brilliant use of shadows and dimly lit hallways/rooms to maximize scare and creep factor. Set designs were very effective in immersing you into the theme of the haunt. Some (but not all) of the sets were among the most elaborately designed/decorated that I've experienced. All set designs were definitely better than the average haunt. Enjoyed some of the unique concepts and special effects. Trick floors, vibrating walls, tripped out laser lights….there’s a little bit of everything to keep you on your toes.

Length

Took my group 16 minutes to complete Hysteria and 12 minutes to complete Ambush for a total time of 28 minutes. (...not including the brief intermission between Hysteria and Ambush.) Stalker took 20 minutes to complete.

Crowd Control

Waiting lines for both Ambush/Hysteria and Stalker were clearly marked off along with the separate FASTPASS lines.

Most Memorable Moment

Several sensational sets and scares...the castle room ABSOLUTELY blew my mind. It's got my vote for the one of the best rooms EVER!

Summary

If you’re looking for a totally terrifying experience in SE Wisconsin this Halloween look no further than Abandoned. The scares in Ambush and Hysteria come early and often thanks to an amazing arsenal of gruesome gore and visual effects that maximize scare opportunities. For those who thirst for more thrills Stalker offers even more horrific haunted mayhem.

View all Abandoned Haunted House Complex reviews

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