Previous Reviews: 2010 | 2009 | 2007
Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.
by charmed (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at about 2 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
This was my first experience with Neenah's Most Haunted, put on by Neenah's Youth Go. When we arrived, it didn't appear as if the line was very long, but when we realized how far apart they let people in, our total time in line was over an hour.
There were actors of all ages, but most of them in inside of the actual haunt were kids. However, it's easy to transport yourself from even the thought that these are kids, once you see how good they are.
From the moment you step in, you're given an idea of how the haunt will go. I was selected to entertain the queen, but sadly, did a terrible job for her. :) But, the court jester was a FANTASTIC actor and I really enjoyed him. They did a nice job of explaining the upcoming maze areas, and cautioned us to put our arms out to the side to find our way.
As we moved onward, I found the maze to be much more difficult than I expected. There weren't really dead ends, as much as wrong ways. I unintentionally ended up behind set several times throughout my journey and got turned around enough that even the ghouls barely got me turned back in the right direction. And, since I took their instructions about keeping my arms out to the side at face-value, I think I ran face-first into several actors.
It was not the scariest haunt I've been to, but for as long as the Youth Go have been haunting, they know how to put on a good show!
We were thoroughly entertained!
Otherwise, they had some pretty cool scenes. Not much in the way of effects, but good for what they were working with.
Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.
by charmed (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 24, 2009 at about 5:30 p.m.
Submitted: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
This was my first experience with The House of Bathory, and it certainly will NOT be my last. I was so glad we got the chance to meet Dawn and her husband Jim, who definitely know how to make a haunt a great time. We got to learn some of the 20(!!) year history and what they've learned, they've certainly put to good use.
This is definitely not your typical haunt. It is, by far, the most unique in every way imaginable. From the layout to the effects and the props to the actors, you'll have a tough time finding anything that compares to the House of Bathory. I was also pleasantly surprised at the age range of the actors...some of the quite young, but it didn't matter the age, these actors are there to scare! It's also more hands-on than most other haunts...one sneaky actor just about got my hairclip as I was descending the stairs...I had no idea he was even there!
We were put into a group with 3 others, making a nice-sized group of 5. However, for two of the girls, it was their first-ever haunt. I think they made it through in record time...I'm confident they *ran* screaming through the entire thing, leaving the poor guy they came with, and us, trying to catch up with them.
As a note in general to haunt-goers...please remember to be courteous to the others in your group, whether you know the people or not. If you run at top-speed, the people behind you are affected significantly because you have to allow time for the actors to get back into place. Haunted houses are all about timing and in our situation, we missed a tiny bit of the action in the last 1/3rd of the house because they were so far ahead of us. It also affected our own speed through the house, where I would have LOVED to spend a couple more minutes absorbing all of the creative and amazing things Dead by Dawn Productions has put together.
But, even with that happening to us, it was still above and beyond my expectations and meets all of my personal "perfect haunt" criteria!
So, expect the unexpected at The House of Bathory...and enjoy getting the pants scared off of you!
Overall, this is my new favorite haunt. Can't wait to see what their 21st year brings!
Regardless of the wait time, it was 150% worth it!
View all House of Bathory (CLOSED) reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.
by charmed (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 10, 2009 at about 5 p.m.
Submitted: Monday, October 12, 2009
We had so much fun at the Terror Trail. This was my first time at this particular haunt and I can tell you with was totally worth the drive. So much so, in fact, that I'll definitely be back!
When we arrived, there was no one else there. The parking area is just a short walk from the ticket counter, and very easy to find.
The actors were just finishing up from break and they were trying to stay warm on the freezing cold night. As we walked up, it was cool to see their excitement and hear the "everyone take your places!" on the walkie-talkies. I don't know how many actors there were, but I can tell you they were VERY well staffed.
Our wait was only to allow the actors to get in their spots, just a few minutes. We were entertained by the friendly gentleman who was preparing to let us in.
As we entered what I assumed was going to be an entirely outdoor trail, I was pleasantly surprised to find they also had some "indoor" scene areas. But, even if the entire trail had been outdoors, my adrenaline was pumping enough in the first 30 seconds to keep me warm all night!
From beginning to end, this haunt was a total scream-fest. This haunt definitely ranks up in my top 5 EVER. Scares from every direction, when you least expected. The trail was set up through all sorts of terrain and quite literally, these people have THE BEST environment for a haunt.
Props were great, actors were thoroughly enjoying scaring the pants off of us. I will make note that this is not completely a no-touch haunt, as I know some people have issues with that. I however, feel it adds to the excitement and fun and I wouldn't change a thing. We were running (out of pure fear), crawling (great terrain effects), and just trying not to pee our pants, which with the help of one completely unexpected effect, I just about lost!!
I definitely want to spread the word on this haunt. I'm not sure what their attendance looked like the rest of that evening, but people you NEED to get out and see these guys...they were committed and GREAT haunters. Loved it!!!
View all Terror Trail (PERMANENTLY CLOSED) reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2009 season rather than the current season.
by charmed (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 10, 2009 at about 2 p.m.
Submitted: Monday, October 12, 2009
In previous years ATOLS has been really highly ranked in my book, with big marks in fun and in screams.
Perhaps it was the time we arrived (about 1/2 hour after opening), or the group we were put with (which contained a young child). As an experienced haunt-goer, I understand these both can be contributing factors to the overall experience of a haunt, so I am going to chalk it up to one of those two reasons.
When we arrived, there was no one in line for the haunted hayride, a new addition to ATOLS in 2009. We were directed to the spot marked with a sign as the waiting line. We spent a few minutes before the first actor, the Farm Boy, came to chat and entertain (and sniff!) us. We spent a total of 10 minutes waiting to see if we could add to our group. The wagon waiting for us had no hay at all, so it was actually a hay-less hayride. After a while, 3 other people joined our group and our tour guide told the driver to head out.
As we took the 15 minute ride around the grounds of the Expo center, we learned the history of the santitarium from our guide. Unfortunately, our guide seemed completely bored. Our ride was totally uneventful as there appeared only to be two actors during the entire ride.
After the ride, we pulled up and saw another wagon, this one full of hay and people, so perhaps we were just unlucky enough to be on the wrong ride. I will also note that the weather was rather chilly, in the low 40's, which may also have been a contributing factor to the lack of outdoor actors.
The waiting line for the first haunt was non-existent, which meant we were grouped with the other 3 people on our hayride, which still included the young child. Now, either the actors were aware of the young child and really toned down the scare factor, or ATOLS just wasn't as scary this year.
There was a lot of pushing us to go faster through the maze, so we felt completely rushed, but there was very little scaring going on. They had some cool new props and effects, LOVED the "puppies", and a lot of recognizable props from previous years.
What that portion of the haunt lacked, was made up for in fun by the 3D/blacklight clown part of ATOLS. A definite favorite of mine last year, I rushed to the front of the line, hoping for some scare-redemption. I was not disappointed. From beginning to end, the 3D clown experience was great, though I still feel it lacked multiple actors. The one actor I saw spent his time solely on scaring me. But, he did a GREAT job of surprising me AND making it fun.
Overall, to say I was disappointed by ATOLS is too harsh. I think they have a lot of potential and I give them props for trying the hayride this year. I certainly think there is potential for that portion of the experience to be successful. There were definitely some good actors, committed to their characters, (LOVED THE VOODOO WOMAN!) but perhaps staffed a little more lightly than they could have been.
This experience is about what I would expect if it was opening night. Just a few kinks to work out, but the scare potential is there!
View all A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt reviews
April 19th, 2024 10:43 p.m. CDT 24.01
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