Newbie Review Crew Member

Katie (katie_kiesow13)

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Why I Love Haunts & Halloween: Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year.. you get to dress up as different characters every year... sometimes more than one costume, too. It's always fun to see what other people are dressing up as, too - if people are serious, or funny, or clever... or downright questionable. Haunts are a great part of this awesome season, too. I enjoy them every year for two main reasons: 1. I'm a theatre-lover at heart so anything that deals with costumes, acting, staging, makeup, going over the top, etc... I'm all about it. 2. There are so many different types of haunts out there. Some focus on just pure "boo" tactics of jumping out and trying to scare you while others really mess with your mind and play tricks on you both psychologically and physically. I love to see what everyone has to offer.

Previous Reviews: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008

2011 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Mars Haunted House - CLOSED-

by katie_kiesow13 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: Low

Review

Mars Haunted House is a good haunt in the Milwaukee area. The makeup and the actors outside were incredible! It's a little shorter than some haunts, but some of the rooms were really quite interesting and worth the visit.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very easy to find with some signage out front. Located on the upstairs level of the building.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


It was pouring rain outside when we visited this haunt, so it was really unfortunate that the wait area is all outside on the street/sidewalk. I would have really liked some covered areas to wait under.

There were two actors outside in the rain with us who were by far the best actors in the entire haunt. Their makeup/masks, costumes, demeanor and acting were absolutely flawless and they were definitely my favorite part.

Actors' Performance


Inside the haunt, none of the actors talked to us. They mostly walked around creepily and jumped out at us threatening us with wicked stares and weapons of all sorts. I was a little disappointed in the lack of interaction or script of any sort.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


They rooms were interesting and different, but a lot of space was filled with just dirty broken furniture that didn't really fit the haunt for any reason besides taking up space. Some of the props were interesting and fun, but a lot of them  were things I had seen before - nothing really unique and different here.

Length


I would say that we waited to enter the haunt for about 10-15 minutes and we spent about 15 minutes inside. However, the reason we were inside for so long was because we kept taking breaks and stopping in the middle of the hallway to avoid running into the group ahead of us.

Crowd Control


A true disappointment. I understand that we were there just before closing and they probably wanted to rush us through to go home... but there weren't that many people there and we ran into the group ahead of us several times and the group behind us caught up with us, then, too. They really need to work on spacing groups out better.

Most Memorable Moment


Definitely the actors outside the haunt were the best and most memorable. I wish we would have seen more of them inside the haunt as well.

Summary

Not the most terrifying of haunts, but a good one to visit if you're in the area. I would suggest visiting early in the evening to avoid big lines and running into other groups.

View all Mars Haunted House - CLOSED- reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Lister F/X Presents Monster Mayhem Haunted Laser Tag (CLOSED)

by katie_kiesow13 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 21, 2011 at about 6 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

This was genuinely one of the most unique haunts I have ever visited. It is completely different than last year and the concept is so interesting that we had a blast! The haunt concept: they put you right in the middle of a civilian training facility where they train you to kill the zombies and monsters that lurk on the levels below Paulo's Pizzeria. The most interesting? You actually play laser tag. They strap you into the suits and you get your instructions and off you go into the dark and scary twists and turns where monsters and zombies are around every corner. Although not entirely scary, it was so much fun that we really enjoyed it!!

Signage / Visibility / Location


Quite easy to find. Located in the basement of Paulo's Pizzeria. You have to go to the back of the restaurant to buy your tickets though, a little confusing with not much signage for the haunt.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


We were there just before closing and there weren't any groups waiting before us, so we went right in. Not sure if you wait in the restaurant area if there is a line, but it doesn't seem like there's anywhere else to wait.

Actors' Performance


There were not a ton of actors in this haunt. Due to its setup and theme, they didn't need many. The actors who played the army general guy, the young girl zombie and the alien/dinosaur/monster-type thing... they were all excellent!!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Again, due to the theme and setup, they didn't require much, but what they had was pretty good. It took me at least 10 minutes of walking around until I realized I missed about half of the layout so I quickly walked through the rooms to make sure I took it all in - it's pretty massive.

Length


I would say that we waited maybe 5 minutes to go in and we were in the haunt for 20-25 minutes when all was said and done. A great length since so many other haunts are about half that. We really enjoyed how long it lasted.

Crowd Control


We were the last group in, so we didn't have to worry about anyone else. I'm not sure how they handle it when there's more people there, but I would guess that only one group goes in at a time. Fantastic.

Most Memorable Moment


A friend of mine and I were instructed by the army officer to push two buttons at the same time and of course failed to do so and we let the alien-like monster out of it's cage. Creepy! Also, the young girl zombie was excellent. Don't want to give away too much.

Summary

Definitely a must-see since it's such a unique concept. It's a lot of fun and good for all ages since it's not completely terrifying. The actors did a good job, but sometimes I was less concerned about them and much more concerned with laser-tagging the other team. Overall, a great time had by all!

View all Lister F/X Presents Monster Mayhem Haunted Laser Tag (CLOSED) reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Hubertus House of Horror

by katie_kiesow13 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 21, 2011 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review

We had a great time at this haunt! It was completely different than last year. There were a few rooms that were incredibly unique and interesting that were really enjoyed. I would suggest going early in the evening to avoid a wait since the later it gets the longer the line is. Definitely a good house to check out, though.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very easy to find using GPS. It's right on the main street in Hubertus. Plenty of signage and parking available.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The wait area is in the school cafeteria so it's nice and warm (yay!) and they offer concessions which is convenient. We got there about 9:30 pm and the wait was just over an hour and a half. There were a few actors walking around in costume, but otherwise nothing creepy or "setting the mood" while we waited.

Actors' Performance


Overall I thought most of them did a good job. A few actors had a hard time remembering lines but others had a good time with improvising and interacting with our group, which I liked.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Most of the rooms were really well done - very creepy! I really liked that they used more interaction with actors and less animatronic scares. They use more masks than they do makeup, but it still worked well. My favorite room was definitely the autopsy room - the set and f/x in that room were incredible.

Length


It took roughly 20 minutes to make it through the entire haunt. It seemed like it took even longer because they stop you in each room to talk to you and interact instead of just shuffling you through quickly.

Crowd Control


We were the first group through after a quick safety check, so there wasn't anyone in front of us. The group behind us caught up to us once, but one of the actors left the room and held them back so it seemed to work pretty well. There was a little difficulty with the group size. They put you through in groups of 8 and it seemed a little big because we were constantly waiting for everyone to fit into the rooms, so that was a little tough.

Most Memorable Moment


Between the autopsy room and the tunnel. Everyone I was with had a really tough time walking through the tunnel without falling over. I always love those. Both rooms were great!

Summary

Definitely a must see. I suggest for everyone 12+ (unless you scare easily... then maybe a little older). It was a lot of fun!

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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Terror on Rural Street

by katie_kiesow13 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at about 5 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review

I enjoyed Terror on Rural Street just as much this year as I have in the past. They always do an exceptional job! We were really early in the season, so the wait was quite short, but don't expect the same to be true if you're visiting closer to Halloween - they tend to get quite busy. As usual, the make-up, costumes and effects were incredible and had my group terrified at every twist and turn.

Signage / Visibility / Location


It's located in the Activities Center in Hartford, so it's quite easy to find. Plenty of parking.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


As I mentioned, we didn't wait in line very long, but they do have a few actors walking around scaring people. The wait area is heated with benches, so that's nice. Also, they serve concessions (including beer!) now, so be sure to check that out.

Actors' Performance


For the most part, I thought they did a good job. I just wish there would have a bit more actor interaction (i.e. conversations and a story line instead of just jumping out at us).

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


This haunt provides some of the most sophisticated sets, scenes, props and FX that I've seen in the state. They really put their heart and souls into making this haunt great!

Length


We waited about 15-20 minutes to get into the haunt and it took us about 20 minutes to walk through the whole thing.

Crowd Control


There wasn't much of a crowd to control, so I'm not sure how they'll handle more groups during the busy nights, but we've never had problems in the past.

Most Memorable Moment


There are a couple of areas in the house where you're in complete darkness, surrounded by inflatable walls where you literally feel like you can't go anywhere. A nightmare for a claustrophobic person like myself!

Summary

Overall, as usual, an excellent haunt that I suggest to anyone in the area. I'd even say it's worth the drive if it's kind of far for you. Keep your eyes open - you won't want to miss anything in this haunted house! Be cautious - there are creatures everywhere...

View all Terror on Rural Street reviews

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March 29th, 2024 3:09 a.m. CDT 24.01