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Newbie Review Crew Member

Brett (wm)

Photo of Brett

I love Halloween and fall in general for several reasons. First off, I was born 15 minutes before Halloween. Missed it by that much! But it's not so bad… presents one day, candy the next! Good thing I was not born around Christmas, otherwise I'm sure I would get the birthday/Christmas combined gifts! I also love Halloween because it's the one time of year where it's ok to pretend to be someone or something you're not. Just an FYI: other times of the year you might get arrested for that. The colors, the crisp air, the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet… all reason I love the fall season.

When I attend a haunt, I want to be scared! It's a great adrenaline rush, much like a roller coaster ride. Some funny rooms or actors are ok if used in moderation. I love to see the creative details that some haunts put into their exhibits, some are works of art! But I also like the dark haunts, where you have to rely on your other senses to make it through. Strobes and black lights are ok, again if used in moderation.

Previous Reviews: 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

2013 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2013 season rather than the current season.

Misery Haunted House/YARD (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

by wm (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 25, 2013 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review

I'll be honest and say that I wasn't expecting much as I drove up to Misery Haunted House.  I know it's for a great cause (Haven of Hope Day Care).  I know they are new and I'm aware that the weather might play a part in some haunts poor turn-out.  And I also know that more often than not, new haunts with little funding behind it can be a yawn-fest.  But with all that said... I'm so pleased to say that I had a blast at Misery Haunted House!


The night began with a visit to the doctor.  What's a trip to the doctor without a wait in the doctor's waiting room?  I even had to take a number and then you have to see 'the doctor' one at a time.  Very clever...  you feel more vulnerable in a haunt when it's just you going into it.  Further in the house, an evil monkey had us jumping multiple times!  A mad hatter had us literally walking in circles.  A little girl wanted to play dolls with us but never wanted us to leave.  We even had time to saddle up to the bar for a shot of...  well, I'm not sure what it was!  There's so much more, but why don't you go see for yourselves?  Oh...  and if you see an electric organ, feel free to play a few notes on it!


If you enjoy haunted houses, give Misery a shot.  You won't wait hours in line, you get more bang for your buck, and it's a great time!  


Signage / Visibility / Location


It was pretty easy to find Misery, just a few minutes from Hwy 41 and lots of parking.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


There wasn't much of a wait.  I did not see anybody walking around scaring people in line, but there was a video screen playing different things throughout the night.

Actors' Performance


The actors and even the workers were all great.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


This haunt is not meant to be compared to the big 'corporate' haunts.  Many of the props are home made.  Some of the sets are a bit crude.  But that's ok!  This haunt had us jumping and laughing most all the way through.

Length


It took about 20 minutes to go through Misery.

Crowd Control


There was not much of a crowd when we attended, but they did make sure to space out each group.

Most Memorable Moment


Definitely the monkey.  I don't ever recall seeing a monkey in a haunted house before.  Next year I'm bringing him a banana.

Summary

I left Misery with a smile on my face.  I was reminded of why I started liking haunts in the first place.  They are someone's hard work and imagination, and they are fun!  I look forward to Misery in the years to come...  bravo!

View all Misery Haunted House/YARD (PERMANENTLY CLOSED) reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2013 season rather than the current season.

Green Bay Fear Haunted Attractions

by wm (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at about 3 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

I haven't been to Green Bay Fear in a few years, and in the years I've been away they went from a haunted house to a full blown haunted event!  The house that is the staple of GB Fear is now the centerpiece of a carnival-type atmosphere.  There's so much to see and do, it's really something to check out.  You can just attend the haunted house itself, or you can go all out and go RIP.  If you purchase the RIP admission you get the following:  the Fast Pass, sitting by the RIP section by the fire with hot chocolate, live music, Zombie Paintball, the Odditorium, the walk in the haunted woods, and the house itself.
 
I spent the first few minutes walking around to just take it all in.  I was greeted by a sweet, Southern old lady that had the gift of gab.  After a few minutes, I realized that this Southern Bell was not a 'she' after all.  Just another night at Green Bay Fear!  There are multiple creatures and characters just roaming around the grounds.  A scary looking clown was fun to watch as he patiently waited by the porta pottys.  He wasn't waiting to get in, he was waiting for his victims to walk out.  Probably a good thing that the innocent attendees relieved themselves just seconds before!   
 
One thing that GB Fear has always embraced, almost to a fault, is the use of black lights and day-glo colors.  Zombie Paintball continues the trend, with all sorts of glow in the dark targets for you to shoot at.  I'm guessing there should have been a zombie to shoot at... hence the name.  But when I was there, it was only stationary targets. You only get ten shots, so make them count!  This took about 5 minutes to complete.  The Odditorium is like a very old side-show museum that lets you look at multiple freaks of nature such as flesh eating beetles, a mummified cat, etc...  We were there for about 10 minutes.
 
The RIP area is a nice place to sit, drink some hot chocolate, and listen to the live band.  There was even a zombie girl who twirled around balls of fire on chains.  It was very entertaining to watch!  How long you're in the RIP area is up to you. There's a concessions stand, a gift shop, and even a shop that makes potions!  The walk in the woods had us jumping left and right.  It took about 10 minutes to get through the woods, and I didn't want it to end!          
 
Being we had the Fast Pass, I didn't expect to wait in line for the house.  Truth be told, we waited about 45 minutes.  I think that's the first time I ever had to wait that long with a quick pass.  Those without the Fast Pass were waiting between two and three hours!  It was THAT busy.  By the time we made it to the entrance, they were putting multiple groups through together to cut down on the long wait in line.  The first thing I noticed once in the house is their continued use of black lights and glow paint.  I loved how their lighting flickered and different things would appear depending on what type of lighting was on at the time.  Being there was a lot of people in our group, there were only one or two times that I jumped.  The sets are very detail orientated, and each one was different from the next.  I thought at one point we were done with the haunt, as we were led outside.  But after following the winding trail, we were led back into the house.  All in all, it took about 20 minutes to make it through the house.  By the time we left, several hours had flown by!

Signage / Visibility / Location


It's easy to find GB Fear, and it's at a great location off the highway.  The parking lot attendees seemed like they had their hands full this night, and didn't bother to warn us that the old entrance to the woods is no longer in use.  You now enter through the back side of the building.  It was a little confusing to find where to get to the entrance...

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


GB Fear actors were walking around interacting and scaring as expected.  There's a lot of ground to cover, so kudos to these actors on their feet all night. 

Actors' Performance


As mentioned above, it was an extremely busy night for them...  and the wait to get in the main haunt was rather long.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The actors all did a great job.  There were multiple small children acting, and they did an excellent job as well! 

Crowd Control


For the most part, there weren't any issues with crowd control until it came to the haunt itself.  It's a good thing when you have that many people attending your haunt.  Hopefully in the coming weeks they are able to keep the lines moving at a steady pace.

Most Memorable Moment


Within a minute of walking onto the Fear grounds, a spider-looking monster came walking up to me on 4 legs.  This thing was HUGE!  I don't think I've ever seen a character like that before at a haunt!!!

Summary

Hands down, the best haunt in the Green Bay area.  I was pleasantly surprised with all the different things they have recently added to it.  If you haven't gone yet this year, make sure you do yourself a favor and face your Fear!

View all Green Bay Fear Haunted Attractions reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2013 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by wm (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at about 5:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

The Burial Chamber is one of the largest haunts in Wisconsin, and hands down one of the best. It's great to see how this haunt has evolved over the years. These people are passionate about scaring the crap out of you! The Burial Chamber is comprised of 4 separate attractions and you can pick and choose which ones you want to go through. If you’re like me, you’ll want to go through all of them!

Adrenaline


Adrenaline is where the Burial Chamber all started, so it has a soft spot in my heart. It’s like a bad dream, where zombies take over and the military try to control the situation. They make great use out of air cannons and sound effects to get you jumping even when no actors are near you! Scares do not just happen in front of you either. Some will be from behind, others from above, and some even down by your feet!

Insanity


There were several things in Insanity that I instantly recognized from the previous year; making your way through narrow halls, the vortex, the uneven ground and the tight inflatable tunnel that you have to push your way through. I'm personally OK with some repetition from year to year as long as it’s not too much. There were several times where we hit a dead end and had to back-track to get through the dark and winding maze.

Phobia


This, for me, was the scariest part of the Burial Chamber. A walk in the woods at night can be creepy just by itself. With the moon-light providing eerie mood lighting and the natural noises of a woods... a twig snapping or leaves rustling can be enough to put you on edge. Phobia takes all the woods has to offer, and adds to it by appearances of their talented actors. Some of the noises coming out of these performers were NOT human! You really got the sense that there were people that lived in these woods, and they were not right in the head. They were creepy, and several were even humorous! One red-neck spook had me giggling as he yelled repeatedly 'GET UR HANDS OFF MA JUNK!' There was a point where an actor waited until we were actually past him, then quietly came up behind me and made a ghastly clicking noise in my ear. I screamed like a little girl. Then I laughed. Then I got the heck out of there. The rest of the walk, which was about 15 minutes long, had me looking over my shoulder the entire time.Phobia, a perfect name for a great haunt.

Although I did not try any of the four Burial Simulators, I have in the past. It’s a fun, yet claustrophobic trip to the grave that will have you thankful you were never buried alive.

Signage / Visibility / Location


It’s very easy to find the Burial Chamber. It’s not too far off Hwy 41, and there’s plenty of parking and workers waving you in.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


I did not see any actors roaming around the lines other than the ones at the beginning of each attraction that take your ticket. I know
normally there are. There’s several big screens playing videos, etc. And there’s also a gift shop and concession stand in the back.

Actors' Performance


The actors do a great job at the Burial Chamber. So much so that it makes me question if they have ‘scaring class’ before the season starts. I did not see any actor break character, even after we walked by. They go above and beyond to scare you! Again, the performances in Phobia were incredible. Like out of a movie!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The scenes and props at the Burial Chamber have always been top notch, and this year is no exception. They do a great job setting the mood with lighting, props, sounds, etc..

Length


Adrenaline and Insanity were about 20 minutes each. Phobia was around 15 minutes.The Burial Simulator will take about 5 minutes.

Crowd Control


There were a few times we bumped into the group in front of us through-out the night, but for the most part the Burial Chamber has each group paced out properly.

Most Memorable Moment


So many good moments, it's hard to choose just one. There was one scare in Adrenaline that came from above and completely caught me off guard. But it didn't end there. We were followed, from above. Hard to navigate around a dark maze in front of you when you're scared of something above of you!

Summary

Going to the Burial Chamber is ALWAYS a must for me every year. Quite simply, you get your money worth and they are good at what they do! I would highly suggest the Fast Pass ticket. The wait time for each attraction was about 60 to 90 minutes when I attended, so it's money well spend on a cold and dreadful night. People keep coming back, year after year, and THAT'S the sign of a great haunt.

View all Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex reviews

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November 2nd, 2024 6:12 a.m. CDT 24.11.01