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

Terror on Rural Street

by HocusPocus (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 14, 2011 at about 4:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review


Bravo!! Hands down I'd say this is the best Terror on Rural street they've had since it opened 11 years ago. I typically tour between 8-10 haunts a year and I'd say arguably this year's Terror on Rural Street is probably the best haunt in SE Wisconsin and certainly in the top 3 around the state. Seriously, you may find different kinds of scares at other haunts but you'll be hard pressed to beat the quality and attention to detail that you'll experience at Terror on Rural Street.


Elaborate sets, high tech scares and professionally made-up monsters. This haunt features effects so detailed and gruesome you'd swear they were real!


Following my tour through this year's haunt I had the privilege to get a behind the scenes tour. I was totally amazed at how much time and effort is invested into the nightly operations. Professional theatrical make-up artists with over 25 years of experience, a maze of corridors supporting the haunted hallways & rooms, a warehouse full of additional props, rooms cram packed full of costumes and a totally amazing tech room overflowing with electronics and video feeds that totally blew me away!


Speaking of video feeds....those of you who are particularly interested in the quality of your haunted experience or may just be wondering "how did they do that?" may find this interesting. Each room and hallway is under constant surveillance by staff members with a very keen attention to detail. These staff members remain in contact with the ghouls and monsters lurking in the shadows and rooms around the haunt to ensure they are always perfectly positioned and timed to scare the bajeezus out of you and your fellow haunt goers.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Right off the main drag (Hwy 60) in downtown Hartford. Look for the flashing sign to point you to the parking lot. Great location. An abundance of well lit parking and a warm place to hang out while you wait. The court yard between the waiting area and the entrance really set the tone nicely

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


A heated indoor waiting area protects you from the elements.  The waiting area concession stand is also a bonus.

Actors' Performance


We had a lot of fun interacting with the performers.  Elaborate costumes and finely detailed make-up really enhanced their performances.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


A nice variety of sets and some pretty descent special effects. For those of you who traditionally checkout a few different haunts every year you'll appreciate a few of the rooms which showcase some creative concepts and had the look feel of a genuine movie caliber set. Compared to other haunts, a few of the rooms here were relatively quite spacious....a nice perk for those who don't particularly enjoy being squeezed into a room when your grouped with complete strangers

Length


On the plus side of 15 minutes.

Crowd Control


Waiting room with concession stand is fairly spacious.  Plenty of room in the court yard to also wait.  Patrons are free to roam about until the Reaper calls their number to be assembled for final preparations before entering the haunt.

Most Memorable Moment


Several to choose from for me...  I really enjoyed exploring the multi-level set of the trophy room, the visually captivating lazer effects and interacting with the ghouls in the dining room.

Summary

Arguably the scariest and most visually captivating year ever for Terror on Rural Street.  A fantastic venue along with a nice variety of sets, creative ideas and exceptional special effects make this the best haunted venues in the state.

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April 25th, 2024 8:22 a.m. CDT 24.07