2011 Event Reviews

If you enjoy interactive skit style haunts that make you occasionally jump out of your skin then you’ll love the House of Bathory!  This was my first time visiting a Dead by Dawn Productions haunt.  They’ve been in the Haunted House business for 22 years now and it really shows.  Rooms are very well thought out and 100% original….with the exception of the Vortex room which you’ll experience at just about every haunt these days.  (Although I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of walking through a Vortex.)  To Dawn’s credit she does add to this Vortex a unique twist I haven’t seen at any other haunt.  I really enjoyed the skits found in each room.  The acting was superb and the actors were comfortable enough to involve haunt goers in the action.  What I really, REALLY liked about this haunt was that regardless of where I was in the group (first, last, middle….) the scares definitely me jump and I’m certain they will make you jump too!

I won’t spoil any of the scares waiting for you at the House of Bathory but the premise of this haunt is a journey through time with each room featuring a unique skit pertaining to a period of history.  From the pilgrims to the 70’s and featuring the likes of Charles Manson and Hitler…the skits, costumes and décor for each of these themes were masterfully orchestrated and performed admirably by spirited actors.  While this may not be the scariest or goriest haunt you attend you’ll definitely enjoy yourself and experience a few really good scares along the way.

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I'll admit it, up until now I have boycotted Terror On The Fox.  I'm a lifelong resident of Green Bay, and TOTF is basically a local
landmark in it's own right.  The house itself has been around forever at numerous locations, well before the 15 years it now celebrates at the National Railroad Museum.  Year after year, there's tons of hype for this well promoted house... yet I was a let down the many times I visited.  That, dear readers, was several years ago.  Now things are different.  New management.  Lower prices.  A 'back to basics' approach.  I'm part excited, part leery of how this experience will unfold.



I attended on a Sunday night, which leads me to believe that they were lower staffed than if I would have went the prior few nights.  There was only one actor on the train, and it seemed like he was making small talk more than trying to get some screams out of the
passengers.  The train ride is one of the most unique parts of this haunt.  When they first started offering it 15 years ago, it was much more spooky.  There was no strobe or loud music.  Sitting in a dark train as it travels through the woods at night, with monsters creeping around you.  Now THAT was scary!



Before heading to the main attraction, you're directed to several large tents (IF you purchased the combo or VIP pass).  The first up was the 3rd Dimension of Fear, "Carney Rampage".  There was no rampage there.  It was short and disappointing, with no scares and lots of glow in the dark colors.  The actor tried his best to be funny, I'll give him that.



Next up was The Void.  Now this was very well done, and it proves that your imagination can be more scary than anything you can see.  It's pitch black, you can't see a thing!  Just a dark maze with some actors in it, but we jumped a few times!  I think they had on night vision goggles as their timing was spot on.  We must have looked so goofy to them as we walked around in circles.  After leaving the dark Void, we came to the Vortex.  If you've ever been to the Terror On The Fox, then you'll know of the multi-color tunnel that plays mind tricks on you.  In fact, most haunts have something just like it now, or something similar.  TOTF was one of the first to have it, if not the first...  but maybe it's time to retire it?  Maybe it's time to take back the claim of the area's best haunted house with something new and original.      



Up next is a short walk in the woods before you come up to the house.  Another part that used to be much more scary, as they used to have actors jumping out at you as you walked by.  But again, this was a Sunday night.  I hope that is something they still do on their busy nights.  Now, walking up to the house is impressive.  The location, the look of the house, the lights and actors...  it definitely has the WOW factor going for it.  I'm glad to see they went back to the 'run down' look for the house, and
not the neon day glow paint job it sported a few years ago.  There were two actors moving to the music, looking extremely creepy while still keeping the beat.  Not an easy task!



I want to take a minute from this review to address a particular actor that was in front of the haunted house.  Picture a pale Aaron Rodgers wearing a black cowboy outfit.  I don't think I've ever been as offended by an actor in an entertainment setting before as I was this night.  He was extremely rude and demanding.  I get it, this isn't a kiddy ride.  But this isn't my first rodeo either.  He crossed the line several times by screaming in our faces with his demanding tone, talking down to us.  I also didn't
appreciate his holding a straight blade to my throat multiple times, real or fake.  You were way out of line A.R., this is SUPPOSED to be entertaining.  I ended up ignoring and walking past him into the house after several minutes of him berating us.  I digress...


We enter the house in all it's glory.  It really is something to see if you've never been there.  The amount of detail that's there is incredible.  I wish I could have spent more time in each room, taking it all in.  Some rooms I remember from before, but I didn't mind as they really are very impressive.  There was at least one actor in each room, and most did a good job at entertaining us.  There were only a few that actually scared us.  These were the sneaky ghouls that were actually hiding and jumped out when we approached.  'The Boss' near the end didn't have to hide though, he was terrifying just standing there.  The last room featured another TOTF classic, which maybe should also be considered for the retirement party at the end of the season.

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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.

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This was my first trip to the infamous Haunted Barn, and it lived up to it's legend!  Just hop, skip, and a jump from Madison, The Haunted Barn is easily the best haunt in the area.  Parking was ample, although I would suggest you take it slow through the lot, as it is all dirt and grass, and is easy to bottom out if you are not careful.  After we got our tickets, we entered.  The haunt is separated into 3 areas, 2 houses and an outdoor trail.  Both houses were frightening, relying on sensory tricks to spook you.  The trail was long and you were guided by lights which led you from house 1 to the second house.  Ghost and ghouls jumped out and got got some good jumps out of us!  We found ourselves taking a lot of time enjoying the detail they put into the haunt, it seemed like they take a lot of pride in their work.  Actors were great, playing it up the whole time!  As we exited, we were quickly greeted by Beetlejuice, who in true beetlejuice fashion, proceeded to goof on me for quite a while, it was great!  This haunt was fairly lengthy, which is pretty nice, just make sure you plan accordingly, as the line to enter was long!  In all I would say The Haunted Barn is one haunt you don't want to miss!

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It's hard to write a review when you are left speechless! Where do I try to begin...
I remember many years ago, when Splatter Haus was considered one of the best and scariest haunted houses in the area, and at that time, it was very true- however, over the years  they have lost that title and I truly feel that The Wisconsin Feargrounds has taken it! I remember going to this haunt years ago when it was just The Darkness and later when it became Morgan Manner. Even it's first year it was very impressive, with detailed sets, props and great make up/actors. As years went on you could see the passion they had for giving haunted house enthusiasts a whole new fun and yet scary experience. It has been wonderful watching this haunted house grow over the years and become the masterpiece in real horror and fun that it is now!  It deserves being voted #1 two years in a row, as one of the greatest haunted attractions in the Midwest. You can tell they put a ton of effort and thought into there attraction and it will leave you speechless!

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Burial Chamber has been, and remains to be one of my favorite haunts.  This would be the dictionary definition of mega-haunt!  Three haunts in one, along with a coffin ride, it was well worth the ride.  The three haunts, 2 indoor and 1 outdoor, are different, and offer frightening fun around every corner. 

Let's start with Phobia Haunted Woods.  In Phobia you take a leisurely stroll though the darkest wooded trail around!  Uneven terrain and backwoods creeps keep you on high alert the whole time.   Bushmen, zombies, rednecks, oh my!  No doubt you will approached and asked to squeal like a pig!  Creepy!  Definitely bring shoes for a hike, sandals or heals will not be your friend in this haunt!

Next we have "Insanity"  Which is everything I love in a haunt, scary and creepy!  They market it as "a haunted house on crack", I can't agree more!  It's essentially a haunted fun house, killer clowns, visual effects, and disorientation.  Insanity is my favorite of the 3!

The last haunt is "Adrenaline", which is your run of the mill, haunted house, well maybe not run of the mill, as Adrenaline is beyond frightening!  Sensory deprivation and overload all in one!  Dark, loud, bright, quiet, this one combines everything a haunt should have, and does it without flaw. Hmmm, maybe this one was my favorite! 

In addition to the haunts, Burial Chamber offers "The Last Ride", a burial simulator.  You are 'Laid to rest' in a luxurious and spacious (not really!) coffin, where your final resting place is simulated.  The coffin bounces, shakes, and booms as you listen to the program.  Last Ride is fun, I HIGHLY suggest you remove your jacket before entering the coffin, I was boiling in there, which makes the ride less enjoyable.

It's hard for me to give an honest answer when I have to pick my favorite haunt, everything about Burial Chamber is great, it is what a haunt should be.  The staff at Burial Chamber continue to be the best of the best, putting everything they have into making sure you get your moneys worth, and giving you the best scares of the season

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I have traveled all over this region, attending the "biggest" and "best" haunts you can find... Monster Mayhem blows them all away!  I attended Mayhem two years ago, and was pretty impressed with the time and effort they put into it, so I wanted to check it out again, I wasn't let down.  When I attend haunts, I often find myself paying so much attention to detail and crowd reaction that my enjoyment takes a backseat, Monster Mayhem made it impossible for me not to have a great time!  Is Monster Mayhem scary?  Yeah, it has some good moments.  Is Monster Mayhem fun?  YES YES YES!  Laser tag with zombies and ghouls, how can you beat that‽ You can't!  The story line is interesting, a security breach has taken place and the area has been taken over by ghoulish creatures!  We were split into teams and the fun began.  Our goal was to shoot the other team members more than they shoot you, simple right?  Oh yeah, there are spooks hiding around every corner to throw you off your game!  Run, shoot, jump, scream, repeat over and over!  The play area is large, and there are plenty of spots to hide and attack.  The actors are all very believable, and coupled with the thrill of the hunt, our hearts were pumping and adrenalin was at an all-time high!  After about 20 minutes, our game was over, the scores were calculated (I did not win btw!) and we were taken to see the doctor for decontamination!  We had such a great time we went in for a second game!  After all was said and done, we walked out of Monster Mayhem sweaty and smiling!  If you are looking to have a good scare coupled with an exhilarating, fun time, Monster Mayhem is the end all, be all!

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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!!

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