Please note: this review is for the 2012 season rather than the current season.

Haunted High presents Dark Carnival

by wm (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at about 5 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

Haunted High is one of the most unique experiences at a haunt that I've ever had!  Not only do they have a huge school as their playground, but they really play up the school theme throughout!

After waiting in the gym, you start out in the basement, which just so happens to be the locker room.  To me, this was a scariest part of the haunt, as it was dark and smelly.  They had us jumping left and right. 

The rest of the haunt was literally a tour through the school.  It was light on scares, but lots of eye candy throughout.  It was a trip to walk into the auditorium near the end and see a skeleton band putting on a concert!  I've never seen anything like that, it was incredible!

I loved the fact that and the end of the haunt you 'graduated', and they even gave you a diploma!  We left, thinking our high school experience was over....  but was it?  Come see for yourselves!

Signage / Visibility / Location


We found it ok with a GPS, but drove right by it as the school is not visible from the road until you're already driving by it.  The sign was rather small, but you can't miss the steady stream of cars coming and going from their parking lot.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


There was a huge line for this haunt.  Lucky for us the waiting area is inside the school gym, so we were nice and dry while it rained outside.  It was organized very well, and there was some entertainment being projected onto a wall.  The wait for us was a good hour.  Make sure to go early to avoid a long wait, or upgrade to a fast pass.

Actors' Performance


All of the actors at Haunted High are volunteers, and some showed it by what I believe to be a lack of experience.  Some rooms they didn't jump out at us until we already saw them.  But for the most part, all the actors showed their school spirit and were really into their roles.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The only part of Haunted High that was truly dark and scary was the basement.  The other areas were bright enough where you could admire their work and the details they put into the haunt.  Each room had a school theme.  The mirror room seemed a little out of place, but was very cool! 

Length


The wait to get in depends on what time of the night you arrive.  It took us about 30 minutes to get through the school. 

Crowd Control


We had a few situations where we bumped into other groups going through the school.  This was towards the end of the night on a busy Saturday night, so I think they might have been making sure everybody got through before it closed.

Most Memorable Moment


We met up with the school principal, who berated us like the naughty school children we were.  I made the mistake of saying something, and he informed me that I had a 'bad attitude'.  I was having flashbacks! 

Summary

It's a shame this is the last year for Haunted High.  They get high points for creativity and standing out in a sea of cookie cutter haunted houses.  Make sure you check it out before they're gone!     

View all Haunted High presents Dark Carnival reviews

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March 19th, 2024 9:01 a.m. CDT 24.01