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

Fright Factory

by DarkWolf1088 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at about 3:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

This was my first year to the Fright Factory, a non-profit haunted house used to raise money for a
local club in Janesville, WI. Fright Factory just implies a very industrial setting. Even the attraction's website sets an industrial tone. Well the drive to the attraction did not disappoint. Driving through an old brick and mortar viaduct and driving up to the massive industrial building really set the tone
for an exciting adventure.

The lobby of the attraction was large and actors had free range to scare as they wished. Modern
rock was playing in the lobby area and the way the lines were diverted and the environment you were in almost made you feel like a lamb to slaughter. It was an eerie kind of feeling. The wait to begin the haunt was approximately 20mins. The haunt split people off in groups but I would highly suggest staying in a very small group as this will give you the best experience.

As you entered the attraction you were presented with an actor that was telling you the rules of
the haunt but doing it in such a way that just made it seem like he was telling you what to do to survive. Then all of a sudden the actor screams and a splash of blood is thrown onto the window. This was all down through a projection system which was a nice touch and a great way to open the attraction.

The labyrinth itself is expansive. There are plenty of things to look at as each room is a different
theme. There are also plenty of pitch black corridors and "traps" (such as a maze filled with hanging pipes) that bring each room together. Scares were not just accomplished by the actors. There were "old school" scare tactics such as things popping out of spaces, pictures changing form, and moving platforms and walls. These "old school" practices were also paired with new technology that really brought an exciting flavor to this attraction.

Although the actors did accomplish their task of scaring customers I was disappointed in not having a little bit more "theatrically" from the actors. I have always liked the simple ambush scares but when an actor can pull you into a conversation and still scare you or use that conversation so that another actor can scare you, that is motivation and dedication. I just wish I would have had a little bit more of that rather than simple ambush tactics.

Pacing for this attraction also seemed to be a hang-up. I routinely ran into a group in front
of me and after awhile I just ended up staying with the group because I was not getting scared between the group in front of me and the group behind me.

This attraction, however, had solid scenery, had a mix of old and new technology, had good
actors, and had a solid presentation overall. I really enjoyed the rock/pop music that was being played over the mayhem. This was different, and it was a 'different' that I really enjoyed.

Summary

For a haunted attraction that is non-profit, I was amazed at the amount of technology and well constructed scenes that this haunt had available. Even if you never get scared this haunt is fun just to go to admire the scenery and technology that is in use. Thus, I found the Fright Factory to be an enjoyable experience but I came out of it really wanting more from the actors. There were so many good spots that a scare could have been made but was never used. Further the ambush tactics got old relatively quickly once you began to walk through the attraction. So although the Fright Factory may not be a contender in the scariest haunted house it certainly tops out as being one of the most fun.

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March 19th, 2024 5:15 a.m. CDT 24.01