Please note: this review is for the 2014 season rather than the current season.

The Hill Has Eyes

by DarkWolf1088 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at about 8 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: High

Review

A fairly new haunted attraction to southeast Wisconsin, the Hill Has Eyes, formed back in 2012, is an expansive outdoor haunted complex. This was my very first visit to this attraction and the trip certainly did not disappoint. The Hill Has Eyes welcomes you with a large tent, 2 bonfires, an audio/visual display, and (for the adults) a beer tent. The music is playing is heavy rock and accompanies the video playing on the big screen. Everything about this attraction's meeting area puts you in the mood for a fun time. Although there were no actors, at the time, prowling around the ticket line, the wait was no less interesting or fun. Due to time constraints I opted for the attraction's VIP pass (a $35 value that goes up as the season progresses). Spoiler Alert: This pass was well worth it and you will soon know why. So that being said this attraction makes a great first impression at the start. Let's dive into the meat of this haunt.

The Hill Has Eyes includes 5 attractions and each one varies from the other WHILE maintaining the theme of the haunt (check out their website) throughout the entire attraction.

Hooded
Hooded is the very first part of the attraction. When I came to the haunt I had to sign a wavier. This is a legit wavier as this is an expansive attraction that has many different components compared to other attractions of similar size. Part of that wavier advises you that you will be 'hooded' for the first part of the attraction. This is no joke. Before you enter the haunt you are required to put a black bag over your head and grasp onto a rope that runs along the trail route. All the while that you have a bag over your head and you are following a rope, the drill instructors will give you some "encouragement" and things will go bump in the night around you. A very interesting concept to a haunted attraction that pays dividends right out of the gate. Enjoy the sensory deprivation and let the attraction's actors do what they do best. You won't be disappointed.

Failed Escape
Following Hooded you get the chance to take a break at another common area that has a beer stand and a bonfire. Once you have your wits about you after the Hooded experience, Failed Escape will introduce you to the "storyline" of the Hill Has Eyes. In this area you follow a backwoods trail that leads you through trailer homes, abandoned vehicles, and dilapidated structures. All the while you will be stalked by the area's "residents". With some top notch animatronics, props, and acting, you will feel as if the title to the attraction is actually true. This a thrill ride for both your eyes as well as your nerves.

Hunger Hollow
You exit Failed Escape into the same common area you started. Again you are given the chance to warm-up by the bonfire and grab a brewsky. Once you are ready you can enter Hunger Hollow. This attraction is Failed Escape's bigger and badder brother. Again you will be overwhelmed by the amount of detail in the scenery. With great design comes great scares, and no other attraction that I have been to has proved this better than Hunger Hollow. Take your time, enjoy the sights, the monsters inhabiting the location love to play with their food. A woman that I was walking with during this trip put it best by saying, "this is like a roller-coaster". How true that line was. The Hills Has Eyes does an excellent job of pacing which allows you to have a "full" experience of the haunt versus being either really bored or overly scared. Hunger Hollow is indeed a roller-coaster ride.

Scare Lift
After you make it out of Hunger Hollow (if you haven't already turned tail and run) you come to the Scare Lift. In all honesty this is the most subdued attraction of the haunt but is creepy and disturbing in its own right. You will board an old ski lift that will take you to the top of the hill. All the while that you are suspended, there is nothing but darkness around you and the sounds of screams in the background. Although this lift may appear relaxing, don't get too relaxed, you aren't done yet.

Carnivore: The Devil's Carnival
Do clowns or carnies freak you out? Well then you are in for one final ride. Although smaller than Failed Escape and Hunger Hollow, Carnivore is a fun attraction using the twisted carnival theme. Even if you aren't scared by such a theme, the actors positioned there still do a good job of eliciting a scream or to. Watch the freak show and enjoy....just don't stay to long.. although they are just circus freaks they're still kin to the monsters you escaped earlier.

Length


Even with the VIP pass, which allowed me to pass-up the lines, the whole attraction, from start to finish is (wait for it) 1.5 hours long. The best part of that 1.5 hours? No second or minute of this attraction was boring. There are haunts that are shorter that charge just as much.

Summary

So my final thoughts on the Hill Has Eyes...No matter what entrance fee you pay (the basic or the VIP), every cent is worth it! Not only does the Hill Has Eyes have excellent pacing, strong actors, great scenes, and impressive animatronics and effects, but it feels really free. You can decide when you go on to the next line. If you want to hang by the fire for awhile, by all means. Sometimes it is just fun to watch as other people get scared. There in also lies there other great benefit to this haunt besides what I mentioned above....this haunted attraction is FUN! The Hill Has Eyes has to be, hands down, the most fun I have had at a haunted house to date (for the record I've reviewed 10 haunted house for HW and visited loads more). Even if you have the "tough guy" mentality, and believe nothing scares you, something WILL make you jump at this haunt...guaranteed. If not, well the fun you experience will still be worth your time and money. A shout out to all the actors and crew at the Hills Has Eyes...great job guys... you are MORE than deserving of the Best Haunt in the Milwaukee Area.

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March 29th, 2024 10:35 a.m. CDT 24.01