I visited the Dominion of Terror around 7:30 on a Saturday night during their “throwback” (only $10!) weekend. We had no trouble finding it – they have lots of signs visible from the roads and the haunt itself has a very distinct, three-story façade. After parking in a lot next door, we bought our tickets (using a card) and only had to wait about 15 minutes or so before entering. During our very short wait we were entertained by monsters and were given an opportunity to buy some fun trinkets from their store, including glow-in-the-dark beads and flashing pendants. My boyfriend and I grouped up with some new friends in line and entered the haunt in a group of four.
This was a long (30 – 40 minute) haunt that encompassed 3 different floors, climbing up and down stairs as we went. We began our journey on the first floor funeral home, and ended up traveling through scares including an autopsy scene, several scary churches, creepy kids’ rooms, and a maze-like greenhouse. Without giving away too many specific areas, I can say they were several rooms that made me very uneasy, from both their setting and the amazing acting. In addition to climbing and descending stairs, we had to crawl several times and find our way out of rooms. The actors were fantastic and fully committed to their performances. They used their voices, their close proximity, and at times, their silence to really create anticipation and fear. Jump scares came often and were well-timed, and I felt like they varied who in the line they were scaring. There were so many amazing elements to this haunt – the intricate, varied rooms, the twisting path they set around each scene, the strange smells, and the use of a lot of different types of lighting (including strobe lights and sometimes none at all).
Additionally, I can honestly stay there was a moment in this haunt that frightened me more than any other I’ve been to! The ideas and concepts are very creative and also very scary, and the acting just set it over the edge. It was a great experience – very inexpensive (a steal, honestly), very long, and with a very short wait! Awesome haunt!
Signage / Visibility / Location
DOT had lots of signs leading up to the haunt (billboard-like) as well as very visible red sign. The building is also very distinct; it has three stories and incorporated flashing lights. There was no one to guide parking but it didn’t seem to be an issue –a large field full of parked cars sits right beside the haunt and we had no trouble.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
Their lines between general and fast pass were very clearly marked and monitored, with plenty of entertainment provided by the actors. We only waited about 15 minutes on a Saturday night. I also thought they were clever to have their store amidst the wait line, and I saw many people taking the opportunity to purchase inexpensive, fun accessories like glowing beads and flashing pendants. Although they were happy to take my card, cash might be advisable for a quick transaction. Our wait was also outdoors, but they seemed to have an area for an inside wait as well, but the night was clear and nice to be outside.
Actors' Performance
There were some amazing actors in this haunt. Not only was their timing impeccable for a ton of great jump scares; they used silence and restraint to add apprehension in their scenes. I also thought they did a particularly good job of varying who they “got” in the group; it was not always the first person. There were also a lot of variety of characters, including a lot of creepy kid scenes, and they were not afraid to get close to us to the point of it being uncomfortable, sometimes breathing or yelling in my face (love it!). Every actor was very professional and in character at all times.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
There were a ton of great scenes throughout the haunt. I loved that it spanned over 3 stories, and some areas involved crawling, or squeezing through. Some rooms as we got higher seemed to be also constructed differently, some with slatted wood ceilings. There was a lot of variety in the types of scenes, and we particularly enjoyed some in a church like setting, and a padded tunnel. There was also one scene in particular that scared me worse than any before! Some doors were hidden as well, which I always love. Another very interesting and cool feature were some strange and bad smells!
Length
Long; about 30 – 40 minutes with a very short wait. I never felt rushed and we never encountered another group.
Crowd Control
They were very organized and everything was clearly marked; also every single person we interacted with was very nice and helpful. All in all, it was a very professional setup.
Most Memorable Moment
My scary moment (don’t want to give it away!); several areas where you couldn’t tell who was real, who was fake, or who was about to move; and one scene that involved a “victim”, someone who seemed like they could have been “really taken”.
Very large, long haunt that encompasses several stories and involves finding a way out of rooms, crawling, scary smells and crazy lights. Very scary acting and creative, varied sets – one of the best haunts I’ve been to, super spooky, and a bargain of a price!
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