2009 A Theater Of Lost Souls Presents: Nightmare Factory Haunt Event Reviews

A Theater of Lost Souls was a haunt that I always liked in the past but this year I was a little disappointed. They added new additions to the haunt which I liked. I started off on their hayride, which was different for me. I think they did a pretty good job on this. It wasn't very scary but it was fun. The story teller could have seemed a little more enthusiastic about his role but the story behind it was good.



The house itself was put together very well. You start off walking into what I want to call a horse stable. The actors definitely did a good job in there and it was very creepy. There were different noises coming from all over the place and you never knew what was going to jump right in front of you. As you walk through the rest of the haunt there wasn't any scene that was dead. However, because my group got paired with another lets say obnoxious group I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I have in the past.



After the house, we went through their new clown based one. This was very cool but I felt needed a few more actors.

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It was a dark and cold night...REALLY cold. Fortunately for me I had a warm car to step out of and to warm back up in. As this haunt is contained within the unheated barns of the fair grounds it appears as if the actors did not enjoy a similar luxury. Perhaps I caught this haunt at a bad time? I checked out The Theater of Lost Souls and Theater of the Absurd...but due to the temps I declined the invitation to partake in the hayride.



The Theater of the Absurd was very entertaining! I kind of got the impression that it's billed to be a side show to the Lost Souls haunt but I really enjoyed the unique concept of an attraction that was completely in 3D. The clown was very energetic and interactive. As we were the only group touring at the time we received quite a bit of attention. Not sure if this is typical as there appeared to be just a few actors in the Absurd attraction but we definitely enjoyed it! (Fun Factor = 4 / Scare Factor = 1)



The Theater of Lost Souls had its moments but appeared to lack the energy and enthusiasm to provide for a good scare or a fun interactive experience with a ghoul by way of a riveting performance. Perhaps the cold temps and sparse crowds of the Friday evening played a role in this? I really enjoyed the voodoo room and the acting performance in this room was absolutely superb! (Loved the accent!) The "Two Dogs" room has a lot of potential. The actor did a good job of heightening your anticipation prior to entering the room but the absence of a surprise once in the room made for an anti-climatic experience. A little bit of darkness combined with a sudden flash of light/sound could do wonders for the scare factor of this room. (Fun Factor = 2 / Scare Factor = 3)

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In previous years ATOLS has been really highly ranked in my book, with big marks in fun and in screams.



Perhaps it was the time we arrived (about 1/2 hour after opening), or the group we were put with (which contained a young child). As an experienced haunt-goer, I understand these both can be contributing factors to the overall experience of a haunt, so I am going to chalk it up to one of those two reasons.



When we arrived, there was no one in line for the haunted hayride, a new addition to ATOLS in 2009. We were directed to the spot marked with a sign as the waiting line. We spent a few minutes before the first actor, the Farm Boy, came to chat and entertain (and sniff!) us. We spent a total of 10 minutes waiting to see if we could add to our group. The wagon waiting for us had no hay at all, so it was actually a hay-less hayride. After a while, 3 other people joined our group and our tour guide told the driver to head out.



As we took the 15 minute ride around the grounds of the Expo center, we learned the history of the santitarium from our guide. Unfortunately, our guide seemed completely bored. Our ride was totally uneventful as there appeared only to be two actors during the entire ride.



After the ride, we pulled up and saw another wagon, this one full of hay and people, so perhaps we were just unlucky enough to be on the wrong ride. I will also note that the weather was rather chilly, in the low 40's, which may also have been a contributing factor to the lack of outdoor actors.



The waiting line for the first haunt was non-existent, which meant we were grouped with the other 3 people on our hayride, which still included the young child. Now, either the actors were aware of the young child and really toned down the scare factor, or ATOLS just wasn't as scary this year.



There was a lot of pushing us to go faster through the maze, so we felt completely rushed, but there was very little scaring going on. They had some cool new props and effects, LOVED the "puppies", and a lot of recognizable props from previous years.



What that portion of the haunt lacked, was made up for in fun by the 3D/blacklight clown part of ATOLS. A definite favorite of mine last year, I rushed to the front of the line, hoping for some scare-redemption. I was not disappointed. From beginning to end, the 3D clown experience was great, though I still feel it lacked multiple actors. The one actor I saw spent his time solely on scaring me. But, he did a GREAT job of surprising me AND making it fun.



Overall, to say I was disappointed by ATOLS is too harsh. I think they have a lot of potential and I give them props for trying the hayride this year. I certainly think there is potential for that portion of the experience to be successful. There were definitely some good actors, committed to their characters, (LOVED THE VOODOO WOMAN!) but perhaps staffed a little more lightly than they could have been.



This experience is about what I would expect if it was opening night. Just a few kinks to work out, but the scare potential is there!

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A Theater of Lost Souls has always been the black horse of the haunt industry. There is so much potential for A Theater of Lost Souls to be one of the best Haunt attractions in WI and perhaps in the Midwest. This year they have certainly expanded and tapped into some of that potential. The haunt began with a "guided" hay ride explaining the history of the fair grounds. What many people may not understand is that the story is actually true! In 1915 there was a Sanatorium for people who had tuberculosis. People who went to the Sanatorium either had money and could be treated or they had no money and had to suffer and die. While the Sanatorium is gone there are still a few remains. The energy of the spirits that still linger there can be felt while on the Hay Ride (you just have to ignore the giggling children seated next to you). The tour guide did an excellent job of explaining the what occurred in this area. I would have preferred more special effects on the hay ride and maybe a few more actors. Maybe a can of WD40 and the lighter? I know it is so difficult to keep things safe AND scary. They hay ride was a perfect bone chilling, thought provoking start to the Theater of Lost Souls.

We went late, but it appeared that they kept everyone waiting in cattle pens. The Theater of Lost Souls had the perfect combination of old school scares and new fears. The Animatronics were superb, you could not decipher it the body tortured body was human or not. The power of Christ that compells one even got me in the head (I took that message seriously). If you have a fear of spiders ... stay out! The Theater of the Absurd is the best 3d haunt I have been too (and I have been to them all over the US). The painting was so creatively done that you felt as if you should be submitted to an asylum. I even had to take my glasses off at one point in time because I was thought I had lost the ground beneath me. The young lady made us go round and round and half of the group disappeared. There is no better ending to a haunt than that loud roaring sound of a chainsaw ... call it cliche, but it works! I haven't been to many haunts so far this season, but I have a feeling that A Theater of Lost Souls may become a favorite. They have grown so much just in the 3 years that I have been attending. They listen and keep the good scares and get rid of the boring ones. They are very innovative and I can not wait to see NEXT YEAR. (oh and crazy country boy, good luck with your surgery)!

A SIDE NOTE
Want to see all the detail that goes into a haunt? Too afraid to go to a haunted house? Have young children? Want to support a good cause?
On OCT 10th A Theater or Lost Souls is having a "lights on" haunt from 2p - 4:30p. It is only $3, and the proceeds go to help the children's hospital. See their website for more information.

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