Land of Illusion 2010 Review

Land Of Illusion: Middletown, OH

3D Killer Klowns:

This haunt used 3D glasses for the 3D effect, however, the glasses we were given were used previously and not in the best of shape. The scratched glasses made it hard to see a lot of the darker areas of the haunt but were still good at bringing out the 3D effect. This was a fairly short haunt but the amount of actors and creepy passages made up for it. The 3D spinning tunnels were fun!

Rating: 9 – Excellent

Middletown Haunted Trail:

This was the original outdoor haunt that the Land of Illusions is known for. The length has been extended over the years and the design improved so that it is now one of the premier outdoor haunts in the tri-state. The trail takes over 20 min to walk (even at at a frighteningly fast pace) as you are constantly being scared by different creatures, both animal and human, walking along the dark, foggy path. The actors were very good and really played their parts. The make up and attention to detail in the different themed shacks was exceptional. The people at Land of Illusions have honed their craft of scaring people over the years and it definitely shows! You barely have time to catch your breath in between scares! The path eventually winds around and through several shanty’s with different themes and ultimately winds up at the entrance of the newest addition to the Land of Illusion – “The Nest”.

Rating: 10.5 – FRIGHTMASTER

The Nest:

This is the newest addition to the Land of Illusion and, in our opinion, one of the more creative haunts we have seen in a long time. This haunt reminds me of the old Baxter Ave Morgue in Louisville in the sense that it was dark, eerie and creepy; almost silent inside. The actors were not the usual “over-the-top” haunted house actors who are in your face shouting. They quietly approached you, unnoticed until they were literally in your face and then just hissing like a vampire. The haunt was made like a dark vampire bat cave with lots of smoke and just enough red lighting to be able to see the blood covered stalagtites and stalagmites hanging from the roof and coming up from the floor. The overall feel was very vulnerable because you were in a big area with no walls to protect you. I was actually creeped out by the Nest. This is a definite must see when you go to Land of Illusions!

Rating: 10.5 – FRIGHTMASTER

Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate:

This haunted house is very old school but in a good way for the fact that it is a dark scary type place with many creepy rooms and even creepier actors. They also had a good supply of animatronics, especially in the dark cemetery that was adjacent to the house. The scare factor was excellent especially in the room that says “Don’t look up”. The dark, foreboding cemetery walk through had some great scares. This was one of the better haunts as far as chilling scares go that we’ve seen all year!

Rating: 10 – Excellent

Temple of Terror:

The Temple of Terror used the “Indiana Jones” theme very well and added a dark twist. This creepy walk through haunt was loaded with old, dusty tombs and cobweb-covered mummys, skulls, and some other surprises that made it a walk of terror. The atmosphere and surroundings were so convincing that I started getting claustrophobic as if I were in a real tomb. Very convincing design and great scares!

Rating: 9.5 – Excellent

Overall:

Maybe it was the cool, rainy weather on Saturday night that helped build the perfect atmosphere for anticipating a dark walk in the woods and the Land of Illusion in Middletown did not disappoint. Upon arrival we were met by Brett, Operations Manager and owner, who told us that he had recently added over $2 million worth of upgrades to the Land of Illusion haunted trail and, from the looks of the some of the huge animatronics and the addition of “The Nest” vampire theme haunt, it definitely shows. It’s been a few years since our last visit to Land of Illusions and, to be honest, I am very sorry we waited so long. This place literally blew us away with the creativity and uniqueness of their 5 haunts. At $35 for the “VIP/Fast Pass” it is probably one of the pricier haunts in the tri-state but it’s worth every penny considering you have a full night of scary haunted entertainment for the price.

Overall rating: 10 – Excellent

Visit their web site at www.thelandofillusion.com