Posted by webmonster on 09 25th, 2015

Posted by webmonster on Oct 13, 2015 We spoke with the General Manager of The USS Nightmare, Captain Allen Rizzo. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES-j8bE_FEQ&rel=0&showinfo=0]

Posted by webmonster on Oct 12, 2015 Overall Score – 4.8/5 (all ratings scored out of 5) Curb Appeal – 4.8/5 Scare Factor – 4.8/5 Actor Enthusiasm – 4.8/5 Creativity – 4.6/5 Donna (The Frightmaster) – The USS Nightmare has always been a force to reckon with on the tri-state haunt scene.  For the past 25 years the boat has been terrorizing young and old people and all in between with it’s sinister “Captain” and dark, creepy halls.     It has been a scary experience that left you with nightmares and a fear of cruise ships for years.  It was good in the past but this year it has changed…. First of all – expectations are high for this haunt.  Knowing that going in it is a very long and a very creepy, dark haunt.  This year all of those expectations were blown away!  The boat actually has changed – yes, changed to the point that I was blown away by the “”new boat””.  The trip into darkness starts off innocently enough with a short history of the William S Mitchell boat and then…..a big surprise!  Many of the animatronics that I have seen in the past are gone – replaced by more sinister characters.  The halls and rooms are changed and noticeably darker allowing the suspense to build between scenes.  The actors are top of the line, convincing, scary, funny at times but very good and stayed in character throughout the haunt. The make-up is extraordinary and done Hollywood style by a former “Face-Off” contestant named Gabby.  New rooms have been added and the walk through time extended about 10 min from last year’s haunt to an unprecedented 30 min to make it through.  The whole boat seems to have undergone a make-over from last year transforming it into an even darker, truly evil place haunted by the spirits of the dead captain and crew members of the dredging vessel William S. Mitchell. This year after walking through the boat, I was truly convinced that I had barely survived a haunted ship and was lucky to get out! Overall – best year yet for the USS Nightmare!!!!  Love, love, loved it!!!! Todd – The USS Nightmare is always a good haunt. It’s surely unique, being on a boat and all, and this is utilized in every way. The most surprising thing...

Posted by webmonster on Oct 8, 2015 Overall Score (Both Attractions) – 4/5 (all ratings scored out of 5) The Northland Asylum Curb Appeal – 3/5 Scare Factor – 4/5 Actor Enthusiasm – 4.8/5 Creativity – 4.4/5 Overall – 4/5   Teresa – This isn’t too impressive from outside, as it is in an old strip mall. Once you get inside, there are plenty of decorations for you to look at while you wait. And the roaming actors are great. Especially Fingers! He did a great job chatting with us and keeping us entertained. Just don’t let him get too close to your own fingers. He can’t be trusted! The Northland Asylum is fun. The characters are enthusiastic. There aren’t a lot of animatronics or expensive effects, but what they do have they use well. And being in an old strip mall, naturally made it feel more old and dilapidated too. Our wait wasn’t bad at all. Older kids should love this. A fun place to get scared where you don’t have to spend most of your time waiting in line. Donna (The Frightmaster) – We went through the ScarAtorium back about a year and a half ago and at the time I was honestly a little disappointed in the quality, scare factor and creativity of the haunt, so I didn’t have too high of expectations for this visit. Boy was I wrong!  The entire haunt has been redone and the quality, scare factor and creativity blew me away!  First of all, they took a very familiar theme (old asylum, patients escaping, crazy people chasing you, etc…) and put a new twist on it.  It is VERY effective in the scare factor area and I’ll explain why. When you enter the haunt, a man introduces himself as the head orderly and welcomes you to the asylum.  While he is talking, you see a door with a window showing an inmate on the other side with an ax trying to break through the door.  As the ax pounds gaps into the door, the orderly rushes you to get out.  Then the journey through hell begins. The entire haunt is crawling with very strange characters, each one different and each one more terrifying than the last.  The scenes are individually detailed and very convincing, the background sound was creepy but not overwhelming, just...

Posted by webmonster on Oct 8, 2015 Overall Score (Both Attractions) – 3.8/5 (all ratings scored out of 5) Haunted Hoochie Curb Appeal – 4.6/5 Scare Factor – 4.2/5 Actor Enthusiasm – 3.8/5 Creativity – 4.2/5 Overall – 4.2/5 Teresa – This place looks pretty scary from the wooded approach all the way to the queue. The external decorations are really good and fit the theme. There’s a big screen showing music videos and political clips, all very subversive. There were some actors who visited the lines to keep things interesting. There’s a dancing girl and a gun tower. You really wonder what you’re getting yourself into. We got there early and still had quite a long wait. Plenty of time to anticipate. The haunt itself is very long and has a great layout. It is dark and full of really good decor. And they do a good job of sticking with the backwoods hoochie theme. The characters are pretty intense, the animatronics are excellent, and the props are fantastic (some I hadn’t seen before). My favorite parts were the scenes where they would stop your group and you’d witness some horrible bit of violence carried out on some terrified victim. These effects were great. Some were so over-the-top they had us laughing at the sheer wrongness of it. The actors will touch you. Nothing too crazy or uncomfortable. They touched my head a lot, grabbed my leg, one took me by the hand and dragged me into a cell, and they do touch you with the chainsaws. The lighting was good. Some parts are strobing, and other parts so dark you can’t see. It is just enough to keep you disoriented. Sounds and music are loud. Occasionally too loud to hear the characters very well, but definitely unnerving. Especially the gunfire. Overall, this is a great haunt. Not appropriate for children! It is one of the best we’ve been to this year. Definitely worth the price of admission and long wait. Donna (The Frightmaster) – The Haunted Hoochie (aka “”Dead Acres””) is definitely in a class by itself.  It is a haunt, yes, but it is also a macabre, twisted, in your face, your worst nightmare show.  It is geared for the late teen to mid thirties age groups due to the physical contact and general pushing and shoving, slapping...

Posted by webmonster on Oct 6, 2015 We spoke with Kelly Collins, owner of the Scareatorium in Columbus, OH. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWmtw8c2qqw&rel=0&showinfo=0]

Posted by webmonster on Oct 1, 2015 Overall Score – 4.1/5 (all ratings scored out of 5)   Haunted Hayride Curb Appeal – 4.2/5 Scare Factor – 3.4/5 Actor Enthusiasm – 4.6/5 Creativity – 4.4/5 Overall – 4.2/5 Todd – Sandyland Acres offers a hayride which while not the scariest thing around, is fun and refreshing from all the other haunts. The trailers that hold ~25 people will be pulled by a tractor to various scenes depicting murder and mayhem. A lot was changed this year, mostly in the scenes and sets themselves. The formula remains the same. At some points other trucks will chase you, while in other areas the actors will come aboard and make threatening gestures and invade your personal space. My personal favorite change this year was a final area where 3 scenes are staged. This year, true life murderers were featured. Younger visitors may not be familiar with these infamous faces, but it was a nice touch. Visiting Sandyland is a nice change of pace. It’s a little more family friendly and it’s nice to be able to ride through a haunt and take it in. A lot of work goes into this one and it’s much appreciated.   Donna (The Frightmaster) – We arrived at the Sandyland Acres location late on a moonless Saturday night just as the last tractor-pulled hayride was leaving.  Even though it was well past midnight, the actors still put on a great show.  The hayride takes you past Motel Hell, then through a very creepy and scary cornfield where you never know when or where someone will jump out at you.  Next you’re being followed by the semi truck and Jeepers Creepers is playing on a loud speaker.  The tractor takes a turn down a path into the woods and you ride past…..a large pirate ship!  This was an amazing edition this year and the canon fire was so unexpected everyone on the ride jumped out of their seats.  The themes change from one horror movie to the next and it’s fun to see your favorite horror characters come to life right in front of you as they jump on the hayride and literally get in your face!  Many of the scenes on the hayride have changed from last year but some of your old favorites are back (flaming truck,...