Ted (Captn_DeathSchlager)

If you're reading this review you fall into one of three categories. (1) Never been to a haunted house before; (2) Been to a haunted house but not Abandoned; (3) you've toured Abandoned in that past.

For those of you in Category (1)...if you or someone in your group is under the age of 10 you may want to think twice before attending this haunt. For the first time in all my haunt going years I actually witnessed a dad and son walking back out the haunt ENTRANCE with the child in frightful tears. (...I would imagine this does happen periodically but this was the first time I was actually walking in as someone was walking out...what are the chances!?!) This haunt should not be taken lightly as you won't find a scarier haunt in Wisconsin!

For those of you in Categories (1) and (2), if you're capable of being scared (i.e. you're not 100% fearless) this haunt WILL scare you. If this haunt doesn't scare you, or at least make you jump on several occasions, it's very unlikely any haunt in Wisconsin will do that for you either. If you're a gore goer or techno-scare junky like me Abandoned will NOT disappoint you.

For those of you in Category (3), Abandoned’s scare tactics have not changed in 2018. (i.e. walk-through style in your face scares with brief encounters with ghouls) You'll be pleasantly surprised with how many new techno-scares await in Hysteria as well as a few new twists in Ambush. 2018 was my 3rd consecutive year visiting Abandoned and my most favorite edition yet!

Miscellaneous thoughts you might find helpful:

* Ever wondered how many ghouls await you at a haunt or what they all look like? If so, Abandoned gives you this chance every night at 6:45pm with "The Rising". Simply put "The Rising" will AMAZE you with how many elaborately made up monsters are onsite to scare you silly. Not to mention the spectacle of the parade is definitely worth the price of admission for it! (side note: viewing the parade is free but it's certainly worth checking out!)

* You may have read that Abandoned is comprised of 3 haunts (...named Hysteria, Ambush and Stalker) In my opinion, there are actually only 2 haunts here. The best way to describe Hysteria and Ambush is one haunt with an intermission in the middle. You can't pay for each of these haunts separately like you can Abandoned's Big Brother Haunt Burial Chamber. NOR, are you forced to get back in a long line after you complete Hysteria. While you may notice a slightly different theme between the two sections of the haunt the scare style remains the same.

* While the terrifying tours through Hysteria and Ambush are all inside the waiting area is not. Stalker's horrifying haunt includes both an outdoor creepy corn maze and demented dwellings. Definitely DO come dressed for the elements

* This haunt does NOT offer numbered tickets. To enter the haunts, non-FASTPASS haunt goers must wait in a very slow moving line that's exposed to the elements. (The wait line entertainment is the best I've experienced though!) If you'd rather have your toe nails slowly ripped off than stand in a slow moving line I definitely recommend purchasing the FASTPASS!

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A thick fog began to settle in and a fine mist filled the air as I arrived at Terror on Rural Street. Ahhh, what an eerily perfect way to set the tone as I kicked off my 2018 haunting season! While some may argue that only a duck could enjoy our recent Wisconsin weather, you need not worry about the weather at this particular haunt as Terror on Rural Street comes stocked with several creature feature treats to combat Mother Nature’s unavoidable tricks. Upon arriving, this haunt greeted my tour group of 3 adults and 2 teenagers with a well-lit, paved and spacious parking lot along with a patrolling ghoul which left little doubt that we were in the right place. (No trudging through muddy dim lit fields as you approach the ticket window here.) As an added bonus we were delighted to find that Terror on Rural Street has a heated indoor waiting area with a fully stocked concession stand complete with food, snacks, beverages, beer and Jello-shots. Another nice treat offered by this haunt is the numbering tickets which allow you to wander about as you wait for your tour to begin…no need to stand in a dreadfully long line and count spiders on the wall as you wait here! If you love taking selfies with your brothers and sisters you’ll certainly enjoy the photogenic ghouls wandering about the waiting area who are just dying to photo bomb your shot. This entire haunt is indoor, including the final staging area before you actually enter the haunt….there’s no need to endure that wrath of Mother Nature as she tests your Halloween Spirit.

Here are some of my personal observations about Terror on Rural Street…

SPACIOUS ACCOMODATIONS: My tour group of 5 consisted of 3 adults and 2 teenagers (…all experienced haunt goers….), with the 2 teenagers attending Terror on Rural Street for the first time and 1 adult who has yet to miss a season of Terror on Rural Street. If you have a personal pet peeve as I do of being placed into an over sized tour group and crammed into small rooms, put your mind at ease. Terror at Rural Street’s mystic maze of mind bending sets and corridors easily accommodated our group of 5.

CINEMA QUALITY SETS: This haunt features several Cinema quality sets, many of which are pimped out with a dedicated sound system and special effects you won't find any place else. Portions of this haunt are an interactive style haunt with rooms showcasing a unique theme and a skit performed by volunteer actors. While the actors may be volunteers, the costumes and make-up were professionally done and very realistic. This was most evident in the final pre-tour staging where you receive final instructions before embarking on your tour. While it’s very easy to get distracted by the costumed actors be sure to take note of the keen attention to detail both with the facial make-up/costumes of the actors as well as the staging set as well. This same attention to details persists throughout this entire haunt.

DAZZLING SPECIAL EFFECTS: Admittedly not all of the acting performances knocked my socks off nor did every room send me off screaming to the next. But what Terror on Rural Street lacked with its actors and potential scare factor it more than made up for with its dazzling special effects and elaborate sets. Scares and surprises frequently came from unexpected flashes of brilliant light, dedicated room specific sound systems and a variety of lifelike techno effects

CREATIVE CONCEPTS: Terror on Rural Street continues its strong tradition of being a techno haunt goer’s dream come true! There has never been a year when I have been disappointed with the electrifying showcase of terrifying themes found at the Terror on Rural Street. This year was certainly no exception. If you’re leery of visiting a haunt more than once in a lifetime you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the number of new rooms/concepts found in this year’s edition. While a few of the techno-effects have been recycled for this year’s haunt most of them have been given a new creative twist. (I REALLY enjoyed this year’s version of the observation deck….the room alone is worth the price of admission!)

TOUR GROUP RATINGS: Here’s how my tour group rated Terror on Rural Street for both the Scare and Fun scale (1 to 5)

Haunt Teenager (first timer) #1: SCARE-4 / FUN-5
Haunt Teenager (first timer) #2: SCARE-4 / FUN-5
Haunt Adult #1: SCARE-4 / FUN-5
Haunt Adult #2: SCARE-3 / FUN-4
Haunt Veteran: SCARE-4 / FUN-5

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If you tour as many haunts as I have you’ve probably realized that while haunts come in all shapes and sizes and offer different creature features they all have one thing in common….they all want to scare the bejesus out of you. Similarly, you’re probably aware that while cars come in all shapes and sizes and offer different creature features they all have one thing in common…to get you from point A to B. Likening Haunts to Cars, I would classify the Dwelling of Despair Haunted House & accompanying Forest of Fear as the minivan of Haunts. While its initial appearance as you drive past will likely not give you reason to look back over your shoulder for a second look…when you get behind the wheel of this Haunt it performs as admirably as the Tesla in the quest to scare you senseless.

The Dwelling of Despair Haunted House & accompanying Forest of Fear is a self-guided, interactive ghoulish attraction known for its awesome animatronic special effects, elaborate decor, skilled actors, unique monsters, unusual themes and chilling detail! Now in its 34th season the Dwelling of Despair has prided itself in providing a creative and ghoulishly good time to all haunt goers along with a few (ahem, more like several!) frightful moments. 2018 marked my 26th visit to this haunted venue and similar to prior years I was once again amazed at how many of the sets/themes have changed. While you may notice quite a few similarities along your terrifying tour outside of this haunt, what awaits inside will torment and twist your mind in new ways. Following the lead of last year’s version, the chills, thrills and scares are delivered more upfront and in your face than with the skits that traditionally tormented you in the Dwelling of Despair. Rest assured though, this haunt still offers opportunities to interact with the demon’s inhabiting the Dwelling of Despair and retains the same Halloween charm that has brought guests back for the past 34 years!

The 2018 edition of this haunt presents two horrifying sections to test your wits and your desire to survive. The Forrest of Fear kicks off your terrifying tour on a dark and twisted path patrolled by evil spirits and several fiendish ghouls. If you're lucky enough to slip past these gorish guardians the entrance of the 3 story Dwelling of Despair awaits from the 3rd floor balcony. To escape the nightmares found within the unfriendly confines of the Dwelling of Despair you must successfully navigate a maze of uniquely themed rooms and hidden passages through the bowls of the entire house. Along the way you are sure to encounter each and every inhabitant of the house...some fun, some helpful but most of all they are all quite frightful!

My tour group this year consisted of 2 teenagers attending this haunt for the first time and 3 adults who have visited in the past. All thoroughly enjoyed their experience this year noting how much they enjoyed meeting Wild Eyed Kid Rock, the giggling Gaggle of Clowns and the mind boggling maze.

TOUR GROUP RATINGS: Here’s how my tour group rated Dwelling of Despair for both the Scare and Fun scale (1 to 5)

Haunt Teenager (first timer) #1: SCARE-3 / FUN-4
Haunt Teenager (first timer) #2: SCARE-3 / FUN-4
Haunt Adult #1: SCARE-2 / FUN-3
Haunt Adult #2: SCARE-3 / FUN-4
Haunt Veteran: SCARE-3 / FUN-4

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