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Newbie Review Crew Member

Dave (Dave_to_the_Grind)

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Previous Reviews: 2013 | 2012 | 2011

2011 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

House of Bathory (CLOSED)

by Dave_to_the_Grind (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 21, 2011 at about 2:30 p.m.

Submitted: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Ever wonder what the Salem Witch Trials were like? How a chat with Charles Manson would go? Check out the House of Bathory and you could experience these and many other nightmare scenarios. Every turn takes you into a different situation throughout various dark times in history. The dialogue and interaction with the actors make you feel like you stepped back in time. There are plenty of scares along the way. I never knew what to expect the whole way and even to the frightening end which had us running out into the street.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Just about 10 minutes off the freeway by downtown Manitowoc and easy to find with navigation. We had no problem spotting the place since it had three hearses parked out front with various ghoulish decorations.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The wait area is waiting on the side walk. There weren’t any live actors for entertainment when I was there, but the hearses had many displays to keep you occupied. The storefront type windows leading to the haunt had displays and music was playing.

Actors' Performance


Probably the best I’ve seen this year. We were taken into all kinds of different eras and scenarios throughout the haunt. Each was heavily acted and each one pulled off their character perfectly. The children acted well, whether they had spoken dialogue, creepy singing or just grabbing your ankle for a fright since touching by the actors was allowed.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The interior decorations and props were excellent in taking you into a different world, and there were plenty of them. There was excellent detail from the walls to the costumes. They even added heat and smoke at one point to add to the terror of the situation they were creating which I won’t ruin. Props included a vortex and a cool slide down to another level.

Length


The length was approximately 20 minutes. The scenes they took you to had plenty of dialogue and the haunt encompassed three floors so it lasted and was worth $15.

Crowd Control


There wasn’t much of a crowd when we arrived but they had someone out there communicating with the people in line and making sure things were flowing fine.

Most Memorable Moment


There were many moments I enjoyed but I think the one I loved best was right in the beginning. When a little puritan girl “befriended” us, then when we walked into another room with two adult puritans, she grabbed my wife’s hand and told one of them she was the witch. Which lead to a trial and many frights.

Summary

Overall it was a unforgettable and a truly scary haunt. I wasn’t sure what to expect since the outside felt more like a storefront instead of a house, but as soon as we were lead up the stairs we were taken into a past world. We then moved on through all floors of the building to other worlds and situations. The acting was impeccable and I loved how we were involved in the situations, dialogue and then sent screaming. The House of Bathory is one of my favorites this year and I’ll go back next year.

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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by Dave_to_the_Grind (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at about 2 p.m.

Submitted: Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Looking to hit up a few haunts in one night? Why not go where you can hit three in one stop? The Burial Chamber offers three high-quality and high-scare haunts, as well as a coffin simulator all in one place! Two of the haunts, Adrenaline and Insanity, take place in a huge warehouse and Phobia takes place in the woods. The coffin simulator places you inside a real coffin, which moves and shakes while playing sounds of your own burial. All offer different and unique experiences that will have you terrified and completely entertained. This is THE place to go if you are an avid haunt seeker. Get there early and enjoy the terror that awaits you!

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very easy to locate. Just about 5 minutes off Hwy 41 in Neenah. The complex is easy to see from the road with plenty of signs, flags and decorations. The multiple-beam spot light should be a good tip that you’re in the right place!

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Since there are three haunts, there are three lines. All had actors to scare and amuse, as well as movies playing. I would strongly advise to get there early, especially if you are going to more than one haunt there. A VIP option is available to skip the wait, it can be pricey but it can save you hours of time. A timed entry is also available online and might be worth checking out.

Actors' Performance


All of the actors did an outstanding job and put in a great effort. Throughout the indoor haunts the actors did not skip a beat in scaring you when your attention is turned somewhere else. Some of the actors were very athletic. Many have the ability to jump up, swing, climb on walls, or crawl past you in a hair-raising fashion. The Phobia outdoor haunt had actors that were a little hokey with their use of a hillbilly accent. Still they all kept in character and were keen on sneaking into your group for a surprise fright. The actors tend to target the people in the group that are very afraid and timid.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Everything was extremely well done, great details all the way down to the cobwebs. The Adrenaline took you into a world where you felt like you were actually in a haunted house and not a huge warehouse. Their use of props, effects and a vortex made for a very good scare. The Phobia haunted woods gave you an eerie feeling with cricket sounds and a pond that put you in a Blair Witch world. Insanity had some of the best props, or should I say vehicles, I’ve ever seen. You do not know what to expect and these haunts do scare you. My only problem with Insanity was there was no ceiling set and you were able to see the ceiling of the warehouse. Though it did give the actors another place to scare you from…..

Length


Each haunt took you at least 15 minutes to get through. I liked that they had a set amount of time before they’d let another group through. It was very nice not to run into the group before you and have the frights ruined. The burial simulator lasted about 5 minutes.

Crowd Control


There were several lines, with three haunted houses, burial simulator, VIP entrances, concession and merchandise booths. The lines were easy to find and everything was clearly marked.

Most Memorable Moment


There were many but a moment I loved is when we somehow kept going through the same door into an autopsy room, we’d exit out of a different door but ended up in the same place again. Members of our group were asking if we were going the right way or asked if we had already been in the room. It gave you a feeling of actually being lost and not being able to find your way out.

Summary

Overall each haunt was excellent and each had my wife, and members of our group, screaming, running, jumping, sometimes falling and scared out of their minds. Each haunt was unique, scary, worth the money and the wait in line. The burial simulator was OK, it wasn’t too scary but if you want to know what it feels like to be in a coffin before you have to be in one, check it out. Burial Chamber is definitely a great night of entertainment. I would recommend getting there early and go with people that will help make the wait pass quickly. We noticed many people having a great time in line. Line entertainment also helps! Without the VIP passes you could easily be there until midnight, but believe me you will not leave disappointed. My wife has been going for 3 years and we will continue to go back each year.

View all Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Green Bay Fear Haunted Attractions

by Dave_to_the_Grind (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 7, 2011 at about 2:30 p.m.

Submitted: Monday, October 10, 2011

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

What else is there to do in Green Bay when the Packers are on the road? Check out the Green Bay Fear. It’s part party/part haunt for a spooky good time. For an extra $10 you can get the VIP treatment and more entertainment, which I cover below in the Wait Area section. Whichever you choose, both take you through the haunted woods to the haunted mansion. The walk through the woods includes scares along the way. The mansion looks impressive on the outside and all the way to the inside. You begin with instructions from a man with his mouth sewn shut, so getting instruction was interesting and fun. You’re given a pair of 3D glasses that bring out colors and markings on the wall and the glasses keep you feeling uneasy. The actors go to great lengths to keep with their characters and make the haunt memorable.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Just minutes off of Hwy 41, easy to navigate to, and find, with plenty of signs and parking.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


The people at the ticket booth, as well as the clown giving instructions, were entertaining and funny. I got the VIP package which instead of waiting in line you’re sent through a haunted path into the woods. You end up in a large clearing with a warm fire, seating, hot chocolate, a free t-shirt, a movie and a live band. As one visitor put it “this is freakin awesome!”

Actors' Performance


Terrific job and effort put forth by the performers. They perfected creepy movement and many had a perfect skin crawling giggle. Some just knew when to be quiet, stand there and look disturbing. The actors with dialog delivered with conviction.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The exterior is awesome, perfectly looking just like what you’d expect a haunted house to look like. The impression continues on the inside, very eerie and well decorated. Props, decoration and the actor’s costumes all fit the effect of the room and the theme they were creating

Length


Fairly long and worth the money. One point during the haunt I thought we were done since we were outside through a haunted courtyard. An actor creepily said, “oh you’re not leaving…you’re going baack insiiiiiide.” I didn’t believe her until we we’re back inside for more.

Crowd Control


There wasn’t much of a crowd when we arrived, but there were quite a few in the VIP area enjoying the band. There was plenty of staff to move things along. Though at times it was confusing on which path to take. We had to ask for direction a couple of times.

Most Memorable Moment


My personal favorite part was a hallway with chains hanging from the ceiling. Some of the chains had glowing hockey masks attached to them. The 3-D effect made the masks jump out at you and some of the masks weren’t attached to chains…

Summary

Overall it was a fun experience. Probably a good haunt for a big group of friends who are up for a variety of entertainment with the haunt. The haunt itself was well done. Settings and actors were excellent. The startling frights seemed limited. I usually can gage how scary a haunt is by how much my wife screams, jumps and uses me as a shield. She rarely did walking through this haunt. The group we walked with seemed to laugh more, or comment how cool it was, instead of scream. I also took off the 3-D glasses half way through the haunt. The effect they provided wasn’t worth the detail I was missing and they kept falling off anyway. We all enjoyed the entertainment.

View all Green Bay Fear Haunted Attractions reviews

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October 22nd, 2024 9:25 p.m. CDT 24.19