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Senior Review Crew Member

Paige (PaigeBerrier)

Photo of Paige

Previous Reviews: 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

2018 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2018 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by PaigeBerrier (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Sunday, October 21, 2018 at about 8 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Burial Chamber is one of Wisconsin’s premier haunted complexes, with three separate haunts, including an outdoor trail. The sister to the more southern Abandoned, BC has a lot to brag about with these haunts – the acting is superb and the sets are straight out of a nightmare. Everything about Burial Chamber adds up to the perfect Halloween night.

Our group chose to go on a Sunday, which is a great option if you’re attending a haunt later in the season (closer to Halloween). We also had fast passes, so our wait in lines was virtually non-existent, although BC is well-equipped to entertain those in line with food trucks, videos footage and monsters walking around!

ADRENALINE
Our favorite haunt of the night, Adrenaline lives up to its name – my heart was pumping and I was constantly on edge as we crept through this haunt. We experienced some amazingly timed jump scares and even some sounds that were just terrifying – strange clicks, screeches, and a jackhammer that echoed throughout the whole haunt. With a focus on the army/war, BC had a completely new haunt for the season, utilizing some great props and really creepy imagery to terrify. One crawling girl had me scrambling out the door!

PHOBIA
This outdoor haunt provides a bit of levity after the terror of Adrenaline, with some of the actors making more jokes and being scary/funny as you make your way through. There were a few really scary moments, most notably when one actor crawled very unusually (can you tell I have a specific fear?), but in general, I did feel as though this haunt hadn’t changed too much from last year. However, it’s got some great jump scares, some really cool, tight environments where you can just see the outside, which leads to a lot of anticipation. Also, the woods and trail themselves are fantastically creepy!

INSANITY
Disorienting and startling, insanity uses some larger props to create their environment – we encountered several inflatables, huge animatronics we had to scurry past, and several arms that reached out for us in the dark. I was particularly disturbed by a white face coming out from a painting, and all of us were thrown off when we entered into the field of laser mist.

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very easy to find; with a huge sign and parking area.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Excellent – Burial Chamber has several food trucks, a store, some shops, the burial simulator, videos playing, and of course, some awesome actors walking around.

Actors' Performance


Awesome, particularly in Adrenaline – those actors knew exactly when to jump out and when to hold back, and didn’t need a lot of words to be scary!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Absolutely amazing, so detailed and intricate, down to the smells and dripping water. You literally will not believe your eyes. Each scene looks straight out of a horror movie, and it just goes on and on!

Length


Very long; each haunt took at least 20-30 minutes.

Crowd Control


Great; very clear lines and a clear system for letting guest inside.

Most Memorable Moment


I was scared double with a car horn and scream in one moment of Adrenaline – SO impressed with the timing on that one; it REALLY got me!

Summary

For the Halloween season, Burial Chamber is an absolute MUST visit! With three amazing haunts and a team of fantastic monsters, Burial Chamber will leave lasting images in your brain of their terrifying scenes. This haunt is detailed, long, and most importantly, chock full of SCARY moments!

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Please note: this review is for the 2018 season rather than the current season.

Dominion of Terror

by PaigeBerrier (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 12, 2018 at about 8:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Dominion of Terror is absolutely one of my favorite haunts, and I was blown away with this year’s house! Located in a 3-story warehouse in Sheboygan, DOT operates as a non-profit, run and funded by the Sheboygan Jaycees and dozens of volunteers. Each year, they create an entirely new and terrifying haunt, and of course this year was no exception!

We arrived around 8:30PM and elected to buy the speed pass. We waited only moments to enter and while inside, we never encountered another group! Seriously prepare to be scared as you enter into this haunt, which is full of creative and memorable scenes. I particularly enjoyed a few medical scares throughout the haunt, including a padded room and a true fear – a dentist. DOT is full of talented actors, who utilize jump scares and misdirection to leave you constantly wondering when or even IF they will make a move. The monsters in this haunt use their props and intricate scenes to their fullest, taking advantage of any opportunity to lead you down a dark hallway, or follow a creature into the darkness.

With amazing scares, impeccable timing, and a super creative team, DOT continues to impress another year. Luckily I don’t have to wait too long until I can go again – DOT puts on an encore in April every year!

Signage / Visibility / Location


DOT is very easy to find via Google maps; with lots of signage on their building and lights.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


With the speed pass, we largely bypassed most of the line, but lots of actors were weaving themselves throughout the crowd.

Actors' Performance


The actors in DOT have amazing restraint! They know when to jump out, when to hold back, and when to use misdirection to their advantage. There is a huge variety of people and costumes as well!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Very varied, and lots that were very creative, using elements you wouldn’t normally think of as traditionally scary. These sets are also really detailed! They use mazes, inflatables, and light to disorient and confuse as well.

Length


Around 30 minutes, and over 3 floors.

Crowd Control


Awesome, especially as speed pass people – we hardly waited, and never encountered another group during our time in the haunt.

Most Memorable Moment


Two words – wall hands.

Summary

Dominion of Terror has outdone themselves again with a creative and detailed, full of terrifying scenes that will linger with you long after leaving. With a completely new layout for 2018, DOT utilizes their entire 3-story building for a long, winding, disorienting haunt. This haunt is an absolute must visit for the Halloween season!

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Please note: this review is for the 2018 season rather than the current season.

Terror on Rural Street

by PaigeBerrier (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at about 8 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

This was my fourth year visiting Terror on Rural Street, and it is so amazing to see them continue to top their own creations year after year! TORS is an amazingly intricate, nonprofit haunt that boasts a lovely waiting area, tons of parking, shockingly cheap entry and room after room of true terror! A truly fantastic haunt!

Terror on Rural Street begins in a small town scene, and you are immediately transported in the haunted world, this year, with a confusing maze. While I love the disorienting aspects of mazes, I’ve found they are often hard to control with timing, and unfortunately this was a (minor) issue that followed us throughout the haunt. However, every actor was amazing and “got us” so many times, and I love seeing the new sets and ideas they come up with year after year. There is horror in many veins here – clowns, darkness, prison, dolls – you name it, they’ll find a way to scare you! TORS is a unique, creative haunt with a lot of passion and an intricate twisting halls that always leave me wanting more!

Signage / Visibility / Location


If you know where to go, it’s very easy to get to – you can type it right into google maps. They have an awesome light marquee, but they keep it closer to their parking lot, which is helpful but could be a little more so if it was placed a little closer to the main road.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


Very good – I really enjoy the wait area here. It is covered with ample seating! This year they had several warm snacks (we had a pretzel) and drinks available, including jello syringe shots and some alcoholic beverages. They also had several actors walking around in this area; I always love the lady with her shopping cart full of creepy toys.

Actors' Performance


We enjoyed a LOT of good jump scares at this haunt. I feel like the actors at TORS are very committed to their roles and really embody the characters with all their dialogue and even the type of moments they employ.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


There were a few issues with timing in a few of the scenes we encountered, but overall the haunt has a great variety of rooms, including a jail, some creepy dolls, and several new mazes this year. We particularly liked one that implemented strobe lights. There was also a room that featured moving walls, which was really unique!

Length


At least 20 minutes. We waited only for a few minutes to go inside, but as I said, it was a very enjoyable wait.

Crowd Control


They have a very good system here of calling up groups by ticket numbers, and don’t seem to mind if people get out of order as they enjoy snacks. It was very well organized!

Most Memorable Moment


TORS is home to a car that scares us every single year!

Summary

Terror on Rural Street is a must see haunt for me year after year, as they are always exploring new ideas creatively and the actors are amazing. You definitely will get scared! You seriously cannot beat the price, location, and general fun of this haunt!

View all Terror on Rural Street reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2018 season rather than the current season.

Dwelling Of Despair (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

by PaigeBerrier (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at about 7 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: High

Review

Dwelling of Despair is a great haunt, beginning with a nerve-wracking walk full of scares through the Forest of Fear, and punctuated with tiny, twisting rooms designed to disorient the attendee. I really enjoy the multiple location aspect of this haunt – there are a lot of different scenes that involve being in all sorts of different rooms, including a big metal overpass, the creepy forest, and a final maze that will leave you confused and frustrated. The actors are varied and focus on the characters they are creating, and as a nonprofit, they also use child actors for an extreme creepy effect! They also do a wonderful job with their crowd control and have a nice covered waiting area for their guests!

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very visible from the road, with lots of lit up signs leading you to the haunt. It’s also very easy to find through Google maps!

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


They had a few actors around, but we enjoyed the wait area, which included an awesome photo op spot, snacks and drinks, and two covered bench areas for large crowds in the rain.

Actors' Performance


We really enjoyed the children actors! Another amazing actor was the fellow in the metal room – his lack of speaking was extremely unnerving and he utilized his prop in a very scary way. Some of the rooms had a clearer storyline than others, but overall the actors are committed to their characters and had a variety in what types of creeps they were representing.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Extremely varied with the length of this haunt and the indoor/outdoor aspect. We loved the claustrophobic quarters, one instance with a glass floor, and the beginning of the haunt in the forest alone – really built anticipation!

Length


Nice and long, at least 20 – 30 minutes.

Crowd Control


Awesome, as noted in their wait area. Lots of staff and security on hand and a very clear system of who was next.

Most Memorable Moment


Walking through the forest, or the final maze!

Summary

Dwelling of Despair is a haunt with a little bit of everything – attendees with experience a creepy walk through the woods, claustrophobia, and the frantic feeling of being trapped in a maze with seemingly no end… but for those who escape, you’ll come back year after year! Awesome haunt with lots of variety!

View all Dwelling Of Despair (PERMANENTLY CLOSED) reviews

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Please note: this review is for the 2018 season rather than the current season.

Abandoned Haunted House Complex

by PaigeBerrier (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Sunday, September 23, 2018 at about 7 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: Very High

Review

Abandoned was my first haunt of the season this year, and as always, it’s an amazing choice – this multi-haunt complex is consistently one of Wisconsin’s absolute bests! I know it’s the haunt I look forward to the most, because it is always so long, so detailed, and of course, so scary!

We arrived on opening night around 8:30PM, and having purchased our tickets + fastpass we were able to quickly get our physical tickets. Although it wasn’t a super crowded night, fastpasses at Abandoned are always a good idea, and the staff is awesome about making sure those who purchase them are able to very quickly enter the haunts. I would definitely recommend a fastpass for any Friday or Saturday night – you won’t regret it!

HYSTERIA –
Loud, aggressive, and dark, this haunt is my favorite from the complex. Several new scenes were featured including a cave and some scary voodoo-like props. In particular we enjoyed the distorted reality brought on by streams of lasers and smoke, and actors hiding in unexpected and down below places. Lots of awesome jump scares and acting in this haunt!

AMBUSH –
Tight walkways, twisting corridors and a constantly changing path are the hallmarks of this particular house. Beginning with some aggressive nuns, we were taken through several scenes, including an intensely creepy hospital (my favorite every year!). With such a long, intricate haunt there is something to scare everyone, although I did feel there could have been a few more actors down some of those tight hallways.

STALKER CORNFIELD –
This haunt is well thought out, with small interior scenes interrupting the eerily shifting and swaying corn. I thought these scenes were pretty unique, making topics that wouldn’t normally be scary (such as chickens and bees) into something out of a horror movie. One of my favorite elements of this haunt is watching an actor simply disappear into the corn – the anticipation of this haunt is really what makes it scary!

Signage / Visibility / Location


Very visible from the highway, with lots of guides for parking and a clear ticket line. Very well organize and professional (as always)!

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


N/A for us with fastpass (we zoomed through the lines!), but I did see plenty of actors wandering around entertaining the crowd.

Actors' Performance


Lots of great jump scares, a few humorous moments (which are always appreciated), and some people who understood the scariness that can come from silence. However, I did feel there could have been a little more actors in the haunts overall.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


Absolutely amazing. This haunt is so intricate and detailed, with dozens of different scenes to capture any conceivable fear. Each year I am more and more impressed with the level of detail and creativity in the set design of the haunt.

Length


Each haunt takes 20 or more minutes to go through, so it’s nice and long!

Crowd Control


Very professional and well done; with staff extremely visible and law enforcement on hand.

Most Memorable Moment


I really enjoyed a particular subway car scene – no spoilers though!

Summary

Abandoned is a bargain with 3 intricate, heart-stopping haunts that will capture anyone’s worst fears. One of Wisconsin’s most legendary haunted houses; an absolute must go for anyone who is looking for a truly awesome, SCARY night!

View all Abandoned Haunted House Complex reviews

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November 21st, 2024 8:47 a.m. CST 24.11.01