Newbie Review Crew Member
Katie (katie_kiesow13)
Why I Love Haunts & Halloween: Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year.. you get to dress up as different characters every year... sometimes more than one costume, too. It's always fun to see what other people are dressing up as, too - if people are serious, or funny, or clever... or downright questionable. Haunts are a great part of this awesome season, too. I enjoy them every year for two main reasons: 1. I'm a theatre-lover at heart so anything that deals with costumes, acting, staging, makeup, going over the top, etc... I'm all about it. 2. There are so many different types of haunts out there. Some focus on just pure "boo" tactics of jumping out and trying to scare you while others really mess with your mind and play tricks on you both psychologically and physically. I love to see what everyone has to offer.
Previous Reviews: 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008
2012 Reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2012 season rather than the current season.
by
katie_kiesow13
(Newbie
Review Crew Member)
after attending on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at about 2:30 p.m.
Submitted: Sunday, October 21, 2012
Review
Monster Mayhem is by far one of the most unique and interesting haunts in this area, hands down! It was only my second year attending this haunt, though it has been in business for five seasons.
This haunt is more interactive than any other I've ever been to and they have you hunting the zombies and monsters as well as each other - you're on a laser tag team and you roam from room to room together or alone (your choice) to fight the creatures.
Unlike other haunts in the area, Monster Mayhem is both accessible for all people and appropriate for all ages. This year we saw parents with children (ages 8-58). Our group this year was significantly larger than last year's -- the three of us went through with about twelve others (15 total) -- which took away some of the effect since we were constantly running into other people and couldn't go four feet without another opposing team member hitting our vests.
The only other thing that I missed this year was more of a storyline. Last year's haunt felt more complete with a beginning, a middle and an end. This time around, I felt a little thrown into the middle without any plot or reasoning as to what we were doing.
Although this haunt may not win any awards for being the most terrifying in the area, it definitely wine for most entertaining and interactive - plus it's great for all ages which is definitely a plus for families with younger children.
Signage / Visibility / Location
It's still located in the same place as previous years but since the Pizza place has closed, you enter in the rear RED door and park in the side lot. Quite easy to find, especially when using GPS.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
There isn't a great deal of space available in the waiting area, but there isn't often a long wait since they send in groups in such large sizes. We arrived around 7:30 pm on a Sunday and went right in. No actors or other entertainment.
Actors' Performance
There wasn't an excessive number of actors in the haunt, but most were pretty good. Special shout out to the "commander" who was pretty great and the doctors who were very entertaining.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
Not incredibly elaborate, but very well done. Some of the costumes and props were pretty great. The commander's makeup is definitely notable, too.
Length
We were inside the haunt for about 15 minutes.
Crowd Control
Never experienced any crowd control problems.
Most Memorable Moment
Beware of the doctor's transformation!
Summary
A must-see haunt for those looking for a good time but don't like the super-scary alternatives.
View all Lister F/X Presents Monster Mayhem Haunted Laser Tag (CLOSED) reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2012 season rather than the current season.
by
katie_kiesow13
(Newbie
Review Crew Member)
after attending on Friday, October 19, 2012 at about 4:30 p.m.
Submitted: Saturday, October 20, 2012
Review
This year was BY FAR the BEST Hubertus House I have ever been to. I was blown away! The haunt this year is completely and totally different from years past and you could tell. Every room was new, the layout, the actors, costumes, scenes... all brand new. There are a few re-used scares from just this past year but they're only the best and they've even been enhanced.
You no longer enter via school bus and through the basement, you start all the way up on the second floor and work your way through the house.
The actors were spot-on with their stories and characters and never broke character. The make-up (WOW!) and costumes were incredible and very well done. To add to the great performances were the well-placed and perfectly executed special effects throughout the haunt. Some scenes offered some truly disgusting effects while others focused more on scare factor. Take some time in each room (if you're not running for your life) to appreciate the elements - especially in the bathroom, there are some incredible props and FX in there. The sewer tunnel was absolutely incredible, too.
Signage / Visibility / Location
Using a GPS it brings you directly to the drive way for the haunt. There's great signage out front, too.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
There's a heated interior waiting area in the school gym with concessions. The costumed actors were very entertaining and quite good, too!
Actors' Performance
Actors ranged in age from middle school students to adults and each one of them was really talented! They were interactive and entertaining - and actually quite good at improv whenever were talking to them.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
All brand new and incredible. Really put time and effort into making an entirely new haunt this year. Some of the best FX I've seen.
Length
Approximately 15 minutes.
Crowd Control
The actors and moderators did a good job of keeping groups away from each other, we never ran into any other groups in the house.
Most Memorable Moment
Anyone with a zipper on their face deserves credit. Wow.
Summary
Of the haunts that I've attended this year (or in years past...), this is the best one I've seen. Kudos to the organization that puts this on because you can tell the time, effort and hard work put into it to make it the best in the area and it doesn't go unnoticed. Great job guys!!
View all Hubertus House of Horror reviews
Please note: this review is for the 2012 season rather than the current season.
by
katie_kiesow13
(Newbie
Review Crew Member)
after attending on Friday, October 19, 2012 at about 4 p.m.
Submitted: Saturday, October 20, 2012
Review
Terror on Rural Street is always one of the best haunted houses that I visit every year. I'm always blown away by their creativity and dedication to putting on a good show. Each time I visit this haunt everything is brand new, I hardly ever see recurring themes or rooms throughout the haunt. This year was no different. The make-up and special effects were great and the props and scenes were definitely something to look at! There were a few rooms that I absolutely loved the actors and their performances, too! Unfortunately, I cannot admit that I was impressed by all of the actors or rooms because some of them actually broke character which always ruins the experience, but some really deserve kudos for doing a great job - especially the barber and the witch with her potion (at the bottom of the stairs). It's also good to note that the makeup is incredible due to the massively talented staff of professional makeup artists that help these actors get into character every night. It really shows!
Signage / Visibility / Location
Very easy to see from the road - great signage and right off the main street. Used a GPS to get there and had no problems.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
We arrived around 9:00 pm and faced approximately a 45 minute wait but there was plenty to do while we were waiting. They have a heated waiting area with concessions and beverages (alcoholic, too!) available. A few actors walked around scaring people, too.
Actors' Performance
The actors are quite interactive which is great and many of them have their own story. Some of them, however, relied heavily on jumping out to scare us which never does anything for me. As mentioned before, several of the actors really deserve to be noticed for stellar performances!
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
It's obvious that the operators of this haunt put their heart and soul into putting it together. The sets, scenes, props and FX are top notch. The rooms are spacious and all look incredible. If you're not too terrified, take a minute to look around in each room and you'll see the time and detail put into each different set.
Length
Our tour lasted approximately 15 minutes.
Crowd Control
They push a lot of people through the house pretty quickly, which is great for wait time. I've never had a problem before, but this year we ran into the group ahead of us a couple of times and the group behind us caught up to us once, too. Possibly because we were a small group who walked pretty fast? Or the maze that turned everyone around held us up? I'm not sure. But I was a little disappointed that we kept running into other people.
Most Memorable Moment
There's an incredibly interesting room with a beautifully talented and wonderful actress that I absolutely loved. Without giving away too much... just beware of moving walls.
Summary
A great haunt that isn't TOO scary but can definitely scare the pants off of some jumpy individuals. Great job!
View all Terror on Rural Street reviews
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