Sarah (majorXpsycho)

Northeastern Wisconsin has a new "diamond in the rough". This is my first time at the "Trail of Terror" and I was not disappointed. It is difficult to find a good haunt so far North! It is only a 25 minute drive north of Green Bay and is definitely worth the travel. There is no use of animatronics and some very unique scares. Most of the props are "home made". I've been to a lot of haunts and tend to see similar scenes for every one, but at the "Trail of Terror" there is nothing familiar. You know you have stumbled upon a "good haunt" when the sign clearly states that the actors WILL touch you! Expect a lot of contact with ghouls and be prepared to get lost. They use real live (and dead) creatures ... sometimes the blood you see is REAL. Think smart when you go and consider the weather (it is an outdoor haunt). It can be muddy so wearing heels or "nice shoes" is just stupid! If you are a big PETA fan or are easily offended then stay home ... this haunt is for those who WANT to be scared.

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The House of Bathory is brilliant, twisted, and frightening! Every year Dead by Dawn finds a unique way to promote nightmares. The House of Bathory actually made me turn around in fear. The detail throughout the haunt is amazing. There no use of animatronics and there is NO "dead time". The House of Bathory makes you feel as if you are in a horror movie. They push the limits. The ONLY bad thing I have to say about this haunt is that I wish it could be longer! If I had to pick only one haunted house to go to, it would be The House of Bathory.

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The Haunted Mansion is a great local Haunt. There are four parts to this Haunt. The first is a walk through the haunted graveyard/woods. The walk was brief but plenty of actors from every angle. If you have to go to the bathroom I highly recommend holding it, don't trust the ghouls. The cornfield was more fun than scary. There was a great roadside kill cafe with "skunk burgers". We even found ourselves undecided as to which way to go. When we finally made our way through we jumped on the haunted bus. You are only allowed to sit one person per seat, this allows for easy victimization. Lopsided Lilly was clearly irritated by the group of teens at the back of the bus, and I don't blame her ... I was about to start screaming with her!

When the bus ride finally came to a hault we were at the entrance of The Haunted Mansion. There was a nice warm bonfire and a woman walking around with plenty of hot cocoa. There was also a projection screen playing music videos and scenes from Scary movies. Actors were roaming the lines trying to steal screams. Once inside you will find many unique scenes. The Mansion was by far superior to the cornfield, bus ride, and woods. There were many points in the Haunt that would make you jump, and others that were just plain creepy! I found myself alone a lot in this haunt (which was the ghouls intentions) and I loved it! The Haunted Mansion had the most actors of any haunt I have been to. There is NO "dark/dead time". If you live in the area, this is a haunt I would not miss.

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The Haunted Cornfield at Meadowbrook is the only haunt I would drive 2 hours for! It is located on a large farm that during the day has hay rides, gift shop, petting zoo (with some cute and creepy critters), and did I mention PUMPKINS! This is a haunt that you would want to "make a night of". There is so much to do while you wait. You can sip on Hot apple cider, eat carmel apples, sit around a warm bon fire all while listening to a ghoul tell ghost stories. 102.1 out of Milwaukee was there handing out free ticket opportunites. If that isn't enough enterntainment than play some Halloween games and win prizes, or venture through the gift shop and get some great decorations for your very own haunt.

When it is your turn to go through the haunt a LED screen will show your number. The cornfield itself is spooky with sky rocketing corn stalks that make you feel very inferior. There is rarely a "dead" moment throughout the entire cornfield. Strobe lights guide you through rows of corn, but be careful to go the right way or you may find yourself lost! Don't fear, the ghouls may help you find your way or they may just guide you the wrong way. The animatronics were great, I am amazed at the props and scenes. Everything is HUGE this year ... above and beyond. There are several areas which you will have to enter through different themed "cabins" ... you could find yourself disorientated, crushed, or attacked by vicious creatures.

I would definitely drive 2 hours again to visit this Haunt. You can NOT beat the price, it is cheaper then most Haunts and far superior than any haunts that are the same price. The only bad thing is you have to watch the weather, this isn't a haunt you would want to attend on a rainy night! This haunt is a hidden "treasure" in WI, I live in Green Bay and would have never heard of The Haunted Cornfield at Meadowbrook if it weren't for HauntedWisconsin. I recommend this haunt to EVERYONE!

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We were one of the first ones to arrive at the Burial Chamber. We were side tracked by the warm mini sugar doughnuts and had to indulge. Once our bellies were satisfied it was time for the "Fear". The Burial Chamber is known for being one of the best haunts in WI. That having been said, being "the best" means that there is no room for flaws. Overall The Burial Chamber has lived up to its expectations, with only a few minor flaws. The outdoor wait area is not pleasant, especially on a rainy night. Each line we waited in there was always a group of heavy chain smokers in front of us. There was also an extremely intoxicated young lady who felt the need to rub my friends bum. There were also line jumpers which is very obnoxious. I think if there was a way to "monitor" the lines, the wait wouldn't be a problem. Enough about the wait, lets discuss the fear.

The first part of the haunt we went into was Adrenaline "under attack". The actors were out of this world. It was frightening because "monkey boy" (I believe they said that was his name) was doing things beyond human. He was literally crawling up the wall, it was creepy. Syrina was very pleasant and witty, she was the "gate master" of Adrenaline. We got lost in Adrenaline and found ourselves in and out of the same room over and over again. Just when we thought we would never get out, somehow we did. My anxiety level definitely sky rocketed as we thought we could out smart this maze. There isn't much more I can say about this portion without giving too much. Adrenaline has A LOT of in the face, make your heart race scares (hence the name Adrenaline). Adrenaline was 25 minutes long.

After Adrenaline we headed to "Phobia", the haunted woods. It rained and things were pretty muddy, make sure to wear shoes that can get dirty. I did not like Phobia as much this year. It lacked actors and a good theme. The woods itself is a creepy environment, but it is only 6 minutes long (compared to a 25 minute wait). There are not many prop's. The best part was at the end when an actor imitated a creaking door as we were exiting the woods. A possible suggestion would be sending one person at a time through the woods ... everyone knows walking alone in the woods is frightening. That is just a thought. Then we headed back to the snack shop ... they have so many treats such as frankin figers corn dogs.

Insantity was the last portion of The Burial Chamber we explored. The outside prop of a large gory corpse chained to the wall. The sign also said "Gov't Quarantine Area". As soon as you get in the host sets the ground rules and you watch a creepy introductory video. Insanity was AMAZING. The actors were great and always in the right place at the right time. The props were so detailed you couldn't help but realize how much hard work and intellect had to go into them. I was sprayed with blood, got wet in the swamp, and had a not so great experience with an overflooded toilette. We all felt as if we were in another "world". The caves and board walk were amazing. The actor in the caves was incredible, he would appear in front of you making this creepy alien noise and then disappear again. I get chills just remembering the experience. Again I do not want to give away too much. Insanity lasted 19 minutes.

Finally, my friend and husband did the coffin ride (I chickened out). It was great because you could watch their face on a television screen as they fear their journey. It is my understanding that pictures of anyone who has ridden are available on their website. I think that area was still "under construction" ... and a bench to sit on would be nice. Overall The Burial Chamber is aware of the ever changing environment and constantly seeks out new innovative scares. They also employ the best actors I have seen ... PURE talent.

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A Theater of Lost Souls has always been the black horse of the haunt industry. There is so much potential for A Theater of Lost Souls to be one of the best Haunt attractions in WI and perhaps in the Midwest. This year they have certainly expanded and tapped into some of that potential. The haunt began with a "guided" hay ride explaining the history of the fair grounds. What many people may not understand is that the story is actually true! In 1915 there was a Sanatorium for people who had tuberculosis. People who went to the Sanatorium either had money and could be treated or they had no money and had to suffer and die. While the Sanatorium is gone there are still a few remains. The energy of the spirits that still linger there can be felt while on the Hay Ride (you just have to ignore the giggling children seated next to you). The tour guide did an excellent job of explaining the what occurred in this area. I would have preferred more special effects on the hay ride and maybe a few more actors. Maybe a can of WD40 and the lighter? I know it is so difficult to keep things safe AND scary. They hay ride was a perfect bone chilling, thought provoking start to the Theater of Lost Souls.

We went late, but it appeared that they kept everyone waiting in cattle pens. The Theater of Lost Souls had the perfect combination of old school scares and new fears. The Animatronics were superb, you could not decipher it the body tortured body was human or not. The power of Christ that compells one even got me in the head (I took that message seriously). If you have a fear of spiders ... stay out! The Theater of the Absurd is the best 3d haunt I have been too (and I have been to them all over the US). The painting was so creatively done that you felt as if you should be submitted to an asylum. I even had to take my glasses off at one point in time because I was thought I had lost the ground beneath me. The young lady made us go round and round and half of the group disappeared. There is no better ending to a haunt than that loud roaring sound of a chainsaw ... call it cliche, but it works! I haven't been to many haunts so far this season, but I have a feeling that A Theater of Lost Souls may become a favorite. They have grown so much just in the 3 years that I have been attending. They listen and keep the good scares and get rid of the boring ones. They are very innovative and I can not wait to see NEXT YEAR. (oh and crazy country boy, good luck with your surgery)!

A SIDE NOTE
Want to see all the detail that goes into a haunt? Too afraid to go to a haunted house? Have young children? Want to support a good cause?
On OCT 10th A Theater or Lost Souls is having a "lights on" haunt from 2p - 4:30p. It is only $3, and the proceeds go to help the children's hospital. See their website for more information.

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