Sarah (majorXpsycho)

The Burial Chamber remains one of the most popular haunted attractions in Wisconsin. The lines of screaming fans waiting to enter the attraction is only a small indication of their popularity. This year they are back and better than ever! If you are a thrill seeking adrenaline junkie then The Burial Chamber is for you. They are also the largest haunted attraction in Wisconsin. With two very different haunted houses, a haunted woods, and a burial simulator you can plan on making an "evening" of fear.

The Burial Chambers popularity was evident the moment we arrived and noticed the line for tickets was at least 60 people deep. I was slightly discouraged by the long line and almost didn't attend the haunt. Instead of waiting in the regular line I opted for the VIP line hoping to cut wait time drastically. The wait for tickets in the VIP line was at least a half hour long! If the weather is bad you could probably experience a much shorter wait, but be aware that all of the waiting is outside and Phobia is entirely outside. The lines for each attraction were also very long and you should expect to spend a lot of time outside waiting. There were a few ghouls wandering the lines spooking guests which made the wait seem shorter.

The final attraction we attended was Insanity. To say that it was "insane" is an understatement. I would compare some of the actors in this haunt to circus freaks. They climb walls and do things that I didn't even know was humanly possible ... perhaps they were NOT human? There is a lot of interaction with the actors in insanity and the costumes were gory and very realistic. The rooms are set up so that an actor could be across the room at one moment and in your face in one second. Don't be surprised if you feel drips of blood trickling down your back or if you are sprayed by a corpse's guts. The total walk through time of Insanity was 19 minutes.

We bypassed the burial simulator this year, but from previous experience it is just one of those things you need to try once. The cameras weren't working so you couldn't watch your friend's faces as they are buried alive (the best part).

Although the lines were long there are plenty of treats and souvenirs to help pass the time. They have the most amazing warm doughnuts and everything from corn dogs to hot cider. The only thing that would turn The Burial Chamber from "amazing" to "out of this world outstanding" would be a better wait area. Perhaps an indoor seating area with entertainment (however it would have to be a large area to support that many people).

Neenah's Most Haunted celebrated their 25th year of fear this year. Neenah's Most Haunted is a non-profit haunt and all the proceeds go to help youth in the area. There are no animatronics and all of the rooms are designed by the students themselves. I have often said that the imagination of the youth is much more creative than most adults and they contribute greatly to anything "haunted". The students of Neenah's Most Haunted attend a class in the summer that teaches them how to design and how to scare. The students or "scharacters" (as they are referred to) comprise of up to 70 different actors throughout the entire haunt. The night we attended there were about 40 "scharacters" acting because of homecoming that weekend, but you couldn't tell as every corner masked a ghoul or two.

Finding Neenah's Most Haunted isn't difficult as there is a very well lit sign and plenty of ghouls wandering about the grounds. As we walked to the enterance one of my friends reached for the door of a port-a-potty and a large masked man with a chainsaw came barreling at him. It was at that point that we knew we were in for a real treat! The tickets are only $10 at the door (the most inexpensive I have seen yet) and again they go towards a really good cause. I will admit that the admission price had me concerned that this haunt may not be very scary. Boy was I wrong! From the moment you leave your car until the moment you get back in (that is if you make it out) there are ghouls surrounding you. The wait is outside so be prepared if the weather does not cooperate. The wait to enter the house was brief, but for me it seemed long as a werewolf was intent on making me his next victim.

As we entered the Haunt we were grouped into a clan of 7 people. The introductory room contained two very well versed "scharacters" and they were disturbing in a very good "off-putting" way. They taunted and teased our group until everyone was ready to leave the room screaming. However, we could not find a way out! The theme of mysterious exits echoed throughout the entire house. Nothing was what it seemed and even a veteran would find themselves confused and trapped. Each room was very carefully designed and there was never a point that we felt we were in a "non-profit" haunt!

My biggest moment of fear was walking through a hallway and hearing someone in our group say "those are REAL spider webs". I'm still uncertain if they were or not, I just knew I had to get out of there! You will notice ramps throughout the house, but that is because this haunt is 100% wheel chair accessible. We played a good game of "Ring around the Rosie, but after that each member of our group slowly disappeared. We regrouped and finally found the exit, but to our friends dismay the masked man with a chainsaw found him once again. The entire haunt took us about 25 minutes without a second of downtime. The only bad thing I can say about this haunt is that I wish I would have been able to make it to "The Hallow's", their haunted walk through the woods. The Hallow's is usually put on the opening weekend and is set at Memorial Park. It is only $5 to enjoy the fear of The Hallow's and I look forward to enjoying it next year when Neenah's Most Haunted celebrates their 26th successful year.

This is Oblivion’s first year in action. You can purchase tickets online for only $10, but make sure that you purchase them 200 minutes before the house opens that night. When we went to purchase tickets online 2 hours prior to the opening of the attraction it gives a notification that states “tickets must be purchased 200 minutes in advance”.

Walking to the haunted house, the first thing you notice is the smell of treats. They had quite the selections of treats and toys, but chocolate covered bacon is what really caught my eye. I feared the heart attack I might encounter in the haunt, so I did pass on the bacon. As you approach the haunt you can hear loud music and the outside is well decorated with laser effects and props. There were two great areas for dancers, but since we were there right before they opened there were no ghouls in them. Before you reach the outside, you are given the option to purchase glowing necklaces/headbands for $1. As explained to us the glowing necklaces help you to determine who is a friend and who is a foe.

When you first enter the haunt, you are lined up (similar to an amusement park ride) and shown a video. The actress in the beginning was great at encouraging ghoulish talk. The most unique thing about this haunt is the elevator ride in the beginning. I grasped the elevator wall fearing that it would drop at any minute, but alas the ride was over and everyone was safely on their feet. The attraction is in a warehouse that is 15,000 square feet! I would have liked to attend later in the evening as it would have given the volunteer ghouls more time to find their "niche". However, there were a few natural born ghouls that left their mark.

Oblivion started construction in November of 2009 and the detail and props definitely showed the hours well spent. I do not scare very easily, but there were several areas that caught me off guard. Expect the unexpected at Oblivion and even if you are prepared to be scared ... they will get you! I had to stop at one point because I couldn't figure out how the ghoul managed to drop from the sky. One room contained the MOST disturbing scene I have seen thus far ... the blood, screaming and acting was too real!

The total time spent going through the haunt was 14 minutes, however it seemed much longer. Our group surpassed the glowing necklaces, but we were paired with another group that had them. The necklaces were great for seeing where you were going, but I would have preferred wandering in the dark. Our "big guy" was in the back of the group and he was followed by a ghoul the entire way. He explained that it was freaky because he was never "safe".

House of Bathory is back again and they continue to go above and beyond every year. The theme this year is, "Alice in Wonderland", but do not expect tea and cookies at this party. It's in your face, or rather I should say "beyond in your face". (Yes, this IS a touch haunted house. If that bothers you, then I recommend going elsewhere). What makes the House of Bathory such a success is the outstanding actors, fine detail, and unique creative designs. The actors are primarily high school age or younger. Think the younger ones can't scare? Think again! Every actor is there on a volunteer basis because they live to scare year round! They even open the Haunt in the summer and may open it in December as well. This isn't your typical 4 weekends and its over ... they live for this stuff.

The Mad Hatter invited us to dinner and he had us laughing and trembling. The details of the rooms do not consist of your typical electronic, technologically advanced props. Most of the rooms and hallways appeared to be something you would see in a classic horror movie. The "Alice in Wonderland" theme flowed flawlessly from start to finish with an added bonus "scene" at the very end! There are no concessions and the wait outside has some ghouls wandering around, but as "Dead by Dawn" explains on their website ... they are not there to serve warm doughnuts, they are there to "scare the S*%@" out of you. And that is exactly what they do best!

We were fortunate enough to go when the wait wasn't very long, but I know from previous years the wait can be long. However, the wait is well worth it as they specifically make sure that every room is properly prepared for each victim. You will never have to worry about being rushed or running into another group. The staging of the haunt is meant to play out like a movie rather than herding cattle through hallways and glancing at rooms. According to the website if you are 21 or older you can buy your tickets at the door and wait at a nearby bar until bartender summons you. PLEASE make sure to bring a designated driver if that is the route you choose. At only $15 a ticket you can't afford NOT to attend this haunt, no matter where you are coming from. I am uncertain the EXACT length of the haunt, but we estimated it at about 25-30 minutes! My group is already making plans for a second visit this year!

I attended Shawano Manor for the first time two years ago with my brother and we purchased the RIP tickets. We had such a great time then, that I was excited to return this year. This year we also went RIP style. It was the 2nd night Shawano Manor was open and although there was a very small line, the RIP passes are still well worth the investment.

Shawano Manor is located on the far Northwest side of Green Bay. If you are not very familiar with Green Bay, you will want to take note of the directions as it may be difficult to find. If you are on HWY 41, you want to exit on Shawano or Dousman and then take an immediate left on to Taylor. Once on Taylor you will see the large sign a block away.

As we entered the wooded entrance, we ran into two teenage men that ran screaming in fear from what sounded like a loud chainsaw. The actors and props along the path did a phenomenal job prepping us for what was to come. The two men in front of us were so afraid, they tried to turn back several times. I'm not certain what ever happened to them because they were never seen again after their tickets led them to the house and ours led us to the RIP area.

At the RIP area, you are given an endless cup of hot cocoa and a very cool t-shirt souvenir. There was a large bonfire and a huge stage with a LIVE band playing. It is very rare to see a LIVE band at a haunt, especially such a good one and so early in the season. We remained in the RIP area listening to the band and sipping hot cocoa until we were ready to go into the house. We walked right up to where the main line meets the RIP line and were in the house within minutes.

3D glasses bring your nightmares to life with the help of brilliant fluorescent paints and "ultraviolent" black lights. Instead of walking down endless hallways of darkness, you will encounter floating doors, long shrinking hallways, mind twisting "sparkles", and walls that will attack you. The 3D was so effectively done that I actually thought I was rubbing up against a cold corpse. Every actor was right on target and their twisted passion for "bringing the fear" is very apparent. The usual "boo's" and "gargling" you hear in most haunts were rarely heard. The costumes were also very well done and very real in a grotesque way.

The entire house from start to finish lasted about 23 minutes. If you are on a budget you can purchase the tickets for the house for $13 a person. However, (for the total experience) I do recommend spending the extra $10 for the RIP tickets. As one person in my group pointed out, "going to the haunted house without RIP is like going to a Packer game and not tailgaiting".

One thing to be cautious of is the weather. If it is raining there is little to no protection until you are in the house.

Shawano Manor is great for those looking for an evening of fun and fear.