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Senior Review Crew Member

Brett (wm)

Photo of Brett

I love Halloween and fall in general for several reasons. First off, I was born 15 minutes before Halloween. Missed it by that much! But it's not so bad… presents one day, candy the next! Good thing I was not born around Christmas, otherwise I'm sure I would get the birthday/Christmas combined gifts! I also love Halloween because it's the one time of year where it's ok to pretend to be someone or something you're not. Just an FYI: other times of the year you might get arrested for that. The colors, the crisp air, the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet… all reason I love the fall season.

When I attend a haunt, I want to be scared! It's a great adrenaline rush, much like a roller coaster ride. Some funny rooms or actors are ok if used in moderation. I love to see the creative details that some haunts put into their exhibits, some are works of art! But I also like the dark haunts, where you have to rely on your other senses to make it through. Strobes and black lights are ok, again if used in moderation.

Previous Reviews: 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

2016 Reviews

Please note: this review is for the 2016 season rather than the current season.

Zombie Shoot

by wm (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at about 7:30 p.m.

Fun Factor: Very High Fear Factor: High

Review

Zombies have been around for many decades, but they have taken on a surge of popularity due to the hit TV show 'The Walking Dead'. It shouldn't surprise anyone then that there's a haunted attraction based solely on zombies, and this one is completely interactive! For whatever reason, it's never been reviewed here on Haunted Wisconsin, either by anyone on the Review Crew or by a visitor. That is, until now!

I wasn't sure what to expect as I pulled up to Zombie Shoot. We had to park on the road as there were many visitors on this clear and cool Saturday night. A local dj was spinning the tunes, while several creatures danced to the beat and entertained those in line. The actors walking around were not really scary, but they were extremely entertaining and fun to watch! There was a good half hour wait just to get the tickets, and this was before the main waiting area. I would highly recommend the fast pass and also order your tickets online to save you time. Although people were here obviously for the Zombie Shoot, I was surprised to learn that there were two other activities: Zombie Laser Tag and Haunted Wicked Woods.

Zombie Shoot: Wow, the wait for this attraction was quite long. With all the people here... I'm still amazed that I've never been here! Again, there is a fast pass option you might want to consider as the wait this night was several hours. When we were done waiting, we boarded a bus and sat in front of mounted paint ball guns aiming out the windows. After going over the brief ground rules, the bus departed and we were on our way. It started out slow at first with the zombies, a few here and there. But as our ride continued they were coming from everywhere! There were some pretty incredible moments that I do not want to ruin for our dear readers, but trust me when I say that this was a extremely fun and cool experience! As a avid haunt fan, this was a first for me and I loved it!

Zombie Laser Tag: We decided to go to the laser tag area as the line appeared to be shorter. We waited about 45 minutes to play, which dragged because we were not near the entertainment. If you've ever played laser tag before, this is not much different. With that said, I never have played it outside at night, so that was a fun experience. At one point a zombie popped up and gave a few players a good scare.

Haunted Wicked Woods: While this area also did not have an organized line like the Zombie Shoot, it did have a covered wait area that people were lining up in. Once in, we started on the trail into the dark woods. There were a few torches, but for the most part it was pretty dark. Your eyes will adjust just enough so you can see shapes and shadows which can be extremely unnerving when you see a dark shape coming at you! Although the Zombie Shoot gets all the glory, this was my favorite part of the night. It is definitely a home-made 'haunted woods' but it was done well and the actors were incredible. I was jumping and laughing the entire time!

Signage / Visibility / Location


It's right off Hwy 41 on an access road, but it still seemed like it was in the middle of no-where. You won't have a problem finding it with GPS or the directions.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


While the Zombie Shoot had a structured wait/line similar to waiting for a roller coaster, the other areas were wide open and a bit more chaotic The wait area for the Zombie Shoot is more thought out than the other two areas. Those areas also do not have any sort of entertainment. .

Actors' Performance


All the actors did an excellent job and were all very entertaining. The Zombie Shoot was not very scary, but extremely entertaining. The actors will scare you good in the woods!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


The sets and the FX for the Zombie Shoot were awesome. The other areas were good as well!

Length


The Zombie Shoot was about 20 minutes. Both the laser tag and the woods were about 15 minutes each.

Crowd Control


See comments above. It seems the main focus has been on the Zombie Shoot, which is great. A little more attention to the other events will put this haunt over the top!

Most Memorable Moment


There are several moments on the bus that have you asking "Did that really just happen?"

Summary

I didn't expect to spend the whole night there, but I was surprised how many hours passed since we arrived. Time flies when you're having fun... and more so when you're having fun and getting scared! When you attend the Zombie Shoot, make sure you go to all three, as they are well worth it. All in all, I had a blast and enjoyed all their activities. I hope to go again in the future!

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Please note: this review is for the 2016 season rather than the current season.

Burial Chamber Haunted House Complex

by wm (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, September 30, 2016 at about 9 p.m.

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: High

Review

The Burial Chamber has been around long enough now that it's one of the Halloween staples in the Fox Cities. Comprised of multiple different haunting experiences, I attended on a night where the rain kept the fair weather attenders away. But to me... the weather set the mood for a perfect night to attend a haunt.

We started out first with Insanity as it had the shortest line. Inside was a world full of clowns, dark corners and uneven ground. Did I mention the clowns? They were EVERYWHERE! I personally am not scared by clowns, and these clowns were more goofy than scary. But there were a few times that they were able to jump out at the perfect time and scare us. They use a lot of strobes in Insanity, which was blinding in some spots and ended up giving me a headache. Or was that from the clowns? Either way, the best part of this haunt was the dark, twisting obstacle course they put you through.

We headed to the outdoor attraction Phobia next, as the rain slowed down to a light mist. This attraction seems pretty much the same as previous years. I recognized many of the props and structures. But the actors made this haunt so much fun! Some will have you laughing, some will have you screaming, and some will have you wondering if these are really actors or actual outcasts that live in the woods! Phobia never disappoints and you are sure to jump multiple times.

Our last destination was Adrenaline. Again, this haunt has not changed much over the years. It would be nice to see different scenes and rooms for the repeat customers that return year after year. The one thing that gets me every time are the air canons. They have me jumping several feet off the ground every time one blasts by me! Out of all three haunts, this one seemed to have the most actors in it... and they were all great! They were around every corner and had great timing. Sometimes they were coming from above, sometimes they were at our feet. It was intense as they were everywhere and we didn't have much time to catch our breath before the next scare.

I did not go to the Last Ride Burial Simulator as I have a few times in the past. But if you've never tried it, make sure you check it out!

Signage / Visibility / Location


It's always easy to find the Burial Chamber with the huge light in the sky. This year though it's a little more tricky, as the exit I normally take off Hwy 41 is closed so I had to take a detour.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment


It was raining most of the night, so the lines were minimal. Other than the actors at the front of the haunts taking tickets, there were no actors walking around.

Actors' Performance


The Burial Chamber actors always do a great job. Even on a slow, rainy night they were able to scare me many times! I noticed that some actors were scaring those in the front of the line, while others waiting to get those in the middle or at the end of a group. Very nice!

Sets Scenes / Props / FX


As mentioned in my review... this is the one area that the Burial Chamber needs to change. Many of the same rooms and sets from previous years. If this would have been the first year I attended, then I would have loved it. Great looking haunts, just mix it up from year to year.

Length


Each attraction (3 total) takes about 20 minutes each.

Crowd Control


Not much of a crowd when I attended, so that wasn't an issue. Otherwise I know from past experience that they do a good job keeping the crowds moving without bumping into other groups.

Most Memorable Moment


The football player in Adrenaline! He was awesome, and kept popping up multiple times!

Summary

Overall, a great trip to the Burial Chamber! If you've never visited before, make it a point to this year. If you've been there in the past, you might be disappointed with most of the haunts appearing the same. But as I stated earlier, the actors definitely make up for it!

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December 21st, 2024 11:56 p.m. CST 24.11.01