2009 Event Reviews

Bravo! A very nicely done haunt especially for younger visitors. While Elements of fear may not rock your world if you're a haunted house fanatic, those closer to the age of 12 (...the recommended minimum age for this event...) will definitely enjoy themselves. ....of course that's if they enjoy being scared.



The tour begins with a creepy video presentation that contains a little gore but nothing over the top...just enough to set the tone and make it nearly impossible to resist looking over your shoulder. The remainder of the tour features a fun interactive summoning of spirits, a very comfortable spook filled ride, one of the best vortex rooms I've seen this year and several rooms that very effectively leverage lighting and fog effects to maximize scare and creep opportunities. I really enjoyed how some of the actors seemed to appear out of nowhere and then suddenly vanish. There were others who I knew were there but still managed to make me jump...nicely done!



What I particularly enjoyed about this haunt was how some very simple household items (mirrors, cloth, curtains...etc.) were used to create some really creepy effects and scares.....it really captured my dreams of someday creating my own haunt. What I also was VERY pleasantly surprised to find was that group sizes were kept to a maximum size of 4-5. While this limitation was mostly likely set due to the logistics of some of the rooms it also helped maximize my immersion into the Elements of Fear found at this haunt.



This haunt was a challenging one for me to rate. My inner youth definitely would place this haunt at a 5 out of 5 for the fun and fear factors. The adult haunted connoisseur placed it at a 4 out of 5 for the following reasons: For the fun factor there were only a few rooms that allowed you to interact with the actors/scenes via a skit. Most of the haunt is more of a walk-thru style. For the scare factor while there are some parts that have the potential to make you jump most of the scares are geared more towards a younger crowd.

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment

EleMents of Fear is a great haunt for a youmger generation. For those of us that enjoy a graduated haunt with lots of psychological thrills, this one probably won't be for you. I would have been THRILLED about this haunt if I was in middle or high school, though. So those with kids - send them here! They did have a few aspects in the haunt that I'd never experienced before that were pretty neat, so I enjoyed that. Overall, though, I spent most of the 15 minute walk-through wondering if the "scare" was over and if I should move on to the next room...

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment

Burial Chamber has to be one of my absolute favorite haunts.  Upon arriving they did not disappoint.  It may have been pouring rain outside but inside it was raining screams.  When I arrived I was informed that due to the substantial amount of rain that has been going on this month the Phobia-haunted forest attraction was closed.  I was a little disappointed but once inside the haunts, all my disappointment was gone. In honor of the fact that I know this attraction is well worth seeing, because I have faced my fears and gone through Phobia before, I will let you know, that if you can enter this area, definately go for it.  Walking through what is almost a completely pitch black forest, with creepy sounds and ghouls who jump at you and chase after you is totally frightful.  I am not sure how it is exactly set up this year but it never disappoints so I hope you all have the opportunity to attend.   I first went through Adrenaline.  While waiting to get inside I watched the horror movie clips they were showing on one of their two outside big screens.  Then it was time to go inside.  As we entered the Adrenaline, I was pleased to see that the theme, as always, was changed.  This year it was themed around battlefields, tons of heavy artilery going off, and really creepy soldiers and other creeps.  This haunt had it all.  The props were great, the haunt was almost an entire hour long, and every moment was terrifying.  However, the greatest part of the haunt was the actors.  Due to the fact that one haunt was down, there were actors everywhere in both of the haunts.  They were coming at you from below, above, behind, and popping out right in front of you, without you even noticing.  My absolute favorite part were the actors that were literally hanging from the walls and stretched across the hallway blocking the way.  You had to crawl under them to get through, it was one of the most original things I have seen in a haunt in a long time.  I was amazed at the dedication that I see every year in this haunt.  It truly is a one of a kind experience.    We then made it out full of Adenaline and headed to the next haunt, appropriately named. . .Insanity!  This haunt is just as intriguing and as beautifully executed as Adrenaline.  There are crazies everywhere!  They are pole dancing, crying, and laughing uncontrolably.  These actors were also completely committed and worked their rooms wonderfully.  The props were great.  I loved when it felt like blood was being sprayed all over you.  This haunt was also extremely long, probably lasting about 40 minutes to walk through.  I loved every minute I spent at The Burial Chamber and will continue to return each year.  Remeber you only have one weekend left-you must attend this attraction, if you have not already done so-get up, stop reading, and head to the most amazing haunt in Wisconsin!

Signage / Visibility / Location

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Most Memorable Moment

Hubertus House of Horror is as old as me and I am glad we finally met.  This family-friendly haunt has kept victims coming back for 26 years and I have no reason to doubt they will be around 26 more.  Your journey will lead you deep into a decrepit house to experience a mineshaft, crazy clowns, animatronic monsters, a 20+ft. vortex, and general creepiness.

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment

Monster Mayhem is a one-of-a-kind Halloween attraction.   In only its second year of operation it has already become one of the more intriguing haunts in Milwaukee.  The unique theme should appeal to both adults and kids.  Plus, the great location is worth a trip even if you chicken out.  I would especially recommend it to people who are tired of traditional haunted houses and looking for something new. 

I think there may have been a technical problem or some miscommunication because our tour ended rather abruptly after we stumbled into an access hallway for the staff.  One of the actors tried to stay in character as he led us out but he seemed as confused as we were.   I wasn’t upset because this happened towards the end of the haunt and I believe we were the last group of the night.  The worst part was that I never found out how the story ended after being sucked into the entire theme.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Most Memorable Moment

At Hyatt Street in Janesville, rusty fences and decrepit walls greet the unwary visitor to this haunt. There is a stillness which seems somewhat unnatural...



The scene that greets the unwary visitor here does little to warn them about the wild ride they will soon take. Soon they will be crashing around this old factory, trying to avoid some of the less-savory residents that have refused to leave and now call it home.



This is one of the better haunted houses this year. You are thrown into a bizzare mixture for the senses wherein thngs may pop up from just about anywhere-and I mean anywhere.



All protections and comforts normally afforded to one at a regular haunted house are non-existant here. The comfort of a clearly discernable path, any chance to collect your thoughts, and even the fellowship of one's friends is lost in this bizzare attraction.

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment

A Theater of Lost Souls was a haunt that I always liked in the past but this year I was a little disappointed. They added new additions to the haunt which I liked. I started off on their hayride, which was different for me. I think they did a pretty good job on this. It wasn't very scary but it was fun. The story teller could have seemed a little more enthusiastic about his role but the story behind it was good.



The house itself was put together very well. You start off walking into what I want to call a horse stable. The actors definitely did a good job in there and it was very creepy. There were different noises coming from all over the place and you never knew what was going to jump right in front of you. As you walk through the rest of the haunt there wasn't any scene that was dead. However, because my group got paired with another lets say obnoxious group I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I have in the past.



After the house, we went through their new clown based one. This was very cool but I felt needed a few more actors.

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Most Memorable Moment

This was my first experience with Neenah's Most Haunted, put on by Neenah's Youth Go. When we arrived, it didn't appear as if the line was very long, but when we realized how far apart they let people in, our total time in line was over an hour.



There were actors of all ages, but most of them in inside of the actual haunt were kids. However, it's easy to transport yourself from even the thought that these are kids, once you see how good they are.



From the moment you step in, you're given an idea of how the haunt will go. I was selected to entertain the queen, but sadly, did a terrible job for her. :) But, the court jester was a FANTASTIC actor and I really enjoyed him. They did a nice job of explaining the upcoming maze areas, and cautioned us to put our arms out to the side to find our way.



As we moved onward, I found the maze to be much more difficult than I expected. There weren't really dead ends, as much as wrong ways. I unintentionally ended up behind set several times throughout my journey and got turned around enough that even the ghouls barely got me turned back in the right direction. And, since I took their instructions about keeping my arms out to the side at face-value, I think I ran face-first into several actors.



It was not the scariest haunt I've been to, but for as long as the Youth Go have been haunting, they know how to put on a good show!



We were thoroughly entertained!

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment

This was my first experience with The House of Bathory, and it certainly will NOT be my last. I was so glad we got the chance to meet Dawn and her husband Jim, who definitely know how to make a haunt a great time. We got to learn some of the 20(!!) year history and what they've learned, they've certainly put to good use.



This is definitely not your typical haunt. It is, by far, the most unique in every way imaginable. From the layout to the effects and the props to the actors, you'll have a tough time finding anything that compares to the House of Bathory. I was also pleasantly surprised at the age range of the actors...some of the quite young, but it didn't matter the age, these actors are there to scare! It's also more hands-on than most other haunts...one sneaky actor just about got my hairclip as I was descending the stairs...I had no idea he was even there!



We were put into a group with 3 others, making a nice-sized group of 5. However, for two of the girls, it was their first-ever haunt. I think they made it through in record time...I'm confident they *ran* screaming through the entire thing, leaving the poor guy they came with, and us, trying to catch up with them.



As a note in general to haunt-goers...please remember to be courteous to the others in your group, whether you know the people or not. If you run at top-speed, the people behind you are affected significantly because you have to allow time for the actors to get back into place. Haunted houses are all about timing and in our situation, we missed a tiny bit of the action in the last 1/3rd of the house because they were so far ahead of us. It also affected our own speed through the house, where I would have LOVED to spend a couple more minutes absorbing all of the creative and amazing things Dead by Dawn Productions has put together.



But, even with that happening to us, it was still above and beyond my expectations and meets all of my personal "perfect haunt" criteria!



So, expect the unexpected at The House of Bathory...and enjoy getting the pants scared off of you!



Overall, this is my new favorite haunt. Can't wait to see what their 21st year brings!

Signage / Visibility / Location

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

Actors' Performance

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Length

Crowd Control

Most Memorable Moment