Haunted High presents Dark Carnival Review by DarkWolf1088 (Review Crew)

Please note: this review is for the 2011 season rather than the current season.

Haunted High presents Dark Carnival

by DarkWolf1088 (Newbie Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 7, 2011 at about 3:30 p.m.

Submitted: Saturday, October 8, 2011

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

Ah yes. Nothing like enjoying the fright season by traveling to an abandoned high school in the dark of night with your girlfriend. Haunted High is your "classic" haunted house with flair of the modern era. If you are looking for the scare tactics of yesteryear such as moving floors, trapdoors, sound scares, and simple but great effects this is definitely the haunt for you.

This is a perfectly themed haunted house. Haunted High takes place in an abandoned high school and that theme is kept throughout the entirety of the haunt except for a few areas. I was impressed with how much the haunt operators really pulled you into this world without going over the top and creating a sensory overload.

I had A LOT of fun at this haunt. So did my girlfriend. There were definitely moments of good scares but it was more than that. This haunt is HUGE. It felt like an adventure and from finding your ways through dark hallways to getting scared in the Nurse's Office everything was pulled together nicely to create a very fun "ride".

This is a haunt that everyone can enjoy. Even if, like me, you looking for the "hardcore" haunt you WILL have fun at this event. Give Haunted High a try...if you don't mind going back to a much darker version of school.

Signage / Visibility / Location

As long as you MapQuest or plug the location into your GPS, once you get in the area you cannot miss it. Just look for the school bus that has Haunted High on its front and side. There is also a sign along E Forest Rd. Also once you pull into the parking lot, attendants will guide you into a parking stall. Then just walk along the length of the school and you will find the main entrance.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

The front desk is very well organized. It is split up according to what you will be using as payment. All you got to do is find the right desk and you will be good to go. After you receive your tickets you will have horror movie clips that you can watch as you wait.

The waiting area was wide open and neither my girlfriend or I ever felt constricted or pushed. Once you get to the front of the line you are greeted by a crossing guard that had a very unfortunate accident. The guard will take your tickets and sort you into lines all while make every attempt to creep you out.

Total time waiting in the line was 20 minutes but because of the openness of the waiting area and the entertainment provided by the crossing guard it did not feel nearly that long.

Actors' Performance

Most of the actors did a good job of sticking to character, making a good scare, and generally making the haunt fun. There were exceptions however. Some actors seemed tired and others just did not put in any effort. The biggest disappointment was when Angie and I ran into a few actors that were not prepared for our group coming through and others that missed their mark and missed an opportunity to make a great scare.

Luckily these "hiccups" were few are far between, and for a haunt that does not hire professional actors I was pleased with the scares that the actors did make. Not to mention that some scares were so exceptional Angie almost cut the circulation off in my arm.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Simple and not overpowering. The haunt used what was already provided by the abandoned school to their advantage. Add in a few effects, blood spattered walls, and some ghouls to walk the hallways and Voilà!, you have a haunt that really pulls you into the environment. It really did not feel fake. Practically everything in this haunt in terms of rooms are rooms that you could find in any high school. This haunt is a prime example of using the environment to your advantage.

All the scenes, props, and special effects were set just perfect to provide an amazing atmosphere. All the effects and trip lines were set to provide the best possible scare. This haunt did a great job with bringing an old high school, quite literally, to life.

Length

For 15 dollars this haunt may seem pricey but, not including wait time, this event was 45 minutes long. Also, as I have already said this haunted house is huge. The haunt takes over the entirety of the old school which just adds to the fun. You are going through an actual building, people. You not going through something that was put together in an empty shed. This haunt is long so make sure you set aside some time.

Crowd Control

Waukesha County deputies were available on site. So should anyone at the event try to ruin it for others or create a disturbance the problem would quickly and easily be taken care of. Also, as I already mentioned, the wait area is open and so are many of the rooms in the haunt. Thus you should never feel uncomfortable in terms of space.

Most Memorable Moment

All I will say on this one is that you never really graduate until you walk out those doors.

Summary

One word. Fun. From those that get scared easily to those that are seasoned "haunters" this event will satisfy everyone.

View all Haunted High presents Dark Carnival reviews

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