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Please note: this review is for the 2012 season rather than the current season.

Oblivion Haunted House; The Gathering

by HocusPocus after attending on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at about 4 p.m.

Fun Factor: Medium Fear Factor: High

Review

“Gruesome!” “A disturbing display of gore!” “Nightmarish! …closing my eyes won’t be easy tonight.” These were comments made by the members of my crew of 6 haunt goes following their journey through Oblivion. All 6 of us attended this Haunt in 2010 for its inaugural season. Hands down we all agreed that this Haunt has made vast improvements since 2010. (…although we really missed the Puppeteer.)

If you’ve got a keen eye for special effects there’s a lot to checkout at Oblivion! The immense and intricately detailed gateway to Oblivion and an opening corridor with swarms of spiders crawling on the walls really set the tone for visual treats that lie ahead. The Sisters room was exceptionally well done and left me questioning whether what I saw was real or just an illusion. Many of the rooms featured gruesome effects with the smell of death violating your nostrils at some points. In fact, the smell of death was so intrusive that after departing Oblivion I was convinced I had taken some of the carnage with me as I could still smell the distinctive aroma of death! The maze within Oblivion was clever and fun. Not pitch dark like some haunts where you accidentally bash your head into walls and the person in front of you but rather visually and intellectually stimulating where the only head bashing occurs when your stumped about which door to open next.

My group attended Oblivion on its opening night so there’s a good possibility that this haunt may be scarier than what we experienced. Effects were certainly top notch at Oblivion but it appeared that the in your face display of blood, guts and gore were presented at the cost of maximizing scare factor. The hellhound was amazing but the lighting which allows you to admire this impressive effect also diminished the surprise for our group.

SIGNAGE / VISIBILITY / LOCATION:

Directions found on this website are easy to follow. The signs/banners leading to this haunt were flapping around in the wind and did not have a dedicated light on them when I attended so they weren’t the easiest to spot. Convenient, plentiful, paved and well lit parking can be found at this haunt.

WAIT AREA / LINE ENTERTAINMENT:

When we arrived there wasn’t a line so we didn’t have an opportunity to check out the “fully themed indoor waiting area”. Unlike when I attended in 2010, I did not see a concession stand outside of the complex but perhaps it was in the “fully themed indoor waiting area”. The costumed clown that greeted us when we arrived was fun and provided great photo ops. Oh…and did I mention that this haunted advertises a “fully themed indoor waiting area”? Check it out and include what you think of it in your review so I can read about what I missed.

ACTOR'S PERFORMANCE:

Performances were brief but effective. Creepy, gruesome, shocking…consistent with the unique theme of each room but not as interactive as much as they were a ghoulish vision on display for your journey through Oblivion.

SETS / SCENES / PROPS / FX:

Some sets could use a little more polishing (…although I did attend on opening night…) Others were exceptionally done with an outstanding attention to detail. Some unique special effects that I haven’t seen any place else. Not the most elaborate, sophisticated or numerous props I’ve seen this year but executed with precision.

LENGTH:
Our tour lasted 12 minutes. Of the 5 haunts I’ve attended so far this year this was the shortest.

Summary

Disturbing! Grotesque! Unsettling! Not the scariest haunt I’ve been too this year but the impressive attention to detail found in this haunt will certainly leave a lasting impression…a visual treat to say the least.

View all Oblivion Haunted House; The Gathering reviews

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November 22nd, 2024 6:24 a.m. CST 24.11.01