Intense! Creepy! Morbid!  Those a few of the words my 2012 Mars Haunted House tour group used to describe their 2012 Mars experience.  If you're looking to get seriously scared this Halloween look no further than the Mars Haunted House!  This haunt has been in the business for 20 years and it shows.  Elaborately detailed sets and corridors tempt you to stroll slowly to enjoy the visual treats along the way while strategically placed ghouls and special effect scares lurk in the shadows to incite your natural instincts to flee.  Despite being prepared for the surprises that traditionally freak me out at Mars it always succeeds in making me jump.  Scares this year were encountered early and often…I actually jumped so many times I lost count. (But I'm sure it was more than once per minute!)

Traditionally I have declared this attraction to be Milwaukee's Scariest haunt. This year is no exception…in the 8-10 haunts I tour annually few (if any) make me jump as much as Mars did this year.

I particularly enjoyed the spectrum of scares found at this year's Mars Haunted House.  While most haunts will blind you by making your traverse a pitch dark hallway Mars not only pulls this off but also features two other corridors that blind you with both light and fog (…all of course, with their own unique scares along the way…) 

"Disgusting!" was how one tour mate described a room with bloodied body parts…without giving too much away, if gore really freaks you out some of the body parts associated with sensitive parts of the human anatomy may give you nightmares in this room!  This year's haunt definitely appeared to have more gore than in past years.  This noteworthy point may be due partially to this year's lighting.  The lighting of Mars was dark and creepy but always just enough for you to enjoy the incredible attention to detail this haunt showcases.  I've been told that this haunt actually is never disassembled so that improvements can be made year round…it definitely shows!

If you're into evaluating haunts with your senses you might find this helpful:
* Sight: Elaborate sets with great attention to detail. Lighting and special effects were frequently used to surprise me even though I was expecting it.
* Sound: Superb! The sound experience allowed me to become totally immersed in many of the rooms…especially immediately upon entering this haunt!
* Smell: Ever wonder what death smells like?  …the smell wasn't as overwhelming as 2011 but some of the sets definitely had a unique aroma to it
* Touch:  Yes…Some of the scares are so intense you'll actually feel them!

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