Dwelling Of Despair (PERMANENTLY CLOSED) Review by Captn_DeathSchlager (Review Crew)

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

Dwelling Of Despair (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

by Captn_DeathSchlager (Senior Review Crew Member) after attending on Friday, October 7, 2016 at about 7 p.m.

Submitted: Monday, October 10, 2016

Fun Factor: High Fear Factor: Medium

Review

The Dwelling of Despair Haunted House & accompanying Forest of Fear is a self-guided, interactive ghoulish attraction known for its awesome animatronic special effects, elaborate decor, skilled actors, unique monsters, unusual themes and chilling detail! Now in its 31st season the Dwelling of Despair has prided itself in providing a creative and ghoulishly good time to all haunt goers along with a few (ahem, more like several!) frightful moments. 2016 marked my 24th visit to this haunted venue and similar to prior years I was once again amazed at how many of the sets/themes have changed. While you may notice a few similarities along your terrifying tour outside of this haunt what awaits inside will torment and twist your mind in new ways. Highlighting the changes this year are more in your face chills, thrills and scares than the skits that traditionally tormented you in the Dwelling of Despair. Rest assured though, this haunt still offers opportunities to interact with the demon’s inhabiting the Dwelling of Despair and retains the same Halloween charm that has brought guests back for the past 31 years!

The 2016 edition of this haunt presents two horrifying sections to test your wits and your desire to survive. The Forrest of Fear kicks off your terrifying tour on a dark and twisted path patrolled by evil spirits and several fiendish ghouls. Survivors from prior years will notice the addition of new frightful fiends as they approach the door steps of the Dwelling. If you're lucky enough to slip past these gorish guardians the entrance of the 3 story Dwelling of Despair awaits from the 3rd floor balcony. To escape the nightmares found within the unfriendly confines of the Dwelling of Despair you must successfully navigate a maze of uniquely themed rooms and hidden passages through the bowels of the entire house. Along the way you are sure to encounter each and every inhabitant of the house...some fun, some helpful but most of all they are all quite frightful!

Signage / Visibility / Location

This may not be the easiest haunt to find. If you’re on HWY 60 in Singer look for the lighted portable sign with a flashing arrow on the north side of the road. Fireman’s park is an immediate right turn after you make turn north off of HWY 60. The Haunted House is actually tucked away after a short winding drive into the park.

Wait Area / Line Entertainment

This haunt offers a heated wood shack with a concessions stand to comfort you while you anticipate the horror that awaits you. A tented staging area provides shelter from the elements as you undergo last minute preparations before your terrifying tour through the woods.

Actors' Performance

A great mix of adult and young actors delivered very entertaining performances. A few of them allowed you to playfully interact with them. Less veteran haunt goers looking to get freaked out will not be disappointed. All haunt goers will be certainly be entertained.

Sets Scenes / Props / FX

Some really unique sets and a several outstanding special effects

Crowd Control

Numbered tickets allow you to purchase your tickets and assemble wherever you’d like while you wait. No long lines to stand in at this haunt. VIP tickets allow you to avoid the wait and skip to the front of the pack.

Most Memorable Moment

Several to choose from…. I don’t want to trick anyone out of experiencing the sensational surprises but I particularly enjoyed the acting performance of The Butcher and mind bending maze patrolled by the jolly jesters.

Summary

The Dwelling of Despair provides an exceptional balance of scares, ghoulishly gratifying visual treats and interactive entertainment making this haunt a fun Halloween destination for both kids and adults alike. The indoor waiting area complete with concession stand make this a howling good time regardless of the weather. The Dwelling of Despair & Forest of Fear is the total package - an extremely high quality immersive event that merges SCARY, FUN and COOL into a safe environment. Highlighting this year’s haunt are new scares, characters, story lines and an extended terrifying tour.

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