2009 Mars Haunted House - CLOSED- Event Reviews

Once we arrived at the haunt, it was obvious we were there.  There was a huge hearst out in front that said Mars Haunted House on the side.  There were also multiple other signs around on the building.  The line was not too long and there were creatures waiting outside to greet us and entertain us while we waited.  The length of time we waited in line was only about 15 minutes total.  Pretty good considering the fact that the line is usually around the corner of the block!  When we went upstairs we were greeted by a ghoul and she brought us into a dark room.  In this first room we listened to a voice that spoke about the legend of the Mars House.  Once this was done, we were let in on our own and it was super dark.  The house was creepy with narrow hallways leading to each new room.  Some of my favorite rooms had a girl crawling around on the ground, and a room with a guy reciting a willy wonka speech in a creepy voice.  Overall, Mars was, as always, fun.  Screams and jumping came and went but we also laughed quite a bit at the actors.  Overall, I would say that if you live in the Milwaukee area, it is a must see.  It not only is right in the middle of town, but it also has a huge history and has been around for years, with people coming back year after year!

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On the night of October 9th I visited Mars Haunted House in Milwaukee.  My visit started in grand style as we waited in a fairly short outdoor line.  Mars seems to know what they are doing, as they had ghouls walking up and down the line, interacting with the guests.  It was cold, and the actors made the elements much more enjoyable.  After a short wait, we were invited to go up a flight of stairs to purchase tickets.  Once up the flight of stairs and after getting our admissions squared away , we were greeted by a woman who appeared to be undead!  She took us through a door and into a small area where an audio recording played a brief history of Mars, the undead girl was great.  Once in the haunt, we were on our own.  The set was fantastic, seemed like they put a lot of time and effort into this years event.  The actors were also pretty good.  At times it seemed like they were tired, which is understandable, as they had been haunting for a few hours and I can only assume that takes a toll on you.  A few of the actors really went above and beyond.  One actor that sticks out had stopped my girlfriend and "forced" me to go on without her.  He blocked her from advancing for quite some time, sniffing her as if she was that evenings dinner.  This literaly lasted about 2-3 minutes, finally he let her go.  My favorite part of the haunt was the vibrating floor.  It shook violently as you passed over it.  I love haunts that physically jar you, and as you walked over the floor, it did just that.  In all I would have to say Mars is definitely worth the time, just make sure you dress for the occasion!

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Looking to totally immerse yourself into a nightmarishly good time? Look no further than the Mars Haunted House.

It appears the venue has expanded this year and added a few rooms...unfortunately they did such a good job scaring the bajeebus out of me I totally lost count.

Seriously, it didn't matter where I was in my group...front, middle, back...they did a stellar job providing scares for everyone.

If your 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 each and every room. Not once was I distracted by sounds coming from other parts of the attraction.

* Smell: Believe it or not I think there were sets that intentionally smelled a little musty (like BO or perfume) to compliment the scene. Interesting thought...if Barn yard Bob is chasing you around with an ax why shouldn't he smell like one?

* Touch: Nothing special on this front...although there are haunts that venture into this realm.

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