2013 Mars Haunted House - CLOSED- Event Reviews

Mars Haunted House boasts that they are the, "#1 Haunted House in the Milwaukee Area." Having annually visited Mars Haunted House for the past seven years, I'm always impressed with the new setups their team can come up with. This year proved no different...

It was a chilly Friday evening when my wife and I headed down Historic Mitchell Street on our way to Mars Haunted House. While the building itself doesn't stand out much (although there is a sign attached to it), you cannot miss the hearse and queue line setup along the sidewalk. We waited for about 25 minutes in the queue line before we were allowed to proceed up the stairs to enter the haunt. Fortunately we didn't encounter any rain or else we may have gotten a bit wet since the entire queue line sits outside.  While we waited, there were a couple of actors wandering up and down the line interacting with the patrons. I always appreciate that since it is a great way to built up a persons anxiety before they enter a haunt. My only criticism is that one of the actors and a security guard stopped to smoke  a cigarette for a bit. Also the girl working the front of the line was also chatting away on her cell phone.  Not big problems, but something I noticed.

After the 25 minute wait we headed up the stairs to start the haunt. Be prepared for lots of darkness, fog, tight spaces and disorientating areas. There's also plenty of sudden scares and in your face action.  We had a lot of fun trying to navigate our way through the haunt and I really appreciated all the effort that went into making the various scenes.

The haunt itself took around 20 minutes or so to get through (although it felt like seconds). The special effects were great and each room has something unique and special to offer.

Bottom line, Mars Haunted House has done it again. They've managed to put together a haunt that is a lot of fun yet very scary. If you haven't visited Mars yet this year, try to add it to your list.

The Mars Haunted House has become my traditional first haunt of the year. The anticipation and energy outside Mars helps set the tone to
this haunt, and the Halloween season. Located on historic Mitchell you wait outside next to old buildings and hear about how what makes this haunt special; is it’s actually in a haunted building. The line entertainment is some of the best you can find. You’ll see a few creepy people, seeking out the meek and giving a good scare. Sometimes making them cringe or even run away. Which makes the entertaining wait go by fast.

Entering the old building really gives you the perfect uneasy feeling of entering a place inhabited by bad spirits. Mars starts you off in a dark room where you hear the story of the souls who haunt the building, continuing to set the tone. You’re sent down dark hallways and corridors making you feel lost and at the hands of the haunt. You come across some goulish scenes that are wonderfully created. The actors, for the most part jump out, yell or scream to give you a fright for the majority of the haunt. The actors gain intensity as you go through and interact more with dialog. The last few frights we encountered were amazingly acted. One girl was perfectly made up, energetic and pulled some ability that rivaled any actor I’ve encountered before. Her appearance came at a perfect time in a dizzying display of flashing lights and a maze of white bloody stained sheets. Leaving you with a pounding heart as you exit. Overall I once again enjoyed my Mars visit. It’s a unique setting, feel and a perfect way to kick off your Halloween season.

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Scare-tacular!  Once again, 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 over 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. 

Traditionally I have declared this attraction to be Milwaukee's Scariest haunt.  Even though Mars was the first haunt I toured this year I would definitely recommend this haunt to be on your must see list.

Keeping with tradition, this year’s Mars Haunted House features a full spectrum of scares.  Creepy corridors, mind boggling mazes, rancid rooms, frequent frightful encounters with elaborately dressed and fiendish ghouls…this haunt had a little bit of everything.  The lighting of Mars was dark and creepy but always just enough for you to enjoy the incredible attention to detail this haunt showcases.  Also noteworthy, many of the rooms and hallways featured robust sound systems to really heighten the haunted experience.  I’ve been told that this haunt actually is never disassembled so that improvements can be made year round…it definitely shows!

“Intense!” was how one tour mate described this year’s Mars experience.  The frequent encounters with the ghouls that appeared out of nowhere and always appeared to be lurking in the shadows behind and in front of us definitely put a frightful charge into my tour mate.  Once inside the Mars Haunted House there’s certainly no place that’s safe from the scares that await at every turn. 

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: Past Mars Haunts included unique smells to heighten the experience.  Didn’t notice any this year.

* Touch:  Yes…Some of the scares are so intense you’ll actually feel them!

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