2012 Oblivion Haunted House; The Gathering Event Reviews

For my group's 2nd year going to Oblivion we knew it would be hard for them to top last year's "birth" room, but they did a decent job. Yeah, not as well as last year but still a good attraction. Even got a free Monster drink and t-shirt! The creepiest room was this one called "The Sisters of something" I forget the name but it was really eerie. We had the VIP ticket though which is always worth the money imo, tho the general admission line wasn't overly long from the looks of it.

“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.

We have been attending this haunted house since it opened. We have NEVER been disappointed! Each Halloween year we go through as many houses as we can. I am always impressed how Oblivian changes everything from year to year.

This years scares really got me mentally. When purchasing tickets, I was chased by some guy with panties. People try to get me to run at other haunts with chainsaws and I screamed like a little girl from a guy chasing me with panties. They really know how to get in your head.

I was disappointed when I saw their poster that they did not have any backstory about the 'sisters' they speak of. When I went it - I was supprised how pleased I was that I did not know a backstory. I found myself looking harder to see what the sisters were and trust me! You cannot miss it!
It is so mentally draining and terrifying I was trying to catch my breath afterwards.