The Haunted Mansion received Haunted Wisconsin’s “Visitors Choice” for 2016 and I had to personally verify this prestigious award! First of all, if you haven’t been to The Haunted Mansion in over 3 years, you have to go back, it is NOT the same haunt! Although it is not located in a heavily populated area, the Haunted Mansion rivals some of the largest commercial haunts in WI! The three things that really stand out to me regarding the Haunted Mansion are 1) The Length – much longer than most haunted attractions. 2) The innovative use of props and scenes – there are things you see at the Haunted Mansion that you will not get anywhere else. 3) The Fun – associating “fun” with “terror” seems like a contradicting mix, but I felt like a kid in a horror story.
We attended on a very rainy/wet opening night. I expected a lot of “hiccups”, but to my surprise it was as if they had been open for weeks! The rain was a bit of a bummer, but the best part was the line was very short. We started on the Haunted Trail, which seems to have doubled in length. The trail reminds me of those horror movies where the individuals are trying to hide from the nightmare waiting for them in a cornfield. You are busy trying to find your way, but there are ghouls and evil above and below. Definitely a lot of screams throughout the trail (and most from a 46 year old male)!! The trail has some major unexpected twists and you may find the ground carries its own surprises. We were on the trail for almost 20 minutes.
The next stop, on to the Zombus! It was great to get out of the rain and what seemed like a typical bus ride quickly revealed horrors inside. The bus drops you off at what I will refer to as the “entertainment” district. You receive a number … NO STANDING IN A LONG BORING LINE. You can walk around, try out the zombie shooting range, enjoy snacks, bonfires, music videos and burial simulator all while watching for your number to be called. Our group was escorted inside ALONE … no pesky groups to deal with while navigating the house. As seasoned attraction goers know, nothing KILLS the experience more than being crammed in with a bunch of annoying unfamiliar faces.
Once inside the first room, we knew we were in for a terrifying experience. You need to be strong and face your fears or you are not going to get out of this one! As someone who does not scare easy and attends more haunted attractions than I will ever admit, there is no way to prepare for the obstacles and horrors inside the Haunted Mansion. Think animatronics (animated huge props that come at you) are only for “big city” haunted attractions? Think again!! I usually dislike a lot of animatronics, but at the Haunted Mansion, they were used so dangerously (in a good way) that they only added to the tremendous amounts of horror inside.
In summary, if you are looking for a haunted attraction that lasts more than an hour and pushes the boundaries of fear, then the Haunted Mansion should be on your list! I would have to agree with the “Visitors Choice” and list the Haunted Mansion as one as my favorite in Wisconsin!
Signage / Visibility / Location
The Haunted Mansion is located at a campground in Door County. The roads are dark, long and without a GPS it might be hard to find. It is not until you arrive at the Campgrounds that you realize you are in the right place. There are a few different routes you can take to get to The Haunted Mansion and there are signs placed at each major turn.
Wait Area / Line Entertainment
Since it was raining and opening night, the wait (which is typically very long) to buy tickets was very short. Aside from that wait, you do not need to wait in line!! Hoorraayy!! You can enjoy snacks, Zombie paintball, burial simulators, a bonfire and more while waiting for your number to be called.
Actors' Performance
It was opening night and there was not a single actor out of character. It seems they are wiling to climb anywhere and literally fly at you.
Sets Scenes / Props / FX
A lot of scenes and sets that you will not witness ANYWHERE else. Who would have known that revolving doors could be so horrifying!
Length
The length is great, you do not have to worry about spending a ton of money for a 15 minute attraction. With the trail, bus ride and house (not including any wait time) we easily surpassed an hour of non-stop haunted attraction.
Crowd Control
We went in with just our small group of 3!! Never ran into another group and never had another group catch up to us.
Most Memorable Moment
It is difficult to say which was the most memorable, I am still trying to grasp all the different "moments" that took my breath away. Elevators, slides, bodies, entire rooms that shake, and actors that literally fly!
If you are looking for a haunted attraction that lasts more than an hour and pushes the boundaries of fear, then the Haunted Mansion should be on your list! I would have to agree with the “Visitors Choice” and list the Haunted Mansion as one as my favorite in Wisconsin!
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