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| - Let me start by saying this is NOT a tame spook house. It's very physical and at times requires you to crawl or be in very tight places. Several times my friend and I bumped into the people in front of us and a couple of times actors were so close we could feel their breath. We were at the back of a group and got a LOT of interaction.
For us, as LARPers, it was a fun romp into a horror movie. It was like taking an elevator ride into a living nightmare. We went decked out with runny mascara and messed up hair so we'd look the terrified victim part. We screamed, we begged, we scurried for our lives. When you role play along with the actors - who really seem to enjoy it - it's just more fun. And this place is a great attraction to do it at.
I decided to spring for the $10 Fast Pass and when we got there, I wasn't sad I did. The general admission line looked to be about a two hour wait. For Fast Pass, we were the 2nd group in line. We were in line about 20 minutes if that.
To get the cons out of the way real quick: I do wish they would have broken the groups up more. Because the actors hurry you along, inevitably you catch up with the groups ahead of you. Which meant several times we ended up with performers who were trying to stay in character behind us but who couldn't realistically get any closer or more intimidating without touching people, which is a no-no.
Another potential con: It's very dark in there at points. I ran into a low bench I couldn't see as we were rushed through one room, which left me with a baseball-sized welt on my thigh. Someone else slipped and fell at one point. No serious injuries but some of the terrain is just plain difficult to navigate. Some floors move, there are some that are tilted. Being careful isn't really an option because you can't carry a light or walk at a pace of your choosing.
Okay. That said, I have to gush about the sets. The whole thing is very well thought-out considering how many scenes the place covers. An asylum, a graveyard, a couple of haunted houses, a swamp, a pirate ship... scenes from all kinds of weird nightmares are tied together through holes in walls and hallways that almost organically evolve from one to the next, just like a dream sequence in a film.
The FX quality in the place ranges from cool to outstanding. The sets, sounds and FX alone are worth paying this place a visit. Most of the cast were really good at their roles too. Some were incredibly athletic and surprising with their actions and vocalizations. Costumes were pretty good too though we didn't see any of the masked characters some other folks have encountered. I liked that some had very distinct personalities. The pirate captain was especially entertaining to me. My friend liked an undead guy who pleaded with her to stay. I think she would have if it wouldn't have held up the line.
I would definitely recommend this place but with the caveat that you probably won't like this place if you can't handle people getting right up next to you or if you don't like enclosed, claustrophobic places. There was one spot where we were engulfed over our heads in some kind of billowy air bag thing which kind of felt like being born again. If you can handle that, you'll probably like this place too.
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