Haunted Review - The Haunted Hotel

Our next stop brought us to another staple haunted attraction in Louisville, The Haunted Hotel. I had the honor and privilege of meeting owner Kevin Stich, who was very kind and generous toward our group, greeting us when we arrived and making sure we got to experience the best of The Haunted Hotel.

We were fortunate enough to get to enter The Hotel with just our group, which really made the experience all the more intimate. And horrifying.

Upon entering the haunt, we were greeted by a creepy hotel staff member, that showed us on our way to the elevator. Which I am now referring to as the death box of horror. Our "attendant" literally had Aly and me both clinging to the guys, and even the guys were shrinking away from his frightening demeanor and appearance. The elevator was especially terrifying for me, since I already hate elevators that work, let alone one that was so clearly malfunctioning. We moved through some pretty terrifying scenes, a lot of which did involve the shock value type of scares. One thing I will have to credit The Hotel with is the level of gory scenes. Body parts and pigs surround you in a couple of rooms, really hitting that gross-out button. I loved it.

There were several scares that really made me not only jump, but twist and try to get away. I won't lie, the scary factor-for me-was pretty high. I had the advantage of being in front, and I think the others got to see the scares before they got there and it made it less frightening for me, so it's definitely a haunt where you want to be in the front to get the best effect. That's not to say Aly and Nick weren't squawking, but their experience was a bit milder compared to mine.

There was one room that some may find offensive. Maintaining a biased position here, It seemed to be more shock value than scare, and among our group, that room was a bit less favorable. Religious patrons may want to take heed, this is in-your-face intense, and could be viewed as over the top and even crossing some lines. It's a gray area that is something to be determined by the viewer, but I felt it needed a mention, because I definitely wasn't prepared for it.

There were a lot of positives about this haunt, and it's really hard to write anything about it without giving away all the best parts. I can't really think of many negatives for The Haunted Hotel, save for the possibly questionable religious room. After taking into account the awesome gore factor, the screams, the "BOO" factor, the acting, the set design, and the overall experience, I would give this haunt 4 Ghosts. 

Don't get me wrong, to have that one room be so questionable and still get 4 Ghosts means The Haunted Hotel is definitely doing something right.

Before I go for the night, I want to thank Kevin for an exceptionally good time. My friends and I truly appreciate everything you've done to make our experience so incredible, and I can see why your haunt has been around for so many years! I also want to thank the creepy clown that terrified me for attempting to use his chainsaw to whittle off the love handles and carve a better bum. This guy may haunt my nightmares tonight. Many thanks to you and all the other monsters that contributed to my new need for extensive therapy and nightlights.

Also, within the next day or so, I'm going to be posting a brief Q&A with owner Kevin Stich, to gain some insider knowledge about The Haunted Hotel and it's history. Stay tuned, I have a lot of exciting things coming up to share with my fellow haunted house fiends.

It's been a screaming good night, and I wish you all to sleep like the dead. 

Haunted Review - Baxter Avenue Morgue

After a fun-filled evening with Aly, my hubby Andy, and our friend Nick, I'm grateful to be home and propping my feet up to write about our experiences at the haunted houses we visited tonight. We got a bit of a late start, and ended up visiting both haunts pretty close to peak times, so it was really hopping! But you won't have to fight the crowd to hear the reviews!

Our first haunt of the evening was Baxter Avenue Morgue. I was able to arrange a brief meeting with the PR Representatives Aidan and John, who also play key roles in the Vanderdark storyline. It was fun meeting with them, and they were more than willing to talk with me about the haunt, the history, what it's like working at The Morgue, and everything in between. They were incredibly friendly, and made it their point to show us a good time.

The line wasn't too long, and there was a dance troupe performing "Thriller" for us while we waited, which was pretty cool. It's not often you find entertainment in line, so that was the first unique part. The line was a bit slow to move, but that's to be expected at peak times, and with the addition of the VIP/Speedpass tickets, any haunted house line tends to move a bit slower. Once inside, though, we were greeted by one of the "morticians" who explained the three rules to us in a thoroughly creepy manner, then he sent us on our way.

Now, admittedly, I was mildy concerned as we were going in because we were in a group of about 10, and we were in the back. That's usually the worst place to be, because you see everything that's going on, so it's less scary. Not true with The Morgue. I found that the main focus of this haunt is not to jump out and say "BOO," but to add in the gore, the history, and the all-around creepy factor to make this experience like none other. It really didn't matter where you were in the group, you got scared, you got attacked, and you had fun. In fact, I'm pretty sure I received a bad batch of botox from the crazy guy with the syringe stabbing me in the forehead. I'm starting to feel a little weird...I may be returning in a body bag soon to become a permanent part of the cast.

The setup was fairly typical, almost like a maze leading from one room to another, but you won't find Freddy, Jason, or Michael Meyers here. This is a whole new approach to a haunted house, focusing on the medical aspect that this building was really once used as a mortuary. While I can't go into too many details without giving away important parts of The Morgue, be prepared to for a creepy treat that may induce nightmares.

I couldn't rate this haunt alone, though. While Andy was just along for the ride and nearly impossible to scare, Aly and Nick enjoyed the Morgue just as much as I did. Actually, Nick said it was his favorite, and even wants to join the scare crew. I personally found it interesting to experience a haunted house that was so unique in its setup and tactics, scaring me in new ways. It was a fleeting breath of fresh air, quickly driven back out of my lungs in a horrific scream.

Now, on to the rating. Three out of four of us screamed like little girls, including Nick, though he'll never admit it. While it didn't make me pee my pants (that, my friends, is an enormously difficult task, one which has never been accomplished), it was pretty intense, and the actors were really into their characters. It was incredibly gory, which is something that I personally loved, and something you don't see enough of in most haunted houses. There were some "BOO" moments, yes, but the creepy factor was the highlight. Even if nobody had jumped out, if there had been no actors at all, the set design was remarkable, and well-constructed, giving off an incredible creepy factor all on its own. Add in the talented actors, and you have one awesome haunt. If you take all the factors into consideration, then factor in not only my own personal experience but the group experience, we're looking at a 4.5 Ghosts. The price is right, all the parts are there, we didn't pee our pants, but it's above and beyond worth the money for a ticket.

A couple more things about our experience at the Morgue tonight before I leave you. The first, THANK YOU to Aidan, John, Bobby, and the creepy mask guy whose name I didn't catch that kept us entertained, took time out of their night to meet with and talk to us about the haunt and everything involved, and for helping to scare the bejeebers out of us. We all agreed that everyone we met and spoke with was incredibly friendly, which really added to the overall experience. Bobby took some time to chat with me during his break from scaring, giving me a rundown of the intense training all the actors go through for the parts, as well as how much fun it is to be a part of something like this. I really enjoyed talking with him and learning more about what it's like for the actors. It's pretty awesome that the actors will take the time out to talk to you about the job, the history of the haunt, and pretty much anything you want to know about it, as long as they have the time to do it. The second thing I have for everyone tonight: I simply HAD to get the review up right away, it was too much fun to delay it any longer, but I am doing a brief Q&A with Aidan (and possibly John, I'm hoping I get responses from both) via email so I didn't keep them from their true love of scaring for too long tonight, and I'm going to post it when I get the responses back. I'm really looking forward to this, simply because they were so awesome in person, and so passionate about their work, that it's contagious. Look for the Q&A session either Sunday or Monday, and get a the insider scoop on the Baxter Avenue Morgue! Thanks again for a 4.5 Ghost scare, and I'm really looking forward to coming back again soon.

Ready...Set...Scream!

With only a few hours before we leave for the haunts, Aly and I are starting to get ready for a night of terror and fright. In all fairness, I'm a pretty easy scare, and if anyone from the haunts reads this part before we get there, Aly is petrified of chinsaws. Haha, she's gonna get me for that one.

 And here's something exciting: I get to meet the owner of the Haunted Hotel and the PR folks at the Baxter Avenue Morgue! They may just have something to say, so keep checking back, because I'll have my phone on me and might be able to update between haunts.

A Hotel and a Morgue...?

I can barely rein in my excitement until tomorrow! Don't forget to check back to find out what my group has to say about the Baxter Avenue Morgue and the Haunted Hotel in Louisville. I have a feeling they're going to scare us to death, so we may be updating the blog from beyond the grave...how awesome would THAT be? 



But in all seriousness, I'll be posting an honest review if not tomorrow night then Sunday morning, depending on how late of a night it ends up becoming. I may even be posting a brief meet-and-greet with the folks running the haunts to give us a little more insight into what we're dealing with. It's mostly going to depend on how busy they are and if I can squeeze a couple of minutes out of their hectic evening! Stay tuned for more!

Coming Soon...

So, a decision has been made!! Aly and I poured over websites (and our bank accounts!) for hours, listing pros and cons, discussing driving times, and finding the ones that would be best for us. 

And the winner??

The Haunted Hotel and Baxter Avenue Morgue!

It's gonna be me, Aly, my hubby Andy, and our friend Nick, and I for one am totally psyched! Ghouls, goblins, ghosts, and other monsters, get your scariest faces on, we wanna pee our pants!!

And for the readers, we'll let you know exactly what we thought of it. :)

Pick Your Poison...

I am so freakin' ready for the weekend so I can go to another haunted house!! I'm still debating where to go, but Aly is on her way over and we're going to make a decision. Last chance to vote on where we should go this weekend! Options so far are:

• Haunted Hotel
• Baxter Ave Morgue
• Asylum Haunted Park
• Field of Screams
• Deatherage Ice House
• The Devil's Attic
• Nightmare Forest
• Waverly Hills Sanatorium
• Wolf Creek Haunted Forest
• Cave of Fear (long ass drive, but dude, it's in a CAVE)
• Culbertson Manor
• Fear Fair in Seymour, IN (possibly the longest drive)

If there's another one I left out, please feel free to comment and tell me about it, because I did all the searching I could and this is all I could find. Well, there's one that I'm going to that's only open on Halloween, and I'm doing Danger Run after Aly's BF gets back in the country. (Damn business trips spoil everything!! Lol!)  

What's your pleasure? :)

Haunt Suggestions??

I have SO many haunted houses I want to go to this Halloween season! But, time and money won't allow that. So I need to know what haunted houses YOU are most interested in. Tell me your favorite haunts, the ones you're most curious about, and which ones you think sucked. I'll do my best to make a good list for you! Oh, and if you work for a haunt, let me know which one, and if I can, I'll let you know before I head to your haunt, and you can scare me to the point of peeing my pants. I'll LOVE it!!

Comment with your choices for haunted reviews!! 

Haunted Review - Industrial Terrorplex

So, for those of you that don't know, I freakin' LOVE Halloween season. Partially because it's in my favorite season, partially because I get to dress up like a moron and hand out candy to kids that will likely rot their teeth out before they hit puberty, but mostly for the haunted houses. I love being scared out-of-my-mind-stupid while running breathlessly and screaming like a mad woman. It's fun and exhilarating, and it gives me something to really look forward to.

I just got home from visiting the Industrial Terrorplex, that houses not one but four separate haunts: Industrial Nightmare, Dementions, Infected, and Carnevil 3D. My best friend Aly and I splurged on the $28 Combo ticket for all four attractions, and here's what we found.

Initially, you have to purchase your tickets from the side entrance. Don't let the lines out in front of the building fool you like it did us! Go up the steps on the side of the building, in the set of doors, up a few more steps, and purchase your tickets. Then, they tell you to go to the back of the room, choose left or right, and you're on your way. I won't say what happened, but we chose left, and we'll just say it took us a while of running into walls and tripping over one another to find our way to the room where the line forms!! It was fun, though, and when we finally emerged, we were already starting to get a bit sweaty and breathless. Then came the wait. We got there at around 9:30pm (ish) and were in the 4th row of turnstiles from the front. Not too shabby, especially since the line moved pretty quick, but when you're hyped up and already off to a small start, you wanna keep going, and waiting was a bit hard to do. Or maybe it was the Red Bull...

Finally, you enter Industrial Nightmare. On a scale of 1-5 Ghosts, with 1 being "Boring enough to complain and definitely not worth your time" and 5 being "Peed my pants, sore throat from screaming, won't sleep for a week" kind of scary, I'd actually give this one a 3.5. It grabbed my attention from the very start, and while it was entertaining and fun, I wouldn't say it was the scariest haunted house ever. It did have several surprises, though, and the actors stayed in character, really making the haunt a lot of fun. It just needed a bit more scare factor. Oh, and the last couple of rooms...yeah, here's your heads up. If your timing is off, you're going to end up pretty cold when waiting in line for the next haunt!

Up next was Dementions. After you exit Industrial Nightmare, you follow the turnstiles to the next haunt, and wait outside in the cold air. You should probably bring a sweater or jacket, maybe more as the weather turns colder later into October. The line seemed to move quite a bit slower here, but this one was well worth the wait! My throat was sore, the actors still did a great job, and the ending was a twist. I had a lot of fun with this one, and on my Ghost scale, I give it 4.5 because I screamed like a little girl and Aly took off running at one point. Pretty good entertainment there!

The next part had an even longer wait, and it was actually Infected and Carnevil combined. Remember how I mentioned the line out front and how not to be fooled by it when you first get to the Terrorplex? Yeah, this haunt is what that line out front was waiting for. It was the longest wait by far, because once you get up the ramp and into the building, you have to go back down some really steep and dangerous steps and wait again in a smoke-filled room that kind of hurts the sinuses, eyes, and throat. We finally got to enter, and the next few minutes were spent screaming, butting heads trying to huddle together in fear, and cowering in the corner. Infected was off to a great start, and while the actors were still fairly good, it didn't have the scare factor that Dementions or Industrial Nightmare had. I still had fun, of course, but I didn't really get scared too much after that intro. They set it up to be badass, but didn't follow through. I give it 3 Ghosts.

We didn't even realize that we were transitioning from Infected to Carnevil, because we actually thought we had gotten behind the scenes and were somewhere we weren't supposed to be. Infected was super short, and there was just no real definition between the two haunts. The lady there just handed us 3D glasses and sent us on our way. It was like one really big acid trip (or at least what my mind would imagine as an acid trip) in Carnevil. Psychedelic colors with the 3D glasses really made for some interesting artwork. Again, though, it just didn't have a lot of scare factor, the actors here didn't really interact as much as with Industrial Nightmare or Dementions, it was super short like Infected, and I wasn't overly impressed. I'm absolutely petrified of clowns, and I screamed maybe once. I laughed the rest of the time. While I like to laugh, I paid to be scared, and Carnevil just didn't deliver. I feel I'm being generous by saying 2.5 Ghosts on this one, and the only reason they scored that high was because of the acid trip that was pretty sweet.

All-around, if I had to score the whole Terrorplex, we'll round it to 3.5 Ghosts, but if you drop off the last two, it would be 4 Ghosts. They do have a combo ticket for just Industrial Nightmare with Dementions, so if you're short on time or just looking to be scared, I would probably just go with that. If you are just looking for an experience or really into zombies and clowns, you can still purchase just those two or the all 4 combo ticket. If I go back, I will probably just buy the 2 haunt combo ticket and leave off Infected and Carnevil.

All in all, it was a good first night to the opening weekend for haunted houses in Louisville. Next weekend, Aly and I are headed out again, and while we're still debating where to go, we're thinking Baxter Avenue Morgue and Haunted Hotel, since their both within driving distance to one another in Louisville, but we'll have to see. Our moods change like the wind!

Until next week, have a SCREAMING good night!!

-Ash