Review by Kayla
Stars: 5/5
So American Horrorplex is a new haunt in Louisville and Ash and I were eager to visit it.
The night was clear and the weather great. The line was long but not too long. The staff were very friendly and offered candy and entertainment while we waited. The characters around us while waiting in line were certainly amusing and engaging. 47 and Doctor Heart were just a couple of those that kept our attention. 47 was very friendly and will let you close to him. Though be mindful when he tries to share with you! I wouldn’t recommend sampling what he has to offer. For all we knew it could have been rat poison.
We met up with a pair of great peeps who after getting to know them in the line, we decided to pair up with them for the first go-through. After being locked in a cage, we were given instructions and rules (no touchy-touchy since there is no cure for whatever has afflicted those within.) As we enter the haunt, we are greeted automatically with some very interesting characters. And some of those will make you jump and scream! The set was realistic and the acting was intense! Don’t trip over the spooks as you delve deeper into the darkness. Don’t let them have your body parts! And they don’t care what body parts you would offer either! Already, I’ve heard so many obscenities from our friends and screams from within our group that I’m laughing my ass off because it’s so damn scary.
The scare factors are endless and I had hardly no chances to catch my breath in between screams and jumps. Someone just find the damn kitty so I quit getting chased because I think I’m gonna die. Don’t feed them no matter how much they ask! Oh, and they want to take you to church but this scene is one you don’t want to feel so blessed in. The characters rocked our socks off. And the many times we got lost and all the doors. Oh dear lord, all the doors!!! What’s behind them! No. I take that back! I don’t want to know! Nooo!!!! We’re lost again! And there we go again…screaming for our lives! What is that smell???? Death? Nope. Well, maybe a little.
Don’t get on Officer Daniel’s bad side. I’d recommend you listen to her! Right. Right! Do you dare do as she tells you? You’ll have no choice. Great…an escaped monster is lurking in the dark and we’ve got to go in that direction. Oh shit! They got me again! I keep screaming…it’s so damn scary. Dr. Brackon will explain the details for the next few scenes and he’s very smart and Dr. Frankenstein-ish. What creations lurk ahead of us? God only knows!!! I know I sure don’t want to. We’re forced ahead like cattle and what befalls us, you don’t want to know. Do you have any phobias? If you do, you don’t want to move on. Except you must if you want to get out alive. And just when you think it’s over….more deep dark fears are ready to make you piss your pants! More screaming. More obscenities. I swear if you don’t normally curse…be prepared to say your prayers afterward because cursing like a sailor to combat your intense fears may just make you feel a little better after all the frights that come at you.
The actors scream, scare, and don’t always leave when you move on to the next set. Yep…they like to follow you! And that shit is terrifying. But we made it out with our lives intact. Don’t think it was easy! With dentists that you don’t want to open your mouth for, padded walls that make you itch get escape, electric worries, blood, poo, psychopaths, and tricky floors, you’ll need all your might if you are to make it to the end.
The cast was definitely on top of their game. There weren’t many dead spots so it’s hard to catch your breath in between all the screaming. They were convincing in their scenes and extremely interactive. The creativity behind each scene was detailed and amazing. And the variety was so wide that anyone that enters will find something to be startled and scared by. Their costumes were totally and ridiculously astounding. A good mixture of masks and makeup that were always appropriate for each set we entered. The atmosphere both before we entered the haunt and within were interesting and entertaining. The special effects were just enough. The characters were most interactive and their acting was so on spot that what special effects that were used allowed the hauntees to focus on getting the most out of the story of the scenes and the scares to be had. The theme was carried throughout very well and authenticity was maximized. This haunt had more scare factor than most of the haunts I’ve attended. Predictability was minimal, which is always a plus. I was satisfied 100% with this haunt and I truly didn’t have a negative thing to say about it. I didn’t think it could get better. Yet, it does. When you opt for the invasive haunt. Which we did. Reviews for the invasive haunt coming soon!
Monday, October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Haunted Review - Haunted Hotel by Kay
“Welcome Home.”
That’s what the concierge promised upon entering the Haunted Hotel. That was spoken ominously right before he led us into the elevator from Hell. Kevin Stich, Owner of Haunted Hotel, as well as all his staff, set the stage for an adventure that gets tweaked and - if you can believe it - perfected with each new season!
Enter the elevator at your own risk! Darkness in your face, but there’s MORE! Shake, rattle, and scream as you witness through aggressive actors who are super scary and totally nerve-wracking fun! It seems like everything is closing in on you. A great lead up to a scary ride through this haunted hotel. (I loved the new twist!)
Be careful. You will likely get touched, poked, prodded, licked, sprayed, and even electrocuted! I screamed so many times! I found myself searching for moments to take a few breaths before having my senses heightened all over again. Things WILL most definitely go boom in the dark! Monsters jump out, follow you, get full on in your face, grab your head, and every little thing is nail-biting intense awesomeness!
Did I mention that this season was absolutely tremendous? The extreme props never let you down. The strobe lights and fog machines force you to stumble and hesitate to take that next step. Because you just KNOW that something is waiting for you. Whether you are the first, middle, or last in your group…there’s something for every single one of you! The engineered scare tactics worked perfectly with the sounds and music building up to the next heart-pounding rush of adrenaline as you scramble to escape each room…wondering what the next one has in store for you. The all original costumes and masks were spectacular. Don’t expect to see anything cliche or on-screen horror crap in the Haunted Hotel.
I appreciated that there were no long walks of silent boring blah that you will sometimes encounter with hauntings. Nope. You won’t find that hear. You’re lucky if you are given enough time in between scenes to catch your breath, wipe your tears, and think “What the hell am I doing here?” Simply enough seconds to build up the anticipation and make sure you have the shirt of the person in front of you clenched in between your shaking fingers.
One memorable character I’d like to call out is Cece. She was both cute and monstrous to the point that I didn’t know if I wanted to cuddle her or kill her…before she could end me. And can I just say…those freaking chainsaws! I learned something during this haunt. If you cover your face, it doesn’t make them go away. No. It only encourages them to give you more. They desire your fear! They will lick it up. And if that’s not enough, they will buddy up with another chainsaw chasing terror. Teaming up against you to drain every bit of your fear and tears. Your worst nightmare is their greatest desire.
Some things were similar to previous seasons; the good things. The scenes that stand the test of time. The changes this season only enhanced the entire experience for me and I would, without a doubt, say that this was the best I’ve encountered compared to previous years. I commend Kevin, his extreme characters, horrific scenery and props, and sinister scaring was truly a remarkable adventure. A lot of hard work goes into creating and making it all work. Showmanship was at 100% throttle. I ran my ass off and screamed a good number of times. It was totally lit.
The theme of Haunted Hotel is every worst possible nightmare one could ever hope to encounter in a grungy, nasty, horror-filled hotel. And this season was one of the best, in my opinion.
5 out of 5 Stars for this multi-award winning haunt!
Haunted Review - Haunted Hotel by Ash
"Welcome home..."
They were the final words our ears heard before traversing the depths of a hellish nightmare filled with horrors and a panic-infused myriad of rooms at the Haunted Hotel.
Okay, so before I go any further, anyone who's been keeping up with us knows that we hit some of the same haunts every year, and the Haunted Hotel is one of them. Needless to say, we're familiar with the haunt, but for those who aren't, here's the skinny:
- This is an EXTREME haunt. That word is not used lightly or to be some non-literal interpretation of the word (like the word literally no longer literally means literally - look it up, the English language is getting even more complicated, folks!), but it literally means it is extreme. They will touch you. They will grab you. They will push you to your limits. It's physically demanding, and I say this because not only are there stairs to climb and the occasional step up or down, but you might get pushed and pulled and there's a very real chance you'll be running for your life at least once or twice. You're gonna hear some foul language too, so parents, use your judgment on this, and if your kid is sensitive or perhaps too young to hear some things that might make a sailor blush, maybe wait a year or two before you subject them to the Haunted Hotel.
- This place is pretty scary. There is a lot of hard work and effort that goes into the haunt every year. The actors are IN YOUR FACE and the scenery might be a little much for some people to handle. I can't stress enough that this place is intense and will make you question your sanity.
Okay, that being said, here is Ash's review of The Haunted Hotel.
For starters, the outside of the building is already made to creep you out. They have creepers out there mingling with the folks in line, randomly popping up to scare you and sometimes have a good time making you cringe. It does look like a dilapidated building that was once the home of a thriving hotel, so the outside draws you in. Once inside, though, the nightmare begins.
You are greeted by a man who calls you family and welcomes you to your new home. He wants to fix you. If these creations are what's considered being fixed, please leave me broken!!
Each room is fully decked out with what can only be a small fortune's worth of convincing props. Seriously, I have to commend owner Kevin Stich for this, I'm definitely a details kind of person, and he delivers in spades. Definitely check out the toilet, it's awesome.
I will say, the lovely young lady with what appears to be a lead pipe or metal pole...did you LICK me?! Omigosh, like, ew! I mean, if not, that's cool too, but you are a pretty adventurous person to be licking people, lol! I was genuinely concerned.
The swamp was a lovely addition, as were a lot of the other changes. The combination of lights and smoke/fog were on point, genuinely disorienting us and building that panic of OMG, what's gonna happen next!
There was a lot of focus on the BOO factor, but it was used well in conjunction with gruesome scenes and high-quality actors. They have this odd way of making you feel like your life is actually in danger. I love it. Many kudos to these guys and gals killing it night after night and never letting us down.
Oh, and by the way, great job building suspense. There was just enough down time for you to let your guard down before a new wave of terror took over.
All in all, it was yet another exquisite performance and job well done by the Haunted Hotel and the cast and crew that made it happen. Five Stars, folks, well done!!
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