| MT. HEALTHY HAUNTED HALL:
As always, a frightening cemetery plays host for the queue line outside
The
Haunted Hall. The old graveyard is home to a hanged victim
barely clinging to life, a spooky looking fountain of blood, and an undead
body (animation) making one final attempt to escape its earthen tomb!
A skeletal watchman, guards the premises peering down from an upstairs
window with illuminated eyes, and mysteriously waving a lantern back and
forth beckoning visitors to the old, haunted house. As you approach,
siblings Little John and Sissy, anxious to engage customers
in some of their favorite activities, argue back and forth with their Mommy
who's
stationed just outside The Hall. Stepping inside, and avoiding
their wicked version of recess, the exploration begins up an ominous looking
staircase that's shadowed by a flying ghost. Spooky music accompanies
the ascent that leads to an unpleasant looking elevator that buzzes and
thrashes about while dropping you into the depths of Hell, and a claustrophobic,
face to face confrontation with The Devil
himself, who forces you
to bow down before him and crawl your way to freedom! From there
it's onto other demonic skirmishes that include a bloody shower scene,
highlighted by a ranting encounter with knife wielding
Norman Bates;
then a torture chamber where a most unfortunate victim meets her demise
at the hands of a heinous Executioner and his murderous ax; and
finally a run in with the most notorious night stalker of them all, Count
Dracula and his most recent, coffin bound victim! The foggy,
outdoor portion of the attraction is initiated by Zombies and other
monsters, and includes jail breaks, spider infestations, Clowns
enjoying
a rapidly spinning floor, their brand new "Toyture" shop, and vortex.
Pitching a tent at Camp Crystal Lake certainly isn't an option as
Jason
Voorhees and a treacherous chainsaw lead a perilous chase into a chilling
cemetery that hides a surprise containing mausoleum, and exits into the
wedding reception of the recently widowed
Bride of Frankenstein!
The course concludes with a traditional dark maze finish that's doubled
in size this year in celebration of the 20th season, better known as Two
Decades of Decay at The Mount Healthy Haunted Hall!
Analysis:
LENGTH - 9, Difficult to determine a precise time due
to the uncertainty of the finish, but approximately 20 mins. with the addition
of several new scenes and even larger maze.
ACTORS - 8, Return of The Executioner is a welcomed
sight, as he and his victim, along with Norman deliver the best
performances of the night! Little John's antics are likewise
rewarding and begin to unnerve patrons prior to even entering, however
he and Sissy
need to acquire some purpose inside the house itself.
Trademark
Devil has a fantastic location this year, although he
needs to step it up a notch and become a much more imposing figure.
Same goes for
Dracula
who should abandon the comedy. In addition,
there are still a number of undersized actors in primary scare roles, who
could better be utilized as "victims," or elevated behind secret panels,
etc.. A more threatening
Jason would also be a plus.
Total Characters = 43.
NOTE: Upon revisiting 10/18, Dialogue is
much improved! Devil has acquired a much stronger personality,
and Dracula is more concerned with delivering scares rather than
comedy. There's a larger, thus more threatening Jason on the
job, and children are better utilized as well.
SCARINESS - 7½, Appropriate background music complements
the frights. Actors are well hidden and deliver multiple timely scares
in just about every scene. Need to raise the intensity along the
lines of The Executioner to better the score.
PROPS - 8, Good, scary décor, a few pneumatics,
and some unique surprises you won't see anyplace else. Spinning floor
is most unique, and an annual favorite, as are elevator, Drac's
coffin door, and secret maze passages. Trademark dropping chandelier
also makes a triumphant return.
DESIGN - 9, Flow is expecially good this year, and there
are some fresh, new scenes as well. Return of the chainsaw
chase empowers the outdoor section of the course, which has been expanded
again this season too. They certainly make the most out of every
inch of space inside The Hall itself, connecting scenes as closely
together as possible. Spinning vortex and floor are used to initiate
a state of disorientation prior to entering the cleverly designed dark
maze. "Dead or Alive Funeral Home" is missed.
VALUE - 9½, An expanded course and no price increase
for 2009 – still just $8 with a canned good donation! The price can’t
be beat considering the entertainment value!
RATING: 8, The Mount Healthy Haunted
Hall is one of the best kept secrets in the business, and perhaps
the best non-profit haunt in existence – always enjoyable, and annually,
one of our favorites! Customers exiting the attraction described
it as "scary" and "fun." What better recommendation could you ask
for? Go with a group, and ditch your friends in the maze! |
