RECAP & ANALYSIS: With 5 separate themes over 40,000 square feet, Hauntville includes a lot of variety and space to roam and explore. This combination of styles leads to a fun experience with quite a bit of intensity from the residents. With concepts that range from a prison to an asylum to a 4-D Funhouse, Hauntville has a little something to terrify everyone.
The haunt starts with a relatively short walk-through in near complete darkness. Strobe lights flash, sirens and horns blare, and you can hear something or someone stalking you through the walls. Blasts of air make you feel like something is crawling on your skin, and unexpected twists and turns keep you on your toes. I liked the way they built in some rises and falls into the experience, having you go up and down. The animatronics were also classic and a lot of fun, from a creepy clown to a giant snake. This first experience is over a little too quickly, however, and ends in a second line to head into the Cell-Block 13. As soon as you entered you were forced up against the wall for a mug shot, and your first encounter with a resident was shocking enough to get your attention. This section featured a variety of wide open spaces that added to the creepy factor. Not being able to see the walls, the exit, or what might be lurking in the smoke kept everyone on their toes.
The Butchers Barn kept up the intensity with the actors. This was a haunt trying to do a few things differently, and they succeeded with an actual ride where you sat in a communal outhouse as well as one of the best chainsaw surprises I've seen. When you get an experienced haunter off his feet and on his a*s from a surprise you've done a good job. This part had the most violence of the 5 areas. The Psycho Manor was quieter, more relaxed, but much creepier. Relying on a funeral home theme was a fun concept, and they had you move through some tight spaces. The closing Wicked Clowns in 4-D experience was very fun. They had even more unique ideas with this one, including a room that tilted and fell unexpectedly and a spinning ride, and the makeup on the walls and the actors all stood out with the 3-D glasses. They even were able to make this one smell like a carnival, which was a nice touch.
Hauntville set out to do some different things with their haunted houses, and they succeeded in a number of areas. While some of the concepts were relatively common, the execution was definitely above average, and they went for some unique experiences to set them apart. Splitting up into 5 different attractions did take you out of the experience a bit, especially early on, but it allowed the haunt to separate the various themes and make sure groups weren't running into each other. If you like a variety, or you want to see things you're not going to find at other haunts, this is a good one to check out. (J. MO.) |
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