RECAP & ANALYSIS:  MIDDLETOWN HAUNTED TRAIL:  The trail has a little bit of everything!  Navigation across a green, toxic stream shadowed by contaminated monsters soon leads to a high-impact, multi-attack zone better known as Area 49!  Exploration of a recently developed underground zombie-infested quagmire finds undead walkers restrained within old jailhouse-like holding cells.  A series of vicious chainsaw onslaughts courtesy of ill-tempered hillbillies and other incensed tough guys inhibit progression through hanging spider webs, an oversized pumpkin patch, and blood-spattered buildings where victims are restrained by chains and cages!  Scenes include a foggy confrontation with Michael Myers, a spook-filled cemetery, and a nocturnal run-in with The Headless Horseman in addition to a frenzied, feminine fiend wielding a blowtorch lighting up the night!  Sirens blare and lights flash as the path winds past vertical school buses that have somehow been viciously driven directly into the ground!  A sinister encounter with Samuel Hane, the bone collector, leads the way into Buddy’s Butcher shop, where intensity really ramps up!  Patriarch Buddy and family go completely berserk as atrocities escalate through an atypical kitchen, and old, run-down school rooms that showcase some of the most energetic actors on the trail en route to a double spinning vortex rotating in opposite directions!

No dead spots exist anywhere along the trail.  It's jam-packed with great scenes and top-notch acting.  Intensity amplifies and gets better and stronger the further you go creating a pleasurably scary experience!  Buddy the bloody, pig-faced butcher and flame throwing girl give stand-out performances, while sledge hammer brute, ghoulish creature doing flips in the vortex, girls acting crazy in the old Nest segment, gal serving up bloody fingers in the kitchen, monsters jumping around and violently pounding on the blackboards in the old school, and Devil girl bragging about being "The Queen of Hell!" are all likewise memorable.  Special mention goes out to the villain saying he was going to "Bash your head, rip out your ribs and stick giant pumpkin seeds in your body!"  His dialogue was second to none, and greatly enhanced the encounter.  Pumpkin patch chainsaw assault is cleverly initiated by a path-blocking lunatic first hiding his murderous, gas-guzzling weapon behind his back before unleashing his assault, then later leaping off one of the oversized pumpkins!  Other notable actors include zombie attacking an innocent girl and throwing her onto a bed as she desperately kicks and screams in a failed attempt to escape! 

Dialogue, interaction, and acting were strong throughout, and when combined with extensively detailed scenes and impressive props, make this attraction the best outdoor haunt in the Ohio Valley!  No other excursion in the tri-state hits it out of the park like The Middletown Haunted Trail!  Simply OUTSTANDING!

DR PSYCHO’S HAUNTED ESTATE:  This haunt features non-stop action!  A campground and graveyard initiate the journey into an onslaught of chainsaw assaults, and encounters with Dr. Psycho's crazed creations and mutants including a demented loony who repeatedly inquires, "Are you afraid of the Doctor?"

A frightening cemetery and wood shop give rise to several mechanical startles, such as a giant wolf-like creature, vibrating caskets, a horn-honking hearse, and much, much more, while a desolate playground of deserted slides and an abandoned merry-go-round is occupied by a tic-tac-toe faced girl threatening, "I'll carve up your face with X's and O's with my knife!"

A major highlight occurs when an unseen assailant springs forth from seclusion behind a tombstone throwing out a dead body, and yelling, "Look what I dug up!"  Giggling maniacally, he holds up and thrusts the corpse into the path again and again, offering passersby to "Come on, take a hold of her!  She's so soft!"  And just when you think you've seen the last of him, well guess what... you haven't!

Once inside the house, a giant table saw is busy slicing and dicing up victims.  Amputated human appendages dangle from hooks, while rotating on an overhead butcher's conveyor in advance of the diabolical, bloody meat-chopper himself, who's selling a Smorgasborg of body parts while boasting, "I've got the best and biggest sausage around!"  Multiple blood-drenched rooms are on the horizon hiding a variety of horrifying surprises.

Outside chainsaw attacks were the best of the night, as they began upon entrance into the cemetery, then followed the group all the way to the wood shop!  The attacker was relentless, jumping off a fence and leaping out from the dark in multiple locations!  Inside actors were equally ferocious, especially from the antagonist wanting to, "Put your body in a deep-freeze freezer!" and the psychopathic "doctor" clutching a blood-dripping kidney while coaxing, "Come on, lift your shirt up... I'll cut you open and trade you this kidney for yours!"

Possessed-looking boy repeatedly hitting the upstairs walls with a chain and little girls in bedroom and hallway are also memorable, as is the toxic mutant that comes crawling out of one of the sewer pipes.  Overall, a phenomenal effort by the entire crew!  Cast did such an outstanding job that it would be next to impossible to select which one was best!  As a whole, they gave the best performance of the night!  Gravedigger is conspicuous by his absence.

TEMPLE OF TERROR:  This haunt features a vibrating elevator; moving floors; animatronic monsters; a crashing, falling-down ceiling, and a blood flowing fountain!  Best encounter takes place at the hands of a strange creature blocking the path across an unstable rope bridge, who instills a sense of panic when he starts doing back flips over the water!  Snorting creatures relentlessly stalk the chambers out of the darkness.  Egyptian girl eating bloody leg is memorable, as is the spooky soundtrack - one of the best around!  Crashing down ceiling is classic!  Impaler and other big, bloody, impressive animatronics help make these light-limited chambers terrifying!  Mr. Sandman gets a nod for doing a great job of acting to get the attraction started, although original, "How dare you enter these sacred chambers..." recording is missed, and was much more mysterious, thus setting the stage for a more menacing beginning.

KILLER KLOWNS:  Special glasses are offered to enhance 3-D artwork and paintings on display throughout the "Funhouse."   If you’re afraid of clowns then this is the haunt for you!  Or maybe not!  Haunt features mechanical clown surprises and animatronics; a covered, fog-filled fence maze; a pair of spinning vortexes; and a life-size pinball machine, where you brush up against the oversized flippers while making your way through!  Most memorable actor by far was the baseball bat-wielding clown inside the maze.  Other stand-outs include the clown holding a string of bloody skulls, and an upside down clown standing on his head in a completely dark room!  Adding to the clown population and expanded meaningful dialogue would make this a much better experience. 

PHOBIA:  This is a face-your-fears attraction designed to exploit various personal anxieties and aversions.  This haunt contains lots of darkness, 2 treacherous actortronics, frightening noises, and previously unseen ghouls occasionally illuminating light "zappers!"  The phobias include, electrocution; walking under ladders; gun shots; spiders; snakes; cocoons; bugs; a giant, dejected pig; and a huge, flesh-eating crocodile!  The fear of being locked in a confined space starts immediately upon entrance as the door is slammed shut from behind!  Suddenly, monsters start popping out of the darkness!  Navigation is challenging as it's very difficult to see while maneuvering from scene to scene, and a claustrophobic tunnel cramps space from below and above along the exit route from "Phobia."
Bug exploding toilet is most memorable scene.  Fantastic soundtrack accompanies the experience throughout.  Phobia creates a uniquely scary experience.

ZOMBIE SNIPER PATROL:  The ride consists of the opportunity to shoot various stationary targets, moving vehicles, and random, roaming zombies with paintballs through 6 revamped zones.  Most importantly, the attraction now offers UNLIMITED ACCESS and as was the case last year, is included with paid admission to Land of Illusion. 

OVERALL:  It's a tough call this year for selecting the best haunt at the park with The Trail and Dr. Psycho's striving so hard to out-do each other!  And the complimentary attractions each contribute to the combined experience in their own separate ways offering everything from traditional Halloween scares, to clowns, to pitch-black isolation, to "killing" zombies.

Land of Illusion features 6 PROFESSIONAL  haunted attractions equipped with numerous animatronics and actortronics, and featuring theatrical lighting, sound, and costuming, in addition to well-trained, talkative actors.  The Stage of Rage features regional and national music acts every weekend.  Plenty of food, refreshments, and even adult beverages are available at the Creepy Cafe, food trucks, funnel cake stand, and Voodoo Lounge, and souvenirs can be purchased in the on-sight Ghostly Gift Shop.

General admission costs only $39.99 when purchased online - that's less than $7 per haunt!   Guests receive UNLIMITED ACCESS to each attraction making this unmatched deal the best bargain in the haunt industry!  Park opens at 8 PM and stays open until 2 AM, which equates to 6 hours of entertainment!  Attractions are accessed via a centralized "mingling" area with abundant seating, and warm fire pits to keep you warm on cool Autumn nights!

Why pay $25 or more elsewhere for just one haunt when you can enjoy 6 top-rated, quality attractions as many times as you like at LOI?  Ohio Valley Haunts highly recommends visiting Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park!  There's no other atmosphere anywhere in the industry that even comes close to Land of Illusion!

NOTE:  Season's Passes are available for $99.99 and provide 2-months worth of UNLIMITED seasonal entertainment!

EXTRAS:  Bartenders and Security did a great job of taking care of an intoxicated customer, whom they discreetly ushered out of the park without incident.