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RECAP & ANALYSIS: The 27th anniversary of the Scream Park finds Land of Illusion outdoing itself once again with arguably its best presentation ever! This amazing venue is unmatched in atmosphere and professionalism with six uniquely themed haunted attractions filled with impressive props, complimentary soundtracks, theatrical lighting, etc., and staffed by more energetic actors than ever before – over 170 on the night of our visit! The most elaborately costumed roaming characters in the business provide some outstanding scares outside the haunts themselves contributing to six full hours of non-stop entertainment. This is unquestionably THE place to be for quality seasonal scares and Halloween fun!
MIDDLETOWN HAUNTED TRAIL: Shadowed by strange, irate creatures, entrance into this legendary attraction begins across a green, toxic stream where immediate attacks arise from all angles and persist nearly nonstop for duration of the experience! Contaminated sewage spews out of pipes mutating rats and other creatures into monster-sized rodents as the course makes its way into a high-impact, multi-attack zone identified as "Area 49!" Here, the uncertain walkway tilts sideways as various beasts and albino gators rise from the depths of foggy, murky water! Precarious fiends take dead aim on intruders, and a man-eating crocodile sideswipes the path out of the surrounding toxicity! Escape soon guides the route into a near-lethal confrontation with the infamous, knife-wielding slasher, Michael Myers, teased in advance by the theme music from “Halloween!”
An underground quagmire of mayhem inhabited by an irate doctor waits in the wings where distraught, asylum-like patients are manhandled, thrown onto beds and gurneys, and even forcefully restrained inside the confines of old, jailhouse-like prison cells! Some try desperately to break free, but are instantly recaptured and tossed back into imprisonment!
Other conflicts include a lengthy, chainsaw-chaperoned excursion through a hazardous village; a run-in with mumbling, voodoo-like women chanting and putting curses on everybody; spider infestations; an isolated trek over Cherry Hill's covered bridge that's guarded by The Headless Horseman; and a family of vicious hillbillies, some of whom unleash another chainsaw ambush while one pounces onto the scene armed with a large, oversized sledge hammer!
An oversized pumpkin patch escorts progression into blood-spattered buildings, through a spook-filled cemetery where a grave digger collects souls of the undead! Additional altercations come at the hands of a bloody-faced nun, a spiked wall surprise, and a flame-throwing vixen madly hoisting a blowtorch while her cohort twirls a fire-lit baton casting its ensuing blaze skyward! Continuing past a pair of upright school buses riles the wrath of "The Bone Collector” in advance of Hell itself that’s ruled by The Devil HERself and an entourage of soul stealing demonesses! Imagine that...
Additional obstacles include a snorting, path-invading actortronic oinker; a kitchen of bloody body parts waiting for you to pick your poison; a ghoulish fiend grabbing an innocent boy and hurling him into a dirty toilet; a funeral service; and a 3-D room that houses double spinning vortexes rotating in opposite directions and featuring attacks on both ends! Fog and a genocide of repulsive bugs serve as temporary distractions from a vicious chainsaw chase-out of the The Middletown Haunted Trail.
Spiked walls, blowtorch, inverted school buses, pumpkin patch, Area 49, and actortronic pig stand out from a prop perspective. Memorable characters include enraged girl attacking and screaming in the very first scene, toxic villains, Myers, frenzied underground entourage, chainsaw assailants, Voodoo “Priestess,” Nun, boy thrown into toilet, Devil, and Bone Collector. There’s just too many to name them all during this outstanding performance by the entire cast!
DR PSYCHO’S HAUNTED ESTATE has received a make-over for the 2023 season, with much of first half of the attraction featuring newly remodeled scenes. The haunt focuses on the exploits of Dr. Carver, a.k.a. Dr. Christopher Psycho and his outrageous experiments beginning with a seasonal photo-op prior to decent through a frightening passageway that now leads into the Oakley Greenhouse. OVH doesn't want to give away all the new scares so we’ll stop here with most of the details.
The attraction consists of indoor and outdoor segments, the latter of which winds its way past a spooky cemetery; wrecked, siren blaring ambulances that are occupied by some of The Doctor's creations; an unearthed grave; and onto a shaky, wooden bridge before entering into the 1800's farmhouse itself where the rest of the evil dwells!
Most memorable characters include padded room captive, Patient Zero and Beta who deliver repeated skirmishes, and of course Dr. Psycho himself who’s determined to share his infamous serum via ingestion or injection! Crematorium continues to stand out with its flaming scares while its accompanying mortician does a fabulous job preparing to fry intruders! Soundtrack is creepy and scary throughout. Séance room boasts intimidatingly creepy music, but needs some sort of important action worthy of its design to live up to its potential.
TEMPLE OF TERROR begins inside a vibrating elevator that rattles its way down to a mineshaft that accesses dimly-lit chambers. Highlighted by a shrinking passage, moving floors, skeletal captives, mummies, animatronic behemoths, a falling ceiling, mysterious hieroglyphics, and an unstable rope bridge over a watery abyss that’s accompanied by a near decapitation and another well-hidden surprise, the attraction is complimented by one of the eeriest soundtracks around! The 2023 chambers are darker and spookier than ever before, rendering navigation almost impossible at times, especially when “The Underminer" appears out of nowhere!
Best Actors are the elevator worker, "Underminer," and the camouflaged "Ghillie" monster, who provided the best jump-scare of the night! Falling ceiling, overhead zip-line reaper, animatronic monsters, bridge, and pneumatic, imprisoned skeletons are among the best props. Use of water is appreciated.
KILLER KLOWNS: Carnival music and bright, colorful walls set an appropriate mood for the adventure that spans a pair of spinning vortexes; a shrinking room; tilting floors within the remnants of a life-sized pinball machine; a revamped, fog-filled chain-link fence maze; a claustrophobia passage over a bottomless pit; and clown pneumatics all to the accompaniment of numerous, tormenting klowns that are armed with an assortment of deadly weapons!
Standout performers include playful twins Toodles and Doodles; Chuckles threatening with his trusty hatchet/pickaxe; misdirecting, path-blocking Pokey proudly performing his trademark prank; Loko and his mischievous tricks; Maze inhabitants; and another Killer Klown stalking with a big butcher knife.
PHOBIA is a face-your-fears attraction created to exploit various personal anxieties and aversions. Scenes test your emotional stability by exploring common neuroses including a near-miss hit-and-run surprise that doubles as a group photo-op; an electrocution delivering an unexpected twist; and Dr. Death's Covid-19 booster shots in addition to spiders, cocoons, snakes, bugs, air blasts, shock walls, and so on! A complimentary soundtrack adds to the unnerving dilemma as random monsters occasionally pop out of hiding throughout. Advancement is frequently challenged by vision-obscuring fog and darkness making it even more difficult to discover the hidden, claustrophobic escape from Phobia.
Most memorable characters are Dr. Death along with the electrocution victim and his unexpected surprise! Shock walls are a perfect fit and tremendous ending is unusual to say the least!
DYSPHORIA is best described as a light-limited maze of uncertain paths complicated by an assortment of large tires; dense fog; a series of pick-a-door passages; a clash with an agitated, sewer pipe dwelling alligator; and overall confusion. Duration depends on one's success in navigating the three pick-a-door segments, which requires a bit of luck to eventually find the way out.
Enhanced fog makes the attraction more challenging and enjoyable this season, as do the pick-a-door sections which have been redesigned so that the first door isn’t always the correct route. This ensures exploration of some “wrong-way paths” as suggested in last year’s review proving beneficial to the overall experience! Great job!
OVERALL: Energy is at a fever pitch throughout each and every attraction thanks to an abundant, hardworking cast! Scares start as soon as you enter The Scream Park thanks to a frightening array of roaming characters such as Regan (The Exorcist), Pyramid Head (Silent Hill), Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th), zombies and other members of the undead!
Anchored by The Middletown Haunted Trail, five uniquely themed supporting attractions join forces to create a one-of-a kind, PROFESSIONAL venue that’s unmatched in the haunt industry, all sporting amazing set designs. The unique atmosphere is complimented by fire pits, a variety of food including pizza and corn on the cob, fresh-baked doughnuts, and Creepy Café hot dogs. Adult beverages are available in The Voodoo Lounge for guests 21 years of age and older. Micro Wrestling makes its annual return early in the season as part of The Park’s popular nightly entertainment that’s included with admission. Bands, live music, a DJ, etc. are also part of the package on select weekends – check their website for details and scheduling. And be sure to visit The Ghostly Gift Shop on your way out to check out your group photos and pick up a venue-themed T-shirt or other Halloween related souvenir.
General admission costs $50 and grants UNLIMITED ACCESS to all six attractions! Gates open at 7 PM along with Temple of Terror and Killer Klowns. The other attractions don't get started until approximately 8 o’clock or so, after it gets dark. Haunts remain open until 1 AM, which adds up to 6 hours of seasonal fun and scares! Don't pay $25 - $35 or more elsewhere for just one trip through a single 10or 15 minute haunt when you can spend all night at LOI!
NOTE: Season's Passes are available for $99 and provide nearly 2 full months of UNLIMITED Halloween entertainment! Get yours TODAY by visiting landofillusion.com and clicking on Buy Tickets & Passes!
EXTRAS: Bartenders provide friendly service with a smile, and the visible presence of LOI's Security staff insures the safety of everyone in attendance. Be sure to visit the Park's other signature events, Christmas Glow and Aqua Adventures!
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