|
RECAP & ANALYSIS: Land of Illusion is the absolute mecca of haunted attractions featuring 6 professional haunts jam-packed with top-notch props, impressive animatronics, professional sound, theatrical lighting, and a surplus of talented, actors portraying a vast array of characters. Five of their six uniquely themed haunts have undergone renovations in advance of the Scream Park’s 28th season in order to provide fresh, enjoyable scares, and a variety of roaming performers entertain crowds throughout the facility. “Toxic Hillbillies” debuts in 2024 complimenting Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate, Temple of Terror, Killer Klowns, and Phobia in support of the infamous Middletown Haunted Trail.
MIDDLETOWN HAUNTED TRAIL begins across an iron grating walkway that spans a watery pit. Unseen vagrants crawl out of hiding complicating advancement into the woods where the course stumbles into Area 49 – a siren-blaring abyss surrounding a vibrating catwalk, and where alien like beings rise up from the depths! Escape through a toxic waste dump inhabited by mutants that slam baseball bats into barrels heads back out into the foggy forest. There, the theme from Halloween signals the arrival of notorious slasher Michael Myers threatening with his elongated knife! Fleeing inspires a second, unexpected encounter with The Boogeyman before shelter is sought in some sort of underground emergency area that turns out to resemble more of a detention compound of jailed captives operated by crazed nurses forcing victims onto gurneys and attempting to amputate legs, among other essential appendages!
Wicked witches, multiple chainsaw assailants, and a life-size “spider walker” call the trail home, as does an overgrown baby badly needing to have his dirty diaper changed much to the chagrin of his inattentive mama, Cecilia!
A newly-constructed, scaffold-like bridge stretches into a lumber yard provoking the wrath of more chainsaw wielding goons emerging from shacks and outhouses giving pursuit into an enormous pumpkin patch, then a frightening cemetery arousing conflicts with The Headless Horseman and Crypt Keeper, Reverend “Mordecai Black!” Still to come are encounters with a blowtorch waving flamethrower; a 12-foot tall, stilted creature; and The Devil Himself making deals for souls from his majestic throne inside Hell, which is entered through a glowing, red-lit, cave-like tunnel chaperoned by underworld demons!
A vicious Pig Butcher waits in the wings, having three imprisoned girls in holding cells screaming for help, and desperately pleading, “He’s going to chop us up, then eat us all!” From there, it’s onto a double, spinning vortex that empties into a foggy maze that eventually reveals the escape from The Middletown Haunted Trail.
Most memorable characters include Myers, Underground Nurses and their victims, Baby, Witches, Spider Walker, Chainsaw Fiends, Mordecai Black, Flamethrower, Stilted Giant, and Pig Butcher along with his captives!
Bridge and Pig Butcher segment are impressive new additions, although the former could be further strengthened by more effective lighting, especially from underneath with additional action possibly in the form of fire and water down below and an overhead zip line surprise. Hell needs to be ramped up from an intensity standpoint and would benefit from more frenzied demons, a more dominating performance from Satan, and perhaps the introduction of some provocative “Hellcats!”
This lengthy adventure is annually the best outdoor trail around, and once again it doesn't disappoint!
DR. PSYCHO'S HAUNTED ESTATE: Like many of the supporting attractions at LOI, Psycho’s sports some updates and enhanced detailing this season. Getting underway down a lengthy, dimly-lit, fog-filled walkway, the first of the Doctor’s many creations attacks and subsequently escorts progression into The Oakley Greenhouse, where ingredients needed for various medical “experiments” are grown. From there, the course soon makes its way into an Insane Asylum that houses a relentlessly laughing girl bouncing off padded walls before continuing past a spooky graveyard; across a rickety, covered bridge; and through the siren-sounding scene of wrecked ambulances while an assortment of assailants descend upon the path from out of nowhere warning of consequences soon to be experienced, as we become, “One of them!”.
Tribulations continue inside the house where really creepy music signals an eerie, séance-like ceremony orchestrated by a blood drinking and dripping, gory-faced nun seated at a Ouija Board telling fortunes and cautioning about an imminent reunion with the devil that transforms into a startling surprise! Additional highlights include; a body being torn apart by a giant table saw, a deplorable kitchen displaying severed arms and legs suspended and rotating from an overhead conveyor; a sudden, perfectly placed, drop-panel confrontation with Mongo; corpses being reduced to ashes inside a flaming crematorium; Patient Zero blasting sparks off his hand, and a run-in with “Smile(y)” before climaxing in the presence of Dr. Psycho himself seen smothering a gurney-bound patient to death with a pillow just prior to exiting through The Oakley Cemetery.
Dialogue is strong throughout with intimidating promises to, “Swallow your souls!” and “Bury you alive!” and so on. Standouts include: Looney girl, Nun, Outdoor Attackers, Patient Zero, and of course, the star of the show, Dr. Psycho, who is perfectly placed at the end! Crematorium remains a visually impressive scare and séance room has been strengthened, as suggested in last season's review! Excellent job!
TEMPLE OF TERROR: Darker and foggier than ever before, the Temple is characterized by spooky, “underground” passageways; a descending elevator; a falling ceiling that crashes down from above; tight claustrophobia; sliding floors; and unseen monsters lurking in the shadows, all contributing to the adventurous exploration. From enormous, bloody-mouthed animatronics, to an excursion across an unstable rope bridge that spans a watery abyss that’s coupled with an overhead, near decapitation, to skeletons, mummies, vampire bats, and a well-hidden ghillie creature, The Temple has it all! Flowing fountains and hieroglyphics comprise décor, and an eerie ceremony conducted by jackal-headed Anubis, the Egyptian god of the underworld and embalming, joins the show this season along the route that roams the ancient tombs amid concealed warnings of, “Welcome to the underworld” and “You’re all going to die!”
Anubis, ghillie, elevator attendant, and hidden girl announcing warnings are standouts. Soundtrack is excellent and tremendously supplements the experience. Use of water is appreciated. Dialogue and interaction are outstanding throughout.
KILLER KLOWNS: This haunt also underwent a bit of a makeover adding an interactive “Drown a Klown” squirt gun segment, and altering the fence maze section, which now includes a slanted floor as well as a “secret,” hide-and-seek” pathway.
Numerous, harassing Klowns dominate the adventure from start to finish beginning with “Pinball” setting the stage for his wild and aggressive cohorts that are always in your face. “Toodles” and “Doodles” are at it again providing early disputes and giving chase into the first of two spinning vortexes! It’s not the last you’ll see of them or the relentless tricks they play throughout. Pokey, Loko, and Heckles create chaos by wreaking havoc in the maze and beyond, while another Klown’s had his big, red nose cut off by Jingles, who’s armed with a sharp, shiny knife! (But he was a gentleman about it, picked it up and handed it back to him.)
A bottomless pit, “tilting” pinball machine, claustrophobic passage, and a second vortex must all be navigated in advance of a final entrapment that requires a password for escape.
Every Klown did a fabulous job, especially those named above and Honey who lost his nose!
PHOBIA: Step into PHOBIA, where your innermost fears and anxieties are exploited ranging from a near-miss hit-and-run courtesy of a large semi tractor-trailer that doubles as an unexpected photo-op, to electrical short-circuits, spiders, snakes, aliens, darkness, and a brief claustrophobic entrapment! Shock walls, vibrating floors and laser-lit “swamps” are present, as are “zapping” fiends armed with Taser-like devices attacking out of the darkness. A treacherous encounter with a fenced-in felon ensnaring a passerby is likewise experienced in addition to a police blockade that stumbles upon the search for a dangerous suspect carrying a gun, as well as a mysterious voodoo priestess conducting some sort of cursed ritual, and diabolical Dentist Dr. Death’s Dentistry highlighted by his Covid-19, novocaine-like anesthetic that’s been administered to some unsuspecting victim! “What is seen can’t be unseen” at Phobia!
Most notable actors include Dr. Death, fenced-in goon, and 2nd policemen blocking passage. Scenes capitalize on personal neuroses. Soundtrack is exceptional and adds to the unnerving effect. Uncertain, claustrophobic finish is tremendous!
TOXIC HILLBILLIES: Land of Illusion’s newest attraction comes onto the scene this year replacing Dysphoria. Similar in construction, course, route, and build to its predecessor, the haunt introduces hillbillies to compromise navigation by harassing and interacting with guests battling fog; uncertain paths; a redneck, soup kitchen; a pair of pick-a-door segments with unknown consequences; a number of stacked tires; a clash with an agitated, sewer pipe dwelling alligator; and a double, chainsaw ambush that serves as the chase-out of Toxic Hillbillies.
Characters utilize good dialogue to make this attraction more enjoyable than it’s been under prior monikers. Notables include chainsaw maniacs and hillbilly lady confronting our friend Dustin and making references to his “Vienna Sausage!” The attraction exhibits significant improvement with the conversion to a hillbilly-themed concept and the cast’s various conversations and shenanigans.
OVERALL: Roaming members of the undead including Regan (The Exorcist) and a new Apocalyptic Character begin the scares immediately upon entrance to Land of Illusion. The attraction boasts professionalism at its finest with Hollywood set designs and an unmatched atmosphere. Six full hours of non-stop Halloween fun is complimented by nightly entertainment on the Stage of Rage, cozy fire pits, food from The Creepy Café, adult beverages and “spirits” served by friendly bartenders in The Voodoo Lounge for guests 21 years of age and older, and The Ghostly Gift Shop.
General admission costs $60 if purchased online and grants UNLIMITED ACCESS to all six attractions! Gates open at 7 PM along with Temple of Terror and Killer Klowns. The others begin after dark. Closing time is 1 AM. Don't pay $25 - $35 or more elsewhere for one trip through a 10 or 15 minute haunt when you can spend all night at Land of Illusion!
NOTE: Season's Passes are available for $99 (plus fees) and provide nearly 2 full months of UNLIMITED Halloween entertainment! Get yours TODAY by visiting landofillusion.com and clicking on Get Tickets!
EXTRAS: Be sure to visit the Park's other signature events, Christmas Glow and Aqua Adventures!
|
