RECAP:  The nautical journey through USS Nightmare begins inside the Mitchell Museum, where mutiny is the topic of discussion, and ancient crew photos come to life amid flickering lights and vibrating floors!  (And an RIP customer is chosen and labeled for future interaction.)  Groups are next sequestered inside an old freight elevator and transported to the main deck of the ship while a crewman does his best to intimidate those on board when the lights go out, and even victimizes his assistant, shoving her to the ground! 

Exiting the hoist unveils a number of strange occurrences like a wildly spinning wheel restraining some tortured soul; drop panels that enable some sudden jump scares; a skeleton moving about on its own in a bloody bunk bed; more vibrating gratings; and a face-to-face confrontation with an irate, oversized "Impaler!”  At this point, RIP participants are taken aside and marked on their foreheads to identify them as “testing rats” for some sort of sinister serum!  One is given a drink, while another is presented with a coin that must be held onto and utilized to buy our way out of an unknown, upcoming ploy!  A bloody girl offers complimentary injections, and a strange, vampire-like creature creeps out of the shadows stalking progression down a dark pathway.

Ascending to the second deck soon brings about a conflict with Captain Mitchell and his daughter Anna, who initially selects an RIP member to stay behind and be her playmate, but a sudden change of heart results in a Radio Room challenge mandating the sending of an SOS signal to summon assistance and counteract a potential watery grave from the ship filling with water!  (OVH survived!)

RIP customers continue to be tested as groups are separated and assigned various tasks that must be figured out and completed in order to move on.  In the Power Room, for example, diagrams must be followed, and cables attached to their proper poles in order to restore electricity and overcome a power failure!  Reunification in a speakeasy finds the bartender rolling dice to determine who gets a shot of her special concoction!  Failure to comply may result in walking the plank, or she may have other consequences in mind if you happen to be a VIP!

Port holes located in the ship’s helm foreshadow the stormy seas of uncertainty that lie ahead, including a balcony surprise that provides an aerial revisit with the aforementioned Impaler; a circus area characterized by a disorienting sheet maze as well as a spinning vortex; a filthy bathroom occupied by a contorting girl seen twisting and crawling along the floor; and an unappetizing galley serving up a smoldering, nauseating buffet, and where last season, Kim was forced to drop to her knees and… bark like a dog, wag her tail, and sit up and beg for a treat!

A rubber room housing insane lunatics is still to come, as is a suffering infirmary of mutilated patients that’s staffed by a wretched nurse, who laughs wickedly while slamming a meat cleaver onto an adjacent table and offering to, “Cut off any bothersome limbs!”  (Wink!)  RIP groups may again be touched, ushered into a detoxification chamber, and sprayed with a mist that fills the room because someone was detected to be a contaminated specimen!

An intimidating, open-air decent via an iron catwalk returns the course to the main level, where giant spiders have taken over and nested in this section of the Mitchell.  RIP goers are again singled out by a spark-emitting fiend and locked in a tight compartment leaving their friends to solve a tricky mathematical equation in order to save them!  Failure to do so results in the captives getting gassed!

From here, lightless corridors dump into a swampy maze inhabited by a marsh monster that yields through dense foliage to the engine room inciting an aggressive, elevated chainsaw chase-out of USS Nightmare!

The RIP EXPERIENCE includes minor touching and grabbing, extra rooms not available with general admission, and challenging tasks that must be solved or completed.  Without giving away any more details than we already have, these “bonus” areas enable customers to get involved and participate in the action!  OVH strongly recommends upgrading to RIP!  

ANALYSIS:  USS Nightmare is one of the lengthier attractions around from a duration standpoint, and the RIP option adds to this aspect even more!  The event is complimented from beginning to end by an exceptional soundtrack, professional lighting, an abundance of fog and a variety of characters.  Many pneumatics and animatronics contribute to better scares.  Best performers are introductory crewmate, elevator attendant and his hostage, bartender, nurse, Sparky, and bathroom contortionist.  Cast in general utilizes appropriate dialogue and RIP actors give it their all when conversing with guests.  Captain could stand to turn it up a notch since he’s the central figure. 

Since its inception, this attraction has been a trend setter in the industry!  They were among the first (if not THE first) to offer souvenir photos and they hit the jackpot with all the extras delivered by RIP!  OVH had been urging haunts to develop this sort of interactive add-on for years, and it’s not only here, but executed to perfection!  The special attention immerses patrons right into the storyline!  Pay a few extra dollars for RIP and experience The Nightmare like you've never seen it before!

NOTE:  Ticketing and pricing can be confusing, so you may want to check their website prior to visiting.  Regular Admission costs $25 - $35 depending on which day you go.  RIP will run you between $40 and $50.  Fast passes range from $38 - $55 ($53 - $70 for RIP Fast Pass).  Front of the line is $55 - $75, with front of the line RIP selling for $70 - $90.  Keep in mind that group separation is not only possible, but likely when purchasing RIP.  (Quoted prices do not include applicable fees).

A less scary, "Lights-on Matinee" will take place on Sunday, October 27^th from 4-6 PM ($10 for those 12 and under, $13 for older kids and adults).  Captain's Season Pass can be purchased for $100 (unlimited entry), and their annual UNRATED Captain's Extreme Tour is scheduled from 10 PM - 1 AM on Friday, November 8^th and 7:30 PM – 1 AM on Saturday, November 9^th ($30/$50 Fast Pass/$70 Front of the line).  USS Nightmare proudly welcomes Legendary Haunt Tour on Friday, November 8^th.