Best Haunted Houses... Please Nominate

[RoguesHollow]

The Nest Commercial was done by a local CW affiliate in the Pheonix market. They basically took the music, photos and graphics that I created for the Nest site, shot some video on their own and turned it into a kick ass commercial! Definitely the best station made commercial I've ever seen!

[WARLORD]

My nomination

I'd like to nominate the USS Nightmare for top 13, and unique location. The ship is a 85 year old rusty dredge ship. Even with the lights on its spooky. There is a good story line, good detail, great makeup, with very little use of masks. Lots of detail in lighting and sound. All around a very good show.

[Spookyfinder]

... and that would be www.ussnightmare.com -Tyler

[Jolly Pumpkin]

Yeah, I have to second that. They use Hollywood lighting, incredible makeup, detailed sets and some unique animatronics you don't see anymore. The only reason I didn't list them is because they've been on the list before and I had to exclude someone. There is something mysterious about USS Nightmare and how the fog floats over the water and how you can hear its creepy music from the shore. The steam boat has rusting metal and peeling paint from the outside and looks very rustic. It's one of those haunts that really draws people into the experience because of the creepy setting it creates using an old steamboat. It's a weird experience being able to see the Ohio river through a window of inside the haunt or hear the waves hit against the boat. You can't recreate the experience using a building. This place just looks haunted to begin with and that really creates tension before you even enter the haunt. Also the owners and workers of this haunt truely love the indstry and the behind the scenes is very organized and unique.

[Jim Warfield]

I once read in a book listing all of the U S Navy ships about a ship called "The President Warfield"! It was a great lakes excursion steamer built maybe 100 years ago, then WW1 began and it was put into service as an ocean-going troop transport! Yikes!
It was junked around 1947?
That would have been my "haunted ship!
(And boy would it be rusty NOW!)

[geoffgbeck]

Best Haunt

OK. I am happy to announce my nomination for the best haunt. I have visited over 30 haunts in my years, and have acted in over 20, and I nominate Netherworld Haunted House. Why? Because Ben Armstrong knows how to give his crowd everything they want! First of all Ben is probably the best actor in his haunt, and he spends a lot of time and effort training his actors on how to improv and give customers unique scares. From the actors at the front door setting the mood, to the many pop-out actors throughout the haunt, to the "sliders" outside who startle and entertain the customers before they get into their cars and leave. Secondly, the sets are some of the biggest and most detailed you will ever see. He changes the theme every year into a cohesive show that is interesting and easy to follow for the customers. Thirdly, there is a lot of spectacle (ie., "eye candy") including huge animatronic monsters (that he takes the time to customize) that loom way over people's heads, bungy jumpers, as well as actors suspended from wires above who "float" in a creepy macabre manner over the crowd. Lastly, Ben has a very effecient makeup room with a key group of artists who have been there for many years (they even let me help out when I visit). They crank out somewhere around 60-70 actors each night! Roy is one of the best airbrush artists I've ever seen, and Sabrina makes sure everyone is done and in their places on time. From the actors to the awesome sets and spectacle-everything adds up to an experience for the customers that is like a roller coaster ride or a freight train out of control. People come out the back door panting and over-come by emotion. A lot of them have to stop and catch their breath before carrying on. Very few haunts deliver on every level that is important to giving each customer a thrilling, unique, heart-pounding adventure that resonates with them for hours (or even days). Netherworld is such a haunt!

Geoff Beck

[DISHWASHERFAIRY]

I nominate the best haunted house, to be the Cutting Edge Haunted House!
*****5+ Stars! This place just rocks! I like coming back every year!

http://www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com

This place totally rocks! I really like the chainsaw guys, and the darkness - the darkness just overwhelms you and leaves you bewildered in wondering what's going to occur next. I just love the chill factor that the whole haunted house gives. The sudden surprises, jumping out every now and then, and the colorful arrangements of the sets, costumes and actors are just a-w-e-s-o-m-e!

[Jim Warfield]

Recently new customers at the Ravens Grin Inn have actually been caught on video saying things like :"YYYIIIII!!AAAUUGH! This is the best haunted house, or whatever this is, that I have ever been to!"
I love the scream, so real, loud and sincere that came before the testimonial.
Some of these screams lasted 15 seconds before they calmed down and could speak again, but the main thing is is that they were extremely happy with what I was providing for them, being open year round and all.....

[BrettBertolino]

Hey everyone, I had a free moment so I wanted to throw in my two cents based on the haunts I've visited.

1) Best Overall Haunted Attraction (Top 13) Nominate up to 13 attractions.

Erebus (MI)
Rocky Point (Utah)
Terror on the Fox (Wisconsin)
Netherworld (Georgia)
Niles haunted House (MI)
Shocktoberfest (PA)
Bates Motel (PA)
Terror Behind the Walls (PA) Hey, we can vote for ourselves right? Jason and his crew are building a lot of great new things this year! I'm really proud of our 2007 show. Hopefully some of you will have the chance to visit.




2) Best Haunted Hayride (Top 3) Nominate up to 5 attractions
Shocktoberfest (PA)
Bates Motel (PA)


4) Best Haunt in a Unique Location (Prison, Hospital, Cave, Boat, etc) (Top 3)

I hear there is a massive haunted house in a real prison in Philadelphia... I think it's call Terror Behind the Walls.


6) Best Haunted Attraction Website (Top 5) Must supply link to website.

Terror Behind the Walls (www.TerrorBehindtheWalls.com



9) Best Amusement Park Haunted Events (Top 5)

Busch Gardens


10) Best Year Around Haunted Houses (Top 5)

Ghostly Manor

[jjennifer]

Best Haunted Houses--ESP all the way!

1) Best Overall Haunted Attraction (Top 13) Nominate up to 13 attractions.

Terror Behind the Walls (PA)
Rocky Point (Utah)
Shocktoberfest (PA)
Bates Motel (PA)

2) Best Haunted Hayride (Top 3) Nominate up to 5 attractions
Shocktoberfest (PA)
Bates Motel (PA)

4) Best Haunt in a Unique Location (Prison, Hospital, Cave, Boat, etc) (Top 3)

TERROR BEHIND THE WALLS!

6) Best Haunted Attraction Website (Top 5) Must supply link to website.

Terror Behind the Walls www.TerrorBehindtheWalls.com
Rocky Point www.rockypointhauntedhouse.com

[Spookyfinder]

I would have to say that the best haunt I have been to has got to be Netherworld...Ben's actors and scenes are unmatched...

I would also have to give a vote to Erebus, for how hands-on and innovative they are with their scares...another vote would have to go to Raven's Grin, for how unique Jim's show is...

The next time I am in PA, I'm definitely coming up to check out your show Brett!

[TriStateHauntFan]

my nominations

My nominations could fit into several categories so I will just list them instead.

1. SHOCKTOBERFEST - I've been a fan for the past 5 years. I didn't see Shocktoberfest in many people's lists, have you all not been there? I guess not. I would compare Shocktoberfest to Universal's Halloween Horror Nights because of the scale and imagination. You know how so many (too many) other events are painted plywood and floodlights? Not Shocktoberfest. I usually ride each attraction several times to get a good look at the sets and effects (something I do at Universal too, I love to know how things work). I'm not an expert on the haunted house industry but way too many times I recognize the same props and gags at every place I go. Not Shocktoberfest, it must all be custom. There are scenes on the hayride with effects like I've only ever seen at Univeral. The prison of the dead is so over the top, it's an overwhelming experience. The asylum is tight and scary, and last year it went 3d, but was done very tasefully. So if you guys/girls haven't been there yet, do yourself a favor and visit this year, and you'll agree with me. Shocktoberfest raises the bar! Ok enough gushing...

2. EASTERN STATE - There might not be as many high tech effects as Shocktoberfest, but Eastern State never disappoints with the sheer scale and sexyness of their buldings. And that's not to say Eastern State relies solely on their environment, their actors are the best I've ever seen at a haunted house event. What do they pay those guys? I remember standing in line and an actor was wrapped inside and around a chain link fence with gallons of ooze coming out of his nose, and didn't move. He looked like a prop until you got real close, and then he'd move. All without blinking. Serious acting! Eastern State is never a disappointment, so if you're visiting Shocktoberfest this year, drive the extra 45 minutes and hit up Eastern State too! (we always visit both each year!)

3. UNIVERSAL HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS - What can you say about this? Look at all the work that must go into completety reinventing the theme every year. Of course they have the budget to do so but they pull it off and always entertain. I think many people believe this is the best it can get but honestly I think people are not taking a subjective view of HHN. You got to forget they have a killer budget (no pun), creative artists on staff, and an entire theme park that already exists, and just look at HHN for what it is. It's impressive but not entirely.

Some additional thoughts:

I have only visited about a dozen events over the years, these are my top three. I am not going to bash other events so I will leave them nameless. And it's hard to say a particular event is the best in the country when I haven't seen other people's top 3 personally. But I will say this. Every year you see places billing themselves as top-this or top-that in the country and I have visited plenty of those places. They're not on my list and here's why:

1. They don't innovate - I am tired of seeing the same props, same jumpy skeleton effects. I think they all buy their props from the same companies and it's weak.

2. They're thrown together - I am tired of seeing black plastic walls or painted plywood that some kid used spray paint on.

3. Nothing is new - Maybe I'm just too much of a fan but I'm tired of going somewhere year after year and not seeing anything new, and believe me I look hard for new stuff cause I dig it. So you know what, I stopped going to a lot of places. You have to earn my business back, and by the way I usually bring a bus of 40+ friends so you're losing a bus full of patrons.

4. Disappointment - "top haunt in america" "ranked #1 by blah blah" .. then I get there and it's garbage.

5. Inconsistency - Please try to have a consistent theme. Nothing is more lame than sitting on a hayride and going through a UFO scene followed by a wild wild west theme and then freddy krueger jumps out. Are we supposed to believe every scary thing in the world is all wrapped up in your little hayride? It's lame. Come up with something fresh and run with it.


So to all the events out there (from a halloween fanatic): If you consider your event (and bill your event) as top in the country (or maybe just the area) ask yourself, have you really seen all the haunts in the country? If your event suffers from the items on my list above then sorry you are not top anything. It's 2007 guy, visit my top 3 haunts, do some homework and improve your event for next year because you have very very tight competition with Shocktoberfest, Eastern State, and Universal. Until then, you're not top anything.

This has been one halloween fan's personal views, please take it personally

[stafford]

Best Haunt Commercial

I would like to nominate our haunt commercial for Best Haunt Commercial, it was created by VOXVID in Denver, CO. I think he did a fantastic job.

Extended Version

Click Here For Extended Version On Haunttube

30 Second Version

Click Here For 30 Second Version On Haunttube

Thanks,

Chris

[jrpawlowicz]

Has to be Terror on the Fox

As a now-retired (!) pro-haunter since I was in high school oh so long ago & a very visual person, I am really hard to impress when it comes to haunts. I LOVE haunts, but I don't get scared easily, and since I have seen a lot of haunts and have seen many many haunt videos and try to hit all the tours at the conventions, I feel jaded. See a few cool things here and there... Also, never got to see Rocky Point and haven't been to POE yet which seem to be 2 on everyone's top lists!

I went on the frozen tundra tour and was more than blown away by Terror on the Fox. Visually stunning sets that delighted and amazed all your senses (including forced heat into the hell scene, great sounds, incredible lighting, textured walls & ceilings and floors), on target actors, line entertainment that wasn't just a monster breathing in your ear, extremely professional staff at every step of tour. I could not have asked for anything more to make it better. And this was all in the off-season. I could only imagine the place running at full steam during the halloween season!

Unlike most other haunts pro or not, there was not one nook or cranny that was not 100% done. No matter which way you looked, including up, down (WAY down in some places), behind that corner, behind you, everywhere was DONE, decorated and done well. And they redid 80% of the haunt that year. That is impressive detail for such a short amount of time.

Nothing felt like they just bought a Scarefactory prop and threw it in the corner. Or a hall of just black walls to get you to the next scene. The whole route was a scene.

Big plus being there was not one moment through it all where I ever felt unsafe and you never saw the actors not "ready" to get you.

When I came home I could only describe it as most haunts are like going to the park down the block and Terror on the Fox is like going to Disneyland!

Not to mention these are some of the nicest, down to earth guys in the world. They have every right to be totally cocky, but you can't find a cooler bunch of people!

[Spookyfinder]

Whoops, hate to bog down the thread with unrelated banter, but look who the cat dragged in! Whats up Julie!!!...saw your name on here and had to reply!...don't think I've ever seen you on here before!