The Haunted Hotel is not purely mental. You will feel your personal space getting invaded and it will make you feel a grime. You can check into the haunt but there is no way you are going to check out. It’s very tense and disturbing because there is no telling an actor’s next move. The elevator isn’t even a safe place to go to. The elevator attendant gets viciously close while he snarls and grips your face. The elevator wasn’t working properly but the actor there sure had a scene to implement. He thrashed around, climbed above us and the elevator started shaking furiously while we were left in complete silence and darkness. Impressive to say the least, and I have to say I was astounded. By the time he was through scaring us, I can only imagine how exhausted he must have felt.
The Haunted Hotel terrorizes all the attending guests that cross it’s path; they are forced to partake in the horror behind the property. Did I mention that every visitor is hunted down to their last breath? The endless stairwell felt liked I was enclosed in shackles, and I swear I was going towards freedom till I was out of breath and grabbed again. During the evening itself, I was horrified by the sheer amount of people dressed as chainsaw maniacs. One of the characters proceeded to squeeze my head like a pimple and asked me where I was from. There was also this crazy man who wore a mask (scary) and kissed me without my consent. To top it all of, he made comments on my beard before diving in.
The Haunted Hotel offers a different kind of scary as it has very good acting and an interactive experience. So imagine my surprise when I found out that my name was under “Dipshit” on the reservation list. You will meet the head maid Tempest who will caution you against what lies ahead in the hotel. Some of the characters use large weapons and other tools to startle you. A woman with a meat cleaver ignites sparks as she attempts to butcher her victims. While trying to escape the greenhouse, large dog-sized plants attempt to devour you whole. The whole scenario screams horror if that is not enough for you, as a cockroach starts sprinting towards customers as they walk by.
Sometimes it is difficult to separate bizarre from amazing and The Haunted Hotel is one such attraction. Yes, that woman is laughing maniacally while sitting on the toilet. A stray pillow may hit you as a hilarious pillow fight ensues in another room. The doll room, freezer, shower stall, church, and so many more, and while none of those rooms are particularly inviting, they are bound to leave you wanting more. The hotel has a haunting look as if an entire army of deranged and psychopathic people took over. So many terrifying props are scattered throughout that it is practically impossible to run around the building without being startled. Finally, be cautious of barrels, as they may slam into you unexpectedly.
What can I say? The Haunted Hotel has been scaring customers for 32 years and there’s a reason as to why people keep coming back for more. “It’s fun, physical, and you’ll bear witness to some strange sights you might not see at other haunts.” The Haunted Hotel’s physical layout is almost a theme park attraction in itself at it’s around a quarter a mile long, split into two sections, outside and inside. The outside section of The Haunted Hotel is very different from the inside. It’s not as detailed, but it’s scary none the less.
We took an astounding 20 minutes to find our way out alive at The Haunted Hotel. Whenever we knew we were in the middle of a dead zone, which was pretty often, we would stop walking and cover our faces in fear. The Haunted Hotel is a hands on haunt, but they do not over do it. It’s just the right amount of physical contact.
Tickets cost $25 in September and on October 8, 15, 22, 26, 29, and 31. They cost $30 on October 6, 7, 13, 20, and 27, and $35 on October 14, 21, and 28. For Fast Passes, pay $15 more and Front of the Line offers have an additional cost of $35. You can purchase haunted hotel T-Shirts, hoodies, and beanies. There are also lots of parking spaces available for a fee of $10, but free parking can be found along the neighboring side road. On the day we went, there was a BBQ food truck present. Curse of Krampus is being held on the 16th and 23rd of December. The combo ticket for both Curse of Krampus at the Haunted Hotel and Christmas Chaos at Malice Manor are $50. It’s a Christmas throw down for the history books.
The Haunted Hotel is one of the original haunted houses which, with time, has aged like fine wine. Indulge in some down and dirty horror at The Haunted Hotel. This is one of the shows you definitely need to buy a ticket for and wait in line because it’s worth it.
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