Darkness falls on Asylum (Louisville, KY)
“Mable’s Cat Tonic”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Every year we make sure we stop in Louisville for the annual Caufiield’s Halloween Parade. This annual event is a tradition for families and friends. The parade features unique floats, costumed characters and emergency vehicles. Our night would be simple and we wouldn’t be pressed for time trying to make it to so many different haunts. The first haunt we would visit that night was Asylum Haunted Scream Park. Last year it was known as Darkness Falls on Asylum and only featured one full length haunted trail. It was a great haunted trail with unique features we don’t see everywhere. For 2011, Darkness Falls on Asylum returns as well as a brand new haunt called Zombie City. The entire park has been re branded as Asylum Haunted Scream Park and features paintball, carnival style games, food and of course haunts.
The first haunt we would tour at the haunted scream park is Darkness Falls on Asylum. We didn’t have to wait at all since the majority of people seemed to be touring the new attraction Zombie City. Darkness Falls on Asylum is a haunted trail that takes place in the dark woods with some unique elements that separate it from other haunts in the area. We didn’t have to wait at all and after a short introduction by a costumed character we were on our way to experience this year’s Darkness Falls on Asylum. Like I’ve said before, this is a very dark haunted trail where you may get lost at certain points or will be uncertain as to where go. But a lot of the trail has lit markers so you don’t make a wrong turn.
Darkness Falls on Asylum features a plethora of entertaining rooms and scenes. The dentist’s office returns this year and has a surprise visitor. It’s of course The Tooth Fairy who wants a handful of your dirty crusty teeth before you leave her office. The scene is pretty funny and a little unnerving. You’re not sure whether to cringe or laugh. Darkness Falls on Asylum has a lot of interesting characters like Petunia who welcomes you to her side of the woods, but her pa isn’t too fond of visitors. Oh, you’ll meet him soon. You’ll meet a lot of actors who are great and really know how to strike at people’s fears. There’s nowhere to hide because at one moment you might think it’s a set piece and all of a sudden that massive clown starts moving and coming towards you.
Darkness Falls on Asylum is a very enjoyable haunt and has some scenes that are just plain fun. Their winding graveyard includes a large rising Grim Reaper with red glowing eyes, tombstones and some creepy characters. There are a lot of creepy characters at Darkness Falls on Asylum like the Gate Keeper who asks for a gift before he lets you cross his rickety bridge. I offered up my cat. It won’t be that big of a loss and he finally won’t be able to dig on the furniture.There’s a lot going on at Darkness Falls on Asylum and as I just said, it’s very fun. When is the last time you slid down a slide in complete darkness while running into pieces of foam? Darkness Falls on Asylum also has plenty of traditional scenes you can expect to see at most haunts like a body bag room, but this one has animated roaches crawling all over. You can also expect to enter a chain maze, a clown house and more. There are some surprises along the way, but you didn’t think I would tell you, did you?
Darkness Falls on Asylum is a very enjoyable haunted trail that lasts around 25 minutes. It’s a little expensive at $20, so I would suggest you buy a combo ticket to experience both Darkness Falls on Asylum and Zombie City for $30 which is a pretty damn good deal. Carnivale of Lost Souls is priced per game or $10 to play 13 games. Zombie Hunting is $8 a ticket or $28 for a combo ticket when you include another haunt. Whatever you choose, you are sure going to have a flesh eating good time at Asylum Haunted Scream Park. Please visit www.asylumhaunts.com for details on pricing.
Length-10 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-7 Acting-8 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 8.4
Zombie City (Louisville, KY)
“Let’s Get Us Some Zambies”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
The newest haunt at Asylum Haunted Scream Park is Zombie City. Zombie City had a much longer line than Darkness Falls on Asylum which was surprising considering that this attraction is brand new. We waited about 15 minutes in line and before we knew it, it was our turn to enter Zombie City. Would we become part of the legion of the undead or would we be able to fight off the flesh eaters as they try to taste a little of our flesh and bones.
We were sent in with a group of girls who traveled from Akron, OH to experience this haunt. They tour haunts all over the country and just love to be scared. We walked behind them most of the time because it’s always entertaining seeing how scared girls react to everything. Zombie City is the most interactive haunt I’ve ever been to. You become part of the story as zombies attack, military fight off hordes of zombies and different actors interact with customers. It’s a very unique haunt and wasn’t what I was expecting.
Before you enter Zombie City, you’ll be given a surgical mask so you have no chance of getting the deadly virus that changes a normal person to one of the undead. It’s a clever idea and adds more to the experience of being part of a zombie holocaust. The first scene has you entering a large city where you’re surrounded by various buildings and some blood thirsty zombies. Actors fire at the zombies with guns as they fall to the floor in pain. You are part of the action and you’re in the middle of a war against flesh eating freaks.
The acting at Zombie City is unlike anything I’ve experienced at a haunt. The actors make you part of the experience and it’s one hell of a ride. One of the best actors at Zombie City is Nurse Mable who offers you some of her cat tonic and insists that she isn’t crazy. Zombie City has a lot of crazy characters like the good ole boy who invites you into his shack as he fights of zombies with his gun. He calls them zambies. He even lets you help out a little by handing you his handheld detonator. Hit the switch and let the fun begin. You’ll even encounter a young girl who loves to play with her dead dog that she’s stuffed. It’s very creepy.
Zombie City lasts close to 20 minutes depending on how long each segment runs. There are a lot of scenes you’ll enter, but it can sometimes be a little confusing as to when to stop or keep going. Zombie City is more fun with a large group than it is with 1 or 2 people. It’s a group effort and a fun one at that.Zombie City is a great addition to the Scream Park and it’s obvious that it’s a crowd pleaser by the size of the crowd. After you are finished with both haunts, be sure to shoot some zombies at the brand new Zombie Hunting where you can kill the undead in this 9,000 square foot attraction. After you are done with all of the attractions, don’t forget to play a few carnival games at The Carnivale of Souls or get a bite to eat at the concessions trailer.
Zombie City is $20 which is pretty high considering it can last under 20 minutes. That’s more than a dollar a minute. Your best bet is to buy a combo ticket for $30 and you can experience both Zombie City and Darkness Falls on Asylum for a reduced price instead of paying $20 a piece. Carnivale of Lost Souls is priced per game or $10 to play 13 games. Zombie Hunting is $8 a ticket or $28 for a combo ticket when you include another haunt. Whatever you choose, you are sure going to have a flesh eating good time at Asylum Haunted Scream Park. Please visit www.asylumhaunts.com for details on pricing.
Length-8 Design-9 Props/Animatronics-7 Acting-10 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 8.6