Brimstone Haunt (Wilmington, OH)
“A Renaissance of Fear”
By Noah Wullkotte
The sun sets and an evil comes out of hiding. Monsters roam the earth and find shelter at Brimstone Haunt in Wilmington, OH. Killers are waiting for you and you’ll be their next victim. A sharp fanged psychopath known as The Boogeyman would love to torture you until you can’t handle anymore. You’ll meet The Boogeyman soon enough, but we aren’t going to tell where at Brimstone Haunt. Skinner is a unique individual. He likes to collect his victims and he proudly wears their skin as clothing. He’s out there and he will skin you alive. This unique character is played by none other than Shaun Bolen who is known for his creepy characters.
Brimstone Haunt takes place at the Renaissance Park Event center. It’s on the same grounds as the very popular Ohio Renaissance Festival. It was packed the night we showed up. There were people of all ages ready to get the crap scared out of them. Brimstone Haunt consists of a variety of attractions that will make you scream in terror. This includes Brimstone Haunted Hayride, Forgotten Forest, Psychosis and Zombie Assault.
We started our evening off with Zombie Assault. Take a seat in a zombie assault vehicle where the living dead are chasing after you as you try to escape. There’s bloodshed, fire and pure mayhem. The vehicle is going out of control and you can’t escape the zombie apocalypse that ensues. This is a very interactive experience. You’ll be surrounded by TVs that play intense zombie carnage. It’s quite immersive. The car moves up and down, vibrates and there are some surprises along the way. We haven’t experienced anything like it before and you’ll definitely have a hell of a good time. It took us 5 minutes to survive the flesh eating horror.
Psychosis is Brimstone Haunt’s most demented attraction. This attraction takes place inside a trailer and it’s very unique. The giant robot that shot at us was bad ass. I also enjoyed the spiked wall that closed in on me and the semi truck. There are some actors here and there and they’re pretty crazy. This is a loud haunt at times and features intense lighting and glorious gas powered chainsaws. It’s on the short side lasting around 4 minutes, but it’s action packed while it lasts.
Forgotten Forest is Brimstone Haunt’s version of a haunted trail and it’s a good one at that. Enter the deep dark forest of no return. Creatures of the night are hiding and they will snatch you up. There’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide in the Forgotten Forest. The Forgotten Forest is a 15 minute trek with scenes that appeal to all ages. There’s tons of variety. You’ll explore areas such as the Baby Doll Forest. That life sized doll was weird beyond words. You’ll enter a dimly lit cavern where you might not return in one piece.
You’ll meet the Spider Queen in the Spider’s Lair and the greenhouse is home to some strange people. Strange is an understatement. Forgotten Forest has some detailed scenes. The cemetery features large mausoleums and skeletal remains. The vortex tunnel leads to a wacky carnival with a scary surprise. The school bus driver had me in stitches as she told jokes while people walked past her. This is a fun haunt and one of the highlights of our trip to Brimstone Haunt.
Last, but certainly not least is Brimstone Haunted Hayride. This is the most popular attraction at Brimstone Haunt and for good reason. There’s just something special about a hayride on a cool fall night. If you don’t get scared then you’ll be entertained by how the other people react on the wagon. Some will laugh. Others will scream. A few might even become frozen with fear.
Brimstone Haunted Hayride is 20 minutes long and consists of bone chilling scenes that will wake the dead. There are multiple vehicle chases. Get ready to be chased by a combine, a hearse and more. I must say that I kind of miss seeing the Headless Horseman since it’s such a cool sight and something you never get tired of. The hearse is the same one that was used at Springboro Haunted Hayride which I’m very glad they kept. The combine could use more lighting since it’s quite dim.
Brimstone Haunted Hayride will always be the star of Brimstone Haunt. Everyone seems to love a spooky hayride and so do I. You’ll explore areas such as the scarecrow alley, the saw mill, a junkyard, a circus/freak show and so much more. The music and sound effects could be slightly louder, but it sounds good none the less. We always have a good time at Brimstone Haunted Hayride.
Brimstone Haunt has grown a lot over time and it has become a destination to bring your friends and family to during the Halloween season. Tickets are $15 for the hayride, $12 for Forgotten Forest, and $27 for a combo ticket. Zombie Assault is $5 per person and is not included in the combo ticket. Online tickets are $1 cheaper for all attractions. Group pricing is available. A Fast Pass is an additional $20 and it’s only good for the combo ticket. There’s a variety of concessions like hotdogs, soft pretzels, hot chocolate and there’s even a beer stand. There’s haunt merchandise (aka scare-wear) available. You might want to pick up a T-Shirt or two. Don’t forget to get in line to see the Sea Witch. We got a look at her last year and she’s one creepy chick.
Brimstone Haunt is a fun destination that brings family and friends together for some Halloween fright.
Final Stab For Each Haunt
Brimstone Haunted Hayride: Length-9 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8 Final Stab: 8.2
Forgotten Forest: Length-8 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8 Final Stab: 8.0
Please Note: Psychosis and Zombie Assault have not been scored.