The Dent Schoolhouse (Cincinnati, OH)
“Halloween Has A New Hideaway”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
The Dent schoolhouse celebrates its 10th year of Fear. Halloween has made a home at this world famous haunt and you’ll never look at trick or treating the same way. For 2015, The Dent Schoolhouse has made some major changes that you’ll notice right away. The haunted playground scene has been replaced with a unique interactive Fall Festival queue line. I’ve never seen anything like it. There are over 150 carved jack-o-lanterns, one of a kind Halloween booths and so much more.
The majority of The Dent Schoolhouse features rooms that would be found in a broken down house of fear. It’s a beautiful haunt to say the least with jaw dropping scenery and effects. You’ll travel through the haunted halls where Charlie the janitor is hiding and waiting for his next victim.
You’ll explore the library that has one angry librarian. She pops up when you least expect it. She has some ghostly friends of her own who aren’t too kind to strangers. The school dance has been taken over by zombies and a flying spirit with glowing eyes. The nurse is here to help and would love to stab you with her needle. You’ll be attacked by a massive mutant rat and you’ll even be confronted by a monster in a shower stall with running water. A little girl dressed as a green faced witch walks around in Charlie’s basement.
There are many new additions like the laboratory with monkey experiments, a coffin storage room and more. The outside section has school buses filled with cheerleaders wanting you to spell the word “Dent”. It reminded me a little of the character Baby in House of 1000 Corpses. The audio has been enhanced in scenes and the lighting is some of the best in the industry.
This is one crazy haunt with a heavy dose of detail, twisted scenes and tons of eye candy every which way you turn. You’re not going to see black walls because practically every inch of this haunt has old antiques, scary props and more. The bathroom features a CGI apparition and there are some other impressive props and effects. The door that has zombies trying to break free was pretty unique. There’s not much to say about The Dent Schoolhouse expect for wow. Every type of room you can imagine inside a schoolhouse is part of this haunt. You’ll enter a locker room, shop class, a creepy cafeteria and much much more.
We were in and out of the haunt in 16 minutes and we enjoyed the new additions that were Halloween themed. This included a victim that’s been turned into a jack-o-lantern human hybrid, poor souls dressed as ghosts and so much more. Halloween has truly made its home at The Dent Schoolhouse.
The actors are phenomenal. It’s as if they’re the ghouls and madmen they’re portraying. For the most part the actors were spot on. The scenes are great, but I do miss the room with the giant Demon Knight monster that busted through a brick wall. This incredible prop can now be seen outside in the photo op station.
In only 10 years The Dent Schoolhouse has earned its place among the best haunts in the nation and it has made some major changes for the 2015 season. After you’re done, be sure to explore Queen City Slaughter Yard. It’s a unique maze where you’ll meet some chainsaw wielding freaks and feel like a pig that’s out to be slaughtered. Body parts hang from the ceiling and there are farm animals that have been torn to pieces. This is a fun attraction, but it only lasts around 6 minutes. There are some standout scenes and characters like the actress who attacks you with her massive saw. We just wish this haunt had more to offer in the way of scares. Queen City Slaughter Yard is included in the admission for The Dent Schoolhouse and has not been scored.
Regular admission is $20 and Fast Pass Admission is $30. Front of the line admission to skip straight to the front is $40. Lights on Tours are $5 for children and $10 for adults. Lights out tours are $15 and Ghost Tours (online only) are $25 per person. Group rates are available. The haunt will be open on Friday, November 13th and tickets are just $13. Please visit www.frightsite.com for more information. There are plenty of concessions available onsite including food, drinks, glow items and more.
Halloween has a new hideaway at The Dent Schoolhouse. Experience true fear in Cincinnati!
Length-8 Design-10 Props/Animatronics-10 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 9.2
www.frightsite.com