Fear Fair (Seymour, IN)
“The Dead Walk Again”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Fear Fair in Seymour, Indiana has gained a reputation over the years as being one of the best places to get the living daylights scared out of you. If you love horror movies then this is the haunt for you. This is City Blood’s review of Fear Fair, Indiana’s Scariest Haunted House.
One of the newest additions to this year’s haunt is an impressive prison that’s taken straight from season 3 and 4 of The Walking Dead. The masterminds behind Indiana’s scariest haunted house, don’t take any shortcuts when it comes to replicating a scene from a popular TV Show or movie. The West Georgia Correction Facility has been built from the ground up and it’s full of the undead that are about to escape from their cells. The zombies at Fear Fair are unlike any that we’ve encountered. They grab at your clothes and bite your shoulders. Some drool and cry out in pain.
This is an elaborate haunt without question. What other haunt has built portions of Downtown Atlanta from The Walking Dead? If you’re a fan of the comic book series and TV Show then you will be in Walking Dead heaven at Fear Fair. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Fear Fair has brand new scenes that revolve around this classic horror flick. The new meat locker with hanging slabs of meat is impressive. There’s not just one Leatherface, there’s two and they both have gas powered chainsaws that will tear you to shreds.
You will face off with pure evil at Fear Fair. Poor Regan MacNeil has been possessed by the demon Pazuzu. In popular mythology, Pazuzu is known as the demon of the Southwest wind and can take many forms. Tonight this demon has taken control of an innocent girl whose bed moves by itself. A courageous priest wants to take Pazuzu straight back to Hell. Watch out for Regan who wants to grab your arm and use some colorful language. This is an intense scene that pays tribute to The Exorcist.
Fear Fair plays homage to your favorite horror movies from the past and present. Entire sections are dedicated to movies like Rob Zombie’s Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Saw, Silent Hill and others. Enter a dark theater before walking through a movie screen where your reality becomes dark and sinister. Your favorite horror movies will unfold right in front of you at Fear Fear’s Film Festival. If you’re not a big horror movie buff then don’t worry. Many of the scenes feature a clip board that describes the movie you’re about to experience.
One of my favorite parts of Fear is the section dedicated to A Nightmare on Elm Street. Many of your favorite scenes from this Wes Craven masterpiece are here. You’ll walk past a bathtub where Nancy Thompson is attacked by Freddy’s razor sharp glove. You’ll witness Freddy Krueger busting through the wall above a bed. The boiler room is full of smoke and there’s even a hallway that seems to go on forever.
This is a very immersive haunt with realistic scenes. A train moves out of control, the temperature drops as you enter a freezer and scenes feature authentic structures. The actors are intense and the costumes are elaborate. The nurses in the Silent Hill section have deformed and twisted faces. They wear low cut tops and they shuffle back and fourth.
Frankenstein’s Castle is one of the most elaborate scenes at Fear Fair. There are very few haunts that feature a Tesla Coil, but Fear Fair is one of them. Doctor Victor Strassheim and his assistant Igor want to experiment on you. They have some unique ways in how they deal with their subjects.
Fear Fair is unlike any haunt we’ve experienced. It’s like stepping into an alternate universe where movie monsters and horror villains are real. This is a charity haunt, but it’s one of the most elaborate as well. Every year, new scenes are built from the ground up and amazing props and special effects are utilized. You’ll experience unique CGI, animated mannequins, custom made set pieces and more.
There are some scenes that could use some improvement. The Exorcist scene is intense, but it’s just too short. Unfortunately because most of the movie takes place in a single bedroom, it’s hard to really feature more than one scene. The Saw bathroom scene is innovative, but it isn’t as effective when the customers are just a group of guys. But overall there’s not much that we can complain about.
The total tour time was just under 23 minutes give or take a few. General admission is $20 a person. A Fast Pass costs $25 a person which is great for those who don’t want to wait in long lines. While you’re at Fear Fair, you can watch a band on the Fear Fair music stage. This is one of the best haunted attractions in America that features some of the most realistic horror movie scenes around. Seymour, Indiana is a small town, but Fear Fair is definitely a big time haunt. It’s a true classic.
Length-9 Design-10 Props/Animatronics-10 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 9.4
www.fearfair.com