Fright Manor (Indianapolis, IN)
“The Resurrection of Evil”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Fright Manor is one of Indiana’s oldest and most beloved haunts. It consists of 5 different themed attractions that form one big frightening experience. The attractions are Zombie Alley, 13 Nightmares, Psychomanthium, Southside Sanitarium, and Purgatory Prison. The haunt begins when you enter Zombie Alley. Grab a gun and get ready to shoot the living dead. They’re hungry for brains and the only way you’ll survive is if you’re able to destroy as many flesh eaters as humanly possible. For the love of God, don’t let yourself get bitten or you might change into something inhuman.
Zombies are everywhere and luckily you’re equipped with a shotgun that will blast these mindless ghouls back to hell. They’re everywhere and you’re damn lucky that you haven’t become infected yet. Zombie Alley is a very intense and interactive experience. The other person in my group was equipped with a gun and looking around every corner. It can be very suspenseful not knowing what’s hiding or blending into the environment. Every time you shoot a zombie, the gun makes a loud pop and lights up. Wait a couple seconds before shooting or the gun might overheat.
Zombie Alley is a great way to start Fright Manor and you won’t need to wait in line after you’re done. It’s a smooth transition going from one attraction to another. Fright Manor is definitely an old school haunt with a spooky atmosphere. It’s an eerie experience with dark rooms and hair raising scares.
Fright Manor might have an old school feel, but this doesn’t mean that you won’t see some impressive animatronics and unique props. There are high tech scares everywhere. Werewolves lunge at you in the haunted forest. The dark swamp forces you to walk between air bags that are low to the ground. You’ll feel like you’re drowning in dark swampy water. Fright Manor has many versions of the popular claustrophobia tunnel. One forces you to duck underneath an airbag.
The funny thing is that I usually have a hard time getting startled at haunts, but I did jump at Fright Manor. I ‘m ashamed to admit that an animated skeleton shaking a cage got me by surprise. Yes, a fake skeleton scared me.Fright Manor is the first haunt we’ve seen this year that played on people’s fear of Ebola. The decontamination room is ready for you and you better get sprayed down. That zombie munching on a corpse just threw some blood in your face and who knows what you’re about to contract.
Fright Manor has your usual horror movie characters like Leatherface, Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers. Leatherface can be found in his bloody meat locker and Jason will attack you with his massive machete . He takes his frustrations out on a couch. Fright manor plays tribute to famous serial killers on their Serial Killer Wall of Fame. It’s interesting reading about these psychopaths.
We don’t want to give away all the surprises at Fright Manor and we aren’t going to reveal which scenes are in the various attractions. It would be difficult to discuss every room you’ll walk through without rambling on. You’ll venture through areas such as a cemetery with a coffin salesman, a dentist’s operating room and even a live suicide. There’s a lot going on at Fright manor and tons of different themed rooms. You’ll even see a unique electric chair that is sure to get a reaction out of you.
This is a great haunt. The lighting could be improved and Purgatory Prison isn’t as impressive as everything else. But every haunt has its flaws and thankfully Fright Manor has a lot going for it. Tickets are $20 a person and this includes admission to every attraction. Click here for a $2 off coupon. There’s a concession trailer outside with food and refreshments. A can of pop costs just a buck. The total tour time was 25 minutes, but someone else who walks at a slower pace could be in the haunt for 30 minutes or longer.
Fright Manor is a great value and one of our favorite haunts in Indiana. It’s a place where you can bring the entire family, but it’s pretty scary as well. You’ll definitely have a frightening time.
Length-9 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8
Final Stab: 8.2
www.frightmanor.com