Fright Manor (Indianapolis, IN)
“Old School Scares”
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
After we parked our car, we got out and began to walk. Suddenly we see a sign that reads “Bodies Buried=$5, Bodies Buried Deep=$10. Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper could be heard playing in the background. Fright Manor is an old school haunt at heart. Yes, you will see animatronics here and there, but their main motive is to entertain customers with creepy characters and bone chilling scenes.
Fright Manor is a 20 minute haunt that’s full of scary characters that will haunt your dreams. The kitchen has a killer cook that wants to cook you for dinner. Patches the clown can be found in the dark carnival/circus. Play a game of Putt Putt Golf with a severed head. You better win or your head will be on a silver platter. The polka dot room and room that resembles silly string are very eye catching. You never know what to expect at Fright Manor. The scarecrow hay field will have you watching your back. If your in need of help then head on down to the operating room where a man is seen pulling the intestines out of one of his victims. It’s a wonderful sight indeed. They’re waiting for you in Cold Storage.
Sections of Fright Manor can be quite dark which creates a chilling atmosphere. You’ll meet none other than the Boogey Man himself, Michael Myers. He slowly follows you throughout multiple scenes. I felt like Laurie Strode fleeing for her life. Fright Manor has one of the best Freddy Kruegers. It’s obvious that he is dedicated to his craft and won’t for a second break character no matter what. The Springwood Slasher will get you. He got inches from clawing my face and I felt like jumping back. He’s definitely the best actor at Fright Manor. One of the newest characters at Fright Manor is a woman who’s shocked to death. I was surprised to learn that it was her first night since she was so convincing. She must be exhausted at the end of the night.
Fright Manor doesn’t play around when it comes to claustrophobia tunnels. You’ll crawl through one, duck underneath another and one resembles a swamp. Fright Manor doesn’t have a Jason Voorhees, but they do have a Jason room. A dark room is decorated with glowing Jason Masks. It’s your job to figure out which one is an actor before they jump out. There are plenty of high startle props that are animated and static at Fright Manor. You’ll travel across a high voltage bridge that violently vibrates. There’s also a killer junk yard dog, a ghoul peeing in a toilet, hanging severed heads and much much more. My personal favorite is the skeleton shaking his cage.
Fright Manor has two attractions that form one large haunt. These are Back Country and Fear in the Dark. Fear in the Dark is the highlight of the experience. This is where you’ll see the best scenes and props. Fright Manor is just plain fun. Yes, Back Country needs a little tlc, but it’s creepy none the less. Tickets are $25 per person which isn’t bad considering that there are two distinctly different attractions. It’s $10 additional for a Fast Pass to skip the regular line. There are many discounts available. There’s $20 admission for military, police and firefighters with ID. It’s only $20 admission for senior citizens with ID and $15 for FFA members only. Member ID is required. Get $5 off on Friday Night Football. Bring a ticket stub for the discount. There are concessions available such as chips, candy and more.
Fright Manor is one hell of a good time. It’s old school horror with a mix of modern scares. We definitely recommend that you pay them a visit this Halloween season. Bring your friends, bring your family and let the good times roll.
Length-9 Design-7 Props-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8
Final Stab: 8.0
www.frightmanor.com