The Haunted Hotel-“Terror In The Bluegrass State”
This year The Haunted Hotel has made Haunted Attraction Magazine’s Top 25 Must See Attractions List and rightfully so. For years this haunt has been giving the fine people of Louisville Kentucky Nightmares and in 2009 it gets the recognition it deserves. This is the one and only Haunted Hotel.
Length-8: Depending on how fast you travel through The Haunted Hotel, it may take 15-20 minutes to exit. It really depends on your pace. This is a very action packed haunt, but has a few areas where there is just blank space or darkness.
Design-8: You’ll begin your stay at The Haunted Hotel when you are taken to the 13th Floor after your ride on the Hellevator. From there you’ll enter into different scenes focusing on a variety of themes. Rooms include a nude shower scene, a psycho circus, bloody Christmas living room, an intense elevator ride and everything you’ve come to expect from this annual favorite. A few additions this year include a carnival booth where you’ll be able to play throw the dart as you attempt to win a prize by hitting the right color. This scene is fun, but seems a bit out of place when you compare it to the intensity of the rest of the haunt.
If you’ve ever been to Dead Acres in Columbus Ohio you will notice right away that there are 2 scenes at The Haunted Hotel that are very similar to what you will experience there. I’m not going to give anything away, but you’ll know when you see it. These rooms are very unique, but if you are with a group of 6 or more people and are in the back you may miss some of these gruesome effects.
Once you exit the hotel you will go through a variety of scenes that take place outside. Unfortunately most of the outside area pales in comparison to the rest of The Haunted Hotel. The scenes lack detail and the majority of the second half consists of a chainsaw maze. Now this is one of the most intense mazes around, but you could easily enter into the areas where the actors are hiding if the doors aren’t perfectly closed. Also some of the rooms inside the hotel were a bit confusing and had us entering in areas where we weren’t meant to be. This had us and the group in front of us entering into the actor’s hiding spot where we had to be told where to go next. This wasn’t a reoccurring experience, but something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Props/Animatronics-9: The Haunted Hotel has always been known for its variety of high tech props and impressive eye candy throughout the haunt. This includes a vicious rottweiler, a spinning vortex tunnel, creatures attacking from the woods and of the course the one and only Hellevator. The Hellevator is a one of kind animatronic that simulates an elevator ride straight to Hell. You’ll experience the elevator violently shaking while lights flash on and off and sound effects of the elevator malfunctioning as it’s ready to crash. You won’t find a better Hellevator anywhere. It’s that good. Over the years a few props have been removed from the haunt such as The 13 Foot Impaler and a large grim reaper which glided in the air. But thankfully new decorations have been added over the years such as the brand new Asylum Door from Pale Night Productions.
This animatronic was first introduced at this years Transworld and haunts everywhere have been using it ever since. This is the first animatronic that combines CGI and an animatronic. It’s really one of a kind, but doesn’t seem to be placed correctly in haunts. It’s either off to the side or somewhere where the customer has to turn around to look at it. Either way it’s unique, but not as effective as your typical animatronic that uses compressed air.
Acting-9: The actors at The Haunted Hotel are extreme and some of the most intense you’ll see this year. They are relentless, brutal and downright vicious. The only reason the cast isn’t getting a perfect score is because many of them lack dialogue and a couple times we were almost hit in the face by chainsaws. If the actor slipped slightly, someone would have been injured. A haunt can have a great cast of characters, but common sense goes along way in keeping your customers safe as they go through your haunt. The Haunted Hotel is a safe haunt, but at times I had to cover my face in order to not get hit.
While your at The Haunted Hotel you’ll notice that most of the actors bust out of doors or dark corners as soon as the lights shut off and loud rock music is heard. This is very unique and can be quite startling. It has you wondering where an actor is going to be next. There always seems to be a hidden door they’re able to come out of no matter where you are.
Scare Effect-9:The Haunted Hotel is one of the scariest haunts in Kentucky. It’s very intense and has some scenes that are downright shocking. The actors seem like they are straight out of Hell because they never let up no matter what. Good luck trying to find a more high startle haunt than The Haunted Hotel.
Customer Service: Parking is free and it’s very safe trying to find a spot because the road has been blocked off by cop cars. The staff is friendly and very organized. I just wish there were more concessions instead of just Haunted Hotel T-Shirts for sale.
Fright Value: $15 is a great deal for a haunt this intense. Please make sure to print out the $2 coupon available on their website. That makes your experience only $13 which is hard to beat for a haunt of this quality.
Final Stab-8.6: The Haunted Hotel is a tradition for haunt goers in Louisville. It’s intense, creative and just fun to go through. There’s a rehis haunt has been around for nearly 20 years. It’s one of the best Kentucky has to offer and always has something new every year.