Hauntville (Elyria, OH)
“Send In The Clowns”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Hauntville is Elyria, Ohio’s premiere haunted event. Hauntville consists of 3 haunted attractions. They are Cellblock 13, Psycho Manor and Wicked Clowns 4-D. All haunts join together to create an over the top event like nothing else you’ll experience in Northeast Ohio.
Hauntville begins as you enter Cell Block 13 and you’re confronted by a crazed officer. Welcome to Cellblock 13, the most unique corrections facility in the United States of America. Behind these walls contains the most insane criminal minds this side of the Mississippi River. There are 3 rules you must follow and you’ll be given a special nickname. Mine was Candy Ass for the second year in a row.
Cell Block 13 is a very dark haunt with rooms themed after a twisted prison. You’ll enter rooms such as a prisoner’s cell, a bathroom, a laboratory, a live execution and more. We really liked how we had to exit the bathroom through a bathroom stall. The actors are good, but there are too many black walls between some scenes.
Cell Block 13 transitions into Psycho Manor. Psycho Manor is home to some of the wildest and craziest ghouls around. It doesn’t have an exact theme, but there’s a plethora of rooms that are sure to give you a goose bump or two. A bedroom has a ghostly surprise. Is that woman’s head spinning or is it your imagination? Enter a chicken coop where you might become the animal of choice. A zombie hides in a fireplace and a gravedigger welcomes you to his graveyard. He considers it home. Watch out for grandma who comes zooming down a staircase. We really enjoyed Psycho Manor. It’s a dark haunt that resembles a real haunted house.
Next on our Agenda was Wicked Clowns 4-D. Wicked Clowns 4-D is possibly the best clown themed attraction we’ve ever experienced. It’s an interactive haunt with effects you won’t see at many places. The new tilting room will definitely throw you off balance with its unique teeter totter effect. The entire haunt is perfectly themed after the carnival and a crazy circus. You’ll travel through the clown Hall of Fame which features portraits of legendary clowns. My favorite is of course Bozo the Clown. The Bozo the Clown show was a big part of my childhood.
Wicked Clowns 4-D is very interactive. You’ll get sprayed by water in the toilet room and you’ll walk through an ice cream truck that has a blaring horn. The spinning box is unlike anything we’ve experienced. The clowns are in control and they’ll spin you around and around until you can’t take it anymore. There’s a reason why there’s a ghoul on the outside puking his guts out. At Wicked Clowns 4-D, the props fight back. You’ll be attacked by a variety of animals and insects. A massive snake wants to gobble you up and an alligator wants to bite your feet.
Wicked Clowns 4-D incorporates almost all of your senses including smell. You’ll definitely be grossed out by the smell of urine in the toilet room. It obviously doesn’t bother the clown dancing in a toiler bowl. We aren’t usually huge fans of clown themed haunts, but Wicked Clowns 4-D is an exception to the rule. It’s innovative, interactive and damn fun. We didn’t want it to end because it was that good of a 3-D attraction.
The entire Hauntville experience lasts 30 minutes. Don’t forget to check out Zombie Hunt in 3-D after you’re done with the haunt. Shoot zombies and creatures from the unknown in an immersive 3-D environment. It’s fun, but it could be more exciting. Adding some scary music would really liven up the attraction. There was only one actor dressed as a zombie and after a while, it became a little monotonous shooting objects.
General admission is $16 and this includes all the haunts. For the full Hauntville experience, buy the Package Deal for $20, and experience all the Haunted Houses plus the new “Zombie Hunt in 3-D Paintball” . Hauntville is one of our favorite places to go during the Halloween season. It’s a great value and it’s quite long. You can’t beat that. Please save your Haunville ticket for $5 off 7 Floors of Hell in Berea, OH. Also don’t forget to get your picture taken. It will be featured on Hauntville’s Facebook page. Hauntville T-Shirts are only $10.
Length-10 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-9 Acting-8 Scare Effect-9
Final Stab: 8.8
www.elyriahauntedhouse.com