Nighmare on Valley Street & The Rat Trap (Dayton, OH)
“Dayton’s Demented Trail”
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
The last time we toured Nightmare on Valley Street was in 2010 and tonight we would return to see how the haunt has changed since then. A lot of things have changed since we last toured the haunted trail. Two new attractions have been added which include The Rat Trap and Hillbilly Hayride. We’ll talk about these attractions later in the review.
Nightmare on Valley Street is a large haunted trail with a cast of nearly 70 monsters and victims that walk its haunted grounds. Before entering the haunted trail be sure to check out their Halloween crafts tent that offers hand crafted pumpkins, skeletons and other neat crafts. You can also buy yourself a can of Monster Energy Drink that will get your heart racing for the haunted trail. Our wait in line was brief and there were a couple of startling surprises before the haunt ever started. Who doesn’t jump a little after a shotgun blank is fired?
Nightmare on Valley Street is a lengthy haunt, but isn’t as long as it used to be. This is mainly because of the confusing maze that has been eliminated from the end of the haunt. It’s now its own separate attraction called The Rat Trap. Your experience at the haunted trail is over 20 minutes long. Nightmare on Valley Street doesn’t follow an exact theme, but has a variety of over the top scares and scenes. This includes a mad lunatic with a sparking grinder, a charging car, a quad chase, scarecrow field, a locked up prisoner, a bungee jumping ghoul, Michael Myers confrontation and more.
There were few times where I got startled. It’s hard to forget the man who flashed a blinding light in my face or the different vehicles that get up close and personal. The actors are decent, but need better costumes and need to rely less on masks. Michael Myers was wearing a robe instead of his usual jumpsuit and there were times where actors wore t-shirts or hoodies. Lighting could also be improved. Much of the trail is lit with orange Halloween lights and some of the scenes are hard to see.
After you’re finished with Nightmare on Valley Street, you might want to purchase a ticket for The Rat Trap. I’m terrible at haunted mazes and I was surprised that I made it out in under 30 minutes. The Rat Trap is a large maze consisting of white sheets, wooden paths, hidden doors and what you usually expect inside a haunted maze. There are points where you’ll need to duck or pick the right entrance. There are scenes here and there, but your main concern will be finding the exit.
Nightmare on Valley Street is $12 a ticket, The Rat Trap is $10 a ticket and HillBilly Hayride is $10 a ticket. You can purchase a combo ticket for all 3 for $25 and save $7. The combo isn’t a bad deal, but the separate attractions are a little overpriced. $10 for Nightmare on Valley Street and $7 for The Rat Trap would be a better deal. Please visit www.nightmareonvalleystreet.com for a $2 off coupon. If you’re too chicken to tour the haunts, you might want to purchase a ticket for the HillBilly Hayride. It’s a family fun event that’s appropriate for all ages.
Final Stab For Each Haunt
Nightmare on Valley Street: Length-9 Design-6 Props/Animatronics-6 Acting-7 Scare Effect-7 Final Stab: 7.0
The Rat Trap: Length-8 Design-7 Props/Animatronics-Not Rated Acting-6 Scare Effect-6 Final Stab: 6.8
HillBilly Hayride: This attraction is not rated since it’s more of a Halloween style family attraction instead of an actual haunt.
www.nightmareonvalleystreet.com