The Scare-A-Torium 2013 Review

The Scare-A-Torium (Columbus, OH)
“Doctor Collins Will See you”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com

The Scareatorium has moved from Dublin, Ohio to Columbus, Ohio for their 2013 season. They’re located inside an abandoned pharmacy. An actor dressed as a nun torments customers as they wait to get inside. Her face resembles some type of ghoul or possibly a reptile. Don’t get rude with her unless you want to get smacked with a ruler. Once you make it inside, you’ll watch a short video on Doctor Collins. A grim reaper and a corpse inside a coffin decorate this small area. After waiting a few short minutes, you’ll be allowed to purchase your tickets.

The Scareatorium features 2 attractions this year, but we consider them themed areas that form one big attraction. Either way you look at it, they’re great and we will refer to them as attractions throughout the review. The attractions are Northland Asylum and Rip’s Revenge 3-D Funhouse. Northland Asylum replaces The Haunted Manor and it’s larger by 800 square feet. The first attraction you’ll enter is Northland Asylum. We aren’t going to mention the first scene because it’s quite unique. We want it to be a surprise for those who tour The Scareatorium. It’s different and a little intense.

This year the ceilings have been painted black which makes both attractions much darker. Northland Asylum is our favorite since it features a variety of scenes that will appeal to a large audience. An old man with a walker welcomes you to Northland Asylum. Enter the catacombs where skeletons come to life and reach out for a little human contact. Giant bats attack and ghouls roam the halls of this haunted asylum.

The Children’s Ward has children screaming out for help. One boy wants his mommy and daddy, but he must live with the fact that they’re gone and he’ll never be set free. A Dark room is full of doll babies. Don’t look up because there’s a surprise waiting. A large graveyard is home for a zombie who wants to feast on your flesh. You might want to visit the pharmacy, but don’t treat the medication like candy.

The first half of Scareatorium is 13 minutes. If you’re lucky to make it out of Northland Asylum, you’ll enter Rip’s Revenge 3-D Funhouse. The outside has been decorated with horror movie characters and clowns. Stuart Smith of Stuartizm Designs has painted the entire haunt with some of the most beautiful designs you’ll see anywhere. Put on your 3-D Glasses and enjoy the ride. You’ll walk on floors that seem to be broken and will watch a male stripper in drag. The carnival is in town and if you make it out alive then you’re in for a big celebration. The artwork is amazing and one of our favorite scenes features posts with glowing dots. It doesn’t sound interesting, but it’s very unique. Rip’s Revenge 3-D Funhouse is 9 minutes long.

We really like the new location for The Scareatorium. The rooms are tighter, the haunt is darker and it’s a different experience overall. Some scenes could use more actors. This is very apparent in the graveyard. The room has lots of detail, but only has one zombie and all she did was sit on the floor and groan. The scene could be a lot more intense if there were multiple zombies and they walked towards customers.

The tour time is less than last season’s, but The Scareatorium is a still a long haunt and you’ll have a blast. The total experience is 22 minutes. Tickets are $18 a person online and you don’t have to pay a free. Tickets at the haunt are $20 a person. VIP Admission online is $27. At the haunt it’s $30. Sunday Lights on Tours are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 13.

The Scareatorium has plans on expanding and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for people next year. It’s one of the best haunts in Central Ohio and it’s fun for everyone.