Stillwell Manor (Anderson, IN)
“It’s Showtime Folks”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Stillwell Manor takes place in an old abandoned movie theater. You’ll notice that floors are slanted since these are the aisles you would walk up and down in a theater. Some areas have old movie theater carpet. The slanted floors add to the experience and you might feel like you’re off balance. Even the projector room is being used. Stillwell Manor consists of 3 attractions which are Stillwell Manor Haunted House, Isabell’s Beyond and Tantibus. We consider them themed areas that join together to create one large haunt.
Stillwell Manor Haunted House is the highlight of the experience. This is a detailed haunt with some very creative scenes. My favorite scene involves a massive rat that attacks customers. Stillwell Manor incorporates many of your senses. The cat lady’s house smells like cat poop and she wants to make you her pet. The library is bone chilling. A girl holds a dimly lit candle to light her way and keeping quiet in the library is the least of your worries.
There are some scary characters you’ll come face to face with. A sick woman lies in bed as a twisted house keeper puts her out of her misery before the lights go out. The graveyard is large and realistic since it looks aged and it’s falling apart. Many of the rooms can be found in an old haunted mansion. One of the most intense scenes involves a wedding party with actors dressed in elaborate costumes. It’s pretty creepy. You’ll notice little details that make the haunt a realistic experience. The kitchen has a pot illuminated with blue lighting. The body bags in the body bag room are filled with skeletal remains and other goodies. We were inside of the attraction for around 28 minutes.
Isabell’s Beyond is a freak show with sights you’ve never seen before. A carnival barker welcomes you to the greatest show on earth. You’ll feel like you’re entering circus tents similar to what you would see in America Horror Story Freak Show. You’ll meet the fortune teller, a severed head attached to a table and much more. The séance room is the best part of Isabell’s Beyond. You and a group of people will be placed in a room with plexiglass as you watch a live séance being conducted on the outside. The dead will come back to life and you are in for a big surprise.
Parts of this attraction are quite fun, but we were expecting to see more freaks and oddities. Too many people are placed into the haunt at once. The actress telling fortunes didn’t have much of an impact since many people in the large group couldn’t hear what she was saying. With more scenes and characters, this could be a really great attraction. Total tour time is 12 minutes.
Tantibus means nightmare in Latin and it’s also the name of the final attraction. People have become infected and are now the living dead. Explore a hospital with deranged patients and crazy killers. Tantibus features scenes that play off of your fears. You’ll enter dark hallways, meet psychotic clowns and much more. The slide that leads to a large ball pit was a blast. The acting is decent, but could be improved. The clown we had to walk underneath was one of the best characters we encountered and he did a great job interacting with us. Total tour time is 12 minutes.
Our total experience was 52 minutes. General admission is $20 and a Fast Pass is $35. Group rate tickets are $16 a piece and you must have a group of at least 12 people. Their Christmas Haunt takes place on December 3rd and 10th. Tickets are $15. There were various concessions available including snacks and more. There was even a Greek Pizza trailer outside. The haunt is very easy to find since there are flood lights, an elaborate graveyard and there are various characters entertaining the line. The queue line is very detailed with stone statues, broken ruins, a casket and more.
Stillwell Manor is nearly 60 minutes worth of haunting entertainment. The highlight is the main attraction Stillwell Manor. Isabell’s Beyond and Tantibus add variety to the experience. Your fears will be exploited and you’re going to enjoy yourself.
Length-10 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-7 Scare Effect-7
Final Stab: 8.0
www.stillwellmanor.com