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A Gothic Paradise |
Todd - I don't even know where to begin. The Thirteenth Hour (13H) was surely one of my favorite haunts last year. Its Gothic presentation really resonated with me. While I'm far from a goth person, I'm naturally drawn to the darker side of things which is likely why I enjoy this haunt so much. It is VERY Gothic, right down to the architectural inspiration, symmetry in presentation and dark palette.
Many of the rooms easily lend to a visual consistency such as a church, altar room - even the hallways - and now a welcome addition, a cemetery and crypt. For those yearning for even more detail, the second new addition is a mine where countless bodies were stored according to the lore. While the base of this haunt relies on a "less is more" approach (it's not cluttered with props and other stimuli), the mine in authentically detailed, complete with pipes, tools, ropes and lights. If you didn't already know, this haunt is constructed outside with no ceiling(for the most part). There's something that gives it an extra notch on the creep factor with the open air and the night sky. Rather than having to recreate an outdoor setting inside, areas like the new cemetery are an easy win being exposed to the elements, while the more structured areas such as the church just feel like it's an old decrepit place that you have no business being in.
I remember before visiting last year, hearing that this was an outdoor haunt gave me some hesitancy on what to expect. "Outdoor Haunt" tends to be synonymous with temporary structure, corn maze or makeshift. The Thirteenth Hour has forever changed my faith in outdoor haunts. It is absolutely gorgeous. To be fair, I may be slightly biased because I love the Gothic theme so much, but no one can argue the level of detail on the facades and the composition of the entire experience. Everything looks authentic and legitimate. The lighting is strategically placed and in some areas, brilliantly timed with other effects. There's no over-abundance of artificial light since the ambient light of the night sky lights your pathway. The installed lighting is used more for effect than illumination and it looks great.
It doesn't just stop with the visuals either. 13H has a story line that was enhanced even more so this year with its additions. Not only will you encounter Heinrich Chapel but now you'll encounter his wife as well. The lore is that Heinrick was involved in some ritualistic ceremonies before disappearing. You'll be faced with with a dark priest and followers of the occult as you go through. Throughout the haunt there's a constant mention of the sacrifice (which is one of you). The sacrifice will be asked to kneel before the altar confessing to their sins and will also be marked. This leads me to talk about the actors - they are great and do an excellent job of immersing you in the story. While this is a no-touch haunt, the actors are very intense and eerie in their delivery. As with any haunt there are a number of scare actors without a speaking role. Many of them are skeletal creatures adding an extra flare to the scenes - yet you'll never quite know which are real and which are not.
I love that this haunt as a whole stays in its lane. Many haunts offer a buffet of diverse scenarios (clown rooms, then a medical setting, then a bedroom, zombies, etc - all in the same haunt), but 13H offers a consistent experience within the confines of the story. Admittedly, the theme and dark nature may not be for everyone, however, it should be easy to appreciate the the high level of talent that built this aesthetically pleasing haunt. Each area we went to was carried out without any noticeable hiccups sans one mist vortex that was malfunctioning (which we later experienced again after this was addressed).
The Thirteenth Hour is highly recommended by me. Not only does it have an outstanding production value but it offers something different from the others in its theme and interaction. I can't wait to go back.
Many of the rooms easily lend to a visual consistency such as a church, altar room - even the hallways - and now a welcome addition, a cemetery and crypt. For those yearning for even more detail, the second new addition is a mine where countless bodies were stored according to the lore. While the base of this haunt relies on a "less is more" approach (it's not cluttered with props and other stimuli), the mine in authentically detailed, complete with pipes, tools, ropes and lights. If you didn't already know, this haunt is constructed outside with no ceiling(for the most part). There's something that gives it an extra notch on the creep factor with the open air and the night sky. Rather than having to recreate an outdoor setting inside, areas like the new cemetery are an easy win being exposed to the elements, while the more structured areas such as the church just feel like it's an old decrepit place that you have no business being in.
I remember before visiting last year, hearing that this was an outdoor haunt gave me some hesitancy on what to expect. "Outdoor Haunt" tends to be synonymous with temporary structure, corn maze or makeshift. The Thirteenth Hour has forever changed my faith in outdoor haunts. It is absolutely gorgeous. To be fair, I may be slightly biased because I love the Gothic theme so much, but no one can argue the level of detail on the facades and the composition of the entire experience. Everything looks authentic and legitimate. The lighting is strategically placed and in some areas, brilliantly timed with other effects. There's no over-abundance of artificial light since the ambient light of the night sky lights your pathway. The installed lighting is used more for effect than illumination and it looks great.
It doesn't just stop with the visuals either. 13H has a story line that was enhanced even more so this year with its additions. Not only will you encounter Heinrich Chapel but now you'll encounter his wife as well. The lore is that Heinrick was involved in some ritualistic ceremonies before disappearing. You'll be faced with with a dark priest and followers of the occult as you go through. Throughout the haunt there's a constant mention of the sacrifice (which is one of you). The sacrifice will be asked to kneel before the altar confessing to their sins and will also be marked. This leads me to talk about the actors - they are great and do an excellent job of immersing you in the story. While this is a no-touch haunt, the actors are very intense and eerie in their delivery. As with any haunt there are a number of scare actors without a speaking role. Many of them are skeletal creatures adding an extra flare to the scenes - yet you'll never quite know which are real and which are not.
I love that this haunt as a whole stays in its lane. Many haunts offer a buffet of diverse scenarios (clown rooms, then a medical setting, then a bedroom, zombies, etc - all in the same haunt), but 13H offers a consistent experience within the confines of the story. Admittedly, the theme and dark nature may not be for everyone, however, it should be easy to appreciate the the high level of talent that built this aesthetically pleasing haunt. Each area we went to was carried out without any noticeable hiccups sans one mist vortex that was malfunctioning (which we later experienced again after this was addressed).
The Thirteenth Hour is highly recommended by me. Not only does it have an outstanding production value but it offers something different from the others in its theme and interaction. I can't wait to go back.
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An amazing haunt with some of the best visuals you'll ever see! |
Paul - Thirteenth Hour is quickly becoming one of my favorite haunts!
Last year was our first visit to The Thirteenth Hour. While I was very impressed with the haunt, something about it just didn't impress me like some of the other haunts we visit. It wasn't a bad haunt by any means, there was just something that kept me from really getting into it. I felt like I was watching a haunt, not participating in it.
This year COMPLETELY changed that. While the basic premise is the same as last year, the immersion factor went up a ton, and there area huge number of changes! This year I really felt like the whole place was alive with energy, and they pulled you in and made you a part of what's happening.
The overwhelmingly obvious thing they do well is the design and construction of the haunt itself. The Cathedral of Souls portion is one of the few Gothic haunts we've attended, and it's easily the best. The theme is carried through the entire thing flawlessly, the actors are excellent, there are a ton of really good scares, the special effects are fantastic, but the set.... Just unreal. Detail galore, perfect lighting, symmetry everywhere, I just can't stop going on about it. There are two all-new areas this year (Reaper's Hollow and Mine #13) that were just as spectacularly constructed as the main portion of the haunt, and they add even more to an already great experience. Oh, and wait til you see the mine entrance! WOW!
If you're anywhere near Indy when Thirteenth Hour is open, you HAVE to stop by and take a trip through. It's very reasonably priced, there's plenty of parking, and it's a haunt experience unlike any other. Highly recommended!
Last year was our first visit to The Thirteenth Hour. While I was very impressed with the haunt, something about it just didn't impress me like some of the other haunts we visit. It wasn't a bad haunt by any means, there was just something that kept me from really getting into it. I felt like I was watching a haunt, not participating in it.
This year COMPLETELY changed that. While the basic premise is the same as last year, the immersion factor went up a ton, and there area huge number of changes! This year I really felt like the whole place was alive with energy, and they pulled you in and made you a part of what's happening.
The overwhelmingly obvious thing they do well is the design and construction of the haunt itself. The Cathedral of Souls portion is one of the few Gothic haunts we've attended, and it's easily the best. The theme is carried through the entire thing flawlessly, the actors are excellent, there are a ton of really good scares, the special effects are fantastic, but the set.... Just unreal. Detail galore, perfect lighting, symmetry everywhere, I just can't stop going on about it. There are two all-new areas this year (Reaper's Hollow and Mine #13) that were just as spectacularly constructed as the main portion of the haunt, and they add even more to an already great experience. Oh, and wait til you see the mine entrance! WOW!
If you're anywhere near Indy when Thirteenth Hour is open, you HAVE to stop by and take a trip through. It's very reasonably priced, there's plenty of parking, and it's a haunt experience unlike any other. Highly recommended!
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If you love Gothic cathedrals, evil monks, ghosts, and graveyards, this place is for you! |
Teresa - This was our second year visiting The Thirteenth Hour. I just love this place! I loved it even more this year! This is now one of my must-sees. There are now three sections here, with each one building on the previous. The theme is based on an undertaker, Heinrich Chapel, who built a mass grave under Indianapolis back in the early 1900s. He was performing rituals to remove the souls from the deceased. You will experience the Cathedral of Souls, Reapers Hollow (which is the pumpkin patch and cemetery), and then Mine No. 13, where most of the bodies are, (but don't worry, there's plenty of room for more). There is a lot of great backstory on the website, so take a look at it before you go!
This place really puts you into the setting of the story! The set design is beyond fantastic. If you love Gothic cathedrals, evil monks, ghosts, and graveyards, this place is for you! I would love to have a ruined church like this in my neighborhood...and of course I'd want it full of creepiness, just like this place! The sets have only improved since last year. The actors are engaging, and exploring everything there is to see here is so much fun! The more prep you do ahead of time, checking out the website, the more fun you will have! There are some great deals on tickets, and there are special tickets available for an extra unique experience. Just look at The Sacrifice.
One of the things I like most about The Thirteenth Hour, is how it sticks so solidly with its theme. The ruins, the graveyard, the underground tunnels, and the mine, are all one continuous story, and all the evil characters you find inside, lead you through the plot. You won't find any clowns or Michael Myers here. That's a good thing, trust me. This puts you into another place, with dark secret passages, foggy graves, evil ceremonies, creepy crawlies, floating ash, and dead things. You'll be required to participate if you ever want to make it through. Your group may be split up. You will meet some very memorable characters and see some very cool effects. Everything here is made by hand and is unique to this place, so there isn't anything like that mask you've seen a hundred times to distract you from the immersive experience.
For a place that started as a humble charity haunt, the professionalism here is above and beyond. Kudos to the designers, the builders, the actors, and the special effects team! Go see The Thirteenth Hour. This weekend! You may see me there. I'm going to try to move in and hope they won't notice. Shhhh...that'll be our little secret.
This place really puts you into the setting of the story! The set design is beyond fantastic. If you love Gothic cathedrals, evil monks, ghosts, and graveyards, this place is for you! I would love to have a ruined church like this in my neighborhood...and of course I'd want it full of creepiness, just like this place! The sets have only improved since last year. The actors are engaging, and exploring everything there is to see here is so much fun! The more prep you do ahead of time, checking out the website, the more fun you will have! There are some great deals on tickets, and there are special tickets available for an extra unique experience. Just look at The Sacrifice.
One of the things I like most about The Thirteenth Hour, is how it sticks so solidly with its theme. The ruins, the graveyard, the underground tunnels, and the mine, are all one continuous story, and all the evil characters you find inside, lead you through the plot. You won't find any clowns or Michael Myers here. That's a good thing, trust me. This puts you into another place, with dark secret passages, foggy graves, evil ceremonies, creepy crawlies, floating ash, and dead things. You'll be required to participate if you ever want to make it through. Your group may be split up. You will meet some very memorable characters and see some very cool effects. Everything here is made by hand and is unique to this place, so there isn't anything like that mask you've seen a hundred times to distract you from the immersive experience.
For a place that started as a humble charity haunt, the professionalism here is above and beyond. Kudos to the designers, the builders, the actors, and the special effects team! Go see The Thirteenth Hour. This weekend! You may see me there. I'm going to try to move in and hope they won't notice. Shhhh...that'll be our little secret.