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You'll laugh, you'll cringe... |
Todd - The American Horroplex is another newer haunt in Louisville, now operating in its second year. Sort of. Although this is indeed their sophomore year, in many ways it is the reincarnation of the 7th Street Haunt as it was built by many of the same owners and crew.
The American Horrorplex presents a stronger story line this year which boils down to a crazy scientist is trying to make super-human mutants whom you will encounter inside. An unfortunate side effect of these “treatments” is insanity and derangement as you will surely witness first-hand. This theme resonates through most of the haunt, though at times becomes a bit jarred and inconsistent, especially towards the end.
After the introduction from the doctor himself, a nurse greeted and escorted us on to the elevator which had an unfortunate malfunction. This of course led us right to the heart of the crazies and monsters we were warned about. The scenes are primarily clinical in nature which fits the theme quite well, for obvious reasons. After navigating through various laboratories, hallways, padded cells and even an execution room, the sets after the mid-way point feature a cemetery, a mechanic workshop (this is where I lost the theme a bit), and an a sewer / access tunnel.
Regarding the actors, it was nice to see that there were very few jumping out with the generic “Argh!” Almost all of them presented themselves in either a gross or comedic manner (or both!). Either way, it was all highly entertaining. You haven’t lived until you’ve been offered sloppy joes from a bearded man in a French maid outfit or witnessed a gutted pregnant woman swinging her fetus around the room and dropping it. Of course, some actors aren’t the speaking type. For example, one girl dropped down in front of me from the ceiling. I have no idea where she came from but she proceeded to jump on to and climb the walls while she stalked us for a bit. I found myself laughing a smiling throughout almost the entire haunt. There was an enormous energy from the actors!
Last year we noted that the end of the haunt felt bare and unfinished. This year, the build is night and day at the same spot; the sets look great with a fair amount of detail too. Only one scene towards the end had me scratching my head – there was a large opening in a wall where you would expect to see one of those giant man-operated puppets that are pretty common these days. Instead, there was a very small dragon head (or that’s what it appeared to be) on a stick and the operator was clearly visible behind it. I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to appear like it did or what was going on. Soon after this part, another “patient” with dragon arms lurched over a wall. This dragon thing felt really out of place.
As entertaining as The American Horrorplex is, it felt a little too comfortable. There’s a lack of tight corridors that would make some of the environments more menacing than they are, observed from a distance. Not so say you can’t just walk closer to look at things, but you certainly have room to hang back if that’s what you want to do. There are few points where you’re forced to get closer to the scare than you may otherwise choose to. It’s also arguably over-lit. In many areas, the lack of shadows leaves little to the imagination. Some of the props lose their realism when their imperfections and artificialities are enhanced by the all the light. It’s not like walking in the park on a sunny day, but there’s little dread sourced from darkness. Of course, The American Horrorplex doesn’t present itself as a dungeon of a haunt either. A lot of the interactions seem to be purposely more goofy or gross than frightening. Simply put, it’s more entertaining than it is scary. That’s not to be read as you should bring the kids – it’s still a haunt, but expect some good laughs too.
The stars of the show are the actors first and foremost and that’s an easy statement to make. The haunt as a whole has made tremendous progress since last year in every way (though I’m still waiting on the return of that Reba McEntire room from 7th Street – no room has ever thrown me off as much as that one, in the best way possible). The set builds are solid, the theme is strong and I think with some tweaking and honing in on consistent vibe throughout, this haunt could excel at whatever it wants to be - a haunt version of The Toxic Avenger or Jacob’s Ladder – and there’s nothing wrong with a wacky mix either. Props to the staff for taking the most COVID-related precautions I’ve seen at a haunt this year, ensuring a safe experience for everyone! Though some parts of The American Horrorplex felt a little ambiguous, I enjoyed myself and I’m sure you will too.
The American Horrorplex presents a stronger story line this year which boils down to a crazy scientist is trying to make super-human mutants whom you will encounter inside. An unfortunate side effect of these “treatments” is insanity and derangement as you will surely witness first-hand. This theme resonates through most of the haunt, though at times becomes a bit jarred and inconsistent, especially towards the end.
After the introduction from the doctor himself, a nurse greeted and escorted us on to the elevator which had an unfortunate malfunction. This of course led us right to the heart of the crazies and monsters we were warned about. The scenes are primarily clinical in nature which fits the theme quite well, for obvious reasons. After navigating through various laboratories, hallways, padded cells and even an execution room, the sets after the mid-way point feature a cemetery, a mechanic workshop (this is where I lost the theme a bit), and an a sewer / access tunnel.
Regarding the actors, it was nice to see that there were very few jumping out with the generic “Argh!” Almost all of them presented themselves in either a gross or comedic manner (or both!). Either way, it was all highly entertaining. You haven’t lived until you’ve been offered sloppy joes from a bearded man in a French maid outfit or witnessed a gutted pregnant woman swinging her fetus around the room and dropping it. Of course, some actors aren’t the speaking type. For example, one girl dropped down in front of me from the ceiling. I have no idea where she came from but she proceeded to jump on to and climb the walls while she stalked us for a bit. I found myself laughing a smiling throughout almost the entire haunt. There was an enormous energy from the actors!
Last year we noted that the end of the haunt felt bare and unfinished. This year, the build is night and day at the same spot; the sets look great with a fair amount of detail too. Only one scene towards the end had me scratching my head – there was a large opening in a wall where you would expect to see one of those giant man-operated puppets that are pretty common these days. Instead, there was a very small dragon head (or that’s what it appeared to be) on a stick and the operator was clearly visible behind it. I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to appear like it did or what was going on. Soon after this part, another “patient” with dragon arms lurched over a wall. This dragon thing felt really out of place.
As entertaining as The American Horrorplex is, it felt a little too comfortable. There’s a lack of tight corridors that would make some of the environments more menacing than they are, observed from a distance. Not so say you can’t just walk closer to look at things, but you certainly have room to hang back if that’s what you want to do. There are few points where you’re forced to get closer to the scare than you may otherwise choose to. It’s also arguably over-lit. In many areas, the lack of shadows leaves little to the imagination. Some of the props lose their realism when their imperfections and artificialities are enhanced by the all the light. It’s not like walking in the park on a sunny day, but there’s little dread sourced from darkness. Of course, The American Horrorplex doesn’t present itself as a dungeon of a haunt either. A lot of the interactions seem to be purposely more goofy or gross than frightening. Simply put, it’s more entertaining than it is scary. That’s not to be read as you should bring the kids – it’s still a haunt, but expect some good laughs too.
The stars of the show are the actors first and foremost and that’s an easy statement to make. The haunt as a whole has made tremendous progress since last year in every way (though I’m still waiting on the return of that Reba McEntire room from 7th Street – no room has ever thrown me off as much as that one, in the best way possible). The set builds are solid, the theme is strong and I think with some tweaking and honing in on consistent vibe throughout, this haunt could excel at whatever it wants to be - a haunt version of The Toxic Avenger or Jacob’s Ladder – and there’s nothing wrong with a wacky mix either. Props to the staff for taking the most COVID-related precautions I’ve seen at a haunt this year, ensuring a safe experience for everyone! Though some parts of The American Horrorplex felt a little ambiguous, I enjoyed myself and I’m sure you will too.
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Ever see Tim Burton's Batman movies?? |
Paul - American Horrorplex may be a newer haunt by name, but the people involved have been involved in the Louisville haunt community for many years. So while this may only be the second year for them at this location, don't let that fool you- This is no beginner haunt.
This is a hell of a haunt, and we really don't visit any haunts quite like it. It's a huge building, with tons of enthusiastic actors, great sets/props, and the theme carries well throughout. It keeps you engaged through the entire experience, and gives you plenty of bang for the buck. The only part I have trouble getting over is that it reminds me of the Tim Burton Batman movies from the late 80s-early 90s. While they're classic movies and Burton is one of the best at highlighting every detail and making his sets works of art, it can distract you from focusing on the storyline of the movie.
Horrorplex is very similar in my eyes. There's so much put into the sets, it almost seems like they're the highlight instead of the storyline. So as you walk through, your focus keeps going to the brightly-lit props rather than to the things that are there to scare you. If you compare Burton's Batman movies to modern ones, the new ones are way darker and have a substantially more ominous feel to them which makes them much more suspenseful- You never know what might be hiding in the shadows. It's like the intent of Horrorplex is to throw a lot of fun/crazy in with the scares rather than just going for scares. I love the idea, but personally, I think the ratio is a little too far to the fun/crazy side.
Now something that Horrorplex does that I haven't seen much better anywhere else... The gross-out props. The bloody, nasty, dirty props you see in MANY areas of the haunt. These definitely deserve to be highlighted since they're very well done, and will likely get some people a bit on the queasy side.
American Horrorplex is a really unique haunt and makes for a great way to spend an evening. The whole complex is neat to see, the queue area is well thought out, and the haunt is a lot of fun. It's a fairly long haunt with a super entertaining cast, and you'll be doing yourself a favor to make a visit!
This is a hell of a haunt, and we really don't visit any haunts quite like it. It's a huge building, with tons of enthusiastic actors, great sets/props, and the theme carries well throughout. It keeps you engaged through the entire experience, and gives you plenty of bang for the buck. The only part I have trouble getting over is that it reminds me of the Tim Burton Batman movies from the late 80s-early 90s. While they're classic movies and Burton is one of the best at highlighting every detail and making his sets works of art, it can distract you from focusing on the storyline of the movie.
Horrorplex is very similar in my eyes. There's so much put into the sets, it almost seems like they're the highlight instead of the storyline. So as you walk through, your focus keeps going to the brightly-lit props rather than to the things that are there to scare you. If you compare Burton's Batman movies to modern ones, the new ones are way darker and have a substantially more ominous feel to them which makes them much more suspenseful- You never know what might be hiding in the shadows. It's like the intent of Horrorplex is to throw a lot of fun/crazy in with the scares rather than just going for scares. I love the idea, but personally, I think the ratio is a little too far to the fun/crazy side.
Now something that Horrorplex does that I haven't seen much better anywhere else... The gross-out props. The bloody, nasty, dirty props you see in MANY areas of the haunt. These definitely deserve to be highlighted since they're very well done, and will likely get some people a bit on the queasy side.
American Horrorplex is a really unique haunt and makes for a great way to spend an evening. The whole complex is neat to see, the queue area is well thought out, and the haunt is a lot of fun. It's a fairly long haunt with a super entertaining cast, and you'll be doing yourself a favor to make a visit!
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Just a few things etched into my memory are a doctor with a giant drill, some super-creepy mannequins wearing masks, a guy being electrocuted, the grossest chandelier I've ever seen... |
Teresa - The American Horrorplex is a haunted attraction located in Louisville, Kentucky. While it has only been open a couple of years now, the owners have tons of experience. Some of you may remember 7th Street Haunt? If you have a keen eye, you may even recognize some things! There are a lot of really cool props and animatronics to see here! But first, some things to know. Parking is free and near the building. Tickets are $25 for general admission or $35 for fast passes (which includes a VIP experience complete with souvenir photo), which is very reasonable compared to others. The queue is outside, so be prepared for the weather! Also, they are screening everyone before you are allowed onto the premises, taking temperatures, and asking COVID screening questions. You must wear a mask and distance from other groups. They have a great team of people making sure this all goes smoothly. You can find everything you need to know on their website or Facebook. I'd recommend their Facebook page, since you can find special events (one is a fantastic drag show!) and coupons there. The American Horrorplex is associated with Haunters Against Hate (as are many of the biggest haunts in the nation) and has a nice information counter inside, supporting people fighting hate and bigotry in the haunt industry. You'll see it in the building when you exit the haunt. Be sure to check them out!
Before you go inside, they have a photo booth with lots of fun props that are sterilized between groups, so be sure to have some fun posing! When it is your turn to go in, you will be greeted by the doctor who will explain all about "fleshlumpkins" before you enter the hospital. Inside, there are tons of things to see. This is a large place, with fairly wide corridors. In fact, I think it may be one of the most handicap-accessible haunts I've seen. The actors were really great at coming at us as soon as we'd enter their area. It was quite a rush! There were lots of jump scares and some fantastic props. Just a few things etched into my memory are a doctor with a giant drill, some super-creepy mannequins wearing masks, a guy being electrocuted, the grossest chandelier I've ever seen, a creepy cemetery, lots of spiders, and being threatened with lots of tools and weapons like picks, axes, shovels, and the like. The best part of this haunt are the actors, by far. They like to interact and their dialogues are hilarious. There are lots of gross-out scares and humorous requests. Some monsters are aggressive, making loud noises, taunting, and coming after you, others make you jump by coming out of nowhere, and yet others (my favorites) just make you laugh by grossing you out or putting you in awkward situations. It's a lot of fun laughing at each other! When you find your way out, there's a nice indoor area with several counters, including the Haunters Against Hate, and lots of snacks, clothing, souvenirs, and Halloween-related décor items. Don't forget to check out your photo! Ours was hilarious!
Before you go inside, they have a photo booth with lots of fun props that are sterilized between groups, so be sure to have some fun posing! When it is your turn to go in, you will be greeted by the doctor who will explain all about "fleshlumpkins" before you enter the hospital. Inside, there are tons of things to see. This is a large place, with fairly wide corridors. In fact, I think it may be one of the most handicap-accessible haunts I've seen. The actors were really great at coming at us as soon as we'd enter their area. It was quite a rush! There were lots of jump scares and some fantastic props. Just a few things etched into my memory are a doctor with a giant drill, some super-creepy mannequins wearing masks, a guy being electrocuted, the grossest chandelier I've ever seen, a creepy cemetery, lots of spiders, and being threatened with lots of tools and weapons like picks, axes, shovels, and the like. The best part of this haunt are the actors, by far. They like to interact and their dialogues are hilarious. There are lots of gross-out scares and humorous requests. Some monsters are aggressive, making loud noises, taunting, and coming after you, others make you jump by coming out of nowhere, and yet others (my favorites) just make you laugh by grossing you out or putting you in awkward situations. It's a lot of fun laughing at each other! When you find your way out, there's a nice indoor area with several counters, including the Haunters Against Hate, and lots of snacks, clothing, souvenirs, and Halloween-related décor items. Don't forget to check out your photo! Ours was hilarious!
Questions? Have a story to share? Leave it in the comments!