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Scare Factor
Paul - This is the scariest Blood Prison yet! So much intensity, excellent set design, and it just doesn't ever seem to end! There were small but noticeable improvements in the solitary halls, and huge upgrades in the basement/ending. From start to finish, Blood Prison will keep you on edge. Teresa - This place is pretty intense! Not only is the building alone creepy (it's where they filmed Shawshank!), but the theme is on point, and the scenes are immersive and expertly designed to provide maximum scares. The music and sound effects have you creeping through on a wave of adrenaline, staring into every dark cell, and if you do the touch option, we're not talking a tap on the shoulder or a caress of the hair. These insane inmates WILL jump out of the dark and drag you away with them. I'm not all that jumpy and I jumped numerous times. Todd - The twisting and winding venture through the Widow's estate has so many nooks for actors to pop out, and with so many on staff this year, it's a constant barrage of unsettling interactions. The various scenes in the cell blocks feel more closed-in than ever. This, combined with the most aggressive actor interaction [touch option] we've ever seen at Blood Prison, made for one hell of experience. At one point I was grabbed from behind by the head and nearly forced to eat crickets. When the haunt isn't aggressive, it's mood shift to that of an eerie, unsetting and somewhat blasphemous one. Actors Paul - The actors this year were right on point. Almost every one we encountered was in your face, aggressive, fast-moving, and performing their role with enthusiasm. This is a fairly high-throughput haunt, so there isn't time to stop and build the story with most of them as you would in a smaller haunt, but the way they latch onto you as you walk through their area really amps things up. We typically opt for the touch pass at every haunt that offers it and this was no exception. The touch was just right this year, and cranked up the scares the perfect amount. Teresa - The actors, characters, and costumes were fantastic. There isn't a lot of dialogue, but they are intense, interactive, and it takes skill to grab people intensely enough to scare them, but not go too far. They played their roles well. Todd - "High Energy" would be an understatement for the actors this year. The hands-on experience was easily the most intense I've ever seen at Blood Prison, with the runner-up year being at least five years ago. The actors took no reservations in grabbing, shoving, pinning us against walls or getting in our faces. Those not directly accessible to us screamed and shouted like true lunatics. The overall staffing was plentiful so at no point did the experience go quiet or turn calm. Immersion Paul - The entire experience is immersive from the moment you walk in the doors until the moment you walk out. Every set is built to perfectly utilize its space, the actor placement is great, the props are high quality and creative, the lighting and audio are perfect, and even though you're well aware that you're in a giant prison, you always feel a little cramped in and claustrophobic. One of our comments from prior years was that being in wide open spaces like the huge cell blocks made things feel safer, and that's no longer the case. Look upward and there's no mistaking where you are, but as you walk through all of the twists and turns, you have no idea what's coming. I'm very impressed with the changes. My only slight complaint is that you lose some immersion in the re-queueing areas, but I also know they're needed to keep the group spacing right in a haunt of this size -so while they give you a chance to catch your breath, they also greatly reduce the dreaded conga lines. Teresa - Blood Prison is extremely immersive. The building is the old Ohio State Reformatory. It has creep factor in spades. And they've turned down the lights and reimagined it full of crazed inmates. There are crashed vehicles, all the regular (and in this case horrible) abandoned parts of a prison, the infirmary, a cemetery, and then there are the things the inmates have done just for entertainment. The sound effects and music will have your heart pounding and adrenaline pumping. They make sure you can see all the floors of cell blocks above you. There's no mistaking you're in one bad prison. And the inmates are waiting for you. Todd - Without question, this year was Blood Prison's best build. The cell blocks felt packed to the gills and nearly claustrophobic in parts. The addition of zig-zagging pathways not only added a little more length to this already massive haunt, but makes escaping the opposing inmates even more of a cat-and-mouse game. The changes to the downstairs at the end were very refreshing; the new experimental laboratory are an impressive nod to 80s techno-horror. Entertainment Paul - This was my favorite trip to Blood Prison yet. It was absolutely insane from start to finish, and is worth the drive from anywhere in the region. Teresa - If you're looking for tons of jump scares and adrenaline in a legit nightmarish historical prison, this is for you. I loved it. It keeps getting better every year. There are refreshments outside and inside, as well as a gift shop. It's pretty long, so you get a lot for your money. You keep turning corners and it feels like you'll never escape. But then again, prisons are designed to keep you in. Todd - As I've said - hands down Blood Prison's best year that I have ever witnessed. Between the actors, the great builds and the varying elements of creepiness, gore, shock and startle it was all around just a blast. It's a long haunt as well so to be able to maintain a high level of engagement throughout is an accomplishment in itself. |
What Makes This Haunt Special
Paul - Somewhat obviously- the prison itself. Putting a haunt this good in a building this cool is a one-two punch that's hard to beat.
Teresa - This is an actual historic old prison, expertly themed for maximum scares without obscuring the bones of the prison itself. And it's huge and quite scary. And you may recognize parts from Shawshank Redemption if you're a movie fan. Todd - Obviously taking in place in a real, historic prison is already a unique advantage for Blood Prison, however the haunt itself is so good that perhaps aside from using some of the cells as part of the backdrop, this haunt could stand on its own just as well in another location. The building is now the added bonus. |
What Can Be Worked On
Paul - I'm not sure there was anything that stood out to me. In a haunt this big, with this many moving pieces -that's saying something.
Teresa - Wow. It's so good already and every year it gets better. I'd say I'm looking forward to even more unique and unexpected things inside. They've already added some cool photo backdrops and if you're nice the warden's widow may allow you to get a photo. It was fairly slow (as in not crazy-crowded) due to lots of rain the night we went, but some roaming queue actors or live entertainment is always fun for busy nights. I just love to see people freaking out before they even go inside. Todd - It's challenging to critique Blood Prison this season. If I were to really nitpick, I would still say the clown area is the weakest scene. It has improved greatly. It's much tighter and there isn't anything really "wrong" with it, it just feels like it could use something else - though I can't put my finger on what. |
In Summary
Paul - What more can I say? This was the best Blood Prison yet, and you should 100% check it out if you have the opportunity.
Teresa - Highly recommended! It's just a must-see attraction if you like to be scared and love historic giant buildings. Lots of bang for your buck. Literally! I lost count of how many times I jumped!
Todd - In a time where you may find yourself having to prioritize which haunts to visit, Blood Prison needs to be on the list of considerations. Despite the travel needed for most patrons, this one will be worth your time. It's also of course the home to the Warden's Widow, Blood Prison's iconic face whom you will most likely find wandering about outside or near the entrance. Despite the inevitable long lines that will grow with each passing weekend, there are enough vendors on site to curb your appetite while you spend the evening on the grounds.
Teresa - Highly recommended! It's just a must-see attraction if you like to be scared and love historic giant buildings. Lots of bang for your buck. Literally! I lost count of how many times I jumped!
Todd - In a time where you may find yourself having to prioritize which haunts to visit, Blood Prison needs to be on the list of considerations. Despite the travel needed for most patrons, this one will be worth your time. It's also of course the home to the Warden's Widow, Blood Prison's iconic face whom you will most likely find wandering about outside or near the entrance. Despite the inevitable long lines that will grow with each passing weekend, there are enough vendors on site to curb your appetite while you spend the evening on the grounds.