Todd - After seeing The Dent Schoolhouse (DS) numerous times over the years (3 times this year - so far), it's hard to emphasize anything that hasn't already been said in years' past. DS raises the bar (if not outright sets it) for overall quality that is unmatched by 95% of other haunts. They are in a league of their own with few haunts in the in the nation being able to execute total atmospheric continuity throughout their rooms with equal measure of quality.
I'll say it now - The Dent Schoolhouse isn't the scariest haunt out there. Is it fun? Yes. Is it enveloping? Absolutely. Is it unique? Unarguably. Every aspect of DS is presented with such high standards that it can be easy to lose appreciation in what you're experiencing. Costuming and makeup is very professional, especially for Dent's iconic, branded charaters - Zobo, Charlie, Pumpkin Smasher and the new "Scary Stories" inspired necro-girl (does she have a name?) - who wander about outside. However, the real star of the show is the building itself, in which the most immaculately aged construction is presented.
Most of DS's interior purposely resembles the elements of a schoolhouse - classrooms, labs, kitchen and of course the dark, dank basement and boiler room. All of these areas, varying in actual construction age look as if they've been there, unattended to for 50+ years. Everything is covered in dust and spider webs; pictures and labels are faded; metal objects are rusted or corroded and there's so many small details in this disheveled state that you can't possibly observe them all in one tour. I've been through DS on a normal night, lights on and lights off and each time I can guarantee I've found something that I never noticed before. It's that level of plentiful detail and composition that really sets Dent apart from most haunts and is responsible for it's national recognition. Ok - a big advertising budget doesn't hurt either, but credit is due here. The owners and staff really are on their game and are very talented. While some large props are purchased and installed, the heart of DS comes from the talented and professional construction.
So what was that I said about the scare factor? It's not the scariest haunted house. Why? Well for me, many timesI may find myself more in awe of certain areas than in fear of who or what lurks around the corner. A perfect example would be the catacombs room. Thousands of hand crafted skulls line the walls, a sacrificial victim levitates in mid-air while a necromancer / monster / demon towers over you. Yet I just want stand there and take it all in like an aesthete in the Louvre. It's beautifully grim and impressive, but not frightening (for me anyway). There's a whole circus themed area which may give someone who is terrified of clowns the heebie jeebies but, is otherwise more entertaining and fun than scary - but again, it's fun to look at these crafted, disproportionate characters inside.
The actors outside definitely carry the weight of a lasting impression compared to those within. Outside, those staple characters will skulk about, surprise you while waiting and make themselves available for the inevitable selfie. Inside, the actors all serve supporting roles to the scenes and have no thematic dialogue lending to the lore. Some are simply scare actors, popping out from various areas. Others are staged in plain site for mild interaction with whatever gross situation may be in that room (then lunch lady in the kitchen for example). However, DS has a high expectation of their actors, so it seems. Though there may not be extensive dialogues involved, there are no unenthusiastic deliveries. To be fair, inside, your opportunity to actually interact with the characters is slim-to-none compared to those outside; things keep moving along.
The Dent Schoolhouse reins king in aesthetics and experience. Though the building itself is an actual historical building, much of the haunt isn't reliant on the buildings true interior to present its age. For a haunt lover, DS is a marvel to experience and will fail to disappoint. Whether it's scares, creatures or the ambiance, it has something impressive to offer everyone.
I'll say it now - The Dent Schoolhouse isn't the scariest haunt out there. Is it fun? Yes. Is it enveloping? Absolutely. Is it unique? Unarguably. Every aspect of DS is presented with such high standards that it can be easy to lose appreciation in what you're experiencing. Costuming and makeup is very professional, especially for Dent's iconic, branded charaters - Zobo, Charlie, Pumpkin Smasher and the new "Scary Stories" inspired necro-girl (does she have a name?) - who wander about outside. However, the real star of the show is the building itself, in which the most immaculately aged construction is presented.
Most of DS's interior purposely resembles the elements of a schoolhouse - classrooms, labs, kitchen and of course the dark, dank basement and boiler room. All of these areas, varying in actual construction age look as if they've been there, unattended to for 50+ years. Everything is covered in dust and spider webs; pictures and labels are faded; metal objects are rusted or corroded and there's so many small details in this disheveled state that you can't possibly observe them all in one tour. I've been through DS on a normal night, lights on and lights off and each time I can guarantee I've found something that I never noticed before. It's that level of plentiful detail and composition that really sets Dent apart from most haunts and is responsible for it's national recognition. Ok - a big advertising budget doesn't hurt either, but credit is due here. The owners and staff really are on their game and are very talented. While some large props are purchased and installed, the heart of DS comes from the talented and professional construction.
So what was that I said about the scare factor? It's not the scariest haunted house. Why? Well for me, many timesI may find myself more in awe of certain areas than in fear of who or what lurks around the corner. A perfect example would be the catacombs room. Thousands of hand crafted skulls line the walls, a sacrificial victim levitates in mid-air while a necromancer / monster / demon towers over you. Yet I just want stand there and take it all in like an aesthete in the Louvre. It's beautifully grim and impressive, but not frightening (for me anyway). There's a whole circus themed area which may give someone who is terrified of clowns the heebie jeebies but, is otherwise more entertaining and fun than scary - but again, it's fun to look at these crafted, disproportionate characters inside.
The actors outside definitely carry the weight of a lasting impression compared to those within. Outside, those staple characters will skulk about, surprise you while waiting and make themselves available for the inevitable selfie. Inside, the actors all serve supporting roles to the scenes and have no thematic dialogue lending to the lore. Some are simply scare actors, popping out from various areas. Others are staged in plain site for mild interaction with whatever gross situation may be in that room (then lunch lady in the kitchen for example). However, DS has a high expectation of their actors, so it seems. Though there may not be extensive dialogues involved, there are no unenthusiastic deliveries. To be fair, inside, your opportunity to actually interact with the characters is slim-to-none compared to those outside; things keep moving along.
The Dent Schoolhouse reins king in aesthetics and experience. Though the building itself is an actual historical building, much of the haunt isn't reliant on the buildings true interior to present its age. For a haunt lover, DS is a marvel to experience and will fail to disappoint. Whether it's scares, creatures or the ambiance, it has something impressive to offer everyone.
Paul - I'll sum up this review now... The Dent Schoolhouse is as close to haunt perfection as I've seen.
Did that get your attention? I truly believe that you won't find another haunt within many hundreds of miles here that has an experience that's dialed in as Dent. It has some of the most detailed sets I've ever seen, the props and animatronics are amazing, the actors are extremely good, the queue line is the best anywhere, and it continues to improve every year!
Now before I continue the review I need to give you some personal info... In my non-haunt-reviewing life I'm a research and development engineer for a machine tool company. I work with electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics, controls, coding, etc, and the machines I use on a daily basis cost several million dollars each. Perfection is what I do, what I love, and what I seek out. The only problem with that is to me, the more perfect something is, the less intimidated I am by it.
In my mind, perfection is awe-inspiring. It's something that I can look at for hours and just take in all of the fine details of it. That's how Dent is for me. I can stand outside and watch Charlie, Zobo, Pumpkin Smasher, Petunia, Blurryface, and the other roaming actors scare people over and over. I could look over all of the details in each room and on each prop for hours because they're so detailed and well-made. I'd be perfectly happy watching one of the intricately crafted scares do its job like clockwork and make people jump and scream all night.
As I walk through Dent, my reactions are more like the reactions other people have to fireworks; I'm mesmerized and smiling. As people scream around me and try to run from their fears, I'm as happy as can be while trying to take in every little detail I can without holding everyone up. It's ok, I already know I'm not right in the head.
Now some clarification... Am I saying that The Dent Schoolhouse isn't scary? Absolutely not. The screams I heard and the terror I saw on peoples' faces as they went from room to room gave that away immediately. This year is darker, creepier, and more intense than ever, plus the Queen City Slaughter Yard out back was MUCH scarier this year than I remember in the past. There were some new scenes, a lot of tweaks, and a much more sinister feel in general this year than I remember from prior visits. I especially got the chills from the room with the life-size dolls and the extra dark basement with the bodies hanging everywhere.
Hopefully I'm not giving the impression that something is wrong with Dent because that's not the case at all. The Dent Schoolhouse is always one of my top recommendations to anyone asking what haunt they should go to. It's a phenomenal attraction and shows what happens when you mix detail, precision, dedication, passion, and a whole lot of insanity together to create the most perfect haunt I've experienced.
Go to The Dent Schoolhouse. Be amazed, be scared, then re-live it all again in your dreams. Or maybe I should say nightmares.
Did that get your attention? I truly believe that you won't find another haunt within many hundreds of miles here that has an experience that's dialed in as Dent. It has some of the most detailed sets I've ever seen, the props and animatronics are amazing, the actors are extremely good, the queue line is the best anywhere, and it continues to improve every year!
Now before I continue the review I need to give you some personal info... In my non-haunt-reviewing life I'm a research and development engineer for a machine tool company. I work with electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics, controls, coding, etc, and the machines I use on a daily basis cost several million dollars each. Perfection is what I do, what I love, and what I seek out. The only problem with that is to me, the more perfect something is, the less intimidated I am by it.
In my mind, perfection is awe-inspiring. It's something that I can look at for hours and just take in all of the fine details of it. That's how Dent is for me. I can stand outside and watch Charlie, Zobo, Pumpkin Smasher, Petunia, Blurryface, and the other roaming actors scare people over and over. I could look over all of the details in each room and on each prop for hours because they're so detailed and well-made. I'd be perfectly happy watching one of the intricately crafted scares do its job like clockwork and make people jump and scream all night.
As I walk through Dent, my reactions are more like the reactions other people have to fireworks; I'm mesmerized and smiling. As people scream around me and try to run from their fears, I'm as happy as can be while trying to take in every little detail I can without holding everyone up. It's ok, I already know I'm not right in the head.
Now some clarification... Am I saying that The Dent Schoolhouse isn't scary? Absolutely not. The screams I heard and the terror I saw on peoples' faces as they went from room to room gave that away immediately. This year is darker, creepier, and more intense than ever, plus the Queen City Slaughter Yard out back was MUCH scarier this year than I remember in the past. There were some new scenes, a lot of tweaks, and a much more sinister feel in general this year than I remember from prior visits. I especially got the chills from the room with the life-size dolls and the extra dark basement with the bodies hanging everywhere.
Hopefully I'm not giving the impression that something is wrong with Dent because that's not the case at all. The Dent Schoolhouse is always one of my top recommendations to anyone asking what haunt they should go to. It's a phenomenal attraction and shows what happens when you mix detail, precision, dedication, passion, and a whole lot of insanity together to create the most perfect haunt I've experienced.
Go to The Dent Schoolhouse. Be amazed, be scared, then re-live it all again in your dreams. Or maybe I should say nightmares.
Teresa - The Dent Schoolhouse on the west side of Cincinnati is always ranked as one of the best haunts in the nation. It is always so good, I find it hard to see how they can improve much from year to year...and yet they manage it! I found it more intense this year than ever before. There were some new additions, but I think the difference really came down to "the art of the scare". It was timing, misdirection and surprise. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning. The online presence is fantastic, so be sure to check out the website and social media. There, you will find that the Dent Schoolhouse is an actual old school house from the 1800s. The story is, that during the 1940s and 1950s students kept disappearing. Their bodies were eventually found in the basement in a grisly scene. Charlie, the janitor, was the suspected culprit, but he was never found.
Now, you can see this haunted place for yourself. Ticket prices vary, depending on the day of the week, and whether you want general admission, fast pass, or front of the line passes. There are also special events and discounts, but all of this information, including parking, is on the website. When you get there, you'll find yourself staring at the building a lot, with its brick facade, the dark windows...was that a figure in the window? But that's when the roaming queue actors will get you. There were several out there the night we went. One looked like a Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark character. We're talking super-creepy, pale, corpse-like woman. And her MOVEMENTS! Just eew! Every time we tried to take a photo, she would be shaking, like she was torn between our time and space and another dimension or something, so the photos of her came out as a ghostly blur. It was a seriously cool effect. Also outside we found Princess Petunia, a student, very much resembling a Garbage Patch kid (complete with snotty nose), Zobo the Clown, who is a much-loved long-time staple here, and a guy who looked...well, like a dead prisoner or mental patient, with scrapers for hands (like some nightmarish urban legend). Oh, and let us not forget the star of the show...Charlie. He was very menacing, wielding this giant pipe wrench. He would swing it up in such a way that was very intimidating -- I couldn't help but jump multiple times.
Once you make it through the queue, a carnival worker will let you into the fall festival area, and he may offer you candy, but you know what they say about taking candy from strangers. This has to be the best waiting area for a haunt ever. There is a photo booth (pick up your photo after you finish the haunt for $15). There is a small cornfield with scarecrows, there is a GIANT animatronic scarecrow, and there are all types of booths, full of monsters and creeps galore, and a stage with scores of jack-o'lanterns synced to music. There are old-timey cartoons projecting on the wall. And this is also where we found Pumpkin Smasher. If you have never met him, you will soon see he is appropriately named. There is also a selfie-booth so you can take your own photo with your friends. There is so much to see here! Soon, your wait will be over and it is your turn to enter the school house itself. Gather your nerves, because this is pretty intense. It isn't a touch haunt (unless you go to the lights out event and pay extra), but it may scare you more than some of the touch places out there. The theming is par excellence. If you have nightmares about school, this may cause you PTSD. You go through hallways with lockers, a library, classrooms, a kitchen, a locker room, a shower room, a lost toy area, a theater, and then there's the basement where all of the bodies were found. It is full of mazes, and loads of bodies (and why are they swinging?! They're always swinging!), steam tunnels, a veritable ossuary of skulls, an electric chair, bugs, snakes, coffins, butchers, a tool shop, and even a fun house. The effects are outstanding and the decor is well above and beyond. There are ghost librarians, a room full of life-sized dolls, a room with over-sized toys that look like a Twilight Zone episode, you have to meander through ghost couples dancing in the theater, there's a teacher swinging from a noose above a staircase, there's a woman carving human heads into jack-o'lanterns with an ax, there's a fun house with warped mirrors and clowns, there's a room where you have to wade through garbage and bodies, there's a guy who gets electrocuted and smoke just rolls off of him, and a woman gets snatched up by a giant snake.
I could go on and on and on. There are actors jumping out at you, and too many jump scares, like air cannons, and loud noises to count. The animatronics are flawless in their placement and execution. At the end of the school house portion, you have a choice this year. One way, you may get a little damp, but the experience is so worth it! I won't ruin the surprise. Then, you're off to the Queen City Slaughter Yard. This section is exactly what it sounds like. You walk through what looks like stalls and butchering areas of a slaughter yard, complete with straw and cages. And saws. SO. MANY. SAWS. This has been amped up a lot over last year, and it really keeps the adrenaline up throughout the outdoor section. You'll encounter disorienting fog, some giant animatronics, some caged "meat" which may occasionally be human, and so many butchers. One enthusiastic female butcheress was wielding a massive saw that almost got us! And how are the chainsaws so loud?! They're so overwhelming that your fight or flight instinct kicks in and it is everything you can do to not sprint for safety. And that's exactly what lots of people do!
But if they do that, they'll miss the souvenir booth and the photo op booth. Also, there are refreshments back toward the front of the building next to the ticket booth, restrooms, and the booth where you can pick up your group photo from the fall festival area. I'm going to say that you would be hard pressed to find a haunt where you will get such a quality experience. These guys are professional with a capital 'P'. I'm writing this on Halloween Eve, and I'm really considering the lights out event they're putting on this weekend. I've never done it, and there's a "touch" option. Plus, there are supposed to be twice the number of regular actors. I think going through with just a glow stick sounds a-mazing (...because it's maze-like...never mind, bad joke). Even though you'll miss out on some of the fantastic decor in the near total darkness, I think it might be worth it. Oh, and while we're talking special events, they're doing their Christmas haunt again this year. I know, I know, who wants to think about haunts in December? But let me stop you right there. We did this event last year, and it was an absolute blast! Something about all of the ghosts, creeps, and monsters inside wearing Santa hats was just beyond words. We laughed and cringed all the way through. So, keep that in mind when you're looking for something festive to do this year!
Now, you can see this haunted place for yourself. Ticket prices vary, depending on the day of the week, and whether you want general admission, fast pass, or front of the line passes. There are also special events and discounts, but all of this information, including parking, is on the website. When you get there, you'll find yourself staring at the building a lot, with its brick facade, the dark windows...was that a figure in the window? But that's when the roaming queue actors will get you. There were several out there the night we went. One looked like a Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark character. We're talking super-creepy, pale, corpse-like woman. And her MOVEMENTS! Just eew! Every time we tried to take a photo, she would be shaking, like she was torn between our time and space and another dimension or something, so the photos of her came out as a ghostly blur. It was a seriously cool effect. Also outside we found Princess Petunia, a student, very much resembling a Garbage Patch kid (complete with snotty nose), Zobo the Clown, who is a much-loved long-time staple here, and a guy who looked...well, like a dead prisoner or mental patient, with scrapers for hands (like some nightmarish urban legend). Oh, and let us not forget the star of the show...Charlie. He was very menacing, wielding this giant pipe wrench. He would swing it up in such a way that was very intimidating -- I couldn't help but jump multiple times.
Once you make it through the queue, a carnival worker will let you into the fall festival area, and he may offer you candy, but you know what they say about taking candy from strangers. This has to be the best waiting area for a haunt ever. There is a photo booth (pick up your photo after you finish the haunt for $15). There is a small cornfield with scarecrows, there is a GIANT animatronic scarecrow, and there are all types of booths, full of monsters and creeps galore, and a stage with scores of jack-o'lanterns synced to music. There are old-timey cartoons projecting on the wall. And this is also where we found Pumpkin Smasher. If you have never met him, you will soon see he is appropriately named. There is also a selfie-booth so you can take your own photo with your friends. There is so much to see here! Soon, your wait will be over and it is your turn to enter the school house itself. Gather your nerves, because this is pretty intense. It isn't a touch haunt (unless you go to the lights out event and pay extra), but it may scare you more than some of the touch places out there. The theming is par excellence. If you have nightmares about school, this may cause you PTSD. You go through hallways with lockers, a library, classrooms, a kitchen, a locker room, a shower room, a lost toy area, a theater, and then there's the basement where all of the bodies were found. It is full of mazes, and loads of bodies (and why are they swinging?! They're always swinging!), steam tunnels, a veritable ossuary of skulls, an electric chair, bugs, snakes, coffins, butchers, a tool shop, and even a fun house. The effects are outstanding and the decor is well above and beyond. There are ghost librarians, a room full of life-sized dolls, a room with over-sized toys that look like a Twilight Zone episode, you have to meander through ghost couples dancing in the theater, there's a teacher swinging from a noose above a staircase, there's a woman carving human heads into jack-o'lanterns with an ax, there's a fun house with warped mirrors and clowns, there's a room where you have to wade through garbage and bodies, there's a guy who gets electrocuted and smoke just rolls off of him, and a woman gets snatched up by a giant snake.
I could go on and on and on. There are actors jumping out at you, and too many jump scares, like air cannons, and loud noises to count. The animatronics are flawless in their placement and execution. At the end of the school house portion, you have a choice this year. One way, you may get a little damp, but the experience is so worth it! I won't ruin the surprise. Then, you're off to the Queen City Slaughter Yard. This section is exactly what it sounds like. You walk through what looks like stalls and butchering areas of a slaughter yard, complete with straw and cages. And saws. SO. MANY. SAWS. This has been amped up a lot over last year, and it really keeps the adrenaline up throughout the outdoor section. You'll encounter disorienting fog, some giant animatronics, some caged "meat" which may occasionally be human, and so many butchers. One enthusiastic female butcheress was wielding a massive saw that almost got us! And how are the chainsaws so loud?! They're so overwhelming that your fight or flight instinct kicks in and it is everything you can do to not sprint for safety. And that's exactly what lots of people do!
But if they do that, they'll miss the souvenir booth and the photo op booth. Also, there are refreshments back toward the front of the building next to the ticket booth, restrooms, and the booth where you can pick up your group photo from the fall festival area. I'm going to say that you would be hard pressed to find a haunt where you will get such a quality experience. These guys are professional with a capital 'P'. I'm writing this on Halloween Eve, and I'm really considering the lights out event they're putting on this weekend. I've never done it, and there's a "touch" option. Plus, there are supposed to be twice the number of regular actors. I think going through with just a glow stick sounds a-mazing (...because it's maze-like...never mind, bad joke). Even though you'll miss out on some of the fantastic decor in the near total darkness, I think it might be worth it. Oh, and while we're talking special events, they're doing their Christmas haunt again this year. I know, I know, who wants to think about haunts in December? But let me stop you right there. We did this event last year, and it was an absolute blast! Something about all of the ghosts, creeps, and monsters inside wearing Santa hats was just beyond words. We laughed and cringed all the way through. So, keep that in mind when you're looking for something festive to do this year!