Todd - Nightmare on Edgewood won our Frightmaster award last season for being the best overall haunt. It's a strong contender this year. Here's why...
While Edgewood's hands-on approach is nothing new, last year's experience brought with it a number of surprises including the unforgettable butcher table on which I was hoisted onto and nearly castrated. At the time, we knew nothing of this scene, even after visiting during construction the previous July. Needless to say, we were all caught off guard and aside from being thrown into a trash can as lights-out night at The Dent Schoolhouse, it was the most invasive full contact experience I've had at a haunt yet. Now, this scene in the show is infamous at Nightmare on Edgewood; it's damn near used as a marketing tool. So this wasn't a surprise at all and yet the haunt had plenty of new experiences.
Still segmented into three separate themes, Nightmare on Edgewood has totally revised the opening portion while leaving the second and third the same with additional builds. The entry facade remains as the the large asylum, though is serves as the location of a high school commandeered by the military for triage. In the entry lobby, we were greeted by an actor in hazmat garb warning us of a virus that turns people hostile. To prove this point, he was accompanied by a girl who was clearly infected with a taste for flesh; I was bitten on the shoulder and Paul was licked on the face. No complaints. We were then told we would be escorted to decontamination and before stepping a foot through first set of doors, a military officer grabbed us and expeditiously ushered us down the hall warning us to stay clear of the walls and windows - for good reason. We were checked over for any pre-existing conditions and then thrown into the halls of the school, amongst the infected students and staff.
Navigating through fog-filled classrooms, a locker room, shower room, boiler room, the office and locker-lined hallways, we encountered students and staff alike, all crazed and super-touchy-feely. We were grabbed, thrown against walls, painted on by the art teacher (who proceeded to force us on to the ground in order to leave), and I was forcibly seated into a chair desk in the classroom (sideways) while Paul was harassed by another staffer. The actors knew no personal boundaries and let's just say we could tell which used Altoids and which didn't. The actors were dialed to 11 and very imposing.
The next section was once again Dr. Belle's mansion, once again inhabited by Charley whom upon entering, we were warned to avoid at all cost. Ushered into a secret room behind the fireplace, we can hear Charley wandering the floors above us. At the coast cleared, we ventured through the house to leave and wouldn't you know it - Charley found us.
The actor playing Charley is AMAZING. I clearly remembered him from the Monsterbash 2021 night hosted at Nightmare on Edgewood and he does an incredible job of making you think you are actually trespassing in his house. His demeanor is mix of The Walking Dead's Negan and Robocop's Clarence Boddicker. Charming fellow.
We first encountered him in the dining room and agreed to GTFO after awkwardly praying with him (in a sinister sounding language). Of course, he caught us numerous times throughout the rest of the house, most awkwardly in his daughter's room right after Paul was instructed to lay in her bed. Ever feel like you're simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yup. It's not like the other members of his family were any help. While worrying about encountering Charley again, his crazy kin didn't help matters. They were not assistive at all in our escape; it's almost like they wanted us to get caught! This portion of the haunt also featured a hallway with the most drop panels I've ever seen in a row, executed with incredible timing, which was very clever.
Lastly, the Conley Farm returns. I recall two years ago stating that this was my least favorite portion of Edgewood because it felt like a little too much barn and not enough boo. Last year of course, my impression did a complete 180 with the aforementioned castration table, oversized puppetry that literally would slam into you if you were slow on your feet and actors that were more aggressive than ever. While the first portion of the haunt had the most number of touches, the Conley family still remains the most memorable because, well, how often do you get picked up, thrown on a table and held down. This year it was Paul's turn and hell, I even helped hold down a leg. The haunt still carries is rural setting and while the environment isn't overly ominous, the actors are sure to encroach on any level of comfort you may still have left.
It's not unusual to see haunts expand in length, but this year, Conley Farm expanded in height. Taking advantage of Edgewood's tall structure, the haunt now has a second story that you find yourself experiencing twice. One section was built around the infamous chopping table overlooking Bubba and the boys awaiting their next cut of meat. Speaking of meat, a conveyor belt carrying slabs of beef (I hope) now circles the ceiling above the room. I would love to see more of this - fingers crossed.
What else can I say other than Nightmare on Edgewood was fantastic. It may not be a show for everyone. If you don't like being touched then either don't come or be prepared to be terrified. No touch is not an option. It has become almost as unrelenting as The Haunted Hotel in that aspect and I couldn't be happier about it. The amount of work that goes into the production is clearly evident and it was hard to find opportunities for criticism. There are either very few or we were simply too distracted being assaulted to notice. I was thoroughly entertained and could feel the energy pumping throughout the entire experience.
While Edgewood's hands-on approach is nothing new, last year's experience brought with it a number of surprises including the unforgettable butcher table on which I was hoisted onto and nearly castrated. At the time, we knew nothing of this scene, even after visiting during construction the previous July. Needless to say, we were all caught off guard and aside from being thrown into a trash can as lights-out night at The Dent Schoolhouse, it was the most invasive full contact experience I've had at a haunt yet. Now, this scene in the show is infamous at Nightmare on Edgewood; it's damn near used as a marketing tool. So this wasn't a surprise at all and yet the haunt had plenty of new experiences.
Still segmented into three separate themes, Nightmare on Edgewood has totally revised the opening portion while leaving the second and third the same with additional builds. The entry facade remains as the the large asylum, though is serves as the location of a high school commandeered by the military for triage. In the entry lobby, we were greeted by an actor in hazmat garb warning us of a virus that turns people hostile. To prove this point, he was accompanied by a girl who was clearly infected with a taste for flesh; I was bitten on the shoulder and Paul was licked on the face. No complaints. We were then told we would be escorted to decontamination and before stepping a foot through first set of doors, a military officer grabbed us and expeditiously ushered us down the hall warning us to stay clear of the walls and windows - for good reason. We were checked over for any pre-existing conditions and then thrown into the halls of the school, amongst the infected students and staff.
Navigating through fog-filled classrooms, a locker room, shower room, boiler room, the office and locker-lined hallways, we encountered students and staff alike, all crazed and super-touchy-feely. We were grabbed, thrown against walls, painted on by the art teacher (who proceeded to force us on to the ground in order to leave), and I was forcibly seated into a chair desk in the classroom (sideways) while Paul was harassed by another staffer. The actors knew no personal boundaries and let's just say we could tell which used Altoids and which didn't. The actors were dialed to 11 and very imposing.
The next section was once again Dr. Belle's mansion, once again inhabited by Charley whom upon entering, we were warned to avoid at all cost. Ushered into a secret room behind the fireplace, we can hear Charley wandering the floors above us. At the coast cleared, we ventured through the house to leave and wouldn't you know it - Charley found us.
The actor playing Charley is AMAZING. I clearly remembered him from the Monsterbash 2021 night hosted at Nightmare on Edgewood and he does an incredible job of making you think you are actually trespassing in his house. His demeanor is mix of The Walking Dead's Negan and Robocop's Clarence Boddicker. Charming fellow.
We first encountered him in the dining room and agreed to GTFO after awkwardly praying with him (in a sinister sounding language). Of course, he caught us numerous times throughout the rest of the house, most awkwardly in his daughter's room right after Paul was instructed to lay in her bed. Ever feel like you're simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yup. It's not like the other members of his family were any help. While worrying about encountering Charley again, his crazy kin didn't help matters. They were not assistive at all in our escape; it's almost like they wanted us to get caught! This portion of the haunt also featured a hallway with the most drop panels I've ever seen in a row, executed with incredible timing, which was very clever.
Lastly, the Conley Farm returns. I recall two years ago stating that this was my least favorite portion of Edgewood because it felt like a little too much barn and not enough boo. Last year of course, my impression did a complete 180 with the aforementioned castration table, oversized puppetry that literally would slam into you if you were slow on your feet and actors that were more aggressive than ever. While the first portion of the haunt had the most number of touches, the Conley family still remains the most memorable because, well, how often do you get picked up, thrown on a table and held down. This year it was Paul's turn and hell, I even helped hold down a leg. The haunt still carries is rural setting and while the environment isn't overly ominous, the actors are sure to encroach on any level of comfort you may still have left.
It's not unusual to see haunts expand in length, but this year, Conley Farm expanded in height. Taking advantage of Edgewood's tall structure, the haunt now has a second story that you find yourself experiencing twice. One section was built around the infamous chopping table overlooking Bubba and the boys awaiting their next cut of meat. Speaking of meat, a conveyor belt carrying slabs of beef (I hope) now circles the ceiling above the room. I would love to see more of this - fingers crossed.
What else can I say other than Nightmare on Edgewood was fantastic. It may not be a show for everyone. If you don't like being touched then either don't come or be prepared to be terrified. No touch is not an option. It has become almost as unrelenting as The Haunted Hotel in that aspect and I couldn't be happier about it. The amount of work that goes into the production is clearly evident and it was hard to find opportunities for criticism. There are either very few or we were simply too distracted being assaulted to notice. I was thoroughly entertained and could feel the energy pumping throughout the entire experience.
Paul - We visit quite a few haunts every year in this region, and I have to say... Nightmare on Edgewood is really starting to be in a class of its own. There are other haunts that offer intense experiences, but through all of the years we've been visiting, Edgewood has delivered on EVERY VISIT.
Nightmare on Edgewood is located in an industrial area just south of downtown Indianapolis in an old fabrication facility. This is their second year inside of that creepy old building but there's zero indication of this being a work-in-progress. Once you walk through the door, you're in their world. Three huge haunts lie inside of the facility, and every one of them will wear you out. Not only will you run, walk, crawl, jump, and scream; but the actors inside will push you, pull you, grab you, and maybe even lift you up onto a butcher table. Yes- they can (and will) touch you, but the acting is excellent, and the sets are perfect. You may not have some of the super insane details you get from a few other haunts in the region, but the lighting, special effects, audio, and decor are all perfectly designed around supporting the actors in their job of scaring the hell out of you- not distracting you from it.
Your first haunt (which is all new for 2022) is Containment. A water contamination has caused a horrible outbreak and you're trapped in the local high school while the crazies are eliminated outside. But wouldn't you know it? Somehow those lunatics have made their way inside. From the second you walk through the front door, they're ON YOU and they don't let up through the whole gauntlet.
The second you experience is Charlie's Revenge. You do NOT want to piss off Charlie, but I bet you do..... Charlie may have been the best acting performance of the night. He's a very large and very scary man, and he's not happy that you're inside of his house.
The third portion is Conley Farm. This place isn't your ordinary farm. There's some crazy inbreeding (or interbreeding?) going on in here, and it seems the aggression gene has become the dominant one. And if Bubba decides to have you for dinner, you're in for a ride.
The thing that's hard to stress enough is the group of actors they've put together. The number of convincing acting performances was almost unreal. And they don't use the touch as a gimmick, or as an excuse to beat you up or anything like that- It's all used as support for them playing out their part. It's extremely rare to just get a RAAR out of someone, and there's no doubt that their focal point is you. The interaction level in Edgewood is really second to none.
With three huge haunts, an indoor queue area, free parking, and a convenient location, Nightmare on Edgewood is an easy recommendation. It's an experience you won't forget, and will easily be something you talk about for years to come.
Nightmare on Edgewood is located in an industrial area just south of downtown Indianapolis in an old fabrication facility. This is their second year inside of that creepy old building but there's zero indication of this being a work-in-progress. Once you walk through the door, you're in their world. Three huge haunts lie inside of the facility, and every one of them will wear you out. Not only will you run, walk, crawl, jump, and scream; but the actors inside will push you, pull you, grab you, and maybe even lift you up onto a butcher table. Yes- they can (and will) touch you, but the acting is excellent, and the sets are perfect. You may not have some of the super insane details you get from a few other haunts in the region, but the lighting, special effects, audio, and decor are all perfectly designed around supporting the actors in their job of scaring the hell out of you- not distracting you from it.
Your first haunt (which is all new for 2022) is Containment. A water contamination has caused a horrible outbreak and you're trapped in the local high school while the crazies are eliminated outside. But wouldn't you know it? Somehow those lunatics have made their way inside. From the second you walk through the front door, they're ON YOU and they don't let up through the whole gauntlet.
The second you experience is Charlie's Revenge. You do NOT want to piss off Charlie, but I bet you do..... Charlie may have been the best acting performance of the night. He's a very large and very scary man, and he's not happy that you're inside of his house.
The third portion is Conley Farm. This place isn't your ordinary farm. There's some crazy inbreeding (or interbreeding?) going on in here, and it seems the aggression gene has become the dominant one. And if Bubba decides to have you for dinner, you're in for a ride.
The thing that's hard to stress enough is the group of actors they've put together. The number of convincing acting performances was almost unreal. And they don't use the touch as a gimmick, or as an excuse to beat you up or anything like that- It's all used as support for them playing out their part. It's extremely rare to just get a RAAR out of someone, and there's no doubt that their focal point is you. The interaction level in Edgewood is really second to none.
With three huge haunts, an indoor queue area, free parking, and a convenient location, Nightmare on Edgewood is an easy recommendation. It's an experience you won't forget, and will easily be something you talk about for years to come.
Questions? Have a story to share? Leave it in the comments!