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Fear Fair is hitting hard with a triple threat! |
Todd - Peaches.
Yep. That's the word that is now synonymous with Fear Fair in my mind. If you haven't been in the past 2 years then that probably means nothing to you. If you have, then - wink, wink - you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Fear Fair is a haunt that never stops pushing for more, whether it be the structure, the actors or the themes. This year, we encountered a radically redesigned opening that rivals some of the the most impressive environments we've seen in haunts along with some of the most memorable characters. While they aren't necessarily the scariest creatures ever encountered, they surely leave an imprint.
We were pleased to find this year that the opening area which used to the military bunker-like pathways have been completely overhauled to make a very impressive set of catacombs. Walls are now lined with skulls, accompanied by dim, candle-like lighting with acolytes roaming about. A very impressive beast lives within these dwellings standing at 15 feet? 18 feet? It's big. And - unlike most haunts, your travels will bring you up close and personal to this massive centerpiece which, while it is animatronic, is impressive none-the-less. No subterranean structure build upon death is complete with out some form of sacrifice or ritual and yep - they have that too.
Familiar territory is beyond with the voodoo house, the bayou, cemetery, church and 1600's village. A few notable things in these areas: First, for the first time in my recollection, the bayou actually had fog running which made all the difference in the world. This impressive room replicates a swamp and the only thing to walk on are some teetering rope bridges with a little shanty half way through. The fog really added an illusion of depth and worked wonderfully. Second, while the village are offered nothing new (witches and plague doctors), the actors in these roles did a great job. The witch and her primary victim coordinated to make it appear as if she had some telekinetic powers, throwing him around or pushing him to the ground without touching him. Of course, the most hardcore Star Wars fans will do this commonly when they feel The Force, but it was a nice touch.
The most lacking areas in the haunt are right after the village. The narrow cave (?) with the sharp turns really has nothing going for it and spatially, doesn't allow for it. It does have one of the tightest air-blown walls you have to squeeze through which sits waist high that normally takes some effort to get through. Sadly, as we went through, it was only running on one side, allowing for free movement. We later learned that some f*ckhead with a knife had already slashed it once before and it's possible it had happened again. Other than a drop panel and a lone actor doing to her best to be intimidating, this area offers nothing else. Also at this point, there's a short, rat-infested area that doesn't have much going on aside from some projected bugs on the walls and a random rat-masked person running around. The techie in me actually wanted to fix the keystone on one of the projectors when I walked by because it was so skewed and wasn't blending into the environment at all.
Never fret though - Fear Fair redeems itself in it's finale. Last year brought the most amazing prison set I've ever seen - damn near studio quality (and likely better than an actual third world prison). Complete with a morgue, cell block, filthy showers and execution room, this prison looks like a small-scale real deal. Metal and concrete - everywhere. As fantastic as this setting is, the actors are the main attraction. After getting roughed up from some wild inmates, you might get to have some shower etiquette lessons by Tiny (and tiny, he is not). Tiny did a great job with his banter. Paul and I got thrown in the cells for a a bit so the group after us caught up and went ahead of us. To reset the pacing, we interacted with Tiny for a few minutes before moving on. This guy can ad-lib! The subject matter may not be entirely appropriate for this review, but let's just say he knows how to make use of small spaces in the most desperate of times.
Prior to moving on to the finale of the execution room which, fair warning - is LOUD, you'll meet who has undeniably become the star of the show - Peaches. Peaches is inmate #1. He loves to flirt, strives to look good, aims to please and loves to cuddle. If you want to get out of Fear Fair, you have to go through Peaches. Really. There's literally no way out, otherwise. Therefore, be prepared to do something for Peaches - maybe even giving him a little loving before you can move on. Really though, Peaches is an incredible actor (we were told he's the polar opposite in real life). He's laugh-out-loud hysterical and incredibly interactive with the guests. The ironic part is that there's absolutely nothing scary about him and yet he has become an icon of Fear Fair. In such a short time, I can't even imagine him NOT being there.
Fear Fair is definitely on the rebound, upward. I was still a little disappointed that the level of physical contact was still too tame (contact is an option). Our first year there, I was pinned to a wall by my throat at the hands of Pyramid Head and damn-near brought to the ground by numerous zombies. It was great. Now it's toned downed several notches. However, despite that, the changes this year are incredible. Fear Fair has one hell of an opening (no pun intended), a great, memorable ending and a mediocre middle. It's a great haunt! It's unfortunate that it's not really near any other major attractions but it is worth the drive time to go to. You may be there for a bit so make an evening of it after dinner. Lines tend to get long, but there's plenty of entertainment provided by a live DJ with lights and pyrotechnics. If you can't make it during haunt season, they also do a St. Valentine's Day and Christmas haunt as well. And yes - Peaches has mistletoe.
Yep. That's the word that is now synonymous with Fear Fair in my mind. If you haven't been in the past 2 years then that probably means nothing to you. If you have, then - wink, wink - you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Fear Fair is a haunt that never stops pushing for more, whether it be the structure, the actors or the themes. This year, we encountered a radically redesigned opening that rivals some of the the most impressive environments we've seen in haunts along with some of the most memorable characters. While they aren't necessarily the scariest creatures ever encountered, they surely leave an imprint.
We were pleased to find this year that the opening area which used to the military bunker-like pathways have been completely overhauled to make a very impressive set of catacombs. Walls are now lined with skulls, accompanied by dim, candle-like lighting with acolytes roaming about. A very impressive beast lives within these dwellings standing at 15 feet? 18 feet? It's big. And - unlike most haunts, your travels will bring you up close and personal to this massive centerpiece which, while it is animatronic, is impressive none-the-less. No subterranean structure build upon death is complete with out some form of sacrifice or ritual and yep - they have that too.
Familiar territory is beyond with the voodoo house, the bayou, cemetery, church and 1600's village. A few notable things in these areas: First, for the first time in my recollection, the bayou actually had fog running which made all the difference in the world. This impressive room replicates a swamp and the only thing to walk on are some teetering rope bridges with a little shanty half way through. The fog really added an illusion of depth and worked wonderfully. Second, while the village are offered nothing new (witches and plague doctors), the actors in these roles did a great job. The witch and her primary victim coordinated to make it appear as if she had some telekinetic powers, throwing him around or pushing him to the ground without touching him. Of course, the most hardcore Star Wars fans will do this commonly when they feel The Force, but it was a nice touch.
The most lacking areas in the haunt are right after the village. The narrow cave (?) with the sharp turns really has nothing going for it and spatially, doesn't allow for it. It does have one of the tightest air-blown walls you have to squeeze through which sits waist high that normally takes some effort to get through. Sadly, as we went through, it was only running on one side, allowing for free movement. We later learned that some f*ckhead with a knife had already slashed it once before and it's possible it had happened again. Other than a drop panel and a lone actor doing to her best to be intimidating, this area offers nothing else. Also at this point, there's a short, rat-infested area that doesn't have much going on aside from some projected bugs on the walls and a random rat-masked person running around. The techie in me actually wanted to fix the keystone on one of the projectors when I walked by because it was so skewed and wasn't blending into the environment at all.
Never fret though - Fear Fair redeems itself in it's finale. Last year brought the most amazing prison set I've ever seen - damn near studio quality (and likely better than an actual third world prison). Complete with a morgue, cell block, filthy showers and execution room, this prison looks like a small-scale real deal. Metal and concrete - everywhere. As fantastic as this setting is, the actors are the main attraction. After getting roughed up from some wild inmates, you might get to have some shower etiquette lessons by Tiny (and tiny, he is not). Tiny did a great job with his banter. Paul and I got thrown in the cells for a a bit so the group after us caught up and went ahead of us. To reset the pacing, we interacted with Tiny for a few minutes before moving on. This guy can ad-lib! The subject matter may not be entirely appropriate for this review, but let's just say he knows how to make use of small spaces in the most desperate of times.
Prior to moving on to the finale of the execution room which, fair warning - is LOUD, you'll meet who has undeniably become the star of the show - Peaches. Peaches is inmate #1. He loves to flirt, strives to look good, aims to please and loves to cuddle. If you want to get out of Fear Fair, you have to go through Peaches. Really. There's literally no way out, otherwise. Therefore, be prepared to do something for Peaches - maybe even giving him a little loving before you can move on. Really though, Peaches is an incredible actor (we were told he's the polar opposite in real life). He's laugh-out-loud hysterical and incredibly interactive with the guests. The ironic part is that there's absolutely nothing scary about him and yet he has become an icon of Fear Fair. In such a short time, I can't even imagine him NOT being there.
Fear Fair is definitely on the rebound, upward. I was still a little disappointed that the level of physical contact was still too tame (contact is an option). Our first year there, I was pinned to a wall by my throat at the hands of Pyramid Head and damn-near brought to the ground by numerous zombies. It was great. Now it's toned downed several notches. However, despite that, the changes this year are incredible. Fear Fair has one hell of an opening (no pun intended), a great, memorable ending and a mediocre middle. It's a great haunt! It's unfortunate that it's not really near any other major attractions but it is worth the drive time to go to. You may be there for a bit so make an evening of it after dinner. Lines tend to get long, but there's plenty of entertainment provided by a live DJ with lights and pyrotechnics. If you can't make it during haunt season, they also do a St. Valentine's Day and Christmas haunt as well. And yes - Peaches has mistletoe.
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My most anticipated haunt every year. |
Paul - Fear Fair holds a rather special place in my haunt life as the first full-contact haunt I ever loved. My first time through changed me, and honestly, no haunt has quite lived up to it since. In the many haunt visits since that night there have been others that have been as intense, but none that have left such a vivid memory. The particular scene that I remember so well is no longer there, but if you want to keep people coming back to your haunt you have to keep things fresh, and Fear Fair is unquestionably one of the best at that!
Every year we visit Fear Fair there are huge changes within, and this year is no exception. Previously upon entering the haunt, the first scene was kind of an end-of-days, zombie apocalypse area. While it was well done, it was definitely beginning to show its age. Well this year it has been replaced with an amazingly detailed catacomb area called Ancient Evil. We've seen some big changes over the years, but this one blew me away! The details, actors, animatronics, lighting, walls, everything... All are completely awesome! It also flows fairly well into the following scenes, a majority of which have also been completely overhauled since that first visit a few years back.
After voyaging through the catacombs you enter Leveau's Curse; a bayou-themed area that always seems to have some of the best actors in the facility. That's followed by The Pestilence which is a 14th-century black plague consumed village. In this area you actually venture outside for a portion of it, which adds even more realism to it. Finally you'll have to escape from prison through Rockford Riot. This area was new last year and is a fantastic finale to the haunt, with a massive area to get through, lots of prisoners in the way, and to top it off... You'd better be ready to give Peaches some persuasion or you're not going anywhere.
Don't forget... while you're working your way through all of these areas, the actors will grab, shove, drag, and touch you the entire way; just as long as you have the glow necklace from the Extra Fear option. You took the FREE Extra Fear upgrade right? If not, I don't think we can be friends anymore. None of the touching is painful or inappropriate, it just adds to the experience by really letting the actors make you part of the haunt. I do miss the intensity of the contact from the first time we went through, but like most touch haunts, I'm sure there were too many complaints from scaredy-cats!
The whole Fear Fair experience is great. From DJ Fear keeping the crowd entertained with an amazing sound and light display while waiting, to the roaming actors who will surprise you at almost any time, to just plain being one of the best haunts in the region, you HAVE to make the trip to Seymour, Indiana to brave your way through Fear Fair!
Every year we visit Fear Fair there are huge changes within, and this year is no exception. Previously upon entering the haunt, the first scene was kind of an end-of-days, zombie apocalypse area. While it was well done, it was definitely beginning to show its age. Well this year it has been replaced with an amazingly detailed catacomb area called Ancient Evil. We've seen some big changes over the years, but this one blew me away! The details, actors, animatronics, lighting, walls, everything... All are completely awesome! It also flows fairly well into the following scenes, a majority of which have also been completely overhauled since that first visit a few years back.
After voyaging through the catacombs you enter Leveau's Curse; a bayou-themed area that always seems to have some of the best actors in the facility. That's followed by The Pestilence which is a 14th-century black plague consumed village. In this area you actually venture outside for a portion of it, which adds even more realism to it. Finally you'll have to escape from prison through Rockford Riot. This area was new last year and is a fantastic finale to the haunt, with a massive area to get through, lots of prisoners in the way, and to top it off... You'd better be ready to give Peaches some persuasion or you're not going anywhere.
Don't forget... while you're working your way through all of these areas, the actors will grab, shove, drag, and touch you the entire way; just as long as you have the glow necklace from the Extra Fear option. You took the FREE Extra Fear upgrade right? If not, I don't think we can be friends anymore. None of the touching is painful or inappropriate, it just adds to the experience by really letting the actors make you part of the haunt. I do miss the intensity of the contact from the first time we went through, but like most touch haunts, I'm sure there were too many complaints from scaredy-cats!
The whole Fear Fair experience is great. From DJ Fear keeping the crowd entertained with an amazing sound and light display while waiting, to the roaming actors who will surprise you at almost any time, to just plain being one of the best haunts in the region, you HAVE to make the trip to Seymour, Indiana to brave your way through Fear Fair!
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If you don't come out of this place laughing or screaming, your mouth must be wired shut. |
Teresa - Fear Fair is located in an industrial area of Seymour, Indiana, near Freeman Airport. For those not from the area, it is under an hour from Louisville, about an hour from Indianapolis, and two hours from Cincinnati. We drive the 2 hours every year to go, and it is sooo worth it! Fear Fair never fails to impress me with the creativity they put into their haunt. Every year there is something new and I always look forward to experiencing whatever new nightmare they have created. This is one of the few haunts that has a full-contact option, meaning, if you want to be extra-scared, you can choose to wear a glow necklace and the fiends inside will touch you. It isn't overly aggressive. Most just caress your hair or face, or maybe grab your arms and pull you away from the safety of your friends. Or maybe they just want to cuddle? It adds a whole new level to the fun. There is a deejay and light show to keep you dancing while you wait in line. There are scare actors wandering around the queue, including one freaky witch-lady who was really good. Once inside, you get a photo with your group, which you can pick up for $5.00 at the souvenir booth after you come out.
The old elevator you take to enter the haunt is rougher than ever, so hang on! Then, the doors open on the new section for this year - the catacombs of Ancient Evil. Just like in Paris, or many other cities that ran out of room for their dead, you find yourself wandering through the underground tunnels of an ossuary with skulls and bones lining the walls around you. This area is filled with evil monks, jump scares, and some of the coolest skeletal candelabras you will ever see...all leading to Ancient Evil. The props in this section are very impressive.
Then you go through Laveau's Curse. This section is so atmospheric. You enter a house with beaucoups accoutrements de voodoo (lots of voodoo stuff). Be careful or Papa Lebga and his assistant will turn you into a voodoo doll. And then you exit the house and find yourself on these rickety wooden footbridges approaching a shack in a swamp. Is this Marie Laveau? The ladies here were fantastic, and I really thought the blind sister was really creepy. The effects really make you feel like you're in a swamp. The swamp leads you into a New Orleans-style cemetery with gravediggers and some giant monuments and tombs.
This transitions into The Pestilence. I cannot get over how good the scenes are here. You really feel like you're walking through a 14th-century village that has been cursed by a witch. The props are amazing and the scenes that unfold in front of you make you feel like you're part of a movie set. There are streets, a town square, homes and a barn (you walk through a barn with straw, rats, and animal smells. It really is immersive.). The witch did a great job, and I love the plague victims, the plague doctor, and the goat man (Black Phillip?)
For the final part of the journey, you wind up in Rockford Prison, where the prisoners have taken over and are fighting the warden and his guards. This section is certainly not for the faint of heart! There are gun shots, and some seriously deranged prisoners. You make your way through the rooms of the prison, trying to escape with your life...at least until the prisoners get you. Some are really scary, some are pretty entertaining to talk to. Keep an eye out for Tiny in the shower. And just when you think you've gotten away from him, you'll meet Peaches. These guys are fantastic and so funny! If you don't believe me, check out the gift shop. They even have Peaches shirts to commemorate your trip. If you don't come out of this place laughing or screaming, your mouth must be wired shut.
The old elevator you take to enter the haunt is rougher than ever, so hang on! Then, the doors open on the new section for this year - the catacombs of Ancient Evil. Just like in Paris, or many other cities that ran out of room for their dead, you find yourself wandering through the underground tunnels of an ossuary with skulls and bones lining the walls around you. This area is filled with evil monks, jump scares, and some of the coolest skeletal candelabras you will ever see...all leading to Ancient Evil. The props in this section are very impressive.
Then you go through Laveau's Curse. This section is so atmospheric. You enter a house with beaucoups accoutrements de voodoo (lots of voodoo stuff). Be careful or Papa Lebga and his assistant will turn you into a voodoo doll. And then you exit the house and find yourself on these rickety wooden footbridges approaching a shack in a swamp. Is this Marie Laveau? The ladies here were fantastic, and I really thought the blind sister was really creepy. The effects really make you feel like you're in a swamp. The swamp leads you into a New Orleans-style cemetery with gravediggers and some giant monuments and tombs.
This transitions into The Pestilence. I cannot get over how good the scenes are here. You really feel like you're walking through a 14th-century village that has been cursed by a witch. The props are amazing and the scenes that unfold in front of you make you feel like you're part of a movie set. There are streets, a town square, homes and a barn (you walk through a barn with straw, rats, and animal smells. It really is immersive.). The witch did a great job, and I love the plague victims, the plague doctor, and the goat man (Black Phillip?)
For the final part of the journey, you wind up in Rockford Prison, where the prisoners have taken over and are fighting the warden and his guards. This section is certainly not for the faint of heart! There are gun shots, and some seriously deranged prisoners. You make your way through the rooms of the prison, trying to escape with your life...at least until the prisoners get you. Some are really scary, some are pretty entertaining to talk to. Keep an eye out for Tiny in the shower. And just when you think you've gotten away from him, you'll meet Peaches. These guys are fantastic and so funny! If you don't believe me, check out the gift shop. They even have Peaches shirts to commemorate your trip. If you don't come out of this place laughing or screaming, your mouth must be wired shut.