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A haunt that is building its own legacy... |
Todd - Malice Manor is probably the most aggressively evolving haunt on our circuit. When it first opened, it was presented as a chaotic mix of themes; a dark wonderland where anything could happen. Over the past few years, the lore of Malice Manor has taken shape and is now building strength in supporting a growing storyline: From his insatiable need for dark adventure, Lord Rancor - the haunt’s primary antagonist, has brought upon his estate a grave curse transforming his family and staff into hideous beings. This backdrop sets the foundation for branching storylines to be built upon which we’re told will allow more focus on specific characters and sets tied to them.
The sets range from dimly-lit outdoor settings to incredibly crafted eye candy worthy of stage or film production. Right from the beginning, we were welcomed within an old-style living room and presented the backstory of the manor. Next we were immediately approached by an interesting character showcasing a body on a couch, evidently named Bob. Did I mention Bob had no head? Yeah, apparently this guy ate it. To add insult to injury, we were instructed to sit on Bob's lifeless corpse and bounce. Perhaps this was some form of meat tenderizing technique. This is a great example of the sick and wacky encounters Malice Manor has to offer. I must have done a good job bouncing on Bob because this jolting stopped my voice recorder so from here on out in the review, I'm pulling from memory.
As with many haunts in the past few years, Malice Manor has not been without it’s staffing problems. Overall, it was noticeable that the actor count on the night we visited was on the low side. However, the actors we did encounter did a great job at entertaining us. To name a few, the young girl playing Alice in the toy room (who has played other roles in the past) is very good and seeing her dynamic range role to role is impressive. The dark priestess in chanting God knows what, reading her book of spells was quite memorable as well in her shack full of cursed trinkets. I also have to give a shoutout to the final actor in the shop, Mr. “Do you have my 10mm socket?” who had us laughing on the way out the exit.
I stress the term I just mentioned - “entertaining” - because not all of Malice Manor is about scares and dark imagery. It’s also full of unexpected WTF moments. To this date I still have nowhere else seen a hallway of asses or encountered that “incident” in the laundry room (you may get a little....damp), which was a new addition this year. Before you go off thinking that Malice Manor sounds like a novelty store that exploded, I'll be clear - there's plenty of traditional haunt experiences. You'll encounter feisty characters sizing you up, ready to trim off a little meat for later. You'll be forced to wind your way out of a pitch-black maze which sure seemed to have tighter turns and more narrow walkways this year (hope you're not claustrophobic!). There are numerous moments where you'll have to turn corners unable to see what or who lies ahead. A times you'll be disoriented with light while you slowly move ahead unable to sense what is in front of you.
The bottom line - it's fun. The fun isn't just reserved for the fall either. Malice Manor opens their doors for Valentine's Day, Christmas and their Summer haunt. The attraction gets worked on throughout the year so you're bound to discover something new even in the off season. To top it off, each of these off season haunts adds a little flair to lend to the season (roses on Valentine's Day, leis on the summer haunt. They're committed to ensure you have a good time and that's precisely what this haunt excels at.
Between an ever-improving build, a gelling storyline and memorable actors, Malice Manor will have us returning year after year; even season-to-season.
The sets range from dimly-lit outdoor settings to incredibly crafted eye candy worthy of stage or film production. Right from the beginning, we were welcomed within an old-style living room and presented the backstory of the manor. Next we were immediately approached by an interesting character showcasing a body on a couch, evidently named Bob. Did I mention Bob had no head? Yeah, apparently this guy ate it. To add insult to injury, we were instructed to sit on Bob's lifeless corpse and bounce. Perhaps this was some form of meat tenderizing technique. This is a great example of the sick and wacky encounters Malice Manor has to offer. I must have done a good job bouncing on Bob because this jolting stopped my voice recorder so from here on out in the review, I'm pulling from memory.
As with many haunts in the past few years, Malice Manor has not been without it’s staffing problems. Overall, it was noticeable that the actor count on the night we visited was on the low side. However, the actors we did encounter did a great job at entertaining us. To name a few, the young girl playing Alice in the toy room (who has played other roles in the past) is very good and seeing her dynamic range role to role is impressive. The dark priestess in chanting God knows what, reading her book of spells was quite memorable as well in her shack full of cursed trinkets. I also have to give a shoutout to the final actor in the shop, Mr. “Do you have my 10mm socket?” who had us laughing on the way out the exit.
I stress the term I just mentioned - “entertaining” - because not all of Malice Manor is about scares and dark imagery. It’s also full of unexpected WTF moments. To this date I still have nowhere else seen a hallway of asses or encountered that “incident” in the laundry room (you may get a little....damp), which was a new addition this year. Before you go off thinking that Malice Manor sounds like a novelty store that exploded, I'll be clear - there's plenty of traditional haunt experiences. You'll encounter feisty characters sizing you up, ready to trim off a little meat for later. You'll be forced to wind your way out of a pitch-black maze which sure seemed to have tighter turns and more narrow walkways this year (hope you're not claustrophobic!). There are numerous moments where you'll have to turn corners unable to see what or who lies ahead. A times you'll be disoriented with light while you slowly move ahead unable to sense what is in front of you.
The bottom line - it's fun. The fun isn't just reserved for the fall either. Malice Manor opens their doors for Valentine's Day, Christmas and their Summer haunt. The attraction gets worked on throughout the year so you're bound to discover something new even in the off season. To top it off, each of these off season haunts adds a little flair to lend to the season (roses on Valentine's Day, leis on the summer haunt. They're committed to ensure you have a good time and that's precisely what this haunt excels at.
Between an ever-improving build, a gelling storyline and memorable actors, Malice Manor will have us returning year after year; even season-to-season.
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Don't you dare try to steal that 10mm socket! |
Paul - I still remember my first visit Malice Manor and talking about all of the unique things they had done and how it was a "themeless haunt". They just wanted to build the coolest scenes they could, put great actors into them, and see what came of it. It was refreshing to see a brand new haunt and the energy that brought it to life.
In 2022 that energy is still there, but the "themeless haunt" is starting to fade and the Manor is really starting to take over. As the evolution has happened, we've started to see the different areas becoming more and more related to each other, and the transitions have become much less abrupt. Every year brings more scares, more acting, and more awesomeness to a place that I've loved from the first time I went through.
This year brought a couple of brand new scenes that were fantastically decorated and some modifications to a few old ones. The actors we encountered were very engaging, very creepy, and very entertaining. There wasn't a single instance where we encountered someone who would just try for a pop scare and leave. And don't you dare try to get out of there with the mechanic's 10mm socket.
Malice Manor continues to be on my favorites list and is an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a good haunt in the greater Louisville area. The haunt, tickets, souvenirs, and queue are entirely indoors, there's a really well-made place to wait, plenty of free parking, and the attraction itself is excellent!
In 2022 that energy is still there, but the "themeless haunt" is starting to fade and the Manor is really starting to take over. As the evolution has happened, we've started to see the different areas becoming more and more related to each other, and the transitions have become much less abrupt. Every year brings more scares, more acting, and more awesomeness to a place that I've loved from the first time I went through.
This year brought a couple of brand new scenes that were fantastically decorated and some modifications to a few old ones. The actors we encountered were very engaging, very creepy, and very entertaining. There wasn't a single instance where we encountered someone who would just try for a pop scare and leave. And don't you dare try to get out of there with the mechanic's 10mm socket.
Malice Manor continues to be on my favorites list and is an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a good haunt in the greater Louisville area. The haunt, tickets, souvenirs, and queue are entirely indoors, there's a really well-made place to wait, plenty of free parking, and the attraction itself is excellent!
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I've been cursed! |
Emily - The Malice Manor madness continues another year as its inhabitants wreak havoc on the mansion and all who dare enter. Their story continues to unfold with sets and characters who have all gone mad from the manor’s dark history. The haunt location offers plenty of parking, a well-designed line layout, and a projector with movie clips.
For me, the best set is the lady of the manor. It has been my favorite every time. So well done and packed full of darkness. I wish I could take the time to walk around and take in every detail. The lady herself is amazing, from the acting to the costume. I believe she might have been the only one to touch any of the group, placing her curse on me before we could escape. Another fun experience in the haunt is that dark maze. It feels like we always get stuck in there for an eternity.
Even though Malice Manor was low on actors the night we visited, those that were present did an amazing job covering their area and characters. There was a good balance between dialog and jump scares. The Malice Manor team are dedicated to their craft and it shows through the continuous improvement and thought put into each haunt season. Looking forward to the next visit!
For me, the best set is the lady of the manor. It has been my favorite every time. So well done and packed full of darkness. I wish I could take the time to walk around and take in every detail. The lady herself is amazing, from the acting to the costume. I believe she might have been the only one to touch any of the group, placing her curse on me before we could escape. Another fun experience in the haunt is that dark maze. It feels like we always get stuck in there for an eternity.
Even though Malice Manor was low on actors the night we visited, those that were present did an amazing job covering their area and characters. There was a good balance between dialog and jump scares. The Malice Manor team are dedicated to their craft and it shows through the continuous improvement and thought put into each haunt season. Looking forward to the next visit!
Questions? Have a story to share? Leave it in the comments!