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Welcome Home (Sanitarium) |
Todd - Nightmare on Edgewood has a new home and ironically, it's not on Edgewood Avenue anymore. NOE's new location shares space with House of Trepidation now, providing a convenient double-feature (tickets are sold separately). You may be asking, "So...is the name going to change?" It's ok. I asked for you. The answer is NO. NOE has literally decades of history that are memorialized within its name so despite now being located on Meridian Street, this haunt's name lives on as Nightmare on Edgewood.
The fortunate result of this move is that this haunt now has a well-deserved permanent home. For those that didn't know, NOE required a full tear down at the end of the haunt season due to baseball activities on the previous property. This also meant there was an incredible amount of stress looming each summer as the entire haunt had to be rebuilt in a short amount of time before opening weekend. Now with a permanent roof over its head NOE can now pay even more attention to improvement and growth.
Not that it necessarily needs it - NOE is a great haunt as-is, featuring 3 separate areas. The first, which was my favorite from last year is the most traditional-styled haunt, a conventional home setting aka The Cabin. Last year I was disappointed only in that it was fairly short. This year's presentation felt more adequate and while I recalled some of the stand-out props from last year, the construction of this "house" looked as if it had been there for years. The environments present an effective blend of fabricated construction and authentic decor, all while radiating a dark and unsettling vibe. These people clearly do not keep a clean house. The actors are far from welcoming and will manhandle you to make it explicitly clear you shouldn't be there. I don't think I've ever been grabbed by the head in quite the same fashion before.
The next section is the Sanitarium. While you will encounter what one would expect in a medical facility-themed haunt (old medical equipment, a clear level of malpractice), you'll also find some of the best looking corpses in the industry. From a visual standpoint, everything is top-notch. It also features one of the roughest elevator rides I've ever been on so hang on tight. The entire walk through is very gory and the insane levels of nefarious experimentation is evident. The aged, clinical setting makes everything that much more creepy. The level of contact by the actors is intense within the sanitarium as well. I was actually pushed down on to a gurney. Not instructed to sit, but actually forcefully shoved.
Lastly is the clown area - The Carnival. This was my least favorite area last year, but I did enjoy it more this year. Unlike most clown-themed haunts, there isn't a complete reliance on black lights. While there are some neon-painted areas, the experience as a whole is more dark and sinister vibe. The clown actors were not as aggressive with the contact as in the other two areas but they had some people that had some excellent costuming. For those afraid of clowns, a few of these characters will surely be memorable. This area was surely entertaining, but not overly scary. One fun fact we learned afterwards was that this section has a split path that offers a different experience depending on which way you are directed. This is also used to break up groups that may catch up with each other. It's a simple concept yet very effective. At one point your group may be temporarily split up and some of you may be lucky enough to experience the claw machine. No spoilers, but In found that to be a fun and innovative twist.
Another notable feature with NOE is that they allow their animatronics to get up close and personal. Many haunts keep some level of separation between their triggered props and you; after all, they're not cheap. Here, the larger props could hit you if you're not paying attention; they get that close. Trust me, one almost took me out. While you're likely to lose an alternation with a pneumatically powered, steel-framed creature, never fear - they'll only get close enough to scare the bejesus out of you
Other nice touches NOE offers this year are some impressive facades for both the cabin and the sanitarium. These clearly showcase the talent behind these attractions' construction. No detail is spared.
Again, actors are high energy! The level of contact is close to on-par with The Haunted Hotel in Louisville which is typically the roughest full contact haunt we go to. I'm sure local residents are well aware that this an extreme touch haunt, but be sure going in that the touching is NOT an option. Everyone gets the same experience. I had a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing what new tricks come next year now that the crew has more time to work on the haunt.
The fortunate result of this move is that this haunt now has a well-deserved permanent home. For those that didn't know, NOE required a full tear down at the end of the haunt season due to baseball activities on the previous property. This also meant there was an incredible amount of stress looming each summer as the entire haunt had to be rebuilt in a short amount of time before opening weekend. Now with a permanent roof over its head NOE can now pay even more attention to improvement and growth.
Not that it necessarily needs it - NOE is a great haunt as-is, featuring 3 separate areas. The first, which was my favorite from last year is the most traditional-styled haunt, a conventional home setting aka The Cabin. Last year I was disappointed only in that it was fairly short. This year's presentation felt more adequate and while I recalled some of the stand-out props from last year, the construction of this "house" looked as if it had been there for years. The environments present an effective blend of fabricated construction and authentic decor, all while radiating a dark and unsettling vibe. These people clearly do not keep a clean house. The actors are far from welcoming and will manhandle you to make it explicitly clear you shouldn't be there. I don't think I've ever been grabbed by the head in quite the same fashion before.
The next section is the Sanitarium. While you will encounter what one would expect in a medical facility-themed haunt (old medical equipment, a clear level of malpractice), you'll also find some of the best looking corpses in the industry. From a visual standpoint, everything is top-notch. It also features one of the roughest elevator rides I've ever been on so hang on tight. The entire walk through is very gory and the insane levels of nefarious experimentation is evident. The aged, clinical setting makes everything that much more creepy. The level of contact by the actors is intense within the sanitarium as well. I was actually pushed down on to a gurney. Not instructed to sit, but actually forcefully shoved.
Lastly is the clown area - The Carnival. This was my least favorite area last year, but I did enjoy it more this year. Unlike most clown-themed haunts, there isn't a complete reliance on black lights. While there are some neon-painted areas, the experience as a whole is more dark and sinister vibe. The clown actors were not as aggressive with the contact as in the other two areas but they had some people that had some excellent costuming. For those afraid of clowns, a few of these characters will surely be memorable. This area was surely entertaining, but not overly scary. One fun fact we learned afterwards was that this section has a split path that offers a different experience depending on which way you are directed. This is also used to break up groups that may catch up with each other. It's a simple concept yet very effective. At one point your group may be temporarily split up and some of you may be lucky enough to experience the claw machine. No spoilers, but In found that to be a fun and innovative twist.
Another notable feature with NOE is that they allow their animatronics to get up close and personal. Many haunts keep some level of separation between their triggered props and you; after all, they're not cheap. Here, the larger props could hit you if you're not paying attention; they get that close. Trust me, one almost took me out. While you're likely to lose an alternation with a pneumatically powered, steel-framed creature, never fear - they'll only get close enough to scare the bejesus out of you
Other nice touches NOE offers this year are some impressive facades for both the cabin and the sanitarium. These clearly showcase the talent behind these attractions' construction. No detail is spared.
Again, actors are high energy! The level of contact is close to on-par with The Haunted Hotel in Louisville which is typically the roughest full contact haunt we go to. I'm sure local residents are well aware that this an extreme touch haunt, but be sure going in that the touching is NOT an option. Everyone gets the same experience. I had a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing what new tricks come next year now that the crew has more time to work on the haunt.
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No longer on Edgewood, but still a Nightmare |
Paul - This marks our second year visiting Nightmare on Edgewood. While it's no longer located on Edgewood, the other half of the name is still completely appropriate because this place will absolutely give you nightmares!
Nightmare is now located a few miles up the road from their original location, and they now share a massive warehouse-type building with House of Trepidation. Both haunts are still separately run, but you do get a discount by purchasing a combo ticket to get into both attractions (and you should. Both are great haunts!)
Being that this was the first year in the new location, I can't say I had the highest of expectations going in. It's hard enough doing a haunt in a place you've used for 40 years, so moving the whole thing to a brand new location, and dealing with all of the problems that arise from that is going to be tough!
Or so I thought.
These guys had Nightmare up and running so well, you would think they moved in on the same day their neighbors did back in 2014! The actors were on-point, the lighting was good, the sets were good, and everything worked!
This year you start out in the cabin. This is the home of the Conleys, and they're a violent bunch. They'll let you know you've worn out your welcome the minute you set foot in the door and they'll throw you out just as quickly as you came in. (Maybe literally.) The whole place feels dim, dirty, and completely awful... Just how they like it. After the cabin, you voyage through the Sanitarium to visit an even crazier group! They were all lunatics when they were sent to the Sanitarium and they're not any better off now, and not just the patients. Finally you get to end your visit with a nice fun trip to the carnival! It's a super-happy place where you'll dance, sing, and play all kinds of great games! Although I did just escape the Sanitarium, so it's quite possible I'm not telling the whole truth there...
Nightmare was a ton of fun, and definitely did the job as far as getting you on edge and getting your blood pumping. Plenty of scares, some very well-placed animatronics, and the actors weren't afraid to throw you around a bit (did I forget to mention this is a full-contact haunt? Oops.)
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better evening of haunts than you will in this part of Indy, and Nightmare on Edgewood is definitely the most extreme of them. Grab a combo ticket to visit their neighbors at House of Trepidation as well, and once you've recovered enough to walk, head down the street to the Thirteenth Hour for one more attack on your sanity!
Nightmare is now located a few miles up the road from their original location, and they now share a massive warehouse-type building with House of Trepidation. Both haunts are still separately run, but you do get a discount by purchasing a combo ticket to get into both attractions (and you should. Both are great haunts!)
Being that this was the first year in the new location, I can't say I had the highest of expectations going in. It's hard enough doing a haunt in a place you've used for 40 years, so moving the whole thing to a brand new location, and dealing with all of the problems that arise from that is going to be tough!
Or so I thought.
These guys had Nightmare up and running so well, you would think they moved in on the same day their neighbors did back in 2014! The actors were on-point, the lighting was good, the sets were good, and everything worked!
This year you start out in the cabin. This is the home of the Conleys, and they're a violent bunch. They'll let you know you've worn out your welcome the minute you set foot in the door and they'll throw you out just as quickly as you came in. (Maybe literally.) The whole place feels dim, dirty, and completely awful... Just how they like it. After the cabin, you voyage through the Sanitarium to visit an even crazier group! They were all lunatics when they were sent to the Sanitarium and they're not any better off now, and not just the patients. Finally you get to end your visit with a nice fun trip to the carnival! It's a super-happy place where you'll dance, sing, and play all kinds of great games! Although I did just escape the Sanitarium, so it's quite possible I'm not telling the whole truth there...
Nightmare was a ton of fun, and definitely did the job as far as getting you on edge and getting your blood pumping. Plenty of scares, some very well-placed animatronics, and the actors weren't afraid to throw you around a bit (did I forget to mention this is a full-contact haunt? Oops.)
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better evening of haunts than you will in this part of Indy, and Nightmare on Edgewood is definitely the most extreme of them. Grab a combo ticket to visit their neighbors at House of Trepidation as well, and once you've recovered enough to walk, head down the street to the Thirteenth Hour for one more attack on your sanity!
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You'll either laugh or scream (probably both!), but either way, you're going to want more! |
Teresa - Nightmare on Edgewood has been around for decades. And there's a reason kids who went through years ago are bringing their own kids now. It's so much scary fun! This year you'll find them in a brand new location. They are right next door to House of Trepidation, which is a huge bonus for you haunt-goers! It means you have twice the fun in one convenient location! See our reviews for House of Trepidation, and note that there are convenient tickets available which will get you into both haunts. Parking is free, and there are some really nice spaces to wait between haunts, complete with snacks, souvenirs, and some dark carnival-style games. Watch out for the queue actors - I loved their costumes! Nightmare on Edgewood (NOE) is the more extreme of the two. It is a full-contact haunt. They will touch you. They may treat you like a potato sack and toss you, drag you, or carry you. It's all in good fun! Just be prepared. It can get pretty intense! If you've been here before, you'll see a few things you recognize from the previous location, but this new one is going to be a whole different animal. It's really going to allow them to grow and build on a level they haven't been able to before. As good as it is this year, I can't wait to see how it grows in years to come.
You will still find three sections: The Cabin, The Sanitarium, and The Dark Carnival, each with its very own, super-creepy facade. You really feel like you're entering a sanitarium, for instance. Plus, for this year, there's an additional attraction, called Shadows Escape. It's an audio sensory experience, and it's pretty cool. You sit in chairs in a dark trailer, put on headphones, and wait to have your nightmares explored. It doesn't take too long, and it's definitely something different you probably haven't experienced before. So check it out! As for the 3 main sections, I had a lot of fun! I was at times awed by the decor, and loved the creativity put into some of these rooms! There were some fantastic props, running the gamut from zombies to gators to dolls to clowns. I loved the parts that were disorienting. They used flashes of light, unexpected actors, changing paths, shrinking hallways, splitting up groups, moving walls, and such to really shake you up. They did a great job of keeping groups from bunching up by sending alternating groups down different paths.
There were some very good actors, and I was dragged away from my group at one point by this creepy female clown who handed me off to another clown who was going to put makeup on me. After seeing his makeup, I'm not sure it would have been the best look for me, so I refused. I eventually escaped and joined back up with my group. I love haunts that aren't afraid to separate you and give you a unique experience! It is so much fun to talk about afterwards, and find out what happened to your friends who were abducted! If you're looking to go to a haunt in the greater-Indianapolis area, this place is a no-brainer (no zombie-pun intended). If you're feeling a little hesitant about full-contact, go to House of Trepidation first, and when you see how much fun it is to be scared, you'll be ready to take on a full-contact challenge in Nightmare on Edgewood. There aren't that many full-contact places, and for you adrenaline junkies, there just isn't anything like it! You'll either laugh or scream (probably both!), but either way, you're going to want more!
You will still find three sections: The Cabin, The Sanitarium, and The Dark Carnival, each with its very own, super-creepy facade. You really feel like you're entering a sanitarium, for instance. Plus, for this year, there's an additional attraction, called Shadows Escape. It's an audio sensory experience, and it's pretty cool. You sit in chairs in a dark trailer, put on headphones, and wait to have your nightmares explored. It doesn't take too long, and it's definitely something different you probably haven't experienced before. So check it out! As for the 3 main sections, I had a lot of fun! I was at times awed by the decor, and loved the creativity put into some of these rooms! There were some fantastic props, running the gamut from zombies to gators to dolls to clowns. I loved the parts that were disorienting. They used flashes of light, unexpected actors, changing paths, shrinking hallways, splitting up groups, moving walls, and such to really shake you up. They did a great job of keeping groups from bunching up by sending alternating groups down different paths.
There were some very good actors, and I was dragged away from my group at one point by this creepy female clown who handed me off to another clown who was going to put makeup on me. After seeing his makeup, I'm not sure it would have been the best look for me, so I refused. I eventually escaped and joined back up with my group. I love haunts that aren't afraid to separate you and give you a unique experience! It is so much fun to talk about afterwards, and find out what happened to your friends who were abducted! If you're looking to go to a haunt in the greater-Indianapolis area, this place is a no-brainer (no zombie-pun intended). If you're feeling a little hesitant about full-contact, go to House of Trepidation first, and when you see how much fun it is to be scared, you'll be ready to take on a full-contact challenge in Nightmare on Edgewood. There aren't that many full-contact places, and for you adrenaline junkies, there just isn't anything like it! You'll either laugh or scream (probably both!), but either way, you're going to want more!