ZIOPTIS HAUNT AWARDS 2018

BEST AMBIANCE (MAN-MADE) - HUSH, WESTLAND for the cave sequences and industrial controls room.

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BEST AMBIANCE (NATURALLY OCCURRING) - THE EDSON INCIDENT, BAY CITY - Aboard a real Vietnam era battle ship!

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BEST AMENITIES - NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S, YPSILANTI - Large separate bathroom building instead of porta-pottys, helpful personnel abound, food store, mini museum, Karoke theater, totem pole directions to all points.

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BEST BANG-FOR-THE-BUCK - HAUNTED GARAGE PRODUCTIONS, GROSSE POINTE WOODS - Only $11 for a major length haunt!

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BEST CONTINUITY - DARKSYDE ACRES, JONESVILLE - Just one queue line leads seamlessly to all 5 attractions, over one mile!

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BEST COSTUMES & MAKEUP - 2 way tie - HUSH, WESTLAND & NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S, YPSILANTI. *

HUSH: Devil dude looks like he popped out of a Hollywood movie, girl with orange makeup has an amazing 3D POP to it!

NIGHT TERRORS: The 2 clown girls in ALIEN CAGED CLOWNS, with superior makeup and outfits and the 8 foot tall actors JUSTINE THE FAIRY PRINCESS and KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR.

* = We have photos of these characters except for the 8 foot tall ones, to be posted soon on our Flickr photo stream. We already posted one pic on the HUSH Facebook page.

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BEST CREEPY ACTOR - REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS, ROMULUS - For the slithering bottom dweller with her amazing multi-tonal vocals and mysterious demeanor!

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BEST CROWD ENTERTAINMENT - 2 way tie: HUSH, WESTLAND & NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S, YPSILANTI.

HUSH: Devil dude and others appear from the roof and an upper floor window, tossing prizes down & an Orange Face Girl working the crowd on street level.

NIGHT TERROR’S: 8 foot tall actors JUSTINE THE FAIRY PRINCESS and KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR working the crowd, fire breathing acrobat, and the super effective Pole Creature surprise.

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BEST EYE CANDY - HAUNTED GARAGE PRODUCTIONS, GROSSE POINTE WOODS - Astonishing collection of props from many sources including the defunct BRANDYWINE CEMETERY.

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BEST FACADE - ROTTEN MANOR, HOLLY - It’s like The Munsters & The Addams Family on steroids, and it appears to breathe! (Note: we did not attend this haunt in 2018, but have many pics of it from 2017 for comparison to this season.)

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BEST FANTASY - REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS, ROMULUS - A miniature city and animal zoo is on grounds. Patrons can board a ghost ship, enter a schoolhouse, etc.

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BEST FIRST VISIT TO AN EXISTING HAUNT - HAUNTED GARAGE PRODUCTIONS, GROSSE POINTE WOODS - This “hidden gem” is in their 11th season for 2018, shame on us for taking so long to find them!

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BEST FOOD - 2 way tie: REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS, ROMULUS  and DARKSYDE ACRES, JONESVILLE

REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS for their exceptional homemade baked goods and fresh cider.

DARKSYDE ACRES for onsite catering by HILLBILLY BBQ, YUM!

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BEST HISTORICAL HAUNT - 2 way tie: THE EDSON INCIDENT, BAY CITY and NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S, YPSILANTI.

THE EDSON INCIDENT is aboard an authentic Vietnam era battleship!

NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S in business since 1837! A mini museum has many interesting relics on display.

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BEST IMPROVED HAUNT - DERANGED, ROMULUS - First year haunt opening night was weak, return visit on point throughout!

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BEST LIQUID SKY ROOM - NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD’S, YPSILANTI - In the last room of the MIND SHAFT, multiple flat-beam green lasers perfectly aligned at waist level with monsters hiding below to great effect!

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BEST LIGHTING - WOODS OF DARKNESS, SOUTH ROCKWOOD - For expert usage of XENON GAS STROBE LIGHTS in many scenes, TWO fabulous LIQUID SKY ROOMS, and giant flames from a surprise propane blast. 1st LIQUID SKY ROOM has green flat beam waist level projection, 2nd has high mounted oval shaped laser projector for tunnel effect with BLUE & PURPLE beams as well as RED & GREEN.

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BEST NEW HAUNT - AZRA, MADISON HEIGHTS - Clearly this year’s BREAKOUT STAR MICHIGAN HAUNT. Highly creative & dynamic show start to end!

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BEST OUTRAGEOUS GAG - EXIT 13, MOUNT MORRIS - For the blood thirsty Doctor who insists that you participate in a gruesome operation!

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BEST PHYSICAL THRILL FACTOR - 2 way tie: EXIT 13, MOUNT MORRIS and JACKSON’S UNDERWORLD, JACKSON and Honorable Mention to AZRA, MADISON HEIGHTS

EXIT 13 for their hands-on approach, JACKSON’S UNDERWORLD for their high-flying bridge between buildings, and AZRA for the high-speed slide exit.

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BEST RE-VAMPED HAUNT - THE SCREAM MACHINE, TAYLOR - Totally new show except for their BLACK HOLE and HELLEVATOR.

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BEST SILLY GAG - AZRA, MADISON HEIGHTS - For the opening sequence with the guy who gets way too friendly with a naked female mannequin upper body embedded into a wall. It’s SO ridiculous, he can’t be possibly be serious but he seems to be anyway!

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BEST SOUND - 2 way tie: WICKED WOODS OF TERROR, CARO and JACKSON’S UNDERWORLD, JACKSON.

WICKED WOODS OF TERROR with excellent FOH (front of house) sound system playing rock music with deep bass and crystal clarity, and various sound effects in haunt.

JACKSON’S UNDERWORLD with outdoor speakers galore on building accented by flashing lights, and excellent audio isolation between scenes inside haunt that range from whisper quiet to rock concert volume levels.

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BEST 3D - JACKSON’S UNDERWORLD, JACKSON - Secondary attraction PSYCHO VISION features fabulous original 3D artwork by the owner’s son!

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BEST VISUAL DISORIENTATION - AZRA, MADISON HEIGHTS - For their strobe-lit FUNHOUSE MIRROR MAZE MANNEQUIN sequence.

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BEST WACKY GAG - WICKED WOODS OF TERROR, CARO - For the GLORY HOLE / CARNIVAL GAMES sequence featuring a pint sized actress wielding a giant mallet nearly as big as she is! QUEEN OF THE SCENE, she is HAUNT JUXTAPOSITION ROYALTY standing proudly at under 5 feet tall.

THE ZIOPTIS 2016 STATE-OF-THE-INDUSTRY ADDRESS

This year's report will focus on industry changes and conditions.

Once again, performance levels were high across the board and awards would be pointless and counterproductive to our purposes. KUDOS TO ALL HAUNT OPERATORS!

As always, there are gains and losses every year which is to be expected.

First, the new entries to the market:

HAUNTED PLANET EXPERIENCE in TOLEDO, OHIO took big advantage of the MEGA HAUNT VACANCY left when TERRORTOWN closed up shop a few years ago. HAUNTED PLANET EXPERIENCE is run by the outfit that ran the HAUNTED PRISON EXPERIECE in MANSFIELD, OHIO for an incredibly successful run of 15 years until their lease ran out in 2015.

Also new for 2016 was AWAKEN HAUNTED ATTRACTION in LESLIE, which unfortunately we did not visit.

THE SCREAM MACHINE in TAYLOR returned after hiatus in a new location on ECORSE ROAD. An old friend is back, as strong as ever!

Now the losses...and these are MAJOR.

The BIGGEST SHOCK was the unexpected closing of ERWIN'S BARN OF HORRORS AND TERRORFYING CORN MAZE at ERWIN ORCHARDS in SOUTH LYON.

But ERWIN'S had a  crazy long run, and went out totally in class on top of their game. We have great admiration and respect for Linda and the entire crew there.

Other big news was the FORCED DEMISE of THE BONEYARD in STOCKBRIDGE (which we reported when we were given the green light last year).

Short-sighted complaining neighbors caused them to close in a major setback for the struggling little STOCKBRIDGE. The annual pilgrimage of happy haunters to THE BONEYARD was easily the biggest event of the year for this dinky little town, as well as a source of employment for many residents.

What a crying shame. Why did they complain?

Was THE BONEYARD loud? BIG TIME!  Was it raucous and wild? YOU BET!

Which is to say they were doing their job and excelling. Their propane fire blasts are still burned into our mind's eye!  (see reviews)

To our thinking, complaining about a haunt being loud is like blaming the night for being dark...it's just what they do. DUH! Sorry for existing...and for bringing lots of money and fun to Stockbridge...sheeesh!

Another MAJOR INDUSTRY LOSS was A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ROAD in WEBBERVILLE, which we fear suffered a proximity problem in being a little too far off the beaten path. There's no way it had anything to do with show quality.

It was a FIRST RATE HAUNT by all measures, and if they come back we will be among the first making a B-line for what had become our unofficial FINAL HAUNT OF THE YEAR to visit. Several times we blew off our MEGA HAUNT plans on Halloween Night to go here instead!

DARK LEGACY in WIXOM was absent this year, but it was a forced last-minute hiatus. The property they were on was sold, triggering an escape clause in the contract. We look for BIG THINGS in the future from this strong young haunt!

And another STRONG YOUNG HAUNT we see climbing up the ladder with the potential to reach the top is CLIO MANOR HAUNTED HOUSE.  This year they made an INDUSTRY FIRST to our knowledge with a NASA TECHNOLOGY SEARCHLIGHT that seriously kicks butt using a fraction of the electricity arc units gobble.  This thing is insanely bright....I think it's like 1.7 BILLION CANDLEPOWER!

BURTON HAUNTED FOREST and McCURDY'S REVENGE failed to appear this season. BURTON HAUNTED FOREST told us they sometimes go into a holding mode, as it's an all volunteer haunt so they may be back. McCURDY'S REVENGE had lost their buiding and had re-grouped for a re-opening previously, but currently has an unknown status.

Changing gears now...

Quick! Name TWO MAJOR MEGA HAUNTS IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...

Okay, the majority of you probably said EREBUS and THE HAUNT. That's cool.

But what we ask that same question a couple years from now?

This is a free-wheeling wild industry, where one of the few constants is change...so let us throw out a few predictions loosly based on what we've seen...and it's a LOT...setting the TIME MACHINE to the year 2019 now.

Quick! Name TWO MAJOR MEGA HAUNTS IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...

Okay, the majority of you probably said ROTTEN MANOR and HUSH. That's cool.

Back to the present:

ROTTEN MANOR is an amazingly elaborate MEGA HAUNT that started in 2015, and they have great ambition and great abilities on every level. They could easily TAKE OVER AS THE NUMBER ONE HAUNT and become the default haunt that media visits for Halloween theme articles and reports.

HUSH also has great ambition and abilities...and one more thing up their sleeve. They quietly acquired a secondary property (still in Westland) that's massive.

But what we ask that same question yet a couple years from there? Setting our TRUSTY TIME MACHINE to the year 2021 now...

Quick! Name TWO MAJOR MEGA HAUNTS IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...dum-dee-dum-dee-dum...

Okay, the majority of you probably said DARKSYDE ACRES and HAUNTED PLANET EXPERIENCE. That's cool.

You get the idea...even the biggest of the big eventually sings their swan song so anything is possible! Speaking of which...

What IS the deal when a new haunt comes on the scene...has a killer first class show with great actors and artistic excellence...but then fails miserably when other haunts nearby do well?

The one we're thinking of this season is ABANDON HAUNTED HOUSE in MELVINDALE.

They had a dismal season, despite an expertly produced haunt with fabulous production values. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Meanwhile, two other quality Wayne County haunts (THE SCREAM MACHINEin TAYLOR and HUSH HAUNTED ATTRACTION in WESTLAND did well. What's the deal?

All three are worthy haunts, so all three should have been well attended it would seem on the surface...

This reminds us of a similar situation a few years back with SINISTER HAUNTED HOUSE in UTICA failing despite a first class presentation and critical acclaim from multiple haunt review/rating services.

It doesn't seem right, especially if you're the owner of one of these haunts...we totally get that.

But the haunt market is a fickle animal, subject to whims and whimsy's of emotionally charged haunt fans. Unexplainable pockets in the market can pop up anywhere.

On the other hand, there's market locations that have multiple quality haunts where both do exceptionally well. LENOX TOWNSHIP comes to mind, with both HAUNTED FARM OF TERROR and SCAREFEST SCREAM PARK bustling with record crowds.

And two major long running FARM HAUNTS remain strong performers with BLAKE'S in ARMADA (not far from LENOX TWP.) and WIARD'S in YPSILANTI(also home of KRAZY HILDA'S).

WORD-OF-MOUTH is bigger than even the largest ad in a haunt publication. In fact, some haunts even skipped advertising in the two major haunt rags in Detroit - THE HAUNT GUIDE and THE FEAR FINDER.

One last item...and this one affects us and the entire Michigan haunt community on so many levels: THE REALM OF DARKNESS in PONTIAC has changed hands, and when the sale is complete the haunt is MOVING TO MISSISSIPPI!

On the surface, this may seem a CRAZY BIG MOVE to make. But that's what industry giants do - BIG, BOLD THINGS.

Operator Denise says she will probably retire after REALM moves to MISSISSIPPI, but we don't believe it for a New York minute! Denise is one of the most creative and dynamic individuals we've ever met, all while maintaining the highest of ethics when others fell short.

The history behind REALM is the stuff legends are made of...but not "Urban Legends"...we're talkin' LEGENDS FOR THE AGES BASED ON REALITY. There were many REAL DOCUMENTED SUPERNATURAL EVENTS at THE REALM OF DARKNESS!!! (see various reviews and many articles in the Archives)

THE ZIOPTIS 2015 STATE-OF-THE-INDUSTRY ADDRESS

& SUPERNATURAL CERTIFIED SCARIEST HAUNT OF THE YEAR AWARD

The original purpose of the first haunted house was simply one thing - to scare people!

Scares can be man-made, and there are lots of incredible examples for sure.

But when those scares come unexpected from other sources like the spirit world...AHHH, now that's a whole other realm that gives goose bumps and shivers down the spine of anyone...even a top-level church pastor and a highly experienced paranormal author with PBS TV show credits!

Once again in 2015, the haunt industry bar has been set so high that awards for individual categories would be pointless and highly repetitive - KUDOS TO ALL HAUNT OPERATORS!!!

So this year, we have only one category for awards going to the original core of the haunt genre - SCARIEST! And the ultimate scares would be the REAL KIND we've alluded to, CERTIFIED SUPERNATURAL by independent sources not affiliated with haunts.

Zioptis 2015 Certified Supernatural Scariest Haunted House Award

We have a two-way tie between THE REALM OF DARKNESS in PONTIAC, MICHIGAN and THE HAUNTED PRISON EXPERIENCE in MANSFIELD, OHIO. (Also, honorable mention goes to ABANDONED HAUNTED HOUSE in MELVINDALE, MICHIGAN)

Too long for here, see full bone-chilling reports with their 2015 reviews in 2015_C for the REALM and 2015_B for the PRISON and ABANDONED.

The haunt industry as a whole is strong, despite some major losses like McCURDY'S REVENGE in CORUNNA, PAPP PARK in TAYLOR and TERRORTOWN in TOLEDO, OHIO as their operator went to work full-time with ROB ZOMBIE on his wildly popular haunts across the country - last year in CHICAGO.

The top-notch BURTON HAUNTED FOREST in BURTON wasn't open in 2015, but they told us they sometimes take a year off.

Two new breakout haunts stormed the scene, with powerhouse performances from ROTTEN MANOR in HOLLY across the street from THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL and ABANDONED HAUNTED HOUSE in MELVINDALE.

The facade of ROTTEN MANOR is off-the-hook fabulous, and cost a small fortune and took a small army months to build. The facade design made us think of what THE ADDAMS FAMILY and THE MUNSTERS would see in their best possible dream! Also unique to this haunt is a giant series of wacky "hallways" made out of giant metal drainage pipes to incredible effect. This is unlike anything else we've seen! A NEW MAJOR PLAYER.

ABANDONED HAUNTED HOUSE is a welcome new addition to the DOWNRIVER AREA which had a major loss last year with the unexpected shuttering of THE SCREAM MACHINE in TAYLOR and PAPP PARK also being closed in 2015. PERFECT TIMING.

Last  year's major breakout haunt was DARK LEGACY in WIXOM, coming on even stronger and longer this year with a new mind-twisting show that keeps crowds flocking to this new haunt oasis. And their photo opportunity is to die for fabulous, appearing much like a storefront display window for easy viewing from outside the building. And they've partnered with the pizza parlor in the same complex - have you ever met a haunter that doesn't love pizza?! SMART MOVES.

Industry leader THE HAUNT in GRAND RAPIDS continues to re-define the haunt genre itself with an addition that takes audience interaction to a whole new level. Patrons are challenged to solve a baffling mystery using their wits and smarts with ESCAPE MICHIGAN. This brings A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION TO HAUNTING that will probably be a giant hit with the gaming crowd we're thinking, as well as casual haunters ready for mind-bending challenges.

We finally re-visited NIGHT TERRORS AT WIARD'S in YPSILANTI, and it reminds us a lot of BLAKE'S in ARMADA in that it's a outdoor / indoor multi-attraction haunt with each part being absolutely top-notch.

Also in YPSILANTI, KRAZY HILDA'S TRAIL OF TERRORS wowed us with a new expanded show and some of best witches we can remember experiencing.

Down the road also on Ford Road in Westland, HUSH HAUNTED ATTRACTION had their last year at that location as they prepare to unleash a new giant when HUSH HAUNTED THRILL PARK opens in 2016! This will be a multi-attraction, with outdoor and indoor features and will be at a yet-to-be-disclosed location but still in Westland.

This is but one sign the industry is in good health, although surely more losses will also come. It's a constantly evolving industry, with the public increasingly expecting excellence in all phases of the haunt experience!

Another powerful sign of industry health we find at the CLIO MANOR HAUNTED HOUSE in FLINT, which is in their 2nd year for 2015. This dynamic young haunt has an amazing building with lots of room to grow, and is also fully equipped for paintball fun and target practice. Look for BIG THINGS in the future here!

Also in the FLINT AREA, THE CRYPT and ST. LUCIFER'S HAUNTED ASYLUM / 13 FEET BELOW continued their tradition of not only delivering top-notch haunt experiences, but also vigorously cross-promoting with other haunts. WIN-WIN!!

One young haunt that looks like a seed taking root for big things to come is SCOTT'S HAUNTED CORN MAZE, HAYRIDE & ROOMS OF TERROR in OXFORD. They floored us with some key individual performances, and made amazing use of a smallish building resembling a double-wide trailer! SMALL BUT MIGHTY.

But from humble beginnings come great things, and that reminds us of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ROAD in WEBBERVILLE who lost their namesake when Wes Craven died this year. NIGHTMARE has a facade to die for in a woods setting with natural ambience off-the-hook to begin with. Their show always changes, but they have a dedicated core team of high-quality actors that always deliver unique experiences as varied as the yearly themes here.

THE BONE YARD in STOCKBRIDGE continued their unique brand of ASTONISHING TRAIL BLAZING...literally! One of the amazing propane blast scares also provided an amazing juxtaposition unlike anything we've ever seen before at any haunt.  HOT STUFF!   (See review in 2015_C)

Also off of I-96 are SLAUGHTERHOUSE in FOWLERVILLE and BESTMAZE in  WILLIAMSTON, both delivering the goods big time but in different ways. SLAUGHTERHOUSE combines magic and comedy like nobody else, and BESTMAZE produces a new state-of-the-art highly artistic maze every year. They publish pictures of each year's maze, and we can only imagine how many people flying in airplanes have wondered at the site of BESTMAZE!

SHAWHAVEN FARMS is also nearby in MASON and has always thrilled us, but sadly we missed them in 2015.

We also missed another excellent haunt we feel is very important for several reasons at the MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY DRAMA DEPT. BUILDING in EAST LANSING. UNDERWORLD was the show theme for 2015, and we're encouraged with future professional thespians wanting to do this as they get more experience under their belts and stretch their chops in a way unlike any other!

JACKSON'S UNDERWORLD in JACKSON made good on their promise of giant expansions for 2015. They opened up the top floor of this behemoth, and raised the aerial bridge you walk through that much higher. This is hands-down the MOST INCREDIBLE HEIGHT SENSATION GAG we've ever seen and experienced! Also, a brand new sub-attraction has been added with the very dark and very scary JACKSON'S UNDERGROUND making this truly A MEGA HAUNT LIKE NO OTHER!

We got back to the basics to great effect in MILLINGTON at BATE'S HAUNTED SAWMILL AND JC'S AXE HOUSE in an area also boasting amazing natural ambience, accented by strolling performers and authentic sawmill equipment designed for massive ripping power. The mere appearance of these mechanical monsters conjures ghastly images, made even more powerful because the beholder's brain automatically "fills-in-the-blanks" upon seeing them at a place where mayhem is to be expected!

Another first-time visit for us was the HAUNTED FOREST OF BAVARIA in FRANKENMUTH, which was added on to their ADVENTURE PARK which features THRILLING ZIP LINE FLIGHTS that have been getting rave reviews on Yelp and such. CROSSOVER MADNESS. (This same outfit offers another ADVENTURE PARK location in BLOOMFIELD HILLS too, much closer to DETROIT.)

Even as we experience some losses this year, we're also getting rumblings about a former major haunt in Michigan that could be re-opening in 2016. And there's some possible REALLY BIG NEWS about what's going to happen to the TOLEDO MARKET that we can't spill quite yet too...so stayed tuned!

THE ZIOPTIS STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ADDRESS 2014

The awards seemed pointless this year.

Really?

Yes. For starters, it would have meant MANY DUPLICATE AWARDS.

The LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE BOARD is astonishing!

And it's strange - we kind of just take that for granted because we just happen to be in DETROIT - THE WORLD CAPITAL OF HAUNTED HOUSES.

So just kind of informal this time - let's start with some GREAT NEWS that we were afraid was going to be another major loss to the industry.

McCURDY'S REVENGE in CORUNNA was back for 2014, after unexpectedly vanishing a few years ago after a FABULOUS RUN WITH A KILLER HAUNT.

Turns out they lost their previous building, and just needed to re-group with their GIANT ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS at the new location. A SURE WINNER!

Then we had the WORLD CLASS STEALTH CREATURE following us closely, BUT NEVER BEING SEEN at the HAUNTED FUNERAL HOME in INKSTER.

That could have easily WON AN ACTING AWARD, but then again so also could the new acting crew at THE REALM OF DARKNESS in PONTIAC. They were the SURPRISE BREAKOUT for 2014, hitting you with an amazing array of skills to take you on an emotional roller coaster. We busted our gut laughing our butts off, then just as quickly it got ULTRA CREEPY and then turned to breathless AMAZING PHYSICAL FEATS. A GIANT SUCCESS.

Thinking of more GIANTS IN THE INDUSTRY - THE HAUNT in GRAND RAPIDS continues to raise the bar, and actually invented a MAJOR haunt industry actor tool with their FrightLite. Another innovation at THE HAUNT is their FABULOUS STAGE SHOW in the waiting area, with Hollywood grade lighting and dancers. STUNNING!

Closer to Detroit we really like HUSH, a dynamic young haunt on the move in WESTLAND that combines science and insanity in a way that leaves you wanting more - SMART MOVE.

The PHYSICAL THRILL FACTOR was excellent at ST. CHARLES VILLAGE OF THE LIVING DEAD in ST. CHARLES, which has the advantage of an army of volunteers to make new magic every year.

And the WYANDOTTE JAYCEES are still at it in WYANDOTTE, using a different building every year as they show up on the soon-to-be-demolished list the city provides them with!

BESTMAZE in WILLIAMSTON changed their show completely again, except for the black hole which all haunts usually keep once they have it because it's so effective. EACH MAZE IS AN ARTPIECE, and state-of-the-art maze techniques are used playing on natural human tendencies - CLEVER.

A haunt with standout creepy acting is REALM OF HAUNTED MINDS in ROMULUS. There's also a miniature city with various buildings, a pirate/ghost ship big enough to get on and sail away to fantasy land, and a train that can be boarded too making an EXCITING ADVENTURE LAND FOR KIDS!

There was MAJOR NEW BLOOD with the brand new massive DARK LEGACY in WIXOM, but we just lost THE SCREAM MACHINE in TAYLOR and THE EXTREME SCREAM which vanished without a trace a few years ago after its last run in Waterford.

Also gone was HOUSE OF FEAR in HAZEL PARK, a volunteer haunt that had truly incredible presentations - we loved the wooden radio that played old music backwards and the couch that got caught in a hurricane as soon as you sat in it.

On the other hand, also brand new for 2014 was BONADEO FARMS HAUNTED HOUSE & HAUNTED CORN MAZE in HIGHLAND which is off to a great start.

TERROR ON 27 in ASHLEY totally blew us away in 2014, with a triple feature freak out fun fest that also features a cool photo opp you stage yourself. Now that THE HAUNTING in ADRIAN is gone, we need a new haunt that's a little ways out to hit that REALLY DELIVERS THE GOODS – and TERROR ON 27 has never let us down.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE in FOWLERVILLE has created their own special blend of hayrides and an amazingly creative haunt that mixes magic and comedy to great effect. The stories run the gamut, and are both engaging and incredible with visuals to match. A GIANT FAVORITE!

Another trip in that neck of the woods that's become MUST SEE for us includes A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ROAD in WEBBERVILLE, BONEYARD in STOCKBRIDGE, and SHAWHAVEN FARM in MASON.

KRAZY HILDA'S TRAIL OF TERRORS in YPSILANTI may have secured its long-term future with their new collaboration with PANAMA FARMS as their new site with amazing potential. With the right moves, they could easily become the BLAKE'S of the west side.

BLAKE'S in ARMADA is a giant of the industry that has already realized an amazing potential, but still continues to evolve anyways - because that's what leaders do.

Two other outdoor haunts that are also first class are in the same city of LENOX TWP. HAUNTED FARM OF TERROR and SCREAMFEST SCARE PARK are both thriving, and may seem like competitors but actually help each other by both delivering the goods in different ways and bringing mass traffic to the area.

OHIO is also jam packed with great haunts, but our faves are TERRORTOWN in TOLEDO, GHOSTLY MANOR in SANDUSKY, and HAUNTED HYDRO in FREMONT.

JACKSON'S UNDERWORLD in JACKSON opened up more of their giant building to great effect, and re-vamped the waiting area with DISTORTION'S figurines and a fun photo op that's also a clever promotional tool.

TERRORFIED FOREST in PINCKNEY will be changing hands after next year, and the previously encroaching development is no longer a threat. This is one of the ICONIC HAUNTS that just seems to us like it should always be there if the haunt industry is healthy.

On the other hand, no single haunt can define the industry either. Consider one of the BEST HAUNTS EVER that suddenly vanished, THE HAUNTING in ADRIAN. A world class master magician produced the show, but got snatched up by east coast television as he moved on to new challenges and horizons.

SCREAM PARK in NILES is probably the biggest overall multi haunted attraction in Michigan to our knowledge, but we missed them this season opting to hit GHOSTLY MANOR in SANDUSKY, OHIO instead which also was INCREDIBLE. (Reviews 2014_B) If you've never seen SCREAM PARK, you NEED to go see this extravaganza for yourself! Our first time was in 2013 - see Reviews 2013_B.

In the Downriver area PSYCHO PATH in FLAT ROCK totally changed their show, and PHANTOM FOREST HAYRIDES in GROSSE ILE cranked it to eleven this time!

The FLINT AREA is densely packed with haunts, so only the best survive. The big splash 2nd year new kid is EXIT 13 with their new owner that has massive plans, and another newbie we love is CLIO MANOR HAUNTED HOUSE. The makeup and lighting at CLIO MANOR are sublime.

THE CRYPT, ST. LUCIFER'S HAUNTED ASYLUM & 13 FEET UNDER are all going strong with excellent shows, but we still miss the LOCH LOMOND PROJECT forest walk which was across the street from ST. LUCIFER'S.

On the other hand, BURTON HAUNTED FOREST also in the Flint area is a FANTASTIC VOLUNTEER HAUNT, and has been approached by ABC-TV.

Successful off-season haunted events were staged by industry leaders EREBUS and REALM OF DARKNESS both in PONTIAC, as well as HUSH in WESTLAND and EXIT 13 in FLINT.

Lastly, we'd like to applaud the haunts where the owners are also actors in their haunts. We might be missing some, and if so let us know - but these special haunts are THE HAUNTED HYDRO in FREMONT, OHIO, HAUNTED FUNERAL HOME in INKSTER, THE BONE YARD in STOCKBRIDGE, and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ROAD in WEBBERVILLE.

TOP AWARDS FOR 2013

MOST AMAZING HAUNT OF THE YEAR - SLAUGHTER HOUSE, FOWLERVILLE (Off-the-hook creativity, top flight illusions, gut-busting comedy, effective magic, lavish fire blasts, fabulous UFO gag, 14 foot fall corn!)

SCARIEST HAUNT OF THE YEAR - REALM  OF DARKNESS, PONTIAC (with 7 GOTCHA! moments. Honorable Mention - The Haunt, Grand Rapids with 6 GOTCHA! moments.)

BEST ACTING - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS (Very quick on their feet.)

BEST AMBIENCE - THE REALM OF DARKNESS, PONTIAC (Subtle lighting expertises, authentic feel in medieval & cave sequences.)

BEST ANIMAL ACTOR - LAKE EERIE HAYRIDE, BROWNSTOWN TWP. (For the adorable pug dog in the meat grinder, with his bright smiling face!)

BEST ANIMAL PORTRAYAL BY AN ACTOR - SINISTER HAUNTED HOUSE, UTICA (For the amazing cannibalistic chicken man.)

BEST ANIMATRONICS - TERRORTOWN, MAUMEE, OHIO (Uses ONLY devices they make.)

BEST ATTENTION TO DETAIL - THE REALM OF DARKNESS, PONTIAC (Museum-like feel permeates haunt, genuine antique props.)

BEST BANG-FOR-THE-BUCK - SCREAM PARK, NILES

BEST CHAINSAW ATTACK - SINISTER HAUNTED HOUSE, UTICA (Highly acrobatic actor flies about room with slow strobe.)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS (Fabulous original dance routine performed every 20 minutes in waiting area.)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - HAUNTED HYDRO, FREMONT, OHIO (Excellent retro film featuring "brand new" circa 1950 Ford automobiles in shocking crime scenes around town.)

BEST COMEDY - SLAUGHTER HOUSE, FOWLERVILLE (Laugh riot juxtaposition with ghastly live events.)

BEST CREEPY ACTOR - SINISTER HAUNTED HOUSE, UTICA (Gravity challenged girl who invents her own language.)

BEST FACADE - EREBUS, PONTIAC (Hideous giant thrashing creature hanging from top, waiting line visible from street, search lights.)

BEST FOREST WALK - KRAZY HILDA'S TRAIL OF TERROR, CHELSEA

BEST HAYRIDE - HAUNTED FARM OF TERROR, LENOX TWP.

BEST INNOVATION - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS (FrightLite low voltage, wearable LED hand-triggered illuminator - Patent Pending)

BEST LIGHTING - EREBUS, PONTIAC (The Swamp & Dancing Laser Mirrored Maze.)

BEST MAGIC - SLAUGHTER HOUSE, FOWLERVILLE

BEST MAKEUP - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS

BEST MISDIRECTION - THE REALM OF DARKNESS, PONTIAC

BEST NETWORKING, TERRORTOWN, MAUMEE, OHIO (Landed them a gig with Rob Zombie to help create his haunt in California this year.)

BEST ORIGINAL COSTUME - HOUSE OF FEAR, HAZEL PARK (Fergus The Reaper custom made costume allows him to suddenly grow VERY tall!)

BEST PACING - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS (Gradual and rapid flawless transitions, no bottle-necking.)

BEST PHYSICAL THRILLS - EXIT 13, FLINT (You ARE warned it's coming!)

BEST SHOCK VALUE ACTOR - ST. LUCIFER'S HAUNTED ASYLUM, FLINT (Cute, well endowed large girl has left arm removed in ghastly realistic experiment.)

BEST SOUND - SCREAM PARK, NILES

BEST SOUNDTRACK - THE HAUNT, GRAND RAPIDS

BEST VOICE QUALITY - ST. LUCIFER'S HAUNTED ASYLUM (Nurse in opening scene with perfect enunciation, pleasing inflection and mannerisms.)

BEST WITCHES - LAKE EERIE HAUNTED HAYRIDE, BROWNSTOWN TWP.

TALLEST CORN - SLAUGHTER HOUSE, FOWLERVILLE (14 feet tall, the biggest in Michigan to our knowledge.)

 

 

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