Fright Manor Haunted House is a true scare for both the horror skeptics and the seasoned Halloween enjoyers.
The haunt was an enjoyable experience from the moment I stepped out of the car. The night started with a friendly greeting and an extremely warm welcome with the staff being especially kind.
To begin, I was given a comprehensive description of the haunted house’s format. The first half, “Legends of the Manor” would be based in folklore with a creative spin on local stories, and the second half, “Slasher,” a horror movie theme. The “Slasher” section offered looks at familiar faces, like Jason from “Friday the 13th,” to Fright Manor original characters, like Smiley, a masked chainsaw killer.
I went into the experience skeptical, as classic horror movies and slasher films have never been my thing. This is because of the seemingly algorithmic monotony of the industry. I felt the same way about haunted houses because the formula for haunts seems to always be the same: 15 minutes of jumpscares by people in costumes, then a chainsaw chase at the end where you pretend to be scared and run away. Fright Manor was delightfully different.
The main pleasure of the experience was the confusion and misdirection. The first few minutes were quiet which led me to believe that I would only see an actor every few rooms, and that I was not in for the scare I received.
As we continued, the fright ramped up. The hallways were narrow and dark and some of the rooms had multiple doors and cutoffs. Actors would come out, follow or chase me, and I would not know where to go. This aspect caused genuine fear. It felt as though I had to make a true, split-second, life or death decision.
Another strength of the haunted house was the structure of the scares. Many of the actors followed me, making me genuinely feel as though I had to run away and not like I was playing along. My favorite of the scares was an actor, a forensic scientist turned cannibal, who splashes water on the haunt goers. Another actor cornered me and separated me from my partner as he moved forward to the next room, leaving me feeling vulnerable and my partner confused and lost in the best way I have experienced from a haunted house.
Justin Danz, Fright Manor Director of Fear, acted as our host for the night. He offered space for us to ask any questions and was excited to hear our feedback. He was a highlight of the evening, with him and the rest of the staff being extremely friendly and communicative about the experience and whatever we needed to know.
Overall, Fright Manor Haunted House was unlike any haunt I have experienced before. Cliches were out the window and fear was center stage. The heart of the haunt truly lies within those working behind the scenes. Danz was committed to making an original experience. It felt as though hospitality and terror were their vocations, and they were pursuing them wholeheartedly.
