Just across the Wisconsin border lies a real treat of an attraction: Abandoned Haunted House Complex (AHHC). This attraction tends to rate high in our area due to its insane scenes, dedicated actors, and amazing effects and props. AHHC is home to three main attractions and provides enough frights and fun to fill an entire evening.
This complex almost feels like a massive playground for the actors, and we are scared to ask for our turn on the monkey bars. If three full attractions weren’t enough, they introduced a whole extra level of horror this season: Inner Fear, an immersive interactive attraction. Buckle up, buttercup, this is sure to be a bumpy ride!
We attended on Halloween night, and AHHC had a good number of actors throughout each attraction. All the actors were very convincing; it is obvious that they take their roles/scenes seriously. In Hysteria, we had an encounter with Jack, who denied being the Ripper. He made sure we didn’t walk alone on the streets of London. Ambush had several great actors with plenty of dialogue, and kept our walkthrough entertaining. Cookii provided a fantastic experience as always and owns their scene. Throughout the stalker attraction, all the actors lived up to the name. They all made sure we knew of their presence and weren’t afraid to show us. Throughout all the attractions, the actors were all very interactive.
Inside the queue, Bacon was very talkative about the jawbone he was carrying around. He also told us about how he made his outfit out of the remnants of the person he killed, as well as elaborate furs draped all over. Bacon was also extremely excited to show that he had a matching nose ring with Nancy. The clown duo, Itchy and Scratchy, provided balloon animals with interesting appendages, vomited streamers, chased people with chainsaws, and still had time for Porta Party Potty Time. One of the asylum patients played double Dutch with one rope and was very active with visitors, calling shame to groups when needed and having the rest of the crowd participate.
The stalker attraction had great dialogue by the house residents that let you into their home. They were very unsettling with seemingly normal conversation laced with cannibalism. The actor in the consumption area had fun dialogue about us getting out before we caught something, this is all while coughing could be heard all around us. Jumbo the lion walked with us on the trail to the dark ride. Jumbo talked to us about corn dogs and riding safety. Further into Stalker, we wound up in a junkyard-like area with actors towering over us on top of broken cars and machines. They praised “mother motor” and tried to convert us.
The actors at AHHC just have a great time, and it shows. It feels they are acting for their enjoyment, and in return, guests are given authentic performances and even invited to get in on the fun.
With the variety of scenes and multiple characters, staff use airbrush makeup to create realistic looks. Detailed masks and full costumes also help the actors complete their characters to move around and bring their scenes to life.
In Hysteria, the actors wore costumes that blended in the dark, such as the actor who moved a hanging prop unexpectedly. Jack (no relation to Ripper) looked very sophisticated with his dapper outfit, which was fitting for his Black Plague scene. An actor wore black horns with a white dress, a great use of contrast.
In Ambush, we were greeted by none other than Cookii, wearing fishnet, high heels, and leaving nothing to the imagination. The hotel bellhop welcomed us, wearing his best uniform and hat with a little gore added. Another worker in the hotel was the janitor, wearing his typical uniform with cleaning items on his utility belt. Out in the chainsaw ending for Ambush, an actor wore dark clothing with a weird-looking mask that looked handmade with papier mâché. It also did not help that it was a bit dark with strobe lights going off, which made it more disturbing.
Out in Stalker, we saw a few notable actors and some signature characters. Jumbo greeted us by the dark ride again, wearing an adorable lion costume with a furry mane and “fur”ocious feline face makeup. Regardless of how cute the look was, the clown side was still evident with the checkered, multicolored boots. Throughout the cemetery maze, we encountered a mourner in an all-black dress. Our friend from last year with the skin-stitched mask followed us along the maze, as well as a red-eyed bug creature that illuminated in the dark and would disappear. Real chains were used throughout the haunt, such a great choice of accessories.
The junkyard is filled with some sketchy characters. They climbed up trucks, which thankfully they wore proper boots. A particular actor wore license plates placed on their pants, used as a shield or as a fashion statement, which worked out efficiently. The others wore distressed clothing, some one was even shirtless! Their faces looked like they had been stuck here for a while by choice and had done something deranged.
The attraction is visible from the highway by way of a large, brightly lit neon sign saying ABANDONED HAUNTED HOUSE COMPLEX. Entering the parking lot, we were guided to the nearest parking spot by staff with visible vests and lit safety batons. The lot has plenty of spots available, and parking is free. Walking from the lot to the box office, there are fantastic light posts with red orbs to guide the way. Axe throwing is located just to the right. There is a great Jack-O’-Lantern corridor bridging the box office to the midway. Guests will immediately find a large area for actors to roam, fireplaces for warming, a gift shop, a photo op, and a concession stand. Further in, there is a large screen playing a variety of videos, the different lines for the queue, and a DInEr
Abandoned has wandering line actors to spot potential problem customers. There is also a strong security presence with guards wearing visible security gear with earpieces and radios. There are plenty of onsite staff members walking around. Throughout the house, there are some tight spaces and low to pitch black lighting. Since portions are outdoors, there is uneven ground with rocks and potential mud depending on the weather (wear good shoes). Emergency exit signs are visible and well-lit with exit doors clearly marked. There are plenty of warnings to keep your hands off their actors. Actors keep a good distance and utilize their spaces in a safe way. Abandoned has a large internet presence and is on social media platforms. Their website has all the information available, and information regarding tickets. Due to its being on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin, it has generated a large fan base.
Once getting in, the walkway with lit pumpkins placed on a makeshift low ceiling covering resembles a tunnel leading to another dimension. The midway looks like a tiny town, offering tables and fire pits to hang out during those chilly nights. The gift shop carries a vast variety of branded apparel and the best collection of Horrornaments, which it’s tempting to buy everything! A really awesome diner with bright red lights, and coincidentally, the N and R letters flicker and turn off to reveal an obvious word. It’s DIE! Get it?
AHHC is known for its highly detailed scenes that are completed with the combination of out-of-this-world special effects, insanely talented actors, and props that are unlike anything we have ever seen. The uniqueness of the flow of the line going up to different levels or going around sections that still overlook the main areas. While there isn’t a set storyline, there is a general sense of what the scene will lead into.
Hysteria starts with a time machine portal inside a lab in a shed-like building, leading you into different time events, such as the British streets during the Black Plague, the Egyptian era, and the Medieval times. With every new event, there is a moment of emergence from the darkness that brings a sense of awe before the scares start. A notable scene that left us speechless is the woods with snow peacefully falling. The scenes in each are incredibly detailed, with every space filled with as many props as possible. Sound effects are booming, really immersing us in what we are in. While we didn’t catch up to any groups, the multi-levels did offer the opportunity to see groups before us get their scares.
The best use of transition in Hysteria was the sight of the pearly gates of heaven with white lights and bells twinkling. But instead, we descend into dark pits of hell, red magma lines the walls, and goat heads hang down.
Ambush is a multitude of different scenes. Similar to Hysteria, there are multiple floors and sections where you witness groups getting the same scares as your group, such as the hotel scene and prison when you pass behind the front desk. The scene transitions are also narrow, sometimes dark, and, uniquely, some are doors that you have to push open. A personal favorite scene by the group has to be the strip club, with neon signs, stage lights, and dance music playing while a performer is on stage with a pole in the center of the room. Along with that, the exorcist scene is filled with haunting chants accompanied by a powerful, unearthly wind while a poor victim is floating 6 feet in the air. The coolest transition is the narrow concrete walkway with tagging leading to the train. Though this is Wisconsin, it’s pretty cool that the CTA is replicated almost accurately.
Stalker is set on a corn field path, using the space to guide to different makeshift shelters out of regular items like a trailer, silo, and even a dark ride! Their newest piece was a motel setting, leading into one room and exiting from another room through a connecting door. The rooms are trashed, with pizza boxes and beer left out and drug paraphernalia still attached to one mannequin prop. During the transitions, flaps are in a variety of plain black or similar to the wall colors. The dark ride is completely dark until the sensors go off and the loud sounds and blinding lights go off together in a chaotic manner. Another notable moment is the post-apocalyptic junkyard, filled with cars and trucks that were piled up to create elevated walkways for the actors to maneuver easily.
To understand a bit more of what we experienced inside, it’s best to check out the SFX section below.
One of the difficult parts of writing the AHHC review is where to start?! This attraction is always in conversation when it comes to high-end scenes, amazing builds and effects, and overall great experience.
We started with Hysteria and its many forms throughout history. Beginning in the doctor’s “lab,” we are warned about his newly invented time machine. The workshop feels like a typical handyman garage, which makes the idea funny; there is little science involved, yet he created a time machine?! It’s sort of like the Tree House of Horror when Homer makes a time machine with a toaster. To disbelievers like me, we were proven wrong when the doctor flipped the switch, and we were drawn into a laser vortex and ended up somewhere entirely different. Where are we, you may ask? A jungle scene is our next portion. Walls here replicate caves and are covered in plants and even water features. The sound in the area feels jungle-like with typical sounds and distant animal calls. It seems we were transported too far back in time.
Further in, we find many other impressive scenes and time periods we venture through. One scene is a cobblestone, old English setting. The black plague is dominating the city streets and causing everyone to become sick and infected. The scenes feel as though we are walking through dirty old English streets, and a distant cough is heard throughout.
The medieval scene within Hysteria is simply a wonderment. The castle façade is towering, and the touch of snow inside and throughout the air feels as though we have just ventured far and are looking for shelter. Within the castle walls, we find the remains of a tortured soul and plenty of scares throughout. Everything feels time-appropriate and is stunning. Another great scene inside Hysteria is the Egyptian ruins. It feels as though we were inside a pyramid with what feels like limestone walls. Scenes are fairly dark and lit by lanterns. Props we found included archeologists’ tools as well as sarcophagi, which we can peek into and view mummified remains.
Keep in mind… that is all from one attraction so far. Ambush is equally impressive. It combines several different scenes but follows no storyline. The first few scenes are darkly lit and all follow a sort of church theme. There are a few antique pump organs. The climax for this portion ends in a stunning exorcism scene. The victim is suspended, and priests are surrounding her. Wind blows from all directions, and the sound of soft church music completes the scene and is fantastic.
Further in, we find a variety of scenes, such as an ambulance that we must make our way through. Once inside the hospital, we find shelves of jars and tools found in a hospital. Double doors hide actors for great scares. Several gurneys are around and holding either actual people or props to make the scenes feel complete. Another great scene included a CTA train cart. The sounds here were ear-piercing, and the cart felt like it belonged on the blue or red line (this is a dig at how terrible the blue and red lines are).
Further into the haunt, we found a great hotel scene as well. Things are dark and gritty, but this feels like a more classic downtown hotel. One of the more disturbing effects is a simple but effective one. Walking through one of the dark corridors, we must make our way through the clothes. The clothes in question are a tad damp… It’s gross. Further in, we found our way to the honeymoon suite. This looks like a bit of a rundown room, which matches the lobby. Smooth jazz is playing to set a mood, and that mood is quickly disrupted with a well-timed actor coming at us from above. Overall, this was another hard hitter.
Stalker is an outdoor attraction that has a bit more of an old-school vibe, melted into some chaotic and well-built scenes. Between major scenes, we walked through a corn stalk trail riddled with actors throughout. The new scene inside Stalker was a Motel façade in which we walked in and out of jointed rooms to progress. Everything about this reminded me of the sleaziness of these places just off the highway.
Another fantastic scene within Stalker is their graveyard/mausoleum. Being outdoors adds to the authentic feeling. The crypts are plentiful and tall. Actors wind up on top of these and peer down on those walking by. One area has full-sized caskets piled on one another. It gives the area an abandoned feeling, other than the ghouls hiding within. Further in the walkthrough, a mortuary can be found. Inside the office area, there are items called salesman sample coffins, which are rare for collectors. Once we are further in, there are old autopsy tables as well as the morgue. The human freezers are great and have the feet of props sticking out to make it feel they are currently in use. The crematorium is a sight to see and one of the best scenes inside an attraction.
Another great scene in Stalker is their dark ride. They created a dark walkthrough ride in the middle of the walkthrough, and it pays homage to real old school haunting. The sounds are quirky, and flashes of props reveal silly things like store-bought plastic skeletons in cages and a classic wicked witch. It’s simply fun and whimsical, but it’s designed for that style.
We should take a moment to talk about Inner Fear. This is an additional pay-to-play experience in which guests must play Saw-like games to survive. These are played either solo or as a team. We all decided to try solo, and we were only able to win a couple of the challenges. It was easy to get lost in the game as the SFX here was very effective. The scene was very detailed and messed with senses such as smell. AHHC provided yet another killer season.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.15
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9.2
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 9.15
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 9.15
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 9.15
The scare levels in all three attractions are intense. As we progressed through each attraction, the levels of scare would intensify due to the extensive scenes, effects, and actors. Since the sets are so expansive, the actors could scare guests from all angles and knew just when to pop out and surprise us. The actors were fantastic at startle scares, statue, setting each other up for multiple scares, and using structures to hang off and walk overhead. Actors used very jarring dialogue for interactions. Actors also relied heavily on each other to build up scares and hit everyone in our group multiple times. Since the attractions are so large, there is a lot of area for the actors to cover.
Stalker has open areas during transition scenes, yet actors were able to hide amongst the stalks and within the fog, allowing them to pop out and scare effectively. Stalker and Ambush leave guests outside, and guests can make their way back to the midway.
All three attractions were very actor-driven when it came to TSF, but the environment also played a large role. Stalker is a great example of this, as one of the areas inside is covered in deep fog and feels unnerving to try and make our way through. Inner Fear is, of course, pay-to-play; however, it is worth mentioning as the new experience had us frightened as well. It was so easy to become immersed in trying to survive that the special effects were overwhelming.
What a busy night. Our walkthrough time for all three main attractions was one hour and ten minutes! The average walkthrough times for Ambush and Hysteria should be about 15-20 minutes per attraction, and Stalker closer to 25-30 minutes at the lower end. General admission for all three attractions costs $45. This is literally $15 per attraction, not to mention the midway full of entertaining actors.
Doing the math, our Minute Per Dollar value comes to an amazing 1.56. AHHC gives visitors the most bang for their buck. In return, they provide pure entertainment, highly detailed scenes, effective props, talented actors, and an entire night of fun and chaos. This attraction is a must-see for anyone wanting to experience every aspect of what makes this industry fun.
As we mentioned plenty of times before, hats off to Itchy and Scratchy. All their hard work and dedication to their role deserve to be mentioned as iconic characters. To have literally taken their personal time to go off and graduate from Clown college to perfect their art and entertain everyone throughout the night is simply amazing. If you, curious reader, are interested in learning more about them… approach these fine gentlemen and ask them about their Porta Potty Party experience.
2825 SE Frontage Road, Sturtevant, Wisconsin 53177