Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 8.33

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 6.95

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.23

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 6.55

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 7.13

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 8.5

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 7.57

Hide This

Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 7.84

AMS Haunted Attractions, located in Maryville, TN, is on their 4th season in this location and still going strong. Once again, they have put on an amazing performance by showing us that being on a farm is one of the scariest places to be.

Last year, Uncle Crumpet was trapped at Hillside Penitentiary with no way out. This year, he has escaped, only to return to his farm with his family. They are now wreaking havoc on all the locals and any unsuspecting victim who wanders their way. Can you escape Uncle Crumpet’s Freak Farm with your fingers and toes intact?

This review covers AMS Haunted Attractions opening during a special event: Back To School Haunt in August, for the haunting season begins.

Overall, the haunt was filled with enough actors to keep the scares going. There were only a few places that could have used a few more actors. I interviewed one of the owners, and she informed me they usually would have more, but because we went during the off-season, there weren’t as many.

The actors within the haunt were mostly believable within their character roles. There were characters, such as a butcher trying to chop my head off, a crazy guy with a gambling addiction, multiple farmers trying to tend to the haunted farm, and many others. We only came across a few that put in a small amount of effort in scaring us, which took away from the overall performances of the actors.

We felt as though most of the actors were very interactive with us! Many of them had specific dialogue they would use, while others played off of things we said or did to make the experience more unique. We only came across a handful of actors that didn’t have a special performance or verbal interaction that didn’t contribute positively to the haunt.

Most actors behaved in different ways. We came across actors that would quietly lurk behind us, some that would jump out, scream at us, or that have a creative performance or skit. They all appeared to have a reason for being in the location they were at.

Many of the costumes appeared custom-made and detailed enough to create the illusion that the character was real. We only noticed a few of them to be incomplete. For example, there were some that just looked to be wearing generic clothing that was bought and put on.

The actors that had makeup or masks appeared to be put together or applied in an appropriate manner. Overall, the makeup was worn lightly, meaning we didn’t see any intricate details created or used. This seemed to mostly work in the haunt’s favor because the theme was on a farm, and you may not see intricately used makeup designs on a farm.

Most of the characters appeared to be farmers, which fit the theme well since we were on Uncle Crumpet’s Freak Farm. There were others, such as a nun in a church, a clown in a circus, and a butcher in what appeared to be a butcher shop with a chopping block. Whatever the scene may be, the character fit well in it.

There were only 2 queue actors roaming the midway area. While both did a good job at scaring people, they didn’t have the most detailed costumes. They were both dressed in overalls and masks, which may fit the theme, but there weren’t any fine details to the costumes. The queue actors would speak to the guests in creepy manners, which helped create some anticipation.

AMS Haunted Attractions is very easy to locate. The parking lot is well-lit, and GPS directions take you right to it. The sign to enter the haunt is slightly too small, but since they have a lot of lighting in the parking lot, it will help you locate it. Everything else is well-marked with plenty of signage. There may be a risk of getting stuck in the mud in the parking lot, though, since it is only grass. With that said, it had rained all day the day we went, and we did not get stuck, nor did we see anyone else get stuck.

We didn’t notice anything that was truly dangerous here. They had taken some extra precautions the night we went because it poured rain all day. They laid hay all over the ground where it normally would have been muddy. There were some areas within the haunt where we had to step down/up, and it was always well-lit without any scares nearby. They also have police officers and first aid-certified staff on site each night.

All the staff we encountered were incredibly helpful and friendly. We asked different people many questions, and they were willing and able to help us out. This haunt is attended by many of the locals, who have been coming for years. They all seem to know each other and are happy to have them back.

All basic information can be found on their main website. It lists that the haunt is mostly outdoors, so wear appropriate footwear. You can find their rain policy, address, prices, hours, and read up on the theme. They also offer an optional touch pass or line jumper to get to the front of the line.

The pre-haunt atmosphere was lacking in excitement. It was quiet, with only 2 queue actors. They had a small booth where they were selling concessions and merchandise, but that was about it. We did get a chance to interview one of the haunt owners, who told us they normally have a lot more going on in the Midway area. The rain took some of the props down, and they didn’t have a chance to repair it.

The theme of this haunt was that we were at Uncle Crumpet’s Freak Farm. Uncle Crumpet had escaped from an asylum, and upon returning, his family went back on a murdering spree. The location is on real haunted grounds where paranormal sightings have taken place. We were told the theme before entering, and it seemed to carry through fairly well. Most scenes were farm related, but we went through a few that didn’t make much sense. For example, the clown in the circus.

We felt like we were completely and consistently immersed inside the attraction for the majority of the haunt. We only saw a few things out of place, such as, at one point, we were able to see the queue line, so it felt like we were back in the “real” world. The flow of the haunt seemed to work really well. Each scene moved right into the next.

The atmosphere right after the haunt was back in the midway area. It was in a location that made us feel like we didn’t need to leave immediately. This helped keep the flow of entertainment going.

Most sound effects within the haunt were more like background noise. They played a soundtrack on overhead speakers that made us feel like we were on a haunted farm. There was only one main area that was really quiet, and nothing was happening. We later asked about that area, and they told us that section is actually haunted. Looking back, it made us paranoid that there was a REAL ghost over there when we passed through!

Some of the rooms within the haunt lacked details that could have helped make it more realistic. They had bare black walls or very few props, so the rooms had an empty feeling. There were other rooms that were detailed very well, though! We could tell that these rooms took the most time to build and create. For example, the first room we encountered looked like a dingy living room, and it was very well made.

We only came into contact with a few animatronics. The ones we saw were strategically placed, so we didn’t see them before they were triggered. Some of them looked slightly unrealistic, though.

Special effects within the haunt were mostly done well. They used fog and lighting to create the illusion of a dark haze. There were pitch black areas to keep up with the suspense. We only saw one missed opportunity where they should have incorporated fog with the laser that was used.

We feel as though AMS Haunted Attractions is a very scary haunted house. Every time we encountered an actor, they did everything they could to make us uncomfortable or want to run away screaming. One actor threw me on a table and threatened to chop my head off! I’m guessing the butcher wasn’t happy that we invaded his space.

My team went through where one of us had the touch pass, and the other did not to see if the touch pass person would be singled out. This was not the case. The actors made every attempt to scare us equally, but in different ways. If you get the touch pass, it is much more intense but still scary without it.

Overall, the scares were timed perfectly. We only missed one or two scare attempts because we were distracted by something else. We caught one actor that wasn’t in the correct location, so that took away from the scare attempt. All other actors were in places where we either couldn’t see them before the scare, or they came around corners we didn’t expect them to.

We encountered many different types of scares. There were actors that would jump out of a great hiding spot, then stalk us long distances, and some actors that would come at us in all directions. Several victims were trying to seek our help. They used lots of blood and gore, such as pretending to eat guts, chopping off or carrying around a severed head, and body parts hanging from the ceilings and walls.

The ending was very suspenseful! -Spoiler Alert- We walked into a dark room and heard a chainsaw motor but didn’t see it. The suspense only built even more when we continued to walk through the dark room without seeing the guy with a chainsaw. We didn’t know where he was going to come from. He then proceeded to chase us all the way into the midway area.

AMS Haunted Attractions has improved from last year. They have increased their length by over 5 minutes and improved every aspect of the haunt. We made it through in 15.1 minutes, including the introduction. This experience was very entertaining, and we had a great time!

Unfortunately, the other things (besides the actual haunt) included in the ticket price were very lackluster during this visit. The haunt owner mentioned that they usually have more to offer in the midway area and more actors, but because it was only open for one night (for this special off-season event), they couldn’t make it happen. I feel as though things will be much better during the regular haunt season.

The price of general admission is $15.00 per person. Ultimately, we feel like the price is worth it based on the entertainment provided. I would highly recommend this haunt to anyone that can make it. When we spoke with one of the haunt owners, she informed us they are planning on expanding even more next year, so we are very excited to see what they do next!