Hailing from the the suburbs of Salt Lake City, Castle of Chaos is coined by the locals as “one of the best there is.’ 2024 has brought a few new tantalizing additions to Castle’s already all-star attraction line up – The Chaos Cafe, and exciting new escape room story lines.
The Chaos Cafe provides a scare-free space to wind down after your adrenaline overload, with a creative mocktail menu that’s sure to quench your thirst. For thrill-seekers, horror enthusiasts, or anyone in need of a good ol’ scream, this Utah favorite offers an experience that stands out among Utah’s haunted attractions.
One of the most distinctive and spine-tingling features is its underground location, which sets it apart from many other haunts. Nestled below ground level, the haunt takes full advantage of its subterranean, setting to create a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere that ramps up the fear factor from the moment you step inside. As you descend into the depths of the castle, you’re instantly cut off from the outside world. The lack of natural light, coupled with the oppressive, low-ceilinged hallways, and maze-like layout, creates an unnerving sense of isolation that sets the stage for the screams to come.
*This review is based on the Level 4 touch experience.
In the scare stronghold, you can tell that these actors don’t just put on a costume. Their passion, skill, and ability, find what makes you shiver, and makes the haunt feel alive, transforming an already terrifying setting into something far more immersive and personal.
If you’re a fan of haunted houses that rely on human interaction and psychological terror, as much as all the fun jump scares, you’ll find their actors to be the most frightening aspects of the entire experience.
Whether they’re playing a tortured soul, a bloodthirsty monster, or a toasty twisted figure straight out of your worst nightmare, the actors of Castle manage to keep the screams high, and the terror even higher. They don’t just deliver the scares, they’ll make you part of the nightmare.
How complete, unique, detailed were the costumes, accessories? – (35% of score)
Were the masks, makeup creative, detailed, realistic? – (30% of score)
How appropriate were the costumes for the respective scenes, themes? – (20% of score)
How believable-, detailed-looking were the queue actors? (See Note if N/A) – (15% of score)
When it comes to creating most any haunt experience, the costumes are an essential element, by adding layers of horror, and immersion. Castle of chaos executes this in a profound way.
In a haunt that’s known for its immersive underground atmosphere, their costumes make the dilapidated old building come to life, adding a level of realism and terror that is truly unnerving. Every detail, from a hag’s ragged, blood-stained cloak to the gruesome, ‘under-worldly’ makeup, is meticulously crafted to pull you into each room and live the scene orchestrated in front of you.
Whether it’s a tortured soul draped in tattered clothing, a demonic figure with glowing eyes, and intricately painted skin, or a disturbing figure wearing a creepily realistic mask, the effort put into every stitch is evident.
How easy was it to locate, park at, navigate the premises? – (25% of score)
Safety (Only dock points for TRULY DANGEROUS hazards!) – (30% of score)
How professional, helpful, friendly were the staff members? – (25% of score)
How easy was it to find pertinent information before arrival? – (20% of score)
Greeted right off the main road by glow wand wielding staff members, the parking area is easily accessible and visible from State Street. There is PLENTY of parking to accommodate the high volume of scare-thirsty horror enthusiasts throughout the haunt season, and plenty of staff members eager to greet you to help you along the mazes of lines to enter.
While each person we spoke to is employed at Castle of Chaos, we had a strong feeling that this wasn’t just a job for them. The enthusiasm and genuine interest in shaping the haunt experience for the customer, far exceeded that of a person who “just works” there. We were especially wowed by the staff attending the gift shop counter; the lengths they went through to help us find a certain size of hoodie for a member of our group, surpassed any customer care that is to be expected by the end of a tremendously busy high volume night.
After the thousands of customers in a short 5 hour span, we were given the attention as if we were the only ones there. Kudos, Castle Staff – you’re killing it!
How well did the pre-haunt areas ("vibe") prepare you for the attraction/s? – (25% of score)
How obvious, creative, believable was the storyline? (See Note if N/A) – (20% of score)
Were you completely, consistently immersed inside the attraction/s? – (40% of score)
How well did the "vibe" flow after, between the attraction/s? – (15% of score)
From the moment you step inside, you’re not just entering a haunted house; you’re entering a whole other realm. Being underground, you’ll feel completely cut off from the outside world. The decent into darkness, coupled with foggy narrow corridors and confined spaces, creates an immediate sense of uneasiness and dread.
Low ceilings and tight hallways make it feel as though you’re trapped in a claustrophobic maze, and the lack of any natural light adds a level of disorientation. The walls almost seem to close in around you as the darkness in the winding passages leave you constantly unsure of where you are or how far you’ve gone. And that’s just the beginning, folks.
How effective were the sound effects? – (20% of score)
How realistic were the scene designs, details? – (30% of score)
How effective, realistic were the props, animatronics? – (30% of score)
How well did they use creative, special, sensory effects? – (20% of score)
From distant screams and unsettling whispers, to bone-chilling creaks and bangs, the audio soundscape of this place makes the walls come alive. At times, the use of sudden loud noises, such as crashing doors or echoing screams, will catch you off guard.
The level of discomfort created by their audio cues really gets under your skin, making you feel on edge throughout your entire visit. The scene specific rooms and set changes perfectly complement this sense isolation and dread.
The meticulously crafted rooms don’t feel like mere sets, they feel like real, living spaces within a dark, cursed castle. The textures, colors, and props blend together, creating environments that feel as though they could be haunted by lost spirits, or are the stomping grounds of ghoulish monsters.
The group favorite, by a landslide, is the fog maze. In this room – pumped with fog – lies strobing lights, walls made of nets and monsters behind every turn. Though you can hear the group in front of you, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can see them. What made this maze standout most is the interchangeable pathways, with the nets that the actors used to their advantage. Unless you’re wanting to try your luck on being the “final girl”, we would recommend everyone in the group hold hands or link arms, so that you don’t happen to lose someone to the lost souls haunting the corridors.
How scary was it? – (35% of score)
How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? – (15% of score)
How predictable were the scares? – (25% of score)
How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? – (10% of score)
How strong was the ending / finale? – (15% of score)
This haunt taps into a variety of fears such as claustrophobia, vulnerability, isolation, and general unease, which creates a deeply unsettling experience that lingers long after you leave. Whether it’s the actors, the ever-evolving shifting environment, or the manipulations of reality, Castle of Chaos ensures that the haunt isn’t just spooky rooms with actors in generic masks, but an intense dive into a world where nightmares roam.
They’ll tap into a horror that will leave you second guessing every dark corner, and every shadow, long after the visit is over. Making you scream is their business – and business is GOOD!
How satisfied with the entertainment provided by the MAIN attraction/s? – (50% of score)
How satisfied with OTHER entertainment INCLUDED with the ticket price? – (25% of score)
How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s? – (25% of score)
Adding in many new surprises this year, within all categories, Castle of Chaos has truly stepped up their game! This years entertainment and value was top-notch for certain. The tickets range from $25 to $50, depending on how ‘chaotic’ you would like the experience in the castle to be.
$25 gets you GA. If you want to advance faster than that line, you can pay $35 and skip it. Now contained within each ticket price, is the choosing of a hands-on level, and there other levels to pick from (five on Saturdays), going from a safe and sound ‘Monsters Be Gone’ level, all the way up to ‘X-treme.’
We recommend waiting until Saturday, if you can, to experience level five. We chose level four, and although there were not many hands-on experiences, it was still a scary good time! Next year, we will go for level five!
7980 S State Street, Midvale, Utah 84047