How Do We Get These Scores?
Our Rating System
UPDATE FOR 2022: Our former “Atmosphere” and “Theme” categories have now been combined and renamed “Immersion.” Our intent with this is to give more appropriate credit to attractions that have shown a clear focus on achieving and maintaining better customer experiences (both inside and outside the attractions) and developing creative storylines.
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!
Hide This
Final Score: 5.78
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 6.05
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 5.8
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 7.5
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 7.6
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 4.7
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 5.3
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 5
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 4.75
Hide This
Summary:
The doctor will see you now’ are words that can strike fear into the bravest of hearts. If you hear these words here, you better hope you have your running shoes on! As Dr. Dekay works on his patients, his attempts only make matters worse. (Can you say malpractice?) While you’re at it, keep an eye out for any ‘pet projects’ on the loose whose sole purpose seem to be to help the demented doctor with some sinister plans. Don’t ask ‘What’s in the basement?’ because you will be forced to find out, and some mysteries are best left unsolved! After our visit, we are quite sure he must have lost his license, and mind, long ago.
Currently located in the historic Ro-Na Theatre, this haunt’s roots began as a Boy Scout haunt, and now has 18 years of experience under their belt. With this many years in the industry, Dekay’s has developed a following. While the cost of ticket is $10, half of the proceeds are used to update and repair the old Ro-Na Theatre building with the goal of turning it into a cultural arts center for the community.
Cast: 6.05
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 5Explanation:
There were places where we thought they could have used an actor. For examples, use drop-down windows in walls. Use the widow to lead customers up the stairs in the beginning, and add some characters to the outside and inside queue areas. Use characters to jump out while customers are checking out the props.
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 5Explanation:
When characters are just saying the same line over and over, they loose their believability. Lady in the living room needs to say something other than “soo many kids…” The tall kid in the kitchen was too tall to try to climb out from underneath it to be believable or scary. we saw girls in two rooms in coffins. The girl with the jester needs something else to break up the coffin thing.
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 6Explanation:
Interaction was good, not great. We appreciated the chair, but that was the only real interaction with characters that we encountered.
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 5Explanation:
We need to hear more than “Help me” or screaming just to be screaming. We did enjoy the jester, and the red hood did call one of us by name.
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 6Explanation:We saw a lot of clowns. We heard a lot of screams. while there was some variety, there just wasn’t enough to be scored better.
Hide This
The all volunteer cast subjected us to ear splitting screams (some of which could be heard outside on the street), growling, sniffing, grunting, laughing, and aggressive requests. We saw at least one child actor as well as teens and adult actors. Some interacted with us, while others blended in with their environment in the dark and watched us navigate our way around. Some would also follow us or make a sudden movement or loud bang to startle the heart. They would only follow us for short distances, keeping close within their area and weren’t very mobile in their settings.
A mysterious red hooded character did interact with us, using our names in his dialogue (we gave him false names… not our first rodeo with that trick). He was mysterious and did set the tone of mystery with everything about him, including his hair-raising chair. He did a good job at extending the suspense, making us more and more interested in what was going to happen to our friend that we ‘set up’ to try out the chair.
The crazy jester may have had the best line of the night, telling his screaming victim to, ‘Stop screaming and die!’ He was very enjoyable to watch as he appeared and moved menacingly toward us to corral us along and away from his desperate captive who was sure she was going to be buried alive. He clearly loved his character and was having a great time.
We have to mention the experiment-gone-wrong character that we have nicknamed “the Walrus Guy.” When we first met him, he made a very nice and imposing silhouette in his caged area. We couldn’t see his face, but we could see the long, unnatural fingers. Then, we could hear his unnatural wail. Finally, we got up close and personal to the tusks that moved quite well on the face. He used his set nicely, moving about throughout it.
Many characters who spoke said the same line over and over. There were a lot of screamers. A. lot.
Costuming: 5.8
How Did We Get This Score?
Costuming Scores (15% of Final Score):
(15% of Costuming Score) How complete / finished did the costumes appear to be?: 7Explanation:
Costumes were good, for the most part. We could tell who each character was supposed to be for the most part.
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 5.5Explanation:
We did see a t-shirt underneath a costume here and there. Some of the clown costumes looked straight from the box. We also saw a lot of street clothes. Overall, costumes were average.
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 4Explanation:
Some characters looked messy, while others looked good. We feel Dr. Dekay could benefit from something around his eyes, and work on edging. It was unclear exactly what happened to him and why his face was all red the way it was. The inmate’s mouth looked very good. The jester’s look was very different, but we aren’t sure what was going on with it. It appeared muddy and we don’t understand the white sections on the face. Other characters had very limited makeup with a white wash, but no detailing. Clowns’ makeup was different from each other, some more detailed than others. We felt the good makeups couldn’t negate the confusing ones.
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 5.5Explanation:
Masked characters were never feature characters, but hidden in the dark. They looked like simple department store masks.
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 7Explanation:Makeup was appropriate for the scenes. It was good.
Hide This
Overall, costuming was average. Make up seemed simple and a bit messy on some characters. There were a few characters with masks, but they were kept in dark areas, so they were hard to see. The masks appeared to be department store masks.
We would have liked to see the guide at the beginning of the haunt wearing make up, or a mask, and a costume to sell the idea of the haunt. This would also help to build anticipation and curiosity for the haunt itself. The widow working the queue area outside would be perfect for this job, just quietly guiding visitors up the stairs with her candles, not saying a word. Her face was completely obscured from sight behind her mourning shroud, long sleeves and gloves, ankle length dress and black dress shoes. The widow doesn’t talk, but when she does, it’s great! The widow’s best line was, ‘Things aren’t always as they appear,’ and shocked us all with a little surprise.
A shout out to the Jester and his costume from head to toe! His homemade costume that he sewed himself was spot on, from his head piece all the way down to his jester shoes with the little upturned curls on the toes. It was aged appropriately and was simply beautiful. He wore strange-looking makeup that didn’t distract from the overall look of his outfit.
The girl clown, called Sissy, looked intriguing under the black lights with the lit-up hair and costume reminding us of a Beetlejuice character. While the costumes on the clowns were very appropriate and distinct from one another, we weren’t sure how clowns and jesters fit in with creatures the Dr. would be making with medical procedures gone awry.
Here and there, we did spy a T-shirt under costuming. We saw a fair amount of street clothing as well.
Customer Service: 7.5
How Did We Get This Score?
Customer Service Scores (10% of Final Score):
(25% of CS Score) How easy was it to locate the attraction, park, and navigate the premises?: 9
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 4Explanation:
There were some safety concerns in this old building. A hand railing was loose and the screws were falling out of the plaster wall on a set of stairs. Another set of stairs needed to be better lit, or maybe outfitted with reflective tape, as it posed a potential fall hazard. At the clown area, there were some exposed wires hanging out of an electrical receptacle. Watch your steps. The floor has a lot of pieces of rock and plaster that has fallen and can be a little slick, especially with being so dark. Entering the black light morgue, there is a harsh step down that also could potentially be a trip hazard. Also some objects in corners or along walls that could be a trip hazard.
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 9
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 9
Hide This
We came on opening night. GPS got us to the exact location. There were several parking options in town around the building. Signage couldn’t be beat with the jumbo-sized, well-lit marquee sign attached to the building. The entrance to the haunt was not at the front doors of the theatre, but next door at a bar. There were no signs indicating that, so costumed characters in front of the building would have to help patrons find their way to the doors to the actual haunt.
There were some safety concerns in this old building. Watch your steps. The floor had a lot of pieces of rock and plaster that had fallen and could be a little slick. Watch the stairs.
Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Ticket staff were wearing matching t-shirts so customers would know for sure they are working with the haunt. There is a Facebook page and website for Dr. Dekay’s. Between the two, information like dates of operation, cost, address and phone number were indicated.
Atmosphere: 7.6
How Did We Get This Score?
Atmosphere Scores (10% of Final Score):
(60% of Atmosphere Score) How obvious was it that you were at a haunted house before entering?: 8
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 7
Hide This
At night, when the marquee sign is lit, the building looks beautiful. The name, dates and time of the haunt are clearly marked. Costumed staff walk along the sidewalk under the large light-up sign interacting with anybody on the street and with passing cars as well. There was no music available in the queue area, or in the haunt at all. We did spy a projector screen in the bar area. While nothing was playing while we were there, staff told us about their plans to play horror movies for entertainment. The overall feel inside the ticketing area and on the street was a low-key chill environment.
Special Effects: 4.7
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 5Explanation:
There were no sounds for ambiance. There was an alarm, sounds with the chair, a growl from the werewolf dummy, and banging with the chest. There were places with no sound. All in all, sounds were average as compared to other haunts.
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 6Explanation:
The chair was a nice unexpected addition. The lights, sounds, and movements were creative. We feel more of this unexpected creativity is needed in other places in the haunt as well.
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 5Explanation:
Our main issue with the living quarter was the plain, exposed plywood and lack of a ceiling, causing the scene to loose its feel of a residence. We recognize there may be fire marshal regulations about this, but we’ve seen workarounds that help disguise the external surroundings without violating sprinkler codes. The kitchen needed something to represent a stove or fridge to help identify it as a kitchen.
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 3Explanation:
Black curtain partitions could use some black plastic or paper added to the fabric, as they did allow light to permeate through and take you out of the moment. We saw a mop and bucket in one corner, and many used water bottles strewn about. In a corridor, we encountered a piano with what appeared to be random materials piled on it, but it didn’t seem to serve a purpose of any kind. We also encountered a ladder that appeared to be set up as a wall to prevent customers from crossing into the wrong area. There were a few places where we struggled to figure out where to go, so the transition barriers could be closer together, especially when there is a turn to make. Again, we saw too much stacked material behind curtains and propped against the walls of the hunt.
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 5Explanation:We encountered some jump scares with quickly executed sounds from actors. We enjoyed the chair and inmate. We liked the secret passage behind the book case. Compared to other haunts, the special effects were nice and average.
Hide This
Most of the sounds we heard were made by the actors themselves. There was an alarm to shock the system when an inmate/patient escaped. The upstairs of the haunt seemed to show scenes from a home. The walls were made of exposed plywood and the ceiling was left open to the original building. Creating a proportional faux ceiling could have made the home part ‘homier’ and helped hide any extension cords. The living room had a nice moving bookcase feature, while the kitchen had a birdcage in the corner with a table and materials strung about to give the idea of a kitchen. The staircase leading to the basement featured naturally old peeling paint, a strong basement smell, and a nice holographic feature. There was medical equipment placed throughout the basement area. We met a wolfman dummy with growling sound effects and glowing eyes. We were encouraged to try out a gurney with a guillotine headboard, and to sit in an electric chair that also had movement, light, and sound effects. We saw chests move on their own, and walked through a laser area. Lighting was minimal, but we did find a strobe light and a lot of black lighting. We were able to spot a fog machine, but it wasn’t working during our walk thru.
Theme: 5.3
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 6Explanation:
We understood the theme. It took us a while to connect the house and clown setting with the basement.
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 5Explanation:
We just weren’t sure about clowns and jesters in the theme of Dekay destroying his patients and making them into creatures. Other than the inmate, we didn’t see any real feature creatures in the basement.
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 5Explanation:
Being in a theatre, the doctor’s residence didn’t make a perfect match with the location, but they fit well enough for an average score. An introductory story or having the characters themselves introduce the theme as we went along could have helped make this more believable and apparent.
Hide This
We determined the theme was set as the Doctor’s residence, where he performs experiments on unsuspecting patients. Upstairs, we encountered a whole host of family members (or patients?) in rooms alluding to living quarters. The downstairs housed the basement, or home to the inhumanely-created monsters.
While the theme itself is doable, we felt the execution of the theme could have been better. This would entail using detailed scenes with intact equipment to really drive home the feel of a home. Characters like clowns in a laboratory or basement setting just seemed to be a stretch, as well as the cliche and overused chainsaw-wielding guy. The biggest distraction from the theme would be the series of tools and equipment left out in plain sight.
Scare Factor: 5
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 5Explanation:
There were times of anticipation with the chair, and startles here and there with loud pops. Other than the chair, we need more to talk about when we leave.
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 5Explanation:
Most scares came toward the front. Those in the middle and end got some, but didn’t get as much attention.
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 6Explanation:
Less scares for the middle and back made the frights more predictable and less effective for them. We walked up on some hidden cast. Using some distractions with the scares would be helpful.
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 6Explanation:
There were sounds, interactions, and space used to make us uncomfortable. While they were average, we feel there needs to be more.
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 5Explanation:
With the ending leading to steps, there are limitations to the grand finale. While the jester threatened us, and we spied an arm reach out from behind the wall, and a girl begging for help, we didn’t feel this was “grand finale” material. There needs to be something shocking or outrageous, but caution needed to keep folks from piling up the stairs.
Hide This
The actors employed a few different tactics to make us jump or feel uncomfortable. The chair would give anybody a feeling of uneasiness. Loud and unexpected bangs could be heard throughout for a jump scare. Walrus guy’s unnatural voice was very disturbing. The annoying alarm will get under anyone’s skin. We were followed just a little and yelled at to comply with a demand. We had characters invade our personal space. In addition, we heard screaming at what seemed to be every turn. Scary dialogue was limited. Some settings could have been lit just a little better to serve as a distraction to get the more effective jump scare by an actor from an opposing direction.
Entertainment & Value: 4.75
How Did We Get This Score?
Entertainment & Value Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment received during the main attraction/s?: 5Explanation:
We were entertained, no more than other haunts we have been to. Entertainment was average to other places.
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 4Explanation:
A working projector is a good idea for those waiting to go in the haunt. Some more dressed cast members to roam around for photo ops and scares would be helpful. We would like to see some pre-haunt music or creepy sounds going too.
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 5Explanation:
We like the fact that ticket sales help repair the Ro-Na. Prices are appropriate for the entertainment offered here.
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 5Explanation:Hide unnecessary materials and theatre seating, if possible.
Hide This
Our walk thru lasted approximately 11 minutes. We would like to see a longer experience, but the cost was only $10 for regular admission. This gives Dr. Dekay’s a pretty average MPD (Minutes of entertainment Per Dollar spent) rating of 1.1.
For an added twist, there is a ‘lock in’ room for $25, as an extra attraction. Instead of an escape OUT, however, you are racing the clock, (and flesh eating zombies) to lock yourself IN!
At the ticket table, themed jewelry sets were available for sale, as well as the haunt’s pint sized mascot; a wolf pup doll named ‘Clawed.’ He was available for photo ops.
How Did We Get These Scores
Our Rating System
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!
Hide This
