This attraction was reviewed on October 2, 2021 by Team Brewhaha.
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!
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Final Score: 7.24
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.45
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 7
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.25
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 7
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 7
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 7
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 7.15
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 7.15
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Summary:
Dragons House of Horrors has been frightening New Mexicans for many years. Last year due to the circumstances of the pandemic they had a drive-through attraction. This year they moved to a new location in Downtown Albuquerque. Filling an entire nightclub, Dragons House of Horrors weaves around the space filling every nook and cranny with frights. While waiting for entry into the haunt there are facilities and a few creatures stalking about.
Cast: 7.45
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 7
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 7.5
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 7
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 8
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8
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Throughout your journey through the Haunted Asylum one will encounter a variety of monsters and minions waiting to terrorize you. As you make your way through, you will see a multitude of minions, ranging from friendly to diabolical. Make sure you don’t linger around for too long around the bar, they seem to be running low on liquids.
The creatures made some truly bone-chilling sounds, some of which I could not figure out how they could be made. Each interaction was unique; each character had their own dialogue and responded to my reactions. There was some very creative use of multiple scare points from the same actor as well.
Costuming: 7
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?: 7
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 7
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8
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Throughout Dragons House of Horrors, there was very creative use of costuming. Each actor had a complete ensemble that fit well within the domain they were in. In some of the compact areas, I even noticed that the clothing had just the right amount of wear.
The makeup was also very well done; each creature had great blending and also makeup on the hands which made the character more believable. I also greatly appreciated that when the character had a mask they had blended well with black makeup around the eyes under the mask. Also, the face masks that the characters wore were well-themed and detailed. Each costume fit the scenes there were in well, no character seemed out of place.
Customer Service: 8.25
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?: 8
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8
(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?: 8
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When using the address listed for the haunted house on their website and Facebook it was fairly easy to find the jaunt using a navigation app. Traveling throughout the attraction the path was easy to navigate and I appreciated the reflective strips on the stairs to make them easier to navigate.
Safety precautions for the haunt were also great, each character was wearing a facial covering and keeping a distance due to Covid protocols, there were also several hand sanitizer stations spread throughout. Each member of staff I encountered was phenomenal, there were very knowledgeable and friendly.
Atmosphere: 7
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?: 7
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 7
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Outside of the haunt, there was a banner and some atmospheric lighting that would inform passersby that this is a haunted attraction. Once you entered, the lighting, props, and music set the tone for the haunted experience that awaited ahead.
Special Effects: 7
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 7
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 7
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 7
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 7
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 7
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Dragons House of Horrors used a variety of special effects throughout the haunt. The creepy sounds from hidden areas as well as from the actors filled the haunt with an evil soundscape. Throughout the journey, each room had sets and props that fit the area, in some areas, there was some lack of theming and blank walls. Walking through the haunt at times I forgot I was walking through a haunted house and thought I walked into an asylum from years past. The special effects were also timed great for the perfect scare.
Theme: 7
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 7
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 7
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 7
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Dragons House of Horrors has a mix of different themes, with each section flowing into the next with little break in the action. Some of the most believable areas were when the haunt used the areas of the nightclub to their advantage, like the bar and stage area. The location of the haunt and the different levels you have to navigate definitely improved the uniqueness of the haunt.
Scare Factor: 7.15
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 7
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 7
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 7
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 7
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Dragons House of Horrors keeps the scares coming from the second you enter to the moment you exit the haunt. There are several moments that made me jump, and I was constantly looking behind me to see if I had another creepy companion to accompany me on my journey.
Going through the haunt by myself the actors were very skilled at getting me when I least expected it. I appreciated how several of the scares came from places I was not expecting and I did appreciate the scares coming from the ground. The scare tactics were also varied, with a great mix of scares coming from the actors and effects. One thing I noticed was there was no definitive ending; I just reached an exit without a final scare.
Entertainment & Value: 7.15
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?: 7
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 7
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 7
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 8
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Admission for Dragons House of Horrors Haunted Asylum are $20.00 for General Admission. There is no fast pass or front of the line.
From the moment I entered to the moment I exited, I spent 10 minutes navigating the haunt. There were several actors I could see to entertain those waiting in line and there is a bar with a great offering of beverages. If you are in the Albuquerque area this haunt season I would recommend visiting Dragons House of Horrors Haunted Asylum for a chilling evening.
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!
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