Factory of Terror OH Review (2018)

The cast at Factory of Terror this year is outstanding. We had several shout-outs at the end of the night including the Cowboy in Backwoods Hollow that managed to scare the sass out of the party behind us, a singing Moonshine Peddler, the Crusher Operator, and the Mad Seamstress in the sewing room. There was also a fairly racy Nurse with a strange severed foot fetish that had us laughing and speeding up all at once.

One of the most impressive things that we saw on our journey through the Factory was the way staff members remained in character even when they weren’t directly interacting with customers. Several conversations we overheard while patrons were busy staring at their surroundings or discussing what they’d seen with the rest of their group sounded as if they were on a stage before a full audience. There’s a wide variety of characters at the Factory of Terror, and each fit within their respective house’s theme and along with the high quality that the Factory requires.

Factory of Terror has five houses, each with their own theme and characters. Costuming from house to house is dependent on the character and the theme, but the level of detail that FoT has made itself known for is reflected in their costumes. Even the costumes that appeared at first glance to be ripped or distressed street clothes contained a wealth of bits that link back to the character wearing them.

A queue monster that we spotted layered undergarments in a mad, slapdash-seeming fashion but had carefully shredded and stained those pieces of the costume to tell a grotesque and racy story with her clothes. Gillie suited actors managed to blend perfectly with scenery before leaping out to cause screams and a clicking monster with long fingers matched to the dayglo details of his lair before sliding out to attack. A male nurse in a highly original play on the drag dress you usually see had layered makeup to enhance and complete his outfit. One monster’s prosthetic steampunk facial features blew us away, and the Butcher Doctor’s menacing costume made us pause to marvel.

With monsters removing and applying their faces (Kristin attempted a hip joke with a hashtag, the monster was unimpressed) and creatures moving from hot to cold areas, going through acrobatic scare measures, and still managing to impress with their costumes and makeups, FoT is skilled at finishing off their character’s personas with apparel.

During our visit to Factory of Terror we both got to experience and witness the high level of customer service they offer to their guests. With uniformed officers on site for safety, clearly outfitted employees with a thorough network of walkies to communicate and discuss in real time, and marked emergency exits, they put a lot of energy into the safety end enjoyment of their customers.

Parking is well lit and the attendants were polite and helpful. Responses to concerns are swift and thorough, and staff remembers and celebrates return visitors. Even the owner and the head engineer work with customers and constantly monitor their staff and show to make sure that everything is just right. One of our team dirtied his bandage in the haunt and the concessions worker quickly got him a replacement one before swooping out to clean tables in the hang out area.

The Factory is visible long before you reach the parking lot. Spotlights run outside of the haunt, signs mark parking and the building, and there are interactive screens and queue monsters on the outside of the building.

The covered line entrance and the queues for the rest of the houses are all decorated and detailed with haunted attraction props as well as more actors working the crowd. Lighting is varied depending on the part of the haunt and music and sound effects permeate through the walls getting you into the mood for the upcoming haunt.

From the moment you exit your car, you are experiencing a haunted factory, and by the time you enter the beautiful fa������������������ade of the first house, 1300 Lost Souls, you’ve got a taste for the upcoming, high-energy show.

One of the things that is consistently impressive about the Factory of Terror is its special effects. The team here mixes bought props, modified props, and a wealth of hand-made and completely original effects that have been built in-house. Every room has something moving, breathing, sparking, or screaming. Sound bleed is extremely minimal and the sound effects are spot on. Storms recreated inside the haunt are realistic, sets smell like the environments they recreate, and lighting enhances and validates the setting. The monster in the cremation room moves through the smell of ash and fire wielding a tiny, creepy prop to shock you as you walk by. Mazes pulse with music and/or sound effects that help to disorient you and build tension. An original set piece related to bees has a unique trick that makes us stop every time, and a Wilhelm Scream marks an execution that cannot be missed.

Our favorite set in Massacre on Mahoning, the fourth house, has updated lighting sounds and smells to refine and perfect the scene. The first two rooms in that house have been changed up and contain one of the coolest special effects we’ve ever seen. FoT’s dedication to innovation is on view everywhere, and every year there are new and amazing things to see.

All five houses in the Factory of Terror are themed uniquely but they all share the idea of manufacturing nightmares. Each is strongly related back to the theme, developing their name into a working narrative supported by sets, props, and monsters. Many are unique to the Factory and the community, giving them a stronger resonance and more legitimacy.

FoT manufactures a variety of different, conceptualized themes, each distinct from the other, all while retaining their signature, FoT style. Your entrance into 1300 Lost Souls will have you traveling through a variety of traditional haunted house scenes. Industrial Nightmare is a pulse-pounding trip where the bangs and pounding don’t just come from equipment. Backwoods Hollow will take you on a dark journey to meet the ever-so-friendly inhabitants within. Massacre on Mahoning is where you will venture through the house of the deceased as well as their graves that will lead you out to the last attraction, The House of Nightmares. This trip will take you through the dark dreams and visions of madmen before spitting you back into reality.

Customers at the Factory of Terror scream all through the night from the variety of types of scares and the large amount of them. Monsters and props work together to distract and surprise customers. Both the location and the built sets inside of it raise tension and suspend disbelief as everywhere you look there are terrifying details and chasing monsters that are meant to heighten your enjoyment and fear.

The group behind us continuously jumped, shrieked, and then attempted sass before being scared again. While we had beverages in the hang out area we listened to long strings of screams from both customers entering houses and scared customers in line. No area of the Factory is safe from scares, and it makes the attraction an incredible visit for those who want to be scared and also those who want to watch others be scared.

Our trip through all haunts at FoT lasted around 43 minutes! General admission on the night of our visit was $28. There are many different ticket options and they also host events during the off-season. FastPass upgrades could be purchased for $38 (additional $10).

With 1.54 minutes of scares per dollar and such a variety of ticketing options, the Factory of Terror is an awesome value and a fun way to spend your night. They also offer a midway area with different things for guests to do and many photo opportunities.

Depending on what day and time you arrive, there may be parking fees.

Because it and the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory are now connected, there are ticket options that let you buy tickets for both attractions including a FastPass good for both places. The season pass gives you a year of unlimited fast passes, 10% off merchandise, free parking, and discounts on up to four friends’ passes and applies to both locations. The Factory also has standing discounts for first responders, safety workers, service members, and YMCA members and college students on specific nights. Remember, entry on your birthday is always free!