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: 9.29
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 9.46
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 9.1
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 9.61
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 9.16
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 9.31
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9.2
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 9.24
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.21
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Summary:
There’s a magic to the Factory of Terror that is unmistakable and makes it so that no matter how many times our team goes or how many other haunts we see in a year no one else can repeat that magic. With a devoted team of monsters led by a mad genius, FoT has unique and bespoke creatures and special effects, sets that can be seen nowhere else, and actors that sweat and bleed horror.
Five haunted houses stretch before you through the sprawling building and switchbacks and turns hide surprises throughout every square foot. We were surrounded by screams starting at the ticket window and the tension didn’t ratchet down until the car was partway home.
While we were waiting for our tickets, our team leader was recognized by one of FoT’s queue-actors who was compelled to scream his name loudly into the night, announcing not only our presence to the waiting monsters but to also freak out the other waiting guests.
Cast: 9.46
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.9
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 9.87
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 9.7
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 9.1
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 9.4
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The cast at Factory this year had some familiar faces and a few new ones that our team quickly fell in love with. Every year the sexiest woman on earth goes after Doug, and Doug is happy to give in to his wiles every time. This year he was accompanied by a sharp-faced man with a whip and a wicked sense of humor who ran out of Mardi Gras beads but not slaps with the whip. The two of them worked for the crowds outside of houses into a frenzy and we saw more than one person flee from them.
In front of Massacre on Mahoning, a Steampunk Angel chided monsters and guests alike depending on her mood and their behavior. Energetic sliders, monsters blending into the walls, two children with a pet spider, and a little girl just protecting her dolls all caused at least one shriek if not more from a member of our group. The finale to these monsters was the increasingly disturbing Sack Boy who teleported through the final house stalking a member of our team until she finally escaped the building entirely.
The cast at FoT is one of the biggest things that sets them apart from other shows around them, propelling this haunt with a lot of high energy, interaction, and most definitely entertainment.
Costuming: 9.1
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?: 9
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 9.2
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.9
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 9.3
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 9.1
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Costumes at FoT are distinctly fitting for the varied locations and scenes within the five haunts. From detailed corseted steampunk angels to ghoulishly looming creepers, there are no missed opportunities for showing off costume creation and skill.
In dim areas like the depths of the swamp, Papa Legba loomed tall and had bright bone highlights that we were fascinated to see. Bone fragments sticking out of faces and limbs dotted victims throughout the building, and an emotionally expressive robot greeted us with needed light after the blackout maze. A demon in the poison room scared one of our team into almost hysterics after she had just recovered from a ghoul in the mausoleum appearing out of the structure in front of her.
Costumes are used not only to scare but to camouflage into the surroundings, and the makeup underneath masks or costumes is well-applied and smooth. We were even greeted by a business casual monster that managed to make a clean and pressed white button-up shirt and tie a source of continued horror.
Customer Service: 9.61
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?: 9.5
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 9.1
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 10
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 10
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FoT has bright and detailed signage helping you to find everything you might need while on site. There are multiple ticket windows staffed to keep lines moving and staff are easy to spot and helpful with any questions or concerns. There is on-site security and staff members have radios to respond quickly and efficiently. Even the monsters were willing to help people, especially when it came to finding the port-a-potties. Though finding your way out of them might require a bit more work!
The team at Factory of Terror in Canton and the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory in Akron have even worked out a deal for visitors from far away to stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites, Canton at a reduced rate.
FoT has also added food trucks, three bars, and the services of the team at Reflection-Energy Healing Space to offer Tarot readings in the Midway for anyone looking for advice and direction. The newest addition this year is an expansion to the merch shop that makes it a full-sized, walkthrough store.
Atmosphere: 9.16
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?: 9.2
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 9.1
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From blocks away, the spotlights on the huge fa������ade of the Factory of Terror and its tremendous sign are easily spotted. The music rolls up and down the street and screams ring through the air as they spill out of the building. Video screens hang above the ticket windows and monsters weave in and out of the crowds spilling from the ticket booth to the entryway. The energy is high and the terror is higher. Be prepared to face all of the haunted terrors of the Factory the second you step out of the parking lot.
There are multiple parking lots surrounding FoT, but there is a fee for parking. Be sure to bring a little extra cash for this.
Special Effects: 9.31
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 9.1
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9.5
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 9.47
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 9.2
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9.3
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There is no shortage of special effects in FoT that can be seen nowhere else. The team here has rebuilt factory machines and set them loose on the workers in ways that will haunt your nightmares. Animatronics twitch and scream from every angle. Cthulhu mythos-style monsters, gigantic creepy crawlies, and carefully placed pneumatic horrors leap and cavort.
Lighting in the Factory this year was amazing, causing precise blackouts and distracting the eye from the danger coming your way. One of the Factory’s most impressive feats is using special effect lighting, scents, and texturing to create whole other worlds. You aren’t walking through sets of sewers and graveyards, you are teleporting into them. You can feel the dirt under your shoes and the electric charge of storms as you cross through outdoor-style scenes. There is no shortage of beautiful sights and sounds, although beauty has its terrifying side. Especially when you hear the sounds booming through the cage maze section.
Despite our frequent visits to FoT, we always find something new to exclaim over while venturing through the multiple attractions inside.
Theme: 9.2
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 9
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 9
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 10
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The Factory’s theme is Manufacturing nightmares, and it certainly lives up to its promise. Each house has its own dedicated style of nightmare and each of them is unique to FoT.
Guests can enjoy the bayou horrors of Louisiana in Lafayette 13, a mixture of home-brewed horrors in 1300 Lost Souls, a mashup of monsters and machinery in Industrial Nightmare, a globe-spanning set of ghouls and ghasts in Massacre on Mahoning, and an eye-catching and eerie set of malcontents in House of Nightmares. Each one is complete within itself, but part of the larger nightmare factory.
Scare Factor: 9.24
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 9.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 9
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 9.1
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 9.2
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 9.25
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We came with a larger group than normal, all experienced haunt visitors and some former haunters spanning from age 67 to 15. This year at least every generation in our team found something to be scared of.
Screams rang out all around us, but they also came from us and that’s a hard feat to achieve. The Factory is an intense haunted house that covers every fear imaginable, and it is hard to find a person who isn’t rattled at least once within its walls. The return and revamping of the mirror maze this year was hands-down the highest number of screams we heard all night, and Sack Boy in the House of Nightmares made sure that the fear we experienced throughout the night would creep into our minds and follow us home.
Entertainment & Value: 9.21
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?: 9.3
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 9.1
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 9.1
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9.45
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Tickets to the Factory of Terror are $28 and that is for all five houses. The fast pass upgrade is $11.95, and tickets are still being sold in time slots to help with social distancing and control the crowds. You can also get the annual season pass that allows you to bring friends in at a discount and gives you unlimited fast pass access to the haunts here and at the Akron Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory. Parking costs are implemented if you want a spot up front to the ticket booth, but free lots are available.
For the length of the haunt and the number of things to do and see inside, the value is great here, and our team recommends that you buy the fast pass in the interest of skipping the lines and feeling free to take your time wandering through the haunts.
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!
