Fear Factory SLC Review (2022)

As we first entered the front gates, there was an old man (actor) following behind us pretty close, not saying anything but just following. Then I felt the warm liquid he was spraying on the back of my legs from what appeared to be a urine bag prop!

After buying tickets and waiting in line, you are finally inside, where many an actor is waiting to greet you as you begin your journey through the giant maze that lays before you. The first section of the haunt contained many non-verbal, yet very creepy, actors. They jump out of you from corners where you wouldn’t expect them to be and get as many jump-scares as they can possibly fit into one night. You will never lose your way for too long, unless it’s intentional misdirection, of course, as there are plenty of grunts and groans and hand gestures to guide you smoothly through each room.

Not only do they approach from the front but also from the back. They come up behind you with growls and whispers and friendly little sing-songy phrases like, “I smell you” or responding directly to what you said like, “why yes, I am real.” Then, they are banging on the metal grates below your feet and that’s when you realize you are surrounded as you climb through these narrow metal corridors.

The clowns. Oh my. The clowns. Prepare yourself for a polka-dotted, black-lit, chaos-filled adventure under the big top. The creepy giggles and intense laughers are pouring from each clown’s mouth. These actors are decked out from head to toe in the most vibrant fluorescent colors that are only intensified by the 3D glasses that they provide upon entry to the Circus.

As for the others, we will leave that as a surprise for you.

The costuming for the entire Haunt was extremely well done. Each section had its own unique clothing needs, and those in the costume department did not let us down. Each costume was picked specifically for the character they were to play. They had multiple layers and accessories to really sell the part. They matched their perspective background perfectly. Some were made out of more organic material than actual cloth.

Going back to under the big top for a second, the clowns seemed to be wearing what appeared to be painted clothes in some of the sequences. They were as vibrant as the props and tents around them. Remember, this too is all while wearing 3D glasses so things are distorted a bit.

To get to Fear Factory, you just pop the address into your Google Maps, which will be very easy to remember as it is on 666 W; a number all haunt attendees are familiar with. But, if you do not have a car or you just don’t want to drive, there is another option. One of the first purchases that FF bought was a couple of old-school buses that they transformed into… Zombie Buses. That’s right, you can start your adventure from the moment of pickup when a bus complete with zombies picks you up from a centrally located mall in downtown Salt Lake. The even crazier news is that this bus is absolutely free! You can catch a free lift there and back from the undead creatures we know and love.

From the moment we arrived, we could clearly point out who was the staff and not the actors or other patrons. If you needed any questions answered, there were two, if not more, people in eyesight for the entry section. We were directed toward the ticket counter and helped quickly and efficiently through the ticket purchasing process. They explain the rules at multiple stopping points before you entered the haunt itself. They were very clear about their expectations of us and that we would be removed if any safety precautions or rules were broken.

They also have a photo op area with six different background scenes and staff there ready to take all the photos you could want.

After purchasing tickets and entering, you are fully immersed in the haunt experience. They have built very tall walls that surround the entire waiting area. There is music and sound fx and smells all around you. There isn’t an AV cord in sight. They are all hidden so it appears the sounds are coming from just over the walls.

Once you are inside and begin the maze of metal-grated stairwells, you realize the long metal corridors are on at least the second story because the floors are also grates so you can see through them. (Be extremely cautious on the stairwells as it is very dark and some are not clearly marked) It’s foggy and tinted orange and they truly show you the manufacturing warehouse roots of the property and building.

In the swamp-type section of the haunt, the ceiling has vines and plants hanging and the air is damp around you as you make your way through an earthy green environment full of creatures both real and animatronic of all kinds. The graveyard section is foggy and cold, just as you would expect it to be, with a darkness to it that only gives silhouettes of what could be lurking between the headstones. Many sounds match the theme of each section as well.

Even as you go between sections, on a path that takes you through an outside portion where the walls are still just as high, with nothing but screams and the night sky, it’s still immersive with the sounds of a chainsaw in the distance.

The sounds and smells from the very beginning bring the surroundings to life. There is deep, almost chanting music during parts of the haunt that would quicken the beat of anyone’s heart. You can see the effort and time put into executing all the SFX. From the lights and fog to the fake electrocution chair, this place really covers all their bases. The floors in some rooms will suddenly drop below your feet just enough to jolt your stomach but not too much to hurt your feet or ankles.

The electronic projections used to portray moving picture frames or digital windows into the room ahead are spectacular. There were all sorts of dolls, props, limbs, and even torsos suspended above you to fill the whole space very well. There is a long corridor of hands where there is no other way into the next section of that haunt. Your only choice is to walk, not run, through the outstretched forearms and pray that one does actually come to life and grab you.

While in the clown section, they have a giant wall full of brightly colored barrels that may or may not come down towards your group as you try and pass on a narrow walkway. They even have full-size vehicles INSIDE. This means you get all the bright headlights to the face jump scares you want or don’t want. I won’t tell you how many but prepare yourself for that. All while still wearing those 3D glasses.

There is a very classic use of simply fog and lasers to fill an entire room amongst haunted houses and let me tell you guys, Fear Factory is the master of this. Not only is it longer than just one room, it changes from green to white and back again. The terrain is also changing around. First, you are inside then outside, then inside, then in a walk-in cooler! Be prepared to “go into the light” and see what is on the other side.

Without saying too much, this place will definitely get the blood pumping. There are jump scares galore in this place. They use strobe lights in ways to make it appear as if some actors are jumping or floating toward you. The animatronics are built large and for speed. They may also follow you further than expected.

Depending on your particular fears, there are clowns, demons, the undead, and, of course, pop culture characters to satisfy anyone’s horror side.

The iconic chainsaw sequence towards the end of this haunt is really the peak of scary. This is where the recommendation of good shoes comes into play. They come from out of nowhere and are suddenly behind you with chainsaws raging. You have no choice in parts to run as they are chasing you very closely. Be very, very careful. While getting caught up in the excitement of it all it is easy to trip in this section because of the low fog and uneven floors. Definitely speaking from experience on this one folks.