Frightmare Review (2024)

The cast at Frightmare totally brought it! With around 12 actors per night, they’ve got just the right amount of people to fill the space, and you’re never sure who you’ll run into in those halls of hell. The characters switch up every night, so even if you’re a repeat visitor, you’ll get a fresh experience each time.

Since we went for the extreme option, things got real intense. I had a clown all up in my face, sniffing me and telling me I was staying with her! In the Chop Shop, Brad got tossed in a jail cell by the clown after she offered him a “snack.” Later, I found myself locked up with the clown, too, having to play games where losing meant you got some seriously twisted “prizes.”

Then, a Nun made me pray for forgiveness before shoving me under the bed to repent. She wasn’t kidding around about me heading straight to hell! Meanwhile, the Mad Doctor and Nurse kept stuffing me in boxes and taping me up over and over. And those Hellbilly guys? They were right in my face, shoving me around, and just when I thought it couldn’t get wilder, one almost sawed me up! There was much more, but we can’t give everything away in this wild haunt!

This crew is fully in character, and they don’t break for a second. They’re super interactive, both physically and verbally, and the back-and-forth banter between them is on point. Every character’s got their own vibe, and you feel like they’re just as much part of the haunt as the walls around you.

Costuming at Frightmare definitely delivered! Each actor is responsible for their own makeup and costume, which actually adds a ton of creativity to the whole experience. They’re encouraged to think outside the box and switch things up, so every night has something different in store. You might see a character look one way one night and then see a whole new twist on them the next. This keeps things fresh and explains why they have so many repeat customers!

The costumes were detailed and filthy in the best way possible, fitting right into the gritty, hellish vibe of the haunt. Makeup was on point, making every actor look like a true threat and totally believable as serial killers or whatever twisted characters they were playing. Each look matched the scene perfectly, cranking up the tension and making sure you never knew what to expect next.

Frightmare’s customer service stands out, with a team that’s friendly, helpful, and well-prepared to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable experience. Staff members undergo safety training as part of their orientation and carry radios to keep communication seamless, which contributes to a secure environment. The haunt isn’t ADA accessible due to the moving and slanted floors. However, it’s easy to find, located in a large strip mall with plenty of free parking and a clear sign marking the entrance. The wrap-around line outside also adds to the excitement, making it easy to spot for first-time visitors.

Information about the haunt is available on their Facebook page, as they currently don’t have a website. While all the details are laid out clearly on social media, we’d love to see them add a website in the future to accommodate those who may not use social media. Staff are quick to respond to messages, and their customer care, both online and in person, really makes Frightmare feel welcoming and well-organized.

The immersion at Frightmare is on another level! As soon as you step in line, you’ve got Twisted queue members hyping you up, getting you ready for the madness ahead. Since they’re in a strip mall, they can’t have a midway, but that doesn’t matter because they’re selling out almost every night. Once you’re inside the haunt, it’s a nonstop experience. You’re thrown from one hellish scene to another with zero breaks, and it’s just a wild ride the whole time.

When it’s all said and done, you find yourself back out in the parking lot where those same queue actors and a merch booth are waiting. While there isn’t much to do outside after the show, the insanity of what you just experienced inside totally makes up for it. The thrill of being immersed in that chaos while you’re in there is absolutely worth it!

The special effects at Frightmare are next level! Owner Mark Curling makes most of the builds and props himself, and trust me; they’re not the polished, fancy props you see at a lot of haunts. These look like they’re straight out of a truly twisted torture house, and it totally works. Imagine gritty, creepy, and as close to real as it gets, like something you’d find in Captain Spaulding’s Murder Ride.

They’ve got everything here: floors that move under you, doors that shock, textured walls, loud noises, and surprise animatronics that come out of nowhere. Body parts are scattered everywhere like it’s the aftermath of a massacre. The lighting throws off your senses in the best way, and then there’s the water effects, with a nasty toilet scene where Brad legit thought he got peed on! I even had to stick my hands in some murky, disgusting water in a gross but very real sink. Every room is loaded with props, with spots you can crawl through, get tucked into, or stumble around, making the whole place feel like a chaotic maze of horror. You literally have no idea what’s coming next in any part of this haunt!

Straight up, this was the scariest haunt we hit all season! We’ve done touch haunts before this season, but nothing that goes this hardcore. Right when you walk in, you spin this crazy wheel that pretty much decides your fate. Ours landed on “kidnap,” but they threw everything at us from that list! Get ready to be grabbed, dragged, tied up, taped, and stuffed into tight, dark spaces. I won’t give it all away, but let’s just say I ended up shoved into boxes, tucked under things, and even taped up while other guests watched me get “tortured.” The actors don’t hold back either; they’ll pick you up, drag you off, and come at you up-close with weapons that’ll make you swear you’re about to lose a limb.

Extreme haunts are my jam, and the only thing that would’ve made this crazier is if they’d added some fake blood or bugs. This place throws you into a horror movie for real, and with the extreme option, you get separated from your group and have to survive most of it alone. Because of that, Brad and I ended up with totally different experiences. He faced his own challenges in a whole other area that I didn’t see, which made it hard to write about all this since we were in separate predicaments.

Other groups walked in while I was getting messed with, and at one point, someone even asked if I was okay (I totally was)! Then they tossed me in a cramped space with other guests, let them out, and left me for a little more “fun.”

You have no idea what’s coming, and that’s what makes it epic. Each trip through is different, so you could come back multiple times and get a new nightmare every round. By the end, I was locked in an outhouse and manhandled by two hillbillies who looked like they just stepped out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. They nearly “sawed me up,” and I stumbled out looking like I’d actually escaped a horror show. It was a wild ride and pure adrenaline!

For a $20 ticket, Frightmare offers a solid dose of Halloween thrills, with an option to save $5 if you bring cash. They also have a full-contact, extreme experience upgrade for an additional $10, which we highly recommend if you’re up for a more intense, hands-on experience. It was absolutely worth it and extended our time in the haunt, giving us a full 25 minutes of entertainment, bringing our Minutes Per Dollar (MPD) to an impressive 1.0. For general admission, the experience lasts about 10 minutes, but the extreme upgrade almost doubles that, adding another 15 minutes of scares.

Being set in a strip mall limits Frightmare’s ability to create a traditional midway; however, they make up for it with roaming characters who keep guests on edge as they wait. The small merchandise cart is a nice touch, offering a few spooky souvenirs to take home. Overall, Frightmare’s value shines in the quality and energy of the scares delivered, especially with the extreme option; it’s a short, intense burst of fun that we found worth every dollar.