Wow! There are so many different adventures within FrightWorks! You never know what you will see next. One minute, you’ll find yourself in a lab with equipment and sounds that make it feel real. The next minute, you’ll be in a crypt surrounded by the dead, wondering, “How did I get here?”.
It has been a couple of years since we visited this location, and it seems like things have changed quite a bit. FrightWorks is an indoor haunted attraction located in Powell, TN. It is very easy to locate and has great information on its website.
Be sure to check out FrightWorks this season! They are also open in December, February, March, and the summer for different seasonal events if you miss out on their Halloween season.
The actors within the haunt seemed to be in locations that contributed to it well. There were only a few places that could have benefited from having another actor to create scares. Overall, it seemed as though there were plenty of actors roaming the halls of FrightWorks.
Each actor put on their own creepy act in a convincing way. Some of them used dialogue that was creative and imaginative. While others didn’t say much, it still worked well for their characters.
The interactions from the actors were fun to see. From beginning to end, we encountered different characters. Some of the actors used unique dialogue that created an authentic feel. Others would simply jump out to give a quick scare. But we also encountered actors who would do something unexpected.
Many of the actors behaved differently from the rest of them. We encountered a monotone Voodoo Priest who spoke a different language, multiple insane creatures who would come out of nowhere, several welcoming lab assistants, an angry nun, and more!
The costumes worn by the actors were appropriately designed in most cases. There were a few instances where a costume could have used more details, but overall, we could see that the costumes were well thought out.
Each of the masks appeared to be different from the others we have seen. The actors wearing makeup were very detailed. One of the masks that stood out was the creature we encountered when we first entered the mine. It appeared to be an alien and got right in my face while making a clicking sound. Very creepy!
The scenes were incredibly random, but many of them featured actors in costumes that perfectly suited each scene. There were a handful of areas that had costumes that didn’t make sense, but overall, the haunt did well in this area.
We enjoyed interacting with the queue actors! Each of them was as random as the scenes within the haunt, but they all had detailed costumes and great masks. Some of them were scary, and some were really sweet. The pumpkin head character was super cute!
Locating FrightWorks was very easy. Those who live in the area most likely drive by it daily because it’s located in a well-traveled location (right next to the high school and Bojangles). The parking lot has a parking attendant to help you get parked, though it’s not really needed because the parking lot is well-lit, paved, and has parking spots painted on the lot. The ticket booth and queue are well-marked, and everything has plenty of lighting. The queue is covered, so in case it rains, you won’t get wet. There are also concessions and a gift shop available for an additional charge.
FrightWorks is very safe. We made it through unharmed, and there weren’t any areas that could have caused a fall. The only thing worth noting is that a scene in FrightWorks has a floor that moves unexpectedly, but they have handrails available for your safety.
Each staff member we spoke to was helpful and seemed happy to be there. They were all wearing “Staff” shirts as well, so they were easy to identify as a staff member.
FrightWorks’ website has a lot of helpful information. On their site, you can purchase tickets, watch the promotional video, read through the FAQs, and learn just about everything there is to know about the attraction. The only thing we noticed that was missing was information on the story behind the haunt.
The pre-haunt atmosphere was fun, but it could have had more excitement. When we pulled into the parking lot, it wasn’t super obvious that we were at a haunted house. There were some decorations for photo opportunities, spooky music, and queue actors roaming around, but we felt like it wasn’t as exciting as some other haunts we have been to.
The storyline of this attraction was different from any other we have been to. The only problem was that it wasn’t executed very well. We stepped into a laboratory owned by the Tremble siblings, where they were creating a new substance. We were meant to go on a tour of the lab, but the elevator had an electrical failure and we ended up in a mine, then a kitchen, a church, an asylum, and so on. It seemed really weird to end up in some of those areas based on the story.
Even though the scenes were random, we still felt immersed in the attraction based on the actors, scene details, etc. The only issues we came across were that we got bunched up with a few other groups, which made it difficult for the actors to reset themselves. And some of the scenes didn’t flow well into the next, like the mine to the kitchen or a dollhouse to a swamp.
After we exited the attraction, we were near the gift shop and the concession stand. Everything at FrightWorks is close together, so we were also near the parking lot, but that didn’t make us feel like we had to leave immediately. One of the friendly staff members even encouraged us to stop in the gift shop.
Overall, the sound effects in FrightWorks created a positive atmosphere for the haunt. We noticed the overall sounds were a general spooky sound or the elemental sounds of a laboratory. But almost every scene had something different to listen to.
Even though the scenes were random, they each contained a lot of detail! When we walked into the lab, it felt like we were in some high-tech laboratory. We even had to go through a decontamination process. The crypt was full of skeletons, and the creepy house scenes appeared as though they were from a horror movie!
FrightWorks had many animatronics, and most of them looked lifelike! The dragon had realistic-looking scales and appeared to be ready to breathe fire. The bunch of angry clowns with weapons was a nice addition as well. Each scene had different props, and those were realistic as well!
Sensory effects were used throughout the haunt in different ways. We saw many different uses of lightning, such as strobing, coloring, and dimming effects. There were uses of sparks and water in different areas. And a swamp was created by using laser lights and fog. We even noticed a different smell in one area.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 8.88
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 8.5
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 7.88
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.75
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 9
FrightWorks did a great job of creating scares. We encountered many actors who were perfectly placed to scare us at the right time. At times, animatronics scared us as well.
Scaring everyone in the group was mostly a success except for a few areas. When we got bunched up with a few other groups, the actors had a hard time resetting themselves to create the best scare attempt. The actors did the best they could with what they had to work with.
Even though we got bunched up a few times, the actors were able to use distractions like an animatronic to create a great scare. The best distraction was toward the beginning of the mine, where the actor scares you, and then the animatronic appears in a location you wouldn’t normally expect.
There was a good variety of scares provided to us within FrightWorks. There were many jump scares and distractions. Different phobias were seen within the haunt, and if you have a fear of something, you will most likely encounter it here. There was also camouflage, different directional scares, blood and gore, and illusions. Very good use of variety!
The ending of FrightWorks was intense, and you may want to run away screaming from this place. Assuming you actually make it all the way through without chickening out.
The extra entertainment included in the ticket price, aside from the main attraction, would include the many queue actors, the lights and music, and the photo opportunities. We would have liked to see a few more fun things to do while waiting, but the queue actors still put on a good show.
We love coming to FrightWorks. It has been a couple of years since we were here, but it’s still very enjoyable. The cost of a ticket is $28 per person, and we spent 16.5 minutes inside the attraction. The time spent inside is on the low end based on the cost, but we still enjoyed ourselves and are excited to see what they will come up with next year!
1904 W Emory Road, Powell, Tennessee 37849