Green Bay Fear Haunted House Review (2024)

The cast of GBF may be smaller than your typical haunt, but do not let that mislead you. All the actors are volunteers who are dedicated to the roles and participate because they enjoy it, which compensates for the smaller size. If GBF had more cast members with the same level of commitment, it would have rated higher in this category, positively impacting its overall score.

Mr. Jingles Funhouse – Havoc & Dismay: This Haunt had 2-3 actors, but you would have never guessed! These actors really put in the work to keep the scares constant and be interactive while working a large space for the number of actors. They kept to their characters and were constantly interacting with us as we walked through. The actors portrayed what you would think a funhouse of havoc and dismay should be!

The Howling Hallows: Last year, this haunt suffered from a shortage of actors, but this year, they really stepped up their game. While a few of the actors’ costumes did not align with the theme of the hallows, they remained engaging and effectively delivered scares as we made our way through the woods. We ran into scarecrows, hillbillies, and one of the Samhain Rippers, “Ghost,” and got lost in B.O.B. land, then ran into a mad hatter rabbit. There was no shortage of characters ready to give us a fright!

Shawano Manor: This haunt began with a standout performance from its first actor, who was incredibly convincing and fully committed to his role in the manor. From the makeup to the dialogue, this character made you feel like you truly belonged in the eerie setting. The manor featured a sizable number of actors, each with their own unique lines, keeping the experience immersive while staying true to the theme. Overall, the cast excelled at creating the atmosphere of a genuinely spooky Manor, drawing you deeper into the haunt!

At GBF, most of the actors are in charge of providing their own costumes for the haunts. We personally think this is a great way for actors to feel comfortable and more connected to their characters throughout the haunt season. Each actor gets to add their own personal touches, making each character special.

Mr. Jingle’s Funhouse – Havoc & Dismay: In this haunt, two clown actors really made an impression with their striking performances. Each had unique costumes that embodied the theme well from head to toe. Their masks were intricately designed and skillfully crafted. Before we stepped into the funhouse, we met a queue actor dressed as a tattered clown. Her costume was remarkably detailed, showcasing vivid colored contacts and makeup, creating a captivating and eerie presence.

The Howling Hallows: As we walked the hallows, we ran into many characters. Each character had a unique costume to go with the theme of The Hallows. The masks we saw were well put together. The scarecrow masks hid the actor’s face to make it look like a real scarecrow. Ghost appeared with his all-white apparel and hollowed-out eyes. As we got farther into The Hallows, we ran into Ol’ Man Jack with blood-red contacts and overalls, really fitting the part. All characters, along with the others in The Hallows, hit the nail on the head when it comes to fitting respective scenes. The only thing that partially took away from the experience was that some actors had normal everyday clothes that stood out and gave away hiding spots. Overall, the costuming for this haunt was believable and on theme.

Shawano Manor: Entering the Manor, the queue actor greeted us. This “butler” like character took his role seriously. This character was dressed right from head to toe. The face paint and suit all the way down to the cane. Once inside, the characters we interacted with fit the aesthetic of the Manor. The crazy doctor was covered in blood from a Frankenstein experiment gone haywire. One lady inside the manor had a costume that was time-appropriate to the age of the manor. On top of that, our team could not help but mention the creative plant-like / Venus fly trap masks we encountered near the end of this haunt. Overall, we think everyone in the manor had detailed costuming for the scenes they played.

GBF’s atmosphere is fun and friendly when it comes to the staff. Everyone we encountered was very welcoming and seemed happy to be there and happy to help anyone with questions.

When we arrived at GBF, the parking lot was easy to find, as using a map app led us to the correct location. The parking lot was nicely paved and moderately lit. If you are coming on a busy night, there is a parking lot at the hotel across the street, which could be utilized if there is no street parking nearby. On the side of the main parking lot at The Beja Shriners, we found the ticket booth (they now accept Apple Pay) glowing with lights and easy to find. The trail to the haunt area was lit with rope lights to guide us to the entrance of the main hub. Once inside, it was easy to navigate along with signs to point us in the right direction.

Overall, the attractions’ safety was good. We did not encounter anything that could have posed a safety hazard. One thing we did notice from last year was the absence of a clearly marked security guard. We recommend this in the event that a security person is needed.

If you are looking for info prior to arrival, GBF has a website that makes it easy to buy tickets ahead of time. On the website’s home page is the story lore of the haunt and the description of the haunts. In the tab menu, you can find the operation schedule, attractions, info about the haunt, tickets, location, contact tab, and a volunteer application page. Links can be found to the Facebook and Instagram pages, where they post weather and other updates for the haunt. We would like to see a FAQ page for other lingering questions such as ADA accessibility or other various inquiries.

This year GBF added a new pre-haunt show, showcasing the new storyline. We think this was a powerful addition to the pre-haunt and gave it a more theatrical feel while setting us up for the storyline of the haunt. Along with adding this new show to the pre-haunt atmosphere, they still offer Mr. Jingle’s show on the stage as you wait in line. After the pre-haunt show, we found the main three characters roaming the pre-haunt area and more actors. They also have a photo-op area to take pictures with actors.

They added a twist to this year’s storyline when the Samhain Rippers came to town. Overall, the storyline fits the haunts inside and can be seen throughout the attractions. With the setting remaining in the Green Bay area, it is believable as you move about the property. We suggest taking the time to read the information GBF has about the haunts located on their website or browse the YouTube videos they have posted as well.

Each haunt is full of detailed set designs that really set the scene and add to the eeriness of the atmosphere. We think that this year, there were fewer actors between haunts, but they still delivered an eerie ambiance, leading us to the next haunt. This section of the haunt could benefit from scare actors catching patrons off guard on their way to the next haunt, ramping up the adrenaline. After completing the final haunt, we were spat into the parking lot. Here, we could return to the midway area to return to the gift shop or grab a snack. While being spat back out into the parking lot is a big missed opportunity for guests to stick around, at least we were given the option to head back.

Sound Effects: We noticed that GBF added more sound effects from last year. This really helps set the scene along with distracting patrons from an upcoming scare. While we noticed more sound effects added this year, we think the music in Mr. Jingle’s Funhouse could be turned up to be more disorienting going through. We also think a few more eerie sound effects could be added to the Hallows to distract and hide the rustling of the actors moving around in the woods.

Scene Design: The set design of each haunt this year was detailed and well-put together. This set the vibe of the haunts and made it feel like we were teleported into a different realm. The Hallows gave us the feeling that we were lost in the woods. When venturing the Hallows, we noticed more set designs and decor to fill what seemed like dead areas last year to help improve this category. The Manor is a set design of its own. Once you step foot inside, it transports you back to the 1800s. The detail of this Manor is consistent throughout, with some areas lacking the amount of detail from ceiling to floor, but no section is untouched.

Props: The props used in GBF were well-detailed from what we saw. The emotional support stickers from the queue actor before Mr. Jingle’s Funhouse were a unique touch. The pumpkin head in the Hallows was well-detailed and creative. When we moved into the Manor, we were met with an animatronic “Frankenstein” on the table that was well placed in its surroundings. Along with countless props we saw throughout, the scare actors had matching props to the scenes to fit their characters. Our team also noticed that GBF removed a modern effect picture located in the manor. This took away from the immersion last year and made us question the placement, but we were pleased to see the props fit throughout this year. Our team also still couldn’t help but notice a lack of animatronics that can elevate haunts but was mainly compensated with the actors’ performances.

Sensory/Special Effects: GBF stepped it up in this category this year. We noticed more light effects being used throughout the 3 attractions. Just to name a few, the red light “tunnels”, along with red lights added into the walls, and the multicolored dot wall. Along with the light effects, we noticed a lot more texture in the walls of the haunts as well. We saw a detailed skull wall in the Manor with glowing lights placed within the design. Effects such as this improved the haunts to give a more menacing feel to what would be “dead wall space.” We noticed the use of heavy fog in some areas and missing fog in others. Mr. Jingles Funhouse was flooded with dense fog. This wouldn’t normally be a bad thing but we feel as though it took away from the light effects and detail of the haunt inside. It also made it hard to navigate. With our visit being opening weekend, we took into account that the fog machine might still need some fine-tuning in this area since last year, they did not have this issue. We also want to suggest more fog throughout the Hallows to add to the eerie feel.

Overall, GBF did a good job in this category compared to what we remember last year!

If you are looking for a haunt that isn’t too scary but still delivers a good fright, we’d recommend GBF. We would consider this haunt to be close to family-friendly, but probably not for small children unless attending kids’ nights throughout the season. If you are easier to scare, be sure to prepare yourself as you will encounter a variety of fears!

While we made our way through the haunts, we noticed that the scare actors did a good job of targeting the whole group as we made our way through. They made sure not to single out just the front person but also didn’t forget about the person in the back or even the middle, making sure an even amount of scares for everyone in the group. This was done by jumping out of the woods or screaming in the darkness, to name a few. The variety of scares kept us on our toes.

If you asked us if the scares were predictable, we would say yes. However, given the haunts we experience a season, we considered that when scoring. We think the general public would not see most of these scares coming. During the haunts, we did not see all the actors coming. Some came at our feet, were elevated above us, or blended into the scene.

As for the endings of each haunt, we feel this area needs improvement. We think there could be a more creative effort here to increase this category’s overall score. A classic “chainsaw-type” scene, a large puppet, or a chase would be a good touch to really push you to the next haunt. Overall, it didn’t take away from the haunt; we just noticed there wasn’t a huge finale in any of the haunts, which tends to be a staple for the haunted attractions we attend.

As a whole, GBF has a lot to offer within its attractions. Aside from the haunts themselves, the pre-show and photo ops really tie everything together, and we are happy with what was added to build off last year’s storyline. With everything GBF offered, we think this haunt is a good bang for your buck! The admission price is $20 without a Fast Pass, giving access to 3 haunts, 2 pre-shows, photo ops, concessions, and a gift shop. This gives GBF a $1 minute per dollar rating, which is higher than some surrounding haunts and a tad higher than last year! The total time between all 3 haunts was 20 minutes from start to finish. That will fluctuate based on walk speed and how busy it is that night. Fast passes may be purchased for only $10 more. We always recommend this going later into the season to avoid long lines. This is not a bad price for a multi-haunt attraction considering they donate a majority to charity.

Be sure to check out the pre-shows that happen multiple times throughout the night. Seeing them really starts the night. Also be sure to check out the food, gift shop, and the small stand with creative art for sale. If the main haunts filled with scares are not your thing, be sure to check out the Kids’ days offered this year. During this event, the scares become a more tamed environment for any age to enjoy.

Overall, GBF is a haunt that should be a yearly tradition. They improve each year and clearly indicate that they care about their audience. Having a scare for a more than fair ticket price while donating part of that to local hospitals is a huge win in our books!