Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 8.47

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 8.03

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.98

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 7.95

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 8.48

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 8.24

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 8.53

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Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 8.49

Back for a final season as the Haunted Stage Stop, the good folks at Spooky Grass have once again put on a master class in some of the most underappreciated aspects of haunted houses. Over the years, Spooky Grass has produced a number of haunts around Colorado, focusing on finding unique locations with histories of being truly haunted, and the Stage Stop in Rollinsville in just such a place. Dating back to 1868, the three-story structure sits along the main drag in the small mountain town, tucked in among the short strip of bars and restaurants who have also gotten into the festivities, offering holiday decor, special drinks and other seasonal goodies to make the evening into a full night!

The cast at the Haunted Stage Stop did a good job of filling their respective roles, whether undead cowpokes moseying a little too near, dreadful dolls drifting through the top floor, or masked monsters emerging from an obscured area. Although there were plenty of cast members, the haunt would have benefitted from a few more throughout. The actors we encountered, though, really brought a lot of energy to their performances. Not a single creature let us pass unmolested, though many of their approaches were on the simpler side and not as engaging or persuasive as we’ve seen in past years. Nevertheless, there were some cast members who exceeded our expectations, like the futuristic, frankenstein-faced fiend who stood frozen in his pose until we’d partially passed before beginning his assault. The cast of characters also worked together all too well, timing scares between the group of them, adding some chaos and unpredictability. Finally, the cast in the queue line did a great job of keeping the vibe out front lively and welcoming while still painted with the fun but morbid pallor effusing the haunt!

We’ve said it before and it remains true: Haunted Stage Stop has some truly unique masks! The makeup is also done well, though both could go a little farther to ensure that things like characters’ ears are covered or the skin under the mask blended in better. The costumes were also generally appropriate for their scenes, and adequately detailed, though the actors filling the costumes really brought the scares to life. The queue actors, in particular, though, were well-costumed, whether donning a genuine beaver-fur top hat, coat and tails or wearing a winter coat that was hidden behind a few scraps of cloth and a dissonant accordion. Although there were times that the small, red-beamed flashlight and swift movements of the cast made it a little difficult to truly make out the detail in the masks, makeup and costumes at times, it was fun being able to savor some of the sights as some of the haunters. Nevertheless, two particular costumes in the basement of the haunt stand out for their rarity, and, although we were rushing away from the creatures tailing us while lighting the way with the red flashlights, when those two actors emerged from the shadows, we almost stopped in our tracks (both out of fear and out of admiration for the costumes)!

The customer service at the Haunted Stage Stop is exceptional, including both the costumed cast and the plain clothes staff! On the night of our visit, the place was packed with an eclectic crowd, and the staff did a tremendous job of managing the line, flow, and variety of vibes.

Getting to the haunt is a journey unto itself, with dark and winding roads delving deeper and deeper into the hills to the west of Boulder. Nevertheless, any map app will guide guests right to the place, with all of the information one could want on the haunt’s website. Although we did lose signal at some points on the drive, the GPS and downloaded playlist kept us moving in the right direction. Finding parking, on the other hand, is a very different story. The cozy main drag of Rollinsville was overflowing with vehicles and spilling out onto the side of the highway to avoid the private property and driveways in the surrounding community.

Although the haunt is not dangerous, the staff does warn guests that the pathway is a little rough in some spots, as one would expect given the authentic location, including a couple of steep staircases.

After entering the Stage Stop, the haunt swallows guests, as the truly authentic space is jam packed with all of the sorts of stuff one would anticipate finding inside of a haunted, abandoned building. That vibe continued through most of the haunt, waning on a few occasions with uninspired interactions or an overabundance of laundry, but picking right back up after those momentary lapses. The vibe inside of the haunt is markedly different than the vibe outside, which is more attuned to an enjoyable party atmosphere versus the haunt focusing more on an enjoyable frightening atmosphere, but the common thread running through the attraction is fun. The brains behind the haunt, including the technical aspects such as the audioscaping, really display their passion for providing visitors with a great time, which ranges from giggling lightheartedly at one end to eliciting blood-curdling screams that flood dopamine into the brain on the other!

Many of the folks behind the Haunted Stage Stop are musicians, so it comes as no surprise that the audioscaping is outstanding at this haunt! Oftentimes, the sound is subtle enough that you’d scarcely notice it other than the firm sense of disquiet it inspires, and in others (particularly when coupled with the darkness being illuminated by only a small, red beam of light), the sound alone creates a sense of movement that is almost tangible. That sound filled incredibly unique scenes and sets that couldn’t be replicated outside of a century-old building. Although some of the scenes are simple, such as the maze of sheets, they’re remarkably effective as guests are stalked by the cast, who themselves continue balefully wailing guests’ names. In fact, despite being able to see over the top of the pathway, we were herded into a corner and blocked off from passing in an uncomplicated but effective ruse. While the Haunted Stage Stop doesn’t feature big ticket animatronics or a lot of high tech tricks, the special effects provided are very well-executed and add tremendously to an already fun-packed show!

Although the sense of dread was a little lighter than it had been in the past, the Haunted Stage Stop is sure to send shivers up visitor’s spines while also having a blast! The entirety of our group got attention, whether front, back or middle, including a few actors who split us up along the path by targeting the center. In fact, in one location, a member of our group was abandoned in the dark before seeing two cast members materialize from the darkness and swoop after the rest of the group before he could catch up. It was also often unclear where scares would come from, too, particularly given the darkness being custom-lit by each group by the red flash lights. Oftentimes, while taking in the scenes or soaking in the details, a creature would burst from the other side having been lying in wait somewhere inconspicuous. Of course, others waited for our approach in plain sight, and they were no less terrifying given their intimidating auras. The haunt did rely a lot on jump scares, but they did a great job setting up those scares by creating and building tension ahead of time with the tremendous sound design, realistic set designs, and cast calling from the wings. The finale was also a lot of fun, but a little low energy for the electricity that flowed through some other parts of the haunt. Nevertheless, it was enough to give your group a solid jolt before handing back out flashlights!

An evening at Haunted Stage Stop is priceless, particularly if you take advantage of one of the discounted spirits or other ticket options that allow guests to save a few dollars in one of the surrounding businesses. With the haunt coming in at a little over $1 per minute, it’s about average for most haunts in the area, but it comes with the benefit of one of the most authentic settings one could hope to find. The vibe surrounding the haunt fills the whole main strip of Rollinsville, which gives the whole area a party feel and makes for a night’s worth of fun! Although time is quickly running out, make sure you stop by the Haunted Stage Stop for its final season while you still can!