✓-Free Parking✓-Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site✓-Gift Shop/Souvenirs✓-You will NOT be touched✓-Original Characters✓-Covered Outdoor Waiting Line✓-All-Indoor Attraction✓-Family Friendly
UPDATE FOR 2022: Our former “Atmosphere” and “Theme” categories have now been combined and renamed “Immersion.” Our intent with this is to give more appropriate credit to attractions that have shown a clear focus on achieving and maintaining better customer experiences (both inside and outside the attractions) and developing creative storylines.
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!
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Final Score: 8.13
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.12
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.08
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.16
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.36
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.06
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 8.25
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 7.92
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.23
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Summary:
The Haunted Town Hall is a two-story indoor haunted attraction that has changed every year. Ned and his team do a stellar job at telling the story of Mayor Joseph and his reign of terror. This year is no different; in fact, this year has greatly improved. This is a haunt that is budget-friendly and worth the road trip. Go find out for yourself if Mayor Joseph wanted to be done… or if the darkness pushed him out.
Cast: 8.12
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.25
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 8
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8.15
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 8.25
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8
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The Haunted Town Hall harnesses a horde group of Mayor Joseph’s misfits. On an average night, you will get up and close and personal with at least 28 of them. However, it will feel like these creatures are never-ending because they like to get close. You will get very few chances to catch your breath as the cast does a fabulous job at eliminating dead zones and presenting high energy levels.
You will never see any cast member break character, trust me as we have tried. They do an amazing job at portraying their character and believing in themselves. They do so well at this that it is easy to get lost in the moment and believe you could easily come across BoBo and talk about the government.
The cast does a fantastic job at giving you more than just the usual, ‘Boo, I am scaring you.’ They offer unique conversations and interesting dialogue. They like the back-and-forth banter with patrons and they handle it very well. There is a nice variety of cast at this haunt. Each plays their role with ease and enhances the scenes.
Our shout-outs go to BoBo and a character we are calling Bubbles.
Costuming: 8.08
How Did We Get This Score?
Costuming Scores (15% of Final Score):
(15% of Costuming Score) How complete / finished did the costumes appear to be?: 7.75
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.25
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 8
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8.25
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The horde group at this haunt likes to be in your face, so the benefit you get to see is the details of the makeup and the great use of masks in this haunt. One of the amazing things about The Haunted Town Hall is that most of the cast members take pride in their character, so they make/put together their own costumes to match their scenes.
We were shocked to find out that the makeup is done by the cast themselves, and that the veterans help guide the newbies on how to enhance their characters. This year, to help in this area, The Haunted Town Hall has built a makeup room, so they have a space to help each other create the most hideous things you’ve ever seen.
An additional benefit of the cast working on their own characters is that they are very creative. Some creatures are more detailed than others, while others are so realistic that you forget you are in a haunt.
Customer Service: 8.16
How Did We Get This Score?
Customer Service Scores (10% of Final Score):
(25% of CS Score) How easy was it to locate the attraction, park, and navigate the premises?: 8.15
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 8.5
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 8
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The Haunted Town Hall is easy to find; it is a 2-story building that is in the middle of an old town. You will see it lit up with signage and lights. The line that wraps around the building is a good indication that you have reached the haunt.
Parking can be tricky at this haunt, as most of it is on side streets of a neighborhood; just be patient and keep driving around. This haunt is not handicap accessible as it is an old building, but they utilize it well. They have security on site to keep things orderly and moving.
It is very easy to find details of The Haunted Town Hall. Just look at Facebook or their website to find all details from hours to even being able to purchase tickets in advance.
They have an amazing and professional staff. We interacted with Ned and Dave who were full of information. Tracy gets our shout-out here, as she does her tough job amazingly well. Tracy keeps the crowd in line from getting restless as she interacts with each group, keeping the haunt moving with her timer and being aware of it. She also walks you into the first room and gives you the run down before the nightmares start.
Atmosphere: 8.36
How Did We Get This Score?
Atmosphere Scores (10% of Final Score):
(60% of Atmosphere Score) How obvious was it that you were at a haunted house before entering?: 8.5
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 8.15
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The Haunted Town Hall thrives in this area with the benefit of having a two-story brick building that was once’ wait for it… a town hall! This alone makes this haunt seem very legit and believable. As you drive by to find a parking spot, just the facade of the building with the lights and the energy gives you a feeling of anticipation.
While standing in line, you are presented with creatures that have escaped and it amps up the energy of the night even more. When you get close to the front, you will see a running video which prepares you for the inside. Then, you meet Tracy and she gives you the rundown; though, that won’t fully prepare you for what you are about to experience.
Special Effects: 8.06
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 8.15
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8.35
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 7.75
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.15
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This is our third year visiting The Haunted Town Hall and we have to say they put their game face on in this area. In the areas where music/sounds were used, they got them right. The music/sound enhances the scenes perfectly and nothing seems out of place. The scenes are creative and very detailed. Some of the scenes have small details that help make the area a more realistic experience. You can easily tell this haunt is thought-out and doesn’t seem like something that is just thrown together.
Everything at The Haunted Town Hall works together effortlessly to provide entertainment. Some of the special effects you will encounter is the zombie girl, who the doctor must hold up to try to get back in. Another is a black room upstairs that we like to call shock and awe. Some of the special effects are props that you can find at a store and some are engineered by Ned and his team. The props are correctly done and provide the scares that are needed.
Theme: 8.25
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 8.15
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 8
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 9
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If you want to visit a haunt that does storytelling, The Haunted Town Hall is your place.
The story is about Mayor Henry Joseph who had no idea of the sickness that multiplied behind the walls of the Haunted Town Hall… before it was too late. He had good intentions until the sickness got to him, and then he changed. The changes affected everyone in Lafayette. One day, Mayor Joseph was found face first on High Street in a pool of blood. No one knows exactly what happened, but the darkness still lives. You can read the entire story on the website and it will help you understand the attraction as you go through it.
You can easily tell what the theme is by either reading it on the website or Tracy will tell you about it when she locks you in the first room. The theme is very prominent and follows through the whole haunt. The building and location help enhance this theme and makes it a more realistic experience. The theme is well-executed and you become a part of the history as the darkness creeps in. We came across one or two things that didn’t seem to fit and hope the haunt will make those changes for next year.
Scare Factor: 7.92
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 7.8
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.15
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 7.85
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 7.75
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The Haunted Town Hall has been in this business for seven years and they have improved each year in providing a delightfully-horrifying night of entertainment. The scares come from everywhere, many are unpredictable and they have a wide variety of horrifying tricks for everyone. Drop doors are used effectively (they got me, anyway).
They have elaborate scares that keep the most veteran haunted attraction goers on their toes. The Haunted Town Hall has some small items that you wouldn’t think would do much, but these small items are what I heard patrons talking about the most. They don’t single out one person, they come after each person in your group, so don’t think you will escape by being in the middle.
The timing is impeccable at this haunt. It is a self-guided haunt, but we never experienced one bottle neck and each scene was ready to go for the next group. The finale is not scary, but it is entertaining.
Entertainment & Value: 8.23
How Did We Get This Score?
Entertainment & Value Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment received during the main attraction/s?: 8.5
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 8
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 8.15
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 8.25
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The Haunted Town Hall is worth the money that you spend to visit the attraction. We are sure that you will have a good night of scares and entertainment. It took us about 17 minutes to go through this attraction, but this will depend on your group as it is a self-guided tour. At 17 minutes, and provided you pay the basic admission rate, the haunt is providing you with 1.13 minutes of scares and entertainment for each dollar you spend. If you are close by, or even if you have to road trip like us, the haunt is still very much with the trip.
The basic haunt-only ticket for an adult is $10.00 and children are $8.00. If you have a group of 20, call ahead and each person in your group will get a discount of $8.00 a person. They have a five-minute escape room that is an additional $7.00. If you want to do a combo of the Haunt and the Escape Room adults will pay $15.00 and kids will pay $13.00. On a busy night, it is worth the $25.00 Fast Pass for both the haunt and the escape room. You can buy your tickets online via the website.
How Did We Get These Scores
Our Rating System
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!