![Logo]( "Logo")
This attraction was reviewed on October 19, 2018 by .
How Do We Get These Scores?
Our Rating System
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!
Hide This
Final Score: 7.67
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.45
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 7.26
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.3
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 5.9
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 7.28
(5% of Final Score) Theme:
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 7.43
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.55
Hide This
Summary:
Horror at Dogwood Pass is a highly detailed replica of a Wild West Town. The amount of love and detail that has been put into recreating each building is incredible and provides a unique backdrop for this haunted attraction.
Normally, it is the home to high noon showdowns and simulated life in the old west but in October, Dogwood Pass transforms itself into a ghoulish landscape full of nightmarish creatures and townsfolk that have seen better days. Dysentery is the least of your worries on your voyage through Dogwood Pass. Just pray that you don’t meet a Donner Party-style fate.
They have added an escape room this year that you can test your skill at for an extra $10.
Dogwood Pass is open throughout the year and when it isn’t all gussied up for Halloween, it is awing visitors with its beautiful Christmas light displays and, of course, their realistic shows depicting life in an Old West Town. We would highly recommend checking this place out several times a year to take advantage of all the love and attention that they have put into this amazing attraction.
Cast: 8.45
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 10
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 8.5
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 7.5
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 9
Hide This
Dogwood Pass has the advantage of being a year-round style attraction and, as such, didn’t seem to be falling prey to the same actor woes that we have been seeing this year at other haunts. The place was very packed with actors portraying everything from zombies and marionettes to Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and even the devil himself. When the denizens of Dogwood Pass aren’t spooking it up during the Halloween season, they are donning their wool trousers and petticoats to portray life in the old west. These folks are dedicated to Dogwood Pass and it shows. They are well adept at sinking into a role and staying there.
They are clearly used to interacting with visitors and carrying off a character, even if their grip on the scary side of things doesn’t seem as firm as it should. While the characters weren’t always scary, they were definitely entertaining and quite able to carry on a conversation if you were brave enough to engage in one. You won’t be touched here, but there are some rather imposing characters that aren’t afraid to creep inside your personal bubble to add a nice level of fear.
Costuming: 7.26
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
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 6.75
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 6
(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?: 8.5
Hide This
Dogwood Pass is used to costuming for an authentic Wild West theme, but are still honing their skills when it comes to haunt garb. A large portion of their actors are in highly detailed costumes while a few others had that ‘last minute’ look and could have used some help.
Makeup is a hard category to judge when it is pouring down rain outside, as most makeup doesn’t really hold up well in the rain. However, based on the makeups that we saw on characters lucky enough to have an indoor position, Dogwood Pass would benefit from bringing on a couple of seasoned haunt makeup artists. The makeups weren’t bad but, could have certainly used some tweaking to bring the most out of the characters. There are several high-quality masks used here to depict characters like Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers, and they were worn very well. The actors inside the masks worked very well through them and the ones portraying iconic characters did so skillfully. We could believe that we were face to face with the Boogeyman or the Elm Street Slasher.
Customer Service: 8.3
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
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 7
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 10
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 8.5
Hide This
GPS will take you directly to Dogwood Pass, but there isn’t a lot of signage on the way. There are a few unlit signs as you get real close and, if you’re using Google Maps through your phone, be warned that there is a good chance that you will lose signal quite a bit along your journey there. But, once you are there, the staff will greet you with a smile and are happy to answer any questions you have. We got our tickets and were escorted up to the queue area by a delightful young lady with arms sticking out of her head.
If you want information about Dogwood Pass, it’s not hard to find between their Facebook page and website which has a really nice interface for mobile.
Last year, they had a couple of port-o-potties out front for patrons to use however, we did not see those this year. There are probably restrooms available, we just didn’t notice them and failed to ask.
Dogwood Pass is an authentic replica of a town in the old west and, as such, does not have concrete sidewalks or paved roads. There is a lot of uneven ground here and plenty of steps. Before you enter, they warn you about that and about the fact that there are some low beams and places where you’ll need to duck. They are relatively safe, however, there are a few places that we felt were a little iffy beyond the standard warning. In one location, they have a really cool bridge effect with a step down as you exit it and there is an actor at the end ready to scare you as you do. In another area, there is a ramp up to a building with the boards attached lengthwise. A few of the boards are pretty soft and, if stepped on just right, could lead to someone twisting an ankle and falling. Overall, it is a safe place as long as you are careful and pay attention.
Atmosphere: 5.9
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?: 6.5
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 5Explanation:
The queue area is definitely laid back and we loved it…but it, in no way, prepared you for the high energy excitement inside the haunt.
Hide This
The queue area at Dogwood Pass is the town center. There is a cute little outdoor ‘movie theater’ and you stand there in the brisk autumn air, surrounded by various buildings that are slightly decorated in Halloween fashion with props glaring down at you from the windows.
One very unique feature this year was the addition of an old brass band playing from a nearby sidewalk. It wasn’t the standard heavy metal or Midnight Syndicate audio that you get at most haunts, but that is what we liked about it. Their sounds complimented the town’s setting and added an unexpected level of creepiness. The laid back environment in the queue area was a stark contrast to the energy felt inside the haunt itself and lures you into a false sense of security.
Special Effects: 7.28
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 7
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8.5
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 6
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 6.5
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9
Hide This
Dogwood Pass was in the middle of expanding their haunt this year and didn’t quite get everything done prior to opening. With that being said, if what we experienced was their effects at ‘halfway,’ we are looking forward to seeing this place again next year.
Many of their sets are highly detailed and can transport you to another place in time. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of rooms that weren’t quite finished and a lot of black plastic mazes which allows you to slip out of the fright mindset and realize that you are just walking through black plastic. They have some really cool and unique effects that we don’t see at a lot of haunts that will either terrify you on have you laughing (usually at yourself).
Theme: N/A
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?:
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?:
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?:
This score is left “N/A” when we believe the haunt is trying to target a random variety of themes or phobias, rather than a single overarching “Theme” or “storyline.”
Hide This
We didn’t notice a single theme as we made our way through.
Scare Factor: 7.43
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.75
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 7
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 7.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 7.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 5
Hide This
Prepare to get scared here. These folks are really good at garnishing screams from its patrons by attacking high, low and everywhere in between. Their use of distractions is on point, utilizing other actors or props in the area to get your attention while they attack out of nowhere. They also are not afraid to make anyone their victim, so all you big and burly men out there will not be finding safety in your size. The finale is a bit lax though and left us wondering if it was really the end.
Entertainment & Value: 8.55
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?: 8.5
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 10
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 7.5
Hide This
It will cost you $15.00 to make a trek through Dogwood Pass, but it will take you about thirty minutes to do so which puts their minutes per dollar value at a remarkable 2!
There is also so much to just ogle at around the town itself that makes the trip well worth the ticket price. Our biggest regret is that we don’t live much closer so that we could visit more often. This place is breathtaking and definitely worth a visit during any time of the year.
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!
Hide This
