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: 9.07
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 9.46
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.92
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 9.43
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.6
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 9.4
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9.6
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.44
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.04
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Summary:
Hush Corporation established the town of Hush Falls, Louisiana, in 1781. Pulling the wool over their communities eyes, Hush Corporation had ulterior motives for creating the city, very dark motives indeed. Voodoo was involved, people were killed, Hush Falls was sealed off, and the city was forgotten. That is, until now… and until you came exploring (a.k.a. disturbing) the ruins of a broken and ancient city.
Cast: 9.46
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?: 9.3
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 9
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 9.6
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 9.5
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The cast within Hush spans a wide array of characters because you are exploring an entire city within their walls. With an average of 40-50 actors per night, there is plenty to keep you screaming. Hush was excellent at spreading the actors out, not having too many in one area and also having some dead space to keep the entertainment flowing consistently.
The actors played their roles with enthusiasm, which helped to carry the theme throughout. The cast drew us into the Louisianian culture complete with accents and jargon. There was scary and also comical engagement from the actors. For instance, the tour guide of the mausoleum had a mardi gras flair that transported us to Bourbon Street. Then, there was the Bishop, who had a very eerie presence… silently judging us as we trespassed through his city.
The actors cleverly and creatively played their roles and never did we see or hear anybody break character. Some of the actors we never even saw, there was a small voice trapped within the cemetery who yelled for help, which surely would never come.
Costuming: 8.92
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?: 9.6
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 9.5
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 9
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 9
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The costuming at Hush was very well thought out. All of the actors were dressed from head to toe. There were a few smudged up dirty faces with paint that could have probably had more detail, but overall, the makeup and costuming was well done. One noticeable mask was seen sticking out of the shirt, and the actor had apparent difficulty wearing it, which regrettably took us out of the moment.
The initial greeter in the bell tower, the mausoleum tour guide, and the Bishop all stood out and were put together exceptionally well. Even the gentleman on the bayou had simple, but appropriate attire to keep with the theme.
Customer Service: 9.43
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?: 9.5
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.5
(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?: 10
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Hush was found rather quickly with the help of a spotlight and the lit up signs out front. Also, the movie screen high up on the building directed our attention. There was also an employee waving in traffic to the back lot. We mistakenly took the person out front to be saying there was no parking available because we thought he was waving the cars to continue down the main road, as did a couple cars in front of us, so we followed them and parked at a nearby closed business. Once we walked up to the venue, we saw the road to the back of the building for parking.
The night we went, it was raining pretty steadily, and Hush is partially an open venue where the ceilings are not all entirely closed off. This allowed substantial rainwater inside of the structures which we felt like positively added to the theme, but, it did cause some slippery floors and puddles to form which could be a potential safety concern. However, there were many steps throughout the haunt wherein the actors did point them out along the way to ensure our safety. The staff members were friendly and approachable. The lady providing the rules and letting people into the haunt was fun to talk to and engaging.
Provided on their website is all of the information needed to attend Hush. They had portable restrooms and a gift shop on site, with t-shirts and water available for purchase. The queue line is entirely outside so dress accordingly, and even on the rainy night we attended, there was a large gathering of people eager to withstand the elements to experience this haunt!
Atmosphere: 8.6
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?: 9
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 8
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The sound you hear upon walking up to Hush is that of a bell tolling, which is surprisingly a great backdrop and does prepare you for what you are going to experience. The location, being in the middle of other businesses, interferes with the haunted house atmosphere, but, Hush has put much effort into creating a spooky environment before even entering the haunt. The projection screen provides you with something to watch, and the outside of the haunt is decorated nicely to tie into their theme. We were even impressed with the ticket offered to us, as it is an ‘invite’ giving you something to read while waiting, explaining the history of the now ruined city.
Special Effects: 9.4
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 9.3
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9.9
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 9.8
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 9
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9
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The sound effects within Hush were very creative and different than those at other haunts we have visited. Again, the bell tolling was also carried through into the haunt and was incorporated very well. We do not want to spoil any surprises for our readers, so let’s just say there is one scene involving a specific animal noise (and smell) which was a new concept for us to experience!
Hush’s scenes were our favorite part of their haunt! The scenes are elaborately contrived and created in-house. Hush is a detail-packed production, and we only wish we could have spent more time taking in all the craftsmanship it provided. Hush had many details to a haunt that we have never seen before; definitely, an impressive amount of work invested. You have to remember, within those walls is an entire city, and they did an excellent job showcasing the scenes.
The actor’s props and the props within the scenes all worked flawlessly together to provide a scary good time. One-of-a-kind animatronic-type props were throughout the haunt giving genuine scares as we have not encountered them before. Everything from doors opening and closing, to medical equipment, to larger than life moving props, to actual Spanish moss (flown in from Louisiana, by the way!) to banjo playing bayou locals that kept you on your toes not knowing what types of scares would emerge from these beautifully constructed scenes.
Theme: 9.6
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 10
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 9.6
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 9
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It is probably safe to say, you will not find the theme to Hush in any other haunt. The theme is one of a forgotten city, but that is not particular enough for Hush, so they threw in the location of Louisiana to give it more roots. The theme is essential to Hush, and nobody can beat their devotion to this theme. The haunt provides you with a unique ticket before entering for your reading pleasure to ensure you know what theme to expect. Additionally, a short video once entering gives you a visual representation of the history of Hush Falls, the city which met its demise.
Hush’s theme resonates throughout the entire haunt; there is no question about that. The actors with their Mardi Gras flair, the unmistakable Louisiana style mausoleum, and backyard bayou gave you all the right southern feels.
Scare Factor: 8.44
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.5
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 9.6
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 7
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Hush has a great mix of quality actor scares and animated prop type scares. Our team felt that Hush has a unique psychological quality to it. We would compare it more to a psychological thriller versus a slasher horror film. The overarching theme plays to your psyche in such a way that it scares you on a deeper level. We had no idea the scares within Hush’s city limits would cause us to question our mental stability when we left!
Hush is money well-spent when you consider the duration of the haunt and quality of the scares. One of our team members was singled out often, due to her terrified reactions, but other members of our team were not engaged with on a one-on-one basis much at all. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for improvement for Hush in the future. Another area for development would be the finale. There was not much of one at all. Two actors were at the final ending of the haunt, but they did not provide any finale worthy scare causing us to run out the exit fearing for our lives as we expected.
Entertainment & Value: 9.04
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?: 9.5
(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?: 9.2
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9.5
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Hush kept us within their city for a total of 18 minutes. That seemed short to us as we felt like we were within their walls for a much longer duration. With general admission being $20; that is a minutes per dollar score of .9. There is a VIP ticket available to skip the long wait in line; we highly suggest this option if you can do so.
We did not have queue entertainment other than the video projector although that could have been due to the weather on the night we attended, but unfortunately, no queue actors were out and about that night.
General Admission – $20
VIP Fast Pass – $30
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!
