Hysterium Haunted Asylum Review (2026)

Hysterium was easy to locate by following their ominous purple glowing sign and huge spotlight on the roof. Parking was easy, but we can foresee how the limited spaces could become an issue on a busier night. Safety is a priority at Hysterium, and it shows! The staff at Hysterium ensure safety by having a metal detector and bag-checking station at the entrance. With a gated area before the queue line, we were ushered into the best false sense of security. Before we realized that we were right where they wanted us. Right in their trap, ready for the clowns to attack! Before we knew it, there was no escape.

Staff members were polite and very knowledgeable. Upon exiting the attraction- if you can even catch your breath or pick your jaw up off the floor- you are greeted by a very sweet staff member who eagerly wanted to know how we were personally victimized by Mr. Tickles. They then made sure to help us regain our bearings by showing us to the gift shop and concessions area. They offer a wide variety of goodies such as wands made with real crystals, T-shirts, candles, novels, ornaments, tote bags, art from cast members, keychains, bumper stickers, and patches. And on the savory and sweet side, they had hot dogs, nachos, cake pops, cookies, pretzel bites, churro bites, caramel corn, hot chocolate, apple cider, Pop Rocks, rock candy, Rice Krispies with the eyes still attached, and many more king-sized candy options.

As soon as we walked up to the entrance, we saw skeletal creatures looming alongside the staff. We even encountered a Pumpkinhead available for photo ops near the entrance! As we made our way into the asylum, we realized our surroundings were dark and dingy; everything dusty and in disarray. Very dim lights lit our path through the twists and turns of the facility. We found ourselves lost numerous times throughout the labyrinthine interior. As we ventured through the patients’ asylum (it was made abundantly clear to us this was their world, not ours), we made our way through dense fog mazes, medical rooms scented with a disturbing combination of latex and dirt, and saw lots of signs and blood-strewn walls.

Throughout the asylum, the dim lights and neon glows set off that psychedelic vibe, or psycho-delic, since everyone we came across seemed to have lost their minds. Even though we ran into many characters through the halls, it seemed we were lost at every turn for a while; halls looked the same in every direction, doors were similarly labeled, and the same eerie warnings were on the walls surrounding us. Most of us were lost until a crazy clown or a creeper directed us on which way to go. It was almost as if we were at their mercy, until they decided to direct us the right way out. Note: always read the signs!

When we weren’t busy dodging patients and staff, we were impressed by the technical aspects of Hysterium. Moving through a fog so incredibly dense that we quite literally could not see our hand in front of our face, that would’ve felt dreamlike were it not for the deranged patients calling out to us and encouraging us to keep going, which made it veer more into nightmare territory. The nightmare kept going as we descended deeper into the asylum, only to discover mushrooms growing up through the sewer system. We didn’t have much time to investigate though, as sparks immediately started flying from the electrical panels nearby!

Storytelling through scene design was a strength here; looking at the sets, it was obvious that the patients had been driven completely off the deep end – everything from bloody, incoherent writing all over the walls, to the corrosion and decay eating away at everything, to the mushrooms and moss in some parts. The residents didn’t let them rot and dampen their spirits, though! They saw fit to host a carnival in the rear of the facility. At one point we rounded a corner to see a massive clown waiting to greet us. We made the mistake of thinking that clown was stationary – a point we were quickly corrected on. That clown moves fast! In a split second, it was on us. As we scrambled to escape its grasp, we found ourselves in a vortex tunnel finale that was as fun as it was disorienting.

During our medical evaluation to see if we’d have an inpatient stay at the Hysterium Haunted Asylum, we certainly met some characters! This haunt is jam-packed with actors who are truly passionate about their work, and it shows. There are almost no dead spots throughout; in the fog maze, for example, they make sure a few actors are in there to hauntingly guide you with taunts.

The actors really know their characters inside and out. They embody and stay in character during the entire haunt. The characters bantered well with guests, personalizing dialogue for the group. Nearly all the dialogue is fresh and unique and does not fall back on overused clichés.

The characters were very physically and verbally interactive. Almost every area had characters that improvised banter with multiple members in the group. A bright spot of the physicality for this haunt was during the maze portion; different characters were appearing in front of the group, left and right, taunting us, blocking our path, and forcing us back the way we came.

The Hysterium hosts a wide diversity of characters, patients, different doctors, and clowns. All the characters had a wide variety of looks. Doctors were clearly different disciplines, clowns that were vastly different in costume and style, and patients who had been through a variety of trauma. Costumes were very well designed; all felt custom and looked unique and authentic. Make-up was the same way – very detailed and realistic. Special attention was paid to the fake blood; it was not overused, and all the blood thematically made sense with the character. So next time you are looking for a grippy sock vacation, be sure to book your stay at Hysterium Haunted Asylum!

If you’re looking for a haunted house that will keep your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing, Hysterium Haunted Asylum delivers a nightmare you won’t soon forget! From the moment we stepped onto the grounds, we were surrounded by creepy patients and lurking demons who came at us with such intensity that we were knocked off balance more than once.

Our terrifying journey began with patients lurking in the shadows, waiting to trade body parts, before we encountered bloody doctors and deranged patients emerging through thick, disorienting fog. Visibility was practically nonexistent, leaving us relying on their chilling screams to guide us through the darkness. We ran into giant goat heads and clowns that nearly knocked us off our feet.

Inside the asylum, the scare factor only intensified. Patients complained about their medication, while others burst out of the shadows, determined to send us running. The twisting, confusing mazes made it nearly impossible to know where to turn or what was waiting around the next corner. Every dark hallway brought another opportunity for a perfectly timed jump scare, keeping us constantly on edge and wondering when the next fright would strike.

We were inside Hysterium for 26 minutes and 41 seconds! General admission was $30.00, and Platinum was $45.00. They also offered other upgrades to your experience, such as the Gold VIP that includes haunt merch and front-of-the-line access. They even have a kids’ lights-on tour on October 25th!

0.87 minutes per dollar were spent inside the haunt with the GA ticket. While this is below the average of 1 that we prefer to see, the characters’ interactions and variety made this a great value and well worth the visit. For an even better value, they also offer an ‘RSVP’ ticket online where you choose the time slot in advance for $25, which would push the MPD value to over 1.0!