Milburns Haunted Manor – Full Review
Milburns Haunted Manor is a Haunted Attraction located in Hubbard, OR.
11503 Broadacres Road NE, Hubbard, OR 97032View All Details
Features:
Free Parking, Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site, Food/Concessions, “Old-School” (Low Tech), Covered Outdoor Waiting Line, Indoor/Outdoor Attraction
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!
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Final Score: 7.72
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.54
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 7.11
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.73
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.53
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 7.79
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 7.38
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 7.15
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Summary:
There is something unsettling about driving down remote country roads. Milburn’s Haunted Manor is just outside of Hubbard, OR, about thirty minutes from both Portland and Salem. The desolate setting creates an authentic background for the story of the Manor to unfold.
Mike Milburn, the owner and creative mind behind the Manor, has a very specific philosophy of fear; that surprising monsters suddenly appearing in your personal space will scare just about everyone. You can see this executed differently between their two attractions: the namesake Manor and The Dark. If one attraction doesn’t get you, the other attraction most definitely will.
Despite visiting on their opening weekend, it is very clear that over the last 18 years the Milburn family has refined this technique to an incredible degree. Focusing on creating a personalized experience, this old-school haunt is an absolute must-visit for anyone in the area. Continue reading as we recount our visit to the Manor.
Cast: 7.54
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.33
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 7.83
(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?: 7.17
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 6.33Explanation:The Dark had the potential to introduce a variety of characters within the lit scenes of this attraction but most of the characters were located in the dark portions.
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The cast for Milburn’s Manor did an amazing job of getting screams out of our group. Each scene would feel empty upon entering. There sometimes was an actor but most of the time it was an abandoned room with only the slightest amount of movement – just enough to make it feel alive. This served as a distraction for a bigger scare where you were suddenly surrounded by ghouls that disappeared just as quickly.
These solo actors did a good job of improvising dialogue with our team. When we entered the foyer of the Manor, we heard ‘Do you want to play a game?’ coming from underneath the staircase. One of our team members responded with ‘Sure, what are we playing?’ The voice from under the staircase responded with a card game and the bit continued. The lights cut out and we’d suddenly have multiple actors on top of us, hitting us from multiple angles with lots of great energy. This got us more than once throughout our tour of the Manor. By the end, we were starting to anticipate the scare and it started to lose its effectiveness.
The Dark, a variation of a blackout attraction, was different. Actors were constantly appearing out of dark corners to scare our group, playing with laser lights that were used throughout the attraction. There were a lot of team scares, with one actor appearing to distract us at the end of a hallway while another actor reached out towards us through the wall. Again, the actors did a great job of being energetic and timing their scares appropriately to hit us multiple times throughout the attraction.
Costuming: 7.11
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?: 7.67
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 6.67Explanation:
This score took a hit because of The Dark, being a blackout haunt and a lot of the character details were list.
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 6.67
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 6.67
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 7.83
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The story of the Manor happened between the 1920s and the modern day. The costumes at the Manor weren’t necessarily elaborate, which felt more like a stylistic choice than a deficiency. Given that the characters were meant to be spirits of a rural family in the late 1920s as well as recently departed inhabitants of the Manor, costuming was the juxtaposition between white tattered nightgowns and flannel with denim.
The Dark focused on making sure their actors were as difficult to see as possible. This meant that more effort was spent on their makeup and props and the rest of their costumes were simple blacks. One member of our team even noticed one of the actors appeared to be wearing a black pullover hoodie. Given the environment they were in, this still worked. Some scenes were lit enough where more elaborate costumes wouldn’t have been lost in the dark.
In both attractions, makeup was well applied. There was very little use of blood and prosthetics except for a few zombies that resided behind the Manor. There was a well-done steampunk plague doctor masked line actor with lit eyes that mimicked the glowing skull that the character carried. However, we didn’t encounter an actor costume in either attraction that stood out from the rest.
Customer Service: 8.73
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?: 8.67
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.17
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 9
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 9.33
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A positive thing about being in the middle of nowhere is that it is very easy to tell that something is happening before you arrive at your destination. Milburn’s Haunted Manor is located in Google Maps and it is easy to pull up the directions directly to the site. There was free parking available, but the lot was on the small side. You will likely have to park on the side of the road if you don’t arrive early. It was the cars lined up on the side of the road that tipped us that we were approaching the haunt.
There were canopies over the queue lines as well as gravel so that rain is mitigated against as much as possible. Despite the county setting, it was a very clean environment. It still was outdoors so the usual recommendations still apply. The staff was friendly and helpful, directing us to the shorter lines to help make the most of our time.
The website is well laid out, categorizing the information well so that it is easy to navigate. There isn’t a FAQ or rules posted per se but there is a blog with videos that covers these topics and more for those who are interested. These videos are also played on a loop throughout the queue line area.
Atmosphere: 8.53
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?: 7.83
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The queue line area was set up with televisions and speakers, providing entertainment in the form of funny videos, horror music video parodies, and the occasional video about the attraction. There was a graveyard scene set up next to The Dark that utilized a projection specter effect on the entrance to the mausoleum. There was a costumed character that loomed through the crowd stopping to take photos with those who asked.
The queue line for The Dark started just outside the door leading into the attraction so we had some time to look at a few details as we waited for our turn. There was a slight corridor that was flooded with green light. The painted white walls displayed a The Dark poster indicating the attraction. The entrance had kind of an old cabin feel to it with aged wood siding and a lamp that would flicker and fade.
The queue line to the Manor was across the midway from the entrance. Once the ticket attendant directed us towards the entrance to the Manor, the building that we entered appeared to be like an actual residence. The path led us to the porch where we entered through the front door. It was a brief moment to take everything in before we entered the attraction.
Special Effects: 7.79
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 7.5
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 7.83
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 7.5
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.17
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As a part of Milburn’s philosophy, there were not many animatronics used in either attraction. There were mechanical elements used in both attractions such as a jittery coffin lid or kicking figure cloaked in a sheet suspended from the ceiling. However, these elements served as a setup for the actual scare.
In the Manor, scenes provided actors with lots of spaces to hide in. (We are still trying to figure out all the spaces where the actors were waiting.) There also was a good use of platforms that allowed actors to appear from multiple angles. We mentioned it earlier but there was a good use of minimal lighting, often using single LEDs to draw our attention in a specific direction or to guide us along the path. One of our team members called it ‘video game lighting’ – similar to when an exit or object is lit to progress the player through the story. The outdoor section was a bit less decorated, consisting of things like stacks of barrels, chain link fencing, and a junk car covered by overgrown plants, but this was a relatively small part of the experience.
The Dark was more technical, in that they used things like laser walls and fog machines between varied themed scenes. These were very well executed. One of the laser hallways has the lasers running vertically to either side instead of horizontally. The leader of our group progressed down the hallway while brushing their hands along the sides of the wall. The lasers perfectly hid the cutouts that were waist high along where an actor reached through.
Theme: 9
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 9
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 9
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 9
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What haunts the Manor? The story of the Manor began in 1929 when Ida and Wilhelm were brutally murdered by their daughter Suzie. The residence was boarded up and left to wither away. Obviously, the story just could not have ended there. The Manor carried this theme and they stuck close to it through the entire attraction. The squatters outside were a bit of a deviation from the supernatural activities happening within the Manor. However, it wasn’t so out of place that it didn’t make sense.
The Dark, however, had no theme except for it being a blackout attraction. We transitioned between various themed scenes (Yes, there are clowns.) and laser hallways. The lack of theme afforded the ability to play up to other fears that just wouldn’t have made sense thematically in the Manor.
Scare Factor: 7.38
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 7
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.33
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 7.83
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 7.17
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 6.67Explanation:
Neither attraction had a particularly strong ending. They did keep up with actor scare all that way to the end which was nice.
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Milburn’s Haunted Manor takes a personalized approach to haunting. Ticket sales are capped to make sure that the haunt can allow time for each ticket holder to experience each attraction without feeling rushed. Each group is separated by a full minute where we didn’t run into another group in either attraction. Milburn’s Manor did a great job of providing scares for our entire group. Like we mentioned earlier, the Manor sets audiences up for big, sudden scares throughout the attraction. There were also a lot of places where something was calling your attention across the room and causing you to cross right next to a drop panel. These scares were used to great effect and we enjoyed the experience, but by the end, it started to feel a bit predictable (but only a bit).
The Dark was more on the unpredictable side, with its near pitch black hallways and hidden alcoves spread throughout. This haunt was more focused on actor teams. Our group was caught off guard many times with their well-timed and executed scares. We applaud how well the actors were able to get us.
Entertainment & Value: 7.15
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?: 7.67
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 7
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 6.33Explanation:
This score is reflective that The Dark was the same price as The Manor but much shorter.
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 8
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We toured the Manor with Suzie and friends tormenting us at every turn for 12 minutes. (We were more on the fast side – not running but also not lingering in one scene for too long.) The Dark zoomed by in just under 4 minutes. Each attraction costs $15 on its own but can be purchased as a combo pass for $25. This comes out to a minute per dollar value of 0.64 for the combo ticket. Each ticket includes a photo op area, pumpkin patch, and access to the Graveside Grill so you can get scared, have some homemade donuts, and take home a pumpkin to carve while watching horror movies.
We think that Milburn’s Haunted Manor is worth coming to experience, as it was some of the most fun we had visiting Portland area haunts. It is a very specific take on the haunted attraction and, as far as we’re aware, the only one of its kind in the PNW. Do note that they have a limited number of tickets available for each night and, given how busy they were on their opening weekend, are going to continue to sell out every night from now until the end of the season.
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!
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Guest ReviewsGuest Average: 5.38 out of 10
Rob T. – 5.5/10 – October 13, 2023This atttactions is one of the typical small town haunts with repetitive theme every year! They have …show more 2 attractions (Blackout, The Manor) which dont change year after year! I dont know if they even touch up the insides yearly! I guess it has worked for them as they are one of the most consistent haunted attractions in Oregon. I was stuck last year looking at the landscape of Portland’s haunt scene and realize there were no great haunts anymore just money grabs or small town things like this , so I went back and gave Milburn a chance and I still came to the conclusion that if I had this haunt I could do so much more with it than a tarped wall black out and 3 or 4 eerie dark rooms in the house
Meghan Turner – 5.25/10 – October 13, 2023This haunt is a typical small town haunted attraction which offers everyone in the community either …show more a part in it or a traditional place to go each and every Halloween. I get the idea that the two haunts they have are the same two every year! I know the blackout haunt is because I read it somewhere. It is a building pitch black lined with black tarps besides the one laser swamp room which was the coolest part of the haunt. The other is a house with four or so rooms semi-themed and besides those rooms it is mostly tarp trail around the house! I can’t remember the cost of both haunts (as you can buy just one) but it was cheaper than the other more elaborate Portland haunted houses. I enjoy these type of haunted houses because I grew up with these type haunts. The nostalgia always gets me! The only problem I have is that if I had the land and opportunity to build my own haunt on a budget I would be much more careful with the detail. Most haunt enthusiast appreciate detail on a lower scale budget than if I had a million dollars to detail it! It is a shame that this haunt could make so much more money from Portlanders willing to make the drive for a must see haunt, but it doesn’t have that opinion in.PDX.
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