Features:
✓-Free Parking✓-“Old-School” (Low Tech)✓-Uncovered Outdoor Waiting Line✓-All-Indoor 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: 8.38
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.07
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.49
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.73
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.5
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.41
(5% of Final Score) Theme:
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.31
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.34
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Summary:
On the last stop of our Central Illinois trip, we were told about a new haunt located on a former air base in Rantoul, Illinois. Necrosis Haunted House is currently in their 2nd season and gaining a big following in such a short time, all for a good reason. With some well flowing scenes and actors who aren’t afraid to get up close and personal, they hold their own in a city with multiple great attractions.
Cast: 8.07
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 7.85
(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?: 8.2
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On the night of our visit, we were informed 35 actors inhabited this creepy haunt. This number allows a tour through to have an encounter with 1 to 2 actors in each room, creating an intimate atmosphere that is not overwhelming. There were a variety of actors and scares to keep us on our toes.
The actors in the opening scene had no trouble getting right into our faces and becoming very intimidating. They demanded we put our backs against the wall and warned us of all the trouble with were about to get ourselves into.
We always love great interactions, and NHH had no issue with delivering them. There was a point when we entered a diner scene and were greeted by the owner. She gave us the specials of the night: ‘We are serving pies and taking lives.” Life is about compromises, so I offered to take a pie in exchange for my partner’s life. I was quickly corrected ‘No, we take your lives and serve them as pies.’ Well, that sounds like a lose-lose situation for us. When we asked for her name, we got the classic response ‘Nun-ya’. Really fun time over all!
Costuming: 8.49
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?: 8.25
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8.35
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.7
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 8.65
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8.5
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Costuming at NHH was well fitting for the scenes. The makeup was finished and completed well. It was a pretty cold night on our visit yet there were queue line actors out in line without a shirt! That was some great devotion. That same actor had bullet holes on his back and it seriously looked as if he went out in the back and was riddled with a 22. in before the show.
Makeup throughout seemed well put together and appropriate for the scenes. There was a check in for a hotel room and the bell hop and front desk seemed well demented and insane as is, but with their makeup and attire, it really gave us the impression this may be the last hotel we checked into. When we checked in and were recommended the honeymoon suit, we noticed someone else was already in our room upon arrival. This wouldn’t be the first time that we checked into a hotel and stumbled upon other peoples’ belongings in our room (true story), but to have a bride all bloody and her husband all over the place (in pieces) is a new situation for us! It was a really great scene and the makeup and costuming really sold the scene along with the actor’s well-timed dialogue.
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?: 8.5
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.9
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 8.75
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 8.75
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The area NHH sits on used to be an old air force base and the building itself used to be a storage building for said base. There is no lack of parking available all around and plenty of security to guide traffic. Once on the grounds, the ticket booth stands alone in a trailer to the side of the main building and is also near a small food truck that offers more than just snacks but meals it seems, I do regret not getting any philly cheese steak egg rolls to this day.
Staff members were all around as well as hired security to help with any trouble that can (hopefully never) pop up. NHH has all of its information listed on their Website along with their Facebook page. Tickets are available cash at door or they can be purchased online.
Atmosphere: 8.5
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?: 8.5
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When we arrived, parking is towards the rear of the building and the end of the haunt. I feel this is on purpose because we pretty much only saw people running right out of the building!
When we found our way to the queue line, the GA line was really long, and actors were around to terrorize everyone waiting. They did have music playing to keep everyone entertained during their wait. It seems NHH checked off all the basic necessities for an entertaining queue line, but I am sure as they continue to grow, they will take basics to another level of entertainment.
Special Effects: 8.41
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 8.3
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8.3
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8.45
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8.5
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.5
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Being only 2 years old, NHH provides some really great low budget effects that do well. As we mentioned before about being on an old air force base, they actually pay homage to that past in the very first scene. The whole feel comes off as an Army/Air Force vibe and they have an incredible fog cannon to disorient and confuse.
The scenes we walked through had some well flowing rooms that made a lot of sense. We already mentioned the hotel scene but all of the props and details made it feel as if we walked into the front of a musty hotel. However, tt didn’t just stop there but continued down the hallway full of doors that were numbered and felt as if we did just check into a hotel.
When we happened to find the diner we mentioned, it felt like a run down 50’s style diner and had plenty of booths and a bar side counter as well. It all looked like a place I wouldn’t want to eat and remained effective with even menus on the tables. Pair this with the bloody crisper full of limbs one would normally find cakes displayed in, and it makes for a frightfully delighting scene.
One of my more favorite scenes at NHH was some backwoods-looking church we walked into. There were plenty of ripped bible pages covering all of the walls which is creepy enough, but pair that with actors that seemed to be in mourning and obvious signs of some cult activities, things turned dark quick when the congregation realized they have been walked in on.
The overall effects NHH provide do cause some well-timed scares and work great with the well devoted actors.
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.”
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NHH didn’t seem to have an overall theme but their website warns that this is “a nightmare realm infested with evil and consumed by darkness… where the line between the living and the dead is rotting away…”
“Step into the World of the Wicked.”
Scare Factor: 8.31
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.4
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.3
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 8.65
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NHH has a very in-your-face approach on providing scares to their guests. Being as actor-driven as NHH is, it is wild how they continue to beat scares into their guests, scene after scene with little pause.
A few actors also had some great hiding spots that blended in well with their scenes and gave us some great jump scares. A great example of this was an actor who was propped up as a scarecrow; he blended in with corn stalks and his outfit was fitted with corn husks making him seem as a prop’ we found out the hard way that he was, in fact, not a prop. We can also say the same for the doll room. There was a well-placed stuffed animal mixed in with a whole pile of other stuffed toys. Curiosity definitely got the better of us as this one looked like one of the big ones someone could win at a Six Flags’ again, we found out the hard way.
We did receive many jump scares and many deceiving directional scares that are enough to make us question what’s next! A well-done effect was simple but scared me good. We passed by a caged clown that was on a stage. It was a very curious part as she didn’t seem to have much room to move around. When we were close enough’ she made plenty of room to move towards us. Overall, all of the actors played off of their scenes and worked well with the props to make for a very effective haunt!
Remember the cult congregation we walked into? There was a really great scare I won’t mention, so you’ll just have to find out on your own.
Entertainment & Value: 8.34
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?: 7.75
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 8.5
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 8.7
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With general admission being 15 dollars and VIP at 25, that is a more affordable price from what we normally come across in the Chicago area, but seems to be a pretty good average for Central Illinois. Our walk-through time was 15 minutes only but gives a MPD value a 1. This is not bad considering NHH is only 2 seasons in.
We had a lot of fun throughout out entire visit to many haunts in southern Illinois that we haven’t been to before and can say ending our tour with NHH was a real great example of what makes local smaller haunts so great. When it comes down to it, there is a really great sense of passion behind NHH an they will continue to only get better down the line. Rantoul seems to be a main stop on our list from now on during haunt season, and NHH has a hand in making that a staple for us!
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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