Features:
✓-Free Parking✓-Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site✓-Food/Concessions✓-Gift Shop/Souvenirs✓-You will NOT be touched✓-Uncovered 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: 9.56
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 10
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 9.18
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 10
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 10
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 9.55
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9.6
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 9
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.48
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Summary:
Team Second Line Scream rounded out their 2019 Haunt Hit List with New Orleans Nightmare Haunted House. Each time we go to an event at NOLA Nightmare, whether it be their Halloween, Krampus (Christmas), or Love Bites (Valentine’s Day) haunts, we are more impressed each time. If there is a haunt that checks off all our boxes, it is New Orleans Nightmare.
NOTE: *New Orleans Nightmare is the former area and owners of the long time House of Shock, for those New Orleanians that attended House of Shock throughout previous years.*
Cast: 10
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?: 10
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 10
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 10
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 10
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Even though the team went on a Thursday night, the haunt was stocked with plenty of actors! While it should be noted that a haunt never loses points for not compensating their actors, the fact that NOLA Nightmare actors are paid gives them an ‘off the record’ hat tip. Actors put in their time, energy and hard work into making sure guests have countless scares to remember, and it is truly remarkable that NOLA Nightmare is able to reward their cast for scaring guests senseless.
The cast is obviously well trained (both in scaring and safety), but what stuck out to the team was the amount of laughs the characters produced out of us through well timed and appropriate gags for their characters and rooms. If an actor can have us screaming one minute and laughing the next, I call it a win in my book! Special shoutout to the Bellhop at the beginning of the haunt. I apologize for not being able to give your real name, but your Bellhop character gets me every time. He is a great jumping off point for the other cast members to follow.
Costuming: 9.18
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
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 9
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 9
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 8.5
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 10
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NOLA Nightmare has three distinct sections in one large haunt: Clown, Nightmare, and Zombie Outbreak. Each of the three sections are costumed perfectly for the actors inhabiting the areas. The Team did notice a slight lack of followed through costuming in the Clown section. Again, not from lack of actors, but I wish there were more masked clowns. The clown mask section of any costume store/website has a plethora of looks to choose from, that are all unique and terrifying. The other two sections I have no complaints about, and a special shoutout to the otherworldly ‘Mother Superior’ character and her, or its, makeup work. The Team could not tell if it was a mask or prosthetics, well done!
Customer Service: 10
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?: 10
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 10
(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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New Orleans Nightmare gets a well deserved score of 10 for Customer Service, and if we could give them an 11 we would. NOLA Nightmare has the best staff of any haunt we attended this year. They are easily approachable, knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the attraction, and seem truly excited about working for NOLA Nightmare. The owner and set designer, Ashley H., gave us a quick behind the scenes look at how the maze is constructed and even showed us how every 50 to 60 feet, the wall opens should their be any need for a sudden large evacuation within the haunt. Speaking of safety, if there was an award for Best Safety, it would go to NOLA Nightmare. Team Second Line Scream will call out a haunt, no matter how scary or awesome, if their safety procedures fall flat; it is too important in this day in age to provide a safe environment for guests, and when judging safety of a haunt we use the question: ‘Would I feel ok dropping off my middle school aged kids to this attraction by themselves?’
Just to highlight their safety features: the entire block the haunt takes up is completely pedestrian friendly, there are police detail, fire marshals and an entire ‘first aid’ room, along with paramedics. My favorite safety addition this year is a metal detector, and every haunt needs to invest in one. In fact, I told Ashley, even with all of the amazing new features to the haunt, that the metal detector is the best investment they made this year. So now that I sound like a grandma that lives in a bubble wrap house, let’s move on to ATMOSPHERE!
Atmosphere: 10
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?: 10
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 10
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As we walk up to the haunt we encounter plenty of signs welcoming guests and clear directions on where to go for what (tickets, VIP, etc.) NOLA Nightmare also has an excellent merchandise booth, where the Team gets a one of a kind designed shirt every visit; there are so many souvenirs to choose from, from shot glasses to hoodies.
Right next door to the merch booth is Bar 13, which is a full service bar and if guests opt for the pre-made, specialty drink, it is served in a bright orange cup covered with NOLA Nightmare artwork, that guests can take home as another souvenir! There is also a concession stand serving food and other beverages.
The atmosphere outside the haunt definitely prepares you for what is in store once inside the attraction. Clowns wandering the lines scaring unexpecting guests, horror movie trivia galore, and a great horror themed soundtrack. The facade of the haunt is incredible and even features some 5 minute escape rooms and a new attraction, Phobia (which I will elaborate more on later.)
Special Effects: 9.55
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 9
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9.5
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 10
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 10
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9
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NOLA Nightmare takes the use of puppetry in a haunted house to a whole new extreme. If my memory serves me correctly, there are at least 3 huge puppets, I would assume handled by at least two people (they are that big). I do not like to spoil any haunt’s innovative tricks they have up their sleeves, but the entire Clown section is out of this world, and unlike anything any other haunt is attempting. If you work at NOLA Nightmare or have visited, you know what I am talking about.
The scenes throughout the haunt were very well constructed and detailed, particularly for each individual section. *Time to play Devil’s Advocate* However, and I let the owners know we may take off a few points for this, but since the haunt is not three separate attractions and instead one large maze with three distinct sections, the Team could have used more information (signage, actor, anything) to let us know we were clearly leaving one world and entering another. We got a little confused as to when we were leaving Clown, for example, and entering Nightmare. Once in the sections, there was no doubt where we were, but just some further distinction would have helped. Again, we did go on a Thursday, so there very well could be actors that are dressed to prepare you for the next section? Small detail just to aid in storytelling, that’s all, but other than that, wonderful design and construction!
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?: 9
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 10
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 9.5
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The Team loved how, instead of one large maze with scary scenes or rooms, each section was clearly themed. As mentioned above, a little bit more to let us know we were leaving one world and entering another, but other than that the themes worked perfectly.
I will use Clown for an example, the sinister Clown main character is an evil clown that returns every 13 years to reek havoc and while we immediately connect that to the IT franchise and Pennywise, none of the clowns resembled Pennywise and the true horror nerds know: for IT, it is every 27 years. So we loved the hint at the pop culture, but not the ‘well everyone loves Pennywise so let’s make it all Pennywise themed and copy the same story.’ That is called ORIGINALITY. Again, there is a nun convent gone to Hell portion in Nightmare, but it did not lend itself too much to the film The Nun and no Valek (the demon in The Nun) character was in sight.
Scare Factor: 9
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?: 9
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 9
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 10
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 10
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There was a moment in the Nightmare portion, I believe, where an actor got me so good that, for once in our haunt visiting history, I turned around and buried my face in my teammate’s chest, unable to continue. The scares are unexpected and perfectly timed; and NOLA Nightmare’s finale is my favorite of the season.
Must..not..spoil!
Entertainment & Value: 9.48
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?: 8.5
(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?: 10
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Team Second Line Scream likes to get in and out when visiting a haunt. We ended up hanging out at NOLA Nightmare from before they opened, until they closed.
After the main haunted attraction, we were offered the two escape rooms (one we did not make it out of, one we did). And we also were able to experience their newest addition: Phobia. Phobia is an all dark, 8 minute escape room. And when I mean all dark, we were given blackout goggles that if removed at any time, disqualified the group and could no longer go further. Phobia was very well worth the money, although I could have used a ‘2 minutes left’ warning, similar to other escape rooms. But perhaps that was part of the experience, to mess with our sense of time? Regardless, Phobia is a great addition to the NOLA Nightmare experience and we are excited to see what they do with it next year.
New Orleans Nightmare overall is a fantastically frightful and fun time, and worth every penny. Team Second Line Scream will not be formally reviewing any haunts for the 2020 season (we will be getting married!) but we will still make sure we pay a visit to New Orleans Nightmare early in the season, just because we love the haunt that much!
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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