Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 8.35

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 7.45

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.85

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 8.13

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 8.9

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 8.35

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 8.75

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Final Scores – By Attraction:

New Orleans Nightmare: 8.53

If you’ve ever visited New Orleans, you may have come to find that the haunting history that lies within is more than just a fairytale. Paranormal occurrences, voodoo shops, and ghost tours are the norm here! But located just outside of the busy city is New Orleans Nightmare, a haunted attraction like you’ve never witnessed before.

Scarecrows, witches, a morgue, and a secret Beetle Bar? Who doesn’t want all that and more this spooky season!? If you have a haunt bucket list, you better add NOLA Nightmare to it fast!

From demons, clowns, and witches, we came face to face with all sorts of creepy creatures throughout the twists and turns of Nightmare. There weren’t any cast members wreaking havoc outside or in the queue lines, unfortunately, but this haunt was certainly not scarce on actors. Nearly every space that could possibly be filled was, and then some!

For starters, the range of these actors was more than impressive. The blend of intense, in-your-face characters to those who were completely still and silent and just stared made us feel irrefutably uneasy. There wasn’t anyone in our group who didn’t get attention to some degree, and these actors didn’t let up no matter our reactions! The energy was evident in every part of our adventure and didn’t seem to fade the further we ventured either.

Whatever realm we found ourselves hurrying into next, the cast matched the overall vibe with ease. It was clear everyone as a whole knew who (or what) they were portraying, and definitely made it believable! We couldn’t tell if we were part of the scene with them, or just some uninvited guests who stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time. All characters, even if similar in theme, were very unique to themselves and didn’t feel repetitive. Those in the funhouse and in the caverns specifically utilized their space and their talents well.

There also weren’t any actors present in any of the escape rooms, but fear not; the lack of them heightened the suspense for the experiences!

No matter the domain or era, all actors present looked like they belonged… and had been there a while. Costumes felt both appropriate and accurate to the subjects depicted, with no noticeable concerns that broke the immersion of these fantastic characters! Some masks and makeup were so impressive, we weren’t always able to tell if something was alive or not (more of that to come in Special Effects).

These looks didn’t feel like Halloween costumes, that’s for sure. As if the outfits and ghastly makeup themselves weren’t enough, the actors donning them made them feel all the more legitimate. It was never hard to tell what they were going for!

Large billboards pointed us in the direction of the haunt, making it easy to find even without using our GPS. The parking lot was a little dark, but there was plenty of space and parking was free. Signage guided us to the ticket booth and so forth, and the sounds of chainsaws revving and screams in the distance helped also!

The staff was phenomenal, very informative of rules and procedures, and made our group feel welcome and comfortable from the beginning. We could really tell they all wanted us to have the best experience we possibly could!

Within the haunt, there were some areas with uneven flooring, ramps, and stairs, but most weren’t too difficult to navigate. The blackout escape experience did have tight spaces and places to duck under here and there, but we were made aware of that ahead of time. The only notable hazard we came across was a wall lamp in the first escape room that one of us moved thinking it was part of the experience, and faced a bit of an electrical shock in return. But after making a staff member aware, they expressed their concerns and had it checked out and fixed immediately.

The official website covers all necessary information and any questions you might have. You can also purchase tickets and ticket add-ons prior to your visit.

We waited a very short amount of time in a standard line outside before entering the ‘City Morgue,’ where a lovely staff member told us to smile and snapped a photo of our group… and then wished us the best of luck. We headed down the hall, and the minute we turned the corner, there were no more smiles. The instant change as we were thrown into the chaos was unmatched. No particular storyline was followed for the full attraction, but each section had its own effortlessly recognizable theme. Transitions between said themes were a little hard to decipher at times, but we weren’t given much time to think about it.

For each scene, it didn’t feel like you were just passing through; you were a part of it. Even when we came upon the two secret bars at random increments, they truly were hidden and somehow didn’t take away from the lingering sense of fear we all felt otherwise. The minute we were done partaking in a lovely variety of spooky shots, we were thrown from the bars right back into the nightmare, like we’d never left.

Actors were at the ready nearly every time we came upon a new environment. Some hid until we approached to get the jump on us, but others were already interacting with their scene when we entered, as if we disturbed them in their element. They were still prepared for us, and that was clear; it was almost even more haunting to see them so in character like that.

Occasionally, even walking slowly to take it all in, we caught up to the group ahead of us. And the group following caught up to us once or twice, which did make it hard to focus on the haunt at times. But the actors were amazing at improvising and still managed to stay in character and scare us, even if they weren’t fully prepared to do so yet. We also did notice staff members twice in the haunt who appeared to be fixing special effects equipment, which could also tear away from the immersion briefly for others.

We cannot praise NOLA Nightmare enough for the outstanding special effects we witnessed during the duration of this attraction. It wasn’t just some painted walls and cheap props; we’re pretty sure we were teleported to a completely different location more than once.

Strobes and neon colors disoriented us in the best of ways through the funhouse. The swamp with green lasers mixed with fog and utterly realistic sounds made it feel so real, we felt like we actually had to fight to stay above water that wasn’t even there! (We really just didn’t want to know what was hiding below it.) A typical “haunted house” complete with numerous cobwebs and a swinging chandelier felt like something straight out of a movie. As did the western townscape that had us questioning if we were still inside of a building or not. And we’ll never forget how the ominous red lighting and dripping of water in the caves perfectly set us up with an eerie false sense of security before running into one of the most impressive dragon animatronics we’ve ever seen.

We also want to make a huge shout out, ironically, to the mannequins in various places that looked so humanlike, they had us on edge at every one we passed by. We genuinely couldn’t tell an actor from a fake, and that dreaded suspense never ceased. Nightmare will surely leave you questioning what’s real and what’s not.

There are many chilling stories and legends that reside within NOLA, but if you’re on the hunt for something even more terrifying, Nightmare has it. As stated on their website, the main attraction is not recommended for children 12 & under, and we could see why. The name of this haunt is truly fitting; you will have nightmares about the horrors you face beyond the entrance. Some of us left with fears we didn’t even know we had beforehand!

Hidden within, there were areas which housed more common phobias, such as the clowns’ not-so-funhouse and the claustrophobia inducing caves. No one was safe, and absolutely nothing was predictable. Whether it be the actors, animatronics, or just naturally the ambiance, there was no breathing room for us or breaks from scares. The atmosphere in some scenes alone made us all want to crawl out of our own skin, such as the satanic ritualistic section we had to put on a brave face and walk through (though we really didn’t want to).

We will note that there wasn’t much of a finale, and while the last scene we saw made us just as tense as the rest, it was a tad surprising when the exit came out of nowhere. But don’t let that fool you, because even after the main attraction ends, there’s still lots to do. And simply put, it made some of us who aren’t screamers, well, scream.

Ticket prices for the haunt will vary depending on the date visited. During our visit, GA tickets were around $29.99. Ticket add-ons available included Fast Pass (limited wait) for an additional $10.00 or Skip the Line (no wait) for an additional $20.00. They also offered a Platinum Ultimate VIP Experience which grants you all of the above as well as a free photo, entry to both secret bars, and 13% off retail starting at $99.99. The wait times did appear a little excessive, even just for the ticket booth, so maybe consider the add-ons to enhance your experience like we did.

It took our group exactly 30 minutes to get through the main attraction, which covers our brief stops in both of the secret bars as well, averaging out at a Minutes Per Dollar (MPD) score of 1, which is pretty good (and worth it)! However, that time will definitely change if you do not choose a ticketing option that includes entry to the bars.

All three of the challenge rooms give you 5 minutes to escape, so depending on how quickly you may or may not be able to figure them out, times will vary. Once finished with all the scares, there are small areas for photo-ops along with a merch shop and concession options! You can also have your groups’ picture taken before entering the haunt, and the photo will be available for purchase afterwards.

Overall, New Orleans Nightmare gave us a thrilling and unique experience unlike anything we’d ever seen before. If you’ve never paid a visit to New Orleans, or you’re planning to but don’t know what all to check out, we highly recommend giving this haunt a go! You won’t be sorry… if you make it out alive.