Features:
✓-Paid Parking✓-Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site✓-Food/Concessions✓-“Old-School” (Low Tech)✓-You may be touched✓-You will NOT be touched✓-Original Characters✓-Uncovered Outdoor Waiting Line
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: 8.54
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.23
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.09
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 9.75
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 9.12
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.5
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 8.92
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.32
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.25
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Summary:
Out in the swamps past Nakina, NC sits the attraction known as Panic Attack (PA). This haunted attraction features some of the best sets and set designs that you can find the region with a bevy of movie quality pieces, many of which have been built on-site.
This year at Panic Attack is little different from past years – impressive sets and astounding decor providing a stage for a variety of costumed actors ready to bring some scare and excitement. That said, there are some new additions to the sets that continue to set PA apart from other NC haunts.
Like other NC haunts, Panic Attack is taking the pandemic and mitigation precautions very seriously. The concern and care for both their staff and customers is admirable.
Cast: 8.23
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.6
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 8.2Explanation:
Lots looked like mannequins
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 8
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8.3
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The cast of Panic Attack did a great job during the night of our visit. Aside from a wide variety of actors spread across the attraction, the cast was also interspersed with a vast array of mannequins. This fact is important to mention because a lot of the mannequins are very life-like and a lot of the cast are very good at holding preternaturally still. These two things combined to create numerous situations where members of our team had difficulty distinguishing between what was ‘real’ and what was simply a prop. That distraction gave the actors all the time they needed to pop up from behind, or in some cases right in front of us!
If you managed to make it out to PA last year, you’ll likely recall the huge octopus-woman that dominated one of the early scenes past the fish-market. She’s still lurking somewhere in the darkness, but this year there is also an amazing mermaid somewhere in the Pirate’s Cove!
In addition to the (dare we say) normal parts of the fishing village, there was also a carnival, complete with clowns, and a place where the siren’s curse had brought in a hint of winter to match her frozen heart.
Costuming: 8.09
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?: 7.8Explanation:
Saw a large wrist-watch on the arm of a voodoo priestess.
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7.9
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7.9Explanation:
A pair of untucked masks, some ill-fitting
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8.6
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There are a lot of masks out at Panic Attack and not just the ones for pandemic mitigation. A lot of these masks are very well done and only serve to add to the eye-popping sights that surrounded our journey through the fishing village. Makeup, too, has been done well among the scores and scores of actors lurking in the corners and crannies of the walk-through. Whether it be cursed fishermen or crazed clowns, everyone is very recognizable and on point.
Customer Service: 9.75
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?: 9Explanation:
Minimal signage on route
(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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While we didn’t see a lot of signs on the way to Panic Attack, there was a huge sign by the driveway entrance. Parking is $5 per vehicle, and attendants are on hand to direct traffic to appropriate spots. Once on sight, there were plenty of large, well-lit signs, as well as staff and security on hand to direct the flow of the rapidly growing crowds.
Panic Attack maintains an easily navigable website and their other social media pages are rife with promotional videos and teasers about the horrors (and amazing sets) that lie ahead. One of these days, we vow, we’ll find some additional time just to go marvel at the amazing decor that makes up the walkthrough.
Atmosphere: 9.12
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?: 9.3
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Seated amidst farm fields and lying on the edge of a swampy marsh, the fishing village that makes up the exterior waiting area of PA feels like it has grown up out of the reeds and waters. A life DJ plays all manner of upbeat party-style hits for the waiting crowd and colored lights claw at the skies above.
During our visit on opening weekend, the location also hosted the truck used in the movie Jeepers Creepers. Though this creepy bit of movie memorabilia won’t be on-site again this year, be sure to keep an eye out on the PA social media pages for similar promotions in the future. Besides this unique photo opportunity, we also had a chance for a nice green-screen photo (an additional $10).
While the party music wasn’t entirely our jam, the surrounding decor of the queue line was a great bit of immersion that really helps to set the scene for the sights behind the doors to the canning factory at the edge of the fishing village.
Special Effects: 8.5
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 8Explanation:
Some loud areas (drowning out the music from the queue?).
Cove! Mermaid!
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9Explanation:
Aquatic theme is a nice change of pace
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 9Explanation:
Floor to ceiling
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 7.8Explanation:
Exposed power strip lit by overhead light, exposed fog machines, frozen area had piece of wall collapsed.
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9Explanation:Bridge!
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There are a plethora of huge actor-driven animatronics dotting the path that we took through PA. From giant sharks to boars to gators, there was no telling when we were about to come face to face some larger-than-life terror.
A ‘collapsing’ piece of scaffolding elicited not only a number of screams from our team but left us talking about the surprise for hours after the haunt was done. Too, we can’t help but raise some cheers to the mizzenmast for the Pirate’s Cove and the amazing mermaid lurking somewhere beyond.
Floor to ceiling decor surrounded our visit to PA; we only wish that we could have stayed inside longer.
Theme: 8.92
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 8.9
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 8.5
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 10
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Panic Attack leans into its aquatic-themed sections of a fishing village haunted by some piscine curse. There were some slight deviations from the theme as we wandered into a circus area and a graveyard, but the dirty and distracting sights within easily blend with the overall setting.
Panic Attack also did a good job of extending each of its internal sections long enough for us to enjoy the surroundings and build-up some anticipation before hurrying us along to the next set of terrors.
Scare Factor: 8.32
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.4
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.6Explanation:
Good job with distractions
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8Explanation:
Mostly jump scares
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 8.3Explanation:
Chainsaw!
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The actors of PA do a great job of utilizing distractions and a lot of jump scares. There were a few occasions when we got some witty banter out of one creepy figure or another, but there were also a lot of looming, glaring stares as actors did their best to maintain social distancing. A few actors were fairly up close and personal in sections where the trail was narrow or turned a tight corner, but our time near these masked fiends was always brief.
We did wind up having the group behind us catch up with us during our walkthrough – obviously, they were being scared enough to move quicker than we were!
In addition to notable figures like the octopus-woman and the mermaid, there’s also a great final chainsaw-wielding, flesh-mask-wearing maniac who was more than willing to chase a member of our team out the long, winding corral to the exit beyond.
Entertainment & Value: 8.25
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
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 8.4
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 8
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9
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Standard tickets at Panic Attack are $30 a person. Groups are limited to eight or less on the trail. From the door of the canning factor to the last rev of the chainsaw, we were inside Panic Attack for 30 minutes. That’s a decent bargain for all of the amazing, movie-quality sets and facades located within. If the crowds seem to be too much to handle, there are also upgrades for Fast Pass or VIP (which bypasses even the Fast Pass line).
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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Awards:
2019
Most Enthusiastic Chainsaw Attacker
