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: 8.21
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.97
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.49
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.4
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.15
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.48
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9.09
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.09
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 7.45
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Summary:
A bridge has been built to SCOUT ISLAND for the first time, and the inhabitants are rather spooky! SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK debuted for the first time on October 5, 2018, and our team was lucky enough to be one of the first to step foot in this haunted attraction. SCOUT ISLAND’s three main attractions show great promise with smart, original designs and layout, taking advantage of the space available in the city park. While SCOUT ISLAND is still ramping up on their hiring for performers for the season, they still manage to pack some good scares and great visual effects in their walk through attractions. Considering the price points of the individual attractions and rides, the most economical choice is to make an entire night of the location with one of the attraction’s featured combo tickets, allowing unlimited access to haunted and carnival attractions all night long. Cross the bridge if you dare, because what lies on this island may cause quite a fright!
Cast: 7.97
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 7.33
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 8.08
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8.42
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7.83
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8.17
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The Cast that SCOUT ISLAND has onboard so far is extremely dedicated and talented, including the nun performer in DEVIL SWAMP (speaking in Latin, or a believable alternative), a good deal of the zombies in ZOMBIE OUTBREAK: BATTLEFIELD (Aggressive and dedicated to scares, including a couple realistic and believable decoys), and a few other roaming characters creating great atmosphere around the entire attraction. Unfortunately, besides ZOMBIE OUTBREAK: BATTLEFIELD, the attractions seem to be lightly staffed, most notably DEVIL’S SWAMP, leaving a beautifully designed layout, with a ton of potential, relatively scareless due to the lack of performers along the trail. It seems as though SCOUT ISLAND is still working to hire people for the season, so hopefully, this is one of the focuses, as the trail, though inherently creepy by design, could greatly profit from a large increase in performers.
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?: 8.42
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8.42
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.25
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 8.13
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 9
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SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK has a nice handle on costuming and cosmetology including makeup and masks, featuring a wide variety of character types, costume styles, and makeup/mask/wig treatments. Some favorites include the costumes and makeup in THE HORSEMAN’S FRIGHT ZONE, and the ghostly characters in DEVIL’S SWAMP cemetery area. The emphasized use of makeup rather than strict reliance on masks in SCREAM FACTORY make for a nice change of pace and increased level of interactivity not seen in most clown/carnival haunted attractions due to typically clumsy and cumbersome mask usage.
Customer Service: 8.4
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
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 9
(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?: 8.5
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Overall, Customer Service at SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK is top notch. The majority of the employees are friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and aimed to make a great night for Guests. A small collection of employees were still getting their bearings and slightly overwhelmed by Guest questions, but with time should gain more comfort in Guest Service. The hospitality of those working in and around the KRAKEN tent was superior, adding to a top-notch VIP experience, including the friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and servers. SCOUT ISLAND has taken extra measures for Guest safety and comfort, by adding a high-quality layer of mulch in muddy or potentially wet areas through the trails to minimize any weather impact and Guest dissatisfiers. The amount of foresight given to details such as these was impressive for the first year of operation. As someone from out of town, the location was a bit difficult to find at first, but locals will know exactly where this is, and the team does a great job of putting maps and directions online to assist in locating the attraction. Additional signage around the perimeter roads of the park property (if allowed) may help misdirected Guests in finding their way.
Atmosphere: 8.15
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?: 8.25
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 8
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SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK is located on Scout Island, a massive area within the city park. The creative team does a great job using existing paths and trails (BLOOD BAYOU, DEVIL’S SWAMP, THE HORSEMAN’S FRIGHT ZONE) along with using the open space (SCREAM FACTORY) to create freestanding haunts as well. While there is certainly room to grow in the future, they have done a great job transforming the natural landscape into a Halloween atmosphere, with lighting, carnival paraphernalia and various props and set pieces (including the SUPER fun KRAKEN inflatable. The three main haunts have great facades/entrance statements to make them iconic within the scream park, as well as enticing for those who may be purchasing separate tickets to the attractions. The signs created for the various attractions as well as the one for the overall attraction near the bridge and entrance are very impressive, creative, and well built, creating landmarks and great photograph moments for Guests as well, making navigation through the event very easy.
Special Effects: 8.48
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?: 8.67
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8.25
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8.17
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.33
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SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK has spent a great deal of resources in locating/purchasing/creating sets, props, and various special effects for their attraction this year. Lighting, audio, and other effects are heavily used and nice to see in an outdoor trail environment where weather conditions can be a challenge for that amount of technical equipment. There is a large number of animatronic/robotic figures throughout the DEVIL’S SWAMP attraction, however an unfortunate few were actually operating, perhaps not yet fully hooked up, or unable to be animated due to the setup given the outdoor setting. Regardless, these props provide great eye candy throughout the trail, and prove great potential should more become animated, lurching out from the darkness. The equipment setup for ZOMBIE OUTBREAK: BATTLEFIELD was impressive, with a nicer quality gun/target system than other laser themed attractions. The display on the guns showing ammunition and hits make for a more themed experience and allows some healthy competition to happen throughout the haunt. The scoring aspect should be emphasized stronger prior to entering the haunt to begin the competition between friends.
Theme: 9.09
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 9.17
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 9.08
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 9
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Each haunt, along with the overall carnival area and scare zones, has a unique and strong theme, which is carried out impeccably throughout the various attractions. Attention to detail is rather strong, making sure the theme is carried well throughout the facets of the theme. DEVIL’S SWAMP, unlike the other two attractions, is a more multi-themed tour through the various areas of the swamp, but does a great job transitioning from theme to theme, creating an overall tour feel as advertised.
Scare Factor: 8.09
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.25
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.58
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 7.92
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 7.92
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 7.75
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SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK has developed a strong foundation for a growing haunt with great scare moments and even more possibilities for the future. ZOMBIE OUTBREAK and SCREAM FACTORY are pretty well stocked with performers, creating a good level of consistent scares, along with effect-driven scares. DEVIL’S SWAMP was very light on performers and therefore had many dead spots and missed opportunities for performers hidden among the landscape in between the scenes for highly effective scares. More sensor/trigger-based scares with the aforementioned animatronic figures and other special effects could help fill the gaps and dead space as well, and build the anticipation needed in a trail haunt between main scenes.
The performers that they did have in the trail were aggressive, dedicated to their performance, and effective, but sadly there were just too few. All that being said, the foundation is great, the technical elements are in place, and with more performers (the attraction is still actively hiring to fill performer spots), and some technical testing and adjustments, the experience could be completely different in a few weeks, as the technical infrastructure is there, the performers are obviously well trained, so the trail has some major potential.
Entertainment & Value: 7.45
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
(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?: 6.5
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 8.5
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SCOUT ISLAND SCREAM PARK has enough attractions between haunts and rides as well as food/drink to make it a full night event. With this being said, individual tickets on top of general admission for the haunts/rides can add up very quickly as single walk through tickets are priced rather high. This makes the combo tickets really the best option for those looking to make a night out of their visit to the island. While still on the expensive side, this allows Guests to make it their own experience and visit each attraction as many times as they desire throughout the entire night. The combo tickets for unlimited access to all rides and attractions are priced at $49.
With the combo ticket, there is .79 minutes per dollar worth of Entertainment (not including rides, or multiple trips through attractions), whereas when purchased separately, at a higher cost, there are only .56 minutes per dollar (and no included multiple trips through attractions, or rides available with cost of ticket).
The haunt does have a partnership with Lyft and Coca Cola offering discounts (including discounted rides to and from the attraction). Make sure to check out their website and social media outlets to check in on the latest deals!
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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