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: 8.84
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.3
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.4
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 9.74
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 9.75
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.47
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 8.98
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.65
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.14
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Summary:
NOTE: SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL and OMINOUS DESCENT operated out of the same location again this year, named I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK. While these businesses are completely separate entities, they did naturally share some assets including the general scare grounds, site upgrades, the new laser tag, and escape room offerings. They also offered combo tickets including admission to both attractions.
SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL has spent much time, effort, and energy on updating their attractions and general premises for 2018. They have spent a lot of time and money on the infrastructure of the location to elevate the atmosphere and Guest experience. Trails have incorporated more technology and a higher level of design, and the grounds include a new fence and entrance portal, as well as new illuminated attraction signs that make great identifiers for each location. They also added a projector and projection screen behind their iconic SIR HENRY statue, featuring some themed videos to evoke a haunted atmosphere, along with providing a backstory for the attractions.
Cast: 8.3
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.38
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 8.25
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8.63
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7.88
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8.25
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SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL features a wide range of performers, including a large amount of younger performers, likely leading in the decision to create an orphanage themed attraction this year.
SIR HENRY’s performers stepped up their game for 2018, providing stronger scares overall. There are times, especially in SILENT WALLS, where Cast relies too heavily on scream scares, with no other dialogue but just banking on a shrill scream to the ear as their scare tactic. The Cast were very effective as creepy orphans, however, these creep out moments were occasionally ruined when the performers would switch directly into a pop scare, creating a disjointed performance. Overall though, the increase in performance was notable, with credit due to direction as well as the actors themselves.
Costuming: 8.4
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?: 8.38
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.38
(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?: 8.75
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Costuming at SIR HENRY’s has improved in the past year, featuring more complete looks, including detailed makeup and masks. The detailed costumes likely helped the performers bring their roles to life as they had a more realistic foundation to build on.
SIR HENRY’s appropriately and successfully camouflages performers as necessary to help them hide in the scenes, whether all in black to hide in the darkness, or detailed suits to allow performers to hide among the forest floor.
Customer Service: 9.74
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?: 9.75
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.5
(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?: 9.75
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Customer Service at I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK is always the best. The ticket booth, food stand, and haunt workers are friendly, engaging, willing to help, and go the extra mile to engage in conversation when appropriate. The haunt owners of both attractions are also extremely accommodating, friendly, and passionate for what they do, which gets carried through to their Guests, creating a very friendly atmosphere.
Safety is also a top priority, and though these attractions take place in the middle of the woods, the team goes to great lengths to ensure safety on the trails including level pathways, and illumination of any potential hazards. I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK features amenities including restrooms, and though they may be portable restrooms, they are by far the cleanest we have ever seen at a haunt. The ticket booths also have extra bug spray on hand for those buggy evenings, which are plentiful in the Florida forests.
Atmosphere: 9.75
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?: 9.75
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 9.75
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I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK has spent extra time on improving the general atmosphere of the attraction for 2018. They have created an impressive entrance arch and fence, along with adding more atmosphere effects (more themed music and lighting) to create an enhanced atmosphere. They added a projection screen behind the SIR HENRY statue to display a loop of trailers and other videos for the haunted attractions, perfectly setting the mood and atmosphere for the location. With the fire pits and other great features of the scare grounds, I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK has worked hard to create a destination for a night out, rather than a couple haunted attractions to visit briefly.
Special Effects: 8.47
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 8.75
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8.13
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8.5
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8.38
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.63
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The quality and design of the SIR HENRY trails has improved quite a bit, with lots of time and energy put into creating themed environments with strong detail and well placed and creative special effects to add to the experience and fit with the themes of the attractions.
As the haunt continues to grow and profit, more of these simple, yet effective special effects are sure to be incorporated, continuing to strengthen the design and experience of the attractions. With the dark layout of the trails, simple special effects do seem to pop out and be more effective since they are delicately peppered through the attractions. Some of the effects are rather exposed to Guest view including sensors, speakers, etc. Most Guests are running past these items or cowering in fear, but a little more effort to camouflage certain pieces could allow for more surprises, and a stronger illusion. We are looking forward to seeing the continued improvements in the years to come as it seems evident that the folks at SIR HENRY’s never seem to rest or plateau.
Theme: 8.98
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?: 9
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 8.88
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SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL has two highly themed attractions this year, elevating the level of backstory and theme from 2017. In order to help tell the themes, a brief story is posted at the entrance to each attraction. This is always a plus for those who may not have taken a close look at the website or any other materials prior to showing up at the attraction.
Highly themed facades have also been created for each attraction to aid in setting the mood prior to entering the haunt. This helps to create an identifying landmark for each and sets the theme right from the start. The theme is carried throughout the attractions with few deviations or misplaced items, making for great themed experiences overall.
Scare Factor: 8.65
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.38
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.88
(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?: 8.75
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 8.25
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Continuing on a theme, for those who have visited SIR HENRY’S in the past, expect MORE for 2018. In all categories, SIR HENRY is bringing MORE to the table. These trails are scarier this year, with surprises around every corner, including updated and added effects, as well as more seasoned performers using those effects to their benefit. This included a performer in the laser swamp who even got the most stoic of our team to jump and yell something not to be repeated in this review, an impressive feat to say the least.
While there are a few missed scare opportunities from the cast, especially when it comes to scare follow through and the variety of scare tactics, a great improvement was noticed overall. It is good to see such growth in just one year, and our team looks forward to seeing the updates made each year as SIR HENRY is always creating completely new attractions with creative, original ideas each year, providing a high level of repeat visit interest from fans.
Entertainment & Value: 9.14
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?: 9.75
(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?: 9
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9.25
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I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK features a combo ticket option for all three trails, totaling 30 dollars, prior to any add-on options (escape room, laser tag, multiple admissions, etc.) For a mere $45 dollars, Guests can access the three haunted attractions multiple times, along with one admission to laser tag AND the escape room, which is a great value for an entire night of entertainment. It took us around 26 minutes to complete all haunts giving them 0.87 MPD (minutes of entertainment per dollar).
Food, snacks, and beverages are also very reasonable and help round out the evening with even more to do. For much less than the local theme park Halloween events (and MUCH less crowded), and just as many (if not more) scares, I4 PREMIER FEAR PARK (featuring SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL and OMINOUS DESCENT) is a Central Florida ‘Must-See’ this Halloween season!
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!
