The 7th Street Haunt Review (2017)

Ft. Harmony: 9.11
We came across quite a few cast members along our journey to the exit of the city. This crew was bound and determined to let us know we made a mistake entering their town well before we even entered it! Speaking of which, one of the most believable performances we encountered was that by the Curator of the Fort Harmony Historical Society. His disbelief that we would even enter this horrid city was conveyed with a calm and sincere aura that will surely penetrate even the thickest of skulls.

The rest of this crew was very energized, interactive and believable. They stopped us several times, trapped us in a room with a psycho playing a robber (yeah, it’s complicated), along with climbing the walls and popping out of many places. One of the actors even demanded that we apologize to his ‘mother,’ who was a dismembered corpse hanging on the wall! Unbeknownst to us, our presence must have really pissed her off! They also threw some very believable dialogue at us, including some sort of non-English witch chanting that left us wondering what was just said to us (it sure didn’t sound good)! The witch hunters Abigail Taylor and Drake also gave outstanding performances.

Unit 732: 9
The acting in Unit 732 also began with a strong performance by an exuberant Paragon receptionist. She was both verbally and physically interactive during our wait and even gave us a party line number to call later.

If you get one too, then go ahead’ call it.

We aren’t sure what all the virus does to people yet, but what we witnessed here was enough to make us want to stay away from it, for sure! The test subjects within were often irate and very demanding. Some didn’t sound like – complete – humans anymore and one even appeared to be hallucinating. We saw one guy fling his tourniquet and needle across the floor, so the virus probably played a big role with that! We also found several actors that screamed a lot, which, at times, made it hard for us to hear what others were saying.

Once we made it to the experiments who are no longer in the hospital area, things really took a turn for the worse for us. At one point, we ran into a very tall and intimidating man who said he was going to ‘rip out our spines and suck our souls out like it was a straw.’ Then the pack started howling… We should have known it was a bad idea to keep moving forward. These were not like regular actors; they were rough, all working together and relentless… not to mention there were quite a few of them as well. The first pack member we came across had a very demented voice that gave our group goosebumps! The rest were also energetic, much more than those in Fort Harmony. They were going under shelves, hanging from things, hitting walls and coming at us from literally all angles. We just couldn’t get away from them!

We also want to make note of how believable and interactive the Circus and line entertainers were. They definitely made sure we were laughing by the time they were done with us. Chaos the Clown was also among the most energetic actors we encountered. But, don’t let their entertaining personas fool you; they have a scarier side too! All we can say is be sure to watch out if a hammer starts swinging!

7th Street Haunt works very hard on creating their own, custom costume creations and it shows! We saw so many unique and period-correct attire throughout both attractions. Heck, they even had period-correct hair at times! We also noticed some great costumes outside the attractions, especially the creepy, burlap clown. Some of the individuals had this dark liquid oozing from their mouths in both haunts, which really added an extra touch of terror when they drooled it onto themselves and the floors. We do recommend staying away from those things!

Ft. Harmony: 9.25
In Fort Harmony the wardrobe consisted of a huge variety of items. We just never knew what we were about to see! Makeup consisted of some stand-out facial appliances and air brushing techniques that highlighted the characters’ already-sinister features. Some of the most memorable costumes include the lady in the barber shop, the goat/beast, the black widow spider and those worn by the Curator, Marilyn, Abigail and Drake.

Unit 732: 9.18
Shifting gears to 7th Street’s second attraction, the wardrobe switches from ‘authentic’ and ‘demonic’ to ‘monstrous’ and ‘malicious.’ These characters essentially fell under one of three categories: those performing the experiments (doctors and other forms of medical personnel), those being experimented on and those who were members of the ‘wolf pack,’ which usually consisted of grungy, ripped up patient gowns and period-correct street clothes, respectively. Lots of abnormal, plague-like growths, open wounds, and blood can be found inside the medical areas, then the makeup becomes a bit more subtle with numbers and letters on their heads (which signify patient ID numbers). Though, we did see several very good masks, including one that genuinely looked like their skin was melting off!

A semi trailer with the haunt’s banner, a small A-frame sign by the road and, occasionally, a spinning ghost or bat light shining on the trailer are in place to grab drivers’ attention as they approach the entrance to 7th Street Haunt. Several more signs are in place to guide you into the gravel parking lot and a flagger took us right to the closest parking spot available.

The biggest change we saw this year was the addition of the Spectacular Siberian Circus! After you get your tickets, a fortune teller and an assortment of witty wackos with Russian accents are in place under a large tent. They offer a rotating, 1-hour show that includes karaoke, live performances, slapstick comedy and more improv than you can shake a stick at. After the show, you can even win prizes at a selection of actual carnival games that you can play without ever leaving the waiting line. You might get a scare or two along the way as well! The entertainers and all other staff members we encountered are very friendly, welcoming and will leave you with little doubt that they’re excited to have you there. Upon entering the building, the first area you’ll come to is the Fort Harmony Double-Feature Theater, where there are several backdrops you can choose from to have your group’s picture taken (we chose the coffin) and a selection of props to add your own, personal touch to the photo. Prints of these photos and various snacks can be purchased after you leave the second haunt. Don’t forget to try out their casket ride! They also have many Halloween-related items and haunt memorabilia available.

We were really impressed at how easy it was to find our way around this year, considering all of the new changes that have been made. Lots of signs are in place throughout the building, both to help you find your way around and, should an emergency occur, to help you find the nearest exit. Security is on site to make sure no weapons or dangerous items are brought into the haunt and flooring is smooth throughout most of both attractions; though; there are a few ramps and uneven floors through one particular area of Unit 732 (but for good reason, as you’ll come to find out).

The atmosphere outside 7th Street Haunt has changed a lot this season, mainly due to the addition of the Circus and the rustic, wooden facade (which is accented with flaming torches) over the new entrance. With such sights to see, it was much more apparent that something spookily sinister was going on inside. The haunt’s hearse was found near the parking area, which confirmed we had arrived at a haunted house.

The circus was the center of attention when we arrived, as the words to ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ echoed throughout the property. Although this wasn’t spooky in any way, it did help prepare us to have fun! Other groups were also stopping and interacting with the circus crew and we could tell they were having a good time as well. Other items we noticed outside include portions of a wooden fence, a well-decorated fortune teller cart (complete with all sorts of authentic decor) and many new characters we haven’t seen out here before’ all of which really helped set the tone for an entertaining evening!

However, once we entered the building, things took a quite different turn. It felt like we were on the outskirts of a town and going into the movies. Because the haunt displays a movie for their guests before entering the attraction, we are going to consider this a part of their ‘atmosphere.’ We must warn you, what you will see on their vintage reel while seated in real movie theater seats may be quite disturbing to some (heck, it even made US cringe a few times). After watching the footage, we were definitely ready to face the damned and slay the sick head on’ even though our better judgement warned we probably shouldn’t. We then walked through a small and uncommon museum showcasing a giant human/fly, Godzilla and other atrocities that were very cool to look at. In this area, we could also hear strange sounds coming from within the town, leaving us to wonder what it was, exactly, that they were coming from.

Ft. Harmony: 8.91
Fort Harmony is set up to make you feel as if you are walking through a town. The level of detail and unique items that we came across really helped bring the town to life more effectively than seasons past. You will pass by and walk through many different businesses and areas of a typical town, including a florist shop, butcher shop, a jail, a workshop, a cemetery, a barber shop and much more.

There were many different sounds to go along with the scenery and, at times, they were so suspenseful that they can make your heart race with anticipation! Some of the realistic noises we heard include a school bell, whispers, helpless cries, animal sounds and vintage music.

We feel that there’s so much packed into this town and some of the scenes that you may need to go through at least twice to catch it all (especially since the actors did such a great job of capturing our attention). We didn’t see any large animatronics in here, but the things we did see are those you would expect to see in these types of facilities. Some of the notable effects include a scalped hair hallway, an electric chair, an ouija board table, an ice cave, a ‘booming’ shotgun, snow falling from the sky, evidence of witchcraft and an disturbing stomach surprise! Strategically-placed lighting really helped accent some of these features and draw our attention on certain, key elements of the scenes.

Unit 732: 7.97
Unit 732 starts you out in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, complete with a vintage telephone, drop ceiling and less-than-comfortable seating. We were then dumped into some experimental hospital quarters, complete with patient beds, exam tables, human anatomy charts and all sorts of other medical equipment, followed by what appeared to be a grungy basement area and a run-down, warehouse setting.

Appropriate sounds were encountered during our trip through the facility, but they didn’t seem to be quite as apparent as they were in the first haunt. Some of the props gave off their own sounds and others were created by the actors themselves.

We also came across some effects that you may not see very often, along with some you might have but in a different light. These include a dizzying vortex, a slanted room, warehouse shelving, a full-sized vehicle (parked inside the building, mind you) and a blood-covered neck injection site.

Upon entering the building we took our seats in the Fort Harmony Double Feature Theater where we watched some gruesome details of the history behind both attractions. This really helped in explaining what we were about to witness’

Ft. Harmony: 9.52
‘Fort Harmony’s Revenge’ immerses you into the 1950’s, when a demonic evil enveloped the people of this once quaint, little town of the same name (population 665-1/2). This season, they’ve thickened the plot with a couple of heroes that have grown sick of the madness and are Hell-bent on reclaiming the town and restoring it to its former glory. Will you succeed in helping them vanquish the villainous witches and demons that have been unleashed upon the town? Or, will YOU succumb to the darkness as well?

Not only did they excel at following their overall theme here but they also did a great job at making us feel like we were in the time period they were aiming for. You MAY even catch a glimpse of Marilyn Monroe!

Unit 732: 9
‘Unit 732’ is loosely based on the history of Unit 731, which (according to Wikipedia.org) was ‘a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit … that undertook lethal human experimentation during … World War II.’ Unit 732 (at least for this year) adds an interesting twist that involves the debut of a virus that mutates subjects into hideous and powerful monsters’ assumingly for a much more sinister and secretive reason. Welcome to the 1980’s, where you will check yourselves in, consult with one of the doctors and discover first hand if you can make it through the horrific hordes that their tireless efforts have produced’ without turning into one of them yourself, of course.

The haunt’s name was decided just a couple of weeks before their opening date (they ran a contest and one of their fans entered this name), so the official theme hasn’t been published yet as of this writing. But, with the apparent affiliation with Paragon Technologies, it should ring a familiar bell to local haunt enthusiasts… especially those that have visited the ‘Zombie City’ haunt at nearby Asylum Haunted Scream Park.

The plot thickens…

We were impressed when the first Paragon employee asked us if we had heard the newest top hit song and, when we told her, ‘No,’ she started singing an 80’s song. Although the younger generation may not catch this, we thought that, along with the vintage phone and her clothing, it really helped make it apparent that we weren’t in 2017 anymore.

Fort Harmony: 7.6
When we entered the town of Fort Harmony, some words of advice were given to us towards the start of our journey that included, ‘safety in numbers’ and we strongly suggest adhering to that advice! The town folk here weren’t fooling around. They had metal weapons that they were using to bang on things and scrape the walls with, which let us know that they were actually real. Their demanding dialogue also helped in keeping the overall intensity of the attraction up. Nearly every time we turned around, we had someone or something in our faces and, just when we would zone in on what they were saying, something else would jump into the scene and catch us off-guard. This happened to us on multiple occasions.

Unit 732: 8
Before we started through Unit 732, we were warned not to touch anything because, of course, that’s how we could become contaminated with the virus. So, not only were we trying to keep our distance from the subjects roaming within, we were further distracted by trying not to touch ANYTHING. Just when we thought we had adhered to this oh-so-important safety rule, the pack in Unit 732 forced our group to get up against the wall to discipline us before being forced to split up. At one point, we crossed paths with a very intimidating actor that had us eyeing him from the moment we left his scene, watching his every move. We were NOT about to take our eyes off of that one!

Both attractions utilized well-hidden and strategically-placed hiding spots. Some were set up to where the same actors could get you multiple times (which is always a plus)! Intense music created a suspenseful atmosphere in some areas in both haunts, as well as the lingering howling in Unit 732.

Both of the finales were very different from most that we see. Rather than chasing us out with chainsaws, they instead wrapped up their stories in two very different, yet similar ways. Without giving them away, they each included an intense buildup of action and desperation right before a ‘hero’ saved the day for our group. From our experience, very few haunts utilize this type of finale and it seems to provide a nice, theatrical ending, rather than abruptly ‘pulling the plug’ and stopping the action for no apparent reason. Kudos for creativity and thinking outside the box!

General admission tickets are $28.00 per visitor and include admission to both Fort Harmony and Unit 732. From the time we were given the rules in Fort Harmony ’till we exited, it took us roughly 15 minutes to navigate the attraction. Unit 32 took us an additional 13 minutes from the time we took a seat to wait and see the doctor, bringing the total tour time to about 28 minutes and putting their MPD score right at 1.0 (1 minute of entertainment per dollar spent). Although this is slightly below the average of 1.5 that we see most often, we honestly felt like we were inside the attractions for longer than that. We were so enthralled with all of the new changes and additions that we didn’t want it to end! General admission also includes the Spectacular Siberian Circus performances that you may encounter before entering the building.

For those of you that may show up during the haunt’s prime time and need to get through quicker, they do offer VIP admission tickets for all attractions at $40.00 per person. If you have a large group of 20 or more, group rate information can be found on their website.

The 7th Street Haunt offers a very unique experience called the ‘Institutionalized Challenge.’ If you are brave enough to take on this event, you will be strapped to a custom wheelchair and taken through the haunt’ solo! They also host several off-season events, so be sure to visit their website and Facebook page for more information on those as it becomes available.

It’s not very often that you can visit a haunt that will take you back in time to the 1950’s and 1980’s, all within a single, 25,000-square-foot location! If this sounds right up your alley, along with some unique and original characters and some great acting, then we highly recommend the 7th Street Haunt as a great choice! Just remember to ‘stay away from doors and windows, they are portals to Hell!’