The Beast, for its 2025 season, has knocked our socks off! Impressive is an understatement, as we were truly not prepared for what The Beast had in store for us. Visiting during the Queen of Haunt’s birthday weekend only amplified the energy, making us feel like we were part of the celebration of her, of the season, and of everything that makes haunted attractions unforgettable. There is a reason why this attraction is so well known in the Missouri and Kansas haunt community. It is a trailblazer and continually raises the bar for other attractions and for itself.
The Beast delivered a physically intense and deeply immersive haunted experience that blends strong performances, atmospheric effects, and clever design.
This attraction is full of dedication, care, and PLENTY of scares! Continue reading to hear about our experience with The Beast!
The cast at The Beast is both interactive and enjoyably spooky, each performer bringing their own unique personality to the haunt. From guttural creatures crawling across the floor, to shadowy stalkers lurking just out of reach, to taunting monsters that followed us through the maze, these actors added a lot to this attraction!
Every actor seemed very committed and immersed in their section. It was very refreshing to have a multitude of different actors providing varied scares throughout the haunt. You could tell each actor had carefully thought out dialogue and scare tactics.
One of the most intense scenes this year was the dark forest. As we made our way through, a constant sense of dread settled in, as though we were being hunted by a werewolf. We could feel its presence, always watching, always near, yet it remained unseen, heightening the tension with every step.
Every actor in charge of a specific section did a good job in keeping with the theme. One area that really stood out to us was the swamp area, which had a couple of actors who helped set the scene of a dark, scary Louisiana Bayou. The actors toyed with us by insisting the massive, vicious alligators were simply their “puppies.” The playful taunting added a layer of dark humor while keeping us on edge as we waded through the eerie setting.
In the laser fog area that followed, there was an actor in a black t-shirt with an Art the Clown mask. We felt that he didn’t fit into that scene and did not do enough to justify his place there.
The Jack the Ripper scene in White Chapel, we felt, could use some tweaking. We see Jack “kill” a woman in the street, and then he asks us how he can help us in an American accent, while a civilian standing by was yelling at us for not helping the woman. The flow of the scene needs a little work, but the setting and costumes were phenomenal. We would love to see Jack be more intense as he is stalking us through London!
Something we’ll dive into more later in this review is how much The Beast has elevated rooms that once slowed down the pacing or felt overly confusing. A perfect example is the Door Puzzle room, which now features a Rob Zombie-esque actor who injects a sense of urgency and panic into the scene. He begins with his head down, revving himself up like a predator about to strike, leaving you no time to calmly process the puzzle before you. His presence turned the room into a nightmare, his voice echoing like a countdown as we scrambled to escape, and it was made even more dreadful if you happened to take a wrong turn. You can’t help but glance over your shoulder, worried that he would further torment you even when you escaped.
Costuming was somewhat difficult to evaluate due to the overall darkness of the attraction. On one hand, this worked in the show’s favor. Actors were able to blend seamlessly into their environments, and the lack of direct light helped conceal any flaws or immersion-breaking details. However, there were also times when the darkness overtook what could be seen, making it hard to fully appreciate the attention to detail in certain costumes.
From what was visible, the costumes suited their environments well and felt natural within the scenes. Importantly, no actors stood out in mismatched or out-of-place attire, with the exception of Art the Clown (as noted previously). Overall, while visibility was limited, costuming appeared cohesive, realistic, detailed, and well-suited to the attraction’s design.
Every time we have been to these particular haunted attractions, every experience with customer service has been stellar. Everyone is helpful, friendly, and safety-oriented. We had a couple of colleagues who had to bail on the haunts halfway through due to being overwhelmed by the houses, combined with other factors, and they each stated how kind and reassuring the staff were in getting them outside without ridicule. We also had some members choose not to use the slides at the end, and they have someone arrive to take you down the stairs if that is the case! One colleague stated how the staff was very nurturing in helping them exit the attraction. They were even able to help other customers who somehow stumbled backstage to get in the right direction while guiding our colleague down. They just knock it out of the park.
The Beast, like its sibling attractions, is physically very demanding. As mentioned, it is very dark, and you are moving through narrow passages, climbing stairs, and walking on unstable floors. While we found that the attraction itself was very safe, we just ask you to keep these things in mind before you visit.
Information is always readily available on social media or on their website before you arrive at the attraction, just keep in mind that parking in downtown KC is.. Just about the kind of chaos you can expect. You may need to walk a bit between attractions, but we never felt unsafe traversing between haunts and to our cars, especially with the police presence!
This was easily one of our favorite parts of the attraction. The Beast delivered when it came to the beastly monsters you encounter along the way. From the giant bloody jaws of the crocodile in the swamp to the horrific hogs that were devouring victims in the torture room, there was a wide array of terrors to encounter in this haunt. The standout moment for us, though, was encountering the werewolves in the dark woods.
One of our horror hound colleagues was wearing a werewolf t-shirt, and has loved werewolves since he was a pup. We agree that werewolves are a difficult animal to tackle when it comes to horror, whether it be in modern cinema or otherwise, but this was the part in the attraction that terrified us the most. The darkness added that element of danger where you felt lost in the woods and were being stalked by monsters that could be lurking anywhere. The strobe lights were a fantastic touch when the sensors were tripped for the animatronics because it made them seem that much more terrifying and life-like. This paired well because the flashing strobes helped break up the often-clunky movements that you see in animatronics, combined with the speakers that bellowed a monstrous roar that you felt in your bones.
We also found that the rooms were much better paced and linear than they were in previous visits. We often got lost in certain areas in the past that would take us out of the immersion, but that problem was certainly fixed on this year’s visit! It helped that we had been here before, but rooms that had confused us before still had that “lost and helpless” effect without taking us out of the immersion entirely.
And what better literary character to get us in the mood for Halloween than the famous Headless Horseman? This spectral figure appears in a courtyard mounted upon his deadly rotting steed, combined with loud whistling wind, and the larger-than-life (unlife?) scale of this thing gave us goosebumps. We wanted to stay longer just to take in the scene. We were truly mesmerized by this piece, and it left us all scarily satisfied.
Truly, the Beast wouldn’t be what it is without the excellent use of special effects. There was a scene for everyone, each decked out and detailed so well. You can tell that actual design went into each area and not just a theme. Animatronics were enhanced by scene dressing and not just the only thing there.
We truly appreciate how much the Beast immerses you into each area, truly putting their all into every detail from the set designs to the lighting, the walls, the ceiling, and even the floors! No area had mere “decorations” to match the “theme” of the room; it was as if you were transported INTO the scene to be a victim or to bear witness!
Encountering something like the Headless Horseman was a spectacle, with the use of special effects making it feel like you ran into him during a thunderstorm. As mentioned previously, areas such as the dark forest with the werewolves hunting us down and the Headless Horseman showcase were only as impactful as it was due to the excellent use of special effects, from lighting to sound to animatronics!
One scene we had notes on was the Witch burning. It seemed like we may have entered a little early, as the actors were still scrambling into place. They covered it well, but the actor playing the witch had to run to her post (literally) to get in place and be “tied up” for the cleansing of her spirit. Two others were sword-fighting with rubber weapons, and we weren’t sure why they were fighting or what the story was meant to be. While we understand the use of rubber swords for safety, the lack of metallic clash pulled us out of the moment.
When the burning began, the Minister was reading from (presumably) the Good Book as the Witch screamed in agony. It was unsettling, but ultimately felt like it was missing a payoff. Religious horror is certainly a staple when it comes to the genre, and we get what the scene is presenting, but it feels like there is something missing. We lingered, waiting for something more, flames erupting, the Witch breaking free, some kind of crescendo, but instead it plateaued. Theatrically, it was strong, but with just a touch more spectacle, it could be unforgettable.
If we may humbly suggest, a simple but effective option could be adding fire effects from below, like warm-colored ribbons or fabric shot upward by a fan, triggered by the Minister, to give the illusion that the Witch is truly engulfed. That kind of supernatural flare would have turned this into a cinematic, chilling finale and been the cherry on top for the scene!
Besides that note, we felt that the Beast was extremely effective with special effects from beginning to end, and tweaking a couple more scenes will only elevate the overall experience!
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.58
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9.48
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 6.5
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.98
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 8.25
Many of our team members had the same sentiment: that a haunted house had not scared us like this in a very long time. Our hearts were racing from the event in the best spooky way. There are areas where you can tell where scares are coming from, but that’s the challenge every haunt has to face. This house can get very dark at times, but I think it only adds to a better setup for the next incoming scene. You truly do have to grapple in the dark at some points, but that ups the scare factor.
As mentioned previously, one of our colleagues had to leave midway through the attraction. That being said, when we reunited with them, they said that it was only a benefit. While we felt the ending was a tad abrupt, it came from a place of not wanting the experience to end. The Beast was an intense kick in the face to set off a spooky season, and we were very satisfied with the overall Scare Factor!
The walkthrough time of The Beast is roughly 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how quickly you can get through some of the maze scenes! A ticket for just the Beast is $37 regular and $57 for VIP, and can be combined with the other two attractions, Edge of Hell or Macabre Cinema, for additional costs. You can buy tickets online or in person at their ticket booth, which is separate from the attractions and GREATLY reduces crowds and wait time!
They advise that you arrive 1 hour early before your scheduled entry time.
You get the bang for your buck in this house. We never felt rushed, but were definitely scared throughout the attraction. We like to enjoy the ambiance and scenery when we walk through, and it is always nice to have an actor who is proud of their section; it shows every time!
This was well worth the money. The quality seen in these attractions is nearly on par with iconic theme parks. When you factor in everything that goes into making a haunt attraction of this caliber work, you definitely get what you pay for. From the decorations, the animatronics, the upkeep, making sure everything is functional and safe, plus paying for the large number of actors that help shape the vibe and (pun intended) nature of the Beast, it’s a good price to get you into the spooky season. If you haven’t visited or you haven’t gone in a while, NOW is a great year to encounter The Beast for yourself!
1401 West 13th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64102
