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: 6.82
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.33
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 6.48
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 7.75
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 4.4
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 7.35
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 7.05
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 6.4
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 7.45
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Summary:
The Go Go Scare Show was created last year, as a family friendly haunt. In both years of operation, the entire set is taken completely down and rebuilt for the Halloween Season. This newer hometown haunt has a lot of passion for providing a fun and safe haunt for the community.
They do change the theme yearly. This year is about Grimm’s Fairy Tales. These tales are not the bedtime stories you listened to as a child growing up. If you are unfamiliar with the Grimm Brothers, you should definitely read up on them! We are talking about dark, twisted, and disturbed tales that keep children up at night. The haunt offers some mild touching, in addition to crawling, sliding, some climbing and walking through scene after scene displaying what happens when princesses and fairies turn bad.
Cast: 7.33
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 9
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 7
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 7
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 6.5Explanation:Might want to avoid characters that wear hockey masks in a fairy tale-type of haunt. Also, maybe find an old prom dress from Goodwill, or for sale cheap to wear as the Queen of Hearts instead of street clothes.
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The volunteer teen actors performed with much enthusiasm and energy around every corner. Boy, are they loud!
The beginning scene was unique as you get to sit with the smokey caterpillar enjoying a hookah, all the while, looking very sly at you. His makeup patterning on the face, satin attire, and brightly colored wig clearly alludes to the sassy caterpillar found in the Alice in Wonderland story. In bounds the Mad Hatter chasing the White Rabbit for just a moment before they disappear into the next area.
We want to give a shout out to the Hansel and Gretel witch. She most certainly was not a hospitable host and (unfortunately) we know what’s for dinner as she has several screaming children begging for a way out. She had a life-sized oven at her disposal, reflecting her appetite for gruesome kids meals. She enjoys her culinary prowess, so don’t get in her way or you might just be the next one in her cauldron. She used all of her area well, going from front to back, allowing us to enter, only to throw us out via the oven!
I felt a little wrong enjoying the story of Cinderella chopping off the feet of her victims in search of her lost glass slipper. She looked and acted crazed. By the looks of her bloody dress and area, she has been looking for quite some time. She shows with her chopping ability that she can make a clean cut with one swipe of the butcher knife. Good luck Prince Charming, you’re going to need it!
Costuming: 6.48
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?: 6
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 6
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 6.5
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Most of the characters were easy to identify. Cinderella wore her well known blue (but bloody) ball gown. Snow White, although damaged, wore her iconic blue and yellow dress. Her facial injuries clearly showed what had happened to her. The three pigs wore pig masks and dressed in their finest farm attire.
Unfortunately, The Queen of Hearts was wearing street clothes. She had hearts in her cubicle and threatened to chop our heads off, to guide us as to who she was. Her henchman had a “Jason Voorhees meets Michael Myers” feel to him, with the bloody coveralls, machete, and white face mask combination. Most costumes appeared to be from traditional, simple costume places, not unlike those purchased at chain department stores. For the purpose of being a family friendly haunt, though, they were appropriate. We came across a character reminiscent of a Maleficent character, including horns curled back along the scalp.
Customer Service: 7.75
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?: 5
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.5
(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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There is minimal signage for this establishment. While there were a string of signs along the roadway in front of the location, they were dark and tiny in size. GPS got us to the strip mall it is located in, just a few doors down from the exact entrance. There is minimal Halloween-style decor attached just above the door indicating the entrance along with a plastic 5 foot tree. Also at the door, you will find a posting on a portable wooden fence with the haunt name, dates of operation, and price. Due to the location, all outside materials must not be permanent, and removed daily. Don’t let the entrance deter you from going in and trying it out. We are sure glad we entered the building with an open mind. You have no idea what grim scenes await you.
Being in a strip mall, there is ample, well-lit parking. Ticket booth sales personnel were friendly and accommodating. They answered our questions and shared information with us.
They did work hard at keeping groups separated. In the maze, a group with two children got stuck, and we did end up with them. Staff came in and got things moving again fairly quickly.
A minor issue would be that there were a couple places where there was a board across the threshold, which could be a tripping issue, but is a simple fix.
There is a Facebook page for this haunt. From there, you can gather useful information such as the theme, address, dates, contact information, and cost of the haunt.
Atmosphere: 4.4
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?: 4Explanation:
We know there are limits to what you can do to the outside of the haunt. Maybe attach things to wheels that can be wheeled in at night when not in use? That could potentially get more attention to your haunt. Marquis sign would be nice, or something with a light on it.
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 5Explanation:
The pumpkin head guy was a nice addition to your queue area, and your space is limited, but he could be a little more interactive with customers in line. As you grow, this queue staging area should also grow. Photo booths, DJ, etc.
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Technically speaking, there were two queue areas: outside the main entrance, and an indoor section that provided the ticket booth and queue area to enter the actual haunt. The indoor queue area was dark and lit with a purple haze. There was one character wearing a pumpkin head mask lurking around that the younger kids would scream and hide from. The indoor signage was nice and bold. You could hear mystical music and some bubbling. Parked right at the actual haunt entrance, was an 8 foot animatronic dragon.
Special Effects: 7.35
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 6.5
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 8
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 7.5
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 6.5
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At the beginning, there was a spooky sound track playing. There was also a nicely detailed 8 foot dragon at the indoor queue area inside the building.
Aside from that, they had a nice projector face on a blank statue bust that spoke to the group about rules and expectations. A laser light show was incorporated to make a swamp effect, with some hanging vines dangling from the ceiling, along with a small, adult-sized slide and an adult-sized oven to crawl through, with a red light for an added effect. There was a black out room with special friends waiting to hold your hand and guide the way out’ maybe. The maze tunnel was confusing for all, especially when demented princesses are hanging around. A fog machine was present somewhere on the premises. There was a black light and bright paint section.
Theme: 7.05
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 7.5
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?: 7
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?: 6.5
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The title of this year is Grimm’s Fairy Tales. This is a cool idea to blend Halloween with stories most have heard of.
While in the haunt, you’re to look out for the darker fairy tales Mr. Disney left out of his animations. While most characters were easy to spot and made sense, there were a few we weren’t sure about that left us scratching our heads. The machete character could wear something other than coveralls and hockey mask, in order to follow the theme more closely.
Did I just spot Momo, or is that character another demented princess who has lost it?
Scare Factor: 6.4
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 6
(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
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 6
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 5Explanation:
We know the haunt is planned to be family friendly but the end could use something. Maybe something to make customers jump.
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The actors and actresses jumped out from the front, middle, or back at various times. Sometimes they were waiting on us in order to interact with their props and to threaten us. While this is a touch haunt, they were gentle and appropriate for a family based attraction. There were no obscenities or vulgarity anywhere on the property, just blood. Lots and lots of blood!
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% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 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?: 9Explanation:You have a lot going on with the space you have to work with. Adding a stronger ending will help.
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At $13 tickets, you do get a nice entertainment value families would be able to pay. We would consider this a haunt appropriate for the younger lads to attend with families.
Granted, my group took our time really looking over everything, we completed the haunt in just under 20 minutes. With the winding twists and turns, space is used effectively. The finale was lackluster and could be built up.
For the length and what we experienced inside, we feel like this haunt offers a very good value!
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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