The legendary Haunted Hydro lives on! This place continues to scare souls with its creepy atmosphere and strong emphasis on live actors. Each attraction, the Lair of Scare
Another year (the 21st, to be exact) and another awesome cast for the Haunted Hydro! It’s easy to sense the pride every scarer has for contributing to the haunt’s wonderful legacy. The cast is able to choose and develop what speaks to them, and it shows. For the average weekend at the Hydro, the haunt boasted 70+ actors, whom were well distributed throughout each attraction. We did, however, miss the free-roaming monster interaction out in the courtyard. The Haunted Hydro High program, which allows actors to earn higher ranks as they gain experience, really seems to motivate the cast to give their very best at all times. It’s clear they truly love what they do, and it shows.
A lot of thought has gone into the costuming of the actors! All of the costumes ‘made sense’. Actors hiding in the shadows dressed in black, actors with zombie make-up had complimentary attire, etc. We were very pleased to see virtually no masks, and very little ‘chain store’ costuming. This is yet another example of training your actors well and using the right tools and materials to get the job done.
Upon arriving at the Haunted Hydro, patrons will find a safe, open field for parking, which is easy to spot from the road due to its excellent lighting. There were at least two traffic volunteers, who were very courteous. At the ticket booth, there were three very helpful ladies moving the line along rather quickly, yet still accommodating enough to politely answer any questions. All prices and recommendations were clearly marked on the trailer, and the professional signs made every attraction’s entrance stand out very well.
What can be better than looking up, inside a creepy, old water treatment plan, and still seeing the moon glow behind the fast-moving clouds? Having an eerie atmosphere is something the Haunted Hydro knows how to achieve, year after year. We appreciated how much detail was put into each of the haunt’s rooms, from the Victorian bedroom outfit, to the nuclear biohazard layout in Lair of Scare.
The spooky security system, using old monitors and TVs, was a surprising highlight during our trek. This year, a majority of the haunts came from the actors, themselves. While that is mostly a positive statement, some of the effects throughout the hydro were a little outdated or lackluster. Still, it’s not about having the latest and greatest, but how effectively are they used throughout the haunt. The Haunted Hydro capitalizes on their minimalist approach to effects, with their clever use of light and shadow, and by concealing many of their prop-based effects to blend in well with the environment. Let’s be honest, the hydraulic floor will never, ever go out of style!
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MASTER: 100 reviews of 60 unique haunts in 10 years.
EXPERT: 50 reviews of 30 unique haunts in 5 years.
VETERAN: 15 reviews of 10 unique haunts in 3 years.
APPRENTICE: 5 reviews of 5 unique haunts in the past year.
NOVICE: Entry-level team.
1333 Tiffin Street, Fremont, Ohio 43420