Features:
✓-Paid Parking✓-All-Outdoor Attraction
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: 8.57
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.35
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.23
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 7.73
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.6
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 9.08
(5% of Final Score) Theme: 9.15
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.33
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.2
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Summary:
A seemingly neverending series of walkways, small houses and every type of character you can imagine is what makes up the extremely well-detailed Trail of Terror. Every square inch of this trail is immaculate, and not just with a pile of stuff but with appropriate objects and theming that adds to the overall credibility of the scenes. There are lots of movie characters in here as well, including the Halloween house, an It house, The Purge, and impressive Jeepers Creepers areas. They also utilize all the space within the fenced in area to create a dizzying series of twists and turns through all the various themes.
Overall, it’s just a really enjoyable trip through so many different worlds, movies, and nightmares that it just provides all sorts of Halloween-type thrills.
Cast: 8.35
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?: 8
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 10
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There are a lot of cast members at Trail of Terror and they are all volunteers! Our interaction with the cast began when the Sanderson Sisters popped out of their house in the queue line to entertain the crowd along with some other entertainers. There are a lot of great actors here that really bring their characters to life, even if they are well known like Pennywise, Michael Myers, and other familiar characters. These actors were even the right size to properly portray these monsters!
The frustrating recurring theme with the cast, costumes, and scares was that it was inconsistent. There were some really awesome folks in here, super believable, and then others who seem to be just there. It somewhat takes away from the fine work of the major characters and regular ones like the girl with her throat sliced that was really convincing. But, overall, they really make the place come alive.
Costuming: 8.23
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
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7.5
(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?: 9
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There were a lot of spot-on costumes that were super detailed and authentic. Especially the movie characters including Pennywise and the Jeepers Creepers guy. Most look like they just stepped out of the movie. Again, it was a bit inconsistent as some of them were just general costumes. Makeup was the same. Some designs were really fine and detailed work while others consisted of very basic or almost no design. They actually use a lot of masks here, both for the practicality of not having to apply makeup to the large cast every night, as well as to accurately portray the movie characters who are mostly masked. The masks here though are not just out of necessity, but also serve a smart purpose. Given the mostly darkened areas of the trail and houses, makeup would get lost and unseen unless they were right up in the guests’ faces. The masks actually allow the characters to stand out and be identifiable. A lot of the masks create good profiles in the dim light.
The few really featured makeups, like the throat slashed girl, are really very good, like stop in your tracks and step closer to take a better look good. I would like to see where that could go for this attraction if they put in more scenes where makeup could be used and shine through. It would provide another element to this excellent show.
Customer Service: 7.73
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?: 8.5
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 6.5Explanation:
Dark trail leading to the entrance with roots and other obstacles. Team member took a fall here.
(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?: 7Explanation:
Was hard to find information.
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While the staff here was extremely friendly and helpful, there were some customer service issues here. Parking and finding the Haunt are not among those though. There is a huge paid parking lot here for $8 right next to the woods the trail inhabits. So that part is easy but then you enter a dark, winding trail in the woods just to get to the main entrance. This does create an unusual and extra-atmospheric element before you even get to the gate but the downside is that you better have a flashlight out or a cell phone as it is dark in there, and there are numerous roots. Just be aware if you choose the path and watch out for roots and such or you could take a tumble like one of my teammates did on the way in. If you want to avoid this, my advice is to go out the parking gate and walk down the paved road like you do when you leave, it’s much safer. It’s also really dark in other areas so keep your hands out in front, and watch your step. They did fix a lot of the elevation changes here from last year.
My other biggest recommendation is to stop somewhere to use the bathroom before getting there. There are some when you exit the attraction 45 minutes to an hour later, but there was only one porta potty at the entrance to the trail and one at the entrance to the Haunt.
For those who would like to enjoy something to eat, the Trail Grub will be stationed on property offering chili dogs, nachos, candy, beverages and more.
Atmosphere: 8.6
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
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 8
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Okay, here’s where the scores go up and Trail of Terror is really strong. The atmosphere is so spot-on and authentic with the tall trees all around you and rising high above you. They do a masterful job of just closing off the outside world completely. By having every area highly detailed and themed you are never taken out of their world. I’ve been there twice in two years and I still never know where I am on the trail in relation to anything else. Oh, and they change like 85 to 90% of the trail every year. There was so much that was new, or changed or moved. It just creates such a strong atmosphere that is comprehensive and complete.
Special Effects: 9.08
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 10
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 10
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.5
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I don’t care what anyone else would say, there is no chance that anyone in the country does sound effects better than Trail of Terror. No one. The sound is everywhere, matches the scenes, sets up the atmosphere, sets up what’s coming next and encompasses you where you are. It’s just phenomenal.
Their other special effects including animatronics, fog, lighting, etc.. are all well placed for that scene and theme, and are very effective. A lot of that was cool moments, but generally they just enhance the scene, the set design, the characters and it all adds to the fullness of the experience.
Theme: 9.15
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?: 9.5
(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?: 9
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Rather than following one theme, Trail of Terror has all of them. Literally every theme you can think of is in there. By keeping their scenes short you are constantly changing from one theme in one area to another but they also keep the characters and themes contained to just that area so that it makes sense as you wind your way along. I think that is a smart way to do this so it doesn’t become a chaotic mess of random creatures and themes all over the place. Everything is there, but everything is where it belongs.
Scare Factor: 8.33
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8
(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?: 9
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 8
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Trail of Terror is not an overwhelmingly terrifying place. It’s almost family friendly but with just enough dark edge for me to say maybe not for the younger kids like preteens. What it does is wear you down and get you through attrition. The walk is almost non-stop except for a very brief break in the middle if you want to take it, so it’s 45 minutes of jump scares, movie characters in your face, and just the unknown rattling your nerves. That’s where they get you, repeated scares coming early and often. Like everything here, the scares are a cumulative and full picture concept. They want to scare you all the way through from beginning to end and they do a good job of it!
Entertainment & Value: 9.2
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
(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
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 10
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 10
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While there is not much entertainment on the outside, inside the Trail is incredibly entertaining and really fun if you enjoy seeing the sets and the different worlds they created or recreated directly from the big screen.
There is no way you won’t be entertained with all that goes on here, and for the price of a $20 general admission ticket (timed tickets), it is absolutely a steal as this trail took us around 45 minutes to navigate this year! You can’t really get a better deal, which is one of the reasons the crowds are so big here. If there are any tickets available after their timed tickets are sold, they are $15 each but they are limited and the Trail strongly suggests that you purchase a timed ticket in advance.
If it’s a traditional, Halloween scare experience that you’re looking for, this is the place!
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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