The USS Nightmare is a must-see haunted attraction. Housed in an authentic 1933 steamboat, the atmosphere and serpentine layout make it a stand-out that is sure to leave you screaming for more . . . and well, yes, just screaming! If at all possible, make the trip to Riverboat Row in Newport, Kentucky for a healthy scare. Your heart and lungs will get a good workout.
Ah, the sheer frightening pleasure of a dedicated crew! In all, there are about 100 team members who work the ship, 65 of which are actors. On any given night 40 of those actors will be haunting the hallways of the U. S. S. Nightmare. This was a truly entertaining troupe. Scares were plentiful, but the real joy was in seeing SO MANY of them having developed their characters beyond the initial “Boo!” Clever, creepy dialog abounds as these creatures work to give you their blood-crawling best.
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There is some very good make-up that is sure to have you taking a second look . . . or send you running in terror! Eyeballs out of their sockets, rotting flesh, and bloody appendages abound. This is some real first class make-up giving this ship’s characters some gruesome forms. U. S. S. Nightmare sports 12 make-up artists with 8 chairs running the cast through them. Moreover, a few of the veteran artists are quite accomplished having received their training from some notables in the horror make-up industry. These veterans than give the training to apprentices who do their make-up under the watchful eye of their more accomplished colleagues. Consequently, while some costuming and make-up are more developed then others, there is nary a cheap mask to be found.
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Friendliness, safety, and ingenuity are the linchpins of customer service at USS Nightmare. The staff was courteous and helpful in answering all the questions we had, even before knowing we were reviewing their attraction. Numerous precautions have been taken to insure the safety of all patrons. Security is present. Exits are well marked. We do question just how handicap accessible the attraction is and if that is a concern for you, you may want to call first. The lines can be quite long, but they do a great job of handling their queue. At one point, you can watch an actual news story about the ship. At one point, before being brought to its present location it broke free of its moorings and careened down the river. Actual news footage covers this event from the history of the ship. A little further into the queue there is the “Interactive Horror Terminal”. This terminal allows you to activate an air cannon inside the haunt, while you get the watching the resulting scare on a monitor via a hidden camera. A great idea that we’ve never seen before. The only thing is that it does cost you 25 cents to try. We tried it twice. Neither time did we get much of a reaction from the patrons inside, but it’s a cool idea. In addition to these two features, a couple of the ships inhabitants prowled the queue providing some additional entertainment. Additionally, the USS Nightmare takes a photo of every group in front of a green screen. At the end of your nightmare, you can by a souvenir photo with a cool scene from the haunt superimposed behind your group.
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There were times within this ship that they did not need to do a single piece of decorating to make it a truly creepy experience. The engine and boiler rooms were reminiscent of “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Catwalks up and down between floors were wonderfully decrepit and creepy. And even some of the staff agrees, the scariest part of the ship may be the catwalks that traverse you up and around the paddle wheel housing as the river rushes below you. Add to this the work done by the staff of this haunt and you have one of the best atmospheres we have experienced.
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Many of the standard special effects and scares are used throughout and are used well. What makes them better than the standard attraction is the layout. They utilize every inch of this ship for this 30 minute plus attraction. What that means is that some of the effects you come at more than once from different angles. The effect is powerful and at times chilling. You may see a prop from an angle or a distance before coming upon it dead on. Rather than spoiling it, it serves at times to make it creepier. Additionally, there are some quite creative elements- such as the “ball room” with its comedic clowns.
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This is the area where we believe USS Nightmare harbors the greatest untapped potential. They have a basic plot line on the website for a legend to build around, but unless you go to the website you are not likely to know this. The plot centers around the true story of the ship breaking free of its moorings. It’s the beginnings of a clever hook, but largely that theme is missing from the actual attraction.
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The screamer in our group was hoarse by the time we finished this ghoulish attraction. The characters are relentless, the atmosphere is spooky, and the effects are top-notch. If you scare, you will be scared. If you don’t, like me, you will be highly entertained by the screams of those around you.
101 Riverboat row, Newport, Kentucky 41071
