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: 8.46
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 8.72
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.66
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 9.19
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 9.09
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 9
(5% of Final Score) Theme:
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.63
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 9.03
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Summary:
In the middle of a little town in Brilliant, Ohio sits a multi-level brick building that holds nightmares for the travelers that seek them out. Wells Township Haunted House is back at it again creating haunted nightmares for the rest of your nights. They have been in the industry for a while but their passion for the haunt is still visible, more now than ever.
Cast: 8.72
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?: 8.5
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8.9
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 8.75
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8.5
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On an average night, Wells Township needs about 57 beastly beings inside the haunt to create nightmares. They are considered fully staffed with about 63. As you can imagine that is a lot of people in a building; so, your chances of being scared are even greater.
You will see your iconic haunt team members like Cowboy and Aunt B but in addition, this year, Wells has added some newbies. Local high schools have jumped on the Wells train and have started sending people over to help in the haunt. Don’t think because they are newbies you will get off free because some of them have started to enjoy this gig and want to make you pee your pants.
The entire cast enhances their scenes and interactions with people very well. One group that I think does this exceptionally well is the 10 tour guides. We had the pleasure of having Taylor as our tour guide. The guides must stay in character, keep you moving through the haunt, and yet be able to freestyle dialogue with you and it is amazing to watch because it is not an easy task to do. There is a statue guy that was the highlight of my night. He was doing one simple task repeatedly which distracted me from everything else in that moment. We also wanted to give a shout out to the guy that is 7 feet at the haunt, no joke he is naturally 7 feet tall and gets asked how tall he is all the time.
Costuming: 8.66
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?: 8.75
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8.5
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 8.9
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 8.75
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8.5
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At Wells Township they do not use a lot of masks but if they do they try to keep it for original charters. The masks usually fit so well you can’t tell they are masks. At Wells they do some great looks in costuming. Some of their looks become iconic characters of Wells. Patrons ask for these icons by name such as: Pappy, Aunt B, Cowboy, and Sparky the Clown. The costumes are usually completed for each character and fit the scene they’re found in very well. Some get very creative with their costumes while others stay realistic and that is always a side of extra creepy. One thing we want to shout out is the use of ghillie/ moss-covered suits for a scene which added the perfect touch for that area.
Customer Service: 9.19
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?: 8.9
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 9.25
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 9.35
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 9.25
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This year didn’t disappoint, and Wells gets it right. Customer Service is a top priority for them. It is easy to find the location as it is in a little town, so it is the only thing that looks alive and is protruding energy. If you get lost stop and ask anyone and they can point you in the right direction. Parking is a little rough but will be better next year, as Wells has purchased additional land to make a bigger parking lot. We love when haunts see a problem and handle it. Speaking of this, Wells does a great job with security and making sure everyone is safe and gets to their cars safely.
On the night we attended, someone’s car broke down and they jumped in and helped them get it fixed. Wells employs some of the most professional staff that I have encountered. You can find them easily and you can notice that they are non-acting staff. If you have any questions their website is loaded with great details and information.
Atmosphere: 9.09
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?: 9.15
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 9
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Wells has an atmosphere like no other. Once you get in the general area you can feel the energy and hear the live band. Once you park it is easy to see the line for the ticket booth and get your group number. Past this point there are no more lines. You are free to roam the grounds where you can get refreshments, upgrade your tickets, listen to the band, interact with the horrid beast roaming around, take pictures with the photo ops, do your zombie challenge first and so much more. It is a very lively and party-like atmosphere.
If you find a worker, ask for a fire ball. Wells upgraded to a high definition video screen on the side of the building where they run movies, videos and information. The picture is so clear and a great enhancement for the haunt. Once your group’s number lights up on the video board you then are escorted to the front of the building. They have a storefront window that’s always different every year. It’s like a Macy’s Christmas window. This is where you get the low down and meet your tour guide. Then the anticipation kicks in and puts all your senses on high alert.
Special Effects: 9
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 9
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 9.15
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 9.05
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8.85
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 9
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There is never a shortage of special effects throughout Wells Township. You will see some things that are being used at other haunts but the things that they add make them more creative. One example of this is laser swamps. They have been utilized in many haunts this season, but Wells adds ghillie suits and a few other effects and it makes it much more effective. They have a simulator that we haven’t seen in other haunts except this one. If you have experienced, it before this year it’s a different one. One special effect that I fell in love with was the girls makeup that changed with the lighting. It was a small special effect/makeup combo but it was so amazing to watch and made such a huge difference in that scene.
The intricate details in the complete scenes are special effects all in their own ways. One of our favorite things about Wells that most people experience but will never know is the ingenuity and creativity the teams puts into their effects so that they can stand out against the others.
Theme: N/A
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?:
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?:
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?:
This score is left “N/A” when we believe the haunt is trying to target a random variety of themes or phobias, rather than a single overarching “Theme” or “storyline.”
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N/A
Wells doesn’t utilize a theme but just because they don’t have a theme doesn’t mean they can’t make you pee your pants.
Scare Factor: 8.63
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?: 8.9
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.75
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8.9
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 9.15
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Wells Township is a touch haunt this year providing ultimate scares for everyone in your group. This is one of the few haunts that still has a tour guide, which is an added bonus because they can make sure each scene is ready for you. You will not experience any dead spaces and they will point you out to the judge for execution.
Wells starts off with an escape room and ends with one of two alternate endings, so they are giving you a little bit of everything. With innovative scenes filled with a properly trained cast, there is a fear for everyone. No one is safe. They do a good job at keeping the scares coming and keeping you guessing where they will come from. When you get into a room you look for the exit; good luck because the rooms are designed to trick you!
Entertainment & Value: 9.03
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?: 9.15
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 8.9
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9.15
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The entertainment value at Wells Township is always worth it. If you don’t get scared, you will definitely be entertained and have an exciting night. General admission is only $14 and we were in the haunt for 25 minutes! For every dollar you spend on general admission at Wells you are getting 1.79 minutes of a deliciously horrified experience per dollar spent. This is just for the haunt and doesn’t include the zombie escape challenge which is included in your admission price.
You will experience many things going on throughout the evening from live bands and actors to queue entertainers and much more. Wells definitely knows how to entertain. One awesome thing that Wells is doing is Vet tickets. One night during haunt season they honor the Vets by letting them and their family go through the haunt for free!
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!
