In the 1930’s, Dr. Von Monschenture, a doctor and scientist obsessed with experiments and creating artificial life, built a scientific lab at his home estate. One night, an explosion coming from the home rocked the nearby town. As one of the brave townspeople, you go to the mansion only to discover the true horrors of what the doctor has been doing. The only question is, can you make it out alive to tell the story?
Zombie Toxin is a highly detailed and elaborate, 9,000 Sq ft haunt, based on the fictional story of Dr. Von Monschenture. With a very heavy sci-fi & horror storyline, the look and feel throughout the entire haunt is impressive, and feels like you are on a movie set at times.
Some might find its contents to be disturbing and a little gory, so it may not be ideal for younger haunters. The haunt does not recommend anyone under the age of 8. There are lasers, flashing lights, and fog for those who are sensitive to them.
The cast in this haunt is truly unique. You won’t see a “famous” person here; it’s a whole new set of characters to hunt you down. You’ll run into the evil doctor more than once as you try to escape, as well as some of his creations and experiments.
There definitely felt like there were enough actors throughout the haunt. The only slow spots were just long enough to catch your breath before the next scare. We were never in a room long enough to really get a sense of the behaviors of a character or any individualism, but overall, they all seemed like they wanted to kill us.
Most characters didn’t have a lot of dialogue. I remember someone screaming, “Dinner time!” like they were going to eat us, and the doctor asking us, “Where had we been?”. Everyone was high-energy or waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They all seemed excited to be there and really dedicated to their roles.
I don’t recall seeing any stereotypical slow-walker “brains” zombies stumbling around, but there were some more intelligent zombie creatures. I only mention this since the haunt is called Zombie Toxin, and some people might be looking for those characters due to the namesake.
With a variety of unique characters come unique costumes. None of the costumes in this haunt looked like they were just bought from Walmart. These are all highly detailed costumes and face masks, or face paint. There were a few hair wigs that looked a little fake, if you want to get really nitpicky, but overall, it was well done. The costumes seemed to match the theme of the room, or at the very least the haunt’s theme, as well as the character wearing it.
The queue actors were the costumes I got the best views of, since I wasn’t running for my life. They were very detailed, and most matched the theme of the haunt. There were a few creatures that I wasn’t sure how they fit in with the story, but they were still fun to see and interact with. My favorite costume was probably zombie Dr. Von Monschenture, or at least that’s what I think his name is. I just liked the style and the level of grunge and detail that was put in it.
You can find most of the information you need on their website and Facebook page. This includes dates, rules, online tickets, and a small FAQ. You’ll also find discount codes for certain days periodically on their Facebook page.
Parking can be a bit interesting at this haunt. There is a grass/gravel parking lot that can hold quite a few cars, but on a busy night, you’ll have to find nearby street parking. Thankfully, it’s all free from what I could tell, and the area seems fairly safe to walk around at night.
The staff was super nice, and security was visible. They were walking the queue line, making sure people didn’t get too crazy. While they were all wearing black, it did look like they were wearing matching jackets or shirts of some kind.
We purchased our tickets online in advance, but due to the sudden cold temperatures that night, we decided to upgrade to a fast pass. The lady at the ticket booth made it super easy to change our tickets out. Also, in the past, they have had a food truck on site, but they didn’t the night we went, and there is no concession stand. There is, however, a multi-stall bathroom inside the haunt lobby, which is nice.
The costumed staff in the lobby right before the haunt doors, explained the rules and answered any questions we had before entering. They did tell us that we could have as many people as we wanted in our group, but we had to have at least 4 people minimum that night to help keep the lines moving, and after 10 people, it got a little difficult for the scare actors to reach everyone.
Arriving, this haunt is not hard to miss. While the main entrance is located off the main road, signs line the wooden fence around the haunt, a 12-foot skeleton stands guard, and a hearse sits out front. The ticket booth is well-marked and across from the haunt entrance. There are separate lines for regular and speed pass, and even a 3rd entrance line to access the indoor restrooms or for staff to walk through as needed.
Several queue actors were walking around as we waited in line. Some were scaring and chasing people, but others were talking and carrying on creepy conversations with guests. There was an actual DJ in a costume playing popular music right outside the main entrance queue line area. When the DJ music stopped, a musical performance by Dr. Von Monschture himself began. This happened when someone decided to test their strength with the arm hang challenge to try and win $100. It took place on a small stage right in the middle of the queue lines, so it was easy to see unless the line was around the building.
The front of the haunt had a grey, two-story mansion facade, and the queue line weaved through the front yard. The lobby looks like the inside of a 1930’s mansion… until you look up and see 4 bodies in medical gowns, hooked to machines, and floating up and down in the air above you. That’s when you realize you’re in for a real treat.
When the doors open and you step inside, you find yourself in a science lab with creatures in cryotanks. The doctor explains how he is bringing his creature to life before everything goes wrong! Next thing you know, you’re getting sprayed with monster fluids as the monster tries to break free. The doctor rushes you into the haunt so you can escape the creature, only to be met with the real terror that awaits inside.
This haunt is a floor-to-ceiling immersion with extremely high-detail props, animatronics, sets, and décor. It felt like walking on a movie set. Even when the haunt calms down on the decoration, you won’t notice because the special effect props and scare actors take over.
The theme sticks with the sci-fi, medical, horror feel, but creates several types of rooms within the theme, so every room is an adventure. One minute you’re in a science lab, then part of the mansion, then cages and catacombs. While some rooms stretched the theme aspect, I didn’t notice any rooms that couldn’t be tied to the theme in some way. It was like you were running through the mansion trying to escape,
When the haunt is over, you exit through a metal door and walk out near the front of the haunt on the general admission side. There is a photo op spot right there, as well as a banner with the haunt’s fictional story in case you missed them the first time.
They did a great job timing the group and keeping them separated, as we never ran into a group.
The special effects used were top-notch, believable, and kept you fully immersed.
The science lab areas were very sci-fi, realistic. The props lit up like they were actually on, with the sound of the machines whirling, water bubbling, and electricity surging in the background.
They pulled some great disorienting effects with a long spiral tunnel, a hallway that felt like it was going to collapse on you, an air bladder tunnel, and a cloth maze with creatures lying in wait for you to find them.
There were a number of animatronic effects with moving mannequins and figures, doors trying to break open, creatures and body parts moving, and a rack of toxic barrels almost crushing you.
Some additional sound effects I noticed were screams, banging, screams of “Let me out!”, a chainsaw, circus or clown music, and what sounded like a car horn.
They pulled a great swamp with a green laser and low-lying fog that hit your waist and not much higher. It was dense enough that I couldn’t see the people or animatronics hiding underneath it until they popped out. It was also a guided maze so you didn’t run into anything you weren’t supposed to.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 9
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 9
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 8
The scares come from all sides, with quite a few from above, they definitely got everyone in the group. Some of the different scare types included: Jump scares, distractions, hide & seek actors, fear of spiders, disorientation, intimidation, victimizing, sensations, and more.
Being the first person in the group, one of my favorite scares was the cloth maze. Every time I moved a piece of fabric to lead the group through, I was the first to find the creatures behind it. Also, the air blast at my feet near the door got me pretty good.
The overhead scares, collapsing barrels, and moving body parts really got the middle of the group. I saw the things out of the corner of my eye, but I was just past them when they triggered.
I don’t know what scared the last people in the group. Our middle was screaming and trying to run away so much, but I did hear some screams from the back, so I know something got them.
The only downside of this haunt is its length, it’s not nearly long enough!. Advertising around 15-20 minutes, we made it out in 12 minutes. Maybe we were booking it through there, but the other groups weren’t too far behind us, and we never caught up to the group in front of us, so I don’t think we were. The tickets were $25 for general admission and $35 (or $10 more) for a speed pass. The dollar per minute is a little high, but I think it was well worth it.
The added music and queue actors keep you entertained while you wait, and not many haunts offer you a chance to win $100 for just “hanging around”.
This haunt is worth every penny and the drive it takes to get there. It is a fast-paced haunt that delivers what it promises.
417 North Franklin Street, Junction City, Kansas 66441
