OVERALL RATING :

Scare Factor

Actors

Set Design

Length

RAW SCORE : 6.781

RATING

REVIEW

It’s hard to get by the “Lazer Storm” sign outside. Yet this haut works hard to rock the black light, day glo look rather than fight it. In the entrance room, I got to peer at Orc Sweat and other foul concoctions and that was just the beginning.

I really liked the path in this haunt. It lead up and down and wound round and round in a confusing way. At one of the coolest moments I overheard a scare getting another group and was able to see their scare from above, only to find myself in their position later. Fr me there is nothing more frightening than walking into something I knew was coming and this haunt did that for me. I wish this haunt had more actors, more props, and had gone further with each scene, but considering the space they covered I can’t be too disappointed. While I wouldn’t say there was a ton of action inside the haunt, the anticipation is well played. Where other haunts over commit, hanging giant drapes everywhere, this haunt nailed the scare with one thread in my eye.

PROS

Cool space with neat levels

CONS

The scares were a little sparse

RATING

REVIEW

This is the first year for "The Chilling Hour" and I had no idea what to expect. We met the owner, Jim, and he let us know this was his personal collection from his shed and decided to put on a haunt with it, so I was a little worried what to think. I have to say, that for a first year haunt, it was pretty well done. About half way through the haunt, I thought, "How big is the shed he keeps this stuff in?"

The walls were a lot of black plastic or scenic paper with "bricks," but the rest of the scenery was covered with props and other effects. Jim let us know they were a little short on actors, but the ones that were there did well. I liked the crazy girl in the bloody room. The guy playing Mike Meyers stood perfectly still until all of us had passed, then he whipped his head around and started following us. Cool. There were also multiple levels and lots of black light, as this haunt is in an old laser tag arena. There were a few spots where there was just blackness. In one of those spots I thought it was just another dead space, but then someone in black lunged out at us: simple but effective scare. I liked the use of different textures (like walnuts and balloons) and weaving the path so that, at times, other groups were walking on the catwalk above our heads.

PROS

Good first year haunt, multiple levels, lots to look at

CONS

Black plastic walls, not a lot of actors

RATING

REVIEW

First and foremost I’d like to say that this is not a professional haunted house. By that I mean it lacks many aspects of the more seasoned haunts found in Denver who have the money and time to build a quality experience and do appropriate marketing as such. The Chilling Hour is more along the lines of a home haunt. Except its inside of a laser tag arena.

Now, I do have to give kudos to the owner for starting up his first haunt and putting forth the effort to work with what he has on hand.  He did a wonderful job with what I’m assuming was a very low budget. There are actually some great scares in the Chilling Hour and the structure of having multiple levels is an interesting change. This haunt is very good for young teens and children alike.

They also have setup a Wizard of Oz room for really young children followed with an arts and crafts room so that the whole family can go and enjoy a Halloween experience. I wouldn’t however recommend this for the more seasoned haunt patron as your expectations are already set too high with the big boys in town.

The actors are mainly young teens who actually do work really hard to surprise you. Thematically, there is a consistent dark throughout – which reminded me of Alien Zone last year. Splattered day-glow paint, black plastic, black lights, filled intermittently with props, dummies, and such. No crazy effects in here, but the actors solidly round it out enough to have a good time.

PROS

Good for kids and young teens

CONS

Home haunt props

RATING

REVIEW

This, the Maiden Voyage of the Chilling Hour, is really good. Pleasantly, surprisingly, unexpectedly really good! Operating with out the large budget and benefits some other haunts may have, this place pulls it off. There are plenty of good scares, great concepts and good use of space. There are even two levels which add some great points of perspective to view different sets from. Points must be given for originality also; the Grand Wizard and his court have playful and creative imaginations that come through in this haunt.

We were treated to what seem to be key ingredients of a good haunted house; darkness and disorientation, surprises jumping out at you, a variety of scary or at the very least disturbing images. Throw in a few zombies, a clown, a mad scientist and some well placed very creepy props and you wonder is that a performer? Are they going to jump at me any second, I just know it…”

There are some areas on which I could offer constructive criticism, but will withhold; for the simple reason that this haunt did what it was supposed to, despite budget and lack of commercial haunting experience, it was fun and exciting. The things that might need fixing will come with time. Trial and error, as they say!

PROS

Fun fun fun! Good length. Lots of potential to become an even better haunted house in the years to come.

CONS

Need to enlist more reliable performers, can't run a successful house if people don’t show up.

RATING

REVIEW

This first year haunt is in Westminster and I was pleasantly surprised. There are two levels in this haunt, which is a first for me, and a great addition. The haunt is pretty dark in most places, which keeps the suspense going. There is a good use of space here, and there are places where you are not sure which way to go which left me a bit disoriented but I liked it. The feeling of being unsure about my next move builds the suspense for me, and I felt that more than once in here. 

I really enjoyed the way the haunt was set up, and it seemed that our group was winding back and forth throughout which gave it good length. The use of black lights everywhere kept things creepy, as did the use of fog although some areas had a bit too much fog and made it difficult to navigate. The costumes were pretty good and the actors that were there did a good job of getting the scares in. The clown got our group in a very surprising way, and this was something I had not seen anywhere else. There were some dead spots due a shortage of actors the night I went, a few more would really make the difference.

Some of the props used had me wondering what else was lurking in there with me since some of the monsters were victims themselves. If they didn’t make it out, how would I? This was a very good haunt in its own right, and I look forward to its return as it has great potential! This is a good one to see if you’re afraid of the dark.

PROS

Two levels, darkness, layout

CONS

Lacked actors, some dead spots, needs some detail

RATING

REVIEW

This Two level haunt will leave you in suspense the whole time. And I must say for a first year hunt and being short on actors they defiantly got me jumping a couple of times. There really wasn’t a theme in the house but there were cool ideas that have tons of potential for the future.

At some points I was a little disappointed about the rooms being bare but in other rooms I was blown away. And I also loved how some things you thought were fake were actually actors or the use of black lights. At times I was blinded by strobe lights and then there were no lights at all. I loved feeling my way though the dark. I think they did a good job and designed a great house with solid actors well designed costumes. They did a great job for there first and I will defiantly be coming back with my friends and family.

PROS

Great first year haunt and loved the set design

CONS

Lack of actors in some of the rooms

RATING

REVIEW

For a first year haunt, I was fairly impressed.  I love the fact that it's in a laser tag arena!  I feel like the darkness, black lighting, and different floor levels in this space really added to this haunt, so the props and set design scored really good.  I loved all the spider webs.  They really added a lot to the set, as did the texture of walking over what seemed like broken glass. 

I don't want to give anything away, but I also just have to say that the balloons were a great effect also...especially when they pop!  The masks were great, but the actors need a little work and there should be more of them.  Transitions between scenes need some attention, i.e. where the white sheet ends and the black plastic begins.  There were also a few holes/empty spaces that need to be filled up more.  Just needs some attention to the details.  Otherwise, this haunt is off to a great start and has some firm ideas to go off of.

PROS

It's in a laser tag arena!

CONS

Transitions, acting, and scare needs work.

RATING

REVIEW

I’ve always been a fan of laser tag. It’s awesome, particularly for the multi-leveled neon lit fort like elements. In that respect I loved Chilling Hour. This haunt had some really fun unexpected uses of space. Ramps, bridges, and strange structures characterized the black-lit variety of scares.

Overall I felt that more than half of the actors weren’t really trying hard enough. I specifically walked past a hooded axe-wielding spook who did nothing to try and get a rise out of me. I was last in line and he just stood at the top of the ramp as we walked down and didn’t breath on me, charge at me or even take a swing at my neck!

Conversely, there were three spaces that stood out, mostly because of acting! The blood splattered bright white insane asylum, populated by two shrieking and heavy breathing ladies made my skin crawl as did the bone yard and clown room. It was cool to expect certain elements and still be surprised by what happened. This was most true for me when the clown made me jump a couple feet in the air!

The Chilling hour is a neat space, but not the scariest or most impressive haunt I’ve been too. It has the potential to really immerse you in the dark creepy environment and is helped by the loud unnerving music, but it’s probably best for someone who is worried about doing their first haunt.

PROS

Super cool space w lots of levels

CONS

Some actors could have tried harder