OVERALL RATING :

Scare Factor

Actors

Set Design

Length

RAW SCORE : 8.5

RATING

REVIEW

I want to say outright that this haunt proves you don’t need a theme to be inventive. Scream Park, for its lack of cohesiveness, ties itself together with the general feeling that you’re going insane. The more I walked, the crazier I felt. It seemed everything I’d come to expect in a haunt, Scream Park decided to double down on (sometimes literally) and to great effect. This is the only haunt I’ve seen with dueling chainsaws, and also the only one where I got to see a co-critic scream and run like a little girl.

The scenes are equally intense. Where many haunts do the cannibal dinner scene, Scream Park sets it in a trailer park with lustful rednecks who flirted with us in an attempt to make us dinner. The actors own the moment and almost make it seem worth sticking around for.  In other places, actors flipped over me as I walked. Moreover, there are scenes unlike any other haunt. Embracing the industrial feel of oil drums and deep bass that pervaded the haunt, in one scene a monster screams through some sort of voice modifier in what I can only describe as the most entrancing, horrifying, and effective scene in any haunt. Like I said, it wasn’t so much about a theme, unless you count feeling like you’re nutty.

PROS

Scene for scene, this haunt delivers scary in a brand new way

CONS

Loud and stinky in places, even though it’s totally part of the atmosphere

RATING

REVIEW

Screampark in Brighton got a facelift in the off-season and I enjoyed the changes. My biggest complaint (or confusion) was the name, though. I would have expected an "Endless Graveyard" to be just that: endless. And a graveyard. That's not to say I didn't like it, because I really did. The feeling I got from it was more of a post-nuclear society or something. Maybe  a title like "End of Days" or something would have been more appropriate. That being said, some of the scenes they had not only rocked, but were things I hadn't seen before. The serial killer room, complete with pictures of Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, and Charles Manson brought in a real-world horror...I thought that was pretty cool.

More post-nuclear scenes included a chemical spill, medical experiments, and people living in graveyards , hearses, and burned out cars. One of my favorite characters was the "nagging trailer park wife" as I like to call her. She was nagging at her husband to leave us alone with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and her hair all messed up. While not scary, she certainly was entertaining! There was also a freaky, um, scientist(?) with the most awesome mask made of metal that I have ever seen. He was really cool and creepy and I couldn't keep my eyes off his mask...if he freaked me out a lot.

Even though the name is a little misleading, I liked the post-nuclear atmosphere and would love to see it expanded on next year.

PROS: CONS:

PROS

Unique scenes, good scenery, pretty long

CONS

Confusing name, not super-scary

RATING

REVIEW

Scream Park has really turned it around from last year. Some new great ideas are explored this year and they really work to the benefit of the haunt and the patrons. This is the first haunt I’ve noticed in Denver to implement a closed circuit camera so that you can watch other people getting scared while you wait in line. I personally feel that this is a great idea and I hope other haunt owners take note to try and incorporate these types of technologies into the experience. The rough outline of the haunt is similar to last year, but with many added changes (the fact that the fire marshal actually let them use their building props this year is a bonus). The House of Wax and Amityville house are back – two of my old favorites. There is a bloody trailer home to walk through, steel culvert tunnels, surgery room, and lots of moments of complete darkness – if you’re like me this is the best place to scare your friends.

I think the most creative room they had this year is a little beyond description because it wouldn’t do it justice. You just have to see it for yourself, but it involved loud death metal, a weird science experimentation theme, and a guy screaming at you wearing a creepy gas mask voice modulation suit. It’s terribly disturbing and awesome. Take time to notice the real photographs of creepy serial killers they have plastered in some of the hallways. Some of the actors this year were really into it and others just gave an “Argh!” attempt. A chainsaw guy in the parking lot (as much as I think the routine is really worn out) does an excellent job of doing the creepy low-to-the-ground hillbilly shuffle and makes the kids run for their lives. One girl dropped her cell phone and he just stood by it until she came to get it and then chased her all the way to her grandma’s house. Our team was rolling on the ground with laughter. Great job this year!

PROS

Set design and overall changes this year were excellent

CONS

Some actors need to put more follow through into their lines

RATING

REVIEW

There is a lot to cover, here goes! There is a ton to look at before you even get inside. The outer walls have great details, and there is a movie playing, which turns waiting into entertainment. On this night it was Young Frankenstein, classic! Okay, the few flaws were some dead spaces that a performer would have made perfect, but where there were actors; largely they did a great job.

Now, a few words on things that stood out. Machine gun floor. Great dark places. Industrial Man. Wax Museum. Road kill Diner. Redneck Cannibal. Great cemetery. Hall of Serial Killers. Cotton candy. One clown in particular KEPT getting me, although I knew he was right there behind me. Another treat was watching the chainsaw-at-the-end-guy really follow through chasing a few younger guests who were terrified! So that’s why there’s always one of those guys! Awesome!

PROS

Tons of details, great sets, scenes, and actors

CONS

Could use a few more good performers

RATING

REVIEW

In a word: WOW! Things have completely changed here this year for the better! What an  experience! There was so much going on inside that I still feel like  I missed something.

This haunt started of subtly, and then took of for one crazy thrill  ride you just didn’t want to get off. The sets and layout have  completely changed from last year, and every one of the changes was  for the better.

The main theme is a graveyard setting, and while they did not stay  with the theme throughout, the theme changes were awesome! The  graveyard sets were very well done and it was eerie to get through  them. I really had the feeling that I was creeping around in a long  forgotten cemetery.

The other scenes were also well done, and if you’re hungry make sure  you stop the Road Kill Café for a bite! The actor in that scene  really brought it home.

My favorite area was what appeared to be a military/industrial zone,  and it had me rocking from start to finish! The darkness, the smells,  the sets, and the actors were all incredible. One of the scenes had  us so mesmerized that our group just stood there and watched the  actor. He had our group absolutely enchanted. Sets, actors, smells, layout, length were all rockin' this year! This  one has to be seen to be believed, don’t miss it!

PROS

All new sets, great layout, better actors

CONS

Some lag time, a couple of actors just grunted or growled

RATING

REVIEW

This haunt definitely had back woods theme for me, but it’s called “The Endless Graveyard”. I felt the graveyard seemed to end after about 2 minutes of walking and then the haunt took a complete 360. I actually think it turned itself up a couple notches after the graveyard.

There were so many cool things to look at and the ideas behind them were great and some very unique. One room had so much going on the whole team was kind of in a pause looking at it trying to figure out was happening. I loved that.

The length was good because it was not to short, but also not to long. And the actors played their parts well. Most of the makeup was well done, but some of the costumes were a little childish. Other than that I loved this haunt. It had me winding and walking down the crooked dirt path  wondering what was going to happen next.

Hint: Be prepared to be ambushed from all sides. I put this haunt on one of my top favorites, because it brought some new ideas to the world of haunted houses. Scream Park is back in the game. Great job guys!

PROS

New ideas and a great style

CONS

Kind of strayed from the theme

RATING

REVIEW

This haunt has some really awesome props and sets.  It also has unique ideas that really give it an extra spark.  Some of the features about it I really enjoy are the witch’s house at the beginning, the House of Wax, and crawling through the hearse.  There are a number of other things I could list, but those are my favorites.  While most of this haunt was great, I wasn't really that scared in it.

The overall feeling of this haunt played a part in the scare factor, but I feel it could use some more suspenseful and impacting scares.  Acting also was really good, but it too has room for improvement.  However, I must give a round of applause to the chain saw guys!  They must have ADD or something that way they were moving, great job and nice follow through with the scares.  I also just wanted to comment that I really think they put the mattress in the ground at a good place in the haunt this year...not many haunts put it there.  Overall, a really good haunt.

PROS

Great props and features

CONS

Bigger and better scares

RATING

REVIEW

This year when I approached Scream Park I had a good feeling. The lighting, music and exterior of the haunt were working together to create the eerie atmosphere I hope for and the new scare TV in line was clever and fun.

My experience at Scream Park started out slow. The couple of hicks I met looking for their rum weren’t particularly scary, but definitely did a great job portraying their characters and getting me in the mood for a great haunt. As we continued on we passed through a cemetery filled with authentic items including a taxidermy fox, actual coffins and a hearse, which I was forced to climb through. 

The red neck theme comes back with a diner and the actors there were really wonderful. They stayed in character trying to corner you and force you to stay for dinner. This area had a lot of cool detail that I loved trying to study.

I loved the unusual elements this year that I’ve not seen at other haunts, creepy serial killer photos on the walls, cotton candy and trippy psychedelic effects. There is one incredible room at this haunt that I don’t want to give away in detail, because you really have to see it to appreciate it. But to give you an idea it kind of made me think of a really cool version of Gwar and Frankenstein. I loved this totally unusual set with its loud music and compelling main character who appeared to be attached to a series of pipes and tubes via his head.

Overall Scream Park did a good job this year, stepping it up with new elements and bringing back the things from a couple years past that work well for them. It’s a long haunt and when I stood waiting in the parking lot I witnessed numerous people literally running out of the house and continuing all the way into the parking lot screaming.

PROS

Amped it up this year, cool unusual scares

CONS

Some dead spots