Spider Mansion

OVERALL RATING :

Scare Factor

Actors

Set Design

Length

RAW SCORE : 8.000

RATING

REVIEW

For visitors who have never been to Heritage Square before, The Spider Mansion is located in a very cool looking area representing an old Victorian town near Denver. On a dark night even the walk back to the haunt could be made to be a bit scary.

After the tickets have been purchased in their booth, a short walk is required to get to the haunt it’s self. When the lines get longer, they will reach down along the fronts of the shops in the Victorian town. I really believe that this could be a great asset if there is just a bit more thought placed into making the town accentuate the feeling before the haunt. I would love to see more decorations on the buildings, monsters and fog lingering in the streets.

I enjoyed this haunt it’s self. The dark and spooky interior lends to making a foreboding atmosphere. Everything inside looks a little bit strange and distorted. There are plenty of scares and items that feel dangerous as you pass by them.

One of the strengths of this haunt is the setup of the actors. They create loud scary sounds that can be heard throughout the haunt. When I would find the source of the noise it turns out to be an intimidating looking monster smacking something which made my hair stand on end. My reaction to these was to want to hug the farthest wall while I slinked away.

The down sides to this haunt were maybe that the monsters as scary as they were, seemed to be slightly too few and far away. Another trouble was in some places particularly near the front, there were no actors and not much in the eye candy department. Finally at one point I did see a break in the set and could see a plain field. The break was not really a big deal, but it did make me take notice.

Overall, this was a great haunt. I enjoyed how scary the people in the haunt actually were. The biggest thing that I would urge the haunt owners to do would be to see what they can do to increase the scare level of the town between the ticket booth and the haunt. There are some great opportunities there for building suspense. This haunt is really cool and even has a lot more potential in the future. Heritage Square is a very large place. I enjoyed it this year and I can’t wait to see what they will do in the next few years as well.

PROS

Scary characters. Dark and scary interior to the haunt. Wonderful location.

CONS

Could use more build up before the haunt is entered. A few places in the haunt needed more Actors/props. The actors who were there were scary but could use some more dialog during/after the scare.

RATING

REVIEW

Spider Mansion was one of the first haunts I've ever been too and so I've always had a fondness for it, even though they don't change much year to year. This season did bring a few pleasant and welcome changes to their set design. but overall not much. The addition of the bridge in the beginning is very nice and creepy. Some rooms have been changed around, but mostly the biggest changes are the scare tactics by the monsters - and they deliver. This is a dark and creepy haunt, make no mistake. They capitalize on the dark, like any good haunt should do and they do it well. Your favorite Ring girl is back of course, which still gets me, and members of my group (like VickiDanger!) buried in people's backs. Her timing was great this year! Some rooms have the gore factor going for them, like the bloody kitchen, even bloodier bathroom, and creepy alien baby nursery theme, and what would Spider Mansion be complete without, of course, spiders everywhere. The ending was quite the same, trailer jail pig-head, but for some reason I didn't feel it this year. Keep your eyes on this haunt for next year - we caught wind of some exciting rumors that should see this haunt really improve.

PROS

Dark, dark, and foggy - just the way I like it.

CONS

Need some more strobes to disorient the experience.

RATING

REVIEW

Okay. You are going to have to sing along with me on this one. THEY ARE BRINGING CREEPY BACK… YEA! The atmosphere in this mountain range setting is very quiet and extremely dark, which sets the mood right off the bat. Looking at critics' comments in years past, acting seemed to be a weakness at Spider Mansion. I don't think so this year. On my note card I specifically said the actors were "Very animated". I was actually impressed. I'll be interested to see how my critic colleagues felt about the performances this year in contrast. I am guessing their favorite performer will still be the girl from "The Ring". She was my favorite too. In one of my other reviews, I criticized actors in another haunt for just staring as you walked by. I'll make an exception to that in her case. This was one scary looking bit….girl.

I did have some higher expectations only because this is in Heritage Square. This location could lend itself to the best haunt in town if they elaborated a bit. That's right. I am pushing you haunt owners a little bit to try and get you to really push the envelope. That appears to be an ongoing theme. This venue could be a baby Universal Studios or Knotts Scary Farm and NO ONE would be able to duplicate it in Denver. So, since you don't have fog leading up the street walk to the haunt with lurking creatures stirring about and performers with little side shows etc., we'll stick with just the house for now. I'm sure I've prompted a few text messages circulating around anyway with this review that say something like this. "Hey baby! I've got a great idea. Let's go to Spider Mansion!"

PROS

Ominous and with good scares. Fantastic venue. Indoors out of weather

CONS

Same haunt as years previous, no other activities other then haunted tour, location is not central to Denver area

RATING

REVIEW

Nestled in the foothills of Golden in Heritage Square, Spider Mansion starts out in a perfect setting for a haunt. Spider Mansion is reminiscent of the haunts of days past, but not forgotten. There are lots of dark places here to keep you in suspense, along with narrow corridors to add to the edginess of it all. Unstable bridges add to your sense of unease, as well as spiders, evil clowns, skeletons, and other creatures from your nightmares. The girl in white is always creepy as she does her disappearing act only to reappear somewhere else. Some new additions have changed the look and feel up a bit, along with some new scare points. The ending left me feeling a bit flat as it was not as authentic as I would like to see and strayed from the theme. If all out gore is your taste, you may not care for this haunt. But, if you like the classic haunt style, this could easily become one you enjoy.

PROS

Dark corridors, new props, new scare points

CONS

Some theme inconsistency, lack of actors, some lag spots

RATING

REVIEW

Awesome! At the entrance is a big spider with a deformed human head that welcomes you in. The props were nice, but I particularly enjoyed what they did with the strobe lights like when the girl from "The Ring" came running after us; they did a wicked job making her look almost like the girl in the movie. The movie made me scared, so just imagine seeing her coming after you in real life. I was walking backward at times thinking, "Is she going to get me?" I also enjoyed the spiders that looked as if they were moving with the help of the strobe lights.

The actors come after you very subtly, and some are quiet enough so that it makes it much scarier. They start you up easy and then they build up the tension. Some actors gave me the creeps, seeming liking they were serial killers coming after me. However, I wished some actors would have said more than an "ahgrr" to make the character more believable.

Each room was different, but the spider theme remained throughout. Some rooms looked scary to go into and made you feel like you couldn't escape if somebody were to come after you. I remember one room they made look like a dead end, and as I turned around to go back out, someone jumped out at us. When I thought I was done with the haunt, there was more waiting for me. They fool you and build the tension yet again. Awesome! I recommend that you check it out…I know I will go back again.

PROS

Good scares, great rooms, and effects

CONS

Could use more props, some actors should stay away from the usual "Ahgrr"

RATING

REVIEW

Spider Mansion will keep you on your toes though out the entire haunt, generally because of their use of dark claustrophobic spaces. You will bob and weave through the pitch black rooms looking for a way to escape. The rooms seemed well thought out and arranged in a manner that will keep you guessing what will happen next. Strobe lights flicker and play with your mind leaving you confused and vulnerable which makes it easier for the actors to get a good scare. The music is soft in the background which sends chills down your spine. The actors do their part to keep you scared, interested, and entertained. This haunt is set in a very realistic and spooky setting at Heritage Square, with a lot of potential for the future. I felt the set design could have been a bit more elaborate, although I don't know if you'd see much of it in the dimly lit areas, and it could have been better a bit longer. Overall a really enjoyable haunted experience and great Halloween feel!

PROS

Great use of setting and actors

CONS

A bit short, some dead spots

RATING

REVIEW

Spider Mansion had some creative actors and a great setting at Heritage Square in Golden. This haunt is an interactive experience, in some spots you have to duck and squirm to make your way through. I think they used the dark well to disorient and scare you, which was a nice touch. A good length to the haunt, but with a few dead spots along the way, so there were some times when you were waiting for a scare and nothing happened. The actors we encountered seemed to work to get their scares by using some loud startling noises, this was effective, and the ring girl is just plain creepy! I can see a lot of potential up there, I recommend packing some hot cider or chocolate, and heading up to Spider Mansion at Heritage Square, a fun filled fall experience.

PROS

A good variety of rooms that play well on your different fears

CONS

Could use less dead space

RATING

REVIEW

Well, at least once a year I get so scared I poop my pants a little. This haunt has truly figured out how to make this happen. All they have to do is show me that awful girl from the movie The Ring, and watch out! She creeps me out more than anything else. She is there one second, and the next she is gone, and then she is back! You can't even see her face, but it's like you just know she is there to get you! Luckily, I had Jason lead us through this part with my head buried in his back, but it was still awful. She is a huge reason why I scored the scare factor so high.

Other highlights from this haunt include the fog at the beginning. This is a great effect, and when used at the beginning, it sets an eerie mood for the whole haunt. I also liked the sounds of frogs croaking at the beginning. I haven't heard any other haunt use this sound effect yet, and I like fresh ideas. The hanging body bags are always great in this haunt as well. I can't ever tell if one is moving on its own, or if there is a monster in that room causing havoc. Either way, this room is done well.

I feel like the ending of this haunt is a little weak. It's not bad, but I feel like it could be better. Walking down the alley with prison cells on both sides of you while listening to the X-Files theme music is pretty funny and has potential to be a cool ending. However, dumping us off in few hanging white sheets didn't quite quench my thirst. I would like to see something a little more creative.

Overall, this is an excellent haunt!

PROS

The ring girl!

CONS

The ring girl!