Mountain of Terror *Official* Reviews 2010

[Slappy]

Subtmitted by: k2quiere
Date attended 10/2/2010

I have to preface this review by saying that had I not joined the Fright Team, we might never have returned to MOT because of the poor experience we had two years ago.  This time was completely different.

Scare Factor 4.5/5 – We couldn’t have picked a better night with as dark as it was.  This year there was no guide, so we went at our own pace, which was infinitely scarier since we weren’t sure where the trails were.  There were very few times through the haunt where there wasn’t something happening or someone jumping out (but I will address the actors in a minute).  They made me jump a few times and they even got my one daughter who claims never to get scared.  I do have to say that Micheal Myers in a mining town with his half brother Zed seemed a little out of place, although both actors did a great job of stalking us through the trail, especially down the hills.  The main reason that I didn’t give them a 5/5 was the fact that there were far too many chainsaws.  A few were well placed and gave a good startle, but some were just there for seemingly no reason.

Actors 5/5 – They were everywhere! I don’t know if they just had 100 actors this year or if the actors were so good that they could run between sections and trails; it was like we never got away from them.  The actors in each section did a very good job with their initial startles and then the creepiness factor of them stalking us.  The only thing that stands out for me negatively was the kitchen part of the house.  We walked in and the lady came out, I thought to scare us or at least DO something, and all she did was a kind of grunt yell and follow us out.  I will say though that thinking about her lack of energy was enough to distract us from the guy jumping from the CEILING to make us all jump.

Set Design/Props/FX 4/5 – They’ve done a great job using the natural elements and their background story to create the atmosphere for the haunt.  The cemetery scene with Mike Myers cousin was a little contrived.  I can expect a cemetery in a mining town, but the actor was out of place and it was almost too clean and orderly.

Length 5/5 – The last time we came with the guide, the haunt seemed almost too long and too short at the same time.  This time, it felt like a perfect length; we were tired by the time we got through the haunt itself and were exhausted by the time we got through the maze (we were in there for a good 20 minutes or so).  I appreciated that we were walking through the woods in the dark but that there wasn’t too much downtime between sets.

Overall 4.5/5 – I am so glad that we came back and gave it another chance.  There were so many improvements from our perspective that it was incredibly fun.  Even getting lost in the maze was enjoyable, especially with the tower guard talking to all of the little lost mice. 

[Slappy]

Submitted by:  Bethyboo
Date Attended:  10-9-10

Scare factor 3/5- I enjoyed Mountain of Terror and thought they had some good scares in the maze and queue line (chainsaw guy) that made me jump.  At the beginning, it was mostly dark and I didn’t see too many monsters, but felt a little claustrophobic, which is always scary.  We also made a few wrong turns because it was so dark in the woods.  There were some spots that could have used more monsters in the woods.  The cabin was pretty scary and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go in. Once we did, there were several surprises waiting on us.  The maze had plenty of chainsaw actors, or we kept running into the same ones, which was pretty scary.  I started to think we may be permanent residents to that attraction.

Actors 4/5- The actors we came across were great.  There were some girls in our group that were screaming so loud from being traumatized by the actors, I was getting scared from their screams.  The actors did a fantastic job.

Set Design 4/5- The tunnels, cabin and maze are really well done.  As you move along through the attraction, you feel uneasy and concerned about where you are.  The set design uses the natural elements to its advantage and it really works.

Length 5/5- I have to give this a 5 because the maze really kept us going for a while.  I guess some people may be able to figure it out faster than our group did, but with chainsaws lurking at every corner, you will get easily confused.  It felt like we were in there a long time.

Overall 4/5- I really enjoyed Mountain of Terror and think they have improved from last season.  This one should not be missed.

[Slappy]

Submitted by: Sabrina913
Date Attended: October 9, 2010

Scare Factor 3/5 – I am glad I gave this haunt another chance. It has greatly improved over when I went last time. There were several times, especially in the maze section, where they got me good. It was longer than the last time and very dark which added to the scare factor.

Actors 4/5 – The actors really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. I have to say the security woman at the entrance was great. She was extremely funny and you could tell she was happy to be there.  The monsters had a lot of energy and didn’t just stand around.  Since it was so dark we couldn’t see them coming. They did a great job.

Set Design/Props/FX 5/5 – As far as set design I am giving them a 5 because of their maze. I think we were in the maze section being chased by monsters and chainsaws for a good 45 minutes. We actually ended up at the beginning and had to start over again. It was great because you could tell they put a lot of work into that portion.  There is a guy in a tower portion over the maze who added to it because he pretended to tell us where to go only to send us into another monster. It is probably the best maze I have gone through

 Length 4/5 – It was the perfect length and I didn’t feel cheated or rushed through at any point. Again the maze section was the best for me and I started to feel we would never find our way out which really added to the scare because it made me feel like we would be in there forever.

 Overall 4/5 – I am glad we gave this haunt another chance because they did an excellent job of revamping it and extending the length. I will definitely be going again.

[Slappy]

Submitted by: packbacker
Visit Date: 10/7/10

Scare Factor 4.5/5 –
All three of us that attended jumped, screamed, ran, or otherwise were scared on our visit. I'm notoriously hard to scare so bonus points go out right away. Like Campground Massacre, the scare that got me was before the haunt really started. It's an excellent way of catching people off guard. Mountain of Terror does an excellent job of assaulting you from all sides...even from above. There did seem to be a crazy amount of chainsaws but they were well hidden. A certain double chainsaw attack sent one young lady in our group on a fleeing rampage that left me thrown into a wall. Again, kudos to the Mountain of Terror staff on that one!

Actors 4/5 –
The actors were excellent in both number and effectiveness. It seems like we couldn't go twenty feet without a well placed actor jumping out at us. As was pointed out in a previous review, the actors didn't just stop after their "pop" scare. They would continue to harass in fantastic fashion. The gentlemen in the maze knew it like the back of their hand. They knew where you were and from what direction to attack you. I loved hearing "We'll see you again in a minute!"
The only one that didn't work for me was one of the clowns. He didn't attempt to startle or frighten and actually said "Hey I was lookin' for a job." Everyone else did a great job of not breaking character.

Set Design/Props/FX 4/5 –
I thought the costumes looked great. Too many times I can see an edge of a mask or just bad makeup effects that weaken a scare. Actors were tucked away and it made the transition to "monster" very believable. Harry Warden (I have to assume this is what they were going for) looked amazing. The mine tunnels were brilliant in their simplicity. The one "shaft" seems to narrow, providing a creepy aura of claustrophobia. The sets were often simplistic but exceptionally effective. I adored the creepy scarecrow like creatures in the field and the entire look of the clown house. Props have to be given as well for not giving into the notion that every haunt has to have a vortex. I almost forgot the creepy boat in the pond- it gave me chills just looking at the low lit boat eerily floating out there.

Length 5/5 –
It felt like the perfect length. Plenty of scares, no real dead spots, and ending in the maze. The maze became a bit frustrating but the idea of a spotter is fantastic. He and a certain chainsaw wielding ghoul helped us out (and he did so without breaking character!)

Other
The staff was incredibly friendly. I'm used to security folks being gruff to downright rude; everyone at Mountain of Terror seemed to be enjoying themselves and honestly wishing customers have a fantastic time. The trail was well marked, parking was easy, and we were allowed to go through the entire haunt un-rushed as a group of three people.

Overall 4.5/5 –
This was a perfect way to spend an evening. Mountain of Terror gave off the vibe of a large haunt that still has a personal touch to it. You leave shrieking and have the pleasant security staff wave goodbye and make sure you enjoyed yourself. They don't have huge animatronic sets but they don't need them; they have dark woods, well positioned actors, and a mess of chainsaws to harass even the most hardened haunt-goers. I'll definitely be back next year!

[Slappy]

Submitted by: mjones
Date Attended: 10/7/2010

Scare Factor: 4.5/5 – I’m not usually really ever scared when going through a haunt.  In fact, I usually laugh the whole way through, loving it, but never scared.  Well this one got me, and more than once!  The trails often led into doorways that were iron-gated and pitch black, and that can make anyone uneasy.  You also had to stoop and squeeze through some tight spots, which can really drive the blood up when not one but two chainsaws are chasing you!  Great mood throughout and some real zigs when you think they’re going to zag.  I even found their maze to be pretty goosebumpy, and those things generally just irritate me.  Really well done here!

Actors: 3/5 – Plenty of them, and I never saw anyone break character, but not all of them worked the scares they had available.  There was one scary clown who just seemed to give up once I spotted him, and then just sort of cracked jokes through his mask until we passed.  Where you really saw the actors’ worth was in the maze.  First of all, they all had chainsaws, and that’s always effective.  Plus, they managed to direct you onward when you got lost without sacrificing the character or the scare, which is extremely difficult to do and I really appreciated.  And while I’m going into the maze, I also greatly appreciated the presence of a spotter’s tower in the center where guides could give hints to folks who were getting frustrated.  A really nice touch, I thought.

Set Design/Props: 4/5 – Love the mineshaft theme.  It allowed for some original scenarios and some references to the criminally underappreciated My Bloody Valentine (the original of course, not the crappy remake).  That theme also meant that you walked through several totally enclosed hallways, all of which could narrow and tighten and generally leave you nowhere to run.  That feeling of vague claustrophobia ran throughout the entire trail and added immeasurably to the overall effect.  As for props, everything felt old and dusty and like it was generally somewhere you shouldn’t be.  Perfect!

Length: 4.5/5 – Just about right!  Plenty of trail to sink your teeth into and not so spread out that if felt like they were wasting your time.  We got stuck
in the maze for what felt like forever, but it felt more like something to be solved than just a wild goose chase, so that was fine by me.  Plus, they managed
to squeeze nearly constant scares throughout, which was amazing since I think there were only two or three guys in there (have I mentioned how effective a tool I think chainsaws are?).

Overall: 4.5/5 – The best I’ve been to in this young season.  It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but it was well worth the drive.  I think this one
offers something different than the other local haunts, and is the perfect mix of real scares and just a fun trail.  Not the biggest or highest production
value, but a really great time.  I highly recommend this one.