Website: http://www.frightmares.com/
Operating Hours: 7pm - 12pm
Operating Dates: October 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28
Location: 15400 Buck Hill Rd, Burnsville, MN 55306, USA
Tickets and Prices
Wednesday - Saturday: $20
Sunday: $18
Group Discounts available for groups of 20 or more
Attractions
Fright Factory
The Inferno
Orchard Manor Dead and Breakfast
Haunted Hollow
Magic Show
Live Music and Entertainment
Full Bar
Dining
New for 2012
The Inferno
Frightmares Review 2012
If you are looking for a highly professional, well-organized experience, look no further than Frightmares! Frightmares has always set the bar high for the quality haunts it produces. Each year they add more tricks to their already impressive routine, though you may leave wanting more.
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| Photo from Frightmares.com |
This 3D/Blacklight attraction is a consistent, solid house. You will be given a free pair of 3D "safety goggles" as you enter the paint factory, which is inhabited by the mutated plant workers.
The highlight: Expect some of the best quality 3D paintings you have ever seen. The Fright factory puts their "toxic" paint to good use!
The Inferno
The newest attraction for 2012, replacing the asylum from the year before. Guests venture into the basement of the old asylum that "burned down", where they discover the twisted experiments still being performed by Dr. Lazarus Bellharm. While this is still a very high-quality attraction, it is sadly bereft of fire (which seems necessary in a place called "The Inferno"), and unfortunately it replaced the Bellharm-Lovejoy Asylum attraction, which was an almost completely dark haunt unique to the region.
The highlight: Finding the doctor and meeting his "patients".
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| Photo from Frightmares.com |
An old, dilapidated manor home is host to some very unusual tenants, which seem to have a penchant for blood. This haunt features a most impressive facade and interior design, and the scares are well planned.
The highlight: The attention to detail in this haunt makes you feel completely immersed in the creepy mansion.
Haunted Hollow
After your journey up the hill on the lift, you must wind your way down the hill by venturing through the cemetery, maze, and other ghastly sites. Haunted Hollow really blossomed this year; last year's lackluster trek has been amplified and improved into a solid experience.
The highlight: The swamp.
Atmosphere
Creating an immersive environment has always been a focus of Frightmares, and they know how to do it well. The outside of every haunt is meticulously planned to convey the nature of the interior, complete with lighting, music, and line managers who are specific, developed characters with a direct relation to the haunt. The only drawback to the atmosphere is the ever-present Buck hill itself, which constantly reminds you that you are indeed at a ski resort. However, the availability of full facilities complete with running water might be a positive trade-off.
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| Photo from Frightmares.com |
Frightmares really stands out in terms of street entertainment, with highly talented, professional scaracters roaming freely throughout the park. You will feel their presence almost immediately upon entering, as some of them like to lurk about in the ticket lines. Frightmares also has a few stalkabouts that are very good at creeping up on you unawares despite their immense size. Special praise to Manic, the Mad Hatter-esque ghoul with lots of tricks up his sleeve, for bouncing through queue lines with his high-energy, off-the-wall mannerisms and interactions.
Haunt Length and Lines
Each individual house is a very good 5-8 minute walkthough, with the Haunted Hollow taking longer for the ascent and descent. On the night of our visit, Orchard Manor had the longest lines, and Fright Factory the shortest. There is no fast pass option, so later visitors will need to wait in longer lines. However, if you arrive at the opening of the show, you may find that you are able to quickly navigate all four major attractions within an hour or so of your arrival. While this may not provide the most haunt-time for your money, you may enjoy making it a quick trip before other evening activities. Savvy haunt-goers could also visit Frightmares at opening, go quickly through the haunts, and then proceed to another haunted attraction to continue the fun, making a nice "double feature" evening (especially if you spring for the fast pass upgrade option at the second haunt).
Overall
Frightmares is a very high-quality experience. The houses are a great length, the atmosphere is very enjoyable, and the characters are wonderful and well thought-out. Each haunt has a deep background story that waits behind the curtain, and you will enjoy being pulled into the experience by engaging characters and highly-skilled artistry. Though the total experience might be shorter than some of the other haunts, it will certainly make a lasting impression.
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