Lake Hills Haunted House
St. John, IN
Reviewed on: Sunday, October 19, 2014
Lake Hills Haunted House is located in St. John, IN, and is contained within the Club House of the Lake Hills subdivision. (Hence the origin of the name.) On first glance, at least on paper, this may not be the most optimal location for a haunted house. But, from the moment you step up the doors, you are whisked away into their world, and completely forget where you are!
The foundation of this attraction is that it blends together many classic haunted attraction scenes that we all know and enjoy so much. But what sets Lake Hills apart, is that they put their own spin and twist on things. While all of the actors here are volunteer-based, but you wouldn’t be able to tell. Nearly every move they make, and every word they utter is focused and with emotion.
As we made our way through the attraction, we weaved in and out of timeless scenes such as the operating room, funeral scene, and the clown room. One of our favorite rooms that we walked through is the kitchen. The detail that is put into this scene is outstanding. Even down to the kitchen outlets, that have sparkers built into them that go off. It definitely adds to the scene, and makes you feel like the outlets really are going to explode!
Another area that we thoroughly enjoyed was the zombie area. The actors that manned these rooms were precise with their attacks, and kept us rushing for the door. They waited ever so patiently for the perfect attack, and when the time came, they made their presence known.
Another highlight that we thoroughly enjoyed was Michael Myers. Yes, we run in to actors (and actresses) that portray the famed character throughout the season. But, this one is different. His walk, hand grip on the knife, and his stature is nearly exact with the version from John Carpenter’s first movie. The way he lingers in the back and waits for you to notice him, and then disappears sends chills down our spines each time. He is always enjoyable, and even took a walk with us to our car! As we tried to drive away, he stood in front of car, and even as we made it past him, in our rearview mirror you could see him walking down the street behind us! The dedication to his character is just another reason why this attraction stands out from the rest.
You know what else really stands out at this attraction? The power of the female actresses throughout the attraction. With undying efforts, each scene and character seemed to push themselves to yell louder, hit harder, and trash wilder in their attempts to entertain and frighten us.
The Bottom Line: Another great attraction this year put on by Lake Hills Haunted House. If you are looking for a fun evening with a cast that will really give you everything they have, head to St. John, IN!
2014 Scores:
Entertainment: 16 out of 20
Scare Factor & Fright: 7 out of 10
Acting: 7 out of 10
Sets & Room Detail: 7 out of 10
Costumes: 4 out of 5
Make Up: 4 out of 5
Sound: 4 out of 5
Lights: 4 out of 5
Props & Special Effects: 8 out of 10
Originality & Story Concept: 7 out of 10
Management & Owner Presentation: 5 out of 5
Website: 4 out of 5
Total: 77 points out of 100 points possible
– Official Haunted House Chicago Review Team Review
