Fear Itself at Legend Park
Mishawaka, IN
Reviewed on: Thursday, October 13, 2016
Fear Itself at Legend Park is an attraction like we have never seen or experienced before. Each separate attraction that makes up Fear Itself has developed into its own world/nightmare. It brings you in to its own twisted web, trying to make you a part of its attraction forever.
We began our night with “13th Hour 4D A-Mazement” attraction. This house has very few scares and frights, but focuses on a complete enchantment of your senses. As you walk through the attraction wearing your 3D glasses, the unbelievably talented and intricately detailed 3D art comes alive on the walls. It is then topped off with an intriguing mix of sounds and effects that accompany the art on the walls. While this attraction is more beauty than beast, it is definitely a great attraction!
The 2nd attraction on our tour was that of “Rock Monkey Caves”, which brings you deep into the caves. The BIGGEST change this offseason was their outside façade! Showcasing the caves you are about to encounter in extraordinary, and definitely great to see this all come to life outside the attraction! With their motto being “run fast or die slow”, you never know where or when a creature is going to come out and sink their teeth into you! Inside, realistic caves, you wander into the dark, wondering what’s lurking behind each corner. It is even complete with running water inside! This attraction gives you a just a taste of the fear that lies ahead, and what else you might run into on the parks grounds.
After leaving the caves, it was time to enter their iconic attraction, “Cuckoo’s Nest”. This specific attraction is highly renowned in the haunted attraction community. It has won many various honors and awards from different publications, and never fails to disappoint. This is one attraction that will dig deep into your senses and emotions, and fully engulf you into the “world’s most insane asylum.”
As you step inside the front door of the attraction, it puts you right in the middle of a waiting room inside the asylum. The details inside this building are astounding. With everything from the background music to the ceiling tiles and even the health department licenses hanging on the wall. Every detail makes your mind start to wander about and wonder if this might be more than the real thing?
Jimmy, one of the patients, takes you on a tour through the asylum. Within these walls, he shows you the demented minds of the doctors and what they do to their patients. From the sights, to the sounds, smell, actors, and costumes, this is the real-deal. Within these walls, the uniqueness and detail of each and every room is as real as it gets. We aren’t just talking about some padded rooms here and there. You venture through the operating room where you encounter “Classic Rock Doc”, who operates on his patients in a very interesting way. Other highlights include the lobotomy room, Nurse Hatchet, and the nurse and elderly patient in the halls.
The amount of energy that each actors exuberates is beyond anything we have seen. This attraction stands out from so many others in that it’s realistic and perfectly executed each and every time. It’s no wonder why this attraction has won so many awards.
The 4th attraction is a classic that they brought back from the past, “Bloody Bayou Swamp”. Set completely outdoors, this attraction takes you on a trek through the woods and swamp, with creatures and monsters lurking behind every tree! Along our trek, we encounter the Voodoo Queen, Cuzzin Jess and a whole handful of others that are ready to make us a permanent part of the swamp. In fact, there is even a real shotgun that is used – remember we warned you! It is definitely creepy and so great to see one of our favorites back from the dead. Biggest thing to remember is that what happens in the Bayou, stays in the Bayou… forever!
The last attraction of the night we entered was the “Sinister Circus”. This attraction is themed after a circus/funhouse, with more clowns that you can even imagine! Pegged as the “Greatest Show Under Earth”, it takes you through the world longest claustrophobia, spinning vortex tunnels, one killer and a very unique mirror maze where you have to keep your arms above your head!
Not only is this attraction fun, its very different in that the clowns here can reach out and touch you… no joke! Let us make note, that by “touch you”, we mean a simple hair brush or even getting to hold hands as you walk through the attraction. It definitely make the attraction more fun with the way the clowns interact with you!
The last attraction on property is new for 2016, “Rat Trap”. Unfortunately the night we were there we weren’t able to experience it, as it was getting the final touches put into it before its grand opening. We are told it is a dark maze, filled with musty odors, rotting flesh and many other shocking surprises. Every turn you make can create more confusion than the last!
The Bottom Line: A lot has happened in the off-season and the creator behind Fear Itself has definitely some great ideas stirring in his head! We can’t wait to see what he comes up with for next year! Whatever it is, we know that it will be definitely worth it!
