All Hallows Eve - TERROR TOWN (2021 Review)

All Hallows Eve - TERROR TOWN 1449 Greenbush Cobb Rd Williamsburg, OH 45176 http://www.allhallowsevellc.com

All Hallows Eve Terror Town

Date of Visit: 9/3/21 Reviewer: Lindsay

-

It's only been a few minutes since I arrived in the old town. Unfortunately, that's also how long it's taken for my presence to be noticed. Wandering into the main street to take photos, I spot some of the citizens out and about, but my attention is drawn to a long haired man slowly heading in my direction... I recognize him as the town's Mayor, and he does *not* look pleased that I'm there. Careful to maintain distance between us, I resume taking pictures while he continues to stalk me from afar, never taking his eyes off of me. I'm well aware that his scowling gaze has found the bright red mark I bear on my arm, and that is why we have a problem.

As the evening sets in and street lamps flicker on, the glow of the incriminating red band around my wrist intensifies, as do the malevolent stares from those I encounter on those aged streets. The tension is almost palpable. They have come to view those like me as a source of their troubles, and the message is very plainly felt: your kind aren't welcome here.

Welcome to the once quiet town of Bravado, the backdrop for All Hallows Eve's TERROR TOWN, located in Williamsburg, OH. Held on the site of the former Old West Festival and now in its third year, Terror Town is a 19th century old west themed haunted attraction split between a spooky ghost town and a lengthy haunted trail. The storyline for the haunt changes and evolves from the previous one each year; for season three, the cult that has plagued the town for the last couple of years has finally been driven out, but the evil they created lingers still, and the remaining residents now struggle against otherworldly forces that threaten to consume them and what is left of their home. Those brave enough to pass through this troubled place are advised to be careful; many of Bravado's citizens are no longer of sound mind, and rumor has it that the streets are also haunted by demons, spirits, and other unsavory characters.

Terror Town is easily spotted right off of Greenbush Cobb Road - just look for the skeleton looming over their sign, and the big field with plenty of free parking. Just a short walk away, signs will direct visitors to two ticket queues: one for purchasing tickets onsite, and one for those who prepurchased online. A general admission ticket is $25 and will get you access to everything in town, as well as the haunted trail. This will provide more than enough entertainment for many guests, however...

One of the best and most unique things about Terror Town is that this haunt offers customers the chance to upgrade their ticket for a more extreme and immersive experience. For an additional $10, customers aged 18+ can purchase a Red Bracelet to signal the actors that they are open to direct interaction. This can range from simply getting messy, like having water or fake blood poured on you, to full physical contact. If you're considering this option, I will warn you right now that it is not at all for the faint of heart... I'll touch on that more in a moment. (Under 18 or not a fan of being touched? New for 2021 is the Gold Bracelet, which allows a guest to become messy but no contact is involved.)

Once you've made your choice and entered the town, you are now free to roam and do as you please. As wait times can get very long later on, it is recommended that you turn left and visit the Dodge House first to sign your group up for the haunted trail. One member of your party will provide a phone number, in which your group will receive a text message when it's time for you to queue up for your turn. Considering you've now got a whole town to explore, this is a really nice feature as it leaves visitors free to go out and shop, eat, etc. while they wait to be called.

And you will want to explore, because there is so much to do! Terror Town has over a dozen different vendors selling many unique and interesting products. Hungry or need a drink? They've got two saloons slinging soda and beer, and I found at least four vendors selling hot meals and fresh treats. Want a break from the real life horrors? Duck into the bar on the far end of town and you can play Zombie Brain Smash or watch a scary movie. Something is always going on in Bravado, and on any given night you might have a chance to participate in "Scary"-oke, catch a live band, or watch a sideshow act. There's plenty to fill a visitor's night, and I recommend allowing at least three hours to do as much as possible.

Of course, Bravado is not without its dangers, especially if you're (un)lucky enough to be bearing a red bracelet. Tread lightly and watch your back, because the townspeople are always on the prowl for miscreants who need to be punished- or just anyone they feel like tormenting- and they can strike at any time! Unfortunate guests may find themselves subjected to terrible fates, including being locked up in the jail, imprisoned in the stocks in the town square, or "buried" alive. Not long into the night, I was personally captured and repeatedly forced to endure the stocks by the town's Mayor and Deputy, all the while being tortured and mocked by Bravado's other residents. And just minutes later, I was also caught by ZoZo (!), their infamous whip-wielding demon clown... he handed me off to the town's doctor and Black Market dealer, who attempted to lobotomize and sell me for parts! You really can't be sure if they're going to take you, or what will happen to you if they do, and the spontaneity of it all is one of my favorite things about the red bracelet experience.

So it's been a while, and you've managed to avoid the attentions of the residents and spirits that roam Bravado. That's too bad, because you're definitely not going to avoid them when it comes time to brave the haunted trail on the outskirts of town. Winding through the fields and bordering the dark woods, this is an area where many who call the town home will not venture, and it quickly becomes obvious as to why once you set foot upon it. The old west theme continues to be carried out on the trail, but it takes a much darker turn... you can expect to encounter sadistic outlaws, some seriously mad doctors, an asylum full of crazed patients, and all manner of twisted creatures and demons lurking along the way. You're in for a treacherous journey for sure, one that will likely leave you wondering just what the hell became of this place. (If you can find a moment in all the madness, try to give some attention to the scenes you're walking through because they've got some really cool set design going on, particularly in the opening laboratory and the asylum.)

This is also where reds and golds are going to endure the worst treatment: if they didn't get you in town, they'll 100% get you on the trail. And for reds, it can get pretty rough. I was knocked to the ground a couple of times, dragged off through the dirt, made to army-crawl on my belly, and even placed in an electric chair for "shock treatment"! There was plenty of messy fun as well; actors deployed water, flour, "poop" (cake frosting), and the infamous fake blood throughout. By the way, if you think you can handle what comes with it, I strongly recommend getting at least a gold bracelet just for the ending on the haunted trail. Guests wearing the bands get a different ending, and all I'm going to say is that I couldn't believe what I witnessed in that church. You just have to see it.

Keeping in mind that this was their first full night of operation, and the hiccups that come along with that, I did see some room for improvement. In the town I noticed that while the actors were good about interacting with each other as much as the customers, none of their signature big acts seemed to be going on, like a witch hanging or zombie horde attack. This may have been due to absenteeism on the cast and I hope to see the return of these scenarios later in the season. A reminder to avoid breaking character while around guests would also help as that was something I saw a fair amount of late in the night (both town and trail), and it is an immersion killer with this kind of haunt. On the trail, the "bracelet ending" was amazing - I think it could be even better if a little more customer interaction was included, like making people get down and worship/pray as we did in season one.

Aside from the opportunities listed above, All Hallows Eve's TERROR TOWN provided a great experience on their opening night, and I couldn't have asked for a better start to the 2021 haunt season. If you are seeking a night you won't forget anytime soon, come on out to Ohio and pay a little visit to the town of Bravado... just remember to leave your soul at the gate.

--

ENVIRONMENT: 7/10 - Immersive environment that is true to the 19th century old west theme. Feedback mentioned in the review regarding the town and trail would perfect this score.

ACTING: 7/10 - Both human and creature characters were believable and they have some serious talent on their cast. Too much character breaking does hurt an immersive attraction like this one.

SCARE FACTOR (Red Bracelet): 8/10 - If you go red, this place gets intense! Not everything was scary, but there was still plenty of cuss words, "what the f**k"s and a few good screams.

OVERALL: 8/10 - Awesome first night for one of the most unique haunts I've ever been lucky enough to experience. I'm hoping to be able to return soon and see what's changed.