Visibility/Location:
YES, they are back for another year at the same location! Dallas Scaregrounds is located just outside downtown Dallas at 2001 Irving Blvd. And it is possible they may be around next year too! This is great news, because Dallas Scaregrounds has a GREAT location for everyone in Dallas and surrounding areas.
Parking:
Paved parking is available along the side street behind the Scaregrounds. Although not REALLY well lit, there is security roaming through the parking area at all times.
Atmosphere/Wait Entertainment: 10
The Dallas Scaregrounds is home to several vendors, concessions, and side shows including live music on specific evenings. Also, you will see several actors roaming around the grounds, and possibly chasing the guests around the area… and I do mean chasing… one actor fled his home inside the haunt, bursting out the exit behind a patron, and proceeded to chase her all the way through the midway and back. It proves highly entertaining to at least watch other people getting scared if you are not the type to be easily frightened by roaming actors. So kick back, have a few beers, and enjoy the show!
Set Design/Detail/Floor Plan: 9.5
The floor plan of Dallas Scaregrounds actually takes you through three distinctively different haunted houses all under one roof. As you walk through the Dallas Scaregrounds you will go through The Necrotorium, The Terrortorium, and the 3-D Hallucinatorium. The Necrotorium is filled with very detailed scenes of crypts, graveyards, catacombs, undead ghouls and ghosts and zombies (oh my!). As you leave the black doorway maze of the Necrotorium, you head into the Terrortorium. The Terrortorium is more graphic, including a half torso being eaten as another half body begs for help. To add even more creepy, there are some very interesting effects created by slow strobes that make some of the figures throughout appear to change facial expression, even though you know the figures are not real. The Terrortorium also includes our favorite scene – the school bus. There are a few actors inside along with jeepers creepers outside, and of course our beloved Freddy. The 3-D Hallucinatorium is not scary, but quite possibly the best 3D effects available in the DFW area. Each of the 3 haunts are relatively short, resulting in one long haunt. But every inch of the Dallas Scaregrounds main attraction is uniquely decorated with impeccable details. We also noticed some additional touches and changed scenes this year, too.
Live Actors/Performance/Enthusiasm/Costumes: 9.5
The characters all around the Scaregrounds are truly dedicated, and there are plenty inside and outside the attractions to keep everyone entertained and on edge. Timing and scares were perfectly in sync through the haunt AND in the side attraction, Monster Maze. Also, Dallas Scaregrounds is home to the best Freddy Kruger we have ever seen, so if you do not see him, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Dallas Scaregrounds is not entirely actor driven, but has a great balance between the scene detail, props, and live actor performances that really portray all the traditional haunted house features – death and ghouls, gore and massacre, and finally, funhouse mind games. Since the actors really play off their scenes and surrounding, the overall entertainment value increases.
Crowd Control: 10
Dallas Scaregrounds specifically limits groups to less than 6 people, although they prefer 4 or less. If a couple shows up, they will let the two people enter by themselves, EVEN if it is busy. They also make sure that there is plenty of time spaced between people before sending the next group in. This makes a huge difference in the actor’s show too since they have time to re-set and be prepared for the next group.
Dallas Scaregrounds also makes it easier for everyone by assigning group numbers to everyone when they purchase their tickets. You do not wait in like until your group number is displayed. And to make it even better, the groups are small so you are still not waiting in line for very long when your group is up for turn. Many people like this system because you CAN roam around and enjoy yourself, have a few beers, etc… and you are not stuck standing in line for hours.
Additional Attractions: 10
If you have been to Dallas Scaregrounds before, and you have previously been disappointed by the $4 Monster Maze side attraction, we now advise that you give it a second chance. This side attraction for an additional fee is under new management, and has adopted some talent from the main haunt, as well as some better decorative accents. Still primarily actor driven, the $4 (or, coupons actually, but same difference) is well worth what this short side haunt has to offer in the entertainment area.
Admission Price vs. Length Entertainment Value: 9.5
It is $2 to enter the Scaregrounds, and if you think of this like a cover charge to enter a night club, it is reasonable. The main haunt (3 attractions in one) is also reasonable in comparison and measures in at around 17-20 minutes, while the Monster Maze is about 5 minutes. The costs are all average with other haunted attractions in the area, and you also have the added perk of beer and live music on the festival grounds.
Overall Experience/Summary:
We were absolutely THRILLED to find out that Dallas Scaregrounds is open again this year after they had announced their closing last year. Thank goodness for the real estate market fluctuation that caused Dallas Scaregrounds to keep their home without any props being sold from under them, and without losing their very talented actors. This place is easily one of our favorites, so we hope they stick around for many years to come.
See the 2006 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=57)
See the 2005 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=51)
See the 2004 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=37)
Feel free to post your experiences and reviews in the Main Forum (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2)
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Dallas, TX
OVERALL SCORE : 9.5
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Date: Friday, October 12th
Time: 11:45pm
Visibility/Location:
YES, they are back for another year at the same location! Dallas Scaregrounds is located just outside downtown Dallas at 2001 Irving Blvd. And it is possible they may be around next year too! This is great news, because Dallas Scaregrounds has a GREAT location for everyone in Dallas and surrounding areas.
Parking:
Paved parking is available along the side street behind the Scaregrounds. Although not REALLY well lit, there is security roaming through the parking area at all times.
Atmosphere/Wait Entertainment: 10
The Dallas Scaregrounds is home to several vendors, concessions, and side shows including live music on specific evenings. Also, you will see several actors roaming around the grounds, and possibly chasing the guests around the area… and I do mean chasing… one actor fled his home inside the haunt, bursting out the exit behind a patron, and proceeded to chase her all the way through the midway and back. It proves highly entertaining to at least watch other people getting scared if you are not the type to be easily frightened by roaming actors. So kick back, have a few beers, and enjoy the show!
Set Design/Detail/Floor Plan: 9.5
The floor plan of Dallas Scaregrounds actually takes you through three distinctively different haunted houses all under one roof. As you walk through the Dallas Scaregrounds you will go through The Necrotorium, The Terrortorium, and the 3-D Hallucinatorium. The Necrotorium is filled with very detailed scenes of crypts, graveyards, catacombs, undead ghouls and ghosts and zombies (oh my!). As you leave the black doorway maze of the Necrotorium, you head into the Terrortorium. The Terrortorium is more graphic, including a half torso being eaten as another half body begs for help. To add even more creepy, there are some very interesting effects created by slow strobes that make some of the figures throughout appear to change facial expression, even though you know the figures are not real. The Terrortorium also includes our favorite scene – the school bus. There are a few actors inside along with jeepers creepers outside, and of course our beloved Freddy. The 3-D Hallucinatorium is not scary, but quite possibly the best 3D effects available in the DFW area. Each of the 3 haunts are relatively short, resulting in one long haunt. But every inch of the Dallas Scaregrounds main attraction is uniquely decorated with impeccable details. We also noticed some additional touches and changed scenes this year, too.
Live Actors/Performance/Enthusiasm/Costumes: 9.5
The characters all around the Scaregrounds are truly dedicated, and there are plenty inside and outside the attractions to keep everyone entertained and on edge. Timing and scares were perfectly in sync through the haunt AND in the side attraction, Monster Maze. Also, Dallas Scaregrounds is home to the best Freddy Kruger we have ever seen, so if you do not see him, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Dallas Scaregrounds is not entirely actor driven, but has a great balance between the scene detail, props, and live actor performances that really portray all the traditional haunted house features – death and ghouls, gore and massacre, and finally, funhouse mind games. Since the actors really play off their scenes and surrounding, the overall entertainment value increases.
Crowd Control: 10
Dallas Scaregrounds specifically limits groups to less than 6 people, although they prefer 4 or less. If a couple shows up, they will let the two people enter by themselves, EVEN if it is busy. They also make sure that there is plenty of time spaced between people before sending the next group in. This makes a huge difference in the actor’s show too since they have time to re-set and be prepared for the next group.
Dallas Scaregrounds also makes it easier for everyone by assigning group numbers to everyone when they purchase their tickets. You do not wait in like until your group number is displayed. And to make it even better, the groups are small so you are still not waiting in line for very long when your group is up for turn. Many people like this system because you CAN roam around and enjoy yourself, have a few beers, etc… and you are not stuck standing in line for hours.
Additional Attractions: 10
If you have been to Dallas Scaregrounds before, and you have previously been disappointed by the $4 Monster Maze side attraction, we now advise that you give it a second chance. This side attraction for an additional fee is under new management, and has adopted some talent from the main haunt, as well as some better decorative accents. Still primarily actor driven, the $4 (or, coupons actually, but same difference) is well worth what this short side haunt has to offer in the entertainment area.
Admission Price vs. Length Entertainment Value: 9.5
It is $2 to enter the Scaregrounds, and if you think of this like a cover charge to enter a night club, it is reasonable. The main haunt (3 attractions in one) is also reasonable in comparison and measures in at around 17-20 minutes, while the Monster Maze is about 5 minutes. The costs are all average with other haunted attractions in the area, and you also have the added perk of beer and live music on the festival grounds.
Overall Experience/Summary:
We were absolutely THRILLED to find out that Dallas Scaregrounds is open again this year after they had announced their closing last year. Thank goodness for the real estate market fluctuation that caused Dallas Scaregrounds to keep their home without any props being sold from under them, and without losing their very talented actors. This place is easily one of our favorites, so we hope they stick around for many years to come.
See the 2006 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=57)
See the 2005 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=51)
See the 2004 Review (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=37)
Feel free to post your experiences and reviews in the Main Forum (http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2)