Visibility/Location :
From 75, take exit 38 (Ridgeview Dr.) and look for the searchlight. We took the Stacy Rd. exit at first and had trouble. Once we saw the searchlight and realized that we had to stay on the northbound access road along side US-75, it was easy to see Phantom's Ghost Ranch on the right (east side of the hwy) just north of Stacy Rd., directly off the access road at Ridgeview.
Parking :
Free parking is available in the grassy area along the front of Phantom's Ghost Ranch.
Atmosphere/Wait Entertainment : 6
There is not a great amount of atmosphere aside from the loud banging and screaming that you can hear while standing outside. The Phantom's Ghost Ranch is essentially a warehouse with very little around for added mood setting ambiance. However, the location is out in a more rural setting with a forest behind, so the Hayride has the country setting and tree coverage to have some potential to grow into something great one day. There is plenty of space for Phantom’s to expand, and since this is their first year at this location, we could easily see Phantom’s growing and adding more entertainment or attractions in future years.
Set Design/Scene Detail/Floor Plan : 8
The first thing you see is bare black walls along the outside of the entrance. There were just a few areas that could have used more attention and scene detail to keep a consistent flow, and we there did seem to be a sense of sloppiness in some areas which caused there to be a lack of realism which almost bordered on being classified as ‘cheesy’ decoration. However, the scenes were still very effective, and all of the live actors made great use of their surroundings, props, and made the haunt come to life. The better areas of the haunt include a glowing door maze area, a very nice toxic meltdown zone, the graveyard and morgue area, and our personal favorite - the meat packing area complete with several butchers who viciously attack each other.
Live Actors/Performance/Enthusiasm/Costumes : 10
This is where the Phantom's Ghost Ranch really shines. Not only were there several actors in each scene, but each of the actors worked very well with our group, improvised, and literally performed for us with great character portrayal, timing, and of course, SCARES! The live entertainment here is what gives this haunt the high score. We only hope that everyone who visits Phantom’s this year gets the same enthusiastic and energetic display that we saw. We went through a second time just to see if the show remained consistent, and this showed the actor’s true talent because they changed up their routine and still gave a great show the second time around even though it was getting late in the evening. Bravo, Phantom’s crew!
Crowd Control : 10
There were not many people there when we went through, so our group went in alone. There was enough space between groups so that we did not run into anyone other than the actors while inside.
Additional Attractions : 5
The Hayride was fun for us, but this was mostly because the group we were with cracked jokes the whole time and kept the tour guide on her toes. It’s a nice ride through the night forest, but could use a lot more scenes and scares, a more lively and enthusiastic narrator, and better timing of the trailer side lights so that the few scenes and actors that are there can be seen immediately. I did rather enjoy the additional touch of having characters arrive on horseback, because I do not think I have seen this before. Overall the Hayride could use a lot more attention since there is such a great natural setting.
Admission Price vs. Length vs. Entertainment Value : 9
Haunted House: $18.00 ~ 15-20 minutes
Haunted Hayride: $15.00 ~ 25-30 minutes
(Combo Pack: $26.00)
The haunted house is definitely worth the admission alone (especially with the printable coupon) but the hayride does not have enough scenes and action to really warrant that much of an additional cost. It is possible that if you are with the right group, this ride could be a huge blast. If anything it is a really nice ride through the fields and forest, so on a nice night you might want to shell out the extra $8 for the combo so you will have something else to do while you are there.
Overall Experience/Summary :
We had so much fun at Phantoms and enjoyed the main haunt so much that we went through twice! If this is not too far of a drive for you, we highly recommend the Phantom's Ghost Ranch. We only hope that everyone gets the great show that we were given, because the live interaction was what really made Phantoms noteworthy.
http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/images/banners/phantoms_banner.jpg
Allen, TX
OVERALL SCORE: 9
http://www.dfwhauntedhouses.com/images/stars/big/9.gif
Date: September 28, 2007
Time: 11:45pm
Visibility/Location :
From 75, take exit 38 (Ridgeview Dr.) and look for the searchlight. We took the Stacy Rd. exit at first and had trouble. Once we saw the searchlight and realized that we had to stay on the northbound access road along side US-75, it was easy to see Phantom's Ghost Ranch on the right (east side of the hwy) just north of Stacy Rd., directly off the access road at Ridgeview.
Parking :
Free parking is available in the grassy area along the front of Phantom's Ghost Ranch.
Atmosphere/Wait Entertainment : 6
There is not a great amount of atmosphere aside from the loud banging and screaming that you can hear while standing outside. The Phantom's Ghost Ranch is essentially a warehouse with very little around for added mood setting ambiance. However, the location is out in a more rural setting with a forest behind, so the Hayride has the country setting and tree coverage to have some potential to grow into something great one day. There is plenty of space for Phantom’s to expand, and since this is their first year at this location, we could easily see Phantom’s growing and adding more entertainment or attractions in future years.
Set Design/Scene Detail/Floor Plan : 8
The first thing you see is bare black walls along the outside of the entrance. There were just a few areas that could have used more attention and scene detail to keep a consistent flow, and we there did seem to be a sense of sloppiness in some areas which caused there to be a lack of realism which almost bordered on being classified as ‘cheesy’ decoration. However, the scenes were still very effective, and all of the live actors made great use of their surroundings, props, and made the haunt come to life. The better areas of the haunt include a glowing door maze area, a very nice toxic meltdown zone, the graveyard and morgue area, and our personal favorite - the meat packing area complete with several butchers who viciously attack each other.
Live Actors/Performance/Enthusiasm/Costumes : 10
This is where the Phantom's Ghost Ranch really shines. Not only were there several actors in each scene, but each of the actors worked very well with our group, improvised, and literally performed for us with great character portrayal, timing, and of course, SCARES! The live entertainment here is what gives this haunt the high score. We only hope that everyone who visits Phantom’s this year gets the same enthusiastic and energetic display that we saw. We went through a second time just to see if the show remained consistent, and this showed the actor’s true talent because they changed up their routine and still gave a great show the second time around even though it was getting late in the evening. Bravo, Phantom’s crew!
Crowd Control : 10
There were not many people there when we went through, so our group went in alone. There was enough space between groups so that we did not run into anyone other than the actors while inside.
Additional Attractions : 5
The Hayride was fun for us, but this was mostly because the group we were with cracked jokes the whole time and kept the tour guide on her toes. It’s a nice ride through the night forest, but could use a lot more scenes and scares, a more lively and enthusiastic narrator, and better timing of the trailer side lights so that the few scenes and actors that are there can be seen immediately. I did rather enjoy the additional touch of having characters arrive on horseback, because I do not think I have seen this before. Overall the Hayride could use a lot more attention since there is such a great natural setting.
Admission Price vs. Length vs. Entertainment Value : 9
Haunted House: $18.00 ~ 15-20 minutes
Haunted Hayride: $15.00 ~ 25-30 minutes
(Combo Pack: $26.00)
The haunted house is definitely worth the admission alone (especially with the printable coupon) but the hayride does not have enough scenes and action to really warrant that much of an additional cost. It is possible that if you are with the right group, this ride could be a huge blast. If anything it is a really nice ride through the fields and forest, so on a nice night you might want to shell out the extra $8 for the combo so you will have something else to do while you are there.
Overall Experience/Summary :
We had so much fun at Phantoms and enjoyed the main haunt so much that we went through twice! If this is not too far of a drive for you, we highly recommend the Phantom's Ghost Ranch. We only hope that everyone gets the great show that we were given, because the live interaction was what really made Phantoms noteworthy.