There's a number of ingredients to
making a perfect Halloween season. One has to amass and balance just
the right amount of seasonal snacks, booze, attend special events,
pick out a fine costume, watch ludicrous amounts of horror films, and
have at least one good adventure to a haunted attraction. Last year I
failed to check off that last item much to my dismay. This time
around I wouldn't let the opportunity pass by. In the heart of an
extended work weekend I studied nearby haunts and restaurants in
order to figure out a proper Autumn adventure. Question was, would we
visit an old favorite, check on the improvements of another, or maybe
venture into something completely new?
Note: Apologies for not having many
pictures. My phone died early that night with no car charger so
you'll just have to take my word on some of this.
Oddly enough, the Lansing Metro hasn't
always had the best selection of spooky places. More often then not
we're forced to take long treks east or south to find something
worthwhile. Over the years I've been to giant record setting indoor
haunts like Erebus, multi-event farms like Shawhaven, and even basic
backyard haunts like the Duck Lake Haunted trail. My brother-in-;aw
and I both agreed we wanted to try something new this year, luckily I
found out there was a brand new spot called Awaken not far from here.
We set out on a journey to Leslie Mi.
A small town just shy of 2000 people. Major props to the town for
embracing this holiday as much as they have. The streetlamps were
decorated by different folks with a competition where people could
vote for their favorite. Didn't get to see them all but there were
some fine entries all the same.
Before hitting the frightful
festivities we had to fill our bellies while indulging in a little
family history. The Crossroads bar and grill was formerly known as
Ginnies and owned by my grandmother. We stopped in to check out the
burgers and have a brew. It was odd to think the place once belong to
my family but I decided not to lord that fact over the wait staff.
The burgers were good, not the best I've ever had mind you, but
definitely solid food in a comfy environment.
We found Awaken just a short ride out
of town located in a former car dealership. That point in the night
was quiet so we were practically treated to a private show. The first
thing I noticed that set this place apart was the lighting. I've been
in far too many haunts were you can't see an inch in front of your
face but here each area had proper lighting which allowed us to see
the work put into each scene. This wasn't a place wasn't the basic
black walls with loose fabric. No sir, there were some sturdy
materials in there made to look like bricks, tile, wallpaper, you
name it. More than that items are placed in a sensible manner.
There's no attempt to create atmosphere by simply piling junk in a
corner. Each spot had a little story of its' own like the bedroom of
a doll obsessed killer, scientists labs, barbershops, etc.
You might think the good lighting
would make for a less scary environment, that's not the case at all.
If anything the better lighting lulls you into a false sense of
security. On top of that the scenes are so well designed you can't
predict where all the scares are coming from. One spot in particular
was outstanding in this regard, It was essentially an alleyway with
zombies and a monster dog. There were just enough dark corners for
performers and animatronics to be hidden while other actors shouted
from windows and such to draw your attention.
On the occasions when you could
accurately predict where the scare was coming from an additional
element like a change in lighting would throw you off and make the
moment scary. Across the board the place was impressive in both
production and exaction.
On the downside, being the events
first year combined with a rushed start-up left the place with
somewhat less content than I'd hoped for. As it is you still get
plenty of bang for your buck, but a little more would send it over
the top. We were able to talk to one of the head honchos and he hopes
to expand by at least 50% next year which could mean great things.
Both my brother-in-law and I are planing on returning next year if
only for one reason, it was actually scary. Sure most of these places
surprise and shock with noises, jump scares, etc, Here, the effect
didn't immediately wear off. The scares were so plentiful and
well-done we actually stayed pumped for some time.
Bellies still full of burger and
senses heightened by fright we decided to extend our adventure all
the way to Jonesville to visit Darksyde Acres. This place has been
around for something like fifteen years. I've heard of it over and
over again but never took the time to visit.
The drive down was something of a
thrill in itself. After normal stretches of highway and city we hit
thin winding dirt roads positively encased by trees and darkness.
Upon emerging we found the lights of a vast farm surround by a
trailer community presumably made up of farm workers. Honestly it's a
pretty amazing setting, but what about the event itself?
The haunt was divided into three
primary sections. The first started off decently enough. There were a
few good jump scares here and there. A bit featuring 3-D paint and
black lights was a good touch but near the end of this portion things
started to turn sour. There were stretches where we simply couldn't
see anything. The last room of this chunk was pitch black and you
have to feel around while someone taunts you for not being able to
find your way out. This wasn't scary so much as annoying, not the
feeling a place like this should inspire.
The second section was a maze made out
of old wood and populated by chainsaw wielding goons. In theory this
was a decent setting, in exaction not so much. You could easily see
the monsters long in advance which meant they're best method of
trying to scare is to fire off a chainsaw right next to you. Once
again this is not scary so much as irritating. Doubling down on the
issue is the layout. This isn't so much a true maze as it is a messy
path for them to force you through until after enough dead ends they
take mercy and reveal the way out.
The third and final portion was
thankfully much better, featuring the best material. This chunk had
the best mix of lighting, set dressing, and scares. The hallway of
mirrors with a ghost girl was a legitimately well-designed set-piece
as was the usage of a performer on stilts. If more of the event had
been like this I would have had a much better opinion of the place
but after the lame middle section the mood had been lost for me.
On the positive side there is a lot of
content here for the price and some if it is good, just not enough
for my liking. No doubt I've been to worse haunts, I've also been to
much better and this night I'd already seen better at Awaken.
Also feel I should talk about the
performers. Both places featured healthy sized casts and overall I
think the crew at Awaken did a better job. Some of the Darksyde crew
such as the stilt man or the mirror ghost had excellent timing but
they were offset by many other actors who weren't scary so much as
loud. Not to mention pet peeves of mine, body odor and bad breath
were in abundant supply. By and large the Awaken cast had excellent
timing, respect for personal comfort, and proper hygiene. More than
that, I can remember more of them individually such as the mad
doctor, doll room girl, and a rotten bunny. Wouldn't have minded
hanging back with bunny girl actually. I can be scared and a Lothario
at the same time, it's a free country.
As you can probably guess my
endorsement this year goes to Awaken over Darksyde Acres. Not trying
to tear Darksyde down. They do have some good people and scares, they
just gotta fix the middle portion. Awaken on the other hand may have
been quick but it was a strong show that I'm excited to return too.
Essentially the double feature amounted to a great short film versus
a bloated Summer flick. The latter may give you lots for your buck
but there's something to be said for straight quality over quantity.
All in all it was a good night. Even
the radio was in fine spirits, playing Freaks Come Out at Night
as we drove through the dark woods. It was the sort of
experience that helps elevate this time of year above all others.
Since that's as mushy as I'm willing to get, let's wrap this up. Has
anyone else out there had a good spooky trek yet this season? Any
cool local haunts you like to include in your festivities? If not, I
hope you're still having a good October. Get out there and drink in
the Ghoul-Aide.
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