Haunted Attraction Reviewed: 13th Floor Haunted House - Columbus
Website: www.13thfloorcolumbus.com
Location of Attraction: Columbus Ohio
Date of Review: 10/2/2020
Total Number of Attractions Available: 2
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 9/10
Entertainment & Food Rating: 6/10
Atmosphere Rating: 9/10
Overall Costume & Makeup Rating: 9/10
Overall Cast & Crew Rating: 9.5/10
Overall Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 9.5/10
Overall Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 8.5/10
Overall Feedback: It was Friday October 2nd, opening night of our first ever Ohio review trip. Our squad members traveled anywhere from 6-8 hours to Columbus Ohio to kick off our Ohio haunt tour. To get our Ohio haunt tour started we wound up at 13th Floor Haunted House. This location is just one of 15 haunted attractions that is part of the 13th Floor Entertainment Group. Known for their world class scenic design and pure knack at providing horrifying fun, we knew 13th Floor would be a grand way to kick off our weekend.
As we rolled up to 13th Floor Haunted House we were a bit underwhelmed by the exterior of the attraction. Being located in a strip mall certainly did not allow for any sort of spooky build up to the haunt, but once inside the doors you were immersed into a whole new world of horrors! Fortunately with being located in a strip mall there was ample free parking for patrons. Ticket prices run anywhere from $29.99 to $49.99, depending on if you purchase general admission, fast pass, or skip the line passes. New for 2020, 13th Floor is requiring online ticket purchases as they’ll be utilizing timed ticketing to help control the crowds. Don’t delay in purchasing your tickets as they have and will sell out!
Prior to entering the building all guests were reminded to maintain proper social distancing and to wear face coverings at all times. All guests were temperature checked via an infrared forehead thermometer. Once passing through the health and safety checkpoint, 13th Floor will scan your tickets and direct you onward to the final queue line leading into the haunt.
Within seconds of entering the queue line area we were immersed into a dark and sinister atmosphere. Right off the bat we took notice of the intense audio effects that 13th Floor had pumping into the haunt. The audio effects, even in the queue lines, were so loud and intense that our chests felt like they were vibrating and our hearts were nearly about to burst out of our chests! As you're waiting in the queue line, intense audio and visual effects, coupled with an eerie and intimidating entrance facade sure makes you tremble in fear of what lies ahead.
As we stepped forth into the first of two attractions, 13th Floor quickly snapped a group picture and sent us forward into DARKEST DREAMS! Within moments of entering Darkest Dreams we were amazed by the elegance and detailed nature of the set work. The majority of this attraction featured a psychedelic vibe, with areas of vibrantly painted walls that were glowing in the dark. Scare actors were sprinkled throughout, keeping us on our toes as we never knew where they’d be coming from. Several large actor driven props were cleverly hidden throughout Darkest Dreams, catching us off guard and delivering a scare each time we encountered one! The intense audio and visual effects continued from start to end to make for a suspenseful and thrilling journey. Darkest Dreams brings your worst nightmares to life, making you consider what’s real and what’s not. Be prepared for a whirlwind of hallucinations along your 10 minute journey through Darkest Dreams!
As you exit Darkest Dreams you hop right into the queue line for the second of two attractions, TALES OF THE UNKNOWN! Once a peaceful town, the city of Rapture is now in chaos as the patients from WIMM Asylum have escaped into the streets. Just moments after entering Tales of the Unknown we were immediately stunned in awe of the pure eerie sophistication of the town. 13th Floor legitimately re-created a full sized town featuring larger than life sets! The life-like nature of the attraction had us feeling like 13th Floor just dropped us straight into the set of a horror film. As we strolled through the city of Rapture, snaking in and out of various themed structures, we were continuously taunted by the deranged scare actors! These folks were relentless in their attack, appearing from practically thin air to deliver numerous spine-tingling startles! The Tales of the Unknown featured state of the art and downright terrifying special effects to help create and maintain an intimidating and thrilling atmosphere! Scene after scene we were continuously flabbergasted with the clear attention to detail and pure passion that was utilized to craft The Tales of the Unknown! Do you have what it takes to survive the “Unknown” in this demented city of Rapture? Our advice, be prepared for a 15 minute, heart pounding, and utterly terrifying experience - if you’re lucky you may just make it out alive!
After barely surviving nearly 30 minutes of horrifying fun, guests are funneled into the 13th Floor gift shop. It’s here where guests can snag some 13th Floor merch, group pictures, and snacks. Our squad snagged some goodies and then headed back outside to converse about our experience! All 13 squad members in attendance were absolutely blown away by the experience 13th Floor Haunted House provided. Most notably, everyone was raving about Tales of the Unknown, which may just find itself in our end of year awards for “overall best indoor walkthrough attraction”! We had gotten word that 13th Floor Haunted House is under new ownership for 2020 and they completely revamped the Tales of the Unknown attraction for this season. For 2021 they plan to completely revamp what is now Darkest Dreams. We’re sure that whatever these folks have planned for 2021 will be nothing but bloody-terrific excellence!
13th Floor Haunted House in Columbus Ohio may not have an intimidating external appearance, but once inside you best be prepared to face your worst nightmares! Job well done to the 13th Floor crew for providing a nerve-wracking, blood-curdling, and visually stunning experience! Our squad strongly recommends that all fellow haunt enthusiasts pay 13th Floor Haunted House a visit, as you certainly won’t be disappointed! We look forward to revisiting 13th Floor Haunted House the next time we’re in the Columbus Ohio area!
Individual Attraction Ratings:
Attraction Name: Darkest Dreams
Overall Attraction Rating: 9/10
Cast & Crew Rating: 9/10
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 9/10
Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 8/10
Attraction Name: Tales of the Unknown
Overall Attraction Rating: 10/10
Cast & Crew Rating: 10/10
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 10/10
Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 9/10