Haunted Attraction Reviewed: Fear Columbus
Website: www.fearcolumbus.com
Location of Attraction: Columbus Ohio
Date of Review: 9/17/2022
Total Number of Attractions Available: 2
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 10/10
Entertainment & Food Rating: 9/10
Atmosphere Rating: 10/10
Overall Costume & Makeup Rating: 10/10
Overall Cast & Crew Rating: 10/10
Overall Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 10/10
Overall Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 9/10
Overall Feedback: Fear Columbus located right outside the heart of Columbus Ohio kicked off night two of our Ohio Haunt Tour on a sensational note! Fear Columbus is the epitome of “don’t judge a book by its cover”, as you would never think from looking at the strip mall where it resides that one of the best haunts resides within its walls! We arrived on site at Fear Columbus shortly after 7pm on what was just their 4th night of operation for the 2022 season. A decent sized crowd was already on hand, eagerly funneling into the attraction doors. As you step outside of your vehicle you’re immediately immersed into an exhilarating atmosphere, as lively music can be heard booming from nearby speakers & numerous roaming spooks are inducing blood-curdling screams from unsuspecting patrons.
For the 2022 season Fear Columbus has a rather flexible schedule, giving haunt goers ample dates to choose from. Tickets start at $20 and vary upwards in cost depending on the night you attend. Fear Columbus utilizes timed ticketing to help strategically provide a layer of crowd control. Despite those efforts, as Halloween inches closer these folks will possess massive crowds, so consider upgrading your tickets to Fast Pass or Immediate Access if you want to bypass the wait. If you’re curious about learning what it takes to build & operate a large-scale haunted attraction then consider opting in for a Behind the Screams tour. This 90+ minute experience will provide you with a guided lights-on tour of both attractions, a behind the scenes look at the costuming & makeup department, a sneak peak at the production warehouse, and more! Also consider visiting Fear Columbus for two special offseason events, Krampus Haunted Christmas Experience and Love is in the Scare!
Just moments inside the Fear Columbus doors you’re immediately transported to another dimension! The initial queue line area inside Fear Columbus is essentially its own attraction. Intense & immersive light shows dazzle the queue line while the ground shaking bass from what is clearly top of the line audio equipment sends vibrations right up your spine. Just when it seems the place is about to turn into a house party, the programming swaps to some creepy old tune suitable for some eerie kids' Halloween program from the 50's. We were absolutely mesmerized by this electrifying queue area. We can’t forget to mention the beautifully crafted & ominous facade plus the incredible roaming spooks that were working the crowd, providing countless spine-tingling startles!
Fear Columbus offers two attractions for 2022, The Summoning - Animal Instinct & Aftermath - The Final Stand! The Summoning takes you on an adventure through countless spooky scenes that are expertly crafted. You won’t be leisurely strolling through this house of a cult, as menacing characters coupled with startling special effects make for a nerve-racking experience! Be forewarned as the demonic creatures you’ll encounter are relentless in their attack & are certain to send shivers down your spine. As you stumble through one of the most ridiculously amusing squeeze/claustrophobia tunnels, you’ll eventually spill into the queue area for Aftermath! Although The Summoning is beautifully crafted to near perfection, this is not the highlight of Fear Columbus. That title goes to The Aftermath - The Final Stand!
Aftermath features a post-apocalyptic city that’s in total chaos! The city streets of Rapture are filled with full-size storefronts, overturned cars, a giant asylum with manic patients on the loose, and much more! With audio and visual effects that dump you right into some bombed out wasteland, the realism of it's sets are almost too perfect. An actual police cruiser on its side with lights still strobing and the ground shaking from sounds of a helicopter air raid send this set out of control. We were immediately stunned in awe of the pure mesmerizing sophistication of the town. Fear Columbus legitimately re-created a full sized town featuring larger than life sets! The life-like nature of the attraction had us feeling like Fear Columbus dumped us straight into the set of a Hollywood 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! Aftermath 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 this beast of an attraction! Special recognition goes to the trashcan possum seen eating sugar babies, he's a hilarious addition that deserves his place in the haunt hall of fame. The grand finale scene is sure to have guests fleeing from the attraction, as large animatronic creatures & chainsaw wielding maniacs made for a dramatic finish!
We truly can’t rave enough about the world-class set design featured at Fear Columbus. Each and every scene is thoroughly thought out & elegantly crafted with the finest of detail. An aesthetically pleasing & visually stunning experience that absolutely blew us away. Not to mention their usage of state of the art audio, visual, & special effects to further enhance the experience & immerse patrons into a nerve-racking dimension! Job well done to the entire cast & crew for putting forth a flawless performance. The spooks encountered were relentless in their attack, providing countless hair-raising startles. The Hollywood level costuming & make-up helps to further heighten the experience, leaving you to question what's real and what isn’t.
After wrapping up your ~30 minute adventure through Fear Columbus you’ll be funneled into their revamped merchandise area. Numerous shirt & hoodie options along with various other trinkets are available for purchase. Be sure to check out your group photo as they make excellent memorable keepsakes of your Fear Columbus experience. Various snacks & refreshments can be purchased from the Fear Columbus merch area or a food truck is stationed in the parking lot ready to whip up scrumptious creations for hungry haunt goers.
Fear Columbus may not have an intimidating external appearance, but once inside you best be prepared to face your worst nightmares! Job well done to the Fear Columbus crew for providing a nerve-wracking, blood-curdling, and visually stunning experience! The staff inside and out run this place with the precision of a SWAT team. Special shout-out to Marco, who was an excellent host & is always a pleasure to chat with! Our squad strongly recommends that all fellow haunt enthusiasts pay Fear Columbus a visit, you certainly won’t be disappointed! Hats off to FEAR Columbus on a triumphant haunt year.
Individual Attraction Ratings:
Attraction Name: The Summoning - Animal Instinct
Overall Attraction Rating: 9.5/10
Cast & Crew Rating: 9.5/10
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 10/10
Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 9/10
Attraction Name: Aftermath - The Final Stand
Overall Attraction Rating: 10/10
Cast & Crew Rating: 10/10
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 10/10
Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 9.5/10
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