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Writer's pictureChandler Clouser

Waldorf Estate of Fear - 2020 Review


Haunted Attraction Reviewed: Waldorf Estate of Fear

Location of Attraction: Lehighton PA

Date of Review: 10/9/2020

Total Number of Attractions Available: 3 + 2 Escape Rooms

Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 8.5/10

Entertainment & Food Rating: 6/10

Atmosphere Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Costume & Makeup Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Cast & Crew Rating: 9/10

Overall Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 8.5/10

Overall Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 8/10

Overall Feedback: On Friday October 9th our squad paid a visit to Waldorf Estate of Fear in Lehighton Pennsylvania. On this same evening we visited Hotel of Horror which is a mere 25 minutes from Waldorf Estate of Fear. This was our Squad’s third visit to Waldorf Estate of Fear since our start in 2016. For those who don’t know, Waldorf Estate of Fear was the recording location for the movie Hell House LLC. More specifically, the recording took place in the Abaddon Hotel, also known as the Waldorf Hotel. For those of you who never heard of the movie Hell House LLC here is a brief backstory of the film, “Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened.” If you’ve never watched this movie we strongly urge you to do so prior to visiting Waldorf Estate of Fear! The movie is downright freaky and makes your experience at Waldorf Estate of Fear that much more horrifying!

We arrived at Waldorf Estate of Fear shortly after 9pm to a decent sized crowd on hand. From the parking lot you can’t help but notice the spooky fun atmosphere buzzing through the air, exciting the guests for the experience that lies ahead! All guests are asked to sign a waiver and then receive a temperature check prior to being granted access to the ticket booth! Face coverings are required for all haunt goers, so make sure to have your mask! For 2020 Waldorf Estate of Fear is offering two main attractions; City of Horrors and The Haunting at the Waldorf Hotel! Also available are two 30 minute escape rooms (Apocalypse & Cold Storage) and Zombie Paintball Training Camp! Due to time constraints on our end we only elected to pursue the two main attractions, City of Horrors and The Haunting at the Waldorf Hotel. From the looks of it, fellow patrons were having a blast in the Zombie Paintball Training Camp and we’ve always heard nothing but good things regarding the escape rooms here! Tickets for the two main attractions run for $30 a person, with fast pass upgrade available for an additional $15. With all of these attraction offerings Haunt goers could easily make a visit to Waldorf Estate of Fear a full nights worth of spooky fun!

The midway area at Waldorf Estate of Fear is simple but effective. Right smack dab in the middle is a warm bonfire with ample seating surrounding it. One food truck was onsite serving up your favorite fair style foods. A small gift shop had various t-shirts and hoodies on sale. Don’t forget to snag a group picture by the amazing Waldorf Hotel hearse! After grabbing a quick snack and congregating around the fire we set forth for our first of two attractions, the City of Horrors!

For 2020 the City of Horrors utilizes what used to be Waldorf Estate of Fear’s Hayride (Terror in the Corn Haunted Hayride) and Zombie themed trail (Infection) to create one massive, entertaining, and terrifying walkthrough trail experience! Gone are the hay wagons and flag football belts, and in comes ample amounts of SHEER FEAR! City of Horrors takes YOU, the haunt goer, and fully immerses you into your favorite horror films! Be prepared for an exhilarating 15 minute show during your journey through the City of Horrors. We kicked our journey off dodging zombies through The Walking Dead scenes. The dark snake-like paths left plenty of hidden places for these zombies to quietly lurk in before pouncing on us for a scare. From there we encountered nearly all of our favorite horror film characters; Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Jason Vorhees, Samara, Slenderman, Pennywise and more! As we stumbled into each scene we felt fully immersed into a Hollywood movie set, except we were the unlucky souls in danger of being victimized by various horror villains/slashers! The scenes were extremely detailed and perfectly crafted to realistically resemble the movie they were portraying! The scare actors throughout City of Horrors were on point, delivering killer performances! Their passion and energy shined through during their sinister performances! Special shout-outs to Leatherface, Pennywise, and Freddy Krueger for absolutely killing it in their roles and performances! If you’re a horror film fanatic you’ll certainly find enjoyment in the sinisterly theatrical show that the City of Horrors provides. Grab some popcorn and lace up your sneakers, as City of Horrors provides a thrilling and spine-chilling experience you don’t want to miss!

Next up we headed for our 2nd and final attraction for the evening, The Haunting at the Waldorf Hotel! Step up to the front desk where the freakish Bellhop will gladly check you into the Waldorf Hotel. The Bellhop provides an eerie performance that sets the tone for the experience that lies ahead! If you’ve watched Hell House LLC you will instantly have flashbacks to certain scenes from the movie, as you’ll venture through the kitchen, cobweb hallway, walk-in freezer, bar, dining room, bathroom, living quarters and more. Be prepared for three floors of fear, with spooks and surprises lurking around every corner! Something we love about the Waldorf Hotel is their excellence at sticking to the Hotel theme. Scenes are detailed and realistic, resembling areas that you’d surely encounter in a legitimate Hotel. Maybe someday they’ll allow guests to venture into the dark and eerie depths of the basement, but for now that area is still off limits. Just like in the City of Horrors, the scare actors in the Waldorf Hotel are the driving force for delivering that unnerving and horrifying experience us haunt goers are seeking! As usual, the Waldorf Hotel was littered with superb scare actors, easily some of the best we’ve encountered thus far this 2020 review season! These folks possess a true talent for performing and doing so in a sinister and unsettling way. Special shout-out to the maid who heckled us and made sure we knew she wasn’t going to clean up any of our messes. All of our members were on the receiving end of a few bone-chilling startles during this generally nerve-racking experience in the Waldorf Hotel!

As we exited the Waldorf Hotel and congregated back in the midway our Squad conversed about our experience and thoughts. In a unanimous decision it was clear that this was by far our best experience to date at Waldorf Estate of Fear! The City of Horrors brought an all new level of FEAR that’s sure to horrify and delight even the most experienced haunt goers. As usual, the Waldorf Hotel delivered another nerve-racking and frightfully fun experience! Waldorf Estate of Fear does a masterful job at delivering a traditional/old school style Haunted Attraction; meaning minimal animatronics/special effects and ample amounts of actor driven scares!

We had the pleasure of chatting with Angie, owner of the Haunt, for quite some time after our experience! One thing for sure, this Scream Queen has a clear passion for providing a thrilling and entertaining experience! Angie shared that many patrons are enjoying the new City of Horrors walking trail, and hinted at the possibility of forever discontinuing their Haunted Hayride! To no surprise, Angie and her team are already brainstorming and drawing up ideas for the 2021 season! One thing is certain, our Squad is already looking forward to visiting Waldorf Estate of Fear next season! If you’re on the lookout for a captivating, thrilling, and a sheer spooky fun experience, then Waldorf Estate of Fear is the place to be! Job well done to Angie and her entire team of spooks at Waldorf Estate of Fear! Go visit them this season and tell them Fright Review Squad sent you their way!

Individual Attraction Ratings:


Attraction Name: City of Horrors!

Overall Attraction Rating: 8.5/10

Cast & Crew Rating: 9/10

Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 8.5/10

Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 8/10


Attraction Name: The Haunting At The… Waldorf Hotel!

Overall Attraction Rating: 9/10

Cast & Crew Rating: 9.5/10

Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 9/10

Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 8.5/10

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