As a person who prefers to watch thrillers over horror films (my ideal horror movie is The Cabin In The Woods, if that says anything), I’m not one who particularly enjoys being scared. If a preview for a scary movie comes on TV, I either close my eyes or change the channel. My roommate once tried to make me watch one of those ghost hunter TV shows, and I had to leave the room.
Suffice it to say I had never been to a “real” haunted house before. By “real,” I mean not a haunted house that was put on at my elementary school or at my church when I was growing up.
It took me years to get over my fear of riding roller coasters, but sure enough, one go-round on Superman at Six Flags Over Georgia, and I was hooked. So I’ve tried to keep this in mind throughout my life – things that seem scary at first could potentially be really awesome. My visit to Netherworld was definitely one of those things.
Upon arrival at the haunt, it was clear that this was no elementary haunted house. Goblins, ghouls, demons, witches and other indefinable but equally scary characters were roaming the parking lot, stopping to scare and take pictures with those in attendance.
The main haunted house, “Season Of The Witch,” was absolutely incredible. I felt like I was deep in the set of a horror film, where no detail was spared. Every few steps, the ground beneath me would change. Every twist and turn revealed a scarier set than the last. Every second offered an opportunity for someone – or something – to jump out and scare the absolute bejeezus out of me. When I wasn’t screaming with terror, I was able to take short moments to simply admire the extravagant sets that were truly impressive. Everywhere I looked – up, down, side to side – something was waiting to scare me. Talk about your senses being in high gear.
I won’t go into detail, because, well, that would probably kind of ruin it for you, but it was awesome. I will say that when I get scared or in any sort of uncomfortable situation, a lot of awkward laughter comes out.
The second house, “Splice,” was equally as impressive. Scarier in a more non-traditional way, it is an experience that tricks your senses rather than just heightening them. Based on the concept of a “Mangler’s” vile cloning experiments, it’s a bizarre trip through a very unsettling warehouse full of body parts and discombobulated humans. A Sci-Fi horror gorefest for sure.
Some pro tips should you decide to take a visit to Netherworld (and you should):
-Wear comfortable shoes as you will frequently be on uneven ground and possibly running for your life at some points.
-If you’re a scaredy-pants like me, stick to the middle of the group you’re with, and prepare others around you to have their hand held squeezed a lot.
-Don’t taunt the monsters in the house. I attempted to scare one of them because I thought it would be funny and the joke definitely ended up on me.
-Definitely don’t mess with the witches. I suggested one get their mouth checked out because she was literally drooling from it and she proceeded to chase me around the parking lot asking if I wanted to check it out for her.
-Enjoy it. Or use one of the many quick emergency exits interspersed throughout the houses.
Netherworld will be open now through Nov. 8th. Times and prices vary based on days of the week. Tickets start at $22 per person. For more information visit Netherworld’s website.
