The gates to the Devil’s Attic have been flung open again in 2013, tempting guests to explore one of the most detailed haunted attractions in the region!
The Prince of Darkness sits upon his throne in the opening scene of The Devil’s Attic at 647 West Hill Street, watching each group of foolish mortals as they dare to enter his kingdom. He will try to warn you about the nightmares you’ll encounter if you pass the threshold into his inner sanctum through the door beyond, but you may be too distracted by the Gothic visual splendor around you to hear his dire words.
Now in its fourth season of tormenting souls, The Devil’s Attic has ultimately become one of the most intricately detailed haunts I’ve ever explored, and this year I have to congratulate owner/operator, Jason Besemann, for delivering the best make-up and costumed characters of any haunt I’ve experienced so far this season. All the nastiest villains of literature and the movies are brought to life inside.
Besemann’s haunt has come a long, long way in just four years, and it’s his eye for extreme detail that sets The Devil’s Attic apart from the crowd. There’s so much going on in every scene that I found myself wanting to slow down and take it all in, but the actors are good enough at their jobs to keep me moving briskly along.
The walls are covered from floor to ceilings with skulls, spiders and Gothic décor as you move into the Hellish first section of the maze. The Dante’s Inferno vibe gives way shortly to a series of classic horror scenes where you’ll encounter vampires, werewolves and an elaborate Frankenstein’s laboratory set complete with a special effects laden “creation” scene. You’ll also take a detour through Sleepy Hollow to face the Headless Horseman himself.
Soon enough The Devil’s Attic segues into the realm of modern horror where you’ll encounter a circular room with many different doors, and Jigsaw taunts you to find the correct way out or suffer a horrible fate. My group chose poorly a couple of times and became lost in the winding maze before finally finding the correct door. The “13 Ghosts” glass house scene always delivers the shocks and the horrific “Exorcist” scene also returns this year.
New this year is a witches’ hut where you’ll encounter a cackling hag before you realize you’ve been marked with the curse of Pumpkinhead. It’s something of a shock to suddenly be confronted by a very realistic and full-sized Pumpkinhead demon, and it’s not just an animatronic. It can chase you.
There are also a couple dark sections filled with black plastic streamers and wall dividers that are very effective in separating groups, and I found myself suddenly alone on a couple of occasions and had to either rush ahead to catch up with my group or wait for them to find their way to my location.
For all of its detail, The Devil’s Attic is not the longest haunted attraction in town, and I found myself wishing there were even more rooms to explore, but leaving your guests awe struck and wanting more isn’t such a bad thing. You won’t be touched or grabbed inside The Devil’s Attic, but you will be taunted and chased by the fiends you meet.
Jason Besemann told me about an elaborate show he puts on once every 30 minutes or so on the second floor of the building for the crowds waiting in line. It involves Satan and simulated fiery blasts of smoke and pyrotechnics, but Saturday’s torrential rains prevented the show from going on. I’d love to see it.
The Devil’s Attic is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through October. The ticket booth hours on Friday and Saturday are from 8PM until 12:30AM and on Sunday from 8PM until 11:30PM. The Devil’s Attic will also be open on Halloween night, Thursday, October 31st from 8PM until 12:30PM. General Admission tickets are $17 and Speed Pass tickets are $22.
