This is my first year where I have made a considerable amount of visits during HOS. And it is the first year I've experienced everything that HOS has to offer, so get your reading glasses out this might be a long one.
I have created my own way of ratings:
I will be reviewing everything, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it, so my reviews are absolutely truthful.
Terror-tories:
Ripper Row: Exceptional
Ripper Row was a great terror-tory I did not get to experience it when it was actually being "preformed." I feel that if I had experienced it when they were actually doing kidnappings I would've liked it a lot better. The theming is great, but I feel that it went to waste because they don't even use the structures, if they did I feel that it would've made this terror-tory a whole lot better.
Ports of Skull: Exemplary
This has to be my favorite terror-tory I feel like it is highly over-looked, and is a lot better than what people actually rate it. The theming is excellent, and the scares are very good, and fun to watch. Plus I love the "walk the plank" photo-op. People really enjoyed this terror-tory, and I surely did too!
Vampire Point: Crummy
I think this had to be the worst terror-tory, in my opinion. The theming was really limited, and the scares were very poor. It really wasn't taken to its full potential. I hope next year this terror-tory gets the most love, because it really needs it.
Demon Street: Mediocre
This terror-tory was okay, certainly not the best, but okay. The theming was nice, but relied on the night, for it to look good, and not tacky. The scare actors were very good, and scared me a lot more than the other terror-tories. Demon DJ was cool, but the music he played wasn't really my cup of tea.
Terror-tories overall: Mediocre
I liked the terror-tories, but I will always be a bigger fan of the Scare-zones. Scare-zones were really heavily themed and in condensed areas. Plus they got a lot more scares out of me, than what the terror-tories did, but they were a lot better than the roaming hoards from 2012.
Shows:
Dig it Up!: Exceptional
Always has been a good show, and was the best show on opening weekend.
Night Beats: Exceptional
The reason I'm not giving it an exemplary rating was because on opening weekend it was very poor, and not rehearsed well. But as time went on, it got a lot better, and became the show that it was last year. However, I still hate the Jitter-bug part of it.
Fiends: Exceptional
Always has been a good show. The new pop culture references can be easily over-looked if you don't think about it too much.
Shows overall: Exceptional
Because they were all ranked exceptional.
Food Experiences:
Blood Banquet: Exemplary
Blood Banquet is the best thing out of all HOS in my opinion. The show is fantastic, and very funny. The food is excellent, and the desserts are perfect! Definitely worth the price!
Fright Feast: Mediocre
It was okay, it doesn't even compare to Blood Banquet though. The show wasn't great, but it was okay, and the food was good, but not great. I wouldn't say it was worth the money either.
Food Experiences overall: Exceptional
BB was great, but Fright Feast needs some re-modeling all the way around. I would love to see them return next year!
The Houses:
Deadline: Exemplary
Always has been a great house, gives you a lot of scares, and is very well themed. The Scares in the front of the house were lacking a little, but nothing that could be overlooked.
Cut Throat Cove: Exceptional
This is a very good house, very well themed, and just an enjoyable house overall. However, it wasn't as scary as the other houses, if it had more scares to it, CTC would be a lot better. Also, I'm not a big fan of the tint of Strobes, I feel like it could've been used for something more useful, like something that actually had scares.
Bitten: Exceptional
A very good house, and always has been, it's getting old, and needs a refreshment. Other than that though, it is very scary, and an enjoyable house, that I would take the time to wait for.
Root of all Evil: Exceptional
A great house! Much better than last year, the theming is great, and the scares are plentiful. Definitely worth waiting for, and is probably the scariest house this year.
Catacombs: Mediocre
It's a good house, but is very lack-luster and needs to be replaced. I feel like every time I turn a corner it is the same thing. It is also very short, and in my opinion is not worth the <20 min long wait that it always has. However, the scares are good, but still not the best.
13 Your Number's up: Crummy
The line goes a lot faster this year, and the clown room is very good. Some of the other rooms are very boring, and only "half-wayed" on theming. There really aren't that many scares either, so overall it is a very boring house.
Houses overall: Exceptional
I think they are very good this year, some improved from last year, and the rest are the same. Also, some are getting old and are in need of replacement. But most of them, if not all are enjoyable, and very scary.
(End of Extremely long review)
I have created my own way of ratings:
- Exemplary
- Exceptional
- Mediocre
- Crummy
I will be reviewing everything, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it, so my reviews are absolutely truthful.
Terror-tories:
Ripper Row: Exceptional
Ripper Row was a great terror-tory I did not get to experience it when it was actually being "preformed." I feel that if I had experienced it when they were actually doing kidnappings I would've liked it a lot better. The theming is great, but I feel that it went to waste because they don't even use the structures, if they did I feel that it would've made this terror-tory a whole lot better.
Ports of Skull: Exemplary
This has to be my favorite terror-tory I feel like it is highly over-looked, and is a lot better than what people actually rate it. The theming is excellent, and the scares are very good, and fun to watch. Plus I love the "walk the plank" photo-op. People really enjoyed this terror-tory, and I surely did too!
Vampire Point: Crummy
I think this had to be the worst terror-tory, in my opinion. The theming was really limited, and the scares were very poor. It really wasn't taken to its full potential. I hope next year this terror-tory gets the most love, because it really needs it.
Demon Street: Mediocre
This terror-tory was okay, certainly not the best, but okay. The theming was nice, but relied on the night, for it to look good, and not tacky. The scare actors were very good, and scared me a lot more than the other terror-tories. Demon DJ was cool, but the music he played wasn't really my cup of tea.
Terror-tories overall: Mediocre
I liked the terror-tories, but I will always be a bigger fan of the Scare-zones. Scare-zones were really heavily themed and in condensed areas. Plus they got a lot more scares out of me, than what the terror-tories did, but they were a lot better than the roaming hoards from 2012.
Shows:
Dig it Up!: Exceptional
Always has been a good show, and was the best show on opening weekend.
Night Beats: Exceptional
The reason I'm not giving it an exemplary rating was because on opening weekend it was very poor, and not rehearsed well. But as time went on, it got a lot better, and became the show that it was last year. However, I still hate the Jitter-bug part of it.
Fiends: Exceptional
Always has been a good show. The new pop culture references can be easily over-looked if you don't think about it too much.
Shows overall: Exceptional
Because they were all ranked exceptional.
Food Experiences:
Blood Banquet: Exemplary
Blood Banquet is the best thing out of all HOS in my opinion. The show is fantastic, and very funny. The food is excellent, and the desserts are perfect! Definitely worth the price!
Fright Feast: Mediocre
It was okay, it doesn't even compare to Blood Banquet though. The show wasn't great, but it was okay, and the food was good, but not great. I wouldn't say it was worth the money either.
Food Experiences overall: Exceptional
BB was great, but Fright Feast needs some re-modeling all the way around. I would love to see them return next year!
The Houses:
Deadline: Exemplary
Always has been a great house, gives you a lot of scares, and is very well themed. The Scares in the front of the house were lacking a little, but nothing that could be overlooked.
Cut Throat Cove: Exceptional
This is a very good house, very well themed, and just an enjoyable house overall. However, it wasn't as scary as the other houses, if it had more scares to it, CTC would be a lot better. Also, I'm not a big fan of the tint of Strobes, I feel like it could've been used for something more useful, like something that actually had scares.
Bitten: Exceptional
A very good house, and always has been, it's getting old, and needs a refreshment. Other than that though, it is very scary, and an enjoyable house, that I would take the time to wait for.
Root of all Evil: Exceptional
A great house! Much better than last year, the theming is great, and the scares are plentiful. Definitely worth waiting for, and is probably the scariest house this year.
Catacombs: Mediocre
It's a good house, but is very lack-luster and needs to be replaced. I feel like every time I turn a corner it is the same thing. It is also very short, and in my opinion is not worth the <20 min long wait that it always has. However, the scares are good, but still not the best.
13 Your Number's up: Crummy
The line goes a lot faster this year, and the clown room is very good. Some of the other rooms are very boring, and only "half-wayed" on theming. There really aren't that many scares either, so overall it is a very boring house.
Houses overall: Exceptional
I think they are very good this year, some improved from last year, and the rest are the same. Also, some are getting old and are in need of replacement. But most of them, if not all are enjoyable, and very scary.
(End of Extremely long review)