Billed as a Guinness Book World Record holder in 2010 as the world's largest haunted house, they got dethroned last year. This year they are going for the record again on October 6th so that means even more hauntingly good times at the Cutting Edge haunted house in the infamous former meat packing plant in Fort Worth.
At one point this haunted house was voted by Fort Worth Weekly readers as the best place to take a first date. A "great" first date locale should have a few essential ingredients: Ambiance, Mood, Comfort and good conversation. Cutting Edge haunted house provides all of that and more in a former meat packing plant in an area called Hell's Half Acre.
Ambiance - The Cutting Edge Haunted House is one of the top 13 haunted houses according to the leading haunted house authority, HauntWorld.com. With over 150 actors and 225 total employees, creating the perfect ambiance for your first date is taken very seriously. Actors go through a three step audition process that is very intense. CEO Todd James, explains that he wanted his haunted house to be "cutting edge" which explains how he came up with the name. The actors don't talk so they can appear less human and while the atmosphere is dark, there are no blood scenes.
Scenery - It has very low lighting, an essential component on a first date to set the mood. Since it's located in a 106 year old former meat packing plant, the ambiance and machinery of the plant itself is part of the scenery in a human body processing scene. There are various scenes that Todd describes as creating a depiction of a "dream like" state. You also get serenaded with light music setting the mood as zombie tribal headhunters on drums, provide music and entertainment for the lovely couples on a first date.
One minute you are in 1920's London full of alleyways and rooms then you will see a skull tunnel that transports you to another place. You may then find yourself in a rainforest frolicking with large dinosaurs. There is a cemetery scene, a clown town and zombie hillbillies. Depending upon how fast you run it can take you about an hour to make it through the entire thing.
Comfort- Nothing sets a mood better than complete relaxation. Once you've been scared out of your wits and taken out of your comfort zone, you can get to know your date a lot better. Guys, nothing makes a girl feel special than protecting her in the "Land of the Lost" from a fire-breathing, actor driven, interactive dinosaur chasing you while you scream for your life. You may also encounter a giant snake in the swamp village. How romantic? Or ladies, nothing reveals more about a guy than what really scares him out of his mind.
Conversation - Last but not least, the Cutting Edge haunted house is such a large place with so many things to see it practically starts the conversation for you. Talk about what you liked and didn't like. While you are standing in line waiting to get in, you can talk about what you are excited to see when you walk in and you can use standing in line as a great captive way to get to know each other better.
If after all that you don't end your date with a kiss then alas it was not meant to be. So take your first date to the Cutting Edge haunted house and face fears bigger than a first date.
Cutting Edge Haunted House
Intersection of I-30 & I-35
Hauntline 817-348-8444
Open Now until November 3, 2012
Tickets: $30 each, Speedpass is an extra $20 - Discounts available on their website
Not recommended for kids 10 and under
