The power of "FEAR"! Does it have limits?

October 13, 2:29 PMJanesville Paranormal Research ExaminerJennifer Lauer

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The Burial Chamber's Dr. Evil
Photos by David Schumacher

As a seasoned Paranormal Investigator, I've been to many reportedly haunted locations all over the world.  Some are famous and others not so well known and after all these years of investigating I've noticed that my fear level has dropped dramatically.  It's practically gone!   The thought of being in a haunted location or walking through a creepy "haunted house" doesn't even seem to raise the hairs on the back of my neck anymore.  Has my ability to feel fear left me completely?

This concept intrigued me, so I set off on an adventure that I was hoping would fill my need for fear...the REAL HAUNTED HOUSES OF WISCONSIN.  I decided to test my fear abilities at some of the local Haunted House attractions in the Wisconsin area.  If these places can raise my blood pressure or stir up my adrenaline then maybe I haven't lost it at all.  Maybe it's just lying dormant waiting for something good to come along.  

I've given each of them my own personal Scare Scale Rating.  With 1 being the least and 5 being the most scary, if they can scare me...then imagine what a person who doesn't deal with the strange and unusual on a daily basis may think of them.  The following Haunted Attractions were the ones that I recommend. 

RACINE'S FACTORY OF FEAR
615 S. Marquette Street
Racine, WI
www.racinesfactoryoffear.com

Admission: $12.50
Open every Thursday through Sunday in October
Not recommended for children under 10. 
Jen's Scare Scale:  3-4 (on family night)

This haunted attraction features 25 character actors and 9 scary movie theme rooms.  Designed by Darchell Albritton, she and her brother Dante Albritton run the haunted attraction and being this is the first year the attraction has been in operation, they had over 750 people go through the house in the opening night alone. I unfortunately came on Family Night, so I was unable to experience the full affect of the attraction however the owners stated to me that when it was running at full capacity many customers stated it to be on a scare scale of a 5.  If you're in the Racine area and looking for a good haunted attraction, I would definitely recommend the Factory of Fear!!

JANESVILLE'S HAUNTED WALK AT THE EDGE PAINTBALL FIELD
5946 S. US Highway 51
Janesville, WI
www.myspace.com/frighteningforest

Admission: $5.00
Open every Fri, Sat and Sun in October
Children under 12 BEWARE!
Jen's Scare Scale:  3-4

Do you get creeped out by the very thought of walking through a dark, damp scary woods with creatures who could pop out at you anytime to scare the jeepers out of you?  Then this is the haunt for you!  Take as little or as long as you need to find your way though this very dark and creepy haunted woods with all of the fixings of Friday the 13th's Camp Crystal Lake.  With over 20 character actors with very realistic masks to terrify you along the way, this is the perfect haunt for anyone who is already uneasy about walking in the woods at night.  The attraction even comes with it's own very real foggy mist that comes from the nearby river.  No fake mist or fog going on here...it's the real deal!!  With it's 2nd year in operation manager, Patrick Knilans, dares you to attempt the trail on your own!
 

STOUGHTON'S HAUNTED BARN
755 Hwy 51
Stoughton, WI
www.the-haunted-barn.com

Admission: $8.00
Open every Fri, Sat and Sun in October
Perfect for children of all ages
Jen's Scare Scale:  4
 
The first 3 words that come to mind regarding this popular haunt is...beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice! WOW!  What amazing costumes, make-up and energy the 40 character actors displayed.   You can really tell the passion and love the owners, Christine & Larry Twining, and their two children Bethany and Tyler have for their Haunted Barn. The BEST part of this haunt is that the character actors are not only inside the barn prepared to attack you at any time, but they are outside standing behind you in line, breathing down your neck, scaring you before you even step foot inside the barn.  Once you maneuver the many creepy and frightening areas of the barn, you find yourself outside wandering through the creepy outside trail of terror!  I would recommend this haunted attraction to both adults and children.  I was VERY impressed by such an local and independent production. 

WHITEWATER'S FUZZY PIG'S DOUBLE HAUNT
(Blood Manor and Howell in the Woods)
N8660 Clover Valley Road
Whitewater, WI

Admission: $10 per haunt or $16 for both (Donate canned foods and receive a $2 dollar discount)
"Blood Manor" is recommended for teenagers and adults where "Howell in the Woods" is recommended for the younger crowd.
Jen's Scare Scale:  4

For his first year in operation, the owner of the Fuzzy Pig, Dick Kraus, has really put together an awesome haunt.  The response from this independent haunt has been fantastic.  They have really put alot of effort and passion into making this haunt one of the best around.  With 30 character actors, 6 theme rooms, 6 mazes and 2 fog rooms, this haunt will surely be one to add to your list of "MUST EXPERIENCE!  Dick will guarantee that you WILL NOT go away unsatisfied!  Although the haunt itself is outstanding, there has been issues with customers inability to find the location.  Throw away your map quest and yahoo maps...even GPS systems have had issues locating the Fuzzy Pig.  Don't fret however, they will bring you close then it's up to you to go the next step to find it.  Do NOT let this deter you from experiencing this haunt!  If you have problems finding the place, just give them a call at (262) 473-4574 and they would be happy to give you directions!
 

THE BURIAL CHAMBER HAUNTED COMPLEX
500 N. Lake Street
Neenah, WI
www.burialchamber.com

Admission: $14.00 per haunt (check website for packages
and discounts for all 4 haunts)
Timed admission tickets new this year check it out!

Insanity Haunted House
Adrenaline Haunted House
Phobia Outside Haunted Woods
The Last Ride burial simulator

Jen's Scare Scale: 5

All I can say is, "WOW"!  What an amazing haunted attraction!  Owner, Matt Mars, is the mastermind behind this amazing experience!  Not only are each of the haunts HUGE, the character actors, which consist of over 120, are absolutely outstanding!  The air brushed make-up and the elaborate costumes and room designs make for a fantastic night of horror and fun.  If you plan on experiencing all of the haunts here, plan on being there all night!  I had a VIP pass and went through all of them and it still took me 3 hours to get through it all!  I definitely recommend the VIP pass.  It costs a little more, but if you're looking to not stand in line all night...this is the way to go!  When I was there, the line went all the way around the back of the building and they were about 4 people wide in the line.  This is hands-down the best haunted attraction I have ever experienced and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good place to visit.  If you experience the haunt for yourself and loved it, don't forget to vote for them online at HauntedWisconsin.com.

I hope you take a little time out of your busy October and visit one of these outstanding haunts.  When you do, come back and take my poll as to which one you enjoyed the most.  I always love to know what you think!