Haunted House Ratings - Fright Fest 2018
Visitors of SFOT Source tend to ask us what we think of the haunted houses. Which one is the scariest? Which one is the most effective? Is there anything unique in any of the houses? We’ve decided to take it a step further and rate all of the haunted houses based off of a 5-point system. Here’s the scoring breakdown.
5 out of 5 - Effective, Immersive, and Unique. You don’t want to miss it!
4 out of 5 - Effective and Unique. You should check this house out if the wait is under 30 minutes.
3 out of 5 - Average Across the Board. We wouldn’t wait in a line for this ranking.
2 out of 5 - Below Average. Do not wait in line for this house.
1 out of 5 - Far Below Average. Only enter if you dare!
PLEASE NOTE: Some of the ratings below may contain SPOILERS…if you do not want anything spoiled for you we do not recommend reading beyond this!
Hell Block 6
Hell block 6 is the park’s ALL-NEW haunted house for the 2018 Fright Fest season and it couldn’t have come soon enough. We’ve gone a number of seasons without a real “new” house and with the constant increase in house pricing this was much-needed. Hell Block 6 is also the park’s second permanent haunted house. What does this mean? It may likely be easier for the park to update/upgrade the house on a yearly basis while also better maintaining the effects and scenes that are already in place.
The main talking points of Hell Block 6:
The pre-show room is a great way to get guests into the “vibe” of what they are about to experience.
The house also presents unique smells that add another sensory layer to the experience.
The house is not incredibly long but is about what you would expect out of a theme park attraction.
While perhaps not the “scariest” haunt at the park it does add another element by using prisoners instead of monsters.
At one point in Hell Block 6, your party is split up into different pathways!
Sometimes you may find a “normal guest” planted in the house and see them terrorized.
Some scenes may be uncomfortable…but not in a bad way…in a way that adds to the haunted house.
Based off the different pathways you will likely not have the same experience twice.
Six Flags did a great job with this new house by providing unique experiences that cannot be found in the other houses. We highly recommend!
Final Rating: 5 out of 5
Piggy’s Blood Shed
Piggy’s Blood Shed, located in the park’s Texas section, was first introduced in 2012. There was a lot of hype around this haunted house as it had a set main character. While Piggy still exists today, you won’t find any active storylines or character development as they did in the early seasons of the attraction. You will, however, be able to enjoy one of the longer haunted attractions in the park. Piggy’s Blood Shed is also a permanent installation meaning that there is a better chance all special effects and scenes are better maintained and in good shape.
The main talking points of Piggy’s Blood Shed:
The theme of this haunted house is that of a restaurant that serves human body parts as food.
The “atmosphere” is a bit more in-depth than some of the houses in terms of decor and effects.
The house hasn’t really changed since it was originally built.
Effects in the house are working better this season than they were in 2017!
Some effects, such as specific smells, have not worked in a number of seasons.
There weren’t exactly a ton of “monsters” inside the house to provide scares.
Some effects, such as the huge farting bed person-thing, work and were very effective!
While this house is quite predictable for those who have been coming over the last handful of seasons, it is still a fun experience and one of the better houses that is offered.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
Zombie Infestation
This haunted house, located in Texas near Titan, is perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2018 season. While we consider it a mostly average house, this was our favorite experience in terms of what was delivered by the scare actors inside. Challenges certainly arise when a haunted house is built inside a tent. However, this is the most well-themed “tent house” located at the park. We also feel like the tent actually adds to the experience of what is happening inside as it is somewhat visible throughout the journey of escaping the zombies.
The main talking points of Zombie Infestation:
Themed around a military base that has been taken over by zombies. In this instance, its tent setting actually adds to this concept.
A lot of “controlled chaos” takes place inside making it one of the more exciting haunts at the park.
The scare actors were quite dedicated to creating a scenario that felt more intense and realistic.
Many of the special effects in the house are still working and somewhat effective.
The lighting inside the haunted house is also effective at creating the zombie scenario.
We had a great time in this house because we weren’t expecting it to be so full of monsters who were ready to scare everyone so effectively!
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
Cirkus Berzerkus
Cirkus Berzerkus, located in the park’s Tower section inside Texas Arena, has been a tenant of Fright Fest for quite some time. Guests put on 3D glasses and are introduced to immersive multi-dimensional effects all over the scenery with the assistance of black lights. In past seasons, this house has certainly been one of our favorites. On top of 3D effects, many real and fake clowns fill this maze up with the intent to scare those who enter. Another great part of this house is the fact that clowns can actually slide pieces of the wall down and scare those walking by. With the busy paint and glasses, it is hard to tell where this will happen.
The main talking points of Cirkus Berzerkus:
The 3D glasses, paint, and black lights are still quite an effective and unique piece of this haunted house.
Less clowns seemed to be roaming in this house than in previous seasons.
There are a plethora of “fake” clowns located throughout the maze…and maybe too many for our taste.
There are more non-moving dummies than anything else inside the maze.
Many of the “popping out of wall” scares simply did not exist in this house when we went through.
The great spinning tunnel effect that was once at the end of this house no longer exists.
The park’s flooding issues have probably not helped but Cirkus Berzerkus has fallen into the category of a more average house for the 2018 season.
Final Rating: 3 out of 5
Blackout
Blackout, located in the games midway area of Gotham City, is another haunted house that plays directly on the senses. This haunted house has had a few minor changes throughout the years. We remember a completely pitch black experience a few years ago in which you would grab a rope with the rest of your party and navigate through the house. Last year saw the addition of a tunnel-like feature in which has guests pushing their way through to the next room. This year the house seems to remain consistent to its layout from last year with no noticeable changes.
The main talking points of Blackout:
This is a near-pitch black experience meaning you must use other senses, primarily touch, to find your way through the maze.
A few rooms feature elements in which guests must navigate solely on touch alone.
Some rooms do have strobe and other intense lighting effects.
Scare actors are very hidden in this maze wearing mostly body suits.
The outside presentation of this haunted attraction lacks greatly. It looks like it is falling apart or does not belong in the area.
Overall, Blackout is a pretty fun haunted house. However, there is nothing that particularly stands out and it has had a long tenure in the park of being mostly unchanged.
Final Rating: 3 out of 5
Cadaver Hall Morgue
Cadaver Hall Morgue is the second haunted house located inside Texas Arena in the park’s Texas section. This was the roughest haunted house experience we have ever had at the park (this may be because of the flooding issues). When the haunted house was introduced a number of seasons ago it was quite exciting. The beginning sequence featured a deranged woman attempting to break out of a door with an ax. The door would then buckle and you would quickly be rushed into the house in a frantic manner. This effect is long gone and the house starts off incredibly awkwardly as if something is supposed to happen. How did the rest of the house fare?
The main talking points of Cadaver Hall Morgue:
The awkward beginning of the maze should just be taken out completely. It serves no essential purpose to the experience.
Many of the scenes are completely dark…scenes that need light in order for guests to see what exactly is taking place.
Many of the mechanical elements of the house simply do not work and are awkward.
The few scare actors inside were not effective/scaring anyone passing by.
The haunted house comes across as a complete afterthought when compared to the rest of the offerings at the park.
Perhaps the weather issues have ruined this haunted house. The fact that it is open makes you question the steep price point of house passes.
Final Rating: 1 out of 5
We would love to know how you rate your haunted house experience at Six Flags Over Texas so please let us know in the comments below! If you are looking for haunted house information, locations, pricing, and other general Fright Fest information we recommend you check out our Fright Fest 2018 Guide by clicking the button below.