 USS
NIGHTMARE: A brand new beginning for 2007
is waiting aboard America's renowned Haunted Steamboat, formerly known
as the William S. Mitchell. Gather your group in the designated
Mitchell
museum
area for a seasonal photo opportunity that soon takes a wicked detour,
and unleashes a startling surprise. Once the picture taking is over,
it's time to get reacquainted with the Captain, his hideous looking
crew, and trademark Rat Girl character. The first of three
encounters with a giant Impaler (13 foot tall animated, growling monster)
finds the beast resting quietly in his favorite section of the wrecked
ship. Next time, you're not quite so lucky as the dejected behemoth
has awakened, ferociously snarling, and waving a deadly spear in one hand,
while clutching the torso of a recent victim's body in the other!
Fantastic, startling sounds accompany the numerous unexpected events that
take place on board The Nightmare. Bodies spin, roast over
an open coal fire, and spring forth out of caskets as the adventure continues
through the bowels of the old wounded vessel. Chained lockers shake
and vibrate on their own, as irate crewmen dangle from overhead pipes,
and crawl along the decks shouting warnings pertaining to their devious
commander, and pointing out what he's already done to them. Iron
gratings are utilized to navigate between levels of the battered old paddlewheeler,
exposing you to outdoor elements, where a glance down reveals the unmistakable
sight of the muddy waters of the mighty Ohio River down below! Traverse
the kitchen area, where freezers are stocked with body bags, and enraged
butchers are more than willing to "chop you up," en route to a third and
final encounter with the notorious Impaler, that finds him madder and hungrier
than ever! An extravagant, mind-boggling SURPRISE is about to unfold!
Will you become his next victim? If you're fortunate enough to escape,
you'll meet The Captain's daughter Anna, Clowns, Mummies, Vampires,
a fog spraying exterminator-like villain, and a fiend wearing a miner's
helmet, that blinds you with its bright, glaring beam! Experiences
include a spinning vortex, floors that "crunch" beneath your feet, undead
corpses rising up off of gurneys, an interactive Dreamalator
segment,
and two more huge, new SURPRISES building up to a chainsaw chase-out of
USS
Nightmare.
Analysis:
LENGTH - 9½, Just over 20 minutes.
ACTORS - 9, Great interaction and dialogue from much
of the cast, although some of the characters are encountered on multiple
occasions. Don't think there's hardly enough since the course is
one of the longer ones in existence, and some rooms and areas remain unoccupied.
Impressive make-up, and costuming creates unique "undead" crewmen.
Would like to see their aggressiveness pushed to the extreme by arming
them with some noise making "weapons." Freezer character, overhead
Dangler, and Chainsaw madman are the most intense of the bunch. Anna's
dialogue is good, but delivery is weak, hillbilly girl doesn't belong,
and clowns are playful, not evil, thus practically useless.
SCARINESS - 9+, Background music and assaulting sounds
that accompany the vast array of surprises are fabulous. The new
surprises add an all new dimension to the condemned craft, which
itself provides an unsurpassed atmosphere with its cramped passageways,
and authentic steamboat equipment (valves, pipes, boilers, etc.).
DESIGN - 9+, Huge and Extravagant surprises are most
notable, and awesome additions to an already strong exhibition. Transforming
playful clowns into vicious, weapon toting "killers" would be a vast improvement,
and set up an intensified, supplemented finish. Groups were somewhat
bunching together on a night of light attendance.
PROPS - 9½, Outstanding legitimate decor - always
something to look at. While there are some missed opportunities,
numerous, well-timed animatronics provide unexpected startles, setting
up plenty of chances for actors to feed off of and exploit to deliver scares.
Inpaler and new surprises are most memorable.
VALUE - 9+, No price increase in comparison to '06.
Still, it's one of the more expensive attractions around, but one of the
most prolific as well. Visit on coupon days whenever possible.
RATING: 9+, Now in it's 16th year,
USS
Nightmare
is ranked among the 13 best haunted attractions in the country
by Hauntworld magazine. You can't possibly see all it has
to offer the first time through, so take advantage of the $5 re-entry offer,
and be prepared to have the ship scared out of you!! |
