Summary:

My journey through the Dragon's Dome haunted houses began as I was led into a staging area to watch an entertaining presentation, on a big-screen television, explaining the rules of the haunted house.  As the presentation ended, something happened that took me by surprise.  From there I moved on through several scenes with a medieval theme, which was consistent throughout most of the attraction.  A number of the scenes had suits of armor, swords and other props that followed along with the main theme.  The dining room scene featured animal heads mounted on the walls and skeletons that were sitting around a dinner table.  To my surprise, as I passed by, the centerpiece came to life.   In another area there was a cauldron containing several skulls and a green glowing liquid.  As I was distracted by the cauldron, I was surprised from up above.  Near the end of the attraction there was a dark maze with a slow-flashing strobe light, which was quite disorienting.  Some of the areas in the haunted house had great music playing, while it was nearly silent in others.  I think a few more strategically-placed custom music soundtracks would have greatly enhanced the atmosphere.   Many of the scenes were illuminated with strobe lights, while UV reactive paint & black lights were used to accent many of the props. 

As I exited the first haunted house, a staff member led me to the entrance of the second attraction, the Dragon's Maze.  While not as large or elaborately detailed as the Haunted Castle, it was still entertaining.   To get into the Dragon's Maze, I had to push my way through two vertical inflated vinyl walls.  Talk about getting a claustrophobic feeling!  Once inside the attraction there were a couple of great animated props/effects.  In one area, the floor moved beneath your feet and in another, a huge spider launched forward out of a large hole in the wall.  The main part of this attraction was a large, open area that was very dimly lit and had a mirror that stretched along the entire length of the far wall.  There was just enough light to see the fifty or more objects that were suspended from the ceiling by pieces of string and the mirror made it look as if the room was twice as big as it really was.  Wandering around the area were a few actors that would sneak up and scare you, when you least expected it.  It was a pretty interesting scene, to say the least.   

Both houses were adequately staffed with actors.  Some were very energetic and others were more low-key, depending on their role inside the attraction.  With the exception of a couple of poorly-timed scares, most of the actors did a good job.       

Although this event is advertised as "4 Haunted Attractions under one roof", keep in mind that only two of them are haunted houses.  The other two attractions, a slide and an obstacle course, are pretty much intended for young children (unless of course you are an adult who enjoys playing on the bouncy castle).  Because they provide entertainment appropriate for a multiple age groups, the Dragon's Dome would be the perfect place for a family outing.  I think the entertainment value of this event is worth the admission price, so check it out if you get the chance.       

Click here to find out more about this event.