[Haunt Review] Haunted Hillside - Still Good, but A Ways to Go Yet

Well, it's only their second year, but there's been a lot of improvements for this haunted trail attraction that's seemingly out there in the middle of nowhere. This is an interesting thing because you just don't see this kind of haunt being tried too often these days.

There's a lot of challenges that come with doing something outside and they've done their best to overcome them and used some interesting tactics to do such.

It's a little bit hard to find and there have been some mixed reviews from folks that I've overheard out there in haunt land, but they're still new and finding their way. That said, the show that they do put on is quite good and still worthy of a visit if you're in the area. They've also got some pretty major league talent behind the scenes as well, so there is that.

This is their second year and the gloves have come off just a bit more for this review and it's only fair as they have been around the block some now. That said, they're still growing and learning, but some things can't be ignored now like in last year's review. On that note, we did go early in the season and things may have improved some since then, but this is what we saw.

• Date Visited: 9/27/14
• Review Team: +Carrie H.C. and +Kitsune Hazard 
• Rating: Good
• Recommendation: Check it out if you're in the area, they've definitely got some good things going on here and have a good looking future.
• Likes: Some really great set pieces going in the woods and they're polishing things more and more which is never a bad thing to see.
• Dislikes: Still a lot of dead spaces and it really doesn't pick up the pace until the last 2/3rds-second half of the trail.
• Pro-Tip: Be prepared for a lot of walking, it's over 3/4 of a mile and you will be on uneven terrain and possibly muddy/slick surfaces due to being totally outside. Boots are good!

Disclaimer: We were invited to Haunted Hillside to check out this year's show and given complimentary tickets to review it. This, like always, has no bearing on our feelings or opinions of the show and never will. 

Let's get on with things then, shall we?

Haunted Hillside is a strange thing to try and wrap your head around. There's a story here and it's evident by the projected short movie that's flashed up on the side of the barn as you enter. Once you've gone around back and picked up your tickets you then have to make your way to the start of things. It's a little ways away and I like the remoteness of where things get their official start, gives you that idea of "Wait, what's going on here?", and was definitely evident in our group as they didn't know if we should go or not down that dimly lit path.

It takes a little while for this one to get going though. You reach the first warning of what's to come and then you're left to your own devices from there on out. Just what does The Harvester or the other horrors have in store? You'll just have to find out. One of the things that we noticed is that this year was totally different in a lot of ways and we did kind of miss some of the touches from the first year.

The biggest issue is that the first 1/3, close to nearly half of the haunt, is really slow and that's partly due to the terrain but there's still more that could be done here. There's not much happening and only a few actors even in the places that they could put them. A few were pulling double duty on the visit we made and kudos to them, but it's just a bit too little. Another issue is that there's just not much to look at either while you're here...it's just like walking through a field...and not very much scary after you realize nothing is coming.

Now, once you get the trailer scene and the Killbillies, things really start to pick up. You're hit hard and then ushered into the brand new woods section. This thing is really well laid out for a trail and makes you feel like you're really out there. The new props look great and there's some pretty weird moments in it. However, a few more actors and maybe a couple of higher impact moments are definitely needed.

The creep factor is there for sure, but the actors just didn't seem to be in the flow of things or what they were doing wasn't really tailored for the scares that could be implemented. So much could be done, and hopefully they figure out how to make things a little more interesting in the future here. It's too good of an area not to do something more with.

From here you enter Sack Boy territory and they're out for you to join their ranks. I won't give away one of the big scares down here, but it's probably one of the only times that I've ever seen this prop ever used in a haunted attraction before....the reactions? Pretty hysterical and awesome. Though, we had a few actors that seemed to dissipate on us and left our group alone.We were laughing because they were going after two that sprinted ahead of us, but we never really saw them again.

Again, the coup de grâce for this one is the finale scene, and it's really something else. However, it may need to be tweaked for the timing. If part of your group gets there before you , like ours, you can definitely see it well in advance and that makes it lose a lot of impact. I still love it though and there really needs to be a point where you're stopped so you can take it in fully, just walking by you'll miss a lot of it....and that's a shame. It's not something you should look over your shoulder for or be revealed too early and be a spoiler. 

Though, once that passes? You're left alone and wandering up to the hayride portion of the night, which just brings you back to the start and is fairly uneventful in that regard. It is nice not to have to walk all the way up there though. So there is that!

Overall, this is only Haunted Hillside's second year and, like I said above, they're still tweaking with things and figuring out what works, and it is a good haunt. They just need to iron out some of the things and they'll get there eventually. As for the question of "Is it worth a visit?", I'd say it is as it's something unique and different than many other haunts out there in the Pittsburgh area. Yeah, I've been a little more critical of things this year, but that's since this is their second year and it will only get harder for them to impress as the years go on, but they have a lot of promise.