Land of Illusion

Ohio = Land of the OVER THE TOP Halloween celebrations (some, including this one, starting as early as Labor Day!!!) and the Land of Illusion is right in there with the BEST of them!!  Have been here a few times (pay the extra $$ for the "EZ pass" which will help you zip to the front of the lines... WORTH IT!!) and am always AMAZED by the amount of work/creativity that goes into this production!!!
Worth the drive from just about anywhere in the Spfld.-Dayton-Cincy. region!!
Verrrrrrrrrrrrrry Scary!!

This is one of the best haunted attractions in the Cincinnati/ Dayton area.  They have the longest and most fun trails i have ever done.  Also four other houses to keep you busy the whole night.  It is best to go to this one early in the season because the closer you get to Halloween the more crowded it gets.  On a busy night i would go for the fast passes to make sure you get your money worth.  It is best to wait to do the trail until it is really dark out.  We always start with the Crypt because the line is slow going so it is good to get it out of the way.  Then we just work out way around till we get to the trail and do that one last.  Just remember that the point is to have a good time and to get scared so just have fun.

Best Feature: Scary, lot of trails/houses to offer, GREAT fun!
Worst Feature: AVOID SUNDAYS! One of the best trails is closed on Sundays and even on Halloween is a total bust. Worth your money on Fri/Sat.

Last year was the first time I'd ever ventured to the Land of Illusion in Middletown, OH. I went again this year, excited to see what all lay in store! With me came my boyfriend, family, and some friends. The drive is a long one, but it is definitely worth it - they have a lot to see and enjoy!

Upon entering, we found a big campfire and nearby were gift shops, food, and a stage for bands or other entertainment. Around this central area were several haunted attractions. They had a few from last year and also a new one, "The Shanty". We were a little confused, as advertisement around the city had promoted this "The Nest" feature, and we were hoping to see aliens or new monsters. The attraction, though newer, wasn't quite as different as we'd hoped.

However, that did not mean we didn't enjoy it - in fact, it was the group favorite of the night! We went on to check out the clown-themed haunted trail, the absolute favorite haunted wood trail, Temple of Terror, and the Dr. Psycho feature.

I love this place - as haunted trails and horrors go, this is one to definitely check out when looking for Halloween activities! It's perfect for the thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie who wants to get a good scare going during the month of October!

Generally priced at $29.95, they also offer a $5 coupon online to save a few bucks. Sundays are cheaper, knocking the price down (with $5 off coupon) to $20 per person. Not sure how long this pricing will last, but we were very grateful for the coupon offer to save us all some money!

Though the tickets might seem steep, it is definitely worth the price - they offer a lot for the money, and the trails themselves are amazing. With crazy special effects, props, and ghouls working the haunts, it has something for everyone! While you wait, they often have horror-themed movie clips playing as well, to keep one entertained during what can be a LONG wait.

Be aware - during the busier days of Friday/Saturday, it is packed and the wait can be really long! We even went Sunday and the line to the Haunted Trail was a heck of a wait! They do offer express line tickets which allow you jump to the front of the line for a bit more money.

One warning - for 2010, we hit up the Land of Illusion on October 31st, which fell on a Sunday. Normally the Haunted Trail isn't open most Sundays, but they opened it up especially for the last day of October. They had the trail "blacked out", which we were anticipating would heighten the fear factor. It was a total bust! :-( They only had a few people working the trail, so it was more of a long, dark hike with no thrills rather than the Haunted Trail we'd loved to pieces the year before.

Walking for quite some time with no monsters or effects to scare you makes it a complete waste. I'm not sure if I'd rather have them keep it closed; it wasn't worth the money we put into it. Since that is the longest trail and one of the best attractions, I was incredibly disappointed. Thus the demotion to 4 stars.

I would love to go again - despite the issue with the Haunted Trail this year, it is definitely a great time for everyone and it's fantastic they offer specials online to help save some money. If I do go again, however, it will be on a Friday or Saturday. I don't feel it's worth my money on a Sunday since they close down the Haunted Trail, the seemingly longest and most scary of attractions.