By Lindsey Walden, Staff Writer
Line Length: An hour and a half
Drive Time: 20 minutes from KSU
Ticket Price: $20 to $25, depending on the package you choose
Parking: Available on sight
Haunted House Scares: It’s reliance on live actors instead of animatronics makes it’s scare tactics unique and personal.
Haunted House Length: 15 minutes
I could hear the heavy metal theme music of Paranoia before I ever left my car. The roaming actors with stretched and torn faces waiting for their next victim warned me of the unseen monsters I would soon come face to face with. My growing sense of paranoia informed me that this haunt was aptly named.
Paranoia prides itself on it use of live actors, such as the roamers I saw. “We’re a little more in-your-face with our actors. They really want to be in your space,” said David Leikam, the owner and creator of Paranoia.
While waiting in line or walking up to the venue, people are teased by French Kiss, The Butcher, and my personal favorite The Doctor. With an exposed brain and peeled back skin, fear of becoming a patient drove me deeper into the venue.
Once inside the initial walls, I realized that Paranoia features two haunts: “Blood Factory” and “Infectious”. Paranoia offers a package deal for $25, but for those who fear too much fear, “Blood Factory” tickets are only $20.
Up to eight people at a time are allowed into the houses. Immediately they are greeted by ghouls with house rules: no running, no drinking, and the monsters wont touch you if you don’t touch them.
The main haunt, “Blood Factory”, features a pitch black entrance. With nothing but a rope to guide you, its the perfect setup to put patrons in a fearful state of mind. “Blood Factory” starts with fear, and ends with a deranged bus ride. If the dark room didn’t put you in a state of panic, fear of death on a tiny bus will.
“Infectious” doesn’t have a dark room, but it does feature a moving floor. At one point, patrons are even required to crawl through a small space. If you’re claustrophobic, this might be a challenge. Ankle grabs are also common in “Infectious”. While it’s never a strong hold, be prepared for the brief contact.
Dustin Thompson, security lead, was tasked with ensuring the safety of Paranoia. “We had to cross brace everything so none of the walls would shift. We had to ensure that any angle someone could be scare into was safe. Particularly in the crawl space, we padded the ceiling so that if someone tried to stand, they wouldn’t get hurt. “
Paranoia features professional masks and makeup as well as well done costumes. Each haunt features 10 to 15 rooms, all meticulously designed by David Leikam. With so many different rooms, every fear is brought to light.
When it comes to haunted houses, Paranoia will not disappoint. It’s reliance on live actors instead of animatronics makes it’s scare tactics unique and personal.
