Factory of Terror OH Review (2017)

The monsters at Factory are high energy and plentiful. Our team bandied words with the frantic cook in the kitchen about the right body parts to devour, had a chilling encounter with the overseer of the morgue, and dodged monsters around every corner in the mazes we wandered through. We also loved the back and forth with a monster in the caves who epitomized the great dialogue the creatures here are fond of. Actors stay in character as they pop out of hidden spaces, swing down from above, and generally use props and environment to terrify anyone who comes within their reach. The Factory boasts over 80 monsters that are more than capable of sending you fleeing in terror.

The Factory of Terror is full of helpful and capable staff who are easily spotted and always in communication with each other to watch out for their visitors. Monsters work the lines inside and out to make sure that crowds are kept entertained and scared. Parking can be complicated so follow all signs and directions to the letter. Signage for ticket booths, merchandise, and concessions are clear and obvious inside and out. Make sure that you wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes to navigate through the haunts and watch your step in some areas with uneven flooring. Bypass routes are offered to make the Factory handicapped accessible.

FoT has a large midway between their attractions where guests can take a breather before continuing to the remaining haunts. In this area you can find plenty of great photo opportunities as well as some awesome merchandise!

Special effects are used heavily and with great precision at FoT. Many are hand-crafted by the head engineer and his team making it a one-of-a-kind experience. As you traverse the winding path, set pieces move and jump about you, scents underscore the scenes to transport you to other places, and lights and sounds are employed to drive you deeper and deeper into the madness. There’s a little bit of sound bleed due to the setting, but at times the mixture of screams and crashes work together in concert to intensify the horror. Scenes are heavily detailed from floor to ceiling and there is no shortage of tricks used to make each room a treasure trove of terror.

Soundtracks are important, and in the Factory the soundtrack is one of screams. More than a few groups came rocketing past us searching for an exit. Monsters position themselves to take advantage of their setting and go for the entire group instead of just hitting the first person. Distractions are abundant and draw your eye away from where the scares are coming from so that creatures have the advantage of surprise. Every room contains something new to jump out at you and our youngest member was shocked more than once. Fright is abundant here and comes from every corner, as even the bushes seem to come alive to attack you. Scares did seem to be front loaded most often but many of the cast members worked to provide scares to the whole group.

With a walk through time of just under an hour for a $30 general admission pass, Factory of Terror has a ton of fear to pay you back for your ticket price! Tickets are cheaper on Thursdays and Sundays, and you should pay attention to the parking lot to see if a fast pass is needed should waiting not be your thing. Season and combo passes are available to both the Factory of Terror and Akron Schoolhouse and Laboratory. Season passes get you unlimited access to all events with fast pass and parking as well as a discount on merchandise. Parking is $5 if you don’t have a pass and very close to the haunt. The Factory is constantly growing and offers new scenes every season. They are also open every Friday the 13th and for various holidays throughout the year so it’s definitely worth it to return often.