The San Francisco Dungeon

Reviews 5

RO

Robert Heaton

So let me start by saying that if you are considering doing this it is probably because you like haunted houses, or are just looking for something additional fun to do near the wharf. If either of those are the case, you should do this. If nothing else than to remind you that not EVERYTHING has to be just pure gore like the major "haunts" are these days. This playhouse focuses more on the strength of its actors, and some very basic effects for scares and startles. Bottom line is I am happy to support something like this with a bit of disposable income I went back and forth on whether to give this three stars or four stars and ultimately landed on 3 due to price. A ticket to typical theme park haunt would likely cost around $40 and for that you get 4-6 hours of entertainment with up to hundreds of live actors. In exchange for your $20 here you get 60 minutesish of around 9 actors. I should note that some of the actors are really good! The good ones stay in character while adapting to audience reactions and improving a bit. Others rigidly snap back to a pre-rehearsed script and jokes that you often chuckle at because you feel obligated to. This is unfortunate because the atmosphere of this place is astounding. They did a really good job with decorations, and making you feel like you are "in" the environment. I also think this would be a great introductory haunt for children. How old? I dont know that is up to all of you. I have a 6 year old that I would consider taking but I doubt the wife would let me. I think somewhere around 8-12 is probably the sweet spot for kids at this place. The most graphic part is a fake body that has died from the plague, and internal "organs" being pulled out. At one time this were likely more realistic, but now they are almost comically fake. Lastly, the comment about history...yeah...not so much. Arguably after walking out you could say, "I now know there was a guy name Shangai Kelly a woman named Miss Piggot, and some others, but do not be expecting to get any thorough background on any of them. It basically comes down to "Hi Im Steve, and I run a gang named suchandsuch" and then an acted bit enhanced by special effects. Ultimately, I felt my $20 was well spent, but not just because of the entertainment I received, instead for the combination of entertainment, and my support of the entertainment industry around haunts. If I were to price this fairly for entertainment alone, I think the $12ish range is more appropriate. Your experience will likely be highly dependent on the group you are with, and the actors on staff that day.

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JA

Jan Manohin

Then San Francisco Dungeon ... wow. Ive been here today and its amazing. It offers a unique experience and as their slogan says, being scared has never been so much fun! So, what happens is, you walk from one room to another with a group of about 10 - 20 people who you do not know. In each room, there is an actor which puts on a show. A scary show. Now this is where the scary and funny part begins ... while he is running the show, he "invites" people in the audience on the stage! The best is, if they participate in the story to entertain others. There are 9 rooms with one actor per room and in between the rooms there are paths, often a bit scary, especially if you are in the first row. The most important part is your company - the people you go in with. Here is where I was really lucky. There were about 15 of us, maybe some more but I was at the very front all the time with a girl about my age and a bit younger boy walking along from front to back. The best thing is, that the front row, the two of us mostly, was always scared the most and usually the first people to walk into the room get called onto the stage. All in all, I highly recommend it to anyone, no matter the age. Im 15 and had a unforgettable experience in the San Francisco Dungeon today, and Im sure you will be anything but sorry to visit it. Thanks for reading :)

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TU

Tu Lam

So 19 of us headed over at different time, thinking the final show was 8:00pm, so we took our time eating dinner at the Ferry building before heading over on the F train. Some of our friends got their earlier and found out we needed to be there by 7:00pm for the final show. So in a great rush we headed down that way. This place is next to the wax museum, the signage gets all mixed in with all the flashing signs. We get in and were rushed through the photography done in the beginning because they wanted us to start the tour ASAP. So we got one group picture taken and sent on our way down a stairwell. They tell you to use the bathroom before starting the tour. You go through different rooms with different themes, its quite fun because they were using people in the audience, but twice they used their own staff member. We were laughing really hard at our friend who got picked from the back of the room. The whole process took a little over an hour, at the end, we got a chance to buy our group photo. We only had the option of a large print for $20 which will hang at the office. I didnt find it scary at all and it was way more fun to go with a group of friends.

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JA

Jake Lemberg

I have written a review of this on every platform that is possible to review something on. That should tell you how terrible this attraction is. The script is fundamentally awful and will make you want to blind yourself like Oedipus. The actors seemed to be chained their against their will and the working conditions seemed to make them not want to be there at all. Every aspect of this was awful. The comedy was not even cheesey and groan enducing, there were two jokes that were repeated and terrible scares that were done over and over again until you wish you had the plague. The rides which seemed to be the selling point were actually jokes. The boat ride takes you maybe 30 feet in front of you at about 1mph. The drop ride takes you maybe 15 feet in the air and drops you one time. I would be fine if these were hidden parts of the attraction. But they were main selling points. Terrible. Dont waste your money, time, or precious energy on this garbage tourist trap.

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JE

Jeremy Minagro

Walking in I had no expectations. I had not been to their website nor had I been told what to expect. What a surprise this was! An immersive and educational experience with elaborate sets, costumes, lighting, sound effects, actors (or are they?) that one would expect to see from the likes of such companies as Disney on their own home turf. The actors themselves can not be overlooked as being the real powerhouses behind this experience. Each has a specific role to play for each section of the dungeon, and all of them were fully committed to the dark horror-esq theme that the producers and director were clearly going for. The San Francisco Dungeon is part Haunted-House part historical dramatization part improvisational theatre, the whole of which amounts to a highly interactive superbly produced fun house. Bring your family. ~Jeremy Minagro

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