ScareHouse

118 Locust St, Pittsburgh, PA 15223, USA

Address:	118 Locust St, Pittsburgh, PA 15223, USA
Phone:	+1 412-781-5885
Site:	scarehouse.com
Rating:	4

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

Tim Jobe

I have been going to the Scarehouse once a year for the last few years. My first time through was awesome! I had so much fun! The next year or two the changed some haunts and once again it was fun. Now theyve become stagnant for me. They have made some changes but to me most of the changes have been counterproductive. I liked the 3D section they had in before the "Creepos Christmas". That one had some energy to it. Creepos is kinda boring to me. The 3D effects are the only thing that make it decent. Im also not a fan of "Pittsburgh Zombies" Once again there just isnt any energy in the haunt. Its mostly actors stumbling around. I really like "The Forsaken". That is their best haunt by far. But after a couple years that too has become stagnant. Last night I became bored about halfway through the first haunt. By the end I was very disappointed. We ended waiting in a LINE that was slowly filing through the last 1/3 of the house. That is simply disappointing. You can see all the scares and gags from way off because the 10 people in front of you are getting scared. Until I find out that they have solved their crowd management issue then I probably wont be coming back anytime soon. No one has any fun when its one giant line going through. I will say this for the Scarehouse. The sets are very well made, very detailed. On this point the scarehouse does very well. You can tell that they take a ton of time and energy in to designing the sets. Its just a shame that the actors and the crowds dont take advantage of the great sets. There are definitely better haunts in Pittsburgh. If you want a great haunt for the same price as this one I highly recommend Hundred Acres Manor. That is the best haunt in Pittsburgh bar none.

A Private User

Scarehouse is literally the best haunt I have ever been to. Based on some of the reviews, I feel as if there might be 2 separate Scarehouses? Im certainly glad I didnt go to the one these people apparently went to. Scarehouse is comprised of three separate haunts, which you go through consecutively. Each haunt consists of many rooms and scares unique to each environment. I wont ruin the experience for you, but each haunt is themed differently, each flows well into the next, and each one is painstakingly detailed. Among things I noticed were: individual sounds for rooms; actors who portrayed characters appropriate for each setting; very detailed and grotesque makeup and costume; unique and innovative features that I had not encountered at other haunts AND unique SMELLS to better portray each room. How sick is that? Perhaps because I was sober during my visit, I was able to appreciate the experience a bit more. I also opted for the V.I.P. ticket (called the R.I.P. ticket) and was thankful for the opportunity not to wait in line, although I did notice creepy critters entertaining the line, so I may choose otherwise next time - and there will be a next time. In conclusion, the entire experience was well worth the money. The actors were alternately humorous, creepy, and scary. The elaborate sets were designed to divert the senses and engross the customer, ensuring that we would be caught off-guard each time. Also, the contemporary themes of the haunts were pretty nifty. This is a haunt that is put together and staffed by people who are definitely passionate about this business.

A Private User

Ive been to ScareHouse a couple of times this year and I plan to keep going back because the amount of detail that goes into the place is absolutely amazing. I see something different each time. 1. Parking is very convenient--across the street from ScareHouse with lots of signs and attendants that help direct you and traffic. 2. The lines can be a bit crazy on Saturday nights, but if you buy advanced tickets, you get to be in a shorter line. I went on a Wednesday early in the year and waited for less than five minutes. It was actually a little disappointing to only wait five minutes because there are some pretty fun characters outside keeping things interesting while you wait. The princess is hysterical and the bunny is one heck of a great dancer. 3. It takes at least 30 minutes to go through all three haunts, and thats if you basically run through the place. Its mostly self-paced, so if your group wants to walk through a particular room really slowly and check everything out, you can. You wont because youll be too scared to walk slow, though. 4. The "actors" are pretty amazing. The costumes are Hollywood quality and the makeup artists must get a lot of training because they do a fantastic job. 5. Pittsburgh Zombies is new this year, and it was a great addition. I love the Primantis, the Pittsburgh skyline, and the incline. Its cool how they made something so very Pittsburgh-specific.

Chris Ferry

Years of horror movies and slasher flicks have made me a bit more immune to scares than the average person, that being said I still enjoy the haunted house experience. After visiting several of the haunted houses in the Pittsburgh area, I can say hands down that this is the best haunted attraction in the area. The wait was relatively short( I bought my tickets in advance), and once inside I was treated to visual journey of demonic proportions. They had three entirely different haunt experiences. The first seemed like a classic haunted house. What you would expect to go through at any haunted house, but the acting and sets were well beyond other Haunts Ive been through. Everything had a very creepy vibe, and managed to get scared several times despite having my guards up in advance. The second area had a very trippy 3-d atmosphere. It reminded me of an acid trip experience. Colors were flying at you everywhere. Didnt get frightened too often in this section but my mind was definitely blown through out. The third part was probably the coolest visually. They had what seemed to be a zombie apocalypse theme, but they did it with Pittsburgh sets. You felt like you were traveling through actual Pittsburgh sites as if the virus had just let loose. If you want to get scared this fall I definitely recommend the ScareHouse.

A Private User

Im not really sure how some of these reviewers rate this place a one star. In fact if I were to guess, Id have to say - especially when they dont even put in a photo of themselves so they can remain anonymous - that they hadnt even been through the haunt. Really, the Scarehouse crew work hard all year to run this haunt. This is not "grammas basement" as one reviewer writes. The haunt takes at least 20 minutes to navigate the three distinct haunt areas. The actors are well-trained, the props are high end professional animatronics, and the set detail, lighting, and sound are top notch. Yes, the price is higher than a Boy Scout or JayCees haunt, but this is a professional show. While Im not a big believer in "lists of top haunts" touted here and there, The Scarehouse has been featured in a Travel Channel haunted attraction show and the top national haunted attraction magazines - and for good reason. Oh, and I am not affiliated with The Scarehouse in any way - I paid full price opening night just like everybody else - but I will admit I am a fan of this haunt and haunted houses in general. Go check it out.