So much for what happens inside the Mystery House. Like the rest of Lost in the House, it is not really scary.Īll Hallow’s Eve Review: Jack O’Lantern Trail & Light Show As a plot twist, this at least explains what has been going on, but it’s presented as a bit of a jest instead of a shock. So what gives? Why is the tour titled Lost in the House? It has something to do with a last-minute revelation regarding the paranormal investigators, explaining why we never see them in person: they – not you – are lost in the house. Ironically, the sense of being off-course was achieved far better in Unhinged, which suggested that its tour guests had been subsumed into the house, merging with its haunted history.
One problem with Lost in the House is that, because of the guide’s continued presence, we never feel lost in the house. Well, there is a tag that explains the absence of the investigators and the tour’s title. In short, Lost in the House is almost all set up with no payoff. All these elements raise expectations, telling guests they have crossed the threshold from mundane reality into a haunted world where who knows what angry spirits are be lurking around the next corner, waiting to manifest in corporeal form. The result is that almost every room feels like the first scene of a ghost story: the guide leads a group into a room, and something unexpected happens: an empty chair rocks lights dim unexpectedly invisible voices echo from the beyond.
There are some mannequins and great visual effects (the room with the fireplace, rain-swept windows, and changing portrait is a memorable standout), but on our visit we saw one or two actors lurking in the shadows otherwise, Lost in the House is largely a night-time tour with the guide pretending things have gone terribly wrong.* The settings and ambience that served Unhinged so well are still effective at setting the mood, but they are untenanted by ghosts and apparitions. These leads to the second big problem: the almost complete lack of scare actors. Unfortunately, this point doesn’t register with any impact, because there are so many dark rooms and hallways it seems rather more likely than not that we would not cross their path. There is some technical equipment lying about in a few rooms, and monitors show glimpses of the investigators, but they are never seen in person.Īpparently, this is supposed to generate intrigue: a monitor shows the investigators in the very next room, but when we get there they are nowhere to be seen. Lost in the House takes visitors on a guided tour inside the Mystery House’s labyrinthine interior while a paranormal investigation is taking place, but there is little narrative built around the premise. It is also the major source of disappointment. Lost in the House is main event of All Hallow’s Eve. But looks can be deceiving, right?Īfter that, your best bet is to arrange your arrival so that you can take the tour first and enjoy the exterior entertainment afterward, especially the light show, which will give you a chance to sit down and rest after walking up and down the dark, claustrophobic corridors of the house.Īll Hallow’s Eve Review: Lost in the House If you arrive for the earliest time slots, you can see the exterior of the Winchester Mystery House by dimming daylight, which reveals a structure that doesn’t seem particularly intimidating.
The experience begins at the front ticket gate, which has been enhanced with seasonal decor. The entire package is enough to fill two or three hours depending on how long you want to linger outside. Before or after the tour, visitors may spend as much time as they wish on the grounds, which also feature games, such as ax-throwing and a shooting gallery. The Light Show uses digital mapping to project a story (including dialogue, music and sound effects) on the facade of the Mystery House.Įntrance to the tour is via timed ticketing.The Jack O’Lantern Trail transforms the exterior grounds into a Halloween world.Lost in the House is the hour-long walking tour through the interior.As with Winchester’s 2019 production, All Hallow’s Eve is comprised of three elements:
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