Necropolis Underground Haunted Attraction Review

Oh dear gods above and below!

I had the absolute honor of returning to the Necropolis Underground after several years away, and walking back into those underground halls was like stepping through a doorway into my own haunt history. There are some attractions you visit because they are scary, and there are some attractions you visit because they become part of your story.

For me, Necropolis Underground is the latter.

For those who may not know, I got my real start in the haunt community because of this place. Before

Necropolis Underground, I was always around the edges of the haunt world. I would sit in makeup chairs while artists practiced their craft, show up as an extra for promotional videos, pass out candy during lights-on nights, and even make food for hungry actors who would show up at my house after haunt season ended just to hang out and talk for hours.

Needless to say, I wasn't exactly a stranger to the scene.

But Necropolis Underground was the place that let me finally spread my proverbial "bat wings" and really dive into what it meant to be part of the haunt industry. This was where I started getting into costuming, acting, scaring, and embracing my inner grimy little gremlin.

And, of course...

GG Grotesque was born here.

Deep within the caves of the Cemetery of the Damned, somewhere among the dusty books and ancient walls, a strange little ghoul was created while reading recipes for Mexican wedding cake from the Book of the Damned.

ADD EGGS AND STIR!

(Yes, that is canon now. Don't question the ancient texts.)

Now, as always, I will not be giving Necropolis Underground a Fright Frequency score. Off-season events are always difficult to judge fairly. Staffing can be challenging, new actors are still finding their footing, scenes are being adjusted, and everyone is still working out the little details before the main season begins.

With that said...

I was genuinely impressed by the improvements I saw throughout the entire attraction.

One of the biggest changes I noticed was the way guests experience the entrance area. In previous years, patrons would enter, head toward the queue line, and wait their turn depending on the crowd size and event. During my visit for the Summer Slaughter event, I noticed something different.

There were more people attending than I had seen during some previous years, and the energy around the attraction was incredible.

The biggest improvement? Guests entering the underground city of the dead now have the option to choose between four different queue lines.

It is basically a choose-your-own-adventure book...

Except instead of turning pages, you are choosing which terrifying underground nightmare you want to walk into.

And honestly?

I love that.

The Necropolis Underground features four themed attractions:

• Nightmare House

• Dead and Breakfast Hotel

• Cemetery of the Damned

• The Bunker

All four attractions surround the underground midway, which is packed with additional activities including axe throwing, escape rooms, some incredibly gory mini golf, and a gift shop where you can grab some souvenirs before heading back into the darkness.

The entire experience takes place inside a massive underground space filled with some of the most intense haunted attraction experiences you will find. It isn't just a haunt you walk through; it is an entire horror destination.

After getting my ticket, I decided to take the traditional route and begin with Nightmare House.

This attraction has always been a favorite introduction to the Necropolis experience. You travel through a dark back alley before eventually arriving at a large manor surrounded by abandoned, blood-covered vehicles. From there, the haunt immediately begins throwing scares at you.

Nightmare House is packed with clever boo holes, unexpected scares, and fantastic set design. One of the biggest highlights was an intense exorcism scene that had me quickly deciding it was time to move along while the bed levitated and actors screamed ritual chants around me.

The entire house flowed incredibly well from scene to scene, and I was once again impressed by how carefully each room was designed. The attention to detail has always been one of Necropolis Underground's strongest qualities.

Even the graveyard scene stood out, not only visually but through the use of smell effects that helped sell the feeling of fresh earth and decay.

Needless to say, I had some great screams going through this house.

My second stop of the evening was the Dead and Breakfast Hotel.

This attraction has always been a fun experience for me. While the overall concept has remained familiar over the years, the details continue to make it enjoyable. The maze of doors, getting lost through closets, and eventually finding yourself traveling through the walls of the hotel creates a wonderfully strange experience.

Upon entering, guests are greeted by the hotel manager, who informs you that your room is lucky number 13 before sending you into a twisted maze to find your way through the madness.

Along the way, I encountered a woman threatening to turn me into a doll, which I politely declined because, honestly, I have enough problems without adding "being a decorative porcelain ghoul" to the list.

Eventually, I found myself deep underground in the sewers, facing Grandpa and his pet rat before finally escaping.

Next came my personal favorite...

The Cemetery of the Damned.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for a good cemetery. I literally do my cardio in one every day. So naturally, this attraction has always held a special place in my little undead heart.

The Cemetery of the Damned has, is, and probably always will be the king of houses at Necropolis Underground.

The set design is fantastic. The atmosphere is incredible. The actors consistently bring everything they have.

Every time I have walked through this attraction, worked in this attraction, or experienced this attraction, the actors have always found a way to bring the energy.

Speaking of energy...

Let's talk about the actor of the night: Coach Randy.

From the moment I turned the first corner, Coach Randy immediately established the rules. Just like any coach or lifeguard, he had expectations, instructions, and a very specific way things were going to be done.

The character was hilarious.

But what impressed me most was the consistency.

Later in the attraction, that same energy continued, creating some of the best improv acting I have experienced in a haunt. It was funny, intimidating, and perfectly balanced between comedy and horror.

Exactly what a haunted attraction character should be.

From my interactions in the dungeon (which I will continue calling the spooky underground room that may or may not be a questionable dungeon, despite what the undead gentleman tells me) to the earthen catacombs, the entire experience felt just as exciting as the first time I stepped foot inside.

Finally, we have The Bunker.

This was one of the newest experiences for me because The Bunker now includes a full-contact haunt option.

Yes, the actors can touch you.

I actually really like the idea behind adding something different like this. However, I also think this is an experience that is still finding its rhythm.

The actors were clearly experimenting, learning their pacing, and discovering what works best.

I want to give a huge shout-out to the receptionist character because they had an incredibly difficult job. They were responsible for keeping me entertained for several minutes while the group ahead of me was still inside the next room.

Maintaining a conversation with guests for that long is not easy, and they did a fantastic job.

Eventually, I moved forward into the rest of The Bunker and experienced some really interesting interactions. Some actors did a great job incorporating the physical aspect of the haunt, including mopping my shoes, spinning me around, and interacting with hanging bodies throughout the scenes.

There were some pacing issues, and I missed experiencing a few areas because groups became backed up. However, I also recognize that this was the first night of testing this style of interaction.

Every great attraction starts somewhere.

I have faith that The Bunker will continue to find its identity and improve as the actors become more comfortable with the experience.

After completing all four attractions, I spent some time walking around, talking with guests, and listening to their reactions.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

People were enjoying the festival area, the attractions, and the overall experience.

I also want to give another huge thumbs up to the new management team at Necropolis Underground. I had the opportunity to talk with them about the changes being made, and I was genuinely impressed by the passion and effort being put into the attraction.

This place has been around since I was just a tiny little ghoul.

I remember visiting when it was known as Dark Armies, back when paintball was part of the experience. Watching it grow and transform into the Necropolis Underground that exists today has been incredible.

I can confidently say this:

Necropolis Underground is here to stay.

And I cannot wait to see what horrors are waiting beneath the surface next.

Until next time, my little crypt crawlers...

Keep exploring the darkness.

Keep supporting your local haunts.

And most importantly...

Stay spooky.

— GG Grotesque