After following its progress since the summer, and hearing other people talk about it, I finally was able to make my way to Tustin Marketplace to experience one of this year’s most anticipated haunts: The 17^th Door.

In some ways, I knew what I was in for. We spoke to Robbie and Heather Luther a few times leading up to its opening, and have seen the haunt in various stages of its build. I knew what sort of rooms to expect, for the most part, before going in. That said, I was still surprised at some of the things they DID do, many of which caught me completely off guard.

Our friends over at Theme Park Adventure organized a night with discounted admission, and for once, my night wasn’t filled with some other haunt. So, I took Martina and headed down. While waiting in line, we met up with our friends from The Park Fanatic Podcast, and spent the hour or so in line catching up.

When it was our time to go in, a group of us were escorted into a classroom where a teacher was ready to make sure we knew the rules, and the story, of what was to come. After passing our “homework” to the front of the class (and by homework, I mean waivers…one of the most hilarious I’ve read this season, actually), we were ready to begin.

This is where you really need to understand the concept of The 17^th Door. The story follows Paula on her journey in college, and the trials, and inner demons, she faces. And the name of the haunt is actually what you may be thinking: there are literally 17 doors for you to pass through. These 17 scenes, with “holding hallways” between each one, make up Paula’s story.

To talk about what is actually contained within each room would be to spoil them. We wouldn’t want that. However, we will say that these rooms range from funny at times to incredibly disturbing. There is an actor, or a few, within each one, and they play their roles well. All the actors were great, from those with speaking lines, and even those who were just there to torture us throughout the journey. There wasn’t a bad one among them, and some of them even got very into their roles. VERY into them. But, I’ll address that in a bit.

The story, for the most part, works. I will admit, a few folks in our group were a little confused as to what was going on. Maybe I had just heard of it from the Luthers for so long that I didn’t have trouble understanding it, however, I can see how some may not have caught the entire thing. Some rooms were ripe with exposition, while others were short vignettes. Even the holding hallways between each scene sometimes add a little more to the story…or a scare for unsuspecting guests. Sure, it could be a little disjointed at times and not every room was a winner, but there are way more hits than misses here.

The set detail was pretty damn impressive, too. Last I saw these sets, they were amazing. However, in the few weeks since I last checked it out, they really upped the ante even more. Again, the amount of detail in every single nook and cranny is beyond what most professional haunts do. Kudos to them for making me feel like I was actually in whatever place they wanted me to be.

The technical side of things was really impressive as well. I mean, some of the things they pulled off were beyond anything I’ve seen before. They pushed the limits in terms of special effects and techniques, and really, I am mesmerized. Even things that were explained to me months ago that left me going “That’s never going to work,” I am happy to say I was proven wrong. It’s incredible.

One issue I did have was the line between “haunt” and “gross out.” As with most haunts of this type, a waiver has to be signed, basically giving them carte blanche to do what they please with you. For the most part, this is fine. I had no issue with being touched, shoved, yelled at, or having actors get in my face. Hell, that is all part of the fun.

SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE SPOILED!

There are some scenes, though, that will cross the line for some people. While many scenes serve the overall story, a handful are there simply for the gross out factor. I enjoy being squeamish as much as the next guy, but it shouldn’t be an actor’s main focus to make someone scream “MERCY” (their safe word). People want to experience the haunt fully, and not be coerced into missing out. Some things were just gross for the sake of being gross.

The physicality of some of the actors was a little surprising. I’m not talking about pushing around. I’m talking about having my face licked, amongst other things, at multiple points throughout the haunt, all in an effort to make me call the safe word. For me, having been through so many haunts at this point, it’s almost second nature to see what people will throw at me, but for others, it will definitely make them squirm and try to get out of there as quickly as they can.

END SPOILER!

That’s not to say that I didn’t have fun, though. In fact, our entire group laughed, screamed, yelled, and squealed more here than I have at most other haunts this season. Overall, it was an incredibly fun experience! The 17^th Door straddles that line between extreme haunt and something you’d find at Knott’s with a bit more adult flair. Think of it like Trapped, in some ways, but on steroids. And hard drugs. And a little more gross.

What Robbie and Heather have done, especially for first time haunt runners, is incredibly impressive. I applaud their efforts, and am really excited to see what they have in store for the future seasons. Definitely add this to your schedule this season, especially if you are not easily freaked or grossed out.

It’s here that I’ll leave you with some pro-tips: if you want to do The 17^th Door, show up early. The wait can get pretty long, and if you don’t want to buy the VIP pass, you’ll be waiting for quite awhile. Show up when they open and get in there! Also, it’s better with friends. Seriously. You go in 8 at a time, and you’ll definitely enjoy the interactions more with a large group of your friends. Especially after certain rooms, where you will be able to re-live some moments again…and laugh at your friends.

The OC Death March Event – Here in southern California we enjoy a wealth of Halloween treasures. There are a total of 54 haunts in the area from Professional events like Knott’s Scary Farm to home haunts like Motel 6 Feet Under, to more professional, independent haunts like The Empty Grave.  It can be an overwhelming task to pick and choose your activities in October.  It can also be an expensive one.  What is a Haunt fan to do?  Go on a death march.

Introducing the first annual Orange County Death March.

The Empty Grave

The 17th Door

Sinister Pointe’s Trust Challenge

The ticket buys you priority access to all three haunted attractions for the small price of $50

If you are on the fence about what haunts to do and when, why not join us for three of the best haunts on Orange County?  One price, three haunts, endless screams.

See you in the fog!