The Wicked Deep Age Rating
Klaudia Aricas
Date Attended: 10/16/2016
Submitted by: Screaming_diana
Scare Factor: 5/5
Year after year Midway continues to terrify me. It all starts with a tractor ride to the haunt entrance which seems harmless at first. That is until it is bombarded by a crazy clown car and suddenly the wagon is invaded by clowns. These are not your average creepy clowns but super charged angry clowns that want to eat your soul. Luckily for me most of these clowns stay near the front of the trail. The remainder of the trail is nothing to be taken lightly though. You never really know what to expect walking through these woods. I got an unsettling feeling as I walked further and further down into the woods as I knew the Midway creatures were waiting for me. It's a dark, long, self guided trail with all of their old favorite scenes and many new ones. Midway doesn't rely on one source for its scares. They equally combine actors, props, animatronics, and nature to expose your fears.
Actors 4/5
These are a tough set of actors. There were a couple actors here and there that didn't attempt a scare or simply achieved a pop scare and receded back into hiding but most actors very intensely stalked us. They are in your face and invading your personal space kind of folks. If you show fear they will swarm to you and stick to you like glue. There will be no escaping their torture at this point. You've made them aware you are scared and now you are at their mercy. They do not care if you scream, pee, cry or beg they will not let up. The clowns are brutal, sometimes to the extreme. Actor numbers were plenty and well spaced throughout the trail. What I saw of their makeup and costumes looked impressive but I tried not to look at most of them for fear if I made eye contact they'd come for me. I can not stress enough how aggressive and in your face these guys are. They are there to scare you and they will give it all they've got to make that happen.
Set Design/Props/Fx: 5/5
I was impressed with the changes I saw from last year. With that said some of the things I saw have possibly been there for years and I've just not seen them. I keep my eyes closed and ears covered a lot because they scare the pee outta me. The clown cave always looks amazing, especially in 3D, and I don't recall seeing an actor in there in years past so that was an added surprise and scare. Walking up to the gas station with a zombie outbreak in the middle of the woods was striking. The whole scene was so realistic and detailed. I had a hard time telling what was a prop, animatronic, mannequin, or a real actor. They use a lot of decoys and it works beautifully to confuse and disorient people. Animatronics don't simply pop out and scare you they attack you. One group member was trapped inside a giant spiders legs while the spider held onto his head. The maze is very dark and in years past could be followed by holding on to the walls but this year you just might get shocked if you try that little trick. Watch out for squishy floors and falling walls. They've added a hellavator that is fun but needs a bit more power. The vortex, while not scary, is always a fun little ending to a long and terrifying trail.
Length: 5/5
It's a longer trail that will leave you tired, scared, and ready for a rest but with pitch black maze you could be here all night.
Value: 4/5
$24 is on the higher end for area haunts but they do give you a good scare for your money. They offer special pricing for kids and have fast pass tickets available for an additional fee.
Other:
Parking is $2 a car. They offer concessions at the end of the trail. I didn't partake in the snacks but my friends had fried pickles, french fries, and from what I heard some pretty amazing fried oreos.
Overall Impression: 4.5/5
Midway knows how to scare and will push every button they can to make you scream and possibly pee yourself. The clowns will haunt me forever. This is not a trail for the faint of heart because they do not show mercy to the weak but prey on them. Being separated from my group was horrifying but luckily I have good friends who came back to find me. Whatever you do stick with your group otherwise you're own your own to find your way through the wicked woods. Well you're not all alone. There are plenty of monsters, creatures, and don't forget clowns to keep you company. We were sent through in a small group of three so we had a lot of actor interaction and were able to see all the props with ease. Smaller groups always improve the scares. Visiting Midway Wicked Woods has always been a tradition for our group. They continue to put on a good show and this year was no different. Their goal is to scare the hell out of you and that's exactly what they did.
Date visited: 10/16/2016
Submitted by: packbacker
Scare Factor: 4/5
Midway doesn't ease you into anything. The innocent looking hayride introduces you to the devious looking clown car.....and some chainsaw wielding clowns. The first house is the most intense section of scares of the attraction. Actors seem to materialize from anywhere and everywhere and props are triggered left and right. Scares continue at a high level through the movie cinema set. The scare factor dips, just a tad, on the outdoor trail. I found a few actors who just couldn't sell the scare and settled for screaming or a pop scare with no follow through. A very solid scare, however, has been added to the 3D area as well as in between the maze and the vortex.
Actors: 4/5
Midway has no bare areas; it's sufficiently staffed from top to bottom. The hayride assault clown squad is excellent- they cause mayhem with the best of them and make sure that all riders get a little face time...or chainsaw time. The upper queue line actors are a bit lacking this year. Instead of scary, witty, or humorous they settle more for rude and insulting. The actors in the house up the intensity level and can truly sell the scare and will pursue the frightened. This doesn't hold true throughout the trail, though, as some actors have a hard time selling the scare. Some simply stand and stare at you and there's way too much just guttural screaming. After the initial pop scare / reveal they seem to not follow through well. That being said, the chainsaw actors have their role down pat and they handle their weapons convincingly and mercilessly. Also a special mention needs to go to the actors in the 3d area. They held their reveal well and then scampered around with malicious glee. Good job guys!
Sets/Props/Fx: 5/5
Don't let Midway's location at a semi-rural campground fool you. This place has some fantastic props and sets. The clown car has been upgraded to a glow in the dark beast of a machine that tailgates the hayride leading to further mayhem. The initial house now features a hellavator along with some great animatronics/pneumatic props. You never know what is going to vibrate, scream, or launch itself at you. I always enjoy the laser tunnel before being funneled outside with dummies trying to confuse you as to who is alive. Beware the launching spider if you are of average to above average male height! I was captured for a good fifteen seconds.... The outdoor trail doesn't let down on sets and props. A variety of buildings feature macabre set pieces with the occasional amazing prop (ie hanging man animatronic). The 3D is excellent and the long black maze now has a "shocking" new addition. Costumes seemed notably better this year. I can't remember seeing the mask and jeans effect at all. Midway manages to successfully merge the traditional wooded walking "spook trail" with the bigger modern haunted attraction.
Length: 5/5
Plan on a minimum of thirty minutes to traverse the trail. There is a queue line at the ticket booth for the hayride portion and then a queue line after the hayride / merry go round section.
Value: 4/5
Tickets have increased to $24 per person. You get a lot of bang for your buck, though, with a short hayride, an action packed initial house and then a long walking trail and maze.
Other:
Parking is $2. After the trail there is a concession stand with multiple options as well as reasonably priced T-shirts. I can vouch for the fact that the fried oreos are delicious.
Overall: 4.5/5
Midway Wicked Woods is a perennial favorite and an odd hybrid of the traditional North Carolina "spook trail" and a higher tech haunt. One moment you're strolling through a maze of wooden palettes and the next moment you're dodging vibrating caskets and looking at a 6 foot tall animatronic prop. It combines the best of both worlds into a trail that will leave you sweating, screaming, and smiling. From the clown car to the merry go round to some bloody sets Midway Wicked Woods is a visual treat. You'll have to crouch down, watch out for aerial spiders, you might get wet, and may get shocked. It's a full sensory experience! Be sure to check out this fantastic haunt this October!
Date Visited: 10/17/14. Submitted by: jonesm
Overall Impression: 5/5
The absolute gold standard for haunts in NC, hands down. But whether you end up liking it as much as I do, I think most anyone will agree that it's one of the scariest, most fun, and well planned haunts around. I really like a lot of trails in the area, and there are definitely some that are better at one aspect or another than this one, but whenever anyone asks me which haunt to start with, I always say Midway. It's just what you're wanting when you think you might want to check out a spook trail. If you haven't been, you should absolutely go!
Midway Wicked Woods
submitted by: packbacker
Date Visited: 10/18/2014
Overall: 5/5
Midway Wicked Woods has been my number one for several years running and are geared to take that spot again this year. It's intense, fun, and at times downright beautiful. Take a minute to glance through the woods at the neon sets ahead of you or glance backwards at Michael Myers standing backlit in the fog with a knife and his head cocked sideways. I got chills. The actors can be downright relentless and the props are both amazing but well placed and utilized appropriately. The whole thing is like a little haunted wonderland tucked away right off the highway.