Madhaunter's Madhouse — Local services in Lovettsville

Horrible experience with staff

Went last night after work with two girlfriends, got there around 22:00 and figured we'd see if anything was still open for Halloween since the website said it closed at 11. Not greeted at the entrance, and when I asked, the ticket person said "We're closed. Do you have a ticket? Otherwise, you can leave" and turned back to chatting with coworkers. We asked when they closed and were told 10. Stepped away from the entrance and were immediately approached by another person, who told us they were about to drive a truck through there so we'd better move. No uniform, hard to tell who was with the staff and who was attending the event. Movie was still going on, lights on, people milling about, but apparently we needed to be threatened?

So we walk the long way to our car through the parking lot to see what the end of the maze looked like. Honestly, it looks like a very cool set up, and I'd love to have seen it when it was still open. Security walks up and asks "what we're up to", so we answer honestly, looking to see what we missed and checking our phones for other events in the area. We're told we must be "up to something and should leave".

As we're walking away and 20 feet from our car, three men in a golf cart screech their tires in front of us and start yelling. That we must be up to something, look suspicious, look "like we're smoking weed or something". We're all in government/hospital jobs, that's not close to likely. Just came from work, no alcohol involved, just three girls in simple costumes talking about local bars that might be open. We repeat that we're just trying to leave and walking to the car. They continue to harass us for a few minutes until my friend literally hits the alarm on her car to show them where it's parked and that we're walking there. Overall, I get you need security for something like this. There are many suspicious things that could be "up", I can see that. But we were constantly harassed from the parking lot to the front entrance.

Would be on my list for next year if it weren't for the terrible experience with staff-- without even being inside the event. They should really reconsider who they hire for security/management. I definitely would not pay for a ticket after...

My wife and I LOVE Halloween and let me tell you...you DEFINITELY get a great Halloween experience at this haunt. You really get your money's worth. First, the "Lobby" had a great party atmosphere with a fire-pit, stage and pyrotechnics, great music, actors and other scary props as well as food and drinks, both for youngsters and adults. It was a spooky carnival atmosphere that made me feel like a kid again. There was a real energy celebrating the spirit of the holiday!

Then there was the precursor. It was good and I would recommend it for the small extra fee as something to enjoy while you await the main haunt.

Then, the main haunt, which was absolutely fantastic and loaded with amazing displays, fun rooms and plenty of scary ghouls and monsters scaring the hell out of your wife or girlfriend (and I'll admit, a few gave me chills, as well). It isn't some fast rip off either. It's a long, intricate maze with plenty of great settings and frightening effects that must have taken years to evolve into what it is today...which was impressive to say the least! Wear comfortable shoes because your getting in some steps...like I said, you get your money's worth!

Finally, the staff and actors. Those that interact with you from the ticket stand to the folks running the haunt...all are courteous, engaging and seem passionate about giving the patron the best experience possible. Then there are the monsters, ghouls and freaks!!! Their costumes, acting and energy was amazing! They were professional but not cold...you could tell they were enjoying what they do and wanting us to have a great experience. They were scary and relentless but never "aggressive" or threatening. They all deserve a glowing review. They were clearly enjoying what they were doing and knew we were having a blast. A few of them were also funny, especially if they had to help us navigate the maze a bit.

5 stars is an understatement. This will become a new Halloween tradition and next year we will arrive a bit early to enjoy the atmosphere of the lobby area which alone seems like it is worth the price of admission. We couldn't recommend with any more...

We visited Madhaunter’s MadHouse on a Sunday (13 Oct 24), hoping for a thrilling experience, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. Let’s start with the positives: the ambiance and the grounds were amazing. The setting has so much potential to be an incredible haunted attraction, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design and atmosphere. With the right execution, this place could easily rank among the best haunted houses.

However, the overall experience left us disappointed. Since we went on a Sunday, there just weren’t enough actors to bring the scares to life. We spent a lot of time walking through the attraction without any meaningful interaction with actors, which killed the vibe. If you’re considering visiting, I highly recommend going on a Friday or Saturday when staffing and performances are likely to be better.

We also paid extra for the precursor haunted house, but it didn’t deliver. It felt underwhelming and added to our disappointment. In total, we spent $160 for four people, plus an extra beer, bringing our total to $170. Given the lack of scares and engagement, it felt like we didn’t get our money’s worth.

One positive note: while waiting in line, there was a medical emergency, and the staff handled it with absolute professionalism. It was reassuring to see the team step up and take control of the situation so calmly.

Ultimately, we chose Madhaunter’s MadHouse because it was open on Sunday, but after driving over an hour to get there, it didn’t meet expectations. If you’re thinking of visiting, I strongly suggest going on a busier night, as Sunday just didn’t have the energy or actor presence needed to make the...