Picture it now: You and your friends are trapped inside the confines of one of the scariest haunted attractions in the country. Alone in the dark, you are being hunted by the walking dead, vile creatures hellbent on feasting on your putrid carcass. Sounds like your typical horror flick. But this adventure is different.
This time, you get to fight back.
This weekend, Nashville Nightmare, the No. 1 haunted house in Middle Tennessee and one of the top haunts in the country, will be hosting Zombie Apocalypse Live. This travelling event has already been to Netherworld, 13th Gate and other major haunts, combining the scares of a haunted house with the thrills of Call of Duty. Participants will be issued realistic infrared M4 assault rifles that they will use to fight their way out. Ammo is limited based on your package, so you have to make sure every shot counts.
The company behind Zombie Apocalypse Live, 13th Floor Entertainment Group, is no stranger to the haunt world. With multiple haunted houses around the country, 13th Floor is a name synonymous with quality, scares and entertainment. And it’s not just the haunt industry they have branched into. Starting this year, they have opened a chain of escape rooms around the country under the name The Great Room Escape. So, you know this group knows how to entertain the masses.
The combination of haunt and laser tag intrigues me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I think it can be an extremely awesome (and profitable), if done right. And I have very little doubt that 13th Floor knows how to run this event without a hitch. Plus, I know that the staff of Nashville Nightmare will knock this out of the park.
The only reservation I have has to do with the customers.
From my experience with the public, when it comes to haunts, you have a few different groups. The vast majority of people are looking for fun. They know it is not a real Zombie or monster coming at them. They know in the back of their mind the danger is only imaginary. Give them a laser gun and send them through, and they will have the time of their lives. Then you have the group of people who are the “scaredy-cats.” They are the ones who normally don’t do anything thrilling. They don’t want to even look up as they go through the dark hallways of a haunted attraction, much less shoot at the things coming at them. I am not sure how these people will do, when it comes to having to fight back. Then there is the last group.
The last group is what I call the Sofa Soldiers. The Sofa Soldiers are the people who get on your last nerves. They act like nothing scares them. They talk a big game when it comes to their friends and usually act extremely obnoxious. Over the past four years, I have worked the queue lines for a couple of major haunts and I can spot these guys and gals a mile away. I always have our security teams keep an extra eye on them, just to be sure that everyone stays safe and sound. It’s hard enough when they go through with nothing on them. But handing them a laser gun kinda gives me pause. Who knows when the Sofa Soldiers will break loose.
That’s pretty much my only worry, with this event. But of all the haunted houses in the Nashville area, I think that Nashville Nightmare has the resources and security to ensure that everyone has a great time! Brad Webb and company are some of the most professional and successful haunters around.
If you are anywhere within driving distance of Nashville this weekend, do yourself a favor and check out Zombie Apocalypse Live at Nashville Nightmare. Several different packages are available, starting at $29.99 per person. That may sound like a lot, but I guarantee that this extremely unique event is one that you will never forgive yourself for missing. Where else can you go through a world-class haunt AND shoot the monsters???? The answer is NOWHERE! And while you are there, be sure to look me up. I will be skulking around, helping out wherever I am needed.
Heck, you may end up having to put me out of my misery (be gentle… I am fragile).
So, until next week, enjoy the #hauntlife.
