Apple Valley Halloween 2019 Review: Infected H.D.

Brand new to the San Bernardino Fairgrounds, Infected H.D. was the first stop of our Halloween tour of Apple Valley. Because it was organized by the malevolent masterminds behind All Saints Lunatic Asylum, we were anxious to see how this 14,000-square-foot maze would fare.

Outside the fairgrounds, there were no signs indicating the entrance to Infected H.D. We were told that the main gate was for a concert. After receiving instructions, we managed to find a makeshift entrance to the left of the main gate. If you make the long trip to Apple Valley, look for a security guard lurking near this entrance to the haunt area.

Infected H.D. Halloween Haunted House Review: Maze

A deadly virus has broken out, and your  goal is to survive without being infected by zombies.  The doctor at the line clearly explains what is going, and his lovely assistant later checks you in.  She tries to get you into a safe zone, but then suddenly she gets a call alerting her that the virus is now airborne.  Dumbfounded, she changes her tune and wishes you the best of luck getting out. You are given a health meter so that you can monitor whether or not you are infected: Green is good; Red is bad.  Once someone is infected, it is your choice to leave the person or seek help bringing him/her back from the dead.

Throughout the walk-through, soldiers in the affected quarantined area hurry you through and direct you where to go. There is plenty of talking and interaction with the actors in the maze: the medics, the infected, and the soldiers all have speaking roles. Though there are many soldiers, it doesn’t mean that you are completely safe. In a scene with a green swamp, a soldier tackles a zombie – it is the biggest swamp we’ve seen; however, when we attended on opening weekend, it was low on fog, so that we could see through the “swamp” to the ground below. Perhaps this will be fixed later.

The maze itself is enhanced by a realistic looking quarantine area with sheets draped over bodies, a military area, and an impressively huge cemetery, all of which immerse you into the storyline. The overall darkness of the haunt coupled with strategically released fog definitely adds to the effectiveness.

Infected H.D. Halloween Haunted House Review: Conclusion

The story line was good; props and sets were top-notch; and the acting was great. The interaction from each character is entertaining, and the soldiers’ directions are definitely appreciated because finding an exit from some rooms is difficult.  We would have preferred more light in the “outside” area to fully appreciate he sets and props and to see which way to go. Even stumbling in darkness, we managed to finish the night with our health meter still at Green.

Infected H.D. Halloween Haunted House Review: Photographs

Med Tech gets a call alerting her that the zombie virus is out of control.