Sinister Valley Haunted House 2017 Review

Sinister Valley Haunted House in Temecula has been known to locals as a home haunt over the years.  This Halloween marks the first time Sinister Valley is in a full commercial haunt mode.  Held at the infamous Vail Ranch, the environment and setting provide Sinister Valley 2017 with a great appeal as the dirt roads, water tower, and decor make it feel like you are lost in the countryside. As you approach, you can see a cloud of fog signaling that you are about to enter into something unexpected…

Sinister Valley Haunted House 2017 Review: Walkthrough

A figure in overalls leads us into a swampy marsh area and then leaves. We find ourselves in the midst of foggy, winding pathway with things that go bump in the bushes.  One thing that is visible: a sign that reads “ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.”

As we proceed, the dark pathway is filled with death, skeletons, and corpses: they are on the left, they are on the right, and they may be behind us. The only question is: Are they really dead? Eventually we reach a mammal that is on top of the food chain, which signals that we may be inside some demented jungle.  After surviving the beast, we must fight our way through thick vines hanging from the starry sky.  As we journey further, a high-pitched demonic voice warns us to “turn back now.”  Since we have already gone so far, we decide to brave the swampy cemetery. After a couple of turns, we reach the end – to find that we have survived the cemeonly to encounter an abandoned barn.

The doors, boarded up and locked, are constantly rattling. Small crates with bars are shaking as if something were about to escape. We find our way into a building with a skull and crossbones above the doorway. We enter the abandoned house.  At each corner, there are remnants of death and destruction – something terribly wrong has happened here. There is blood; there are old photos. Suddenly, a girl from behind a window screams in agony. Around the next turn, we see a grandfather clock while Fred Astaire’s “Cheek to Cheek” plays in the background.  I have never been creeped out by this record until this very moment.  As we approach the family room, a phantom girl with a skeletal face climbs out and follows, watching us without a peep, almost to warn us one final time.

We continue to the next room, which resembles a study with Mona Lisa hanging on the wall (the painting, not the woman). There is also a spirit girl in a painting. She plays peek a boo with us. We continue roaming hallways full of old black-and-white portraits, including another painting with a paranormal phantom, which is a distraction for a real phantom girl who walks out directly in front of us. All we can hear at that point are screams of unwilling victims who have ventured into the wrong house. We proceed, reaching more vines and ivy, which signals that we have exited the building, back into the swamp area.

Turning the corner, we find ourselves in an abandoned mine. Again, the skull and crossbones atop the doorway serve as a warning. The twisting mine has us looking left and right because there are dark, empty spaces on either side. We soon learn why the spaces are empty: ; the path leads to a grand finale, where you best hang on for Luck,  because you’re about to get the best bang for your Buck.  If you survive that, then you meet the Maize Monster (pun intended), who decides your fate.

Sinister Valley Haunted House 2017 Review: Conclusion

Backed by a sinister soundtrack that includes dark ambient noises along with a simulated thunderstorm, Sinister Valley 2017 replicates the atmosphere of truly walking into a sinister valley. This haunted house is long enough and has all the mechanics of a professional theme park attraction. It is suggested that you add this to your Halloween haunt list if you venture into the valley of Temecula.  Perhaps one may go wine tasting, check out some of the farms, then swing by Vail Ranch at night. In conclusion, Sinister Valley Haunted House is a BOOMIN’ Bargain!

Sinister Valley Haunted House continues on October 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 & Halloween Night. The location is Vail Headquarters, 32125 Temecula Parkway in Temecula, CA 92592. The official website is: sinistervalley.com.