Dare to enter the doors of the ‘Dungeon’
Everyone has been to a haunted house that seems more like a bad rendition of Pumpkin Head than an actual house of terror. This is excruciatingly frustrating for those of us who go hoping to actually be scared.
The Arlington haunted house, Dungeon of Doom, on a scale of one to five – five being successfully terrifying and one being bubble-gum – earns a 3.5.
The beginning and end of the house were the most frightening parts. Visitors are greeted by the Grim Reaper and ushered through a dark, white, hospital-like room down to the dungeon.
Once in the dungeon, the Grim Reaper wishes guests luck and returns upstairs leaving them alone to find their way out. The dungeon is made up of a narrow tunnel of variously themed rooms, with gruesome decoration and art including bloodstained walls and slimy unidentifiable substances randomly strewn about.
Wicked clowns and a Wizard of Oz cast gone crazy are just a few of the people waiting to greet their anxious visitors.
A large, dark room sits at the end of the tunnel with a rather frightening surprise, quite possibly the worst (or best) part of the whole house. It scares visitors straight up the stairs of the dungeon, where they are greeted by their final (of about two or three) heart-palpitating encounter. Immediately after, they will be relieved to finally see the large, red exit sign.
The museum recommends people with heart problems do not visit the Dungeon of Doom.
It is not the scariest of houses but it is not exactly a cake-walk either. If you do happen to make it to the dungeon this Halloween, ask to be in a group with just yourself and whoever else is in your party in order to intensify the experience.
Dungeon of Doom, located in the basement of the Arlington Museum of Art, has been awarded Best Haunted House twice by the Dallas Observer, rated five Bloody Daggers by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and was named Best Haunted House in Texas in 2001 by FearGuide.com.
The haunted house opened 13 years ago as a fundraiser, under the direction of Kay McShane Kuser, a member of the museum’s Board of Directors. The Dungeon has since become the AMA’s largest, most successful fundraiser of the year. All proceeds benefit the AMA’s year-round children’s programs.
Due to the recent expansion of the educational space in the museum’s basement, the haunted house has been completely redesigned, making it what coordinators hope to be the best structured Dungeon of Doom yet.
Tickets are $12 or $10 with a canned food product. The house will be open on Friday and Saturday nights until the week of Halloween, and Monday through Thursday on Halloween week, from 7:30 p.m. until midnight. For directions, questions and information log onto www.DungeonofDoom.cjb.net or call (817)-275-4600.
