WESTLAND, MI (WXYZ) — One of America’s most haunted locations, Eloise Asylum, is providing thrills and chills in metro Detroit this Halloween season.
Back on Oct. 1, the more than 30,000-square-feet of horror-themed immersion opened or the first time as a high-tech haunted attraction, offering the bravest scare-seekers two new terrifying walk-through, state-of-the-art, fully immersive haunted experiences at a truly haunted venue.
“This Halloween season, Eloise Asylum offers guests the feeling of being in a real-life horror movie,” said John Hambrick, Owner and Developer, Eloise Asylum. “No expense has been spared to create this haunted attraction and deliver that experience to all who dare to enter.”
Trembling guests begin their journey through Eloise at “Eloise Asylum” on level one of the Kay Beard Building, also known as “Building D.” It simulates the experience of a patient being admitted to the Eloise Asylum, and includes a tour of the property and getting up close and personal with treatments happening there. Sub Level 1, the second attraction, is in the basement of the same building is what happens when experimentation doesn’t quite go as planned on patients from the upstairs being used as test subject for a nuclear experiment.
To create the immersive and terrifying experience that envelopes visitors, some of the entertainment industry’s top set designers, including those who worked on high profile, complicated shows, such as Taylor Swift and Katy Perry’s world tours, were brought into Eloise. Set designers spared no attention to detail and spent more than 12 months building sets from the ground up, including individually molding approximately 50 pair of feet in the morgue, including from former 7 Action News television reporters Andrea Isom and Jennifer Ann Wilson.
The asylum has integrated two of the world’s 20 Cold Spark Pyrotechnic Simulators within its haunted attractions. These machines are extremely rare. This new technology produces a cold spark that is safe, odorless and emits a low smoke output, while still delivering a shockingly entertaining display.
Eloise boasts the use of Advanced Projection Mapping Technology within its haunted attractions to make the horror experience happening all around to appear eerily real. Projection Mapping Technologies have been used and popularized by theme parks and attractions like Disney and Universal Studios, as well as modern art exhibits like the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit.
“It’s like a haunted art museum, but we also encapsulate traditional haunt tactics and sprinkle some extra magic into it,” said Jay Kays, Director of Operations, Eloise Asylum. “I encourage all guests to prepare to be scared like at a haunted house.”
Eloise Asylum is located at 30712 Michigan Ave., in Westland, Michigan. The spooky fun runs through Sunday, Nov. 7. More than 100 courteous event staff and professionally trained scare actors will man the event nightly. The walk-through horror experience is expected to last 35-40 minutes for each guest. Tickets can be purchased online at EloiseAsylum.com. They are $40 each and include access to both of the immersive experiences. VIP tickets also are available for $65.
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Samaritas Family Center located adjacent to the grounds of the Eloise Asylum. Samaritas Family Center is a partnership of Samaritas and Wayne County, offering emergency shelter for homeless families. The center welcomes two-parent families, single mothers or fathers with children and also pregnant women.
For more information, visit www.EloiseAsylum.com or on Facebook (TheEloiseAsylum) or Instagram (EloiseHauntedTours).
