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The 13th Floor Haunted House is killer this Halloween season

Nicole Howieson and Aria Bragalone|October 14, 2019

Mr. Noname, Photo by: Nicole Howieson

The Frederick Scout interviewing one of the many actors of The 13th Floor

In the spirit of the Halloween season, The 13th Floor Haunted House gave student journalists around Colorado the chance to interview their scariest actors and the people behind the scenes. The Frederick Scout braved the superstitions of the number thirteen to explore the world of haunted houses. The 13th Floor Haunted House, used the well-known superstitious fear that lingers among the population and turned it into one of the most successful haunted houses in Colorado. Being named one of the “Top 5 most terrifying haunted houses in the USA” by USA Today, the 13th Floor Haunted House has a lot to offer.

One of the spookiest characters on the site gladly gave us our final interview, and his name was Mr. Noname, the last original serial killer. The clown gave us a brief backstory, “First I started off in the circus, and well I had a sick, twisted mind over a while because they never let me into the show. I used to play little jokes and tricks on everybody and then they put me in charge of set up, which was a really bad idea.” The clown towered over us and explained that he had gotten his jacket from one of his many victims… The masked clown kept us on edge as we continued the interview. “So one day, I decided I was going to take out the ringmaster because he thought he was all hoity-toity and all that. Wrongo! Well anyway, I took him out in the middle of a show and everybody was not happy. Next thing you know, I was living behind the tent, nobody like ol’ Mr. Noname, so that’s why I look how I look. I’m kind of a hobo clown.”

These actors have a lot of dedication and are really there to tell their story. We tried to investigate further and learn about the audition process of the actors. He replied with, “An actor? This is my everyday! You are looking at a full blown serial killer here, sweetie.” He definitely executed his performance to scare and intrigue all ages alike, including us.

In the merchandise tent, the Scout had the opportunity to interview one of the main makeup artists and designers of the apparel sold. Her name was Lili Aguilara and she explained that her “daytime job title” is Social Media Specialist for the entertainment aspect of the house while at night. Whereas when the house comes to life, she described her job to be the advisor for makeup looks. When asked how long it takes the actors to get into character, she responded with a surprising answer of, “Anywhere between two minutes to thirty minutes max, and that’s not including wardrobe change; just makeup wise.”

We ended our quick interview with Ms. Aguilara by asking a few personal questions. We discovered that she started in makeup and special effects about ten years ago, the beginning of her journey. She concluded by saying she is quite happy with her full time job at the 13th Floor.

Then, we had the opportunity to talk with Skylar Greene, the Customer Experience Manager at this location in Denver. When asked what her favorite part of working here was, she replied with, “The people and the atmosphere is a very different industry to work in and it’s for such a short amount of time, but the energy is unreal. It’s awesome.” The Scout then asked when the planning of the haunted house would start. Greene revealed, “Honestly, they never really stop. Once it’s up and we’re running [in October] they are already planning for our off season events and they have already started preparing for the next season as well.”

All customers are free to explore the grounds before getting in line for the haunted house and there is a variety of attractions that are sure to grab the viewers’ attention. Immediately after entering the gates, actors and entertainers get the audiences’ adrenaline pumping. From there, there are several opportunities for photo-ops, such as the 13th Floor sign, monster statues, or even by asking an actor for a quick photo. Visitors can also visit the merchandise shop which has items ranging from beanies to sweatshirts; even printed photos of visitors that they take professionally before entering the haunted house.

After taking pictures, axe-throwing is a must-see event in the Class Axe trailer before heading into the newest additions to the grounds: Mini Escape Games and Sensory Overload. When the Frederick Scout team visited the 13th Floor, we got to experience the Sensory Overload, and it’s safe to say it definitely tested our senses and capitalized on the fear of the unknown.

Be sure to visit 13th Floor Haunted House in Denver, at 3400 East 52nd Ave. for this Halloween season. Tickets start at $19.99 and can be upgraded with the purchase of a fast pass. This attraction is open until October 31st and brought many new scares with the theme this year. Just be sure not to go alone.