Category: Netherworld News

2004 was the year that NETHERWORLD’s most popular Icon Character would emerge – The Collector from SPIRITS OF THE DEAD! Featuring a more elaborate version of the classic creature Top Hat from our first year, this haunt would contain an ancient graveyard filled with tilted monuments and ghastly undead, the emergence of the cannibal clan the Bostwicks, and increasing large animations and special effects that would totally wow audiences. The Collector eventually became so popular that albums, T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, shot glasses, buttons and even a bobble head featuring his likeness would be created and eventually sell out! To this day he is the main icon character of NETHERWORLD, and is well known in Atlanta for the many billboards his grim visage has graced. Many guests are thrilled to encounter him in the parking lot and pose for a picture with this most famous of monsters!

This year also marked the return of the 3D attraction, this year called VERY SCARY TALES which contained a series of fractured fairy tales and legendary horrors themed on a twisted book of childhood fears.

The downstairs haunt remained very, very dark but added an element of massive gore and Hellraiser-like characters with the twisted nightmare world of OBLIVION. This edgy attraction would continue to be aimed at more mature audiences over the years to come, with more blood, grime and shocking elements that wouldn’t be seen in the other shows.

From its beginnings, NETHERWORLD was a well known attraction in the haunt industry, but after the success of the previous years Dark Harvest and THE HARVESTMAN, the 2004 shows catapulted to national fame after appearing on Top Ten lists and capturing the imaginations of other attraction owners. From this point forward NETHERWORLD became one of the most well-known Haunted Attractions in the USA with the COLLECTOR leading the charge!

SPIRITS OF THE DEAD

After the cemetery was flooded in 1932, Whyshburg Burial Grounds was purchased by the mysterious Professor Victor Chillighast, along with an old manor house and funeral home located on the property. A wealthy recluse, he is rumored to have performed strange rituals involving spirits of the dead…some say to prolong his evil life.

Others say he was never a man at all, but rather an agent of the Dark Ones called the Collector, sent to gather souls for his masters and open the doorway to the NETHERWORLD! Whatever foul secrets are hidden in the sunken tombs and hidden catacombs of Whyshburg, it is certain that many who have sought the truth there have never returned!

VERY SCARY TALES

Sam found the book one day in an old dug out hollow in the scary tree in his back yard. As dusk fell he began to read the stories: tales of hungry spiders and evil witches, smelly trolls and big bad wolves. Later that evening he dreamed he was looking at the tree and it was looking back…looking back with hungry eyes! That’s when it ate him. Then next morning, when the police were searching the neighborhood for the missing boy, no one thought to read the silver bound book by his night stand. If they had, they might have noticed the last story in the book called…THE NIGHT SAM WAS EATEN.

Now it’s your turn to flip the page, to learn the secrets of VERY SCARY TALES in 3D!

BLEEDING IS FUNDAMENTAL!

OBLIVION

WHEN you DIE…And you are evil…before you are cast into the pit of eternal agony…
You come here…to OBLIVION. WE will prepare you for your new life.
We will modify your flesh to survive and flourish in your new home.
If you adapt to our experiments you will become a thing of power, a creature of torment…
But if you fail, your suffering will be amplified for all time.
Welcome to Pain. Welcome to Darkness. Welcome To OBLIVION!

Reviews from 2004

“One of the Top 10 Haunts in the nation”
– Hauntworld Magazine

“It just wouldn’t be Halloween in Atlanta without the mind-bending frights of the renowned Netherworld Haunted House.”
– Sunday Paper

“The massive animatronic creatures inspire awe.”
– Creative Loafing

Telly Award Finalist for “The True Netherworld Story of the Harvestman”
“Netherworld scares the bejesus out of us!”
– Creative Loafing

“Netherworld offers a harmlessly horrifying respite from real-life anxieties.”
– Creative Loafing

“One of the city’s best attractions, Netherworld continues to offer frightful Halloween experiences.”
– AJC access Atlanta

“Filled with terrifying life actors, amazing special effects, and incredible monsters.”
– INsight

“In Atlanta’s storied tradition of truly harrowing haunted houses, there’s Netherworld, and then there’s everyone else.”
– AOL city guide Atlanta

“Netherworld haunted house—Halloween’s most harrowing frightfest.”
– AOL city guide Atlanta

“Three terrifying stories to follow and the foulest demons you’ll ever see—our pick for the best spook house around.”
– AOL city guide Atlanta

“Horror-ific Halloween fun.”
– AOL city guide Atlanta

“Being scared has never been so much fun!!”
– The Weekly Online!

“With elaborate sets, cutting edge special effects, terrifying actors, and intense lighting and sound, NETHERWORLD Haunted House will shock and amaze you at every turn.”
– The Weekly Online!

“An event that is sure to both frighten and entertain.”
– The Weekly Online!

“One of the nation’s most popular Halloween events.”
– The Weekly Online!

“Netherworld is one of the most creative and ingenious Haunted Attractions ever conceived. Each year the Netherworld team creates an unbelievably new and frightening environment for those of use who love to be frightened!”
– Leonard Pickel, Editor of Haunted Attraction Magazine

“NETHERWORLD has been applauded by the likes of CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Rue Morgue Magazine, and Hauntworld the Magazine as one of the top Haunted Houses in the country.”
– INsite

Ranked in the top 13 haunted houses in the nation by Hauntworld Magazine
“Throughout our surveys, Netherworld was clearly the most popular haunted house.”
– Hauntworld Magazine

“Is anyone doing makeup and creating custom monsters on the level of Netherworld?”
– Hauntworld Magazine

“Think about everything you wanted to get from the movie “Van Helsing” but didn’t—that’s Netherworld.”
– AJC Gwinnett News

“The three separate attractions don’t simply ‘BOO!’ audiences to death. They scare, disorient, disturb and scare again.”
– AJC Gwinnett News

“Visitors from across Georgia and even the surrounding states come to see the new thrills and chills Netherworld has to offer.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“This isn’t your typical cheesy haunted house.”
– Atlanta Buzz

“Featuring three new shows, professional actors, Hollywood style makeup and costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and tons of other haunting surprises, Netherworld offers you the Halloween experience of a lifetime!”
– Atlanta Buzz

“Netherworld Haunted House: Bring a friend to cling to!”
– Georgia State’s Rampway.org

“I screamed so loud and so often that I felt my eardrums pop.”
– Georgia State’s Rampway.org

“The original, and by far the most petrifying.”
– Georgia State’s Rampway.org

“Hands down one of the most creative and scariest haunted houses. Ever.”
– Where Atlanta Magazine

“Experience a world full of frightening tales and haunted spirits—Netherworld offers scary tales and haunted hallways that will spook you into this Halloween season.”
– Georgia Magazine

2003 was in many ways a transition to a new age of NETHERWORLD, the age of the Icon Characters. The main show, DARK HARVEST, a tale of rural nightmares, evil plant creatures and the harvest season saw the creation of THE HARVESTMAN, a twisted legendary creature that haunted the lonely roads and forgotten towns of the Deep South. The detailed theming of the haunt was also put onto several unconnected websites to create a more elaborate legend that was believed by many to be real! The terrifying nature of THE HARVESTMAN took a sudden turn however when we realized that it was an even better character when a comedic edge was added – and suddenly he became a media darling appearing on lots of local TV and getting a job as a horror movie host that actual won a Telly award!

This was also a big year for NETHERWORLD because we added a third Haunted House located in the basement below our current location. The attraction was called TOMB OF DARKNESS and was a completely pitch black show with the theme of an Egyptian Tomb. It began with an elaborate entrance, but after that guests didn’t see light again until the very ending!

After several years of 3D shows we decided it was time for a break and tried out a show completely full of fog. It was the second appearance of VAULT 13, this time called THE BERSERKER PROJECT. Similar to the pitch black show patrons were lost in a sensory deprived environment this time in a dense green swirling mist filled with mutations and weird science.
The three show format worked well, and would continue for a number of years until 2007 when the two upstairs shows would be merged into the massive LEVIATHAN!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

Every year The Harvestman finds a lonely forgotten town and plants a seed of evil in an ancient burial ground.

As the season of Halloween nears, the dead rise and foul creatures are drawn to to answer an ancient call.

The Tree thing must be fed, and the Door to the NETHERWORLD shall open once more!

Woe to those who fall before the reaper of Dark Harvest…

A terrifying journey through an Egyptian tomb…in TOTAL DARKNESS! Not for the faint of heart. Those with a fear of the unknown should not enter the tomb!

Your other senses come alive as strange and horrifying sounds and smells haunt you in the stygian void! Can you find your way to the hidden burial chamber of Necrotis, Queen of the Dead? Only the brave can survive…

Escape a secret military base hidden deep within the earth. Hideous creatures and toxic mutations stalk you at every turn…

Armed only with your wits and a radiation detector, can you navigate the twisting corridors of VAULT 13 and find your way back to the surface? Or will the strange Green Radiation claim you as its next victim?

Reviews from 2003

“Netherworld cohorts Billy Messina and Ben Armstrong consistently kick out the Halloween jams on a cinematic level.”
– AJC access Atlanta

Winner of Best Creatures & Set Design in AJC Access Atlanta
“Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross frightens guests Hollywood-style.”
– AJC access Atlanta

“Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event.”
– insiteatlanta.com

“Best Bet” AJC Access Atlanta
“Among haunted house attractions, Netherworld is at the top of its game.”
– AOL Local Guide: Atlanta

“A perfectly gruesome way to prepare for the Halloween season.”
– AOL Local Guide: Atlanta

“Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event continues to terrify thrill seekers with legendary special effects and intense haunted house actors.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Visitors can expect an amazing array of special effects, including animatronic scares, two spinning vortex tunnels, and dozens of other devices sure to shock!”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Known collectively as the Netherspawn, these actors specialize in portraying savage things thirsty for the blood of the living.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“One of the most elaborate and exciting Halloween attractions you will ever experience.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“Hands down the best haunted house in Atlanta.”
– Key Atlanta Magazine

“The most horrifying haunted house in the nation.”
– The Technique

“Netherworld is Atlanta’s premiere haunted house destination.”
– The Technique

“Netherworld is great fun and good times will be had by all who attend.”
– The Technique

“One of the scariest haunted houses around, complete with strange sounds and smells.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“For seven years, Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross has been the premiere spot for Halloween jolts and spooked-out seasonal escapes for metro Atlanta.”
– AJC

“One element that separates Netherworld from fly-by-night haunted houses is that each maze has a loosely constructed plot. Couple that with the actors and special effects and it’s akin to walking through a movie set.”
– AJC

“These actors—who include doctors and lawyers—perform with the dedication of true thespians. The Netherspawn are basically a theatre troupe with fangs.”
– AJC

“The improvisational aspect changes the experience each time.”
– AJC

“Netherworld always ranks in the top ten haunted houses in the country. The secret is in the scares and Netherworld has plenty.”
– INsite Atlanta

“If you need a little nudge to get into the spooky spirit of the month or just love to be scared, be sure to check out Netherworld, Atlanta’s ultimate Halloween event.”
– INsite Atlanta

“Elaborate costumes combined with stunning special effects make for one scary night.”
– INsite Atlanta

“Netherworld, Atlanta’s finest haunt, features ghouls and goblins a plenty.”
– The Emory Wheel

“The true embodiment of the Halloween spirit.”
– The Emory Wheel

“The setting is fantastic, with extremely elaborate elements that engage the audience.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Netherworld offers surprises even for the most courageous viewer, making it the best thrill in town.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Atlanta’s finest haunt.”
– The Emory Wheel

“Every year around Halloween, Atlantans summon their courage and make the trek to the Netherworld Haunted House.”
– Jezebel Magazine

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For 2002 the theme for the big show was INNER SANCTUM, and featured the first carefully developed icon character, Dr. Randolph Vargas, who greeted patrons on an intro video before they ventured into the haunt. The Doctor was the creator of a bizarre machine that could extract your greatest fear from your memories and make it into flesh! The subjects of his experiments were trapped in his Asylum, thus the show featured lots of crazed out of control inmates with a multitude of nefarious motivations.

This season began a renaissance with the performance at NETHERWORLD, as year round acting classes and trips to act at other events resulted in an interactive acting style that can still be seen in the parking lot of NETHERWORLD to this day. The 3D Show was called House of Creeps, and harkened back to the old Freak Shows and carnivals of long ago, with twisted oddities and evil clowns creating the requisite nightmares for the guests! Inspired by a crazy fun year, the cast and crew launched into preparations for 2003 with a vengeance!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

INNER SANCTUM

Welcome! I am Professor Randolph Vargus, Director of Inner Sanctum, Inc. and the inventor of the Preatorious Insinuator Mark 7! My device extracts the purest form of fear from the human brain – and gives it flesh! Once we create these shadow creatures from the deepest recesses of a subject’s mind…we can then destroy them…curing our patients of their madness! Or…we can keep the things alive for …further study…

Now prepare yourself to explore INNER SANCTUM ….
I warn you to be on your guard…I have heard reports that some of our inmates have escaped…. But I am sure my staff is exaggerating…
Good Luck! You’re going to need it!

HOUSE OF CREEPS IN 3D

Welcome one and all to the terrifying House of Creeps! So shocking, so demented, women faint and men run out screaming!

Marvel at the Freaks! Wonders of nature and mistakes of Science!

Do you like clowns??? Well, in the House of Creeps, they like you!

Only in the House of Creeps – a real live Alien Autopsy! Watch it wiggle in agony as strange organs are removed!

For your amazement, from the depths of the earth come the Macro Viruses! See these subterranean flesh eaters glow with radiation before they attack!

Reviews from 2002

“Packing a shivering punch year after year, this is one event not to be missed.”
– Newcomer

“Spine tingling.”
– Newcomer

“Netherworld scares the crap out of you!”
– GSU Signal

“Netherworld is definitely not for the weak hearted.”
– GSU Signal

“Those seeking a good scare should head to Netherworld.”
– GSU Signal

“Among the most impressive and scary inventions in the house are hydraulic and pneumatic-driven monsters, gigantic insects, holographic decors, and lots of animation.”
– GSU Signal

“Every little detail is taken care of—the spider webs, the desolated rooms, even the smell, all contribute to the spooky atmosphere.”
– GSU Signal

“THE Halloween-time attraction in the Atlanta-area.”
– Prick Magazine

“Filled with more ghoulish atmospherics and undead deformities than ever before.”
– Prick Magazine

“Netherworld’s clowns are downright chilling.”
– Prick Magazine

“The most consistently creative spook show in Atlanta.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“You have to see it to believe it.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“The characters ooze gore and seem to appear from nowhere.”
– Gwinnett Daily Post

“I swear, one room smelled like dead things.”
– Rachael Mason, staff writer for the Gwinnett Daily Post

“I definitely screamed out loud, a girly surprised scream that I cannot reproduce on command.”
– Rachel Mason, staff writer for the Gwinnett Daily Post

“More scares per square inch than any other haunted house in town.”
– Forsyth County News

“If you have not checked out Netherworld, you are really missing something.”
– Forsyth County News

“Netherworld is, without a doubt, the best haunted house year after year.”
– Forsyth County News

“Capturing the intensity and quality horror that is Netherworld is not an easy thing to do, but suffice it to say that it will be the most fun you will ever have wetting your pants.”
– Forsyth County News

“If you only go to one haunted house this year, make it Netherworld.”
– The Forsyth County News

“Hollywood quality sets.”
– The Forsyth County News

One of Rue Morgue Magazine’s 13 Great Haunts to visit in October nationwide
“An Atlanta haunting tradition.”
– Rue Morgue Magazine

Citysearch “Best of” for 2002
“Netherworld Haunted House extracts fear from visitors in the form of sweat, screams, and the occasional soiled undergarment.”
– Creative Loafing

“Truly startling moments are mixed with cool effects and playful monsters.”
– AJC

“Amazing effects and shocking horrors beyond human comprehension!”
– Music Industry Network News

“Netherworld puts on a creepy show for people of all ages.”
– Digital City

“Netherworld Haunted House ranks among the best in the nation.”
– The Technique

“You will leave there still looking behind you.”
– The Sentinel of Kennesaw State University

2001 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House – Year 5

The main theme for NETHERWORLD in 2001 was BURIED ALIVE – a tale of an ancient evil lurking in the catacombs beneath the old Harkness House. Drawing foul nourishment from the torture of victims, the creature sent its undead zombie servitors out into the night to bring back fresh prey. Sort of a mashup of a haunted house and a Zombie theme, this year featured the creation of a one eyed tentacled monster called the Somnabula, a very Lovecraftian creature, core to the prime storylines of NETHERWORLD. The 3D show featured a very far out concept, PLANET X, that went all the way from very 50’s Sci-Fi style little green men and robots to an extremely surreal and detailed alien world that many found to be quite trippy!

This was a very tough season for haunts (and everyone else) and NETHERWORLD was no exception, as the 9-11 attacks hit just as events were starting to open. Across the country everyone’s thoughts were on more important things than Halloween, and going to big public events wasn’t considered a good idea by many. NETHERWORLD had however coincidentally decided long before 9-11 to expand its marketing plans considerably so the haunt actually grew slightly in attendance in a year when most of the industry had experienced a major downturn. It seemed in late October that folks had developed a resolve to go out and enjoy life, and not give into depression over world events, so things began to look up. By the end of the 2001 season we were once again successful and able to turn our thoughts to next year’s show!

Check back soon for a further look into the twenty year history of NETHERWORLD Haunted House!

BURIED ALIVE!

Now the chains have been broken!
And from the catacombs beneath the Harkness House…
Its Undead Warriors will spread a festering evil once more!

Soon you will have to choose… Join the army of the dead or be BURIED ALIVE!

PLANET X IN 3D

It came to Earth to destroy Mankind
So we paid its planet a visit

Earth sent a drone ship to open the gateway..
They will never know what hit them!

How could we be so wrong?
No one could be prepared for what we found on PLANET X!

REVIEWS FROM 2001

“It’ll scare the crap out of you!”
– Creative Loafing

“It is an incredible experience, even for those that shy away from haunted houses.”
– Forsyth County News

“A combination of state-of-the-art horror displays and genuine scares.”
– Forsyth County News

“The quality of the sets is top notch.”
– Forsyth County News

“People leave the Netherworld satisfied.”
– Forsyth County News

“Netherworld is here: You may just soil your linens!”
– GSU Signal

“A high-end version of a traditional haunted house.”
– Ledger-Enquirer

“A Halloween tradition for Atlanta.”
– prickmag.net

“One of the nation’s most satisfying horror experiences…so you may want to bring a change of shorts.”
– digitalcity.com

“Scares aplenty can be found at Netherworld Haunted House.”
– 99XPress Magazine

“For the last four years, Netherworld Haunted House has been one of Atlanta’s favorite sources for fright, and this year promises to be their spookiest yet.”
– Digital City: Atlanta

“More horrifying than ever!”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter

“One of the scariest and most innovative haunts in the nation.”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter

In the summer of 2016, there was a Zombie outbreak at NETHERWORLD Haunted House! Fortunately a number of brave Zombie hunters rose to the challenge to eradicate this menace.. This is their story!