Your Local Haunt/House/Hay Ride Thread

[Erik Johnson]

October will be here soon, so I thought it would be fun to start a thread that features information about any local haunts, haunted houses, mazes, hay rides, personal garage etc. Feel free to post any information such as dates, times, location. Also if you are involved in the construction of one it would be great if you included construction photographs.

 

As for a big one in my area, it would be this one:

 

The Tale of Mary Martin And the Village of the Damned

 

October 17, 18, 24, 25th, and 31st. It is located in Melrose, Florida which is about 15 miles due east of Gainesville, Florida.

 

Admission is $5.00

 

There is an awesome web site found here:

 

http://www.somethingintheice.com/

The Tale Of Mary Martin.

[TheBannedKid]

He won't. But I may and he has offered his resources to me. Though I'm not sure if I'm able to do it.

 

Anyways, the only one I've found locally is the Saw maze posted earlier on the boards. I may go after I hear reviews.

[Kennyweird]

We have the Haunted Hills Hayride.

 

 

Haunted Hills Hayride Website

 

It's pretty good, but it tends to get overshadowed by Phantom Fright Nights.

[Darksin]

I found out recently that Conneaut Lake is having a Halloween event! For those local in the are they've shut down but it appears they're trying something at least to keep the park and hotel alive!

www.hauntedconneaut.com/hours.htm

 

 

I don't know about anyone else, but for those around the South Western Pennsylvania area there is a great website with all the current listings!

 

www.swpenna.com/hauntedhouse1.asp

[Xxhershey818xX]

Well Ohio has a cornacopia of haunts to offer. I live in the Central Ohio area aka: Columbus. So I dont know about any haunts to much farther than Mansfield.

 

Here are some haunts that I hear alot about:

 

Haunted Hoochie at Dead Acres

Pataskala, OH

Haunted Hoochie

 

Terror Park

Columbus, OH

Terror Park

 

THE HAUNTED PRISON EXPERIENCE 2008

Prison of the Evil Dead

Mansfield, OH

http://www.hauntedx.com

The House of Nightmares

Columbus, OH

The House Of Nightmares

 

and then we have

Kings Island Halloween Haunt

and

Cedar Point Halloweekends

so yea Im gonna be pretty busy this october

[mike541x]

Vampire Manor

 

I'm going for the first time this year.

[PKI Jizzman]

The infamous USS Nightmare

http://www.ussnightmare.com/

 

Halloween Haunt

http://visitkingsisland.com/special/haunt/

 

The Dent School House

http://www.frightsite.com/

 

The Land of Illusion

http://www.thelandofillusion.com/

 

St. Rita Haunted House

http://www.srsdeaf.org/events/hhouse/hhouse.html

 

Yeah, Cincinnati's pretty good.

[dpxtreme]

I've always wanted to go to the Hollister corn fields, so hopefully I get to go this year.

www.swankfarms.com/mazes.htm

[printersdevil78]

I'm lucky enough to be participating in a local haunt this year. I've been advocating for my local Jaycees chapter (of which I'm a part) to revive its haunted house for the past four years. This year, one member who owns a campground decided to do a one-night-only event on his property, and we're going to be the "scare-actors" in exchange for a donation to the chapter. Plus I get to help set up. Because I'm a nerd like that.

 

I'm pretty excited about it! It's in an abandoned chicken house (I think the theme should be "poultry-geists," though I've been outvoted many times over). If you happen to be at Roaring Point Campground in Nanticoke, Maryland, this October 24, stop by and say hi!

[okinawaboy11]

Markoffs

Poolesville, MD

http://web.mac.com/markoff/mhf/welcome.html

"Top 13 Haunts in the USA"

 

Field of Screams

Near Lancaster, PA

http://www.fieldofscreams.com/

Apparently #1 in the USA....but they all say that.

[Pufferfish]

There's quite a few around me as I am near the NC/SC state line, so I have two states worth of haunts. There are two other than Scarowinds that I personally like in my area.

 

The Campground Massacre is a real biggy in the area. It was first done in 1994 and has been one of the most popular haunts in the Carolinas ever since. It is located in Fort Mill, SC. Just south of Carowinds. For more information, see their site:

http://www.themassacre.com/index.html

 

The Woods of Terror is the other big one. In fact, it is very big, 50 acres to be precise. It is made of 3 separate attractions and was voted one of America's best haunts last year. It is located in Greensboro, NC. For more information, see their site:

http://www.woodsofterror.com/

[buttonman700]

Great thread!

My haunt is the Nightmare Factory.

http//:www.nightmarefactorysalem.com

 

Here's a little history of the haunt -

The Nightmare Factory was founded in 1987 by dorm counselor Ed Roberts as a fund raiser for the schools residential programs.

Ed went to then director, GI Wilson and asked for a small loan to get the event up and running. $400.00 was given, and after much blood, sweat and elbow grease, the Nightmare Factory opened its doors for a four night run.

 

That first year the haunt earned $4000.00 and was an immediate success. A success both with the general public and with the students at OSD. The following year the Nightmare Factory relocated in the unfinished basement of the boy’s dormitory, this provided more room, the previous year the haunt was actually held in an unused wing of the same dorm, and a new permanent home for the event.

 

The original goal of the Nightmare Factory was not only to establish a fund raiser that would help provide for student needs and activities within the residential program, but to help give students a ‘can do’ attitude. Along with this also comes the philosophy of running a successful business. Students learn everything from how to move traffic through an event, to how to design and construct sets for the haunt, lighting design, sound effects, advertising, acting, make up and so much more.

 

Over the years the Nightmare Factory has only closed one year for a full remodel of the haunt. Even though they hadn’t advertised that year people still came hoping they might be open!

 

One of the reasons the Nightmare Factory has thrived in this very tough industry is its belief that they must constantly re-invent themselves, and give their guests new show elements every year, while keeping the best from the previous years. They want people to come away from the haunt saying how much fun they had, not thinking that it was a haunt held at a school. They always say, “We are not your typical school run haunted house”. They also try very hard not to borrow from films or TV that, in their opinion, is the easy way out!

 

The Nightmare Factory is also proud to note that they are only one of two schools for the Deaf that hold annual haunted houses, the other being St. Rita’s in Cincinnati Ohio.

 

Though the Haunt was founded by Ed, he’d be the first to tell you that without the haunts director, Kivo (KC) Phillips (OSD alumni now counselor and involved with the haunt since day one), the support of everyone and the hundreds of volunteers over the years, there would be no Nightmare Factory, it is truly a community event.

 

Come see why we’ve been around for 20 years!

 

Here's where the money goes -

 

Over the past 20 years the funds raised by the Nightmare Factory have gone towards:

 

New playgrounds for the school and elementary dorm

New Kitchens in the girls and boys dormitories

Art supplies for the high school department

New computers for the school

New books for the school library

School wetland restoration program

Furniture for the school’s residential halls

Clothing for needy students

$1,000.00 was sent to both the Louisiana and Mississippi schools for the deaf after hurricane Katrina.

Students sent to Space Camp

Students sent to academic competitions

Students sent to HauntCon in Houston Texas

Student trips to Portland area theater events

Toys Theater Company from St. Petersburg Russia brought to OSD.

Students attend Cirque Du Soilel performance in Portland

Sponsors the dormitory after school programs

Sponsored the BEAT after school theater program and performances

Renovation to the schools student union

Purchased books for the residential halls

Purchased accelerated reading program books and tests

Purchased equipment for the middle school science classroom

Sponsored social events at the western states basketball classic in 2008 held at OSD

Purchased entertainment systems for the residential halls

Purchased new washers and dryers for the residential halls

 

I am proud of what our kids and staff have done here. We've out lasted many other haunts, and have been at it now for 20 years.

 

If you're ever up this way look me up, we'd like to show you our 12,000 foot haunt.

 

Ed Roberts

Founder

The Nightmare Factory

Salem Oregon

This is our 20th year in operation!

[WillMontu]

The Gainesville Jaycees proudly present the 13th Annual Den of Nightmares: Making the World Scream, 2008. – A haunted house attraction with all proceeds going to local charities.

 

The Den will be open on October 24th, 25th, 30th, 31st, and November 1st. Terror begins at 7:30 each night and ends at Midnight on the 24th, 25th and Halloween. Open until 11PM on the 30th and 2AM on November 1st.

 

Tickets are $5 in-advance, and only $6 at the door.

 

The Den of Nightmares is easy to find – make your way to the Alachua County Fair Grounds at Waldo Rd and NE 39th ave and listen for the screams (or follow the signs).

 

Being right next to the fairgrounds means one thing, the Alachua County Fair, and it usually has a credit!

 

Pictures from previous years: http://www.fireline.org/jaycees/

The outdoor maze. There are few secret doors that can be manipulated, making it even more disorienting

The electric chair scene. I worked this one time, and there were a few people saying "Don't tase me, Bro" (this is Gainesville, we have good reasons to say that)

The "tunnel". It's like those revolving barrels you see in funhouses

This is the "BDSM" scene. I'm not kidding!

I helped out last year. This is the entrance. It looks tacky, but at least one person was escorted out for being "scared to death"

[Speeddeamon128]

We have Creamy Acres in South Jersey. It is a farm with #1 Halloween attractions!

http://www.nightofterror.com/attractions.html

 

Also the Eastern State Peditentary in Phillly

http://www.easternstate.org/halloween/

 

I haven't been to any of these places but I'll try to go this October. I'm definetly going to Halloween Haunt at Dorney on the 5th

[SFAfan#1]

Im going to The Bowie Baysox Statium Haunted House for my 3rd year in a row this year! They have been scaring the crap out of me since 06!

This years haunted house is called Country Terror!!!! It sounds corny, but I highly doubt it will be. Its in Bowie, MD.

I also might check out Goatman Hollow in Riverdale, MD. I heard about it on the Travel Channel last year and wished I could go last year.

I also heard of the haunted houses at Arundel Mills Mall. I might check that out aswell. That is in Hanover, MD

 

Finally, I'm working at SFA starting this Saturday until closing which means I will be working during Fright Fest so I will check out Bridge of Terror on my day off.

[rgb60]

Southcentral PA has a crapload of haunted attractions. Must be all the cornfields and old farms. I saw Field of Screams mentioned already, but here's a few others I've heard about.

 

Jason's Woods, near Lancaster

http://www.jasonswoods.com/

 

Haunted Mill in Spring Grove

http://www.thehauntedmill.com/

 

Shocktoberfest in Sinking Spring (near Reading)

http://www.shocktoberfest.com/

[cprocks22]

Hmm I like this thread.

 

The most popular one thats extremely close to me is Erebus. Erebus is known as the "Worlds Largest Haunted House" and it definetely is. 4 stories tall, it usually takes me and my group about 45 minutes - an hour to get through. I need confirmation on this but I believe that there are actually 6 different ways to go through the house itself. Heres a little blurb from Erebus' website:

 

"Erebus was founded by Ed and Jim Terebus, 25 year veterans of the Haunt Industry. Erebus opened it's doors in 2000 and has gained national recognition as being one of the top haunts as well as earning the Guiness Book of World Records for the longest walk-through haunted attraction in the world. Erebus leads it's victims through four stories of unique and terrifying paths with fear so intense some call it PAIN!"

 

 

www.hauntedpontiac.com

 

While Erebus may be the largest, the best one IMHO is The Realm of Darkness, which is conveniently located right down the road. While not the biggest or voted the best, its by far the scariest and my personal favorite haunted house. There were multiple scares (and by multiple i mean more then i can count on one hand) that had me on the ground cause they scared me so much. Again, a blurb from the website (and you have to watch the intro on the website):

 

"For the 2008 Halloween Season The Realm of Darkness is challenging you to defeat the Wizard and win DOUBLE your money back! That's double your admission price if you can find all the clues and choose the right paths throughout the haunt you will face the Wizard and claim your prize! Can you solve the mystery?

 

"Do you hear them? The voices are calling; join us, and The Realm of Darkness will let you answer.Are you ready? Are you brave enough for the wizards challenge? Your quest beckons, come, step across the creaking drawbridge and immerse yourself into the crumbling castles eerie darkness. Be warned! Only the bravest souls will find their way to the wizard; those who do will receive double their money back, I repeat, DOUBLE your money back. The Realm of Darkness is an interactive haunted house.Come, journey back to medieval times, travel through Deadwood Forest and defeat the wizard. The challenge summons you, ignore that little voice of reason screaming for mercy inside your head. Let the shadows swallow you, and remember...all hope of sanity is left behind at, The Realm of Darkness."

 

Like the blurb says it's an interactive haunted house, where you have to find 3 things along the way, then "defeat the wizard" (note: I've never gotten all three items, let alone defeated the wizard so i dont know what that entails) and you get double your money back. Honestly though, I was too scared to even try and get the items.

 

http://www.therealmofdarkness.com

From the Realm of Darkness. Behind those doors was quite possibly the greatest scare I've ever experienced in a haunted house. Although, when I went through that was pretty close to pitch black.

Here's my good friend the Jaw's of Death, him and I got very close last time I was at Erebus.

[the ghost]

The infamous USS Nightmare

http://www.ussnightmare.com/

 

Halloween Haunt

http://visitkingsisland.com/special/haunt/

 

The Dent School House

http://www.frightsite.com/

 

The Land of Illusion

http://www.thelandofillusion.com/

 

St. Rita Haunted House

http://www.srsdeaf.org/events/hhouse/hhouse.html

 

Yeah, Cincinnati's pretty good.

 

but not as good as so cal

 

We have

 

knotts scary farm

knotts.com has a link to the site

 

USH- HHN

 

Saw maze ( i can feel your jealousy)

 

Castle Park

 

Haunt maze

 

Scandia Scare

 

Boot Hill Cemetary

The best house haunt ever. This thing is huge and has like 50 actors in it.

 

Seance- The Irvine Spectrum

 

Kind of retarted cause I did this one even though I got a great scare. This is kind if a show with a small maze at the end. My only good scare was this guy at the front in a pitch black hallway who hit the wall with a plank of wood. There were like 4 scaracters in the entire thing though.

 

Then theres like Shock at the Block

 

Various house/hotel haunts,

 

There used to be the best garage haunt ever called caves of despair by my house. Some high school students made it and you had to crawl through it.

 

A few years ago me and my friends made a garage haunt and it was okay. I was the bet scare guy though. I was a mental patient and when people walked by I would hit the wall of his garage with a hammer.