Halloween attractions up the scare factor
Halloween seems to be getting scarier, with attractions going ever-more interactive and in-your-face.
At Knott’s Scary Farm in Buena Park, Calif., guests are outfitted with neon-green laser guns and ordered to shoot actors portraying zombies by aiming at their heads. At the Dent Schoolhouse in Cincinnati, a butcher appears to demonstrate how to slaughter a pig. And at The Basement, part of the ScareHouse near Pittsburgh, hoods are placed over visitors’ faces.
“You’re taking away sight, a core thing, and it’s such a nerve-racking experience,” said Scott Simmons, ScareHouse creative director. “You see these terrible, horrifying demons and clowns, and they put a hood on you, and you don’t know what’s going to happen next. You feel terrible things touching you and whispering in your ear. But as extreme as it is, it’s still fun. People come out shaking, but they’re smiling.”
Visitors to The Basement sign a waiver and must be 18, and are given a “safe word” that they can say to stop activities if it’s too much.
“After 20 years of haunted houses with people stepping out and saying ‘boo,’ these days if you’re really trying to scare people you’ve got to be edgy and out of their comfort zone,” Simmons said. “What scared people in the ’70s and the ’80s isn’t what’s going to scare them now.”
Here are a few Halloween events and attractions taking place around the country:
Universal Halloween Horror Nights: The horror film “The Purge: Anarchy,” which is the sequel to a movie about an annual night of unfettered crime and violence, is only one of the inspirations for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal theme parks in Orlando, Fla., and in Los Angeles. The events feature hundreds of elaborately costumed actors and Hollywood-quality sets, special effects and mazes inspired by pop culture influences ranging from El Rey Network’s “From Dusk Till Dawn” to AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”
HauntWorld’s Top 13: Pennhurst Asylum, in Spring City, Penn., got the No. 1 slot on HauntWorld.com’s top 13 haunted attractions, while Dent Schoolhouse took seventh. Also on the list: 13th Gate, Baton Rouge, La.; Netherworld, Atlanta; House of Torment, Austin, Texas; The Darkness, St. Louis; Erebus, Pontiac, Mich.; Kersey Valley Spookywoods, Greensboro, N.C.; Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, N.Y.; Cutting Edge Haunted House, Fort Worth, Texas; Bates Motel, Philadelphia; Bennett’s Curse, Baltimore; and 13th floor, Chicago.
Family-friendly: By night, attractions at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell, Ga., include ZX-1, a haunted zone where a “deadly infection” is “wiping out mankind.” But by day the park offers family activities such as a corn maze, harvest festival, pumpkin painting and spooky stories, with children 12 and younger invited to dress up for a costume contest.
Elsewhere for kids, SeaWorld San Diego has a Halloween-themed sea lion and otter show called “Clyde & Seamore’s Spooky Adventure.” And of course, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida offers Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and trick-or-treating.
This undated photo provided by ScareHouse.com shows a scene from the ScareHouse Halloween attraction near Pittsburgh, Pa. One of the more extreme experiences offered by ScareHouse is called The Basement and involves placing hoods over the heads of visitors. It’s an example of a trend among Halloween attractions to offer scarier and more intense visitor activities. (AP Photo/Undead Productions, Rachellyn Schoen)
This undated photo provided by SeaWorld Parks + Entertainment shows actors from the “Clyde & Seamores Spooky Adventure,” a Halloween-themed sea lion and otter show that is being offered weekends in October at SeaWorld San Diego. In some sectors of the Halloween industry, attractions seem to be getting edgier, with high-tech haunted houses and intense interactive experiences, but the show at SeaWorld is an example of family-friendly attractions that can also still be found around the country. (AP Photo/SeaWorld San Diego, Mike Aguilera)
This September 2014 photo provided by NBC Universal Orlando shows character actors at Universals Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Fla. The horror film “The Purge: Anarchy,” which is the sequel to a movie about an annual night of unfettered crime and violence, is just one of the inspirations for Halloween Horror Nights. The events feature hundreds of elaborately costumed actors and Hollywood-quality sets, special effects and mazes inspired by pop culture influences ranging from El Rey Networks From Dusk Till Dawn, to AMCs The Walking Dead. (AP Photo/Universal Orlando Resort, Kevin Kolczynski)