FIELD OF SCREAMS 2014
What can we say? It wouldn’t be haunt season if we didn’t start off the season with one of the few haunts open in mid-September, Field of Screams. This place is just insane. They have been around many years, and are very well known in the Haunt community. In 2013, they added a new attraction called Nocturnal Wasteland, rounding out their show to 4 attractions! Incredible. When we talk about value this place ALWAYS comes up. For $33, you get 4 attractions and lots of entertainment in their midway area. If you’re looking for a full night of fun, this is the place to go. If you only have a few haunts to visit in a season, this one has it all. It is scary, entertaining, a great price and many MANY food choices; the HRC was sure to sample the pizza and funnel cake! If you can go in September, I would go then. If not, for just $10 more you can buy a VIP upgrade ticket which will allow you to skip the long lines and wait less. In mid to late October this place is booming and rightfully so. It is scary! Just what the haunt seekers love!
Our first attraction was the Den of Darkness. This place has it all. The visual tricks they use in there are ridiculous. Our entire group of 10 was confused, and totally disoriented leaving that place. At first when they told us they could put all 10 of us through at once we were nervous. When you have a group that large going through a haunted attraction, only one section tends to get all of the scares (front or back) Well, not in the Den! The actors in there are tenured and spot on with their jobs. Our ENTIRE group had surprises and scares galore. There were no empty, lacking rooms. There was a scare everywhere; so well done. Timing and spacing of actors was impeccable. It is no shock that the majority of the HRC voted the Den their favorite of the 4 attractions.
The next attraction for us was the Frightmare Asylum. Some rooms in this attraction are right out of Hollywood; it is intense. The doctors and patients do not seem like actors. Seriously, the group was split on this being picked as the overall best attraction there. For this one we went through in 2 groups. We all came out disheveled and disturbed. They use chain saws, dental drills, meat cleavers and whatever they can get their hands on to torture you. The room with the doll girls was just plain creepy. The props are everywhere in this place and they aren’t the types of things you see in every single haunt. Homemade pieces all over the place. We have no idea how these folks have time to sleep with the amount of work they put into their attractions.
Thirdly, we submerged ourselves into the Nocturnal wasteland. This is unlike any other attraction there. It is an outside wooded walk through. This would have to win the “most changed since last season” award. They worked so hard on this. With last year being its freshman season they only added and made it better for the 2nd season. They added some insanely believable props. I challenge you to guess correctly, is it a person or a prop? That was a game we played throughout. Bloody body parts, actors in places you wouldn’t expect. Actors in places you didn’t even know exist! Right out of the water in one place. INSANE! We were so blown away at the caliber of this attraction after only being open 1 season.
Finally we finished up on the beloved hayride. They have one of the best hayrides we’ve ever seen. It is so different than any year before. They did something I refuse to give away that WE have NEVER seen done, not ever; not on any of the many many hayrides we’ve gone on. Letch’s is always an HRC favorite, where if you stay too long, you’ll be half the man you use to be, but this year the Clowns stole the show, with the green house being a close 2nd. UNREAL. Seriously. The Clown scene scared people who aren’t even disturbed by clowns. One person on the wagon jumped up and ran to the point we were afraid she was going to just jump off and keep on going. You could see the enjoyment on the patrons faces. That is something else we look for when we go through and review places. The passion comes through in the acting by far. See, with a hayride its not like a house or a walk through, you have a scene and a second to make a scare and make an impact. You have to be completely on your game. Well, Field of Screams is on it! So amazing.
We visit here every year, and every year they improve or go beyond what they have done in the past. This year though, will be one of their best by far. Take our word for it. They will blow a lot of the competition right out of the water. The love and passion for what they do shines bright. The scare school for the actors pays off, the engineering and cutting edge HOMEMADE props and pieces, pays off. Having bands, side show characters, seating for food, and many food choices, pays off! Lastly, what haunt do you know of where they have several options for photo mementos and some of the most unique games to play? Some haunts get complacent and let the haunt run itself some years. Field of Screams is NEVER like that. For 2014, Field of Screams earned a unanimous round of 10 out of 10 from all 10 of us who attended! They are constantly adding to and perfecting their shows. Check them out this year, and tell them the HRC sent you!!!!!
