Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres 2020 Review
This past weekend the HRC decided to make the trip to Newtown, PA to visit Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres. Thank you Sleepy Hollow for not missing a beat when it came to adjusting to COVID 19 protocols. The Hollow needed to be modified to an outdoor attraction and the hayride was not running because of the safety guidelines. Even with these changes a great night was still enjoyed at Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres. The two attractions running for this season are The Hollow and The Field.
The Hollow (the mansion) starts off the night. Regardless of the length of the line, there are midway actors to keep customers occupied and entertained. When entering the Hollow, the actors greet customers with courtesy and dark humor before walking up to the mansion. A short stint in the mansion is just a taste of what’s to come as the scene leaves no details untouched. The Hollows starts off Victorian themed and transitions to a stellar medieval that has an eerie feel of death after castle siege.
On the other side of the farm is The Field. A corn field that meanders through different scenes with different creepy themes at each turn. With each corner of the path, there is the ever present fear of a ghoul popping out of nowhere. Without giving away anything, we need to give a shout out to Sylvia and her handler because she probably gave the biggest scare to anyone in our group. It’s not often when someone in our group gets a big enough scare that they end up trying to run backwards while still in the air from jumping so high. Well done! Both attractions have misdirections and distractions everywhere, which make the scares unpredictable.
If you are anything like our group, you appreciate the details put into the costumes, scenery/decorations, and acting. Before leaving, we had the opportunity to speak with Pierce, who is one of the creative minds of the haunt. While speaking with him we learned that most of the sets and costumes are designed and created by a small group of them. While store bought items aren’t particularly bad, creating their own items to use really give their attractions a uniqueness that you won’t find anywhere else. That is a talent you don’t always see utilized at all the haunts. Pierce also mentioned that each year they pay particular attention to one of the attractions where they will make the most changes. They typically start brainstorming and designing ideas in February to get ready for the next year. Get ready for some big changes to the hayride next year. It will be exciting to see what changes they come up with for next year.
Whether you have a short drive or a long drive to get there, you can easily make a night of going to Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres. In the midway area there are concessions, bonfires, and entertainment. Grab a bite to eat and head over to the large bonfires to dance and listen to the music. Every Friday and Saturday night there is a live band playing to keep you entertained while waiting if you get there before your time slot or just not ready to go home after going through both attractions. You can check the haunt’s website if you are interested to see who will be playing each evening. Huge shout out to thezoneband.com for rocking the house on our visit. Across from the stage and bonfires, the Freaks on Fire were putting on their fire performance. Between them and the three bonfires it is easy to get warm on the cool nights.
COVID restrictions are in place so make sure you purchase your tickets ahead of time through their website and choose your time slot. Their tickets are very reasonably priced from $24- $28 depending on the night. Be sure to bring some cash with you as well. There is a $2 parking fee per vehicle, which goes toward the preservation of the farm. Don’t forget to wear your mask while at the haunt. If you are interested in knowing more details about their health safety plan for the season, you can check it out on their website.
We truly enjoyed our time at Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres and highly recommend you visit them this season. Head on over and see for yourself what’s lurking around the corners waiting to scare you.
