Lehigh Valley Screampark 2021 Review
While it may have been a Sunday night, we here at the HRC won’t let that stop us from venturing out and going to a haunt. Four of us from the crew made our way to Lehigh Valley Screampark in Orefield, Pennsylvania on the 17th. The haunt came recommended by another haunt lover, so we knew it would be good.
When you first get to Lehigh Valley Screampark, it doesn’t look like much. All you see is the outside of a building and some bathrooms. A quick walkthrough and you are out of the building and heading to the ticketbooth. Once you have your tickets, your group is assigned a number. You are then on your way to 6 Feet Under and the Feeding Grounds. Here in the midway area you can hangout by the firepit, get food and drinks, and listen to the dj play music while you wait for your number to be called to head over to the hayride. There was even a game of corn hole setup the night we were there. It’s nice to be able to relax while you wait for your turn for the hayride instead of just standing in line for a long time. The counter is above the hayride, so no matter where you are, you can easily see what number they are up to. A few numbers are called at a time, so they do a nice job with keeping everything running smoothly.
The Hollow of Horror Hayride is the first attraction you go to. It is not your typical hayride. Here at Lehigh Valley Screampark you don’t sit with your back to the railing. This hayride doesn’t have a railing because you are sitting with your legs hanging over the edge as you face your surroundings. With this setup the actors are able to easily get up close and personal with you. The actors did a great job staying in character and playing off of what the customers on the hayride said and did. They really listened and seemed to take some of their cues from how we reacted to what was going on.
Up next you are on our way into the Condemned Haunted House. As you come up the hill from the end of the hayride, you are heading back to the midway area. There are staff at the top of the hill to guide you to where you need to go. The set design of the house was done up very nicely. The scenes were detailed and it looked like the place really might be condemned. There were twists and turns all over the place. Sometimes the actors were right where you could see them, but often you didn’t see them until they were right next to you. By then it was too late and they got you.
The last stop of the night is Operation Bio Purge. As you exit the house, you go straight across to the entrance for this last attraction. All of the entrances and exits are around the midway area, so you still get to hear the entertainment as you wait in line to enter the attraction. The theme for this attraction is a military facility where some testing has gone wrong. From the outside all you see is this tunnel where you will enter. It felt like we were going underground as we walked through. The details in the scenes and the actors in there did a great job making it feel like you were actually at a military facility. The sergeant who you first encounter stays in character while playing off what the patrons say and do. You did not want to mess around with her there. In this attraction, there were scenes where we thought some objects were props or part of the set, but it was actually a real actor. We didn’t know what to expect as we went from one space to the next. Right before the exit of the attraction, make sure you are really paying attention to where you are going or you might have a hard time finding your way out. If you’re not careful, those who were infected with the biohazard might find you and get you.
We heard about this haunt in prior years, but sadly last year they were not able to open because a fire destroyed pretty much everything. Costumes, props, you name it. In nine months they rebuilt from the ground up. From the details in the midway and in all three haunted attractions, it’s amazing to see what they accomplished. You wouldn’t believe that there had been a fire. They truly put their heart, soul, and sweat into getting ready for the haunt season this year. Go check them out and let them know the Haunt Review Crew sent you. It is definitely worth the trip.
