Laurel’s House of Horrors 2022 Review

We visited Laurel’s House of Horrors located in the rear of the Laurel Centre Mall in Laurel, MD. Laurel’s has an incredible back story, including documented real paranormal activity. This was their 9th year in this 52 year old abandoned movie theater. There’s over 28,000 square feet of space that they have split between the haunted attraction and their escape rooms.

Laurel makes great use of the theatre theme and space. From the moment you enter the building you know you’re in a theater. The entrance brings the movie theater back to life, or should we say, death. They’ve set up the lobby/snack bar area as your video introduction and waiting area. While waiting, you may entertained by a creepy card trick fellow. Upon entering the attraction you are met by a deathly hotel concierge and escorted to the lobby of the Carlisle Hotel. This scene perfectly plays on an old haunted hotel lobby.

The theater is set up to confuse you and gives the actors many tunnels and short cuts to move about. The attraction is multidirectional, so you may be going downhill one minute, then uphill the next. This gives the attraction a sense of never ending. The attraction uses the perfect amount of lighting, or lack thereof, to confuse your senses. Each scene was so well done, it was often impossible to determine where the real characters were vs the props. They also used great distraction techniques. When necessary, actors would keep the groups well spaced. This definitely helped make the scares and gotchas more effective for each group of patrons.

Laurel’s actors are top notch. They don’t break character and interact very well with the patrons. While they don’t actually touch you, you may find random hands reaching out from nowhere or characters invading your personal space. There were characters outside trolling the line, keeping the waiting patrons on their toes. One character even had a beautiful live ball python. There was also a DJ, in costume, outside keeping the crowd entertained with some techno music.

Laurel is one of the few fully indoor attractions in the DC/MD area, so they are open rain or moon shine. Go check them out, and see why they stand out. You might even encounter some real paranormal activity. Laurel is still young, but very mature in content and characters. We love watching this attraction change and grow.

If you didn’t make it this year, please don’t skip Laurel’s House of Horror next season.

Hackney Haunts 2022 Review

Many traditional shopping malls are dying; sometimes they need to think outside the box to keep them alive. Hackney Haunts is helping bring life back to a slowly growing ghost town of a mall. Carlos and Jason are the creators of Hackney Haunts. They have done more than just rent space to create a fly by night haunted attraction; they have built a destination inside the Westminster Town Mall in Westminster, MD.

For just $20 customers get to experience two attractions; “Rest In Pieces” and “All Hallows Eve.” These neighboring attractions have their own themes, but equally spooky mazes. Once you enter these attractions you will totally forget you are in a shopping mall.

If ever there is a time to slow down through an attraction, this is it. Taking the time to appreciate the hard work of the set designers gives you a whole new appreciation for the realism they create. While taking in the artistry and creativity, don’t let the creeps catch up to you though. Letting down one’s guard is a double edged sword, as scares come from the unlikeliest of places. Hackney ranks high on the list for psychological distraction techniques. While you’re in awe of one scene or prop, an actor or animatronic will take advantage and send you into an adrenaline rush. The timing is so well done throughout both attractions. Several members of our group were startled at various times, in both attractions.

Set aside 15-20 minutes for each attraction. Afterwards hang out in the mall lobby to take some photos at the photo ops, and watch the sideshow of clowns & slashers interact with the crowd.

There are no VIP tickets and tickets sell quickly, so get there early. Let them know the Haunt Review Crew sent you!

Terror Farm 2022 Review

What do you get when you house a haunted attraction in a 100+ year old feed mill? Terror Farm!!!! We decided to check out this attraction in Newport, PA. To say we were surprised is an understatement. This was our first trip to Terror Farm, but certainly not our last. Terror Farm is a rather unassuming old feed mill. It has been in business for 6 years, open only 5 due to Covid. This young attraction is so mature in terms of scenes, actors, and back story.

Terror Farm is a 45-50 minute inside & outside walkthrough attraction, with 6 zones. So, it’s really like having 6 attractions in one. From zone to zone, It gives all kinds of creepy themes. There’s the 80’s slasher movie vibe, the hillbilly vibe, the crazed circus vibe, the insane veterinarian vibe, the witches vibe, and so much more.

They have some great signature characters like Herb the plant, Thaddeus the pumpkin, and Winifred Klinemower the soulless mistress. They keep you entertained while waiting to enter the attraction. Inside there are some creepy and memorable characters, too. One of our favorites was the tractor trailer driver. If you’ve ever seen King of the Hill, just think Boomhauer. Another memorable character was the veterinarian’s receptionist. She was frighteningly funny.

Terror farm operates with around 70 actors. The ticket price makes them one of the best values we’ve seen in a long time. While we opted for the regular ticket, there is also a VIP/fast pass option. The line was pretty long, but moved quickly once they started letting customers inside.

Don’t miss this hidden haunted gem in Newport, PA. Check out their back story on their website. It’s a great story. When you visit, tell them the HRC sent you.

Bedlam in the Boro 2022 Review

On Friday, 10/21/2022, we checked out our favorite family-friendly fundraiser attraction; Bedlam in the Boro. Every year, this event is a highlight for the HRC; not because it’s the scariest haunt or because it’s the most over the top, but because it’s a fund raiser for the LVFD (Lineboro Volunteer Fire Department). We have enjoyed watching this baby grow.

The 4.5 mile hayride starts off with a hilarious scene, then an army of costumed kids attacking the hayride, and progresses to more menacing levels at each stop. The kids enjoy themselves and we enjoy seeing them contribute to the fundraiser. The scenes are spaced out so you get a crisp Fall ride along with your scares and laughs. Scenes include the toxic dump, the hillbilly hoe down, the crazy clowns, the escaped murderer, and many more. The great thing about this lengthy ride is the community participation; neighbors allow the fire department to set up scenes in their yards and use their electricity to run the scenes! This is truly a community hayride. Hang on, as the ride gets bumpy and pretty fast along the way, too.

The House of Horrors takes the creep level up a notch with its tight halls and hiding spots. They use up to 25 actors in this attraction; that’s a great ratio of actors to space. It has the standard themed rooms that have been built up over the years. We were especially impressed with the new mineshaft room. After 27 years of additions and tweaks to the sets, they’re able to rival many of the full time haunts in the area.

As said before, Bedlam is a highlight destination for the HRC not just for the haunted attractions, but it is a great place to eat! Traditionally, the first stop is the pit beef stand. For those who haven’t experienced pit meats, just imagine sandwiches piled high with pit cooked beef, ham or turkey. We decided to have pit beef before the attractions. Then, we doubled back for pit ham after the attractions. In addition to the pit beef, there was the She Shed food stand with fried goodies, pizza, and a dessert stand for those who need to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Lastly, they always have at least 2-3 carnival games in the midway and a DJ playing some popular music. We played balloon pop, ball toss, and bowling ball roll. We won prizes at all three!!

Between the hayride, house, midway games, and dinner, expect to spend 2-3 hours at Bedlam. Put this event on the list of places to visit during spooky season, and dress warm. The long open air hayride will get breezy. On the Mason Dixon line, it’s easily accessible to those who live in southern PA and northern MD. For anyone having a tough time finding the place, just open the windows and smell your way to Bedlam at the Boro.

The Unholy Schoolhouse 2022 Review

On 10/16/22, the Haunt Review Crew ventured to Harrisburg, PA, for the premier of the Unholy Schoolhouse. This brand new haunt is located in the old Bishop McDevitt High School building, in the heart of Harrisburg city. This haunt contains 2 attractions; The Bridge and The Unholy Schoolhouse.

The Bridge is a short walkthrough in the basement cafeteria of the school. This maze of fog, fences, and darkness is a good beginning to the haunt experience. The fog and lighting were perfect for visual ambiguity. There were very few actors, but they were able to move about the attraction stealthily.

The Unholy Schoolhouse is the larger main attraction, taking up 3 floors in a corner section of this massive building. This attraction took advantage of the old school building creep factor. It reminded us of some of the scenes in old 80’s horror movies. Again, there was perfect use of fog and lighting that played with our vision. Then, add the constant banging of old metal school lockers, and bam, you’ve kicked up the creep factor. The actors were great at using the lighting to their advantage. They would suddenly appear in a dark corner or doorway. This attraction was pretty long and full of unease.

Both attractions focused on actors and atmosphere. There were no animatronics, so they were vintage style haunts. With about 45 volunteer actors, they spread out and optimized their use of space.

Overall, this brand new haunt has made a good start. They have lots of room for growth. They are run by a for-profit organization called The Bridge. The Bridge purchases old abandoned buildings and repurposes them to support the community. All of their actors are from Harrisburg city. This is the first haunt in the city, and it provides the community a positive and fun experience. The Bridge has also repurposed the outside bleachers as an urban garden. During harvest season they open the garden up to the community, free of charge.

The HRC looks forward to seeing this haunt expand and grow. It’s a wonderful addition to Harrisburg.

Reaper’s Revenge 2022 Review

Reaper’s Revenge, in Scranton, PA, marked 30 years of scares this year. Haunt Review Crew ventured to Reaper’s for a day and night media experience on September 30th. We learned what it takes to make Reaper’s the premier haunt destination that it is. They run 14 tractors about every 3 minutes. They operate with 200+ staff & actors, including 25 supervisors. Reaper’s has 4 attractions; the haunted hayride, the Lost Carnival, Pitch Black, and Sector 13. Once on the hayride, it takes approximately 90 minutes to complete all 4 attractions. We love their crowd and line control. The line starts at the hayride and flows into the rest of the attractions from there. Reapers has done a great job of giving their scenes a front and rear view, so you get action coming and going. This makes for great seats throughout the wagon. The audiovisual effects throughout the hayride always blow us away. There are numerous giant translucent screens strategically placed in scenes. Again, giving riders a front and rear view. The music, creepy noises, and scripted actors follow you throughout the hayride, changing to fit each scene. This is courtesy of professional audio by Rock Street and several generators throughout the trail.

The hayride is broken up by a walk through the Lost Circus. We always rave about this attraction within an attraction. You are pulled off the hayride and sent walking through the Lost Circus in the middle of the woods. It starts with an interrogation by Miss Patty, the security guard. Then you are sent packing through the woods. We love the lighting, actor placement, and vintage carnival props. The actors do a great job at crowd spacing, to ensure each group gets the full effect. We were blown away by the chromadepth paint in the 3D circus scene. This is truly a 360 degree 3D experience. The scenes are true art. We tried to take our time because we were admiring the artistry. We were back on the hayride after the 3D scene. There were a few more hayride scenes and then we were off to Pitch Black. The name truly fits……it is pitch black inside. This is a maze of darkness, tight turns, and interesting smells. Many visitors have been known to skip Pitch Black due to the overwhelming visual sensory deprivation. Don’t worry, there are several emergency exits (chicken doors) if you can’t take it until the end. We made it out without using the chicken doors.

The final attraction, Sector 13, takes you to sensory overload. This is a post-apocalyptic adventure, with lots of sounds, visual effects, and tactile stimulation. We were decontaminated before venturing through. We encountered lab & military personnel, as well as many mutants. This is a very interactive attraction, so they keep you in smaller groups of 4-6 for a robust experience. You might be thrown on an exam table for inspection, thrown in the freezer, or thrown in a cage. The further you venture into Sector 13 the more fog and progressively extreme mutants you will encounter. They seem to be around every corner, but you struggle to see them due to the fog. This place uses about 12 55-gallon barrels of fog each season. So when we say fog, we mean FOG!!!!

When you exit Sector 13 you head to the midway. On the way, there are a few photo op spots. In the midway there’s a stage with music and videos playing, a giant bonfire, more photo ops, and food vendors. There’s hot dogs, cheesesteaks, french fries, and more. They have deep fried everything. We mean everything! This is the only place we have seen deep fried koolaid, and yes, we tried it. And, yes, it was really good. Be warned, it’s really hot. Or as we liked to call it, hell lava. Make sure you let it cool before taking a bite. They also have old fashioned candied apples, as well as caramel apples, fried Oreos, hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and so much more.

And you can’t leave without hitting the merch shop. They have shirts, hoodies, sweat pants and more. They have sizes up to 4XL. There’s even adult diapers for those who might need them!

Reapers operates with 100% in-house scene creation. They are in the mountains of northeast PA, so they get alot of winter weather. That being said, Reapers takes down the majority of their scenes after each Halloween season. We are talking a lot of deconstruction at season end, and reconstruction prior to each season. That’s a huge amount of work year after year. The work is not just September and October, that’s for sure.

Dorney Park’s Halloween Haunt 2022 Review

On September 17th the HRC decided to visit Dorney Park’s Halloween Haunt, in Allentown, PA. This was our first Dorney Halloween visit. Halloween Haunt is a mix of park decor, walkthroughs, scary creatures, haunted attractions, and awesome shows. Most of the regular rides, games, and food stands remain open, as well. Dorney is known for it adrenaline rides and water park, but Halloween Haunt adds another layer of fun to this amusement park not far from Philadelphia.

Halloween Haunt includes the opening scaremony and some great hourly shows, such as IllumiNightmares, the Ghouling Organs, and Port of Call. We were blown away by the shows; an amazing drum and dance show, as well as an awesome acrobatic skeleton and pirate show. The adventures start after 6pm, but most of the haunt attractions don’t open until 7pm. While awaiting the attractions, we explored the outdoor Scare zones: The Lair, The Hollow, Port of Call, Dystopia, and CarnEvil. The ghoulish creatures, inside and outside the scare zones, will keep you creeped out.

At 7 we started hitting the Halloween attractions. Unfortunately, we only made it through Blackout, Blood on the. Bayou, Enigma, Necropolis. It was a pretty crowded night, so we missed Roadside Stop & Chop, Tourist Trap, and Trick or Treat. We highly recommend the Fright & Fast Lane pass, if you intend to get through all the Halloween attractions. While the actors do a great job creeping around and scaring visitors, there is a “No Boo” option for younger visitors or those just not into being victims. For a fee, a light-up “No Boo” necklace can be purchased and worn. We just thought the skeleton head necklaces were cool so we bought them anyway; we just didn’t turn them on.

As our followers know, we love the details in scenes, in the attractions, and in the ghouls and gals costumes & makeup. There was so much to see and do. There is an evening Halloween Haunt ticket; however, we highly recommend making a day of it. Get your daytime park ticket and Halloween Haunt is included in your ticket price. That allows time to see the Halloween decorations and plan out your after dark adventures. The park is open until 11pm during Halloween Haunt nights, but that time flies when you are having a hauntingly good time.

PENNHURST ASYLUM 2022 Review

The HRC had the pleasure of checking out the PENNHURST ASYLUM located in Spring City PA. This place needs to be at the top of your list! HOLY COW! Each year this attraction does a great job, and they change just enough to add new flavor consistently.

Well, this year, they didn’t just change a few things. They changed a ton of their show. In a few words we described it as follows: “Larger than Life”, “Bigger and Better” “Gigantic scares!” You get the picture. They have put a ton of money and time into making this one of the best shows we have seen this year. Their 3 attractions, The Legendary Asylum, The Morgue, and the Tunnels all bring unique scares and kicks to your senses. We experienced fog, foul odors, demented patients, sadistic doctors, hungry nurses, and desperate escapees. There is so much going on that we could hardly catch our breath between attractions. We went mid October when things tend to get very busy. If you go please buy the VIP tickets. They are a time saver. The initial line to get into the 1st attraction can be lengthy but they do a great job of creating a consistent flow. We love the creepy atmosphere it self as well. Paranormal investigations can be scheduled in addition or separate from the attractions. This is one of those places that are creepy all on their own. You can feel the energy radiating from every wall. Pay attention to every detail if you can, they’ve hidden a lot of neat things in this place. An ode to “Stranger Things” and a few HUGE animatronics made us scream with delight and terror. It’s what we enjoy, after all. Highly recommend this place. Please go. If you’re into well thought out scenes, and the money to make the worst of nightmares come to life… go!

Kim’s Krypt Haunted Mill 2022 Review

The Haunt Review Crew had a great time at Kim’s Krypt Haunted Mill in Spring Grove, PA! This place has something for everyone! 5 attractions kept us busy, entertained and most of all, spooked! The Terror Trail was our 1st endeavor, and it did not disappoint. The actors in there showed up to scare. There are abandoned buildings, a little Scary Christmas, a junk yard of gigantic tires, and more! See if you can find the OLD BAY, an ode no doubt to Kim’s Krypt’s roots! The vocal cords on some of these actors are impressive. The House of Eyes was the 2nd treat, this place has been revamped since the halfway to Halloween show. We were stoked!!! There are some seriously demented things in there. Some of the time the props looked like actors and the actors looked like props. Use of strobes, sounds and air cannons were perfectly executed. Horror of Menges Hill in the old Mill made our 3rd stop. There was a swamp, that really got us bc the fog and swamp looked so realistic. The butcher shop is a classic, and there’s a dragon’s lair that blew us all away. There are a few other hair-raising experiences lurking there we don’t want to give away but its gross and wonderful and scary in there. The 4th stop was The Haunted Mill! There are 4 levels & each will have you screaming in fear! Look out for the Werewolves and Reapers. The Mill is really haunted & if you follow Kim’s on social media, they have ghost tours from time to time.

The Dark Despair was our last stop. A crazy pitch-black maze where anything can happen. What lurks in the darkness, you ask? Guess you need to go find out for yourself. We loved how Kim stayed true to the original haunt themes she had from the beginning. Her collection of haunt props, scary dolls and creepy artifacts is unmatched. Her dedicated team raised the bar with how they devote themselves to making sure everyone has a scary good time. The musical soundtracks to scenes got a grade A. There’s even a cameo of Kim’s band Scarlet Angel you can hear if ya listen for it! There are snacks and games and a merch shop for when you have finished or when you need a break in between. If you’re ready for a freaky good time, go to Kim’s Krypt Haunted Mill, please tell her you saw the review on www.hauntreviewcrew.com !!

Side Note: For the fans of history, please check out The Mill’s history here: THE HISTORY OF MENGES MILLS

The Bates motel & haunted hayride 2022 Review

The Bates motel opens in 2022 to it’s 33rd season! We eagerly ran to do the hayride 1st since it has previously been a socially distant walk-through due to covid precautions. It has now returned in all its gory, I mean, glory to take you on a frightful ride. Randy Bates and crew continue to lead the industry in larger-than-life sets and animatronics. They’ve added an entire scene to the hayride, throwing us right into an old western. It was fantastic and once again felt like we were in a movie. The carpenters, artists and set designers here have come up with a flawlessly executed system for their sets. They do not go out and buy a ton of props or scenes. This place is homemade and you won’t see these scenes done anywhere else… many try no one comes close. A perfect ending with their legendary headless horseman! We went from the hayride into the revenge of the scarecrows haunted trail.

This is an indoor/outdoor event. They blend scenes and ghouls perfectly. The scares are in unexpected places as you walk this trail. The corn comes to life in ways you’ve only seen in your nightmares. They even have a gator in the swamp. Beware! The trail is always a lot of fun, but don’t let our smiles fool you, Smiley himself almost got us with the chain saw! We escaped to check out the Motel itself last (not before making a fresh donut truck stop) and it did not disappoint. The theatrical aspect is one we so appreciate in the Bate’s Motel. The scenes set the mood and pace, but the actors here really know how to “feed” off of the patrons. They interact without breaking character, and they know how to time a surprise in a way that “gets” everyone. We had more than a few gothchas and got up close and personal with several monsters, enough we could appreciate their movie quality makeup! Thank you Bates for always putting on an incredible show. This weekend was their opening one, as the season progresses it will only get better and busier. Get out there ASAP. Tell then HRC sent you!

Field of Screams 2022

HRC kicks off the reviewing season at Field of Screams 2022, where they are celebrating 30 years of screams! What started as two brothers with a dream is now one of Pennsylvania's largest, most successful, and terrifying operations! In the off-season, changes and upgrades were made to the attractions. Every hour or so, a state-of-the-art light show is projected onto the indoor attractions. If you are familiar with Field Of Screams, you know they do nothing halfway! This light show is personalized to their performance, actors, and vibe. The show is to music that immediately feeds your adrenaline. If you’re not pumped after that show, you are asleep. Truly incredible. Everything they do is geared to the experience and enjoyment of all! After the light show, we ventured to the atrractions.

There are new rooms, which added more scares, different places to hide (so if you’ve been before you will be surprised), and new tactics. They lure you in under this false sense of knowing what to expect when a ghoul or demon greet you, but shortly after a greeting you are thrown into the attractions on your own. We love how FOS always uses every sense to stimulate its clientele. We could smell rotting flesh, and decay as we walked through different areas of the attractions, there was use of dense fog and harsh darkness to throw off your sight. The sudden loud bangs and forces of air flying out at us were really unsettling, not to mention the non-stop actors, dropping down, popping out and suddenly crawling in our direction. This year they have many new actors who attended their scream school to learn how to be a pro. It has certainly paid off! To the actors and staff, amazing job as usual. Truly we say here at HRC that FOS is one of the most consistent haunts we have the pleasure of attending. Year after year the show gets scarier and bloodier! This place was jumping on an early September weekend. It is only going to get more busy as we approach the happiest time of year, Halloween! If you cant find the attraction via GPS, look for the badass skull projected for all the town to see. Go and tell them HRC sent you. Be sure to let us know what you think! Happy haunting!