2011 Reviews
 Legends of the Fog
 
On Oct 28th we finished out our reviewing season by visiting Legends of the Fog in Aberdeen, MD. We had a great time! We visited all 4 of the attractions, first up was the Sinister Circus. This attraction incorporated lighting techniques that we have never seen! There were some rooms where the fog and lights were so intense that we couldn’t see a foot in front of our faces! The clowns in there were so creepy. They would jump out or make a loud noise before we could even predict which direction they would be coming from! It was the best we have ever seen the circus go. Way to go clowns! Next we ventured to the Hayride. Legends Hayride has added a few new pieces and some different characters. The hayride has some of the creepiest scenes we’ve seen used for a hayride. This year it felt like there just weren’t enough actors to cover all of the areas where they had covered in years past. There were scenes that stood out, the butcher, the cemetery, and a favorite set is always the Dairy Scream. We like the firehouse too. However the hayride wasn’t as scary as we remembered it being, and after having our wits scared out of us in the circus it just wasn’t as scary. On to the corn stalks we go! The corn stalks are eerie all on their own. There may or may not be actors there. We will just say, we had a few times where we jumped. Now for the grand finish we headed to Carsin's Manor. We certainly saved the best for last. This place was awesome. Right down to the butler that welcomes you in. Take a whiff of his breath. You won’t have to lean in. Let’s just say he could kill some of the characters of Twilight with that breath! We entered the manor and from the jump it was go time. We followed a demon into a fireplace and it was insane from there. The demon chick gets a 10 out of 10 for her acting skills. From there we are greeted by other creatures and monsters. The manor was insane. We really had a few “gotchas” a piece. There was something in there that scared everyone. The rooms were shaking, noises coming out of nowhere. They even had things coming at us from ALL directions. We will just leave it at that. Legends is definitely a Maryland favorite. We did get inside word that 2012’s focus is going to be revamping their hayride. If they step that up to where the manor and circus are, this place will blow away a lot of others on the scary scale! With all of that said we highly recommend you visit Legends. They have awesome food, great merchandise, and the some of the nicest staff we’ve met yet! Good job guys! We give you 8.73 out of 10!
 
PENNHURST ASYLUM
On October 22nd we made the drive up to Penn Hurst Asylum. It was well worth it; let me start off with that! The attraction is made up of 4 parts. The first part we went to was the Asylum. We have been to many, many attractions that have an asylum, however this is the first to take place in a REAL previously used hospital. The ambiance of this place is so ridiculous. You can make a haunt on any farm, or put a blow up tent at any mall, this attraction sits on a property where patients were once held, treated, and mistreated. That alone makes this place scary. We went through this part in about 20 minutes. It felt like we had walked into a horror movie about a mental ward. The props here were horrifying, some may say offensive. This part wasn’t a lot of surprises or things jumping out at you. This part was used to mess with the guests from a psychological aspect. We had scenes unlike any others. The makeup on these actors was enough to make your hair stand on end. They had a few actors in this place that we thought were props until they moved. It was insane. A girl so bent up they had to have hired her from a circus. Did I mention this place used real live snakes?! We have never seen so many different rooms pull off one massive movie. It really felt like we were on set. I hope I didn’t spill too much there. So we survived the asylum portion and made our way to the dungeons. The dungeons had a lot of awesome props, and dedicated actors. This area had a few more of the classic jumping out at you skits and the use of lighting made it very creepy. The guys jumped a few times in there. So from there we head to the ghost hunt part. This is where they have left everything as it was. Your group of 10-15 is given 1 tiny flashlight, and you can explore the Mayflower building at your own pace. We took a lot of creepy pics and had a lot of fun exploring. So at this point we had figured that we knew what to expect from the last part of the attraction, good actors, and a few scares. WRONG!  Into the tunnel we go. This tunnel once used for transporting living and dead patients to different areas of Penn Hurts underground, is scary all on its own. The masterminds behind this place have added strobe lights, demented actors, and more fog then we have ever seen used in an attraction. This is the scariest part of the attraction. Save it for last! There were things coming at us from all directions. We couldn’t keep up with all of it. This is the first attraction to make one of us actually laugh and cry, and scream with terror. I am not kidding! This place was sick!!!! The actors and their glowing eyes, and their way of touching you when you can’t even see that they are there…WHOA!!   So with all of that said the entire group of us that went, gave Penn Hurst a 10 out of 10. You scared the hell out of us. Way to go!!!

Tulip Gulch
 
On Oct 16th we visited Bowie Baysox stadium as Tulip Gulch Proudly presents “Psycho Safari” Why aren’t you there? That’s really what we want to know. This is ‘a can’t miss’ show!  In MD we aren’t as fortunate as some other states to have a lot of haunted attractions and space to put them; Bowie takes a baseball stadium and turns it into a scary, wait, terrifying haunted attraction every October.  Again, why aren’t you there?! This year the show started off with a creepy escorted elevator ride to which we are thrown out and into a jungle.  This is one of few attractions that is about 75% wheelchair accessible (there is just a small part you would miss). This attraction is a long walk (about ¼ of a mile) through your wildest fears. When we say wild, we mean it. There were lions and tigers and a giant gorilla, to name a few! We really hate to give anything away! The use of fog, air, strobe lights, props and actors was incredible. There was literally something everywhere we turned.  Each scene is extremely detailed and decorated. There were times we forgot that this attraction is indoors. You can really tell the people putting on this show have a passion for what they are doing.  Some highlights, a very scary Lion, a wolf that made someone run, some swamp thing looking creature, and a very gruesome looking tour guide.  We really can’t say more since it could give away the shock value. Guess you will have to go into the wild yourselves! With all of that being said we rated this show a 9.4 out of 10! VERY IMPRESSIVE TULIP GULCH! To the people planning to visit, bring some extra money they have snacks on the outside and the kettle corn is awesome! * We did also want to mention that much of the money made here is donated to charity, which we thought was pretty awesome! Keep up the great work!
 
Jason's Woods
 
On Oct 15th, we ventured to Jason's Woods. As always the staff was very nice and the food was tasty! The first attraction we went to was the new Theater, which was pretty awesome. They changed what once was the museum into a theater that introduces you to the characters in which you will encounter throughout the night. The Beetle Juice character was pretty funny, might I add. There were some neat props in there, a talking skeleton and a giant bat. Nothing jumping out at us, but it set the tone and expectation that we were in for some scares. Next we headed to the mystery maze. It was fun and got a little confusing. There was a Freddy Krueger in there, his costume was awesome, but didn’t scare us as he wasn’t hiding. If you are afraid of Freddy don’t go in there. Next we headed out to the Hayride, this left much to be desired. There seem to be a lack of actors. There were at least 45 people on the hayride and most of the scenes only had 1 actor (average) the actors stayed in character but there just wasn’t enough going on to keep the entire wagon engaged. It was an eerie set up but we felt that there could have been more use of some of the smaller buildings and places to hide people. Onto "Lost in Jason’s Woods" this attraction was one of those attractions where the woods are dark and creepy and you expect a lot of things to make noise and come at you. In this case, we had a few things come out, they were just predictable. Onto the Barn of Terror, the Barn was actually one of the best attractions at Jason’s Woods. We had a few "gotcha" moments and we had fun in there. We then ventured to Pirates Revenge which had some great paint and make up jobs. The woman taking our tickets at the front was really made-up. It looked great! When we went in, there were some great scenes and it was really fun, not scary but fun. The last thing we did was the Carnival of Fear, this attraction was probably our favorite of the night. It had the most "gotchas" and the dark maze was hilarious. We kept running into walls and having to re-route. There were some seriously demented clowns in there. The Ring Master was very in character which made it a lot of fun. All in all we thought that Jason's Woods was great for a family night, not for a night to get terrified. Since we rate based on how scared we got, we rated Jason's Woods a 6 out of 10 this year.

 
 2010 Reviews

Field of Screams
 On Sept 18th 2010, we visited Field of Screams in Lancaster PA. Once again they delivered. Most places when we tell them we are coming opening weekend they freak out.  Field of Screams says bring it! So for 2009 and 2010 we have opened our reviewing season by visiting them. This year they get a 9 out of 10. They were so awesome as usual! Majority favorite was the Den of Darkness. They have added so much since 2009! The effects were kicked up several notches. It is hard not to give anything away. They use all of your senses here! Sight, hearing, (O, def hearing), smell (trust us it’s not pretty), touch, o and there is tasting! Lots of good food to eat. There were times when things just “appeared.” We would be walking in one direction and the next thing you know half of our group was missing! It was a crazy night. We started with the Den of Darkness; in there we encountered interesting walls, strange floors, and many scares. The best way to describe the den has always been Non-Stop action!  Next we went to the asylum. The asylum takes you into a world of your childish and perhaps adult fears. The dentist maybe? DO YOU HEAR THAT DRILL?? Are you afraid of clowns maybe?? Or maybe you are terrified of dolls? All of these things and claustrophobic conditions are all a part of the asylum experience. Last we went to the hayride. The hay ride is always so well done. The actors have great make up, the clowns aren’t all mask covered. The actors stay in character the entire time. O and wait, was that a real chain saw before entering the mad clown scene?? O, it was! We once again give Field of Screams the thumbs up! Please check out our YouTube reviews that we did prior to leaving the attraction. Have fun folks!  
 
 
Haunted Hoochie
 
On Oct 16th our crew headed all the way to Columbus Ohio to visit Dead Acres Haunted Hoochie. This place is insane! There were 2 attractions the Haunted Hoochie, which is a huge indoor attraction, and the 3D bad trip attraction. The Haunted Hoochie was insane. This place was a mix of walking through and having actors and some of the best animatronics scare you. They had certain parts where you would stop and they would perform a skit. One in particular skit featured someone being sawed in half! Very realistic! So awesome! This place had things popping out beside you, above you and under you! It was absolutely insane. Well worth the long drive. The first part took ab 35-40 min to get through. It was so incredible we do not want to give it all away. There were some of the best make up and acting jobs ever. Then the next part was the 3D trip; very well done. Best 3D show we've ever seen.  It had 3D things above you and all around you. The actors timed everything so well.  We never knew what to expect. Mike and Tim were forced to duck more than a few times. There was a clown who we thought was an animatronic... we were wrong! We all rated this attraction a 10!!! Way to go Haunted Hoochie! You rocked!

Legends of the Fog

On Oct 8th we attended Legends of The Fog in Aberdeen MD. This is our 3rd year reviewing Legends and we had heard that there were some major changes made over the summer so we were really excited to see what changes were made. There are 4 attractions at Legends 3 of which have actors and props to scare the whit’s out of you. They are the Sinister Circus, Carsins Manor, The Haunted Hayride, and the Maze of Darkness.  Our first activity was the Sinister Circus. There were clowns and ghouls all over this place! The new circus is way bigger and better than 2009's. The light affects were amazing! We really can’t give away all of the got ya's, but you will not be disappointed. There is a definite surprise for the ladies at the sinister circus. The next activity for us was the Haunted hayride. Complete with their familiar scenes of the dairy scream and Michael Meyers the hayride was phenomenal! They added more actors that are "in your face." The creepy children will give you chills! This hayride is by far the best we have ever visited in MD. The last scary attraction was the Carsins Manor. This was the favorite this year featuring an all new building and set up. Even the man who greets you at the entrance scared us! This place from the second you enter provides "got ya’s" The actors are so well placed that you really have no idea which way you should be looking. When half the group looked one way they saw something totally different from what people looking in the other direction saw. After the 3 scary attractions we tested our luck in the maze of darkness which is a large corn maze. The best way to sum up Legends of the Fog in 2010 is non-stop action, and surprise. They have good food, and good entertainment on stage and a giant fire to keep you warm. If you have a free night and want to visit a great local MD haunt THIS IS THE ONE TO SPEND YOUR $$ ON! Take our word for it, Legends has stepped up its game. We gave it 8.8 out of 10! 
  
 2009 Reviews

Frightland

We are so excited to tell you about Frightland in DE. We finished our season at Frightland, and boy are we  glad we did! They had 8 different attractions at this place! They also had a carnival and games and yummy carnival food! All of this for one price! The first thing we did was the The Escape which is the jail themed attraction. They combined scares and humor, and left us grinning from ear to ear! The actors did a great job staying in character and the school bus scene was very creative! After that we did the other attractions which were the Barn of Horror, haunted hayride, Forgotten Asylum, Town of Redemption, The Attic, Haunted Woods, and the Idalia Manor. These attractions all had some very nicely placed props and actors. We all were repeatedly freaked out by different things happening. Our favorites were definitely the Manor and the hayride. The manor had some of the most developed scenery we've seen. A huge spooky library and bedrooms of the manor that looked so real! The hayride had the MOST scary insanely large evil pumpkin props we have ever seen! It was incredible...they do a nice job of making you look in one direction and then having something pop out at you in another! We really enjoyed our time, the carnival and the ambiance was just insane! We had a blast on the bumper cars also! This place is a definite must visit in 2010 everyone! All of the members gave this place a 10! Tim's quote: "It's the most original haunted attraction that I have ever seen. This place has the best actors!!!!! Great food!"  There was something every second of this place coming at you, or telling a story! The actual makeup of the actors was so detailed it made us second guess ourselves. They even had evil monsters lurking outside around the attractions while we waited! We were safe nowhere! Don’t miss out on this place next year, we think you'll love it. Not your typical same old scenes! The town of redemption makes you forget you are at a haunted attraction and not actually in some old country western ghost town! We rate this place a 10 all the way!

 
Landon Mansion

We reviewed Haunted Landon Mansion in Frederick County MD. This house has a lot of history; they actually do paranormal investigations in this house! The atmosphere was perfect. The house has a very creepy vibe!  All of us were a little freaked. The wait was long but when the tour began we had high hopes considering this place is really haunted. The tour goes through the woods behind the house, the walk through is a little dangerous there are boards and things you walk on but a few people stumbled around them. There were no scares throughout the woods. Someone at the front of the line got scared once because something hiding in a tree jumped out. That was it. We proceeded into the house, where the most original thing we've ever seen occurred. They had a ghoul band play us a song. A live show right there in the haunted house. It was great! We then walked throughout the house. We all could feel our hair standing on the ends of our arms. It wasn't due to the attraction however. We think it would be more fun to do the paranormal investigation. The attraction seriously lacked actors and scares. We were disappointed that they didn't utilize the space and atmosphere better. We rated this one a 5.6. Had we been rating on creepy atmosphere and ambiance they'd have earned a 10. We all agreed a few more actors and better set up would help them. If you’re into the paranormal, check out the site and visit when they do an investigation. We'd bet you would have some fun and see something for sure!
 
Nightmares from Elmridge 
We visited Nightmares from Elmridge in Arbutus MD to review their 2009 show. This is a small local attraction in the basement of a business. The entire attraction takes about 15 minutes to go through. The tour guide was verrry creepy, and did a great job entertaining us. The props in the 1st hall way were scary and the actors did their job of providing got ya’s from the first room. This place got all of us at least a few times throughout the show. They used every bit of space they had. We can’t imagine what they would have done with more space. The black aggy, bloody mary scene was a favorite along with the twisted fairy tale of the 3 little pigs. Quotes from this scene from 2 of our members were- "These pigs are not your average 3 little pigs, they will give the big bad wolf a run for his money for sure! "- Jackie. "The oinking was even scary!" Ashleigh. All of the rooms were decorated very well with Halloween props and decor. The use of holes in the wall to provide scares was pretty good. We were not expecting to get this many got ya’s. When we came out of the attraction some of the actors came out so that we could get some pictures with them. Almost all of the volunteers/actors for this attraction are local children and teens! This type of dedication is so rare for young people that are volunteering! Thank you guys for your hard work and dedication, we had a lot of fun! We gave this attraction a rating of 7.6! If you’re in the area stop by; it’s appropriate for families! 
 
 
Ballestone Haunted Trail

Ballestone Manor is located in Essex MD. We were very impressed with this year’s show! They have changed some things since last year, and have added even more got ya’s! The shrinking hallway was a scare crew favorite; there is a scene with an evil clown with an axe that is pretty gruesome! I’m not spoiling it; go see for yourself! Even the music being played in this attraction was great! Heather had this to say about Ballestone Manor, "I really liked the black light room where the walls were close up and then they moved them away.  That scene was crazy because the actors blended in so well it was hard to tell where they were sometimes until they were right next to you." There were many creative scenes this year that impressed us. The dedication of the actors and volunteers is evident. The giant clown mouth scared someone on a tour after ours that she turned around and ran away and did not go through! This attraction is definitely worth the money and is one of the best in MD for 2009! Glad the rain held out and we didn't miss this one! Ballestone gets a rating of 8 this year!
 
 
Haunt @ Sunrise Farms

We visited this attraction with high hopes this year. A few members have been there in years past and said it was great. This attraction was $22 a person. It begins with a 20 min hayride that takes you to 2 barns. The hay ride isn't a haunted hay ride, it’s just a nice hay ride. Our tour guide Fear made the trip very entertaining. He told a story about how he is 300 yrs old and that we were visiting his family soon. We went around the wagon and all of the patrons said what they were being for Halloween. Fear was a real piece of work. He made the whole trip to Gambrills worth it! The first barn we went to was in 3d, it was stimulating to the eyes, very good set up. This wasn't scary at all, there were a few things that popped out throughout the barn but unless you were the 1st or 2nd person in the line, you'd never know it. Most of the actors came out and screamed at you. The 2nd barn was very well decorated. This place has the perfect location for a scary attraction. There were a few scenes that stood out, walking by coffins that slammed shut was cool, and there were a few actors that stood out as well. A few quotes, "Improvement is needed in the (scare timing area) & maybe a few more actors." "The scares where too predictable."
This attraction is a bit pricey for the show that was put on. As always with these attractions sometimes it depends on the night you go! We encourage all of our readers to check out places we review and let us know what you think! Thanks for reading! We give this attraction a rating of 6!!
 
Fright Factory
Our crew made the trip to Philadelphia PA for Fright Factory, and we are so glad we did! 
 
This place was creepy from the moment we got in line. It takes place in an actual factory. The entrance is through a dingy, cold, creepy DARK, basement! The 1st attraction we went through was an all dark attraction, no light. It set an eerie mood for the rest of the attraction for sure. The scares were more of a psychological sort. There were people with gas masks and bright lights that would just appear! There was always this feeling that something was behind you. Hands reaching out to touch you and then fading back into a black existence; pretty crazy. The rest of the attraction was more like most places we go, only this place... they set the bar really high. There were a lot of actors there, the place was decorated perfectly and the atmosphere was "killer"! (sorry, can't resist a punny) We experienced some downright crazy stuff. The Jackal in this attraction alone scared us enough times to say it was worth the trip and the money. The noises it made and the way it appeared from the dark and just got right in your face without you knowing how he got there! WHOA! There was a freaky vampire with long dark hair and white eyes with no pupils. There was another scene where I believe they said Mary would get us... well she did! We all got scared at this one. There were about 4 different areas we went through. It was a very impressive show.  Tim's thoughts on the attraction: "The scenes were awesome & the actors where REALLY into their characters!  They knew how to scare and had great timing!" Ashleigh said, "I am so glad there wasn't the same old scenes you see at every haunt, the toxic waste or the guy in an electric chair. Yay for some originality!" We really recommend going to this one. They were actually featured on the travel channel as one of the best in the United States. So far they are at the top of the list for the Baltimore Scare crew!  We give them a 9.6 rating! On a side note, we went to 2 different cheese steak places while there, one before and one after the haunt... Geno's was first, and then we went to Pat’s. "Geno's was good, but Pat’s is where it’s at" seemed to be the thoughts of the majority. They are both right across from each other and only 2 miles from the attraction, give them a try! :)

Cox's Point Haunted Mansion 2009
 
The crew checked out Essex's own Cox's point haunted mansion. We were pleasantly surprised. This attraction is just $8, and let us just say, it’s worth much more! None of us were expecting what we got out of this visit. This is the ONLY haunted attraction we've been to that incorporated magic! It is small, but packs a big surprise! From the first room we were creeped out! Everyone that lives within driving distance needs to check this place out. They use their space very wisely and they do this trick with an elevator that confused us all. "I am really glad we went!" -Ashleigh of the BSC. 
There are 2 buildings and a cemetery, and honestly we got more freaked out by this place than some of these bigger more expensive attractions we've been to.  Sometimes big things come in small packages! If you like magic and want to be entertained and spooked check this place out! We give Cox's Point a rating of 7.8!
 
Kim's Krypt
 
Oct 11th The crew visited Dundalk, MD and went to Kim's Krypt. This year Kim added more rooms and changed some things up. We experienced a ride through a wall via a coffin. It was a very unique thing to do. We enjoyed that part a lot. Could have made it scary or throw in a "Got ya" but it was pretty cool. There was an addition of what was like being on a pirate ship. We loved this part, absolutely unique and fun. There was the classic to Kim's Krypt Exorcist room, and the crazy evil rednecks. A scare crew favorite was also Sally Sue and her creepy room. This year’s show was just that, more of a creepy show than a scare factor. There weren't as many "got ya’s" or pop out scares as last year, the scenes were very well detailed, and entertaining. There is always something creepy in Kim's Krypt. We were a little sad it wasn't as scary as last year, but as always it was a fun and entertaining experience.  If you’re in the area and you love a good freaky show than you should check this place out. It is always one of the most original attractions we visit! We give Kim's Krypt a rating of 7.5!
 
The Asylum @ Bowie Baysox Stadium
 
 Oct 10th we ventured to PG county in MD to visit Tulip Gulch's production of THE ASYLUM. It was fantastic! There was literally no way to see everything they had going on in this place just by going through once! They had the BEST PROPS by far we have EVER seen in all of the haunted attractions we have ever been to. I mean just totally blows everything away crazy. I don’t want to give away specifics but I have to say there is a moving headless bloody body! EW! They have the best use of air compressors and lighting that we've ever experienced. Gideon and Tim jumped about a foot into the air over the affects at one point.  "I literally got a piggy back ride on Heather’s back through most of it" -Jackie.  Gideon said " I want to pay for it and do it all over again, way underpriced!" We spoke with Phil, assistant manager and he said that it was important to them that as many people as possible could come and they understand that with these hard economic times people have to spend money carefully so they reduced the price from previous years to just $15. This place was worth so much more! There was never ever a dull moment. There was a scare in every single room. The line was kind of long so get there early. This place is right on 301 near Six Flags. If you live in MD or near Prince George’s county please check this one out, you will not be let down! They may just win our top prize this year. They are the ones to beat! We give them a rating of 9.5!
 
Legends of the Fog

Friday Oct 9th we visited Legends of the Fog in Aberdeen MD. They added a new attraction this year called the Sinister Circus and also added the coffin ride; we enjoyed both very much. The first thing we did was the Sinister Circus, this was the group favorite as far as the attractions there go. This attraction is a small, maybe a 4 room tent, but let us just say WOW! LOTF made great use of the space! We went through a maze where an evil clown directed us the wrong way and scared us all numerous times. The use of lights, music and actors was incredible. The next thing we did was Carsin's Manor. This was a lot of fun, much improved from last year. Great actor placement, and very good use of making a noise to distract you to look one way and then the next thing you know something is coming at you from a different angle. Next we did the hayride. This year Legends of the Fog added some different scenes and took some away from the hayride; parts of it were scary but not as scary as the previous year. We did want to mention that the dairy scream was ingenious and the characters there were very well played; however last year the hayride was our favorite part, this year out favorite was the Sinister Circus, hands down. Gotta check this place out. We then went to the Maze of Darkness; it’s a giant, no actor, corn maze. Not scary but a really good time. Although there were no actors in the maze it didn’t stop us all from hiding from each other and jumping out at the others. :) Here are some quotes from our group, this one is from Heather about the Sinister circus: "You never knew what to expect around every corner." Tim's quote on the hayride was this: "The hay ride was fun. Some of the scenes are new & some were upgraded from last year. The scenes are not the typical shoddy construction, they are very well built & detailed. Some of the actors are still polishing their acts so I am sure by time you read this review, they will have some crazy scares for you." All in all we rated the attraction 8.3 out of 10. Be sure to try the food when you go! They have bands playing and entertainment while you wait!
 
 
Field of Screams in MD.

Oct 3rd we visited Field of Screams in Olney MD. Upon arrival we had the privilege to meet some of the organizers of the event. They were some of the nicest most hospitable people we've ever met! The first thing we did was check out the food! Took us an hour to get there and we had all had a long day that day so to the food we went! They had fried Twinkies, and Oreos, pizza, hot dogs, cider and other treats! We all enjoyed our purchases and set out for the Hayride first. We waited for about 30 min, during that time we were approached and asked to go to the haunted trail since it would be closing shortly, we were told that once we completed the trail we would be placed back in line for the hayride. So, out of the hayride line we went and onto the Haunted trail. We all enjoyed the trail very much. There was the creepiest Elmo, YES ELMO, we have ever seen. They were some of the BEST zombies in make-up and in character we've seen throughout the trail as well. They did have a few scenes that needed a little more strategy rather than people just screaming loudly but all in all, it was a creepy trail! So we finish the trail ready to head to the hayride, we go back to the spot we were in line for the hayride just to be told that after the hayride the haunted house and the maze would be closing since no one was going through there. Now, I have a few reasons maybe people weren't going through the maze or the house. The HAYRIDE LINE WAS OVER AN HOUR LONG! Now it’s no one’s fault that only 1 tractor was running, we understand things happen, but is it fair to close the other attractions and simply say "tickets are good all week?" Some people, like us, drove an hour more or less, to visit and may not be able to return. So do we consumers just eat the $35 for the tickets?  We enjoyed the trail, we can't speak to the other parts of this attraction.  What I will tell you is, get there super super early to avoid it closing on you, or please make sure you plan to have to come back another day in case they close early. I think they mean well, but they really need to over haul the organization. They have great ideas. S'more making stations,  great layout and plenty of room to work with. Unfortunately, do to the tight schedule this year we cannot return to do the rest of the attractions. We encourage anyone in that area that does visit to leave us some info and let us know how it went. The trail was pretty good, hopefully everything else was too. All in all the trail was 7out of 10; unfortunately we could not rate these other attractions.

The Haunted Mill

Oct 2nd 2009 we visited the Haunted Mill in Spring Grove PA. They have a total of 6 attractions for one price of $35. It may seem like a lot but you get your money’s worth here! There was Maws Crazy Maze, which indeed was crazy! We spent more time in there then we thought we would. Parts were pitch black and we were caught off guard several times from clowns, singing children and ghouls that were larger than life. We enjoyed the maze a lot. The Horror of Menges Hills, Terror Trails, and the House of Eyes were all very well played. Our favorites were the Mill, and the creepy corn walk. The mill itself was very scary. The atmosphere alone could scare you! The use of prop placement, actors and the air compressors were insane. The mad doctor in the mill definitely did a great job! There is a tunnel at the end of the mill that has blinding flashing lights and you think that you are home free, all you have to do is walk through the tunnel...right?? Go find out we dare you! The Corn maze was fantastic. The mill did an excellent job of leaving just enough time in between the scares. You almost forget your there to get scared and then out jumps someone, or something else! The placement of the ghouls was ingenious. We ALL had at least one scare in the corn maze. You can tell when you visit an attraction and everyone is really into it. Special thanks to the "greeter in the house of eyes". She was creepy and did a great job setting the tone. She didn't get our eyes this time though. As far as the scares go we thought there were a few times that there could have been better use of all that space. They really do have a lot to work with. We encourage everyone to go check this attraction out! As the season goes on these places tend to get better and better. The Crew gave this attraction an 8.5 out of 10. 
Please don't forget to hit up the concession stands! There was a place, who I apologize that we have lost the business card to, I believe it was Mary's Pistachios... I’ll get the name up here eventually; however, it was just a street hot dog cart but let me tell you!! We LOOOOVED the chili dogs made with award winning chili!  Make sure you check out everything at the Haunted Mill. They even have a photo op you can purchase of yourself right in the action. Way to go guys!
 

Field of Screams

On September 19th we began its season for 2009! Our first attraction was last year’s favorite Field of Screams in Lancaster PA. They once again impressed us all! They have 3 attractions, a den, an asylum and a hayride.  The asylum was fun with its bright flashing lights and very dedicated to scare you actors.  The hayride is the best one we’ve seen thus far comparing previous years. They have set the bar high when it comes to what we will be afraid of. The hayride features graphic costumes, and affects, like a woman with her insides spilling out, and a giant electrocution chamber. Now almost ALL hayrides or events have this electrocution scene. However, Field of screams takes it to the next level of insane, with some sort of giant electro lightening shooting thing. I cannot describe this! The only thing to compare it to is one of those glass balls that have what looks like lightening inside and when you touch it the lightening is attracted to your finger. It is nuts. There is also a sick scene involving a farm. I won’t give it away!  Our favorite this year was the Den! We ALL had a few scares in this place! Jimi said, “The Haunted Den is like Disney World.  You have to go through twice just to see everything; non-stop action!”  Heather also shared some thoughts about the den as well: “The Den of Darkness got me so many times that my heart was racing when we got out of there.  I couldn't believe that they made it better than last year”. The den had various scenes and different skits that scare and shock! They have things that happen to a floor that just creep you out! I don’t want to give anymore details about this place away! Since we awarded Field of Screams #1 last year and they have already won our top prize, they are ineligible to win 2 years in a row; however had we rated them, we all gave it 10’s!  They have entertainment from bands, games to play, and yummy food stands to purchase refreshments. They also have a giant movie screen to entertain you while you wait in line! Please visit this attraction and tell ‘em we sent you!
 

2008 Reviews

Field of Screams
 
If you build it they will come... Field of Screams started as something small, friends goofing off scaring people; well, now it is literally one of the most respected and enjoyable haunted attractions in the North East.
Friday, Oct 10th we visited Field Of Screams in Lancaster, PA. The first Attraction we did was the hay ride. It was 25 acres of madness! From the very first scene we were really creeped out and surprised. It starts with a seriously bloody night mare! Proof that blood isn't cheesy but very scary when done right! It was terrifying! There was a scene where you are literally at a drive in! This hay ride got the entire scare crew more than a few times!! From things being thrown at us to blood raining down, we absolutely loved it. The props and the actors were just right! There was a point when I was like, “ok, I gotta go home! This place is crazy.” LOL. I do not want to ruin the hay ride, but let’s just say those chain saw guys are NO JOKE! THE CREW HAS CLAIMED THIS HAYRIDE (so far this season) TO BE THE BEST HAYRIDE WE HAVE EVER BEEN ON!!! Tim said, "I am going back just to do that hayride again!"
The next attraction was the Den of Darkness. There were crazy patterns on the walls where you had no idea if someone was there, or the wall was moving; sometimes it was both! There is a disgusting doctor’s scene and a hellish morgue. The actors were so well hidden that we couldn’t help but jump out of our skin. During the dark points there was just nowhere to go. Heather says "The actors were really into their parts and it was obvious that they wanted to be there doing that."
The fright mare asylum was insane! We definitely weren't expecting the surprises in this one. Things popping out from the darkness, compressed air randomly hitting us, not to mention, an absolutely disgusting man playing with poop in a backed up bathroom, this room even smelled horrible!
 Field of Screams, had crazy people in the corn waiting to get you, the floor changed textures as you walked, you could go from walking on firm ground to being on a sponge, or moving floor. At one point we were on a bridge! The actors blended in so well there, we almost fell off.  LOL. They were scary, and knew exactly when to jump out or make a noise. This place is most definitely where you get the most for your money. The atmosphere is great too. They had games to play, food to eat, a band playing and actors walking throughout the grounds. Even Michael Myers came out for a photo op! The family that runs F.O.S. is all involved! It was a very fun, scary experience. Although next year we have decided to visit only places we haven't been before or ones we haven’t been to in years, I am sure we will be visiting field of screams again. They had the friendliest staff, and the best attractions ever. We loved it so much that the entire crew gave it a 10. Field of Screams is the FIRST ATTRACTION TO EVER GET A UNANIMOUS 10 FROM THE CREW!! Thank you so much to Jim and his crew for providing us with our best experience. 

 
Halloween Park
Rating: 9.7

We visited Halloween Park this past weekend. It was a ton of fun! The first thing we did was the house of doom. There are 16 rooms filled with tricks and treats. :) All from a few creative geniuses! Special thanks to Stacey, Charlie and Jeff. They have all done a wonderful job on this one! Heather said "The House of Doom (I think that was the one with the clues) was amazing.  Even without actors in it, it was still a little spooky and creepy because you never knew what was going to move or pop out." We all really had a great time in there. We broke into 2 groups; guys vs. girls. All you have is candle light to guide you. You read clues, and solve puzzles to get out of each room. Until you solve the puzzle you are stuck in the room! Like Heather said, you really never knew what was going to pop out at you. Some say a haunted house completely actor free can’t be done right. We are here to tell you that it can and Halloween Park proves it! Tim said, "It was cool to be a part of the attraction. Finding the clues to get out is so original. It's a mix of old school scares with a high-tech approach." We all absolutely loved this attraction. Gideon said, "It was a technical masterpiece."
Next we did The House of Terror! This was a lot of fun! There was a mix of actors jumping, things dropping, floors moving and 3d tricks that kept us entertained and creeped out! There was a VERY entertaining rat we got to meet while waiting in line as well.  LOL.  The rooms were well thought out and very creative. I appreciate all of the small details put into ever scene!  I could state all of the quotes but I’d hate to ruin this for you, so visit them!
 Next we did Terror Behind The Doors. LOL, ok so here goes... Gideon got out quickly, then came Cara, and, well, then went Jonathan. As for Tim, Jimi, me, Heather, and  Yolonda, we were in that thing for over an hour! LOL. It was awesome! Here were are in pitch black, turning corners and getting stuck in walls (LOL) when out pops an actor from nowhere that has us jumping (or falling, if your me). There were loud noises, air compressors, trap doors, crazy little props and some seriously dedicated actors. Jimi said, “Just finding your way in the dark is scary." We had a ball. It wasn’t terrifying but there were PLENTY of "got ya's" popping out. It would be impossible to deny this place was fun.
 We also did the 3 side attractions, the electric chair, the coffin and the Elevator. They are small but fun and entertaining none the less. :)
The staff was sweet and friendly. Right down to the make-up artists doing face paint and the vendors serving up some great food! We really really appreciate all of the hard work by everyone! A special thanks to Mike Ness for being the most in character actor we’ve ever seen!

 
Ballestone Manor
Rating: 9.6
 
Friday Oct 17th we visited Ballestone Manor in Essex, MD.  We were pleasantly surprised here. It is hard to find a group of people to volunteer all season long and stay devoted, in character, and have fun, but that’s just what you will see when you visit Ballestone. They had some of the best scenes we've seen all year. The torture chambers were clearly a BSC fave! This scene rivaled some of the BIG PA haunts for sure! There were very detailed sets and EVERY CHARACTER stayed in character. There were chain saws, blood, spiders, fog, a big scary dog and many other things to see. I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone. We definitely recommend this attraction to everyone.   It was worth every penny and more. Tim said “Each scene was very well researched (and hand built), that goes along way with me." Heather said, "This one rocked!!!" Way to go you guys!!
 
McGinnis Hill
Rating: 9.3
 
We ventured to McGinnis Hill in Elkton, MD. We loved it just as much, if not more, than last year. 
The walk just to the ticket booth was creepy! The 1/4 mile walk through the woods started out by going through a room of dense fog; it was pretty creepy. 
There are many scenes that stood out, including seeing a man being sawed in half,  a giant spider in the woods (Heather loved that one) a sinking ship with an angry ghost, a maze with clowns that love to confuse you and pop out of nowhere!
Let’s please not forget the man that can crawl faster than most of us can run.  There were many very scary points to this attraction. You never knew where the wolf or Michael Myers were going to show up. Just like last year the staff was exceptionally polite and nice and we had an awesome time. We really appreciate the fact that the actors are all volunteers. You can tell that the characters do this because they want to be there and they love it!  Over all we rated this attraction a 9.3 :) congrats again you guys!
 
Kim's Krypt
Rating: 9
 
Kim has been putting on a haunted house for many years in the Baltimore area; starting in her home and then progressing to bigger and better space! Over the years it has been a fun haunted attraction to visit. Kim has many cool props and toys to play with, THAT we were used to, but this year Kim’s Krypt kicked it up a few notches! We all had a few "got ya’s" walking through this year. Kim stayed true to her theatrics in the attraction but this year there were certain elements that really stood out; it’s scarier and shocking and plenty of sadistic twists as usual! "At some points, we actually became a part of the attraction," said Jimi.  We really appreciated all of the changes and new rooms.   A favorite was the Saw room! We rate many attractions and realize that the local smaller ones do not have the same advantages as larger out door attractions; with that being said Kim’s Krypt is by far this year our local favorite.  SO, Kim’s Krypt, based on being scared and having fun, gets a 9 from us! Way to go Kim!
 
Legends of the Fog
Rating: 8.5
 
When we went to Legends of the Fog in Harford county MD, it was a biiiig surprise. This is only the 2nd season running. The owner, Patrick, was nice enough to meet with us and tell us a bit about the farm, and the ideas that were created by him and a few others.  Also, he gave us a little insight into future projects. 
 
The first attraction we did was the hayride. There were at least 75 people involved in this; probably more, who could keep count.  It was completely insane. There were some GREAT scenes that we didn’t expect to see. There were a few that stood out to us, 1 was a school scene that had some of the creepiest kids we’ve ever seen! They were kids dressed up like Jason, they were kids, playing kids in a very eerie school yard… COMPLETE WITH A PLAYGROUND! Another good scene was what personally scared me, the GRAVE YARD! OMG. This girl crawls out of the grave and moves in a way that is horror film like! It was scary I about jumped into some strangers lap...Ok I DID jump into a strangers lap…LOL. It was nuts this grave yard scene had actors everywhere.   Another scene is in a junk yard. It is very well laid out and had a ton of props. The guys are still upset about the Trans Am…LOL. There is a very terrifying experience in a barn type area, with some of the scariest masked characters we've ever seen. The most disgusting scene comes out of nowhere and will not disappoint you! It is sick and scary all at once! It’s towards the end. I can’t go into detail but it’s a reallyyyy realistic scene!
Next we did the haunted maze; the haunted maze had a few scares but was more of a good time then scary. There is a giant board that could just about kill you if you do not run, and a few props that you do not expect to move but guess what, they do! The haunted maze has some great opportunities for improvement but none the less it was still fun. 
There is also a regular not haunted corn maze that we went through, there are a lot of ways to get yourself lost here, of course it didn’t help when half of the group would run ahead and then hide in the corn to scare the rest of us! We had a lot of fun getting lost in there.
Legends of the Fog isn’t just these 3 attractions; they have also created a family friendly atmosphere. There was a band playing on a stage, and a magician to entertain you while in line for the hayride.  If I do not mention how great the pit beef was someone may slap me! LOL, so yes the food was great too! 
Over all we gave it an 8.5. The hayride no doubt was a 10 itself. Factoring in all attractions, scares, lines, staff, fun, food, and atmosphere we think an 8.5 fits. Members of our group that were not aware this was the haunts 2nd year were very impressed. We expect great things from this place in the next few years! By far the BEST hayride in Maryland! Thanks Patrick and Robyn and everyone at LOTF for devoting your time, efforts and energy into making this a great time for us! See you soon! 
 
Bates Motel
Rating: 8.5

There are 3 main attractions. The Haunted Corn maze, The Bates Motel, and The Haunted Hayride. 

 Our first attraction was the hotel. This place was the most fun for us out of the 3 attractions! There were many scares for us in this place! It got to a point where some us didn't want to go any further bc we didn't know what to expect when we turned the corner! The attention to detail was insane. There were creepy pictures as you walked the halls that mutated when you walked by, there were psycho doctors threatening to mutilate us! There was an actual girl levitating off of a bed! This place had some seriously scary points to it! "The girl levitating over the bed was off the chain" said Tim from our crew. There was a point where we were looking so hard at the floor as it moved under our feet that we didn’t even notice that the ceiling was coming down until it was too late and we were scared! Kudos to Randy and Todd for ensuring this place worked well!
The next thing we did was the haunted hayride. It was a lot of fun! It was a very long ride, packed with zombies, monsters, old familiar classics and blood!
We enjoyed the darkrooms where we had no idea what to expect. The flashing lights made us unsure of who, or what, was in front of us! Boy, were there a few times when we couldn’t help but be impressed. The floating pall bearers were a real trick and treat! Unfortunately at one point in the hayride, a few of us did catch the actors talking in the middle of the trail as we were coming up on their scene. That took away the scary affect.  I think it was unanimous that we all loved the funeral scene the best where someone launched literally at us.
 Lastly, we did the "corn maze" which wasn’t really a maze. It was more of what we called a corn trail. There were a few scares in this; mostly some very interesting props and animatronics. "Something finally replaced chasing us with chain saws" said Jonathan from BSC about the man chasing us trying to brand us with a horse shoe.   It was a very real very creepy part of walking through the corn. There were scare crows propped up on posts that would bed forward as we walked by. A girl literally flew above our heads as she shrieked and none of us saw that coming! I think just being in the corn in the darkness really added to all of the attractions props and actors. 
 Over all we gave this attraction an 8.5 out of 10. We had a great time, but we were only scared throughout the motel. The other 2 attractions were a little lacking this year compared to last! We still recommend visiting though, but get there early. This place fills up very fast!

 
Shocktoberfest
Rating: 8

First, let me say that we all had a good time! This was a very entertaining attraction. Between the character that had an excellent bird sounding voice, and the creepy guy crawling on the ground with a ghoulish laugh, we were entertained just waiting to go in to the attraction!
 The haunted hayride was the 1st thing we experienced.  It was full of props that moved and came to life and light affects, even a very cool toxic waterfall into a mini pond. It had some very nice sets along the trail; however it was lacking in the scary department. The actors were few and far between and were obvious when they were going to pop out.  A few missed opportunities for things to come out and "get us" we watched a giant "plant man" yell "get them" for 5 mins and nothing "got us."  We were then rolled into a room that did have some neat affects, just could have used some actual characters.  
 Next we did the prison, this was a crew favorite, the actors stayed very much in character, and one scare crew member said "it was the most believable and well decorated set."  This place did lead you straight into a prison, we do not want to give too much away but this attraction was well worth it. They had plenty of scares and even old school techniques, like letting us just find our way in the pitch black. That was scary! They had a prison bus that takes you to the prison and even the outside looked like a prison. They have some really nice sets in there and many tortured convicts and guards to go around. 
 The 3d asylum was another favorite. The group was split half liked the prison best and half liked the asylum best. They had the best 3d attraction most of us have ever seen! They had some amazing art work on the walls and some of the creepiest toxic rejects ever. BEWARE OF THE MANY ARMED MAN!! Part of our group was kidnapped inside the asylum before making it out. The characters truly stayed in character and provided me with my first scare of the night. Other crew members agreed it was pretty creepy. The only down fall of this was the person that greeted us at the attraction and gave us the "rules" as with any attraction, no touching actors, no cussing, no running, yada yada yada. But this lady def said the rules with a little spiciness. I think it was over kill we get the rules dear. A few people that preferred the prison better said to make mention that the asylum had people screaming in our ears and that wasn’t scary... I still think the asylum was the best!
 The other attraction experienced was the monster midway and warehouse of horrors. The mini roller coaster was def more fun than it looks! For being a small attraction, NO ONE came out without a smile on their face.  It was a fun little break in the bigger attractions. The ware house was a little dangerous, some of us just about didn’t make it out because there were metal plates to trip on. It was a different experience and it was pretty fun to go through the obstacles.
Overview:  For being rated at 6 in the whole country I think it built are imaginations up for something much more shocking. Perhaps next year we will come in October and give them more time since this past week was quoted a "dress rehearsal". As an average, the grade to shocktoberfest was 8 out of 10. We do not just rate on scary, we consider fun and entertaining and over all feel of the environment. We really enjoyed this haunt and will recommend it to others!
We loved the cast and crew members at the end that stood and chatted with us ab the event and helped us take some great pics. Next year we'll look forward to any changes that were made. Good luck with the rest of the season!! 

Feargrounds @ Merriweather
Rating: 7
When we arrived Feargrounds, we were greeted by a huge walking pumpkin! It had a demonic voice and was very impressive to all of us. Feagrounds itself is a tent set up at Merriweather post pavilion. When we saw that I believe everyone was skeptical. However the staff was amazingly friendly and polite and we had fun watching the magician outside and checking out the different flavored sodas.  Also some of us had our tarot cards read; that was fun to.  As for the attraction, there were 3 parts, The Von Dahl manor which was based on a family's haunted mansion. The scenes made the small outside tent seem huge. They were very theatrical and well done. The actors all stayed in character and were convincing.  A special mention to Annie on a job well done. The next part of the attraction was the Von Dahl grave yard. This was full of props and characters. For frequent haunt visitors it wasn’t very scary and very predictable. The 3rd installment of the Feargrounds attraction was the Face Your Fears portion. The best scene by far is a scene from The Ring. This scene was so incredible we felt we were in the movie, to say the least. Once again this portion had some very good actors. Overall the haunt was theatrical for the most part. There weren’t any shocking scares.  We did have several mentions that the face your fears didn’t touch on many fears as we expected.   As with any attraction we were told a few people were missing that night so we do understand it affects the haunt; however the night we went were mostly impressed by the acting, the make-up, and the polite staff.  Thank you for letting us come out and review your attraction. Over all your average score for scariness, fun, entertaining and prop & actor usage was a 7. 

Jason's Woods
Rating: 7
First, let me say that this place has a lot to do! There was something for everyone there. We had a blast. The first attraction we did was "Lost in Jason’s Woods" it provided very little scare but it was big time creepy. We were literally marched through the woods in the dark single file!  Most of the creepiness was up to the imagination but there were some really great props along the hike, including what we think is real pig skin. NO NOT A FOOTBALL! We had fun just walking along but I think we were all waiting for something to jump out and it never really does. Instead you take an eerie walk and encounter some twisted scenes and some strange noises. It’s pretty neat but not scary. 
 
The next attraction we were led to was the macabre museum. It is full of the past 23 years on retired props out of Jason's Woods including 2 real human skeletons. EW! They have a ton to see and if def worth checking out, a few scare crew members found their biggest scare of the night in there...
After that we went on the hay ride. There were some pretty scary scenes, however if you do not sit in the middle or towards the front of the wagon you will miss out on the scares. Most of the time that's where the attention was paid. We really got a kick at watching other people on the ride scream and hide from animatronics. A few times even some of us jumped. 
Next came the maze. O MY, what fun we had! There were classic horror film scares and you felt like you'd never get out! We could not stop laughing at how many times we ended up back at the same spot. We would switch who was in front of the group as we went. It was really funny watching who chickened out lol.  This was def a scare crew fave. We had an awesome time in the maze. 
After the maze was the Barn of terror most of our group would say this was the best attraction as far as the main ones. We were led up down and all around through tunnels, dark hall ways and passed bright lights. There were a few scary scenes but mostly just a lot of fun to go through. We loved the parts where we weren’t sure if what we saw was an actor or a prop. A few of the "tough ones" in our crew had some surprises in this place. 
Next came the Pirates Revenge in 3D...I (Jackie) personally loved this! The affects were really nicely played. The actors do a great job blending in just right. We all absolutely loved the art work itself. There were lots of surprises in here as well. And who doesn’t love a pirate with a fowl mouthed parrot?? Again, most of the 3D wasn’t scary but it was def entertaining! 
Upon completing all of the "main attractions" we decided to go through the side OZ attraction, this was seriously one of the most fun things to do there! It was reallllly dark, and had these psycho props from OZ. For anyone who had childhood fears of evil OZ this is def going to scare you. We actually go to a point where 4 of us were literally all stuck together in a corner because it was so dark we thought we were in a room LOL it took a few minutes to realize we had to turn around. It was a ton of fun!
 After that we just had to try the pitch dark attraction. O WOW, this could have led to some nose bleeds from walking straight into a wall or fence or perhaps an actor or an animatronic or whatever was in front of you that you just could'nt see. LOL. We had a really hysterical time making our way out of this dark maze. We even had a few opportunities to hide from each other and pop out! It was honestly a lot of fun.
Over all Jason's woods really was not scary, or what we'd call scary any ways.  It honestly is a great family Halloween season attraction. It offers a lot to do at reasonable prices and a lot of fun. The side attractions were just as, if not more, fun than the main ones. We had fun laughing at each other and some of the scenes around us. We definitely recommend this place for families and people that want to enjoy themselves. The staff is friendly and they all stay in character. If we were rating on fun Jason's Woods would be a 10, however we do rate on scary as well so over all it gets a 7. Thank you for all of your hard work!
 
2007 Reviews

Saturday, November 03, 2007  
McGinnis Hill (Maryland attraction) 

Last night we ended our haunt rating season with a local attraction. McGinnis Hill was the best local attraction of our season! For not being a giant in the haunted attractions they put on one "hell" of a show. They used some very unique and original ideas that I refuse to spill the beans about. I will say this much, if you wanna know how to scare people without using props that are animated, check out this place!!! They had more actors than ANY attraction all season. The crew and cast members were very in character. They showed dedication and a love for what they do. It was so bad we left with a bleeder, a pee pants victim, and some of us left with part of the props still attached (blood).  This was totally worth the drive and the money.  Everyone looking for a scare should make their way here for the 2008 season! Job well done McGinnis. WAY TO END OUR SEASON!  Over all you were a 9 out of 10 because it was a small local attraction. Stayed tuned for next blog for awards. :)

Monday, October 29, 2007   
13 Innings, IRONBIRDS STADIUM 

It really wasn't a shock when we learned, after this one, that the same people doing this were behind Bates Motel in PA. This attraction was awesome!! @ haunted attractions in one spot! WE LOVED IT! The cast and crew were very in character and did an amazing job surprising us! They actually chased us out into the parking lot! LOL Someone may or may not have peed their pants it was so scary! If you want to see this one in 2007, you better hurry its open Monday Oct 29th and Tuesday Oct 30th. Its def worth it!! They had props I have never seen before; one was at least 50 ft tall! The Freddy guy def sounded like Freddy! Please see this one.  It was a 9 out of 10! visit www.ripkenstadium.com 
 
Monday, October 29, 2007   
Haunted Hike in Fulton 

WOW, this was really good; had some creepy stuff and classic scares. It was a mile long trail through the woods……WITH NO LIGHTS! There was actually a girl crawling out of a well just like in The Ring!! TOO scary!!  I DO NOT do well with things crawling…LOL. It was only 10 bucks to get in. They had this one part that you walk on and the ground feels like mush! Lots of originality here too.  If you get a chance, go to this one!  Easily an 8 out of 10. :) 
 
Ft Howard Dungeons 
This year was a big letdown for us at the dungeons. The volunteers were a bunch of 13 yr olds that cussed and smoked, fell out of character and pretty much just thought they were cool. The freakiest part here was the real ghosts we saw. WE HAVE PICS TO PROVE IT.   As far as the trail goes...they used the same old tactics in EVERY dungeon; made it hard for us to get into it. The lights were on someone who was behind bars, lights go off there is a noise, lights come on monster is out of cage and in your face...BOO; more like boo who. I damn near cried in disappointment. That place really used to put on a good show. We rated it a 4. Just sad...Next year we'll skip it. 
Visit www.myedgemere.com/dungeons
 

Monday, October 29, 2007  
Ballestone Manor 

Ummm, this one well...I mean it had its good points...The trail was way better than any year before it. For being a small local spot it was good. We gave it a 6. The house was theatrical and creepy. Everyone was very nice to us. Despite the rain we had a good time; even got scared a few times. They said next year it will be even longer. I’d recommend everyone go if you’re local its def worth it to check it out. The trail was what made it worth the $$
 
Monday, October 29, 2007   
Kims Krypt 

We gave this one a 7. It was a little disappointing, thank GOD we didn’t have to drive far 4 this one! It was very good theatrically but provided little scares.  There were some pretty nifty props and clever ideas but it seemed rushed and just not scary; maybe we picked a bad night. Kim was Crazy as usual, and she is def into Halloween.   I was glad to see a few things were different from last year; however overall it just wasn’t scary...Sorry but I’d say this one is more for entertainment rather than scare   :) 
visit www.kimskrypt.com
 

Monday, October 29, 2007  
Bates Motel 

Here is the over view on Bates Motel : we gave it a 9 out of 10 because it had a lot of scares, and original ideas. It would have been a 10 it just wasn’t long enough! There was a corn maze, (I found that 2 be the weakest link) Then there was the Bates Motel...which got us all a few times, some more than others lol, The best attraction was BY FAR the hayride! It was 25 min long, and it had some of the creepiest props. Not to mention the actors were VERY in character. The whole set up was very intelligent. They would use something gigantic and mechanical to distract your attention, mean while there is an actor sneaking up and waiting for you to turn and run your face smack into theirs! (Yes I did that, and about peed my pants) It was an hour and a half trip, and $30 a ticket but I loved it and I def recommend it :) 
visit www.thebatesmotel.com 
 
Monday, October 29, 2007   
Frightland, DE 

Well,  this one had 8 haunted attractions and all the carnival rides you could handle for $25, not bad at all. They had an awesome haunted hay ride, with props and things NONE of us have ever seen. Despite having to walk through a metal detector, we had a pretty good time lol. The hayride and the Idalia manor were favorites among all of us. The actors did a great job at making you feel like part of the story lines. Overall I gave it a 7. It was pretty good but I have been to better. They could have used some more actors and different ideas in the haunted houses. Most actors just jumped out at you from around a corner or made a loud noise when we went past. Matter of fact I think Gideon scared us more than the actors did at one point lol. SO we head into week 3 of the HALLOWEEN HAUNTED ATTRACTION EXTRAVAGANZA! The crew is ready to rate the next one... 
visit    www.frightland.com
  
 
Monday, October 29, 2007   
HALLOWEEN PARK 
Well we ventured to the first haunted adventure of the season. We went to HALLOWEEN PARK in York Haven PA. It was awesome, The lighting effects didnt blind you so much that u could'nt see the actors and props and the actors stayed in character better than most places. There were things that were a little scary and some things that were pretty funny. One point thought we would all die; but how convienent we were in a hearse! LOL. Over all we rated this an 8 out of 10 for over all fun, scariness, lines u wait in, and entertainment value. there were about 6 things and it took us 3 hours to do them all and we never waited in line really. SO if u want visit this one go before October :)
Visit www.halloweenpark.com
 
 
The 2007 Haunted Attraction Awards by the BSC 
 
Here are the top 3 favorite over all attractions based on, scares, lines we waited in, food, entertainment, enjoyment, comedy, acting, fun!!!
 
1. BATES MOTEL!!!
2. HALLOWEEN PARK!!!
3. MGINNIS HILL!!!
Here are the rankings for the top 3 small local attractions we visited
1.MCGINNIS HILL
2.13 INNINGS
3. Haunted Hike in Fulton
The best haunted attraction theatrically was...
BALLESTONE MANOR
The most crazy, wild, funny, and entertaining place this season was...
KIMS KRYPT!