Field of Screams…If You Build It, They Will Die

Field of Screams…If You Build It, They Will Die

When we used to think of Lancaster, Pennsylvania the first thing that came to mind was rolling fields of corn and quiet, devout communities. This was before we heard of Field of Screams. Rounding out our Top 25, this intense haunt is a victim's choice for uniqueness and pure saturation of mind-bending horror. Though the premise of the four attractions may sound similar to other haunts, it is the degree of detail and dedication that pushes this haunt to the next level.

The haunted hayride is a time-honored Halloween festivity, and this is one of the first to be born. Step onto one of the custom-made wagons and prepare for a 20-minute ride through a darkened cornfield saturated in blood and macabre wonder. Here you come upon the twisted inhabitants of the farm, maniacal clowns, and indescribable creatures who have crept from toxic waste. When your joyride has ended, step inside the Den of Darkness for a bit of hospitality. This sagging three-story home had many lives as a farm house, a hotel, and a mansion estate. Each incarnation, however, shared a grisly feature. Explore carefully through the dusty, spider web-encrusted hallways or you may discover the source of the gruesome splatters on the walls and the dank smell in the air. Are you ready for escape? Try to run, but choose your path wisely because the Nocturnal Wasteland is just outside. Along this haunted trail you will encounter the darkest and most damaged of those who call Field of Screams home. Far more than a haunted house, this trail puts you on foot in the inky blackness of the woods. As you try to find your way out the members of an exclusive, murderous community of monsters is hunting for you. Has the fear pushed you over the edge of your sanity? Venture over to the Frightmare Asylum. They are dying for you to check in. You can become one of the truly twisted patients who roam the four floors of patient rooms, but be careful. The doctors and nurses have their own disturbing agenda and you may have the next appointment in the autopsy room.

The four haunts at Field of Screams have been counted as victims' choice haunted houses for several years. These extreme attractions combine sound, smell, and sight for a truly overwhelming, terrifying experience. Even those waiting in line aren't safe as creatures swarm the grounds hoping to keep their visitors for themselves.

Pirates of Emerson...Terror From the High Seas

Pirates of Emerson...Terror From the High Seas

We have built up a passion for haunted theme parks. One amazing haunted house is fabulous, but walking into a haunted wonderland is even better. Pirates of Emerson in California has become an infamous haunt due to its unique premise and stunning imagery. The haunt began as a creepy endeavor in a backyard and has developed over the years into a terrifying quest on the high seas. In more recent years the haunt has expanded to a truly impressive haunted theme park, featuring 6 individual experiences. Your exploration includes both indoor and outdoor experiences that test your courage against a range of monsters as well as the most frightening force of all…your own mind.

The dark waves of the sea have heaved up their most grisly of hidden secrets…the rotting corpses and angry spirits of a legion of pirates. If you dare step into their lair you should be aware that they are ready to recruit more into their number and they are happy to give you the most gruesome of initiations. Don't think you are safe when you make it back to dry land, however. Fear Beneath the Pier is waiting on the other end of the plank. Test yourself against the darkest recesses of your own mind in the Mental Maze. Getting sleepy? We recommended Hotel Hell, the quaint little stop on the edge of nowhere. A total of 6 haunted attractions let you fill an evening with screams and seafaring torment.

One of the things we love about the Pirates of Emerson is that victims are treated just to the haunted houses. These haunts are accompanied by the CarnEvil, a fright-filled midway offering games, shows, and live entertainment. The intricate sets and committed actors give each haunt its own isolated thrill.

As you drive down the dark lonely road toward Overload’s location at Coppal House Farm  you know you’re not in for just a haunted house experience but you’re in for something special. You will be welcomed by a friendly staff and  then,  after purchasing your tickets, led to a massive cornfield where you could find the headless horseman, if you’re lucky.

As you worm your way through the cornfield you will become acquainted with unnatural sounds and sights, as well as many interesting creatures.  The maze will then  thrust you into Pumpkin Alley,  a long straightaway filled with all kinds of glorious sights, such as hay bales, torches, and  evil tree sentinels.  The amazing carved pumpkins are filled with real candles that cast eerie shadows as you walk.  Then it’s off  to the dark world of Overload.

Glowing skeletons, vile creatures, and tortured souls are just some of the wonderful sights that will make your senses dance. The tunnels and mazes are filled with madmen, the undead, and a creature that will chase you with a chainsaw!   Have fun, stay safe, and happy hauntings.

Eastern State Penitentiary…Face Your Own Life Sentence

Eastern State Penitentiary…Face Your Own Life Sentence

We have seen haunted houses born out of a huge variety of situations. From dilapidated mental hospitals to outbreaks of crazed zombies, haunts burrow into our souls and drag out the most tormenting of fears. In the back of our minds, however, there is the somewhat comforting knowledge that most of these haunts are merely brilliantly-decorated buildings. The sounds were hear, the sights we see, no matter how horrifying, have been constructed for our shockingly pleasure. No such comfort exists at Eastern State Penitentiary. Terror Behind the Walls brings you deep into the intimidating fortress of a once fearsome prison where what you experience may be the performance of the talented actors, but they may also be the lingering echoes of the tortured men who lived and died behind the crumbling walls and rusting bars.

Your first stop is the yard outside infamous Cell 7 where you await your sentence. Watch scenes from paranormal explorations of the prison and mingle with your fellow inmates. Don't get too comfortable, however. Your cellmates have escaped and are coming to find you. Next you are herded into The Gauntlet, a dizzying maze crawling with creatures that make it even more difficult to find your way out. In Lock Down visit a crumbling 102-year-old cell block that was abandoned more than 40 years ago. Tread lightly. The inmates there are just electrified to meet you. Step even further back in time to a cellblock built in the 1800s for Detritus, a pitch black walk through a tangled, overgrown labyrinth of corridors and yard. A prison hospital is a terrifying place. The Infirmary brings you into the eerie chambers were the sick, injured, and dying were kept. In the psychiatric ward you will come up close and personal with what happens to the human spirit when kept in a cage for decades. Try to imagine what it was like to be a guard at a 1800s prison. Night Watch gives you no more than a flashlight to guide your way through the absolute darkness of the prison.

There is nothing more terrifying than reality. Eastern State Penitentiary forces you to come face to face with the very stark reality of prisons. This prison is long-since abandoned by living residents, but many believe those who made the history of this prison as twisted and bloody as it is still call it home. It earned its place on our list with its expansive attractions, dedicated actors, and the truly tormenting realness of the entire experience.

13th Floor Haunted House...Don't Look Down

13^th Floor Haunted House

 

The number 13 appears again. This time, however, the haunted house promises an exploration of the mythical 13^th floor. Most buildings, as the creators of the haunt will tell you, do not have a 13^th floor. Rather, there is a 12^th and then immediately a 14^th. Is this merely superstition or is there really something to fear on a floor named for the number of misfortune? Visit Denver's 13^th Floor Haunted House to find out for yourself.

Begin your quest for torment in the waiting area where you may feel secure, but don't let the calm environment fool you. The monsters have escaped and are stalking in every corner. Search for escape by stepping inside a devastated farm house to find the remnants of a zombie invasion. Explore what has been left, but be careful not to expose the battered survivors still hiding in the abandoned home. Stay quiet and walk quickly—the horde is still coming. Once through the house there are three out buildings to survive. The chicken coop, shed, and barn await, filled with the undead and the brave survivors fighting to assert the dominance of the living and reclaim their land. If you emerge from the battle with your brain still inside your skull, head to the queue area for your ascent to the 13^th floor. Don't take your trip lightly. Find a strong grip and hold on…your trip to the 13^th floor and back won't be a smooth one.

13^th Floor takes an innovative approach to haunts with an immersive haunted house and a thrilling sensory experience that reminds you exactly why there is no 13^th floor in most buildings. For added fun, the haunt gives every 113^th victim that survives both experiences his money back.

Nightmare on the Bayou...Where Reality and Fantasy Blur

Nightmare on the Bayou...Where Reality and Fantasy Blur

 

When most people think of Texas it is thoughts of dry, arid expanses that dominate their opinions. What we discovered, however, was that there is much more to this enormous state than just the dry heat. Visit the deep parts of the state and you will come upon the bayou, the creepy, Spanish-moss draped swamp that has been known to swallow people within moments of them venturing inside. We imagine many nightmares have begun in the bayou, and we were delighted to discover a haunt that truly lives up to its name.

The bayou is a dark place. The monsters here come in many forms, from the lurking alligators to the cryptic monsters to the twisted humans who prowl the marshlands in search of the unfortunate souls who have wandered in. Nightmare on the Bayou hunkers in the mysterious, seemingly forgotten regions of the Texas bayou within mere feet of one of the oldest cemeteries in the area. These real graves have offered more than just creepy ambiance to the haunt. Step carefully through the 15,000 square feet of tormenting terror because you may just come in contact with one of the several actual ghosts that have claimed the haunted house as their own. These spirits appear at will and dare you to head further into the realm of the monsters manufactured for your macabre enjoyment.

Nightmare on the Bayou touts itself as the only haunted house in the area with real ghosts. This incredibly detailed haunt draws from the purely terrifying surroundings of the bayou and an infestation of actual restless souls to create an experience more than worthy of a spot on our countdown.

House of Torment...Welcome to Your Nightmares

House of Torment...Welcome to Your Nightmares

We love when a haunt gets right to the point. "House of Torment" is a haunted house that lets you know exactly what you are in for…torment. This is not the largest or most complex of the haunts that have earned their place on our countdown, but it packs an incredible amount of blood-chilling, maddening horror into its three attractions. Texas is known for its powerhouse haunts and House of Torment has proven to be one of its best.

Blackthorne Asylum should have been a beacon of hope for the physically and mentally ill. Instead it was shrouded in mystery and the dark rumors of horrific experiments that occurred within its stone walls. The evil Dr. Ectobius performed cruel and twisted experiments on his patients, indulging his obsession with nightmares and their control over humankind. It was when he was dabbling in the occult, preparing to open the portal into the Realm of Torment that the doctor reached his collapse. Join other brave explorers as you sneak in to Blackthorne by a secret entrance to discover the horrors that lurk within. If you get out of the Asylum alive, delve deeper into the mystery by venturing into the crypts of the Ancients in Cursed. Here you will find the most horrifying monsters that have ever crept into your nightmares. Make your way past the Hellion and you may have a chance. All that is left is the Slaughterhouse. Here you are hunted, searched by warped creatures set on turning you into one of the murderous scarecrows that dot the expansive cornfields.

House of Torment fills 20,000 square feet with Hollywood-quality sets and talented, dedicated actors committed to terrorizing you to the brink of your sanity. Keep your wits about you or you may just end up lost to the experiments of the crumbling Asylum or claimed by the monsters that lurk the expansive haunted house.

Nightmare on 13^th Street is 36,000 square feet  of sheer terror!  It’s also one of the largest and longest running haunted houses in the United States having been in business for over 20 years.  Nightmare  on 13^th Street has also been featured on  the Travel Channel.

The spooky atmosphere can be felt even before you enter the front doors!  There is an 18 foot animatronics monster, The Slayer that stands guard over the entrance and you can see him from the street.

You wind your way through one amazing room after another, each with a different setting that’s sure to keep you up at night.  The demons haunting the Nightmare Before Christmas room and the Pirates of the Caribbean room are sure to please …and terrify


New this year, visitors can brave 13 bonus rooms for an additional $3. Xtreme! adds intensity to the Nightmare on 13th experience with darker, narrower passageways full of surprises.

Nightmare on 13th opens at 7:30pm daily (except Sundays) and will remain open through Saturday, October 30th. Admission is $13 for adult and $8 for children 10 years old and under. Discounts are available in exchange for donations of non-perishable food for the Utah Food Bank. VIP/Fast Passes give visitors the option to bypass the waiting line and enter the haunted house directly for an additional $3 above the cost of admission.

Nightmare on 13th has been an integral part of developing and continuously innovating the local haunted house tradition for the past 15 years. It is located at 300 West 1300 South, one block west of the Trax baseball stadium station. Haunted house lovers who are ready to get spooked can call the info line at (801) 467-8100 or visit www.nightmareon13th.com.

7 Floors of Hell...Descend into the Darkness

7 Floors of Hell...Descend into the Darkness

Many years ago there was a rumor that circled in Ohio. The stories told of a haunted house so incredibly frightening, so intensely maddening that no one had ever been able to get all the way through it. The legendary haunt was called "7 Floors of Hell" and each year the whispers increased and the mysterious haunted house became more and more horrifying. It seemed the haunt was just too extreme to be real. The truth was, it wasn't. There was no such house. That is, until the 1990s when a man with a macabre dream made the haunt into reality.

7 Floors of Hell may not be too terrifying to get through, but victims need strong minds to push them through all 7 torment-filled haunts at this twisted theme park. No visitor is truly prepared for the horrors he will encounter when he steps through the gates onto Monster Midway. Creatures lurk in every corner and custom-created animations blur the line between life, death, and technology. Don't get too close to the monsters or stop for a picture with that incredible set. It may just try to make you a part of the show. There are 7 haunted houses in the park. More than half of the event is changed each year, making it impossible to know what you are walking into even if you have seen it many times before. In 2013 the Blood Barn, Body Snatchers, Clown House, Killer Theater, House of Nightmares, and Mental Ward are joined by two more maddening events. Climb aboard a coffin and get trapped inside for the ride of your life as you feel what it is like to be buried alive. If you are brave enough, take up arms and join the fight against the Zombie Apocalypse.

Over the years 7 Floors of Hell has become a legend even beyond the myths of Ohio residents. With over 100 live actors and intricately-designed movie quality sets, this haunted theme park fills the air with screams night after night.

In 1993, the Haunted Hotel opened its doors in the lively, buzzing downtown Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, CA. Since then, the haunt has been welcoming brave guests to wander down the dark, bloodstained hallways where shadowy figures line the walls and nightmarish scenes are rampant.  

 The outdoor setting enables the owners to do huge props and sets that are mindblowing.


DeFatta and Bruce keep the fear alive in the Scream Zone, located in North County, San Diego. The Scaregrounds are situated along five acres of the Del Mar Fairgrounds and include rolling floors, strobe lights, fog machines and dripping natural elements.

"The Scream Zone has three different events all at one location: The House of Horror, The Chamber and The Haunted Hayride.  So there is virtually something for everyone.

Prior to the season starting in September, the Haunted Hotel opens for a sneak peek during the international Comic-Con convention mid-July, which annually drives thousands of comic book lovers to San Diego. For two days only during the Comic-Con weekend, tourists and locals alike can get an exclusive look at the hotel’s upcoming scares.  It’s an event most haunt-goers cannot resist!

The Haunted Hotel, The Haunted Trail and Scream Zone will open this year from September 27 through November 2, 2013
It’s hands down San Diego’s best scare and the city’s biggest attraction during the fall.  Step inside… if you dare!

 

Night of Terror...Pray for Morning

Night of Terror…Pray for Morning

 

In the quiet New Jersey countryside there is a scenic farm called Creamy Acres. This farm sat on over 100 acres of beautiful, tranquil land until the darkness broke through. Now every inch of the farm crawls with evil. Here to terrorize you at the #15 spot on our list is the Night of Terror, an expansive thrill park featuring 7 haunted houses and attractions, including one of the longest and most elaborate haunted hayrides in the country.

It may only be the beginning of fall, but the biting winds of winter swirl across Creamy Acre on Night of Terror. The Frozen Tundra haunted house lures you in with the promise of a refreshing breeze, but soon you find yourself trapped among ferocious beasts looking for a warm body. Escape the wind and snow and you are rewarded with Ride of Terror. Climb aboard the comfortable wagon, but don't get too settled in. Keep your wits about you as the ride drags you through the longest hayride you have ever experienced. If you want to escape you will need to brave the horrors of the corn field maze. More than scarecrows wait for you there. If the torment brings you to the brink and you want to fight back, try the unique interactive paintball haunt. Here you are armed against the hordes of undead that crawl through the course, hoping to recruit you for their side. With 7 elaborate, extensively detailed haunts, there is plenty here to fill an entire evening of pure terror.

The movie quality sets and professional actors of Night of Terror make this one of the most immersive sensory haunts we've discovered. No one is safe once they have stepped onto the farm. You cannot even hide in the bathrooms hoping for the night to end. If you are on Creamy Acres, you are the property of the beasts.

TIME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AT THE DENT SCHOOLHOUSE – IF YOU DARE

 

The Dent Schoolhouse in Cincinnati, Ohio  is one of the scariest haunted houses in Ohio. The new attraction for this year is the Queen City Slaughterhouse – just make sure you don’t end up on someone’s dinner plate.

The story goes that children began disappearing from the school in the 50s and 60s.  First a small group of children disappeared, then another group.  Soon after the first group of children disappeared people began to notice a strange smell coming from the basement area of the old schoolhouse.   Charlie, the  janitor told them that some pipes had backed up and it was nothing to worry about.   

A few years later another group of children disappeared.  This time a mob formed and stormed the school. Imagine their horror when they found the decaying bodies of all the children in the basement.

Can you uncover the truth about the missing children?  Will you be one of the fortunate or unfortunate ones as the case may be to see Charlie the janitor still roaming the halls and cleaning the classrooms?   This attraction opens Friday, September 13^th,      

13th Gate...Step Through the Portal into Insanity

13^th Gate...Step Through the Portal into Insanity

We admit it: the number 13 always calls to us. A haunted house that offers 13 delightfully frightening themed areas is something we simply could not resist. That is what is promised by Louisiana's 13^th Gate. Of course, Louisiana is no stranger to the dark and macabre. 13^th Gate does not let this reputation down, ushering in the darkness and luring victims in to a world where their worst nightmares lurk and the only escape is facing them all, one after another.

Some haunts offer a creepy haunted house and perhaps a maze. Some may even bring the terror outside and lead you through infested woods and corn fields in search of salvation. 13^th Gate, however, amplifies the torment by forcing you through scene after scene that dig deep to those fears everyone has squirming inside. How would you feel creeping your way through a crematory furnace or brave the back of an antique hearse? Could you stay calm thrust into a pitch black maze of underground tunnels? Would your heart keep beating if you glanced beneath you to find your feet on a creaking bridge and a writhing swarm of snakes below?

When the 13^th Gate haunted house is closed for the season, the building is home to a film industry construction crew. The set designers, lighting and sound technicians, and special effect artists have extensive experience with Hollywood films and have won many awards for their efforts. A massive contingency of over 100 actors, 12 makeup artists, and a wide variety of costume specialists combine their twisted talents for a stunningly terrifying experience well worth a spot on our list.

Thrillvania Haunted House Park...The Werewolf Lives

Thrillvania Haunted House Park...The Werewolf Lives

Any thrill park that promises us 50 acres dotted with 4 haunted houses is definitely a haunt after our soul. Thrillvania Haunted House Park near Dallas, Texas, lures victims in with a promise of a twisted tale of mutant creatures, disturbing masquerade balls, and a sprawling estate overrun by the evil that built it. Set aside an entire evening and hope you don't become one of the Baron's grotesque pieces of art displayed throughout the mansion. This haunt earned a spot on our countdown with movie-quality sets, talented actors, and a unique premise that weaves its way throughout the chilling park.

Legend says the crumbling mansion on the other side of the Voodoo Bayou is haunted by the gruesome ghosts of a lurid past. It is not just the long-forgotten corpses in the graveyard just outside the home that speak of the death found in those sinking walls. The townspeople have heard stories of the twisted, maniacal Baron Verdun who built the home, the cruel experiments he did on vulnerable travelers who came his way, and the fiendish masquerade balls he held in his elaborate home. They also know of the fire that swallowed the Baron, his Lady, and the monsters they created. Brave the graveyard and step inside the remains of this haunted mansion to see the grisly remains of the people who moved in years later and the friends that were unfortunate enough to come over for a visit. When your tour of the home is complete, brace yourself for a maddening run through Lady Cassandra's 3D psychedelic Labyrinth of Terror. Run, blind with terror, along the Trail of Torment where you must decide what is real and what has been crafted by the deluded Sam Hain to drive you further into madness. If you can claw your way to the top of the hill you will find Thorn Hall, the dilapidated church where the groundskeeper took up residence with a swarm of mutated bats.

The story of Thrillvania grows and develops as you make your way through the overrun estate. If the fear does not steal all of your senses, pay attention to the incredible details that make this haunt such an overwhelming experience. Notice the ways the story arcs continue throughout each attraction and the subtle yet terrifying moments crafted for your ghastly pleasure.  

ARE YOU READY FOR A REAL SCREAMFEST? CHECK OUT THE BATES MOTEL IN PENNSYLVANIA

 

Owner Randy Bates has created one  of the top haunted attractions in the country.  The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Gradyville, Pennsylvania will not disappoint.  From the second you hop on the hayride and ride into the mouth of the dragon beast, you will be treated to some  of the most active and scary attractions found.

Big sets, a killer sound system and lots of action are the treats of the day, along with huge, and  I mean gigantic monsters not found in many other places in  the  industry, including a 17 foot tall Pumpkin King.

If you survive the hayride you will be Randy’s guests at the Bates Motel where you will get up close and  personal with the actors who seem to be everywhere all at once.  Jam packed with tight dressings and special effects, you will explore every horrifying room  in the motel.

Pay special attention to the trophy room!  It’s filled with real exotic animal heads collected by a big game hunter!   Things are moving everywhere- slamming doors, ghosts above you, ghosts around you, there’s no escape.   This is definitely one of the best haunted houses and should be on any Halloween fan’s must see list.

Scarehouse....Stay Out of the Basement

Scarehouse…Stay Out of the Basement

 

The Pittsburgh Zoo and the Aquarium are beloved spots for families to visit. Sunny afternoons are spent enjoying the animals, exploring the underwater world, and savoring quality time together. When the sun sets, however, and the parking lot clears, something dark takes over the area. Mothers, hold your babies close as the lure of Scarehouse fills the lot and the creatures fill the night.

Did you ever feel as though the dolls along the shelves were watching you? That they awoke at night with carnivorous thoughts? Step into The Foresaken and watch your childhood fears come alive as blood-soaked dolls and creeping demons stud the dark. If the dolls have not driven you to the brink of insanity, welcome the holidays early in Creepo's Christmas. This disturbing tale of 3-D holiday torment brings you up close and personal with the demonic replacement of Santa and his twisted elves. Finish your night by braving the living dead in the famed Pittsburgh Zombies maze. The hordes are coming—and they are recruiting. Had enough? If you are truly ready for the fright of your life, descend the creaky stairs of The Basement. This optional haunt goes so far beyond the average haunted house you may never recover. You have always been safe in your personal space in other haunts. Not anymore. You and only one other person enter The Basement at a time, but it won't be long before you have plenty of company. There are countless monsters hiding in the darkness, so be ready to be touched, grabbed, held against your will, and terrified beyond your comprehension.

Scarehouse is the most unique and intense haunt experience in Pittsburgh, which is why it earned its place wrapping up our Top 10 haunted houses. Here the actors aren't just a park of your nightmares, they are a tangible reality. Be warned that if you decide to take part in The Basement experience you will have to sign a waiver.

Bennett's Curse…Face the Monsters at #9

As Halloween falls around Maryland and DC, the curses appear. One name is spoken in hush tones as a legend so dark it should never be told shows itself. Bennett's Curse is the area's premiere haunted house, an experience on the literal cutting edge of the haunted house industry. Don't come prepared for long waits and time in between attractions to catch your breath, slow your heart, and give your tormented mind a break. Once you step through the entrance point, you are at the mercy of the monsters. Three attractions await you, each leading into the next until you are finally delivered back to the peace of your car.

Your fright-filled adventure begins in the fearsome Bennett Castle. This long-abandoned fortress holds the tortured remainders of a vampire war. Encounter the human captives as they endure endless punishment in preparation for their descent into the underworld. Survive the castle and you are immediately on your way into a 3D horror crawling with flesh-hungry zombies. Find your way through the moving walls and unexpected surprises around every corner to earn your way out of the Zombie Kingdom. Your final descent to madness begins when you step into the pitch darkness of the forgotten halls of the Sanctuary of Insanity. Here the psychopaths roam unrestrained, drawing you into the darkness of the rooms where nightmarish experiments drove the patients beyond their brink. Cope with solitary confinement, endure the trauma of claustrophobia as the walls close in on you. Whatever you do, don't let them see your terror.

Bennett's Curse brings incredible live actors and imaginative sets with the newest and most innovative technology in the industry. For extra chills, thrill-seekers receive a discount to Creepywoods Haunted Forest as well as the Blobs Park Bavarian beer garden.  

WISCONSIN FEARGROUNDS – WHERE YOU CAN EXPECT THE UNEXPTECTED.

 

This year’s fearfest at the Wisconsin Feargrounds will not disappoint and you will be in for a terrorific good time.

Enter Morgan Manor where you will find Morgana and her 8 twisted  sisters ready to turn you into pawns used for evil  purposes.  But the terror doesn’t end there.

New for 2013 is Carnevil – A Freak Show of Terror.  It seems recently a carnival train derailed in a horrific accident and  the once happy clowns, and other carnival people have become slaves to Morgana and her evil sisters.  Instead of entertaining, their job now is to terrify.  The once happy squeals of laughter they once heard have been turned into squeals of terror.   Will you be the next victim?

If you are lucky enough to survive Carnevil, you will then be a guest in Unstable.  The name really says it all.

The Wisconsin Feargrounds are located at: The Waukesha Expo Center Grounds, 1000 Northview Road in Waukesha. 

So be brave my friends and enter cautiously.  Hold onto this little tip:  Many of the people who enter Morgana’s realm do come out alive, but perhaps a bit unstable.   Happy Hauntings.

Edge of Hell...the Only Thing to Fear is Fear Itself

Edge of Hell

 

When a haunted house promises to bring us to the edge of hell, you can consider us more than intrigued.  Beginning in 1975, Edge of Hell is Kansas City, Missouri's oldest and most feared haunt. One of our Top Ten haunted houses, this haunt does not find its terror factor in blood and gore—though you should not expect not to encounter some of this as well. Instead, this haunted house delves to your core and plucks at the very essence of what torments your dreams. It reaches deep into you and tortures you by forcing you to face your fears.

Step into The Beast, the largest single haunted house in the nation. This unique haunt does not herd you through in a line that may spoil the scares by letting you see them coming ahead. Instead, when you step into the attraction, you move into a huge space. This open format design is meant to let you roam as you will—and encounter the terror in unexpected, sudden ways. You literally become a part of the terror as you work your way through the scenes, finding yourself deep in the fog and darkness of Werewolf Forest. Encounter the fear of being stranded alone in the dark as you try to find your way to the exit. Don't worry too much if you can't find your way out. It won't be long before the werewolves are sent in to find you. You may be relieved when you discover the exit, until the floor disappears beneath you, sending you spiraling down five stories in complete darkness.

Think you are safe after The Beast? Not so fast. You must still explore the poisoned mind of Edgar Allan Poe to feel yourself buried alive and step into scenes of horror at the Macabre Cinema. Be sure to give a friendly greeting to Medusa, the haunt's resident python—the largest in captivity in the world. If the incredible actors and mind-blowing sets of these haunted houses are not enough for you, sign up for the Ghosts and Gangsters Tour. A unique element of Edge of Hell, this tour explores authentically haunted spots, including a hotel so beautiful Betsy Ward decided her death in room 505 was not her queue to check out.

Netherworld...the Nightmare at the #6 Spot!!

Netherworld

The heart of Georgia pounds with a fear that can only come from the darkness of the Abyss. We invite you to steel your courage and step into the Netherworld. Featuring two truly unique haunted houses, this maddening park tortured its way onto our list and has been tormenting our dreams ever since. The only multi-floor haunted house in the Atlanta area, Netherworld features stunning visual effects, extraordinary live actors, and stories that will follow you home and into your nightmares.

Netherworld offers two haunts, which take about an hour to get through combined—unless you are forced to take one of the emergency exits in an effort to reclaim your sanity. The haunted house changes every year, so don't think that just because someone tells you he knows what to expect that you are safe. Masochistic victims who have returned to the haunt year after year may notice the twisted tales that play out in the attractions are all intertwined with the same incredibly detailed stories imagined by the creators of this house. In 2013 return to your childhood terror place when you come face to face with the Boogeyman who truly does lurk in your basement, in your closet, and behind your eyelids. Survive the haunting lullaby and venture into the place where the Dead Ones roam. It is said the Abyss does not like a world that taunts its existence. The Dead Ones have come to remind us of what walks beneath.

This awe-inspiring haunt earned the #6 spot on our list with its phenomenal detail and intriguing effects. Victims are lured into the haunt the moment their car door opens, so don’t feel safe stepping into the parking lot. The monsters that creep there are very happy to see you.