This Hallowblog entry was originally published on Thursday, September 30, 2010, and as the title suggests, I was in full blown planning mode for a season that was about to kick off in earnest. As you’ll read below, my carefully crafted plans were already in flux due to various closures and one major fire that claimed the 2009 Haunt of the Year.
2010 would mark the beginning of what I like to refer to as my “crossing the veil” — how I would in time, come to work on the other side of the haunted attraction industry. It began with a conversation with one of the operators at Woods of Darkness on a dreary night. I offered to create a promotional video for the attraction and subsequently spent a couple of nights embedded with the crew during operating hours during which I recorded the action and even joined in on a few scares to boot.
Each year my fellow haunters and I strive to visit at least a couple of attractions that are new to us but it seems that the 2010 haunt season has rode in on the winds of change. A number of closures and other events have forced me to call an audible for several of our planned outings.
I finally got my greedy hands on a Fear Finder three days ago quite a bit later than I would have preferred but there was no time to sulk for I had work to do. I compiled a list of 25 haunts of interest and then set to work dividing them into likely trips. We’ll get to those delicious possibilities in a few moments, first let’s take a quick look at the haunts that have landed on the chopping block.
It is with great regret that the Haunt Trinity will not be returning to Armada’s Haunted Hollows this year. The barn that hosted Bowbee’s Nightmare in 2009 burned down last December. We awarded Bowbee’s Nightmare several haunt awards last season including the coveted Haunt of the Year title and we had planned to make a return trip the focus of a major outing this year. But like the storied Homer Mill the barn at Haunted Hollows is now ash and so the Haunt Trinity must turn its attention elsewhere.
Unfortunately fire hasn’t been the only element that the 2010 haunt season has had to contend with another potent force has revealed itself as well: closures. First I learned that The Lab on Grosse Ile would not be operating because the operators had “lost the building.” Someone involved with the operation informed me that the building had been gutted and is currently being used to store athletic equipment. What a shame, but it didn’t end there. Next I found out that Chainsaw Creek in Toledo would also be closed for the season. The website doesn’t say why the haunt won’t be operating this year only that the operators have found a permanent location that will debut next season. Finally I read on Zioptis that the Deadland in Davison would be closed for the season as well.
Without a doubt that was all disappointing news for a haunt freak such as myself but equally hard to swallow was the news of Deadly Intentions new promotion. I mentioned in my last post that the old school haunt was set to offer guests a $10 refund for simply completing the attraction. Well the specific details are out now and they’re less than impressive. The haunt has raised its base rate from $14 to $18 which is quite a leap for one year. Where does the $10 refund come into play you ask? Well if you’re so bold to purchase a $25 ticket (to the same show you can see for $18 mind you) you have a chance of earning a $10 refund. So when all is said and done you could save $3 or pay just $1 more than you did last year. If I seem a bit sour over all of this it’s because I am. Now I won’t take anything away from Deadly Intentions in our two visits in 2008 and 2009 we witnessed some creative old school haunting and it fast become one of our favorite places, but this latest move is a gimmick to drive profits pure and simple and quite frankly it’s very disappointing. Unless I hear some great reviews from trusted haunters the Haunt Trinity is set to skip Deadly Intentions this season.
So where are we going this year? Well I touched upon some possible outings in my last post but things are a bit clearer now. Below you’ll find a list of likely outings, somewhere in those nights the magic of the 2010 season will be burned into our memories.
The Local Scene
Lucky for me I live in an area that is simply packed with haunted attractions. There’s the sexy pick of The Scream Machine in Taylor or the gritty, old school stylings of the Wyandotte Jaycees. It seems that the Jaycees got their hands on a house this year and that could mean instant magic. One of the coolest haunts I ever visited was held inside of an old house and the Wyandotte Jaycees inherited a ripe old Victorian style gem on Biddle. They’re calling it Massacre Manor and I’m excited to join the body count.
In Romulus there’s the Realm of Haunted Minds which provided some memorable moments in 2008 and is a bargain at $10. A pair of haunts to hit my radar this year include Woods of Darkness in Gibralter and The Psycho Path in South Rockwood. Both of them sound as if they have a lot of potential and at just $10 we’ll definitely want to check them out. The latter doesn’t open until October 22nd and will run for only four days.
The Westland Jaycees also has a haunted attraction, The Thrill Kill and if we decide to venture out that way we may also want to consider Haunted Hallows. I’m always willing to plop down $10 to check out a Jaycees haunt and I’d really like to weigh Westland’s effort against Wyandotte’s. Haunted Hallows is a bit more pricey at $15 and is described in the the Fear Finder as 1/2 hayride, 1/2 walkthrough. Admittedly that’s a some what vague description so we’d definitely want to call for more details on that one.
And I’d be remiss to ignore the modular haunts that pop up each year around this time. I haven’t made time for one of these old beauties in quite awhile and I think that trend should come to an end in 2010. Anxiety Alley in Lincoln Park holds a special place in my heart as it resides mere blocks from my childhood home and was an object of much mystery and intrigue when I was merely a mischief maker at Foote Elementary. There’s also Leo’s House of Horror in Riverview and although I have yet to find information one of Taylor’s Little League programs usually holds a similar event at Papp Park.
And before we move on I must pose this question: Is this the year that the Haunt Trinity dares to challenge the elusive Demonic Demons in Detroit? Jason in particular has been transfixed by this urban haunt and their ad in the Fear Finder is just daring us to come test our haunt fortitude. The cost for just such a test? $12.
Haunted Ohio
The 2008 haunt season marked our maiden voyage into the realm of Ohio haunts. We quite enjoyed our visits to Chainsaw Creek, TerrorTown, and Haunted Hydro in fact we’ve been so impressed our biggest Ohio haunt venture to date is in the works. Dead Acres: Haunted Hoochie is located in Pataskala, Ohio about 30 minutes east of Columbus and looks absolutely insane. $20 will get patrons a trip through the Haunted Hoochie and a 3D attraction called Bad Trip. We’ll look for a second haunt to complete what’s likely to be an overnight stay.
We’re very excited about this potential record distance outing but that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about our fiendish friends at TerrorTown or Haunted Hydro. TerrorTown has revamped its website and has turned all of its resources to House of the Dead for the 2010 haunt season. House of the Dead won the Haunt Trinity’s Haunt of the Year award in 2008 and offered an admirable haunt effort last season. A super-sized House of the Dead could be just the shot in the arm that the patrons and denizens of TerrorTown have been craving. Admission to the House of the Dead will cost $17 this year.
Last year marked out first visit to the Haunted Hydro which capped off a very entertaining night. The Hydro is back this year with a new secondary attraction called Lair of Scare. Plus there’s a smattering of side attractions and a Ghoul-A-Bration pre show! Both attractions are available for a trim $16.
A Dash of Redemption Mixed with a Drop of New Blood
Is this the year that Adrian’s The Haunting gets a shot at redemption? A $20 ticket will earn haunters a trip through the main attraction Insanatorium, a 3D side show titled 3-Dementia, and the Paranormal Magic Experience performed by the owner of The Haunting, Stuart MacDonald. One interesting tidbit from the website: ghost rooms. Apparently the owner/magician has devised a trick that creates the sensation of being teleported from one room to another. I would guess that such an effect must be pulled off with revolving walls or something similar but I am intrigued.
Darksyde Acres would make a worthy companion on such a trip. Located in Jonesville, Michigan Darksyde Acres offers haunters three attractions for $20. Darksyde Acres is headlined by The Dark Abyss and also features The Rusthole and The Catacombs. Since hitting the area a few years ago the brains behind Darksyde Acres have showed that they have ambitious plans which include expanding to as many as 14 attractions in several more years.
Heading North: Hayrides and Scream Parks
Last year the Haunt Trinity enjoyed the double dose of terror served up at the Haunted Farm of Terror so much we’ve decided to get another fix this season albeit this time we plan to hit Blake’s and Scarefest Scream Park. Blake’s is located just north of 33 Mile Road in Armada and hosts a litany of fall activities including a haunted hayride, a 3-story haunted barn, and a new addition called Spookyland. Admission for the hayride and barn will run haunters $20 add Spookyland to the mix for an additional $5. There is a $3 discount ticket available for all three haunted attractions. One thing is for sure if Blake’s does indeed feature a hayride on par with the Haunted Farm of Terror it’s sure to be a memorable trip.
The Scarefest Scream Park is located in Lenox Township just north of 28 Mile Road on Gratiot and has a full compliment of dark attractions to whet your haunt whistle. Castle of the Dead is the (blood red) crown jewel here and is accompanied by Hayride of Doom as well as Forest of Darkness and Terror Zone Maze. An all inclusive ticket costs $35 although a $5 off coupon can be found in the Fear Finder.
A Giant Stirs, Favorites Relocate
It simply would not be the haunt season if I failed to mention the next three haunts: Erebus, The Realm of Darkness, and Extreme Scream. We skipped the mighty Erebus last year but it seems that Mr. Terebus and company have unearthed the buried alive feature that kicked so much haunted ass in 2006! The price tag is steep at $22 but for anyone that has yet to visit Erebus it’s well worth the price of admission.
The Realm of Darkness has a new location in Pontiac and that just might be enough to pull the Haunt Trinity back to this perennial favorite. The wizard has eluded our best efforts four consecutive seasons but that hasn’t stopped us from having a blast year after year. Admission rests at $20 per ticket.
In a move that caused shock and panic the Extreme Scream also relocated! Fortunately its new location in Waterford is approximately ten minutes from Pontiac. Jason and I simply love Extreme Scream and without it the haunt season would be left incomplete. I’m very excited to see what they’ve done with the new building. The price is up from $10 to $12 but I’m not too upset about that since I feel as if Extreme Scream has been giving me a discount for years.
There it is haunt fiends the 2010 road map to all things dark and sinister. Upon which quests will we embark? What delightfully horrific memories await us on this sacred month of haunting?
The haunt is on.
