By Bernie Ment
Contributing Writer
So, last week, we looked at a bunch of haunted attractions in Central New York. This week, a second round of monster havens are here for your consideration. This is the time of year that makes or breaks these attractions and the work they put in over the previous year is judged by the intensity of your screams. So make them loud!
(Part 1 of this column can be found by clicking here.)
Demon Acres – Hannibal, NY
Number of attractions: 3
The owners of this attraction put quite a bit of money into it this year. Gone is the ratty trailer where you used to buy your tickets and it’s been replaced with a terrific looking entrance building complete with kitchen facilities for when the monsters in your stomach start growling louder than the ghouls.
The hayride is still the best part of this experience, but the haunted house is really starting to come together too. There are a lot of missed opportunities in the house, though, where additional actors jumping out at patrons would have really paid off. I still love the spinning room and the final scare which nothing can prepare you for.
New this year is the Insane Asylum auditory experience. You’re strapped into a wheelchair which is bolted into the floor so you can’t escape. Then the lights go out. Are the walls closing in on you? Or is it just your imagination running haywire?
The skipline pass is a little pricey but on those really busy nights, the extra bucks you spend can get out of there a little earlier.
Pricing: The haunted house is $14 and the hayride is $12 or you can save $1 when you buy the combo ticket for $25. There is a VIP pass for $45 that bumps you to the head of the line. The Insane Asylum is a separate charge of $5 per person (cash only)
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays throughout October from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly.
For more information, visit demonacres.com.
My ratings: Hayride – 5 out 5 bloody pumpkins and the House 4.5 out of 5. The Insane Asylum gets 3.5 out of 5
The Trail of Terror – Volney, NY
Number of attractions: 3
The trail is still the signature attraction here and it’s as grisly and gruesome as ever. This year’s focus is more on the dramatic with several vignettes set up to draw visitor attention. The clowns are still the final act, though and the presentation this year is as frightening as ever
The Halls of Terror, the indoor walk-through, is fun too. There aren’t as many monsters here as there are in other similar attractions, but there are plenty of places where you literally have to feel your way through the intense darkness. The rotating tunnel at the end can be disorienting. One half of the tunnel rotates left and the other half rotates right. Look straight ahead and you should be fine. Also, tall visitors be aware — there’s a section where the tunnel shrinks down really low.
They’ve also brought back the séance room and it’s plenty creepy. Guests gather at a table and join hands as the lights flicker and demonic sounds fill the room. Just about the time you’re ready to bolt from the place, things really start to happen, though. It’s short, but well worth the extra few minutes to experience.
This is the 27th year for this scarefest and they’re still getting it right.
Pricing: The Trail and the Barn are $12 each. The Séance Room is $5. You can do the Trail and Barn together for $20 or see all three attractions for $24. Unfortunately, they don’t accept credit cards.
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays throughout October from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly. They will also be open on Sunday Oct. 30 as well.
For more information, visit thetrailofterror.com.
My ratings: The Trail – 4.5 out of 5 bloody pumpkins, The Halls of Terror – 4 out of 5, The Séance Room – 4 out of 5.
Field of Screams – North Bay, NY
Number of attractions: 1
This is a new one for me, but they’ve been around for three years now. They’re currently using space at the North Bay Fire Department Firemen’s Field, but they hope to find a more permanent location soon.
This attraction is situated inside five 53-foot-long cargo trailers, but you’d be hard pressed to figure out, once you’re inside them, just where you are within the complex or that you’re even in anything other than a permanent structure. The maze winds through the trailers and leads you past some disturbing imagery along with a number of ghouls who try to spook you along the way.
Each year, the owner tears out all the walls and starts from scratch to create an entirely new experience, so no two years will ever be quite the same.
The attraction offers three levels of experience from child/beginner to extreme scares. The only drawback I could see was that they can only allow one group at a time into the attraction so your wait time will vary based on how long the groups before you take to complete the walk through.
Pricing: Admission is $10, but if you go back, your ticket price reduces with each visit to $8, $6 and $4.
Hours: Open Thurs through Sunday throughout October. Tours start at 7 p.m. and hours vary nightly.
For more information, visit fieldofscreamscny.com.
My rating: 4.5 out of five bloody pumpkins
Remember to use discretion when bringing children to these events. Some of the imagery can be very intense for visitors of all ages. The monsters generally do not touch visitors but can still be very intimidating, so exercise restraint before lashing out at the ghouls. And as with everything else, enjoy the attractions responsibly.
