Most haunted houses successfully blur the line between reality and horror. Instead of using cheap tricks like fake blood and stereotypical monsters to scare visitors away, these terrifying houses use creative sets, convincing acting performances, real history knowledge and history-themed surprises to shock their audiences.
These haunted attractions will make your skin crawl. Venture inside, but be prepared for a scare! From skull castles to old schoolhouses, these unnerving attractions will leave you screaming! Enter at your own risk but be ready for screaming out loud!
1. McKamey Manor
Russ McKamey operates McKamey Manor in Summertown and Huntsville, Tennessee and Alabama all year-round. Each contestant’s experience can last 10 hours; tailored specifically to them by playing off their fears. Contestants may find themselves bound, blindfolded and restrained – or made to consume rotten eggs or walk 7 meters above water without the protection of a safety net!
Whoever wishes to participate must go through an intense screening process that includes a physical exam, background check and phone screen test. They then sign a 40-page waiver before watching a two-hour documentary of all those who have ever attempted the experience. Critics contend the haunted house is an abusive torture chamber that should be shut down; McKamey maintains it is safe but can be emotionally and psychologically distressful.
2. Pennhurst Asylum
Spring City, Pennsylvania’s Haunted House used to be an institution that mistreated patients; now, however, it offers one of the scariest experiences available during Halloween season.
This attraction employs psychological horror to produce a terrifying experience for visitors, complete with top-quality sets, props, and actors – hoping to leave them remembering even after leaving! Its aim is to leave an indelible mark that makes people think back on it long after visiting it.
At this haunted house, you’ll explore maximum security wards, drafty hallways and medical experimentation rooms before passing through a tunnel that leads to an eerie morgue. Though terrifying at times, this haunted house remains worth your while – just make sure your children have someone watching them as it’s not recommended for children at its rating R (tickets cost $18); group discounts are also available.
3. The Factory of Terror
This haunted house offers one of the most meticulously detailed and elaborate sets available, complete with some of the scariest monsters and an unforgettable mirror maze experience that will completely change how you perceive reality.
Guinness World Records has recognized them three times as the World’s Longest Indoor Haunted House, boasting five spine-chilling attractions stretching over 1 mile in total. Even their queue lines provide thrills as actors hide around corners to surprise and scare patrons as they wait their turn to enter.
At Factory of Terror in Canton, Ohio, visitors can experience all this first-hand. Unapologetically authentic horror awaits with larger and scarier monsters as darkness descends quickly – no other haunt offers this experience quite like Factory of Terror does! No other haunt can match its intensity.
4. Blood Manor
Blood Manor is a 10,000-square-foot maze of terrifying delights. Considered the scariest haunted house in NYC, PAPER warns it may be too intense for some guests. 75% of its attraction has been revamped this year or added; that includes an interactive haunted battlefield which pays homage to celebrity photographer Matthew Brady’s studio at Blood Manor.
Now that the pandemic has struck, some haunted-house industry tactics that were once effective are being reduced or curtailed. Janelle Mercado of Blood Manor oversees her cast of sinister characters and menacing monsters; previously she would enjoy whispering gibberish into guests’ ears or prodding her prosthetic eye with a fork; however now it’s more effective to remain six feet away.
PAPER recently met with Blood Manor co-owner, Jim Lorenzo, to gain more insight into its history and what makes it tick. Here is what he had to say.
5. The Old Schoolhouse
Haunted houses may seem disingenuous or cheaply produced; however, the best ones push the limits of what’s truly terrifying. Boasting creepy sets, spectacular special effects, and actors with critically-praised acting, this haunted house is one of the most beloved in America; guests can take part in overnight tours where they encounter everything from an angry janitor to an unknown psychopath!
This haunted house, designed to blur the lines between fantasy and horror, grows larger each year. Among its most terrifying features are a skull castle, streets where Jack the Ripper roamed freely and hidden subterranean passages crawling with snakes – so beware if you visit! If you dare, sign a waiver before visiting. Otherwise you might never sleep again!
