Recently in Haunted Attractions Category

The first was The Haunted Cellar ( http://thehauntecellar.com ) in Anaheim, CA. This is their first year in a new location (at the new Anaheim GardenWalk outdoor mall). They did some great things with a pretty small area, and I would highly recommend visiting it if you get a chance. The haunt is very theatrical, and the story really makes sense as you progress through the rooms.

After going through the haunt, I talked to Mike, the guy who runs the show, and he was kind enough to take the time to give me a behind the scenes tour. Mike and all of the cast members are very friendly and do a great job at what they do. Please go and support them if you're in the area.

The next haunt I visited was Tustin Haunt's "Red Hill Mine Massacre" ( http://www.tustinhaunt.com )

And the winner is.....you guessed it! Eastern State Penn's Terror Behind the Walls has been consistently ranked as one of the top haunted attractions in the nation.

Previous recognitions include:
·  6th Best Haunted House in the United    
    States - Hauntworld Magazine (2007)
·  "The scariest haunted house in America."
    - Rachael Ray Show (2007)
·  "One of America's Scariest Halloween
    Attractions" - Travel Channel (2006)
·  Reader's Pick Award - Seventeen
    Magazine (2006)
·  Best Haunted Attraction - The Scare
    Factor! (2005)
·  Best Professional Haunted House -
    Hauntfreaks.com (2003)

Terror Behind the Walls, which had previously been ranked No. 5 by AOL, is now the only haunted attraction from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware to earn the No. 1 spot on a national list of top haunted houses in America.

"To be chosen by AOL City Guide as the number one haunted attraction in the country is the pinnacle achievement for a haunted attraction," said Timothy Gavinski, President of the International Association of Haunted Attractions (IAHAWEB.com).  "The AOL list represents the best of the best and this top honor is rightly deserved by Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls."

This is from T.J. Mannarino Universal's director of entertainment art and design, and this is a look behind the scenes of Halloween Horror Nights with clips inside the houses of "Friday the 13th," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre,"
"Nightmare on Elm Street," "The Thing," and "Dead Silence."

 

Oh yeah they totally went there! Fans of our Blog and total fellow horror nuts themselves, the good folks at FEARnet have some awesome Halloween contests happening right now.

Check out there "Home is Where the Haunt is Contest," where people can decorate their home as a haunted house and win $25,000 towards their mortgage: 

and

The first-ever 66.6 Second Film Festival in which 10 cult horror favorites including Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2, Friday the 13th: Jason Lives and Hostel are spliced and presented in a hilariously haunting 66.6 seconds each.  Check out Candyman:.

The Haunted Report does Haunted Attraction reviews powered by YOU the reader. Just send in a well thought out balanced review and we will post it. This one is from Nicole D.

The Mansion of Terror

 

There are two parts to this house. One is the Blood Frenzy the other is Slaughter Circus.

 

Blood Frenzy was really scary. The minute I went through I was already scared. The costumes where amazing. The actors where fantastic and definitely stayed in character. I loved how interactive the place was by pushing and opening certain doors. There is one part where there is a girl strapped down in a chair and someone is telling you to kill her. You then open the door and she is a immediately killed. A bit of blood splatters which gives you a great effect. Each part that I went through in the place was amazing everything kept me on my toes and I was really scared and actually forgot the whole time I was actually in Haunted House. The actors will stay on you walk next you behind you follow you for quite sometime which definitely is scary as your constantly watching your back to see who and what is going to jump out at you. Half way through I wasn't sure if I could take anymore as I was definitely scared. Overall amazing experience and I have nothing negative to say I loved it!

 

The second place is the Slaughter Circus. After going through the Blood Frenzy place I really felt like I needed to catch my breathe as I was still a bit shaken up from Bloody Frenzy. Once going through the Slaughter Circus it was again another scary experience. The lighting effects were great. The actors were amazing. A lot of creepy bloody clowns. They definitely kept me guessing when someone would jump out. A lot of the times I would look around waiting for someone to jump out and no one did and the times I didn't think anyone would jump out they did. I loved how unexpected everything was and really kept me on my toes. One guy jumps out of a corner with a chain saw which really freaked me out. There is an area where it almost looks like an open funeral which really scared me as I was waiting for something to happen and couldn't see where to go and what was going to happen next.

 

Overall I was really scared with both places and have nothing negative to say they were both amazing and the experience about forgetting that you are in a Haunted House was successfully I actually forgot I was in a Haunted House and though I didn't want it to be over I was scared at some points that I did want it to be over. I liked how in the beginning of each place the let groups in one at a time which was scary, as you didn't have anyone behind your group and the actors can focus mainly on your group and you never know what's behind you, or next to you etc. My last comment is I felt it was very adult like not childish at all and really was an amazing experience. You can learn more here.

 

- Nicole D.