Haunted House Ratings

A vestige of early childhood nightmares, the Haunted Schoolhouse in Akron, Ohio is a cornucopia of evil witches, fiery dragons and terrifying monsters all packed into a three-story brick schoolhouse once known as Thomastown Elementary.  Every evil you might have expected to find had you dared return to your school house at night lurks in the former hallowed hallways of learning, from haunted cemeteries, Dracula’s castle and Frankenstein’s laboratory to a wicked monarch’s dungeon of terror.

Purchased from the Akron Board of Education in September of 1974 by Don and Cindy Johns, the imposing old edifice seemed the perfect place to bring to life every tortured nightmare that any child has ever had. With around 50 live actors, the uncanny detail of Hollywood movie style sets and enough lighting, sound and special effects to make a cinematographer drool, the Haunted Schoolhouse has wowed the crowds from all over Ohio and beyond for 38 years and counting.

In 1981 the Johns family purchased the adjacent Guggenheim Air Institute and opened the Haunted Laboratory, four floors of spine tingling experiments gone awry at the hands of a resident mad scientist. The centerpiece of the building is a four story wind tunnel through which you can view flashing lasers, Tesla coils and spinning black holes.

The haunting continues outside, on three sides of the Haunted Laboratory, with maimed corpses (careful, some are live!), derelict school buses and chainsaw-wielding maniacs lurking in a construction area.

Night of Terror – Not your average Dairy Farm

Located on a little country road on the outskirts of Mullica Hills, New Jersey is a peaceful little dairy farm complete with a picture of a happy cow on the sign at the entrance. With a colossal Garden Center, enclosed greenhouses, produce stand, gift shop, children’s play area and petting zoo, Creamy Acres plays host to a plethora of events year round, from birthday parties to educational tours to pumpkin patches and corn mazes.

Once the corn gets to be eight feet tall, however and the frost is on the pumpkin, a more sinister attraction occupies the 100-acre farm, an event known to haunt-goers around the country as “Night of Terror.”

Currently in its 18th year of operation, Night of Terror features six very different attractions, each a star in its own right, from the twisted, demented clowns inhabiting the 3-D psychedelic Fun House to the Cornfield Maze, where you will be chased by chainsaw-wielding scarecrows as you try to find your way out in the darkness.

One of the longest hayrides in the country, Ride of Terror takes you all over the farm while you dodge frequent attacks by zombies in a post-apocalypse scenario. Mayhem of Darkness features pitch black darkness inhabited by ghouls you can’t see, while Frozen Tundra takes you into winter white out conditions and hunger-crazed Yetis.

New this year is SlaughterCave, a gauntlet of narrow passageways filled with mutated freaks, the cannibalistic, inbred result of unknown toxins that have driven them to devour each other – and you.

Night of Terror is not recommended for children under 13, but for a less disturbing experience, the Flashlight Corn Maze is a nifty alternative. Take an eerie walk through towering corn stalks with nothing but the autumn moon and a flashlight to guide you. Finish the evening with a hot cocoa from the snack bar and a trip through the gift shop, a perfect outing for groups and families, weather permitting, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in October.

Congratulations to Night of Terror…The Victim’s Choice for one of the “Top 31 Haunted Houses in America” at HauntedHouseRatings.com.

Dead Acres Haunted Hoochie – Not for the Faint of Heart

In the deep dark woods of Ohio, on a small farm on the outskirts of Pataskala, is a family-run business called Fran Bar Park, a wholesome, outdoorsy venue featuring camping, fishing, swimming, a petting zoo and even a paintball attraction. Come late September each year, however, a ghoulish transformation takes place, and it becomes a horrific, graphic, macabre, in-your-face, rude, crude and totally terrifying haunted attraction known as Dead Acres Haunted Hoochie. This haunt made the list on Haunted House Ratings “Top 31 Haunted Houses in America”.

Originating as a haunted hayride on a family farm back in 1954, the attraction first went commercial in the late 80’s after owner Tim May took over his late grandfather’s farm and turned it into Fran Bar Park. From the hayride it transformed into a walk through haunted trail, then the gruesome Haunted Hoochie, eventually moving into an old barn. The rest is history.

In 2009 Dead Acres added the immensely popular Bad Trip in 3D, which takes you through a 70’s era circus-like psychedelic journey wearing 3-D glasses and dodging evil acrobatic clowns leaping at you from the rafters along with a mind-blowing array of eye-popping special effects.

To make the most of your Dead Acres experience, visit on a weekday for the shortest lines, although waiting in line can be fun when you have blood-soaked dead-heads accosting you, local radio station DJ’s broadcasting and creepy, 70’s era horror flicks showing on a big screen to tease you while wait.

Visitors are sent through the attraction in groups of 6-10, so bring a half dozen of your best, horror-loving friends for the ultimate in a group experience. Don’t freak out if a freak or two accosts you as you exit your car in the parking lot – that’s all part of the show. But definitely, do not come to Dead Acres if you are easily offended, frightened or unable to withstand a good scare. There’s a reason it’s been called (and rightfully so) the world’s most extreme haunted house. This is not your father’s haunted house – and it’s definitely not for kids!

Congratulations to Dead Acres…The Victim’s Choice for one of the “Top 31 Haunted Houses in America” at HauntedHouseRatings.com.

Haunted Hotel, a Long Standing San Diego Tradition

In the middle of San Diego’s downtown Gaslamp District, amongst the many bars, restaurants and nightlife lurks a sinister destination. Monsters beckon you to an open doorway in the center of the historic 1889 Drokers Building on Market Street. The sign above the doorway reads Haunted Hotel.

Once you’re checked in you’re ushered into the Hellevator, like an elevator only full of unpleasant surprises, which takes you deep into the bowels of the building. You’ll visit a spooky subway tunnel, and climb aboard a subway car complete with unexpected guests. You’ll also explore Freddy Krueger’s workshop and come face to face with Jason as you tour room after room of the hotel’s horrific basement, until you run screaming up the steps to the exit with a chainsaw wielding maniac in hot pursuit.

The longest running haunted house in San Diego, Haunted Hotel was conceived and built by Robert Bruce and Greg DeFatto in 1993. Starting in January of every year, scenic artists from Southern California’s film and television industry get to work revamping the haunt, creating newer, scarier scenes to keep up with horror movie trends. They have to work quickly, because the Haunted Hotel also opens for the Comic-Con convention every July.

Tickets are a steal at just $15 a pop for Sunday through Thursday nights, a bit more on Fridays and Saturdays, and another $10 for a fastpass to skip the line. Location, location, location – it’s a happening neighborhood to hang out in around Halloween, and if you’re wondering how scary it is, have supper at Hooter’s next door and listen to all the screaming!

Congratulations to Haunted Hotel…The Victim’s Choice for ” Top 31 Haunted Houses in America” at HauntedHouseRatings.com.

Haunted House Ratings.com Announces the 2012 List of “Americas Best Haunted Houses” from New York to Texas, The Voters Choice for the Best Halloween Events
Atlanta, Georgia – October 1, 2012 – Love Haunted Houses? Well there were no zombies giving interviews, no chainsaw wielding maniacs gushing effusively, but the tension was palpable and the stakes were high yesterday as www.HauntedHouseRatings.com released their much-awaited list of the Top 31 Haunted Houses in the nation for 2012.

Billed as the “Victim’s Choice for America’s Best Haunted Houses,” the ratings are actually determined by consumer electronic voting, and no amount of teeth gnashing, histrionics or rattling of chains can affect the outcome of the ballot. The competition may be cutthroat, and the divas undead, but the voting is done in the ether and thanking the Academy is not necessary.

Taking top honors on the black carpet this year was Kersey Valley Spookywoods, a Haunted House in High Point, North Carolina that features Zombie laser tag, where guests get to exact revenge on the actors that frighten them by shooting back with laser guns, causing their sensor packs to glow red upon sustaining a direct hit. Spookywoods is one of only two haunted Houses in the country to incorporate an interactive laser-tag game.

Finishing a close second was The Darkness and Scream Park at Creepyworld, a dual attraction – actually two parts of a trilogy of haunts in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by third place
Thrillvania’s beloved Verdun Manor in Dallas, Texas.

Sweeping the category was the State of Ohio with five finalists on the list, albeit most of them towards the bottom, the exception being the red brick Dent Schoolhouse in Cincinnati, finishing at Number 11. In addition to Thrillvania Haunted House of Dallas Texas’ third place honors, Texas also proudly boasts the Number 5 attraction, Guinness World Record Winner Cutting Edge Haunted House in Fort Worth, Texas, Number 13,House of Torment in Austin Texas and Number 21, Nightmare on the Bayou in Houston Texas.

Pennsylvania also had four haunts on the list, Scarehouse in Pittsburgh at Number 7, Bates Motel in Glen Mills at Number 12, Eastern State Penitentiary, Number 25, and Field of Screams in Mountville, a distinguished Number 31.

Unfortunately, the awards ceremony had to be cancelled after a mob of rabid clowns stormed the dais and frightened off the presenters.

www.HauntedHouseRatings.com is a complete directory of America’s haunted houses, which publishes information about haunted attractions all around the country and allows visitors to the Web site to give the haunts a thrill rating from one to ten. Each year the votes are tallied in a secret ceremony involving 31 zombies, a vat of prop blood, a fog machine and a giant anaconda.

Actually, the votes are tallied electronically, and while there are no golden statuettes to adorn the mantelpiece, no long boring speeches, half-baked performances or interviews with Joan Rivers, it is nonetheless an honor, after all, just to be nominated.

Without further ado, the envelope please. And the winners are:

1. Spookywoods, High Point, North Carolina
2. The Darkness & Creepy World, St. Louis, Missouri
3. Thrillvania’s Verdun Manor, Terrell, TX
4. Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, New York
5. Cutting Edge Haunted House, Fort Worth, TX
6. The Beast & Edge of Hell, Kansas City, MO
7. Scarehouse, Pittsburgh, PA
8. Erebus Haunted House, Pontiac, MI
9. Wisconsin Feargrounds, Waukesha, WI
10. Netherworld, Atlanta area, GA
11. The Dent Schoolhouse, Cincinnati, OH
12. Bates Motel, Glen Mills, PA
13. House of Torment, Austin, TX
14. Bennett’s Curse, Baltimore, MD
15. 13th Gate, Baton Rouge, LA
16. Nightmare on 13th, Salt Lake City, UT
17. Haunted Hotel, San Diego, CA
18. Asylum Haunted House, Denver, CO
19. House of Shock, New Orleans, LA
20. Night of Terror, Mullica Hills, NJ
21. Nightmare on the Bayou, Houston, TX
22. Dead Acres, Pataskala, OH
23. Haunted Schoolhouse. Akron, OH
24. Nightmare New England, Lichfield, NH
25. Eastern State Penitentiary – Terror Behind the Walls, PA
26. Land Of Illusion, Middletown, OH
27. Dream Reapers, Melrose Park, IL
28. Haunted Overload, Lee, NH
29. Seven Floors of Hell, Berea, OH
30. Pirates of Emerson, Fremont, CA
31. Field Of Screams, Mountville, PA

For more information about America’s Best Haunted Houses, visit:www.hauntedhouseratings.com Media Contact: Renae Blanco 404-226-7357 mailto:hauntedhouseratings@gmail.com.
Haunted House Ratings.com Announces the 2012 List of “Americas Best Haunted Houses” from New York to Texas, The Voters Choice for the Best Halloween Events

Erected every fall at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea, Ohio just outside of Cleveland is 7 Floors of Hell, an attraction named for a mythical haunted house that existed previously only in urban legend. As a child growing up in Akron, Ohio, Owner Rodney Geffert often heard whispered tales of a haunted house purported to be operating in Cleveland that was so terrifying no one had ever made it all the way through. There was, in fact, no such haunted house, but the story had such an effect on Geffert that when it came time to choose a name for his new attraction in Cleveland, the 7 Floors of Hell seemed a natural choice.Although the name conjures a multi-story building, the seven floors of 7 Floors are actually seven different haunted attractions spread out over 20 acres of the fairgrounds, each one with its own unique theme. Names of these attractions have included Jigsaw’s Revenge, Reapers Revenge, Evilovisions, House of Nightmares, Mausoleum, Blood Barn and Camp Nightmare. Approximately 50% of the attraction is changed every year in order to keep things fresh for the fans that come faithfully each Halloween season to experience new brand thrills and chills. In fact, so much of the landscape changes that Geffert has taken to holding the odd Haunted Auction to sell off some of the old props and equipment rather than have it take up space in storage.Uniformed and plain-clothed off duty police officers provide security at 7 Floors of Hell to ensure that things don’t get too weird, but one strange happening that gleaned an avalanche of media attention was actually pre-planned; the bizarre, offbeat and outrageously macabre wedding of 7 Floors makeup artist Tina Millhoane and Geffert’s right-hand installation man Rob Seifer in 2007. The groom made his entrance in a coffin carried by groomsmen/pallbearers, and the nuptials were performed by the grim reaper. The whole thing started as a lark and ended with an overwhelming blitz of media frenzy that kept the attraction packed for the rest of the season. Since the seven haunted houses are indoors, inclement weather does not shut down the attraction – there are even covered areas for those waiting in line. Food and beverages are available at a number of concession trailers, however alcohol is neither sold nor permitted on the grounds. Ticket prices are exceptionally reasonable at $20 for three attractions, $23 for all seven, and $30 for all seven with a Fast Pass which allows you to skip the line. Attractions can be attended in any order, and it takes about two hours to get through all seven.As for the little ones, the attraction recommends children under 10 be accompanied by an adult, however there is a $4 discount for little ones under 8 years of age. Consistently rated one of the top haunted houses in the area for scare factor and sheer size, 7 Floors of Hell has one heck of a reputation to live up to, but as they continue to grow and embellish, every year they get a little closer.

Eric Lowther started out making haunted houses in a friend’s basement at the age of 12, then at his grandparents’ house, neighbors’ houses, and finally his parent’s home. And when he finally bought his own home in 1999 he created a haunted house in the front yard that got larger every year until he was finally forced to move it to a professional location or be shut down by his neighbors. That was when he opened Haunted Overload at Coppal House Farm in Lee, New Hampshire.Using his skills as a graphic artist, Lowther designs and creates incredible monsters as tall as 34 feet, using telephone poles to support them. Exquisite Jack-o-Lanterns dot the landscape, flickering with inner light against a backdrop of corn and dense woods, topping sentinel scarecrows, lighting the pathway through the darkness.In 2010 the Haunted Overload was moved to its current location, the DeMeritt Hill Farm on Route 155 in Lee, New Hampshire, where the dark New England woods provide an eerie playground for the actors to delight and terrify guests who are struggling to find their way down the tangled path.Founded around 1820 as a family farm by the DeMerritt family, the DeMerritt Hill Farm was converted into an apple orchard in the 1940’s which is when many of the large trees were planted. The farm is open year round and offers many family activities in addition to the seasonal Haunted Overload.Even without the actors, the farm’s landscape can be quite eerie, and Lowther and his crew are often serenaded by coyotes as he works on his creations late into the night in preparation for the upcoming season.Haunted Overload offers daylight walkthroughs with no actors present, so that families with small children can explore the attraction at their leisure, getting a close up look at the intricate craftsmanship involved in creating the enchanted forest. They also have a Friday Night Lite, which features the attraction illuminated in the darkness but once again, without the actors so that patrons can explore the woods at their own pace without distractions.Haunted Overload opens around the second weekend in October and closes after Halloween. In a unique and generous partnership with the Cocheco Valley Humane Society, they donate a full 10% of proceeds before expenses to help sponsor the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of abandoned and abused pets from the surrounding neighborhoods.Like many haunted houses, the Haunted Overload changes and expands each year, but unlike others, most of the changes at Haunted Overload are creative works of art that are what give the attraction its unique appeal, transforming the dark New Hampshire woods into an eerie, fascinating and strangely frightening place, even without the costumed actors lurking about!

Like a number of East Coast haunted attractions, Field of Screams started out as a haunted hayride. Brothers Gene and Jim Schopf, who still grow fresh produce, pumpkins and Christmas trees on their 33-acre family farm in Mountville, Pennsylvania, first opened the Field of Screams Haunted Hayride in 1993. Although it started on a shoestring budget, it was immensely popular and every year since then they have continued to expand the attraction, adding the Den of Darkness in 1995 and the Frightmare Asylum in 2002.Today the Field of Screams is a burgeoning seasonal scare-fest, open mid-September through the first week in November, and has added a creepy carnival-like entertainment area with live performances, giant movie screens, concession stands, games and more, entrance to which is complimentary with the purchase of a ticket to any of the three attractions.The Haunted Hayride features tractor-pulled wagons that take you through fields of tall corn, a deliciously nightmarish setting in which the withering corn stalks, silvered in the moonlight provide shadowy hiding places for Field of Screams’ cast of truly disturbing characters. From redneck hillbilly moon shiners to electricity wielding mad scientists, the Haunted Hayride has a bountiful collection of elaborate scenes, movie quality special effects and enough sights, sounds and odors to trigger a sensory overload.For the Den of Darkness, Gene and Jim converted a three-story, 160-year-old barn on the property into a haunted 19th century farmhouse turned hotel, in which over 100 patrons purportedly perished in a fire and subsequently linger on the premises in spirit form. As you make your way down dark hallways and narrow passages, your nerves will be tingling as you catch glimpses of strange specters, feel snakes slithering past your ankles and catch a whiff of the distinctive odor of death. Creepy, very creepy.The Frightmare Asylum, Field of Screams’ newest attraction is situated in another vintage barn on the property, this one four stories and reborn as a haunted hospital for the criminally insane, who have clearly taken over the facility and run quite amok. By far visitors rate this the scariest attraction, with elaborate sets, chilling special effects and a cast of hauntingly deranged, bloodthirsty, ghoulish inhabitants that will send you running for the wrought iron gates with your heart pounding in your throat.Fans in the know recommend you arrive early or purchase your tickets in advance to make sure you get in. You can buy tickets to the individual attractions, however a pass for all three is just $27. Come on Sunday to avoid the lines, or purchase a VIP pass for an additional $10 to $15, depending on the night, good for all three attractions, reducing what can be a one to two hour wait to just five minutes.Food available at Field of Screams consists of a wide selection of carnival type munchies, plenty of porta-potties abound, the nights can be chilly so bring a sweater, and it is a farm, so ladies, leave the Ferragamo pumps at home! As for children, Gene and Jim don’t recommend bringing tots under 10 as a general rule, but then again, some 8-year-olds take it all in stride, while their daddies run screaming for the exit!

  Just under an hour’s drive north from Boston, situated in the spooky old haunted woods of New Hampshire along the banks of the Merrimack River, you’ll find a deliciously chilling adventure called Nightmare New England, number 24 in HauntedHouseRatings.com’s list of scariest attractions for 2012.At the entrance to the attraction is the “Monster Midway,” a sort of carnival environment of concession stands, souvenir shops, photo opportunities and spooky games like Zombie Paintball. You can also enjoy a tasty meal at the restaurant or fortify yourself with cocktails at three different bars to calm your nerves in preparation for the terrifying night ahead.The Midway also boasts a go-kart track and two themed 18-hole mini golf courses, open year round as part of Mel’s Funway Park. Come early and spend the afternoon before heading on to the haunted attractions. Be careful when the sun goes down, however – the Midway is infested with freaks, monsters and zombies lurking behind every corner, just waiting for you to let down your guard!Leaving the Midway, visit six different deviously themed haunted playgrounds in whichever order you dare, horrific haunts with names like the Colony, the Catacombs, Torment, Willow’s Asylum, House of Eternal Darkness, and Freak Show in 3D, situated in the dark New England woods, sort of reminiscent of the Blair Witch Project…The whole attraction is situated out in the great outdoors, and the gloomy, sinister countryside is a central character in this twisted trail of terror. It’s 40 acres of frightful excitement for the whole family, ages 2 to 92. The attraction is open rain or shine, and free ponchos are provided. Ticket booths open at 6:00 pm, haunted attractions open at 6:30 and 7:00. VIP passes are recommended for those who want to skip the lines and schmooze around the VIP fire pit.

  It looks more like a fortress than a prison with its massive, impenetrable stone face, gothic architecture, corner buttresses and huge square, castle-like entranceway. Built in 1829, the foreboding ruins of the Eastern State Penitentiary are a perfect site for a haunted attraction. Just touring the sinister prison grounds at night would be daunting enough, even without bringing in living ghouls, horrific sets and movie quality special effects.Run by the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc. this U.S. national historic landmark operates as a museum and is open for tours seven days a week year round. Having housed notorious gangsters Willie Sutton and Al Capone, it also is purportedly home to a number of mysterious ghosts and paranormal phenomena, reportedly observed by inmates and officers in the early 1940’s.In fact, paranormal-oriented television shows Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures and MTV’s Fear have all filmed segments about the facility. On June 1, 2007 Most Haunted Lived! aired seven hours of live footage from inside the prison, hoping to come in contact with supernatural beings. Atlantic Paranormal Society has even released footage of something they claim to be a ghost.Terror Behind the Walls began as a Halloween fundraiser, held on Halloween weekend of 1991. It was so successful that it continued and expanded over the years, until it became the major attraction it is today, rated number 25 in HauntedHouseRatings.com’s list of scariest attractions for 2012. Now the museum’s largest source of revenue, proceeds from Terror Behind the Walls are used for preservation of the historic landmark.Inside the walls of the hub-and-spoke prison house construction, the cell blocks are home to six semi-permanent thematic horror houses, with the names Lockdown, Infirmary, The Experiment (in 3D), The Gauntlet, Breakout and Night Watch. Each incorporates the inherent eerie atmosphere of the eroding prison cells to achieve a truly frightening, nightmarish experience you won’t soon forget.For the ultimate immersion package, the After Dark VIP Tour combines the historic ambiance of the prison with the delicious chills of Terror Behind the Walls. Start with an hour-long guided flashlight walking tour of the prison, including the cell blocks, death row, Al Capone’s deluxe cell and the underground isolation cells under Cellblock 14, also known as “the hole.” Then move to the front of the line for Terror Behind the Walls and take home a souvenir photo and Terror Behind the Walls LED flashlight (included in admission).For those who really want to make an evening of it, a number of local restaurants offer “Fright and a Bite” dinner packages, whereupon your Terror Behind the Walls “quick pass” tickets arrive with dessert, allowing you to cut to the front of the line. These deals are individually offered and arranged by the restaurants; no additional service fees are charged by the park. Check with Jack’s Firehouse, London Grill, McCrossen’s Tavern, Mug Shots, Rembrandt’s and Trio BYOB for details.