2013 Blackout Off-Season Starts Now!

Get ready New York! The shockingly early email just went out. They teased us for months about the 2011 Off-Season Event, but for 2013 the shock is that the event will start in 3 days. Hope you didn't have plans this weekend. A small amount of tickets will be released sometime soon and they will be available to anyone. 

It's seriously cold in NYC. Will there be nudity in this year's Off-Season Event? The Frostbite would be terrifying. Tension is running high as we wait for the limited number of tickets to be released. Will you be one of the lucky few?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJpZzAL9gys&w=560&h=315]

REVIEW: Field of Screams

Field of Screams
191 College Avenue
Mountville, PA

I took one look at Field of Screams in Mountville, Pennsylvania, and was bowled-over by what has to be the scariest looking cornfield I have ever seen...and I grew up in Pennsylvania. It's with good reason that this ghastly overgrown cornfield and the haunted attractions it surrounds have been scaring area residents for the last 20 years. Field of Screams resembles a County Fair from Hell, complete with an entertainment area with food vendors, horror-themed games, and a stage. This midway of the macabre sits between an elaborate Haunted Hayride and two creepy old barns that house the walk-through attractions Frightmare Asylum and Den of Darkness.

Frightmare Asylum is a twisting walking tour through insanity, chock full of detailed environments, clever special effects, and disturbing themes. Look out for a seriously creepy homage to clowns.

The Den of Darkness received a massive redesign for 2012. From the outside it looks like your run of the mill Haunted Mansion, but inside there is a tantalizing variety of horror and special effects ranging from a dark dungeon full of spark throwing angle grinders to a small passage in the wall that requires crawling on all fours into total darkness. A surprise photo-op captures your screams for posterity on their Facebook page.

 The Haunted Hayride loads you onto a wagon for a journey into that dreaded corn. Each stop is a grand display of impressive sets and dazzling special effects.

Is It Scary?

According to their Official Website:  "We terrify all who visit, so come prepared to scream."

The Raven & Black Cat says:   They have taken great care to zero-in on many common phobias. If dolls, darkness, cornfields, tight spaces, and clowns (with chainsaws!) are your idea of a frightful good time, then the answer is a resounding ‘yes.’

Here's A Tip

Visit Field of Screams on a Sunday, or spring for the VIP Upgrade to skip the lines. Without timed admission, you could be waiting in line for a while. 

What We Loved

We love the sensory details used at Field of Screams. Creative lighting techniques, the light touch of an actor's hand, the strong smells of the old barn, and an interactive set fully engage you in the experience. We also loved the use of unusual and detailed movement in the asylum. One girl looked like she was straight out of 'Silent Hill.'  

Other highlights are the room full of menacing faceless nurse mannequins, a 'shockingly' dark hallway, and the hayride's horrifying porcine slaughter scene.

What Could Be Better

We wish that Field of Screams would apply the same exquisite attention to detail that is so apparent in their sets and special effects to all of their actors. Detailed characterizations and compelling acting would give the haunt an eerie element of realism.

That said, some rooms can be scarier without any actors at all. Dolls make me really uncomfortable. The doll room would be so much scarier if it were just lots of dolls. I found the girl dressed in the doll costume oddly comforting because she was a person and not a doll. Fear isn't rational. If you want to scare people that have a fear of dolls, all you need is dolls. Underscore the scene with a creepy music box melody and then have one doll move.  

Final Thoughts

Field of Screams delivers a perfect evening of entertainment that will drag you into its  dark underworld of horror and then spit you out to console yourself with a funnel cake.

Field of Screams Runs

September 22nd - November 4th

Ticket Information

• Scream Pass (All 3 Attractions):   $28
• Combo Pass (Any 2 Attractions): $25
• Haunted Hayride Only:  $15
• Den of Darkness Only:  $13
• Frightmare Asylum Only:  $13
• VIP Upgrade (Skip to the front of the line): Add $10 - $20

Discount Tickets

• 13Haunts Coupon: $8 Off VIP Scream Pass/ $5 Off Regular Scream Pass - Click Here!
• Join the Field of Screams Mailing List for Additional Coupons and Discounts.

Age Requirements

Not recommended for children under 10 years old.  (They have a non scary daytime event for children and adults who are young at heart at Corn Cob Acres.)

 

Additional Information

•  Official Website
• Facebook Page
• Twitter
• Youtube 
• Flickr
• Buy Tickets
• 13Haunts

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Frightmare Asylum[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1545.0"] Frightmare Asylum[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Frightmare Asylum[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Den of Darkness[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Haunted Hayride[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Haunted Hayride[/caption]

REVIEW: Blood Manor

Blood Manor
163 Varick Street
New York, NY

Blood Manor is dishing out a hot serving of gore-filled mayhem this October. The Varick Street haunt opens its doors this Friday, but we caught a sneak-peak at their Media Preview event last Wednesday.

Is It Scary?

According to their Official Website: "Yes. BLOOD MANOR is designed to be intense, creepy, and "scream inducing."

The Raven & Black Cat says: Fear is subjective, but if you're looking for a gory walk-through style haunted house full of murderous monsters and 3-D effects then Blood Manor will seem like a home away from home

What We Loved

Blood Manor gets high marks for its fun startle scares and gruesome sets. Marion Le Coguic is a stand out as an artfully real member of the undead. Other highlights are the black sensory deprivation maze, the crazed nursery-rhyme singing surgeon, and the loud surprise ending. It's a grotesquely blood-drenched tribute to your favorite B-movie slasher films. 

What Could Be Better

We would love to see the order of the rooms change completely, so that returning victims don't know what's ahead. If the layout must remain the same from year-to-year, then finding more extreme ways to startle or disorient will make the experience feel completely new. In addition, a stronger focus on character development would really take things to the next level. I can only imagine what the experience would be like if everyone inside was as scary as Marion Le Coguic's undead monster.

WTF

The Media Preview Bacardi-sponsored cocktail reception was hosted at W.i.P, where an enthusiastic actor escorted guests around the corner to Blood Manor. His performance and costume were so convincing that someone on the street called the police and reported a monster running down Varick Street with an axe! When we left the bar the poor actor was surrounded by police officers.

Final Thoughts

A visit to Blood Manor guarantees that you'll get your annual dose of blood, guts and gore this Halloween season.

Blood Manor Runs

October 5  -  November 3

Ticket Information

• General Admission (Online): $28.50
• General Admission (At the door): $35.00
• RIP Express Entry (Online): $43.50 (Oct. 5- 14)
• RIP Express Entry (Online): $48.50 (Oct. 18 -Nov 3) 
• RIP Express Entry (At the door): $50.00

Discount Tickets

• 50% Off General Admisison & RIP Tickets - Click Here

Age Requirements

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

Additional Information

• Official Website
• Buy Tickets
• Facebook Page
• Twitter
• 2011 Review
• 2010 Review

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="960.0"] The very creepy Marion Le Coguic. - Blood Manor Media Preview [/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640.0"] The Monster on Varick Street with an Axe. - Blood Manor Media Preview[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640.0"] Blood Manor Media Preview[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640.0"] Blood Manor Media Preview[/caption]




[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5gNxmSWoK8?fs=1&feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&enablejsapi=1&w=640&h=360]

REVIEW: Pennhurst Asylum

Pennhurst Asylum
Church Street & Bridge Road
Spring City, PA

History

Nestled in the woods beside Spring City, Pennsylvania lies the remains of the Pennhurst State School and Hospital (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic.) The massive compound for the mentally and physically disabled was built in 1908. It was completely self-sufficient with its own power supply, dairy, green houses, fire department, movie theatre, and underground tunnel system. At the turn of the last century, it was thought best to segregate disabled individuals from the rest of society, but a 1968 exposé uncovered that over-crowding and under-funding had led to conditions that were unsanitary, inhumane, and dangerous. Ultimately, the Supreme Court found institutionalisation to be unconstitutional (Halderman vs Pennhurst State School) and Pennhurst was abandoned in 1987.

The buildings and everything within them were left to rot for the next 23 years. Pennhurst became popular with trespassers (particularly those with an interest in "urban" exploring and vandalism) until it was reopened as the haunted attraction Pennhurst Asylum in 2010 by hauntsmith Randy Bates (The Bates Motel.)

Our Visit

We arrived in Spring City, PA late on Saturday night. The Victorian architecture of the town is lovely, but under the mask of darkness it takes on a very different aesthetic. 

We arrived at the address listed on the Pennhurst Asylum website and were directed to park in a field. Reaching Pennhurst requires a 10 min walk through the woods. Go ahead and read that last sentence again and really let it sink in.

The buildings rise out of the woods and you are instantly transported to the early 1900s. Pennhurst Asylum  is straight out of your worst nightmare. The haunt is made up of 4 separate attractions: 'Pennhurst Asylum' in the old Administration Building, 'The Dungeon of Lost Souls' explores the basement of the Administration building, 'Ghost Hunt' is a self-guided flashlight tour through two floors of the abandoned untouched remains of the Mayflower Dormitory, and 'The Tunnel Terror' a walk-through haunt located in a 900-foot section of Pennhurst's underground tunnel system. There is  a centrally located 'picnic' area with food and refreshments if you need to take a break.  

Is It Scary?

According to their Facebook Page: It was "Voted the Scariest Real Haunt in America for 2012!"

The Raven & Black Cat says:  We agree! Fear is subjective, but the remains of the Pennhurst State School would be terrifying on its own. Pennhurst Asylum is a top-notch haunted attraction that can be placed in two very exclusive categories:  A Real Haunted Location & The Actors Can Touch You. 

Here's A Tip

Visit Pennhurst on a Thursday or Sunday, or spring for the VIP Pass to cut the lines. Without timed admission, you could be looking at some outrageously long lines. 

What We Loved

Wow. There is a LOT to love here. The attraction entitled 'Pennhurst Asylum' is housed in the old Administration Building. You walk through the actual rooms of the historic building and greet deliriously dark staff and human experiments of the mad Dr. Chakajian. (A fictional legend, in which a mad Austrian Doctor houses his human experiments in abandoned Pennhurst buildings, was created in order to be sensitive to the history of Pennhurst.)  Many of the rooms contain equipment and artifacts that were abandoned in the buildings in 1986.  Animatronics and clever special effects are employed to  distract you while actors grab at your ankles. The element of soft touching is very effective. It is quite unsettling to have your personal space invaded in a traditional walk-through style haunt. One girl even tried to stick her fingers in my ears!

The 'Ghost Hunt' Attraction is what we wanted to do from the moment we set foot on the Pennhurst campus. The Mayflower Building was featured on 'Ghost Hunters' and 'Ghost Adventures' and was found to be a hot spot for paranormal activity. It is outrageously creepy. The walls are covered in graffiti from the vandalism years. The odd messages commingle with remnants of dormitory life in a state institution like an abandoned metal walker still labeled with a patient's name and ward number. The energy of the building is heavy with human suffering and I honestly believe I would be in tears if I had to sit in there for an hour by myself. It is that scary.  

What Could Be Better

'The Tunnel Terror' is another fabulously inventive attraction with gorgeous elaborate sets. The lagoon section, in particular, is amazing, but I couldn't help but wish that I could see the walls of the historic underground tunnel system. Perhaps by accident, we caught a glimpse of the original tunnel through an open door that was propped open by a chair. The tunnel is something I could not dream up. It is real life horror complete with secret passageways. A fifth attraction walking through a portion of the original tunnel would be an incredibly scary experience.

The attractions of Pennhurst Asylum are so detailed and effective that we were surprised that they didn't capitalize on the opportunity for a large and definitive ending for any of them. Instead of building towards a memorable last scene, all of the attractions end very abruptly. Creating a unique and memorable way to exit each attraction would be the perfect finishing touch to what is otherwise a flawless, fun, and frightening experience. 

Final Thoughts

Pennhurst Asylum is a must-see. It is a chilling and effective haunted attraction masterfully combined with the horror of human history.  

Pennhurst Asylum Runs

September 21st - November 4th

Ticket Information

• Pennhurst Asylum: $15.00  
• Dungeon of Lost Souls: $15.00
• Ghost Hunt: $15.00
• Tunnel of Terror: $15.00
• Combo Pass (All 4 Events): $40.00  
• VIP (very important patient) PASS: $75.00

Discounts: 

•  $5 OFF All Tickets (Promo Code: ghost ) - CLICK HERE!
• 13Haunts Coupon: $5 Off Combo Ticket (Thurs. + Sun.)  - CLICK HERE! 
  

Age Requirements

No age requirements are specified.

Additional Information

• Official Website
• Facebook Page 
• Buy Tickets
• 13Haunts

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550.0"] Then (1922)[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1369.0"] Now (Google Maps)[/caption]

REVIEW: Terror Behind The Walls

Terror Behind The Walls
22nd & Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

Terror Behind The Walls is a walk-through haunted attraction located within the Historic Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA. Built in 1829, this massive stabilized-ruin is still one of the top 5 creepiest places I've ever been.

'S' and I arrived around 3pm for a daytime audio tour of the penitentiary (Photos) and a behind -the-scenes tour with Creative Designer Jason Ohlsen. ( Behind-The-Scenes Feature: Coming Soon! )  

A major addition for 2012 is, Detritus, a 7th attraction that adds an extra 5-7 min to the Terror Behind The Walls experience.  Detritus is located behind the Greenhouse, and provides an opportunity to explore a section of the penitentiary that was previously closed to the public.  

Is it Scary?

According to their Official Website: "You bet it's scary. We do our absolute best to terrify you and your friends. Just imagine being inside an 11-acre abandoned prison at night."

The Raven & Black Cat says:  Fear is subjective, but Terror Behind The Walls is a family-friendly event that is heavy on startle scares and probably won't cause any lasting psychological damage. I can't say the same for Eastern State Penitentiary. 

Here's A Tip

Get tickets for the daytime tour, too. The daytime tours of Eastern State Penitentiary are very scary in a completely different way. Walking through the stabilized-ruin in broad daylight is overwhelming. Without the haunted attraction to capture your attention you are forced to focus on the true horror of what happened there . A heavy ominous feeling permeates the air. As audio tour narrator Steve Buscemi  put it, "if ghosts exist anywhere, they must be here."

What We Loved

The costumes, make-up, and character development integrate seamlessly to create each of the detailed creepy characters lurking inside the prison. 'Lock Down,' the harrowing journey down cell block 12 and 'The Infirmary,' with its rusted deteriorating medical equipment (and decomposing staff) are chilling stand-outs two years in a row. The electrifying 'grand finale' of Terror Behind The Walls utilizes flawless misdirection and provides the perfect ending to a night at the penitentiary. 

What Could Be Better

Terror Behind The Walls has perfected the art of the thrilling family-friendly haunted attraction. In a manner similar to their family nights, which are targeted to younger children, we would love to see what would happen if they added a few special late-night events to make the experience even scarier. 10 minutes alone in solitary confinement, perhaps?

Final Thoughts

Terror Behind The Walls has mastered the startle scare and uses it to create a truly family friendly event that is the perfect combination of creepy and fun. Last year, I called it the Disney Land of Haunted Attractions. I stand by that statement.  

Terror Behind The Walls Runs

September 21st  - November 10th

Ticket Information

Ticket prices vary by night.

• General Admission: $20 - $37.50  
• General Admission w/ Quick Pass: $25 - $52.50
• After Dark VIP Tour: $49.50 - $99.00
• Alone Package: $499.50 -  $999.00

Discount Ticket Offers

• Student Sundays: Students w/ valid ID half price after 9pm
• $5 Off (Use Code: 13Haunts) 

Age Requirements

Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent of guardian. No children under the age of 7 are permitted on site. Ages 7 - 12 are encouraged to visit on Family Nights, held each Sunday until 9 pm.

Additional Information

• Official Website
• Facebook Page
• Twitter
• Buy Tickets
• 13Haunts
• 2011 Review

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1500.0"] Photographer: Tom Bernard[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Photographer:  Jeff Fusco[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Photographer: Douglas Alan Bailey[/caption]




[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1500.0"] Photographer: Jeff Fusco[/caption]

A glimpse inside from The Raven & Black Cat...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie2UJBqcJvM?fs=1&feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&enablejsapi=1&w=640&h=360]

REVIEW: Nightmare (Before Christmas): The Experiment

Nightmare (Before Christmas): The Experiment
Los Kabayitos Laboratorio
107 Suffolk Street
New York, NY

To celebrate the holidays, Nightmare creator Tim Haskell is presenting Nightmare (Before Christmas): The Experiment, an extended and revamped version of the second part of October's Nightmare Fairy Tales. What was a 15-minute assault on the senses is now a 50-minute interactive theatre performance that manages to involve nearly the entire audience in a series of 10 fear-based experiments. As the performance progresses, a strange sense of community develops in the room full of strangers as each audience member becomes a lab rat.

Is it Scary?

According to their website: " It will be like being in one room in a very scary haunted house that you get tormented in for 50 minutes."

The Raven & Black Cat says: Fear is subjective, but you are pretty much guaranteed to cringe, gag, shudder, and/or squirm uncomfortably in your seat.

What I Loved

There is a lot to love. Not only are the experiments delightfully creepy, but the performance is infused with humor. Many of the funniest moments are courtesy of the research team's "corporate sponsors." Other highlights include: a brief (but amazing!) video, a unique take on Santa Claus, and watching the reactions of fellow audience members.

What Could Be Better

We noticed some small opening weekend hiccups, but overall this unique interactive theatre piece is holiday horror perfection. We hope that Nightmare (before Christmas) becomes an annual event. We'd love to see a walk-through style haunted house with a Christmas theme.  

Final Thoughts

The Experiment combines humor and fear to create repulsive holiday fun. Don't miss this special holiday gift.

The Experiment Runs

December 9 - 23rd

Discount Tickets

Full Price Ticket Prices
Admission: $20.00

• $10 Tickets - Click Here!


• $12 Admission with Promo Code: FB1 


• $12 Admission with Promo Code: LABRAT

Additional Info

• Official Website


• Facebook Page


• Twitter


• Buy Tickets

The Raven & Black Cat Guide to Halloween Weekend (2011 Edition)

HAUNTED HOUSES

After Dark: The Haunting at Madame Tussauds 
October 27-30, 2011, 9pm-12am 
Tickets $26.84-$38.11, New York, NY 

Buy Discount Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review   

Blood Manor 
October 27 - November 5, 2011 
Tickets $25-$50, New York, NY 

Buy Discount Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

 

 

 

 

Merchant's House Museum Candlelight Ghost Tour 
October 27-29, 2011, 6pm-9:30pm 
Tickets $13-$40, New York, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

 

 

Nightmare: Fairy Tales 
October 27 - November 5, 2011  
Tickets $15-$100, New York, NY 

Buy Discount Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review  

 

Nightmare: Z-Day 
October 27-31, 2011, 7pm-10pm/12am 
Tickets $10-$40, Bronx, NY 

Buy Discount Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

Steampunk Haunted House 
October 27-31, 2011, 6pm-9:30pm/8pm-11:30pm 
Tickets $10-$25, New York, NY

Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

 

 

Times Scare Haunted House 
Every Day, Year-Round, 5pm-12am/2am 
Tickets $24.95-$59.95, New York, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review 

Trapped in Purgatory 
October 27-31, 2011, 7pm-11pm 
Tickets $18-$30, Staten Island, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review  

 

 

Gateway's Haunted Playhouse of Horrors 
October 27-31, 2011, 7pm-12am 
Tickets $20-25, Bellport, NY

Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

Nyctophobia Haunted House 
October 28-29, 2011, 7pm-11:30pm 
Tickets $25, Jamesport, NY 

 Buy Tickets - Official Website - 2011 Review

 

VICTORIAN INSPIRED HALLOWEEN EVENTS

Beyond the Veil: A Victorian Murder Mystery Ball 
Saturday, October 29, 2011, 8pm-12am 
Tickets $50, Riverside Church - New York, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website 

 

 

 

 

POE: An Imaginary Waltz 
October 27 -31, 2011, 8pm 
Tickets $18 - Long Island City, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website 

 

 

 

 

Gemini & Scorpio presents Masquerade Macabre
Saturday, October 29, 2011, 8pm-5am
Tickets $10-$50 - Brooklyn, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website

1865 Funeral Reenactment at the Merchant's House Museum 
Sunday, October 30, 2011, 3pm-5pm 
Tickets $10-$50, New York, NY 

Buy Tickets - Official Website

PhantasmaGorey 2011: An Edward Gorey Halloween Brunch Spectacular
Sunday, October 30, 2011, 1pm-4pm 
Tickets $20-$30, Highline Ballroom - New York, NY 

Buy Discount Tickets - Official Website 

The 39th Annual Village Halloween Parade 
Monday, October 31, 2011, 7pm-11pm 
Starts 6th Ave & Spring Street - New York, NY 

Victorian Art Inspired Parade Theme - Official Website

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For extensive lists of all NYC Halloween Weekend Events Check out:

Time Out New York

Halloween Guide NYC

Halloween NYC

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