FTS had the opportunity once again to check out the Field of Screams haunted attraction. A haunted house in Lancaster PA, Field of Screams now holds FOUR main haunted attractions: The Haunted Hayride, The Frightmare Asylum, The Den of Darkness and the all new Nocturnal Wasteland. In addition to the main attractions, Field of Screams offers up live entertainment, delicious food vendors and plenty of fun games you can play. Check out our reactions to the main attractions and more after the break.
The Den of Darkness is iconic to the Field of Screams set of attractions. It contains the checkerboard painted room lit by a a strobe light. It is also one of the two attractions that is most like a traditional haunted house versus a haunted trial. This makes it a good place to start within the Field of Screams.
The Den of Darkness is a house inhabited by cruel characters, panicked victims and people in masks that are surprisingly still. This adds great effect because you never know what is there to scare you and what is there to merely freak you out. The stillness in some of these rooms adds an undeniable creepiness to the Den of Darkness.
This house had the most noticeable changes from previous years. A lot of props were added and some rooms were tweaked to make the entire thing seem fresher and more connected. The very first room you walk into has been changed to introductory area where the hostess gives you a brief story of the house before sending you on your way through. This helps make the Den stand out more in your mind by giving it more of an individual feel.
Over previous years, the Den of Darkness and the Aslyum have always seemed rather similar to me, albeit both equally enjoyable. I feel that the new additions to the Den of Darkness have helped become far more stand-out while also increasing the amount of fun you’ll have during a walk through. I believe people who have experienced the Den of Darkness before would agree with this notion. It’s good to see the Field of Screams doing so much to make repeat visits worth it.
Frightmare Asylum was the highlight of my trip to Field of Screams. This attraction is billed as a journey through a long abandoned mental hospital that is still inhabited by the deranged doctors and patients who once called that place home. The attraction is based out of what appears to be a building with quite a bit of age, whether it truly was once a home for the mentally ill remains unknown. What is known however is that housed within its unassuming walls lurk truly terrifying scenes. As can be expected a good chunk of scenes depict some of what you would expect inside an old-fashioned hospital. But rest assured, Frightmare Asylum has a few tricks up it’s sleeve. What really made this special for me was the dedication to something resembling a storyline rather than just a seemingly random assortment of Halloween masks and chainsaws. The guests sort of descend through the hell that is a tortuous mental asylum. The acting was also among some of the best I’ve seen, which is saying something considering I’ve been to at least 3 dozen haunted attractions in my lifetime. There’s a clear dedication and true vision shown by the operators: from the quality of the sets and props to the skill and passion of the actors, not to mention everything else that this attraction has to offer.
While Field of Screams features two excellent haunted houses, what has always seemed like the claim to fame is their inventive production showcase, the Haunted Hayride. You gather onto the bed of a tractor, but instead of the delightful little roll through the fall countryside with corn fields and apple orchards that you may have experienced as a child, you get chainsaws and dismembered animals… and that’s just one of the stops along the way. The tractor takes you along a path that stops in several barns (with doors that eerily close you in) and outdoor set ups that all have a unique horror concept. There’s the old faithful clowns that continue to freak me out year after year, a Deliverance style redneck torture scene, and a drive in where you get to watch a clip from Nightmare on Elm Street to name a few. I am continuously impressed by the production value along the way, with mechanical set pieces, expert costume design, and soundtracks that completely envelop you into the current scene. And if you’ve been on this one before, it’s worth the return to see the new additions to the ride.
Nocturnal Wasteland is Field of Screams’ brand new attraction for 2013. The idea behind this installment centers on a Hill Have Eyes / Deliverance style trail walk where you encounter more than a few unsavory characters in the dark woods. While this wasn’t the scariest attraction I went through at the scream park, I was still very much impressed with the amount of detail and planning that went into the trail. All the sets are really well put together and the props are even more lifelike here versus the other three attractions. The actors again did a phenomenal job in each scene presented along the walk. The trail wasn’t as dark as I was anticipating (although I realize that is probably for safety reasons) but after experiencing the complete darkness in some of the houses, I actually found it to be a welcome change. Nocturnal Wasteland is a worthy addition to an always great haunted attraction. I’m looking forward to how it develops over the years to come.
Interested in checking out Field of Screams for yourself? Check out their website at /www.fieldofscreams.com for all the details or follow them on facebook and twitter for further updates.