It has become an annual tradition among us FTSers to check out Field of Screams in Lancaster, PA. It always feels like the official start of the fall season. This fun destination boasts four main haunted attractions: The Haunted Hayride, The Frightmare Asylum, The Den of Darkness, and Nocturnal Wasteland. In addition to the main attractions, Field of Screams offers up live entertainment, delicious food vendors (including hot chocolate and apple cider to warm you up) and plenty of fun carnival games. We’ve reviewed the attractions that manage to stay fresh year after year after the break.
Our group’s first stop after arriving at Field of Screams was Nocturnal Wasteland. This attraction is an outdoor walkthrough area with surprises around every corner. Whether it’s the creepy atmosphere or the demented inhabitants of the wasteland, they’re sure to give you a fright. One part I found particularly eerie was the segment where you have to walk through an old school bus, every step anticipating that something is going to be hiding in one of the old seats. Also at one point in the attraction we got separated from a member of our group who was told to take a different route by one of the inhabitants, and a few minutes later she reappeared in front of us after the two paths met up. As the attraction nears the end the tunnels were also extremely disorienting. Once we entered them fog entirely engulfed every inch leaving myself slowly stepping with arms out in front of me for what seemed like an eternity. I was just waiting for something or someone to reach out and grab me, which luckily didn’t happen because that would have scared me to death, even though I swear I heard a creepy voice in the tunnels. This was by far the best attraction for myself and I found it the creepiest. (Nate)
The Den of Darkness is Field of Screams’ most “house-like” attraction, featuring musty attics and eerie ballrooms. It was particularly great this year because it was even more filled with actors. Some rooms are jam packed with people trying to scare you. They hide amongst mannequins and other distractions and pop out when you least expect. They always keep the flow of the attraction while doing this. Along with the amount of actors, the Den also institutes some claustrophobic experiences through small passage ways and tight squeezes. I believe the most legitimately scary part of the whole Field of Screams is located in the small attic of the Den of Darkness. (Rob)
The Frightmare Asylum is always fun because it has a very specific twist on your standard haunted house. This deranged and disgusting mental asylum is perfect for supremely creepy actors to get dramatic and to really turn the grossness up a notch in the production design. The attention to detail is pretty astounding, with every square foot having its proper amount of dirt and gunk, complete with bugs and blood on the walls. The clown-fearing scaredy cat that I am I was pushed to the front of the line on this one and was properly frightened along the way. In the section that features some demented clowns, I had my biggest scare of the night by a craftily hidden clown standing in wait just inches into a dark passageway. Not cool, guys, not cool! I love being scared though, so it’s fun to actually get the proper experience. This attraction definitely had noticeable changes from the past few years too, helping to keep it fresh. (Jess)
The Haunted Hayride feels like the flagship attraction of Field of Screams. You sit on a large wagon pulled by a tractor that leaves you stopped inside a bunch of different themed areas. Some are inside, like a slaughterhouse and a carnival, and some are outside, like a cemetery. The actors on this attraction are great. They always seem to know the best people to go after for the most possible scares. They also have a great sense of humor if they have speaking roles, interacting with the audience in a tongue-in-cheek way. It’s very chaotic and the ride really feeds off of that energy. Being outside adds to the feeling of vulnerability and increases the tension. You are taken through a corn field inbetween areas of the Hayride and it’s hard to see what is out there. It makes for a very creepy experience. (Rob)
Interested in checking out Field of Screams for yourself? It’s located near Lancaster, PA at the address 191 College Ave, Mountville, PA 17554. Check out their website at /www.fieldofscreams.com for all the details or follow them on facebook and twitter for further updates.