Halloween Hodgepodge

Overview - The Dark Side

The Dark Side
Attended on Saturday, October 1^st

One of the things I like about The Dark Side is how they combine three haunts into one. This year we received a plastic token with The Dark Side name printed on it when we purchased tickets. I was hoping this was something we’d be able to keep, but were told we would need to hand them to the ticket taker before we entered the haunt. Bummer. You can also purchase concessions, Halloween décor and various Dark Side apparel including hoodies and hats in the same building the ticket booth is located in.

From here we entered the waiting area in the barn, which is nice to help keep you out of the elements while waiting. We arrived early in the season, so we didn’t have much of a wait. While we waited one ghoul roamed around, but that was all that was needed due to the line length.

As in past years, they take a group of about 20 at once. We headed up the hill to the mineshaft and they had groups of two or three go in at a time. The mineshaft isn’t very large, so I don’t expect many scares in there. I think of it more as a transition to the wagon ride and a way to build up excitement. This year I noticed they did more with loud noises in this area which, unfortunately being sensitive to loud noises, I didn’t really care for, especially in such a small space. Also with it being a small space, we ran into the group in front of us and the group behind us caught up, so it was slow going down the stairs of the mineshaft.

As we left, the wagon was already starting to fill up, so we got on board. They have a bonfire in this area, so if a wagon isn’t ready, you can warm up while you wait. I haven’t been on many wagon rides, but I really enjoy this one as they have a soundtrack that goes with it. The wagon ride seemed to last longer than in past years, which I appreciated. Along the way they had a mix of old and new scenes and scares. One item I’ve never seen at another haunt is what I’ll call the pumpkin scarecrow with acid reflux. It provides immediate warmth!

There was a mix of characters that jumped out during the wagon ride, including one “werewolf” with a great howl!

The wagon ride then stopped and the announcer on the soundtrack says it’s time to get off the wagon and you must make your way back on foot. While waiting for our turn, we warmed up by the fire and heard screams from the groups who went in ahead of us. In this part of the haunt, they also had some familiar scenes mixed with some new ones. The cabin provided a great startle scare! The butcher shop was a great new addition. Creepy! During the final portion of the haunt we walked through their corn trail. One of the characters in this section did a great job at making some creepy noises.

Overall, this isn’t the scariest haunt out there, but I enjoy coming out each year to see if my favorite scenes/scares are there and what new items are added. I had a great time!