Every October, haunted houses emerge with new designs and actors attempting to scare the audience. Many people might argue that haunted houses are lacking excitement, but in my opinion, they are festive. Some thrilling haunted houses that I’ve been to are ranked worst to best:
- Elitch Gardens Fright Fest (4th place)
While this event can be enjoyable at other times of the year, I believe the scares are mild compared to those at other haunted attractions.
It focuses more on the rides than the actual haunted houses. Of the three haunted houses there, the best was CARN-EVIL, followed by Port of the Damned, and lastly Redcliff Ridge.
CARN-EVIL’s theme was well thought out, and my favorite part was when an actor sprayed water at the participants, including me. Port of the Damned was also interesting but not very intense. Finally, Redcliff Ridge was short and not scary at all to me.
The park admissions fee alone is $49.99 per ticket, and the Haunt pass ticket adds an additional $40.00 per ticket. This, in my opinion, is too much for a mediocre experience.
- The Ritual Haunted House (3rd place)
The Ritual Haunted House focuses on immersive storytelling, with elaborate themes and creative ideas that make the experience engaging. The sets and special effects are well designed, and the actors do a great job of keeping visitors on edge.
However, compared to the top two haunted houses, it isn’t as intense or frightening. The attraction is also relatively short, with only one haunted house, which makes the experience feel limited. It would be better if it were one long, continuous haunted house or multiple shorter houses offering a variety of scares.
This haunted house does have a good price, though, r $27 per ticket.
- 13th Floor Denver Haunted House (2nd place)
This attraction included many fun interactions, such as parts of the haunted houses with moving mechanisms, like the floor shaking beneath the participant or flashing lights that made the house feel like stop-motion.
This haunted house also includes 3 houses: Legend of the 13th floor, Twilight of the damned, and lastly The Blood Shed.
I thought the houses weren’t too scary, though; in addition, they didn’t have enough actors compared to the moving mechanisms, which made the rooms boring.
A ticket for general admission ranges from $19.99 to $29.99; this is a great price for these three haunted houses, but it doesn’t compare to the 1st place winner.
- Terror in the Corn (1st place)
Terror in the Corn has earned first place for many reasons.
First, it lasts around 45 minutes, which is much longer than the others, and offers plenty of scares. Since the experience is so long, it’s also a great way to make friends with other groups along the way.
Second, the designs are creative and change every year, keeping the haunted house fresh, thrilling, and scary.
Lastly, the cost is very reasonable for what you get; tickets are $18 online on weekdays, $31 on weekends, and $41 for anytime entry. These are great prices for such a fun and frightening experience.
Haunted houses are a great way to have a fun experience. Terror in the Corn stands out for its thrilling attractions. Although Elitch Gardens Fright Fest, The Ritual Haunted House, and 13th Floor Denver Haunted House each have enjoyable elements, they fall short in comparison when it comes to scare factor, immersion, and overall value.
Ultimately, Terror in the Corn has a perfect balance of all these factors.
