We recently went to Scarefest scream park to see what it is all about. Due to COVID-19, there has been many changes made to the park to ensure everyone’s safety. To begin, you must do everything online from getting in line, buying tickets, and even getting notified when it is your turn to get into line for the attraction of your choice. When walking into the park, they even check your temperature as an extra precaution. 

     The first attraction that we experienced was the Hayride of Doom. This 20-minute-long hayride seated rows of people on the left and right side of the wagon, and a smaller row of people seated on the back. People riding were required to wear a mask the entire ride, with the actors also keeping a relatively safe distance from the people enjoying the hayride. Scarefest did a fantastic job at incorporating COVID-19 into the attraction, with the story of the hayride, told by the guide that was also on the wagon, having the theme of the current pandemic. This was a very creative way to entertain using a major topical event to immerse the customer on the ride. The Hayride of Doom is overall pretty family friendly, leaving it as a great option for young children to enjoy. The scares aren’t too intense, but the story that is imbedded into the experience makes it a fun and festive haunted hayride for all to have a blast on.  

     The second, more intense attraction we participated in was the Forest of Darkness. Knowing how much more intense it was rated, while we sat in line, we argued about who would lead the group through the attraction. Having to walk on your feet instead of the safety of a wagon was what made it feel more up close and personal. With the walk being a third of a mile, it was filled with a lot of scares. The forest featured a surprising amount of buildings to walk through, most having a cover on the entrance, so you build up anticipation from what is behind the covers. 

      Admittedly, you will wait a reasonable amount of time in order to get in line for the rides. Scarefest has you covered with that, boasting multiple different things to do in order to pass time while you wait. One of the most noticeable things was the large firepit they had burning near the back of the premises with many chairs around facing a large projector movie, we tended to hangout here for most of the time. Another fun thing that the park did was put on a small firework show at 10PM. It was strange seeing fireworks in the middle of October but nonetheless a very nice thing to watch. Dressed up actors walked around ready to give people a scare, however it was noticeability less than previous years.  

       All in all, with having 2 first timers to the park, we were all very impressed with the experience of the park and the quality of the scares that we all had.