Haunted houses open creaking doors

By: Brooke Cowlishaw

Posted: 10/19/07

In October, evil things roam the darkness night after night, creeping through winding hallways in search of fresh prey, feeding on the terrified screams of helpless passersby. These creatures come in many forms and guises: masked men with chainsaws, victims of the undead, scary clowns and vampires. But inside these horrific costumes are real people who just love dressing up and scaring others.
"The biggest compliment that you can give a haunted house is that you wet your pants," said Kay Kuser, director and producer of Dungeon of Doom in Arlington. "If someone comes out saying 'I peed my pants, I peed my pants,' we ask who made them do it, and the actor gets to make a chalk mark on the wall in their room so we can keep score."
Scott Reese, manager of Phantom's Ghost Ranch and Hayride in Allen, said the people who get scared the most aren't always the ones whom you might expect.
"I've seen babies come through and not even whimper," he said. "And I remember seeing a 50-year-old biker guy one time that picked his wife up, threw her at me and took off running."
Reese, who has been working with Phantom's for 10 years, claims to be able to pick out the screamers from the non-screamers and uses that to his advantage.
"If you work here long enough and your timing is right, you can see them coming," he said. "You can pick out your sheep."
In all of the fun and excitement, though, each of the venues has an "escape plan," in which a patron who gets too scared can be ushered out quickly.
"It gets overwhelming," said Richard Kinney, public relations director for Reindeer Manor in Red Oak. "If somebody does get a little bit too terrified, we have exit points in each of the rooms that are kind of a 'bail-out.'"
Many haunted houses get inspiration from horror movies and try to update the scenes from season to season.
"Your basic competition is movies and video games," Reese said. "You have to keep up with that. If you don't change, then you're history."

DALLAS SCAREGROUNDS

Haunted House: $16
Festival Admission: $2
Hours: 7:30 p.m. until at least 1 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween; 7:30 p.m. until at least 11 p.m. on weeknights and Sundays
Dates Open: Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 25-31
Location: 2001 Irving Blvd., Dallas
Web site:
www.dallasscaregrounds.com

If a good, traditional haunted house is what you seek, Dallas Scaregrounds is a good place to turn. This venue features three haunted houses, each different in theme, strung together to make one large, haunted jungle.
The first house, the Necrotorium, is the most basic of the three, featuring dark, winding hallways infested with creatures of the dead.
Next is the Terrortorium, which takes you through classic horror scenes, including torture chambers, childhood nightmares and my favorite - a zombie school bus.
At last, you (hopefully) make your way to the Hallucinatorium, where you are supplied with 3-D glasses to wear through this neon "fun house," altering your perception of what's real and what isn't. This was a nice and unusual touch, but be careful if you have a weak stomach.
All in all, Dallas Scaregrounds delivers a solid spine-chilling experience. Attention to detail in costumes and décor makes each room unique, and whether you're scared of clowns, demented children or spinning rooms, there's something in it for everyone.
If you want to make a whole evening out of it, an extra $2 will get you into the outdoor festival, which boasts live bands, face painting, food and a Monster Maze, all of which provide spooky fun to supplement the terrors of the main attraction.

REINDEER MANOR

Haunted House: $14 adults, $10 children
13th Street Morgue: $8 adults, $5 children
Uncle Stinky's Playhouse: $5 adults, $3 children
Combo Ticket: $25 adults
Dates Open: Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-28, 31, Nov. 2 and 3
Hours: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 28 and 31; 7 p.m. until the last scream all other days
Location: 410 Houston School Rd., Red Oak
Web site:
www.reindeermanor.com

Reindeer Manor is open for its 34th season this year, making it the oldest haunted playground in the area. This nonprofit attraction is run by a Boy Scout troop in Duncanville, but don't think for a second that it might be tame.
The history of the property makes it truly haunted: legend says it was once occupied by James Sharp, who was shot to death, allegedly either by his mistress or himself. Sharp's son, James Jr., took over the estate, but the Great Depression launched the family into poverty, and his wife, who became involved in the occult, believed both the house and the family had been cursed. They are said to have entered into a murder-suicide pact: Sharp was found hanged to death in the barn with his wife poisoned in the dining room.
Since then, the manor has been turned into a haunted house, but it isn't merely a long, winding maze; small groups are led through each room, where actors perform short, chilling skits, including a pair of butchers in search of "mystery meat," a vampire looking for revenge and a witchy woman raising a dead girl from a pond.
In addition, there are two haunted sideshows on the property: the 13th Street Morgue, located in the barn where Sharp hanged himself, and Uncle Stinky's Playhouse, which can only make your fear of clowns infinitely worse.
Everything is put together extremely well and the actors, who are mostly members and family of the Boy Scout troop, are also great. Plan to make an entire evening out of the trip, and arrive early - the lines get long fast.

DUNGEON OF DOOM

Haunted House: $15
Times: 7:30 p.m. until the last scream on Fridays and Saturdays; 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on weeknights and Sundays
Dates Open: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 26-31
Location: 201 W. Main St., Arlington
Web site:
www.dungeonofdoomtexas.com

Located in the Arlington Museum of Art, Dungeon of Doom benefits its children's art education program, but don't be skeptical - this haunted attraction is by no means a kiddie venue.
The haunt is spread out over three floors of the museum, and each room is scarier than the last. The designers took a lot of inspiration from popular horror movies and recreated scenes from many of them, including "Saw," "1408," "Night of the Living Dead" and even "The Wizard of Oz." Yes, that's right - beware of a demented Dorothy prancing around. The "Psycho" room is especially great, with a maze of damp shower curtains and the infamous 'slasher' theme playing in the background.
The sets and décor are incredible (there is the art museum factor to thank for that), and every detail is very well-placed and executed, from moving floors and hanging bodies to actors who won't stop haunting you, even in the stairwells.
My least favorite part about Dungeon of Doom was its quick ending; for being on three floors, it doesn't take very long to get through. However, the low ticket price and the high quality of the overall presentation make it one of the best haunted house values out there. If you can make the drive, it is worth every fright-filled minute.