Albert H. Fulcher
Considered San Diego County’s largest haunted experience, those who love the dare of the scare will love the experience as you run through its three zones, The House of Horror, the Chamber and the Haunted Hayride. Located at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, this is an attraction not for the faint of heart as it has many spooky, ghoulish creatures just waiting to claim their next victim. There is plenty for everyone, even sitting outside waiting for friends or family to come back with its food vendors and Spirit Lounge Bar. But it is well worth going through the haunted places as there are some amazing special effects, characters that play the role and do their best to make the experience as frightening as possible, and if you are a people watcher, there is a lot of entertainment in watching everyone else’s reactions as you speed through with one frightening spectacle after another.
The Chamber is the smallest attraction and has a lot of creatures that haunt you, but the real fun in this is finding your way through this dark elaborate maze. With uneven floors, the inability to see anything at some points, and a dizzying tunnel that makes your head spin, it’s scary and funny at the same time as you try to find your only way out. Here’s a tip. Don’t follow a gruesome Dorothy’s directions. She is very misleading and sends you in circles. They call it “The Bloody Brick Road” for a reason.
The House of Horror is an elaborate set up, with many dimensions and themes throughout. Lots of strobe lights and darkness here to as creatures from nightmares past, present and future are sure to find their way to you. They might pop up right in front or be tailing you with screams, whispers and teeth gnashing. The Zombie Maze is great, and a little more well-lit than other parts, but don’t let the cages fool you for the zombies come at you from every direction. The Día de Muertos garden is hauntingly beautiful with a few surprises waiting for you as you wonder through. And traveling through the town of Derry is not the right place for people with a phobia for clowns. It’s a fast and furious trip through the mansion, but there are some excellent effects and the actors take their roles extremely seriously.
By far, the most fun attraction is The Haunted Hayride. And you feel a little safer too. But whether riding through the dominion of the demonic nuns and priests, or Zombieland Midway, because of the absence of darkness, there is so much to see when it comes to the actors and although they are not allowed to touch you in any of the attractions (you can’t touch them either), they will be right in your face or behind your back. The hayride is low enough, that there is little protection from you and some of the most iconic horror villains in movie history as you go through Horror Icon Row. This was so much fun and with a group of about a dozen people, watching their reactions were just as cool as the creatures of the night.
The Scream Zone is open through Nov. 2 and tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. I strongly suggest the VIP package as it gives you entrance to all three attractions, a fast track for the House of Horror and Haunted Hayride. This is a life saver, because the only negative thing that can be said about this is that the long lines are more horrifying than the attractions. The Fast Track is the only way to go. Plus, it comes with a couple more bonuses and saves more than $50 than paying individually for each attraction.
For more information about The Scream Zone visit thescreamzone.com.
—Albert Fulcher can be reached at [email protected].
