The Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory (Akron, OH)
“The Legends of Horror Return”
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
The Haunted Schoolhouse in Akron, Ohio is celebrating its 40th year of scaring customers of all ages and creating Halloween memories that will last a lifetime. Earlier this year owner Don Johns unexpectedly passed away. He will never be forgotten and his legacy will live on through The Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory.
The Haunted Schoolhouse is an attraction that has stood the test of time. It has 3 stories of terror and features some of the most detailed sets you’ll lay your eyes on. It’s like stepping foot onto the set of a classic horror movie or watching a stunning Broadway play.
Nearly everything at The Haunted Schoolhouse is hand crafted. You’re not going to see a store bought animatronic or your usual bloody corpse. The artists at The Haunted Schoolhouse have spent hours perfecting scenes and adding just the right amount of detail.
A room that was introduced years ago is the storm attic. A tree has crashed through the ceiling of an attic full of dusty old furniture, antiques, trunks and ghouls who live in the darkness. A demon hides inside the hole of a tree and he’s waiting to escape. Will you muster up enough courage to enter the storm attic?
One of the most hair raising scenes inside The Haunted Schoolhouse is the country cabin. This seamlessly normal room collapses in front of your eyes and moves back and forth like a teeter totter. It took months to build this startling scene and it has definitely paid off. The country cabin is one of the most innovative rooms inside The Haunted Schoolhouse.
The Haunted Schoolhouse incorporates beautiful lighting into its various scenes. The most stunning scene is Dracula’s Castle. It features stone walls, gargoyles, a hanging chandelier, a warm fireplace and spooky props. The blue and red lighting is gorgeous and you’ll be drooling over the beautiful eye candy.
What would a schoolhouse be without a classroom? New for the 2013 season is a haunted classroom. You’ll meet The Haunted Schoolhouse’s Headmaster. Don’t be tardy or you might end up with your head on a platter. The classroom has church pews which makes it even more sinister.
The Haunted Schoolhouse features some great effects like the endless hallway found in the sewer. The large sandworm that rises from murky water in the dungeon is also quite eye catching. The Haunted Schoolhouse has one of a kind props such as a living breathing giant, realistic life like characters and much more.
The bedroom with a hidden monster has been replaced with a scene that was used many years ago. You’ll meet Igor who comes out of hiding to say hello. The Haunted Schoolhouse is 20 minutes long and there wasn’t a moment where we weren’t entertained in some way. We laughed at the talking skeleton inside the bathroom and we appreciated how dedicated the actors were in almost every scene. Many are hidden inside the sets. Some are so still that they start to resemble props.
If you’re a fan of haunted houses, then you have to visit The Haunted Schoolhouse in Akron, Ohio. It’s one of the best haunts in the United States and it’s an example of a classic haunted house that gets better with age. After you’re finished with The Haunted Schoolhouse, you’ll enter The Haunted Laboratory. The Haunted Laboratory opened in 1981 and celebrates its 33rd season of giving people nightmares. It was once the Guggenheim Air Institute.
A massive Tesla Coil sits atop The Haunted Laboratory. When the weather is just right, it can be seen lighting up the night sky. It’s loud, scary and close to 2 million volts of electricity. The Haunted Laboratory features its own 3-D section. You’ll see alien pods, evil experiments and alien beings that look like they belong in Area 51. Its 3-D art is brought to life when you put your 3-D Glasses on.
The Haunted Laboratory will make you jump. Its 4 story wind tunnel is breathtaking and it looks like there’s been a massive earthquake. Enter a spinning vortex tunnel while the theme from the Twilight Zone plays in the background. The actors are great and some want to attack you.
A ghoul is ready to drop barrels on unsuspecting victims and a crazy doctor cuts into the mouth of his patient inside the hospital/morgue. The Haunted Laboratory uses real hospital and morgue equipment. This might explain why the place feels haunted.
A haunted library pays tribute to Don Johns with a portrait in the background. The Haunted Laboratory features not one, but two massive Tesla Coils. The second Tesla coil is identical to the one on top of the roof, but you’re inches away from it. It’s an amazing sight and one of the best props we’ve ever seen. It’s electrifying to say the least.
The Haunted Laboratory is the polar opposite of The Haunted Schoolhouse. The Haunted Schoolhouse features classic horror scenes and The Haunted Laboratory is a journey through Science Fiction. The outside portion of The Haunted Laboratory has been eliminated and you’ll no longer enter a school bus or walk past the large storage building. The Haunted Laboratory is the only place in Ohio that features a 10 sided building (aka Decagon).
Total tour time is around 15 minutes. Tickets are $14 a piece for each attraction on Sunday, Thursday and Halloween. Combo tickets are $26. On Friday and Saturday tickets are $15 a piece for either The Haunted Laboratory or The Haunted Schoolhouse. Combo tickets are $29. VIP tickets are $20 a piece for both attractions. VIP Combo tickets are $38 a piece.
The Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory are two of the best attractions you’ll ever experience. They’re classics in ever sense of the word.
Final Stab For Each Haunt
The Haunted Schoolhouse: Length-9 Design-10 Props/Animatronics-10 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9 Final Stab: 9.4
The Haunted Laboratory: Length-8 Design-9 Props/Animatronics-10 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9 Final Stab: 9.0
www.hshlab.com