Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride & Farmers Revenge (Petersburg, KY)
“Where Halloween Reigns Supreme”
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
My heart is racing because I’m not sure what’s following me in the darkness. I fear that I won’t survive this night of terror and I don’t know if my sanity will stay intact. The sign says Sandyland Acres presents Haunted Hayride & Farmers Revenge. Do I tempt fate to see what lies ahead? Sandyland Acres is where Halloween reigns supreme. This farm is full of horror movie monsters and creatures that are beyond the grave.
You might not believe your eyes once you enter this frightening paradise. You may think that a cornfield is a safe place to hide, but think again. The scarecrows might magically come alive and you’ll feel the heat from fiery flames. The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers 2 is waiting and his victims can be seen frantically screaming inside of a school bus. This scene got one of the biggest reactions. Some of the young girls on the hay wagon were screaming like banshees. Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride features many classic horror movies and some of the characters can be quite intimidating. The killer hillbillies aren’t too kind to city folk and you’ll definitely jump out of your seat as they fire their shotgun. The actor portraying Leatherface did a fantastic job as he tormented people with his gas powered chainsaw. You’ll hear plenty of loud noises as you explore the farm. The sound of a cannon in the shipwreck scene echoes throughout the farm and it will get your heart racing.
Sandyland Acres is not your typical hayride since much of the haunt consists of horror movie recreations. There are a few new scenes and characters from movies including I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Strangers. The best spot to sit in the hay wagon is in the very back because there are a few times where you might be shoved by various vehicles. Sandyland Acres is known for their wild chase scenes and even the headless horseman makes his presence known. They have one of the better Headless Horsemen I’ve seen. The horseman steps off a bridge to ride along side the wagon and his jack-o-lantern head glows a beautiful orange.
Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride doesn’t have a specific theme. You’ll encounter clowns in a dark tunnel and you will even explore the haunted graveyard. This is a fun attraction that lasts nearly 20 minutes. There are very few dead spots and there are some neat props which include an animated werewolf, a huge skull that fog pours out of and more. There are a few things this haunt could improve upon. A few scenes aren’t that effective. This includes the Ben’s Bait scene from I know What you Did Last Summer. It could have definitely been more intense. I Know What You Did Last Summer was a horror movie that was inspired by the popularity of Wes Craven’s Scream that kick started the teen horror movie craze of the 90’s. Sandyland Acres always has a phenomenal Michael Myers and I wish there was a Halloween inspired scene this season considering the new movie comes out this October. Some of the scenes in the barn were a little obstructed. The people sitting across from me were blocking my view. But these are minor complains for a haunt that’s one hell of a good time.
Don’t forget to tour Farmers Revenge. Skeletons are hanging onto the haunted barn and you’ll watch a brief video explaining the back-story before you enter. Farmers Revenge resembles a haunted funhouse. You’ll explore scenes like Frankenstein’s Laboratory, a jungle, a baby doll infested dungeon, the clown house, a short dark maze and more. There aren’t too many high tech props that will amaze you, but the vortex tunnel is pretty impressive. The Hellevator is homemade and only moves when the actor moves. The actress playing the elevator operator is very enthusiastic and I wouldn’t be surprised if she was exhausted at the end of the night. I would like to see more attention be given to Frankenstein’s Laboratory since Frankenstein is such a legendary movie that everyone knows. This is a creepy haunt that definitely reminded me of a classic haunted funhouse you would experience at a carnival or fair. It’s rather short clocking in at 6 minutes, but it’s fun while it lasts and we think you’ll enjoy it. It’s very creepy.
Tickets are $14 for the hayride and $10 for Farmers Revenge. Combo tickets are $23. Hayride VIP to skip the regular line is $20. Parking is free and it was extremely easy to locate the haunt. There are many signs pointing you in the right direction. There’s a huge amount of concessions. This includes funnel cakes, hot chocolate, novelty glow toys, Halloween crafts and more. It’s like a mini Halloween village. The farm is beautifully decorated for this time of the year. There are plenty of horrific props which is great for group photos. One of my favorites was the skeleton horse drawn carriage. Sandyland Acres celebrates its 13th year of fear. I don’t know if there’s another haunt I’ve been to that does a better job at embodying the Halloween spirit. Sandyland Acres is a special place where Halloween reigns supreme.
*Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride: Length-9 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8 Final Stab: 8.2
*Farmers Revenge: Length-5 Design-6 Props/Animatronics-6 Acting-6 Scare Effect-7 Final Stab: 6.0
www.sandylandacres.com