Scaredown 2013 Review

Scaredown (Waynesville, OH)
“Momma’s Revenge”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com

In the dark country side of Waynesville, OH is Scaredown. A large floodlight leads the way to terror before you are enter a farm like no other. Scaredown is one of the newest haunts in Southwest, Ohio. It’s only in its second year of operation and has shown a lot of promise. In 2012 Scaredown made a big splash with its quality actors and its great dedication to story telling. It’s an event that is bound to get bigger and better with age.

Scaredown is in the middle of nowhere, but don’t let that fool you. They’re the real deal. They offer something for everyone whether it be an authentic haunted house with paranormal activity, a haunted attraction with actors beyond belief, or a mind bending corn maze. There’s a variety of thrills at Scaredown and you might just want to stay all night.

Scaredown takes place on a spooky farm with lots of history. It’s home to the oldest outhouse in Warren County and The Devil House has a sinister past full of murder, alcohol and ghosts. The first attraction we toured that night was The Devil House. Something horrible has taken place inside this old farm house. Several children have been murdered and many believe that they still haunt this once quiet home. Over the years paranormal activity has been documented like a chair moving by itself or a door closing for no reason at all. Many people become ill as they enter Elizabeth’s room. Some say that they can see faces in the window as they look at the house from the outside.

Whether you experience something or not, it’s still a very fun and spooky experience. The rooms are dimly lit with red lights and a tour guide gives you a brief history of the home as you enter each room. We highly suggest that you enter The Devil House first since this is what many of the scenes inside “Hellbilly Workshop” are based off of. Without The Devil House, Hellbilly Workshop wouldn’t exist. Tour time for The Devil House is close to 20 minutes, but it can vary.

Hellbilly Workshop is Scaredown’s flagship attraction. It’s hell on earth inside a large barn. Many of its scenes use custom music created by Jon Autopsy. This talented artist has created music for legendary attractions like Knott’s Scary Farm. Click here to listen to the track titled “Shredded”. Hellbilly Workshop is an intense haunt that strives to be as realistic as possible. You’re not going to encounter many animatronics because much of its story is based on the hauntings of The Devil House. Hellbilly Workshop is based on murder, lies and deceit.

You’ll meet colorful characters such as Cletus, killer hillbillies, prisoners and of course “Momma”. You could say that Momma is Scaredown’s sadistic mascot and a vital part of Hellbilly Workshop. She wants to raise some hell with her gas powered chainsaw and you better get the hell out of the way. Pray that you’ll be able escape her wrath. Hellbilly Workshop has fewer actors playing the victim role this year. The creators wanted customers to feel like they were the victims and I think they’ve achieved this for the most part.

Hellbilly Workshop is full of great scenes and has a few startling props and effects. Air cannons and ankle ticklers have been strategically placed throughout the haunt to startle customers. The haunt uses old lighting in many of its scenes to make it feel more authentic. Rusty tools and antiques fill shelves and tables. Hellbilly Workshop is a great haunt, but the actors need to use more dialogue that deals with the murders that took place on the farm. Unless you toured The Devil House first then some of the scenes inside Hellbilly Workshop might not be as effective since some of the scenes relate to the hauntings. The haunt is also somewhat on the short side. It’s around 10 minutes long. Forcing customers to stay in rooms a little longer would extend the tour time.

Tickets are $12 for The Devil House, $12 for Camp Cletus Corn Maze and $15 a person for Hellbilly Workshop. The Ultimate Nightmare Experience gets you admission to all 3 haunts for $34. You end up saving $5. The Straight To Hell Fast Pass is $40 a person and gets you admission to all 3 attractions while skipping the lines. Get $4 off the Ultimate Nightmare package when you purchase tickets online. Click here for a $3 off coupon. Prices are a little high, but are pretty standard for what they offer. $10 would be more reasonable for the corn maze and $12 would more appropriate for Hellbilly Workshop.

Unfortunately Camp Cletus Corn Maze was shutdown because of the horrible rain storm we had the night before. An ATM is available onsite for those who don’t have cash in hand. Be sure to check out all that Scaredown has to offer after you’re done with the haunts. Movies play nightly and there are entertainers who perform throughout the season on the Scaredown Stage. Don’t forget to get a bite to eat or pick up a Scaredown T-shirt at their concession trailer.

As we began to leave, we noticed a small puppy running around the farm. He was found in the local cemetery and can now call Scaredown his home. You could say that he’s Scaredown’s resident pet. Scaredown is a haunt to watch out for. It offers a unique Halloween experience with a carnival type atmosphere and has a great story to tell. We highly recommend them to anyone who wants to have a safe and scary time.

Please Note: Scaredown has only been rated since the corn maze was closed and The Devil House isn’t considered a haunt.