Spooky Ranch returns for its 20th year of fall fun. For 2010 there are 2 brand new haunts. These are Extreme Nightmares and Crazy Clowns 3D. They’re great additions to the ranch and everything at Spooky Ranch has improved from acting to set design. Please note that The Haunted Barn is considered part of the classice Haunted Hayride and The Funny Fun House will not be reviewed. This is because it’s more of a light hearted attraction and is free with any Spooky Ranch package you purchase.
Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride-“A Wicked Wagon”
Genre: Haunted Hayride
Location: 19066 East River Road
Columbia Station, OH 44028
Runtime: 25 min
Website: www.spookyranch.com
Note: The Haunted Barn is considered part of the Haunted Hayride.
One of the most eye catching and goose bump inducing hayrides the Buckeye State has is Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride. It’s well known across Ohio and for good reason. It’s fun, a little scary and has some impressive animatronics that you usually don’t see part of hayrides.
This is City Blood’s 2010 review of Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride.
What’s Good About The Haunt?
Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride is possibly the most technologically advanced haunted hayride in the state of Ohio. There are some typical scenes like a nuclear wasteland, a frightening graveyard and more. But most of the haunt is full of high tech props and pyrotechnics that’s unusual for hayrides in Ohio. The highlight of the hayride is of course The Haunted Barn. After experiencing a little over 10 minutes of various scenes, the tractor drives into a creepy old barn with a skull above its door that releases fog from its mouth. Inside the barn is a pretty entertaining show that rivals anything you’ll see at another hayride.
The show inside the barn is themed around vampire bats and includes some impressive animatronics and gags. You’ll experience a shaking cellar door, a large vampire bat that attacks, a rising sleeping giant, a three faced freak (Morris Costumes) and more. Make sure to watch the wagon closely as it lowers itself as the three faced freak uses his special powers. Props inside The Haunted Barn are from Distortions Ulimited and Scare Factory in Columbus, OH. One of the actors even wears a silicone vampire mask from SPFX Masks. Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride is current with today’s haunt industry trends.
Even though the highlight of the hayride is The Haunted Barn, doesn’t mean that the rest of the hayride isn’t frightfully entertaining. There are quite a few unique scenes along the way. My two personal favorites are the large toilet that shoots flames and the prop inside the outhouse that pees water on its unexpecting victims. Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride is a well rounded haunt that will entertain adults and children alike.
What’s Bad About The Haunt?
There’s not too much that’s bad about Spooky Ranch’s Famous Haunted Hayride. The biggest negative of this haunt is having to wait 5 minutes in the beginning of the tour before coming across a scene. This would be hard to avoid because of how the hayride is designed. The hayride technically starts when you enter the haunted woods. There were also a few things that weren’t working properly due to the weather. The massive pumpkin that shoots flames out of its mouth was lit up and not shooting flames, but this is understandable because of the weather conditions. I’m still shocked how dry it was at the ranch considering how much it had rained that night. Saying it was a downpour is putting it lightly.
Customer Service:
The staff at Spooky Ranch feels like family and it is. Spooky Ranch is family run and resembles a big carnival. There are plenty of concessions like Fried pickles, Funnel cakes, Donuts, Soda and other stomach filling food. After you are done touring the Funny Fun House make sure and check out their Halloween Store with plenty of Halloween crafts and gifts.
Final Thoughts:
Spooky Ranch’s Haunted Hayride is famous for a reason. It uses state of the art technology while incorporating great actors and gags that set itself apart from the competition. For only $18 you can tour 5 different attractions at Spooky Ranch. That deal is hard to beat considering the quality of each haunt at the ranch. If you are looking for some Halloween entertainment that you and your family will enjoy, then please head on down to Columbia Station, OH to experience the one and only Spooky Ranch Famous Haunted Hayride.
Length-10 Design-9 Props/Animatronics-9 Acting-8 Scare Effect-8
Official Score – 8.8
Fun Facts:
*Twenty years ago, Darlene Otis and her three teenage sons started what is now referred to as the “Famous Haunted Hayride” on her horse ranch in Columbia Station, Ohio.
Extreme Nightmares-“A Living, Breathing Nightmare”
Genre: Haunted House
Location: 19066 East River Road
Columbia Station, OH 44028
Runtime: 15 min
Website: www.spookyranch.com
What’s the scariest nightmare you’ve ever had? Do you have a reoccuring dream that haunts you day and night? Extreme Nightmares bundles all of your fears into one haunt. Are you prepared to face your fears?
This is City Blood’s review or Extreme Nightmares.
What’s Good About The Haunt?
Extreme Nightmares is a grade A haunt from its superb actors to an all around great design. You’ll feel like you’re walking through an old broken down haunted house with something or someone always lurking in the darkness. Scenes you’ll experience include hillbilly shacks, a bone chilling dark mazes, a sewer with a creature swinging its tail, a graveyard with a mysterious creature hiding in the grass and more. Extreme Nightmares is an improved version of last year’s Night Creepers Haunted House.
I rarely get started at haunts, but I honestly did at Extreme Nightmares. While I was walking through a dark room, suddenly an air cannon went off and made a huge sound as if a shotgun had been fired. It’s a simple effect, but it’s very affective. There are many moments at Extreme Nightmares that will have you jumping out of your skin. If you have a fear of mice, you may want to close your eyes in the first room. You will come face to face with one of Extreme Nightmares insane actors that will ask what you fear the most while holding his pet mouse. I could predict what was coming next, but most people will have no clue. The actors at Extreme Nightmares wear elaborate costumes and have great makeup. They are extreme, no pun intended.
What’s Bad About The Haunt?
Extreme Nightmares is a great haunt, but the addition of more high tech animatronics would help. There are great props, but nothing like what you experience at Spooky Ranch’s Haunted Hayride. The worker who took the tickets said the experience was over 20 minutes, but it’s more like 15. Some of the outdoor areas are pretty mediocre compared to the rest of the haunt, but overall this is a pretty good haunt.
Customer Service:
Every type of food you could imagine is available at Spooky Ranch. This includes Funnel Cakes, Fried Pickles, Donuts, Soda and more. Don’t forget to visit their large Halloween Store after you are done exiting the Funny Fun House. If you have to go to the bathroom, there are a couple of port a potties on the side of the Funny Fun House.
Final Thoughts:
Extreme Nightmares has made an impressive debut at Spooky Ranch. This is an all around great haunt. When you purchase a combo ticket for $18 you can experience 5 attractions for just a little more than $5.50 a piece. You can’t beat that deal. Spooky Ranch is one of the biggest bangs for your buck when it comes to haunting entertainment.
Length-8 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9
Official score – 8.4
Fun Facts:
*Four of Darlene Otis’s children, Derek, Jimmy, Damian and Allison Vitas work with her to produce the “Premiere Haunted Event in the Cleveland metropolitan area.” The attraction has grown from a haunted hayride to comprising five dynamic attractions, now referred to as “Spooky Ranch”.
Crazy Clowns 3D-“Bloody Freaks and Circus Peanuts”
Genre: 3D Haunted House
Location: 19066 East River Road
Columbia Station, OH 44028
Runtime: 10 min
Website: www.spookyranch.com
Are you afraid of clowns? Does the thought of the circus make you qeasy? This brand new attraction will turn a sane man mad and a normal woman insane.
This is City Blood’s review of Crazy Clowns 3D.
What’s Good About The Haunt?
Crazy Clowns 3D is one of Spooky Ranch’s newest haunts. You’ll enter a twisted world of 3D clowns and crazy carnival games. Bright flourecent art decorates walls while various clown themed props make scenes spring to life You’ll be tormented by crazy clowns and sadistic freaks as you make your way through Crazy Clowns 3D.
This is a standard 3D haunt where you’re given 3D glasses in order to view all the different 3D effects. It’s a fun haunt with some surprises and a few scary scenes. It might not be the scariest haunt around, but it’s a great addition to the Spooky Ranch lineup.
What’s Bad About The Haunt?
If you visit haunts every year I’m sure you’ve come across a clowned themed 3D attraction. Just about every themepark has one. There are quite a few people who have a fear of clowns (aka Coulrophobia), but I’m just not one of them. It’s fun while it lasts, but it’s just way too short and pales in comparison to the Haunted Hayride and Extreme Nightmares.
Customer Service:
Spooky Ranch has a variety of concessions such as Donuts, Funnel cakes, Fried Pickles, Soda and much more. After you are done touring the Funny Fun House, make sure a buy a unique gift at their Halloween Store. The staff at Spooky Ranch is on top of things and you’ll have a great experience.
Final Thoughts:
3D haunts are difficult to review because there are so many of them and few that really stand out. If you’re not into the scarier attractions at Spooky Ranch and just want to have a good time full of laughs, then make sure and visit Crazy Clowns 3D. The evil clowns are waiting.
Length-7 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-7 Acting-7 Scare Effect-7
Official Score – 7.2
Fun Facts:
*The people behind Spooky Ranch have a brand new haunt this year called “Hauntville”. It’s across from the Midway Mall in Elyria, OH.