Springboro Haunted Hayride and Black Bog (Lebanon, OH)
“Lebanon’s Demonic Duo”
By Noah Wullkotte: Jollypumpkin@aol.com
Every year we tour Springboro Haunted Hayride and The Black Bog in Lebanon, Ohio. During the fall season, Bull Run Farms gets a makeover and becomes a frightening event featuring some of the best haunts in Southwest, Ohio. We arrived on their opening night. The night before, it rained over 3 inches and both haunts were closed for safety reasons. When we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed changes right away. The parking lot has better lighting and there’s no longer a parking fee.
The place was crowded with customers from all walks of life. There were families laughing, couples holding hands and teenagers goofing off. We waited in the ticket line for only a few minutes. We were ready for the first haunt of the evening, Springboro Haunted Hayride. Springboro Haunted Hayride is the most popular haunt at Bull Run Farms. It’s a haunt that people of all ages can enjoy, but there are some very intense scenes and characters you’ll encounter.
Haunted Hayrides are a unique form of entertainment. There’s no need to walk on a trail or enter a haunted house. You can just sit back and relax as you enjoy your ride to hell. The tractor driver is in charge of your destiny and there’s no turning back. Springboro Haunted Hayride is popular for a reason. It features traditional Halloween themes like a witch’s brew, The Headless Horseman, a spooky cemetery, scarecrows and more. This haunted hayride embodies what the Halloween spirit is all about.
But don’t worry because Springboro Haunted Hayride features some very intense scenes that will make your heart skip a beat. This includes a combine chase, a run away hearse, fire at BD’s Junkyard and much more. The actors get up close and personal as they jump on the wagon and you can feel the heat from their breath.
The young girls next to us were screaming their heads off as they witnessed clowns in the psycho circus, a public hanging in the gallows and they couldn’t handle be tormented by the various hillbillies from hell. It’s fun seeing how people react towards different scenes. It makes the haunt even more enjoyable when you know that people are having a good time while getting the crap scared out of them.
Total tour time is 23 minutes. There are very few dead spots, but some scenes could be more intense. This includes the psycho circus. It was far too short and I wanted more. The witch’s brew/seance scene was a bit uneventful and was a little too cheesy. One of our favorite scenes was the voodoo witch doctor scene. I was lucky enough to have the voodoo priest mark my head with a cross. It felt like it was Ash Wednesday.
Overall we had a great time at Springboro Haunted Hayride. It’s an attraction that’s become a fall tradition for many people. It’s fun and exciting. After we were done with the hayride, it was time for The Black Bog. In my opinion, it’s the best attraction at Bull Run Farms. You would be a fool to miss out on an opportunity to experience it.
Escape to The Black Bog where the world around you is foggy and where nightmares are born. The Black Bog is one of the best haunted trails you’ll experience and it’s a haunt we look forward to all year. The Black Bog takes visitors on a journey into the unknown. It’s a horror movie that’s been brought to life and you are the helpless victim. There haven’t been major changes made for the 2013 season, but The Black Bog is still very impressive.
Additional fog has been added to the trail to make it more mysterious. What’s hiding in the fog? You’ll soon find out. The actors are well trained and they always stay in character. The Hellevator operator has been replaced with a new character. He resembles an evil monk with a Phantom of the Opera style mask. He’s not as intense as the actor from last season, but he gets the job done.
Mr. Moss is back and he’s once again part of the greenhouse. We liked how he asked us to smell his flower. It would have been more effective if he squirt people in the face with water as they took a whiff. The Greenhouse could benefit from a spooky soundtrack and some low lying fog with green lights illuminating it.
A great scene that was introduced a few years ago is the limestone cave/mine shaft. The blue led lights add just the right amount of light to highlight detail in the cave’s walls. There isn’t a standout character in the cave, but it’s a great room none the less.
One of the best actors at The Black Bog is Shaun Bolen who plays Freddy Krueger. He’s dead on with his portrayal of the infamous killer and his scene fits him perfectly. Al Canib (played by Christian Greschel) is also a memorable character. He’s a killer cannibal who is able to make strange sounds that you’ve never heard before. He can be found in the haunted school bus.
The Black Bog is full of menacing characters like the demonic scarecrow whose weapon of choice is a razor sharp scythe. Michael Myers is also a favorite for customers who want to relive the movie “Halloween”. Great actors have great scenes and there plenty of great scenes at The Black Bog. You’ll experience a large graveyard, an old ghost town, zombie alley and much more.
The Black Bog lasts 20 minutes. Tickets are $12 for Springboro Haunted Hayride and $12 for The Black Bog. You can purchase a combo ticket for $22. There are plenty of concessions available inside the concession barn like hotdogs, soft pretzels, soft drinks and more.
Springboro Haunted Hayride and The Black Bog are fantastic haunts. We can’t say enough about how much we enjoy them. Get there early because the lines can become big as it gets later in the night. You owe it to yourself to take a trip down to Lebanon, Ohio for Springboro Haunted Hayride and Black Bog. They’re one of a kind.
Final Stab For Each Haunt
Springboro Haunted Hayride: Length-9 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-8 Acting-8 Scare Effect-9 Final Stab: 8.4
The Black Bog: Length-9 Design-9 Props/Animatronics-9 Acting-9 Scare Effect-9 Final Stab: 9.0
www.springborohauntedhayride.com