Haunted House Meet Ups

[TomtheFanboy]

I had a lot of fun a few years ago when Pocky Club got together and went to Fright Town in Portland. I'd like to try that sort of thing again this year. I thought maybe we could use this thread as a starting point and then groups can form other threads once there's a city or part of town picked out.

My three favorites in Portland are as follows,

The Thirteenth Door
http://13thdoor.com/
They take their job very seriously and have been the scariest haunt in Portland nearly every year I've visited. They're not afraid to get things a little stinky or mess with your head. They aren't as big budget as the other two but they have skills.

Fright Town
http://www.frighttown.com/
Home of Baron VonGoolo's Museum of Horrors, my favorite because it mixes bizarre art and scares. This year the other two components of Fright Town are the old classic Elshoff Manor and the Black Box. The Black Box was part of the old Fright Town line up, and it returns this year as a prison for the monstrosities too terrifying for Baron Vongoolo's museum.

Scream at the Beach
http://screamatthebeach.com/
This massive haunt has had a handful of Kumoricon regulars on staff over the years and is incredibly popular despite its inconvenient location at the Jantzen Beach shopping center. Due to the size of the lines and the time it takes to get out there I've had to skip this one a couple times. I was very bummed that I didn't get to see last year's Alice in Wonderland themed haunt.

I'm looking for Saturday the 8th, Thursday the 13th (Vallie's birthday, so I know we're going to at least one that night!), or Saturday the 22nd so far.

[NekoChan234]

how scary is it like do they actually grab you... because i've been attacked in real life before and almost killed so if someone was to jump out and grab me I would have a panic attack... and probably have to go to the hospital... i can deal with scary things as long as they dont grab or touch me.

[Darknight2433]

They legally can't touch you, most places, but they'll act like they will, so you probably shouldn't go. :/

I'm pumped for this! I love all these guys. Scream at the beach last year (or was it the year before that?) scared me pretty bad because they focused a bit on claustrophobia. I loved it!

Definitely checking these out this year!

[bunny_jean]

I'm in Eugene, so I probably couldn't go to something like this in the Portland area, but I think it would be hilarious if cosplayers went to this meetup as horror movie/game characters. XDDD Like Kayako from the Grudge, a nurse from Silent Hill, witch from Left 4 Dead, etc.

[Riitah~]

This sounds like tons of fun! Portland works awesome for me

I could probably get a cosplay done in time to go too~ Because that just sounds even more amazing.

[nekovamp13]

I'm hoping to actually work at one of these....Love scaring people, hate being scared.....

[NekoChan234]

you say its illegal for them to touch you but ive been to several haunted houses where they have grabbed me.... like I said before i have no issue with them jumping out and acting like they are going to touch me as long as they dont actually touch me

[nekovamp13]

Fright Town it's illegal. That's all I know. They can't touch you unless helping out.

[NekoChan234]

I think that is a good rule not to touch people, because you never know what they have been through and how they will react to being touched.

[@random]

^
|
|

[TalaRedWolf33]

My boyfriend made me go into a haunted house once, in battleground wa. One of the gags was that someone would be under the bed in a babys room, and when you walked by they grabbed your foot. Well, i moved my foot at the last second and accidently crushed the poor girls fingers. And then they had a girl in the corner, rocking back and forward mumbling to herself crazily. She reached up and grabbed my hand when i walked past, and i screamed so loud it scared her. By the time we left, my blood pressure was through the roof lol

[NekoChan234]

Last time I got touched in a haunted house I screamed really loud started shaking and hyperventilating one of the staff members had to take me out the back way because I was freaking out so badly and crying hysterically, after i stopped crying i started yelling at the staff telling them how unacceptable it is to touch people like that and that they were lucky they didnt have to call an ambulance for me O.o

[IrukaSensei]

Scream athe beach will fire the cast member if they touch you. I worked wig them for here years an plan on working with them next year. So you can rest well assured that try won't. If someone does, let me know and I'll get in touch with several of the people I know.

[NekoChan234]

alright that is good to know thank you

[TomtheFanboy]

I can vouch for all three of these haunted houses. They do not grab people and are not allowed.

They will walk up to you and block your path on occasion at Thirteenth Door, my friend Steve was backed into a corner by some creepy girls back in '03. However you are allowed to brush past them if need be. If you have someone to hide behind (or push in front of you) you should be OK.

If you go to Fright Town, visit Baron Vongoolo's first. It's got scary parts but is mostly fun. If that haunt is too much then DON'T go in the others. Elshoff has a lot of hanging bodybags or meat locker things you have to push your way through and there's a lot of occasions where you might get bumped into in the dark. Still, all the haunts maintain the don't touch us we won't touch you policy.

I have one friend with NO flight instinct and he popped a guy in the face at 13th door a few years back. Nobody got in trouble but he decided not to join us in haunts after that.

[maydrock]

just wanted to say my cousin is banned from scream at the beach because someone jumped out
to scare him and he punched them in the face

[SpaceCubaLikesConan]

This sounds like fun!
Unfortunately, I'm terrified of the dark, and of scary things. I would end up crying and yelling, and probably biting anything that came near me.
A guy at the live showing of Repo! pretended to stab me, and he got several kicks in the crotch. I take things too seriously.
So I can't go. Unless someone wants to let me cling to them xD

[@random]

Working at a haunted house sounds like a seriously dangerous job...

[maydrock]

This sounds like fun!
Unfortunately, I'm terrified of the dark, and of scary things. I would end up crying and yelling, and probably biting anything that came near me.
A guy at the live showing of Repo! pretended to stab me, and he got several kicks in the crotch. I take things too seriously.
So I can't go. Unless someone wants to let me cling to them xD

u can cling to me lol

[Tsukinya]

Ooo!  I'm so in!  I must say, I'm not that easy to scare, and most haunted houses seem a bit weak to me, but I was really impressed with one I went to last year (or the year before?).  I forget the name, but they're really expensive, and it's super scary... 18+ kind of scary.  They did a seven sins theme when we went, and it was intense.  We were fortunate to have won tickets

I've always been curious about Scream at the Beach, and I'd love to check it out.  Perhaps Lucy would be a good creepy cosplay..

[TomtheFanboy]

This sounds like fun!
Unfortunately, I'm terrified of the dark, and of scary things. I would end up crying and yelling, and probably biting anything that came near me.
A guy at the live showing of Repo! pretended to stab me, and he got several kicks in the crotch. I take things too seriously.
So I can't go. Unless someone wants to let me cling to them xD

You are out of my group then. You'll get in too much trouble.

Ooo!  I'm so in!  I must say, I'm not that easy to scare, and most haunted houses seem a bit weak to me, but I was really impressed with one I went to last year (or the year before?).

Where was this? Sounds interesting.

As far as not getting scared, you have to let yourself get scared. I have a lot more fun when I jump and yell when they startle me. I think the staff enjoy it more too.

[Black~Rose]

You are forgetting something!!

http://www.nightmarefactorysalem.com/index.html
All ticket purchases go to help keep the deaf school running! It was on Extreme home makeover last year but this year its much scarier because we don't have ABC family friendly to worry about but we are still higher tech than previous years (which were very scary years might i add) Been working here since 2010. Please come =] I hope I get the chance to scare you all.

[Black~Rose]

I think that is a good rule not to touch people, because you never know what they have been through and how they will react to being touched.

However, the people going through the huanted house should remember not to touch the actors too!! There have been really mean people go through nightmare factory.. One was an old lady who hit me with her coat... she was just going through swinging it at everyone telling them to "get back get back!" I'm sorry but just because you paid for a ticket does not give you free reign to abuse us x_x

[maydrock]

do u need any helpers

[Black~Rose]

lol no its too late to apply for volunteering there lol I just would like to see people from Kumoricon go through.

[TomtheFanboy]

I'm going to talk to Vallie about maybe taking the trip down to Salem for her birthday this year. I've heard great things about you guys!

Do you know a good place in Salem that we could get dinner afterwards? Someplace easy to get to from the Haunt that's open later?

If she's feeling really generous, I may invite some of the Beaverton or Portland group to ride down with us since I know it's a long trip for most.

[maydrock]

maby if pepole dident mind we put some money to gether
for a one night hotel stay

[TomtheFanboy]

maby if pepole dident mind we put some money to gether
for a one night hotel stay

Oh no, not me and the missus. We'll be heading home and sleeping in our own beds we will. Paying gas and haunt fees will be enough for us.

Be glad to drop you off at one though! 

[Black~Rose]

I'm going to talk to Vallie about maybe taking the trip down to Salem for her birthday this year. I've heard great things about you guys!

Do you know a good place in Salem that we could get dinner afterwards? Someplace easy to get to from the Haunt that's open later?

If she's feeling really generous, I may invite some of the Beaverton or Portland group to ride down with us since I know it's a long trip for most.

haha basicaly there are a bunch of fast food places open late. Like KFC, Jack in the box, Burger King, Mcdonalds and if you go way down broadway toward Kiezer you'll find taco bell and a bunch of other stuff. There is a Love Love Terryaki down broadway street but I dont know how late its open. If you want to go through the haunt early get in line by 6 and you should be through before anything closes. If its her birthday I highly reccomend the Boogers Wild Ride! Kivo runs that thing and he is the most awesome deaf guy ever (He helps run the haunted house and I think is a counselor at the deaf school) We actors can touch her and REALLY freak her out hehehe. (only head, hands, and shins/ankles pretty much) But the point is its worth your money lol the actors get right up in your face and there has been very positive feedback about that one so far =)

[TomtheFanboy]

If its her birthday I highly reccomend the Boogers Wild Ride! Kivo runs that thing and he is the most awesome deaf guy ever (He helps run the haunted house and I think is a counselor at the deaf school) We actors can touch her and REALLY freak her out hehehe. (only head, hands, and shins/ankles pretty much) But the point is its worth your money lol the actors get right up in your face and there has been very positive feedback about that one so far =)

I'll keep that in mind!
She's said she doesn't want to drive down to Salem and back since she has to work the next day.
Also, if you have a birthday that's on the 13th of the month, the 13th Door lets you in free on 10/13, so that's our plan for her birthday.

So anyway, we'll be going down to Salem on a weekend, where I have to work the next day. 

[Black~Rose]

If its her birthday I highly reccomend the Boogers Wild Ride! Kivo runs that thing and he is the most awesome deaf guy ever (He helps run the haunted house and I think is a counselor at the deaf school) We actors can touch her and REALLY freak her out hehehe. (only head, hands, and shins/ankles pretty much) But the point is its worth your money lol the actors get right up in your face and there has been very positive feedback about that one so far =)

I'll keep that in mind!
She's said she doesn't want to drive down to Salem and back since she has to work the next day.
Also, if you have a birthday that's on the 13th of the month, the 13th Door lets you in free on 10/13, so that's our plan for her birthday.

So anyway, we'll be going down to Salem on a weekend, where I have to work the next day. 

haha I'm sorry. As long as you get in line by 6 you should be able to get in and out before it gets too late so you'll be able to go home at a reasonable time. ^^

[TomtheFanboy]

It's all cool, I don't need as much sleep as Vallie does, and she can't sleep in the car like I can.
We're definitely going though. I'm just not sure how big of a group we'll be going with.

[Black~Rose]

Awesome ^_^ Well me and my friend are working on becoming permanent characters in the haunt. I have a list of team designs and so we may interchange them so there is a variety. But we will be in the same room every night lol and I doubt you will recognize me in all that makeup and darkness but if you do I give you props. XD For most people all it takes is blonde hair to throw em off.

[TomtheFanboy]

Vallie has declared Friday the 14th to be the night of the Nightmare Factory visit. We might have a group of gaming buddies with us too!

[nekovamp13]

You guys should totally go to Fright Town >w>
I'll be working there the last week of October!

[TomtheFanboy]

I'm going ot be getting some of my friends down to Fright town later in the month. One of them doesn't recover well from being startled and is worried that she'll just hide in a friend's arm the whole haunt.

My plan is to take her to Fright Town and start her out on BAron Vongoolo's since its easier to go your own pace . Then if she can't do more she can just go through that one a couple more times.

If she feels brave though, then we can give Elshoff manor a try.
I don't think she'll make it to the Black Box though, that looks like the worst one there. I'm looking forward to some real craziness in there!

[nekovamp13]

Black Box is their scariest house they've had. So yeah...

[TomtheFanboy]

Black Box is their scariest house they've had. So yeah...

I'm glad that my guess was right.
The description was a bit misleading though, I remember them having a Black Box back in 2005 (maybe earlier) but now they say it's a new haunt. They should have said it's back, or something.

[nekovamp13]

Well, their haunts always change. The theme is the same, but the sets, characters and scares are always different.

I'll ask them about rating how scary each house is and get back to ya!

[Tsukinya]

Ooo!  I'm so in!  I must say, I'm not that easy to scare, and most haunted houses seem a bit weak to me, but I was really impressed with one I went to last year (or the year before?).

Where was this? Sounds interesting.

As far as not getting scared, you have to let yourself get scared. I have a lot more fun when I jump and yell when they startle me. I think the staff enjoy it more too.

After some searching, I found it.  It was Darkest Dreams Entertainment, and it was 2009 when they did the Seven Deadly Sins theme.  They're not doing anything this year, so their site doesn't show anything, but it was some serious scary when we went.  Definitely R-rated and a bit disturbing.

I also liked 13th Door.  It was a step up from your typical dry haunt.  I didn't know they did free entry on the 13th...  May want to do that.  I'm all about free

We've done the corn maze on Sauvie island after dark, and that was fun too.  However, it was terribly cold, the line took forever, and when we finally got in, we were so close to the folks in front of us the "maze" aspect was kind of lost.  Oh well

For others looking for free, check out Davis Graveyard in Beaverton.  It's a bit crowded, especially as you near Halloween, but it is free.  Last year, they had people out dancing Thriller every 20 minutes or so.  Very impressive display

Keep me updated on any finalized plans.  I'd love to join an outing or two

[TomtheFanboy]

Basically the two that are up in the air are Scream at the Beach and Fight Town. Those are going to have to wait until after the 16th.

Who is free on the 22nd for Scream at the Beach?

[TalaRedWolf33]

I might be able to go. My saturday class is weird and is like every other saturday. And if he doesnt show up within 30 mins, like today, then i get to leave.

[TomtheFanboy]

Cool, we'll work out rides and times when we get closer to the date.

Until then...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightmaresfearfactory/with/6124696247/