Haunted houses are staples of the Halloween season.
Not real ones, where grizzly murders or unexplained disappearances happened long ago, thus implanting an irreplaceable and unavoidable aura of dread in every corner and turn of the once liveable space’s atmosphere. The other kind.
The businesses that make their turn pretending to scare people with actors and spooky special effects.
Haunted houses are good, wholesome fun for everyone, and escape rooms offer something a little more complex and challenging with a fear of failure added to the ticket price. So what if someone combined both?
One of the critical aspects of a haunted house is discretion.
You can’t use a real chainsaw or set of hedge clippers to chase guests down. It’s about simulating a terrifying environment for fun.
Some haunted houses are a little more extreme than others. They do incorporate chainsaws but take steps to ensure safe use and never threaten guests directly.
But one haunted house in San Diego takes things so far that it has a 50-page waiver preventing its guests from suing over broken bones or legitimate trauma.
The McKamey Manor is more than just a haunted house. It’s a horror movie – and you’re the first kill.
10 /10 The Owner Of Horror
The McKamey Manor is the brainchild of Russ McKamey, who owns the various properties his experience runs on.
It started in San Diego, California, and has since moved to Summertown, Tennessee, and Huntsville, Alabama.
He describes himself as a showman and that it’s all in the name of very frightening entertainment. He’s very straightforward about the risks involved and the chance of success of getting through his maze of evil.
9 /10 Line Out The Neighborhood
The Manor is immensely popular, having a waiting list over 20,000 people long, despite the rigorous and deeply involved interview process required even to have a chance to attempt the event.
This is because every experience, which is held once a week, is tailored to each individual’s specific set of fears and restrictions.
It’s kept “within reason,” but in reality, anything can happen. And has happened. And it’s all awful.