Haunt Rater Magazine Volume 7 | Page 6

The Attractions

The Haunted Hayride is a heart pounding ride through the dark forest of Arasapha Farm, located outside of Philadelphia PA, and is filled with huge, detailed sets, giant monsters and more pyrotechnics than a rock concert. With scenes like a 100’ foot long, 40 foot tall drive thru insane asylum, a full scale mockup of a New England church and a 200 foot long cave, the Haunted Hayride is an amazing example of Hollywood style sets and props. And then there are the scares. With over 70 actors and 26 scenes, it is no wonder why this event is always on the top 13 lists of the Best Haunted Attractions in America. What makes this Haunted Hayride unique is the extensive use of high end audio equipment mounted on the wagons. The custom, movie-like soundtrack adds a whole new dimension to this already terrifying ride. Another reason for its success is the fact that the Haunted Hayride winds its way thru a 200 year old forest, with trees over 100 feet tall. This makes the ride much darker than hayrides in fields or light woods, and conceals the upcoming scares from the customers.

The second attraction at Arasapha Farm is the Westworld Haunted Corn Trail. It is a terrifying walk through a tall corn field and filled with walk thru buildings and sets, tons of animatronic monsters and over 30 actors in full makeup and custom costumes. Among the highlights are a full size western ghost town, a 300 foot long crazy clown scene, and a swamp with alligators and dead fishermen. What separates this trail from other similar events is the attention to detail. The realistic, walk thru mausoleum is surrounded by real tombstones and a six foot tall stone wall, and boasts a separate soundtrack and digital lighting. The last scene has 6 realistic werewolves and a big surprise ending. This event is like no other corn maze in the country and has fast become a favorite at the Bates Farm.