By Jaimz Dillman
Outside trails aren’t usually haunts I seek out during the spooky season. With so many big theme park options in central Florida, it’s hard to pick and choose what to attend. Luckily, this year, we were able to attend two different locations for the first time, and each delivered in very different ways.
TERROR TRAIL
A quick, two-hour car ride from Orlando brought us to Sebring, Florida, for the Terror Trail. Now, half the scary part of this experience was getting there. We went down long rural roads with little to no lighting, which made us feel like our own horror movie was just starting. Free parking is held at the nearby airport, and we boarded a charter bus to arrive at our final destination.
Located at the Highlands County Humane Society, Terror Trail is sponsored by Dr. Daniel Parnessa and is staffed largely by volunteers, with all proceeds from the $20 tickets benefiting the animal shelter. Gotta love creepy for a cause!
Attendees are given glow-in-the-dark necklaces so the scare actors know when you’re coming. And it’s a good thing, too, because this trail is dark. You’re basically navigating natural Florida woods with piped-in music and effects, sets with different theming, and some characters that either don’t want you there or want to keep you forever.
A long, winding, covered tube led us out to our first area—a maze built into a school bus—and if claustrophobia gets you—this is off to a perfect start. Just about when I felt a bit closed in, we reached the end and continued. There are many monster types featured at Terror Trail. The Dolls, Rat Trap, Blood Harvest, Swamp Saws, and The Slammer await you and Toxic Clowns. There are always clowns.
Scenes were dressed with imagination, and the few inhabitants we met along the way were enjoying themselves—even if they didn’t like seeing our camera. “No paparazzi,” we were advised by one lunatic. But, it’s the nature of the job. The inmates of The Slammer had the best time with guests. The Maze was longer than anticipated, with turns so tight we all wondered how guests of bigger stature or limited walking abilities would navigate this section.
A small concession stand was set up with treats for before or after, but the tricks are the porta-potties, the only bathroom options—and no hand washing or sanitizer is available. So beware and enter at your own risk.
A PETRIFIED FOREST
In a completely different direction down I4, you’ll find A Petrified Forest in Altamonte Springs, about fifteen minutes from Orlando. This pop-up trail has been around for a few years, and every September or so, you can see them building up the facades and fencing right off the busy highway it’s located on.
This is another free parking somewhere else situation with the Terror Trolley transporting willing victims to three trails and more. We arrived later during the opening weekend, and things were in full swing! A good-sized crowd enjoyed a DJ, vendors, food trucks, atmosphere characters, and games. Various levels of tickets are available, and some special events are listed throughout the run.
Societies in Shadow is the overarching title this year at A Petrified Forest, with each trail studying what happens when those ideals fail. We started with Lifeline, where you’re instructed to keep your eyes open and not let go of the rope. The storyline involves your eyes, and if you see, you die.
It's reminiscent of A Quiet Place but with sight as the feature instead of sound. These treks are long, featuring plenty of dark corners and chances for scares. The scenery and lighting were effective; however, toward the end of this maze, the rope disappeared and no longer seemed part of the storyline.
The Estate of DeKay brought us to a wealthy family’s home where things are starting to turn dark. There were some great distraction scares in this one, and I’ll admit, one of the creepy crawlies got me good.
The final maze was Deadly Games, parodying game shows. In this one, the prize is leaving with your life! Really cool uses of black light effects and a reimagined typical contest trope were well placed.
Outside of the haunts, a retro-fitted ambulance hosts a real-life operation game where players are instructed by a doctor’s “assistant” to remove various body parts from a displayed “volunteer” who has seen better days. Each part holds the key to light up consecutive bulbs, but nothing happens when all lights are lit. While the actress was giving an award-winning performance, she was at a disadvantage by being right by the DJ area with loud music competing for attention. And it was hot. The space could have used a fan or two.
Food trucks offered bites for every pallet, from burgers to tacos and sweets. We enjoyed a Little Shop of S’mores pudding cup from Sugar Rush Marshmallows, complete with a cake pop Audrey 2. It was delicious and well worth the price tag. Two of us couldn’t finish it!
Both Terror Trail and A Petrified Forest offer something unique to their locations. Either haunt would be a great spooky date night, evening with friends, or family outing. Just dress according to the weather, including shoes, bring bug spray, and don’t forget hand sanitizer!
You can find more information on Terror Trail can be found at
Terrortrailsebring.com and A Petrified Forest at apetrifiedforest.com.
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