Web Address: http://reapersrevenge.net/
Location: Scranton, PA (Lackawanna County)
Reaper’s Revenge shocks ALL your senses!
Grade: A+
The Nuts and Bolts:
This haunt is settled on about 60 acres of land and all I can say is that they adequately use every single inch. The Reaper’s Revenge experience incorporates four amazing haunts for one reasonable price. (As of October 2015 it’s $35) There is a small fee for parking; however it is completely worth it when you consider how many haunts you get for the price. Make sure you take down the directions from the website as some GPS don’t initially recognize the GPS address given.
The actors in this haunt can touch you. If you do not wish to be touched they offer an option for a glow in the dark necklace so the actors know not to touch you. Even though the four events are continuous, there are always ways to exit early if you need to. Also of important note, there are porta-johns located at each Segway which is extremely helpful for all ages. As an educated guess, not including wait times, I enjoyed at least two hours of horrific fun.
The Attractions: (no spoilers)
This was my first time to Reaper’s Revenge, but I assure you it won’t be my last. Each stop along the way tapped into almost all my senses (and if you count the funnel cake at the end, it tapped into ALL my senses). Even the walk from the parking lot up to the ticket area set the stage. I pitched forward past a foggy, torch lit path in complete anticipation of things that might be lurking nearby.
What I loved about Reaper’s Revenge was the continuity between attractions and meticulous attention to detail. The fact that you generally stay with the same group that you start with builds a sense of community that I really enjoyed. As the website states, your journey begins with the Haunted Hayride. While on the hayride you will notice that no space is wasted. The sets incorporate natural eeriness along with man- made genius reaching from the ground up over the tree-tops! There were no long drawn out periods on the ride where nothing was going on. They use sound effects, music, shadows, and lighting to ensure you are stimulated down to the slight movements of an unmanned see-saw. I couldn’t get enough of the character choices. Instead of just riding the zombie bandwagon the whole way as many do right now, this ride incorporates a unique blend of fan favorites and modern creations. I can’t give it away but one part of this hayride was so unexpected and so amazing that I had to hang over the edge of the hayride to secretly tell the actors how great it was.
Next you move on to the Lost Carnival, and as I mentioned before there is not an inch of wasted space. You must pay attention as you walk from attraction to attraction to see things hanging in trees and creeping underfoot. The company goes to great lengths to ensure a great experience for all. I noticed this in the first Segway to Lost Carnival as they have unique and interactive ways to pace the line so that you don’t have to stand in traditional lines which leave people unstimulated. The lost carnival is a disorienting combination of fun house and freak show. Their use of sound, lights, and motion really takes it to the next level.
Moving forward you enter Pitch Black. And it is exactly what it sounds like, pitch…black. All those senses that were previously stimulated are robbed from you in here. Your eyes, ears, and touch will mislead you…and you will LOVE every minute of it when you make it to the end.
The last area is Sector 13. The website was right to call this a “high intensity maze of psychological scares”. You enter a containment unit in hopes of escaping the monsters behind you on your way to safety. This is a very interactive corner of the haunt. I especially loved the way that they used outtakes of real news broadcasts to build tension while you were in the holding area. Everything about Reaper’s Revenge was smartly executed and wonderful to experience. If you make it all the way through to the end, you can enjoy your newly found freedom with your group by hanging out next to a bonfire, listening to music, or refueling at that snack areas.
Of Special Note:
The actors and actresses were insanely awesome! These guys take their craft seriously, they stay in character, and they really engage the audience in an individualized way. I saw body movements from these actors that I have not seen outside Japanese Horror or computer generated FX. They were able to adlib as well as deliver lines in a way that you made you believe their characters. All of the staff really makes this a very special place.
Helpful Advice:
- Bring extra money. They have a small gift shop with Reaper’s Revenge paraphernalia. Listen, I have never been to a haunt before where I actually wanted a t-shirt from the place. I loved this haunt so much; I wanted one of everything in the shop. (That’s saying a lot because I am super cheap…err…frugal.) You are going to love it, and you save so much money on the reasonable ticket prices that you should at least get a hat or a mug with your extra cash!
- Tell your friends about Reaper’s Revenge and go again with them!
