Demon Acres Review (2024)

Although the hayride and Abandoned Jail have enough actors throughout, they feel a little bit light in places. Both of these attractions have one to two actors per scene, but some scenes could benefit from more chaos and more actors. Demon’s Den is right in the sweet spot, where having a few more bodies in some places wouldn’t hurt, but it seemed as though each scene had the amount of actors it needs to operate well.

One of my favorite acts is the first interior scene of Abandoned Jail was an actor climbing over the tops of bunk beds as hauntgoers traverse the maze therein. The amount of energy this person must have is off the charts and really sets the tone for the attraction ahead. The cop character in the next scene really exudes the sort of attitude that police are often criticized for, adding an element of realism to the scene. We encounter a variety of different personalities throughout the rest of Abandoned Jail, from crazed escapees, to the doctor, or nurse character in the medical scene, that doesn’t seem to have any lines, but is menacing nonetheless.

Inside Demon’s Den, actors are a bit more verbally interactive, with speaking roles in many scenes. The variety of characters here fits the overall vibe of weird and kooky creatures lurking about a haunted mansion. They range from wild and chaotic to big and menacing, such as the bartender who initially tells you, “bar’s closed. Beat it.” and as you’re leaving, shouts that he said, “the bar is closed, damnit!” Come to think of it, this might be the most realistic character in the entire haunt. He’s just a barkeep who can’t seem to turn a profit, and with all these people who come into his establishment after hours, the poor guy hasn’t slept right in a week. And now some moron, me, wants to argue with him. I think we can all relate!

The hayride offers more monstrous characters from the wild body movements of the Silent Hill nurses, to the pure chaos in the butcher scene, and the dolls that have come to life in the dollhouse. Speaking of the doll characters, they didn’t have to do much to be creepy, but they went above and beyond with their interaction with guests, and giving them quite a start.

It’s very clear that every single cast member, regardless of their scene or role, is giving 110% and that’s what I really love to see. Everybody here is dedicated to the craft of scaring guests and having fun, because having fun is half of the appeal.

Costuming has been taken up a notch this year. On the hayride, there are several uses of extremely well-done makeup or the most realistic masks I’ve ever seen. One example of this is in the butcher shop, where there are two actors. One is wearing a sort of pig head mask, and the other looks to be wearing either makeup or facial prosthetics. They moved around so fast that I couldn’t get a good enough look to see precisely what was going on, but it was very realistic either way.

In the Silent Hill area, we are greeted by nurses wearing very well-done makeup, and in the intro scene we are greeted by what I’m assuming is the ghost of the Victorian woman who haunts the castle, and while she doesn’t have very prominent makeup, she is wearing a very appropriate dress that fits in well with the scene.

Venturing into Abandoned Jail, we’re introduced to several inmates and corrections officers, all of whom fit their respective scenes. Before boarding the elevator, we’re greeted by an actor dressed sort of like a bellhop from Disney’s Tower of Terror. This might have been the reference they were going for, as visitors are about to enter an old elevator, but in an attraction themed to an abandoned jail, the costume seemed out of place.

Inmate costumes in this attraction are pretty typical orange jumpsuits, much like the kind you’d find at major retailers that sell Halloween costumes, and they really don’t need to be over the top for the characters being portrayed. Abandoned Jail features a much more makeup-driven approach, which makes the characters feel more human and lifelike throughout.

Inside Demon’s Den, there are a wide variety of characters and costumes, each one fitting into their surroundings very well. In an early scene, we meet a werewolf with the stereotypical black and red flannel and jeans. This costume also makes good use of gloves that turn the actor’s hands into claws, really completing the look.

Heading into the kitchen, we found an actor wearing a very creepy-looking mask, which I really wanted to see more of. I asked the actor to take a step more into the light so I could get a better look, but they did not oblige. In the bar scene, the actor behind the counter is dressed as a guy working the bar. What, you thought everyone needed to have a wacky costume? What else would a bartender look like?

In the waterfall scene, I was reunited with my good friend, the water monster, whom I continually call Murloc, a character from World of Warcraft, although the actor either doesn’t know the reference I’m making or just isn’t interested in making the noise.

One of my favorite yet most simple costumes in Demon’s Den is really nothing more than a mask. An actor comes into the scene, wearing what looks to be a mask that has a face drawn in illuminated pixels, only for them to turn around and reveal their eyes are rather bright lights. Again, it’s such a simple thing, but I really thought it was a cool transformation.

This brings us to the actor in the finale, who is a very large man sitting on a toilet with his pants around his ankles. We’ll discuss the most prominent thing about this scene later, but the icing on the cake, and really the most subtle bit of makeup I think I’ve ever seen, is the poo on his fingers. And yes, that’s all I’m going to say about that.

There are three queue actors about, or at least three that I encountered. Two of which are clowns. One of them carries a chainsaw and sports a punk-inspired outfit, with what appears to be real clown makeup, as opposed to the sort that is available off the shelf. The costume is very noticeable, and fits the character quite well.

The other clown is a little more traditional in the costume department, although they do rock a mohawk, alluding to that punk rock style. The third is an odd one. The costume is a realistic mask of an old man wearing a hat and glasses and fits with the comic relief that the actor provides. The mask seems to be high quality with a movable mouth, and looks like real skin, until you really get close. They all look good from all angles, which is important with queue actors.

The staff at Demon Acres is on top of their game when it comes to customer service. Every single person on site is helpful, friendly, and professional in everything they do. The merch booth attendant is warm and welcoming, and very patient while finding photos from Abandoned Jail, when it seemed some folks weren’t sure of their “inmate number”. Perhaps giving a ticket of some sort to guests at the photo scene could help make retrieving them more efficient.

At the concession stand, guests will find yet another helpful and friendly person. I had many questions about what a “Demon Dog” was, and I received an answer with a smile. For those of you wondering, it’s delicious is what it is.

The only place with some room for improvement is the website. Within a few clicks, we’re able to see a calendar with the address, dates, a FAQ section, a link to buy tickets, and short descriptions of the attractions. One of the key things missing here are times, but those can be found on the Demon Acres Facebook page.

On the FAQ page, some helpful items for visitors might be rainout or information regarding other weather info, touching policies, and parking information. In the interest of transparency, there is light touch incorporated into the shows, and parking onsite is free.

Parking really couldn’t be easier. This is the only place lit up brightly along a dark country road and parking attendants will guide you into a spot. Upon exiting my vehicle, the person guiding me in gave a quick reminder of prohibited items such as lighters and vapes.

One of the things I really liked inside Demon’s Den is that any steps going up or down are well-lit and are not placed where actors are stationed, so that the maximum amount of safety is maintained in these areas.

Demon Acres has taken steps to make patrons feel more immersed in every scene this year, and I have to say it’s working. The hayride features many new scenes, all of which fully encompass and surround guests to really pull them into the action.

My favorite of these is the butcher shop which is a shed-like structure that the wagon pulls into, and stops while the scene plays out. Once you’re in, there’s no getting out as a garage door closes over the doorway you entered from, and the lighting fades to very dark before actors barrage guests from multiple angles. Adding to the chaos is the sound of a chainsaw, flashing lights, and, to be honest, way too many things to keep track of at once. It really made us feel as though we were in the scene rather than watching it from outside.

The scenes here act as small vignettes that stand alone rather than one big storyline. I quite enjoy this method of storytelling as it allows more variety and creativity in each scene to flourish.

Exiting the hayride, guests are directed through a dark cave, complete with flickering lights and static props. This is an excellent way to transport people into the queue areas for Abandoned Jail and Demon’s Den.

Abandoned Jail, formerly known as Jail Break, has also received a facelift in 2024. The idea is that you’re reliving the secrets of the jail and the sewer tunnels beneath it as you try to escape. While this is more of a theme than a story, it holds up throughout the scenes and stays in character.

Guests queue up in a maze of switchbacks made from chained link fence, while a security light shines overhead. The attraction begins by being handcuffed, as seasons before, and put on the prison bus. Though nearly everything after that has changed.

The inside of the attraction begins in a bunk room with quite the active resident, and comes to the booking room where guests will have their mugshots taken (available for purchase at the merch booth), and then put on a hellevator that descends into the sewer tunnels below the jail. The hellevator features an animatronic, flickering lights, and a video screen that acts as a window. The video screen isn’t the most realistic part of this effect, but it helps to add to the idea that you’re going many stories underground.

When the doors open again, guests exit into the well-detailed tunnel scenes. The tunnels are home to all sorts of creepy crawlies and things that go bump in the night. The sets are well designed, look the part, and add to the creep factor that’s ever present.

The exit from Abandoned Jail is alongside the queue and is just a short walk to Demon’s Den. The facade for this final attraction is that of a large gothic home, complete with skeletons climbing all over it and a dragon that comes out about every ten minutes.

The attraction itself is a journey through said gothic home, complete with a trophy room that holds a real werewolf, a bar, a real life waterfall, and so much more. The scenes themselves are well decorated with tons of small details that would take years to fully inventory, and the actors really make them come to life, and pull you into the scene.

The exit from Demon’s Den takes you across a bridge and empties out into the main common area, where there’s a large fire roaring and movies playing on a projector screen, creating a cozy atmosphere for you to get a bite to eat and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

Sets and scenes are beautiful, and the effects are the most impressive this year! The hayride kicks off with a strong start as a huge animatronic demon perched atop a massive castle unfurls its wings and talks down to patrons on the wagon.

After the beast’s spiel, each tower of the castle shoots fire into the air, and off we go inside the castle, which is as beautiful as the outside, and it also features a chandelier that drops down over the heads of guests, giving us a good scare.

As we plunge deeper into the forest, a fan favorite remains at the entrance to the cemetery – a large angel of death that says…something. I’ll be honest: I have no idea what it’s saying if anything, as the volume is a bit low to get over the sound of people talking on the wagon, and the bass register is so low, I don’t think I’d understand it even if I could clearly hear what was going on.

One of the new scenes this year, the butcher shop, features an awesome spinning saw blade suspended from the ceiling, that adds another element to the chaos ensuing the scene. Other notable effects are the large puppet that reaches out in an attempt to grab patrons, the falling barrel rack and the spinning saw blade in the butcher shop.

I also appreciate the attention to detail specifically in the doll house scene, which is packed full of toys and plushies, and a stuffed bear on a spinning wheel of torture. The outside of the doll house is also something that piqued my interest, as it really is a huge cutaway doll house that the wagon then enters. I haven’t seen anything quite like it before, and I think it’s a really unique way to introduce the scene.

Abandoned Jail, with its freshly renewed scenes, features a hellevator after the booking room. The hellevator offers a great transition to the tunnels beneath the jail, and inside is a Hannibal Lecter-esque animatronic in a straight jacket that rattles around while the ride is in motion. This attraction doesn’t feature as many diverse effects as the hayride or Demon’s Den, although ambient sound, air bursts, and show lighting are present throughout.

The bunk room at the start sets the mood, with a strobe light flickering as visitors navigate the maze of bed frames. Once arriving at the tunnels, the sets are incredibly well built, adding a layer of realism into the mix. Inside the sewers, there lives a rather large rat, or maybe opossum. Either way, it’s probably got rabies so try not to get bitten.

Demon’s Den is the only attraction that didn’t receive new scenes or major renovations in 2024, although the ticket taker did mention that it’s likely for next year. The outside of the attraction features an absolute unit of a dragon’s head that comes out and breathes smoke every ten minutes, and is certainly one of the most impressive looking effects anywhere on site.

Inside, there are a slew of amazing things, beginning with the magical moving couch in the first scene. The sets that follow are incredibly well-designed and decorated, bringing life to them in a way that only a haunted house can provide. One of the things you don’t find every day in a haunt is a real waterfall, complete with lush vegetation and mossy rocks surrounding it. This is the sort of detail that doesn’t go unnoticed at Demon Acres, as these are the things you’d likely find near a waterfall.

And now I suppose we have to talk about it. This year, there are the use of scents in some scenes, such as the smell of a musty basement that’s reminiscent of mildew and mothballs, on the hayride there was the distinct smell of buttered popcorn in a clown scene, and another very prominent scent comes in the finale scene of Demon’s Den, that is a horribly realistic recreation of what happens when I consume too much dairy. To say that it really smelled like somebody left a floater in the toilet is an understatement. It’s a great use of an underrated effect, and it certainly brought the scene to life more than anything else possible could have, but I wish many curses upon the people or person who have developed and bottled this vile odor!

One of the main reasons people go to haunted houses is to be scared, and you will absolutely find that at Demon Acres. The cast is bringing the heat with tons of energy, and big, loud scares. The hayride provides us with chaotic scares that come in the form of actors climbing on the sides, coming aboard, or otherwise adding to the insanity that is happening all around you.

Other scares come in the form of animated props that take guests by surprise. The finale in the butcher shops combines all of these things into one scene to create not only a really beautiful scene, but a strong ending to the attraction. It features a classic chainsaw scare, an animated saw blade hung from the ceiling of the shed structure that spins and lowers towards guests, and believable characters that ambush the wagon. It’s energetic and it’s a good way to go out.

One of the challenges of hayrides is that they are inherently less scary than walkthrough attractions, mainly because you’re surrounded by thirty other people, and the chances that every scare will be directed at you personally, is vanishingly low. What this translates to is that it’s just not possible to provide every scare to every person on the wagon every time. This also means that the types of scares you’re likely to see are fairly predictable, as there are limited avenues of attack. However, if there are any new innovations to making hayrides more scary, Demon Acres will surely be at the forefront.

Abandoned Jail and Demon’s Den are very similar in the way that they operate, so I will discuss them together. Both attractions are using actor-centric jump scares as the primary method, peppered in with actormatronics, and animatronics to diversify.

The actors are giving it their all, which is always appreciated, and they’re clearly using the “scare forward” technique that helps actors keep groups moving on to the next scene to prevent backups and conga lines from forming. On a very busy night, I could see how some of these scares wouldn’t be as effective due to actor resets, but on the night of my visit they were all very effective and the timing was impeccable.

One scare that I really liked was in the beginning of Demon’s Den, where we’re transported by means of a magical sofa to a trophy room which features a full size “taxidermy” werewolf, except, well…I won’t ruin that scene for you.

It’s a great setup for the scare though, and display of what these actors can bring to the table. There are scares less predictable, coming from unexpected places, and scaring groups from every angle to make sure each person gets their moneys worth.

The finale in Abandoned Jail was quite good with the ghillie monster providing an unexpected jump scare, and the following chase out of the exit. This is preceded by the actormatronic rat that emits a really great roar, a fog swamp, and a snake that sprays water as you pass.

Finale scenes should either be big and loud and scary, or very memorable. Ideally both, but Demon’s Den certainly went for the latter. The finale is a bathroom scene and certainly a tribute to the old “poopsicle” finale that used to be here. It’s not all that scary, but it’s definitely lodged into my memories, whether I like it or not. Go find out for yourself, you’ll leave a different person!

Is it worth the money? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Buying tickets is easy, as it can be done online from the comfort of your own home or in person at the box office. Guests should note that purchasing tickets on-site is a cash-only transaction, but there is an ATM available. You can choose from a $20 ticket for just the hayride, a $40 combo ticket, which will gain you entrance to all three attractions, or a $65 express ticket, which will get you to the front of the line for all three attractions. There is also the VIP fire lounge available for $75 per person. Each person receives an express ticket, as well as access to a private lounge area with your own fire pit. This also comes with a personal tour guide during your stay, and is a great option for groups.

My count for time inside the attractions comes to 30 minutes, and with a $40 combo ticket, this gives us 0.75 boos per buck. This calculation alone does not factor in the beautiful sets, the dedicated staff, or the laughs and frights you’ll have inside. $40 is a great price for this experience and one you won’t regret.

Around the common areas and queue lines, there are photo opportunities, a roaring fire by which to eat a Demon Dog, and watch the entertainment on the big screen. There are also queue actors wandering the grounds, providing scares, and posing for selfies. For an additional $5 there is a basketball sort of carnival game called Skeleball, and, of course, yours truly had to play, given the similarity in name alone. Skelemini spotted a stuffed bat? Bunny? Stuffed something on offer as a prize. Naturally, she’s gotta have it, so I played and I won! Guests can also stop by the merch booth to purchase their mugshots from Abandoned Jail, or to purchase souvenirs of the usual variety.

I can’t wait to see what Demon Acres comes up with in the future, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit. This is easily one of the best haunts in the Central New York area, and a great place to have some spooky fun.