This year, seeking something new, we visited Duda’s Haunted Farm in its fourth season. With no idea what awaited us, we were pleasantly surprised by its well-designed maze – a place you could easily get lost in for over an hour. Unlike a typical corn maze, this one has themed scenes and unexpected surprises throughout. Actors roam the fields, adding excitement as they try to trap you inside for eternity.
The cast of the maze excelled at engaging our group throughout our visit. Before we even entered, a church follower greeted us, asked to join, walked with us for a bit, and vanished without a sound after an intriguing introduction. Once inside the cornfield, another cast member darted around, repeatedly and convincingly whispering threats about skinning us, dismembering us, and scattering our bodies throughout the fields, adding to the enjoyment of the chilling experience.
Further along, we faced a chainsaw-wielding maniac whose unsettling laughter heightened the fear factor. Later, a female clown convinced us to split up and circled us around the maze, adding hilarity to the experience. We all agreed she was the standout performer and most memorable cast member of the night.
Overall, the wide variety of interactive cast members enhanced the experience. However, we did notice three actors clustered together in one area; distributing them more evenly could fill some of the maze’s empty spaces.
Costuming was easily the weakest aspect of this attraction. Better quality costumes would have certainly improved our overall impression. For instance, the church follower character wore a red robe, an upside-down cross necklace, and coordinating makeup, including a cross painted on his forehead. If the costume had been made to look more worn, it would have been more effective. As it was, it appeared too pristine.
Both clowns had fitting costumes for their scenes; one stood out with a spinning board game, which was unique and fun. The Bunny’s costume was the best; the distressed, creepy mask was very effective, even if its presence in the cornfield was odd. Throughout the entire attraction, we observed a mix of masks and makeup. This is excellent because it makes it easy to tell the characters apart, adding to the experience. We love the diverse approach Dudas implemented.
We noticed some characters whose costumes seemed incomplete because they were just wearing black shirts. With some distressing or the addition of blood and dirt, even these basic costumes could have appeared much more convincing.
This attraction is easy to find – just enter it in the GPS and you’ll be guided straight to a large Dudas Farm sign. Parking is self-serve, but effortless, with no staff needed. As soon as you exit your vehicle, you’ll see a well-lit sign for the ticket booth.
Staff were very welcoming and professional, genuinely engaging with guests and checking in to ensure everyone was having a good evening. The website is user-friendly, making it straightforward to find details on dates, times, and prices. One downside is the immediate appearance of a newsletter signup pop-up, which blocks navigation until it’s closed. This could frustrate visitors unfamiliar with dismissing such windows.
During our time on the corn maze trail, we found it to be mostly safe. However, there were a few places where someone could trip, fall, or roll an ankle, especially since much of the maze wasn’t well-lit and part of it was on a hillside. We advise you to be careful and watch your steps. Overall, aside from these few areas, the path was relatively safe and free of tripping hazards.
As we walked back to the maze line, we encountered a variety of Halloween decorations and a stage adorned with paintings and eye-catching banners, making it clear we were at a haunted attraction. Although this maze didn’t offer a set storyline before our visit, we appreciate attractions that weave in unique themes and narratives.
We didn’t feel fully immersed throughout the attraction because there were stretches with dead space. Placing staff members further apart could have helped keep us engaged. On the positive side, we appreciated that we didn’t see any water bottles, speakers, or fog machines, something that many attractions struggle to hide.
The atmosphere outside the attraction keeps the experience alive, since they have you exit right at the entrance of the maze. We appreciate that they don’t send you directly to the parking lot; instead, you get to enjoy the decorations again, making you want to linger a little longer.
We mostly listened to the speakers from outside the attraction, which complemented the experience. At times, only the sounds of screaming guests broke the silence, enhancing the eerie mood. The trail featured several well-designed small buildings; a highlight we wished was more frequent. The first room housed an animatronic in the corner; however, we felt it would have been more effective if positioned differently. Immediately after leaving this room, we entered a graveyard area with a handful of tombstones and a gated maze entrance.
The spider room made the biggest impression on us. The impressive lighting accentuated the webs and spiders on the walls, creating a fantastic atmosphere. We especially appreciated that each scene was hands-on and homemade, rather than just featuring store-bought animatronics. Many of the props were highly realistic and thoughtfully executed.
They used a very effective and authentic prop – a real tractor of theirs, which is now sitting in the cornfield. We were surprised when we saw it.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 7.5
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.25
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 6.67
Throughout the corn maze, the cast members did a great job trying to scare or startle us. They took advantage of the many hiding spots and managed to surprise us several times. Although we believe the experience could be even scarier with more cast members, we still really enjoyed ourselves.
We experienced some genuinely scary moments. One was when the chainsaw maniac suddenly emerged with his saw running, truly startling us. Another intense moment was when the tractor unexpectedly turned on, lights blazing, catching us off guard. The finale included a loud siren that went off, giving us one last big scare.
We loved how all the cast members tried to scare us more than once. Many would follow us or walk right next to us, which made for an unsettling experience. The scariest moment in the maze was the bunny, who kept popping out of the corn to scare us repeatedly. We counted seeing him four times, and each time he managed to startle us. We truly appreciated this cast member’s dedication to keeping us on edge throughout the maze.
Tickets cost $20 on Fridays and $25 on Saturdays. We believe this is a fair price, considering you never know how long you’ll be in the maze. When we tried it, it took us 30 minutes, so our MPD (Minutes Per Dollar) was 1.5. That’s above average for haunted attractions in western Pennsylvania and most of the nation.
In the midway area, the only entertainment we noticed was music in the background, accompanied by some decorations and a fire pit. We also didn’t see any queue actors present in that area.
Sundays at Duda’s feature a special kids’ day when there are no actors, creating a kid-friendly environment. This event is perfect for families, particularly those with young children who might otherwise be frightened. Together, you can enjoy some family fun while exploring one of their maze’s actor-free.
We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to Duda’s and look forward to seeing the updates they’ll make. We also hope there will be enough actors in the future to bring back their hayride. Think you can make it out of the cornfield faster than we did?
157 Creek Road, Brownsville, Pennsylvania 15417
