Haunted Overload Review (2026)

We arrived during daylight, and Haunted Overload was extremely easy to find thanks to the giant signs marking the entrance. Parking was also free – a great way to begin our visit!

A roaming actor entertained guests near the first waiting area, which ran alongside pens containing chickens and horses. This is a farm, after all! Once we reached the wooded pre-haunt queue trail, we found plenty of displays to pose with and even a few actors hiding among the chaos. Honestly, this portion already felt like part of the haunt, just at a more relaxed pace that let us stop, look around, and take pictures.

Every staff member we encountered was friendly and happy to answer our questions, especially Wallace and the Tooth Fairy! The entire property appeared exceptionally well cared for, and the trail was surprisingly easy to navigate. We didn’t encounter exposed roots, mud, or other typical woodland obstacles during our visit.

Plenty of portable restrooms were available near the entrance, along with a large seating area where guests could relax, grab something to eat, and prepare for the madness ahead.

Groups were sent into the haunt rather quickly with little spacing between them. Guests should be prepared for the possibility of catching the group ahead – or having the group behind catch up to them.

Stepping into Haunted Overload’s queue felt like crossing into another world. Massive structures loomed around us while roaming creatures slipped between the displays, building tension as we wondered when the next scare would strike. With our attention constantly drawn upward, the monsters had plenty of opportunities to catch us looking the wrong way! The enormous creations didn’t stop at the entrance; they remained a defining feature throughout the trail.

Each section created its own distinct world, from the vampires to the Dollhouse, yet the scenes transitioned cohesively without feeling misplaced or abruptly changing themes. Aside from a few minor hiccups, the atmosphere kept us fully engaged and immersed from beginning to end.

Even the exit felt thoughtfully designed. Rather than abruptly dumping us back into reality, the trail flowed into an area with photo booths on one side, a gift shop on the other, and characters roaming between them. It gave us time to wind down, grab a few final pictures, and process the massive experience we had just survived before returning to the real world.

Holy sounds! Haunted Overload showcased some of the best outdoor sound design we have encountered yet. Rumbling bass vibrated beneath our feet, while realistic ambient noises, such as birds suddenly fleeing the area, made the surrounding forest feel alive. We could have closed our eyes and still believed the woods were alive with creatures! We cannot praise the audio work enough!

Then there were the structures, the largest we have seen at any haunted attraction! Their colossal pumpkin stretched 50 feet to the top of its stem, and effective lighting illuminated many of the towering creatures and surrounding treetops. The entire trail radiated Halloween and fall vibes. If you love this season, add Haunted Overload to your bucket list right now. No, seriously – log into The Scare Factor and add it!

Overload is known for its massive, custom-built monsters, but photos and videos simply cannot capture their true scale. We kept rounding corners, looking up, and gasping at the beautifully spooky sights looming over us, lit by carefully placed lighting and fog. However, a few structures we especially looked forward to seeing, including the Komodo dragon and giant mansion, were either minimally lit or unlit during our walkthrough, making them hard to fully appreciate after dark.

Haunted Overload followed a traditional, old-school approach without relying on animatronics. Instead, the path was filled with authentic decor, dolls, seasonal displays, hand-carved, real pumpkins that were regularly replaced, and lots, we mean lots, of realistic props and mannequins. So many humanlike figures surrounded us that we constantly questioned which ones were real.

Some structures appeared mostly black and sparsely detailed inside, while others contained much more to explore. The remains of the mansion were especially elaborate, demonstrating just how immersive these enormous creations could become when their interiors received the same level of attention as their towering exteriors.

Some characters were hard to spot in the crowd, but the queue-line cast delivered several of the night’s strongest performances. A cannibal outside an extremely bloody house dragged around the corpse of his latest victim, while a creeper in the lumber mill sat as motionless as the many statues surrounding him before making our entire group jump! A chainsaw-wielding madman also tore past us without warning, capturing several more scares along the way. These performers proved that the queue wasn’t simply a place to wait; it was already part of the show!

Right after the ticket booth, two hillbilly siblings were there: one played a banjo made from a skeleton with a dancing rat on a washboard, while his sister quietly judged everyone who stopped to look. After that, a Skunk Ape, Sasquatch, and a Yeti were all friendly and gave one of us hugs. They all had their own language and were very interactive with us.

Once inside the main haunted trail, Count Dracula was outside the vampire lair, waiting to greet us and reminding us he was the “Prince of darkness”; he felt very nostalgic and was almost a comfort character for us growing up. A knight in shining armor also proved they weren’t as fake as we initially thought!

The costuming varied; some had more distressed, detailed full getups, while others were more basic. Some of them blended in with their surroundings extremely well. They used a mix of masks and makeup. The clowns were very colorful, and they all looked different! One of the standout looks of the night was the giant bee! They had a half-human, half-bee face, and whoever did this design did an amazing job! We had to do a double-take! The dolls also acted and looked just as eerie and haunted as their counterparts.

However, a few moments took us out of the experience. We want to be transparent that we filmed during our walkthrough using a light we had permission to use. We understand that the light may have distracted some performers, but a few broke character during our single trip through the live show. Most notably, one carrying a lantern looked directly at us and gave us the middle finger. Regardless of how they felt about the light, that response was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. This behavior pulled our attention away from the haunt and noticeably detracted from our experience.

Waiting in line at Haunted Overload was unlike anything we had experienced before; we may have been startled more in the queue than inside the actual haunt! The creatures hiding among the displays were exceptionally good at their game. A zombie standing perfectly still inside the sawmill took the cake by fooling us and scaring us not once, but twice!

Throughout the haunt, we encountered several effective hiding spots. The enormous structures naturally drew our attention upward, giving actors excellent opportunities to strike while we were distracted. Their darker interiors also produced plenty of shadows where creatures could disappear until the perfect moment.

However, some actors remained visible and made little attempt to scare us when their surroundings offered strong opportunities. The laser-fog area, for example, could effectively conceal something beneath the glowing surface, while other sections contained thick fog that left us anticipating a monster that never attacked. Using these effects for more carefully timed scares would make them considerably more impactful.

The attraction’s greatest strength was the constant guessing game of what was real. With realistic figures positioned everywhere, we studied them repeatedly, waited for movement, and still occasionally chose wrong. That uncertainty kept us wary even during quieter stretches.

Delivering relentless fear didn’t appear to be Haunted Overload’s primary goal during our visit, and that’s okay. Its breathtaking structures, Halloween atmosphere, and more approachable scare level let it appeal to a wide range of guests. When the actors did attack, they spread their attention throughout the group by targeting both the front and back instead of repeatedly focusing on one person.

A chainsaw-wielding clown closed out the trail with one last burst of chaos. We’re telling you: never trust the clowns! Shout-out to the dolls, scarecrows, and witches, too; they were all creepy!

When looking strictly at the time spent inside the live haunted trail – not the queue or other entertainment – we received 0.46 minutes of haunt time per dollar spent, which fell below our preferred average of 1 that we see most often. However, the elaborate pre-haunt queue took nearly as long to explore as the haunt itself, if not longer, adding substantial themed entertainment that isn’t reflected in that calculation alone.

Haunted Overload offers several ways to experience the trail at different scare levels. The $16 Day Haunt has no actors, letting guests explore the incredible sets in sunlight, take plenty of pictures, and appreciate the artistry from a completely different perspective. Oh, and you can take your time too!

Then there is Fright Nite Lite ($28), which has no actors, but includes all the effects, from the fog machines to the immersive sound. You get to see all the amazing sets and lights without the fear. Then there’s the Main Haunt ($40), which includes all the scares and effects to really get your blood pumping, just for the vampires to take it away.

They use timed ticketing, which is great if you want to plan your night. As noted above, they sell out, so grab your tickets in advance!

For anyone who loves an unforgettable Halloween experience, Haunted Overload is a must-see attraction and a worthy addition to your haunt bucket list!