It’s a balmy mid-September evening. A half moon is on the rise, shining bright amidst a thin layer of clouds. Gravel crunches below our feet as we make our way through what appears to be a carnival or fair of sorts. Scents of wood smoke from fire pits, along with cooking fair foods to make our mouths water, reach our noses. Groups of laughing, happy patrons mill about around us.

Then we hear it: a burst of screams from afar. Suddenly, a gaggle of teenagers takes off mere feet away from us – pursued swiftly by a man wearing a glove made of blades, straight out of our worst nightmares. More scary faces leer from banners hanging beside entrances to places no doubt full of mysteries and danger. We know we’ll have to enter them all eventually, and we can’t help but wonder what terrible things may be waiting when we do…

You see, what we’ve just waltzed right into isn’t a carnival at all – it’s a SCREAM park. More specifically, Indy Scream Park tucked off the beaten path in the city of Anderson, Indiana.

One of the larger haunted attractions in the state, 2024 kicks off the 14th year of operation for Indy Scream Park. With five different themed haunts (plus an add-on available) and a massive midway filled with roaming monsters, games, a selection of food and drink for purchase- and much more- this place truly is a scream park in every sense of the term. Were we able to conquer all five haunts and escape this perilous park alive? Read on to find out…

Before we even had a chance to explore this scream park, we found ourselves being approached by the creepy creatures roaming the Monster Midway! A clan of clowns – like purple-haired, personable Bonzo – along with a variety of horror slashers and other monsters were constantly on the prowl. Highly interactive with both patrons and each other, we witnessed some great scares and hilarious interactions while we ate and hung out.

(One of the funnier moments: a member of our party informed Jason Voorhees, “he’s talking sh*t about you,” and indicated Freddy Krueger, who was nearby. Jason stalked right over to confront him and flipped his hat off his head with his machete!)

Several nightmarish beings birthed by the Nightmare Factory – or possibly, former factory workers transformed by its darkness- menaced and taunted us throughout the attraction. Bloody-faced, mutated characters made brief appearances from their concealed hiding spots with insane cackles, yells, and screams to elicit reactions and threats to shock us or tear us up with the weapons they wielded! Several more lurked like a pack of waiting wolves in a maze of strobes and walls. At the sight of our fear and hesitation, further mockery ensued. “What’s the matter?! Don’t you want to stay with us?” they sneered wickedly. Heck no, we didn’t! We couldn’t flee from this pitch black factory of frights fast enough.

Speaking of the factory theme, it would have been nice to hear it referenced in some of the characters’ dialogue and may have also helped customers to make sense of who or what, exactly, that character behind the drop panel was supposed to be. The house relied a bit more on special effects and animatronics more than live actors and could have used a small bump in cast size.

A whole crew of crazy clowns were scattered all over the freakish funhouse of Killgore’s! Many taunted us as we went through, while others only let out sharp, piercing cackles and evil giggles that left us wondering what tricks they had in store. Remember: you should NEVER trust a clown! One sneered in warning, “The rats are coming! They’re gonna EAT you!” Rats… in the circus? Yikes. “We’re gonna get youuuuu!” another trilled. Others invited us to play games with them, though we had a feeling the clowns would be the only ones having a good time. We also enjoyed the performance of the clown operating a carnival game and inviting our whole group to step right up and have some fun… the only requirement to play was just one soul!

Most of the dialogue we heard was limited to the aforementioned laughter and taunts – adding a little more variety would make the house feel more believable. This was another house that could have used a little bump in cast size, though the clowns were spread out well.

Upon entering the prison, any hope we may have had at the sight of the security guards was quickly dashed: the inmates had overrun the facility, and once we were locked up, we officially belonged to them. They numbered many and were loud, constantly in our faces, and very interactive – even moreso with us since we upgraded to the optional glow necklaces to enable direct interaction and light contact. Right off the bat, a group member got pulled into a stall and shouted down by a prisoner wanting to know what he was in for. Other group members were pulled into cells or small rooms for one-on-one encounters with the inmates. At one point, most- if not all- of our gang were trapped in a room with two of them, where we were ordered to get into body bags! They were adept at working together to split up and misdirect groups, too. A character who appeared to be one of the guards was frantically running about behind glass windows and calling for assistance. Several prisoners did well with portraying their characters; we overheard two talking about a stolen meal and commissary, while another accused a group member of being a “rat.” Uh oh! A couple tried to task us with helping them escape the prison’s walls… and they weren’t too happy when we couldn’t tell them how. We were lucky enough to break out ourselves!

Some interactions didn’t seem to match the theme of the house. This wasn’t an asylum, and while they were fun, the sillier moments- like those that involved music and dancing- seemed out of place. We also saw a bloody-faced character peering at us from a window who only let out a random scream and nothing more.

The hillbillies and rowdy rednecks who inhabited the Backwoods sure didn’t want the likes of us around… and they were quick to let us know it! Most were mean and aggressive, and the few “friendly” ones seemed to be putting on an act so we’d submit to whatever horrible fate they had in store. Some appeared to be afflicted by a nasty infection with bloody, wounded faces – maybe the zombies elsewhere in the park got to them? The growls and snarls we were hearing certainly had us wondering. A mechanic scored a nice double tap scare when we were distracted by a special effect; he mentioned that he had something needing fixing, but we weren’t going to stick around and find out what it was! Another young lady was happy to show us her collection of furs. Ah, but she happened to be missing one… maybe one of us would be willing to fill that space? We enjoyed a little comic relief from Granny, who was sitting outside with her walker and felt a need to inform us that she “missed the pot.” Did she ever – what a mess! There was another funny gross-out moment from a male actor who was insistent on one of us coming over to “scrub his back.” Ewww! Needless to say, we left him to handle that on his own.

One of the best scenes we came across was a room where a female victim was chained up and screaming for help. She was one of the more convincing actors we came across, as was her male captor, who was nothing short of scary as hell. We definitely didn’t want to be next!

Backwoods’ cast size was good for the length of the trail, but we still walked through a fair amount of dead space. We heard a little too much of “What are you doing in my (blank)” when it came to dialogue. When we attempted to interact with a few characters, they seemed unsure of what to do and just watched as we left. There was a young girl in street clothes standing in the corner in the final indoor scene, a violent one where more victims were being assaulted by angry, bloodthirsty rednecks. She was singing a nursery rhyme and peeking over at us. We weren’t sure if that was an actor or another customer who had been ordered to do so.

In Zombieland: Unchained, Unchained is right: this junkyard was completely infested with the infected! Zombies were everywhere, along with human survivors who had obviously lost their sanity- and maybe their humanity- long ago. Were they really trying to help us get out alive, or leading us into their own twisted traps? Zombieland was another haunt where you could opt for light touch and interaction and our whole party was in. Our group was split up multiple times, given buzz cuts, had eyebrows shaved off, checked for gold teeth, and even had our heads cut open to check for brains! Lurking zombies frequently attacked and clawed at us, and we had a whole horde surround us when we were trying to cross a bridge. Most of them let out killer growls, screeches, and snarls. The chainsaw crew near the finale was absolutely brutal and had great synergy when it came to trapping and misdirecting guests. We saw multiple groups running about like chickens with their heads cut off, and all of us came spilling out in a mix of pairs and singles. It was insane!

A few of the interactions didn’t make a lot of sense compared to the zombie apocalypse theme. Why did the survivors want our hair? What was up with the puzzle where we had to pull ropes to try to get out? We understood these were people we probably shouldn’t be trusting- like maybe we had to fear the humans more than the zombies- but tweaking their dialogue would make the experience feel more believable. It often felt like we were being ordered to do this or that for the heck of it.

Although we opted not to score this attraction due to it being an add-on, we decided to get revenge against the zombies by hitching a ride on Zombie Paintball Assault! It involved boarding a bus and shooting at live zombie actors with paintballs. There were quite a few of them, and they staggered, crawled, and reanimated while our group tried to fend them off; the actor wearing a UV-reactive glowing green mask was particularly convincing. The crew members running the ride and playing the role of survivors were fun, too. We did wish the zombies could’ve gotten closer to make the experience feel more intense, but that may not have been possible due to the range of the guns. Regardless, anyone whose job is to get shot with paintballs all night deserves some love – so here it is.

We began our evening at the Monster Midway, which featured some of the most impressive and convincing costumes of the night. Each disguise was meticulously crafted, capturing the essence of the characters they represented. Classic movie monsters like Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and the Creeper roamed the grounds, often engaging in dramatic confrontations with one another. Highlights of the night included a variety of clowns, a straight-jacketed creature, a zombie soldier, and an eerie doll that managed to frighten several members of our group more than once.

Upon entering the haunts, we observed a noticeable decline in the overall quality of the costumes. While most of the actors’ attire was appropriate for their respective scenes, there was a lack of variety, with similar outfits frequently appearing across multiple haunts with comparable themes. Some exceptions to this rule were the three indoor haunts we will discuss later in this review.

Backwoods and Zombieland Unchained are the two largest attractions at the park, both located outdoors. Most of the inhabitants sported bloody overalls, worn and torn flannels, and a variety of simple but effective makeup. Zombieland was the only haunt we observed that had actors with street clothes on, which aligns well with its theme. Backwoods could use a bit more light throughout parts of the trail, as most of our encounters were initiated with sound, making it hard to determine what our potential threats were wearing.

Nightmare Factory: Blackout featured some of the most rapid and intense encounters, with interactions often limited to brief flashes of light behind plexiglass windows. Most of the characters portrayed meltdown victims, dressed in aprons or uniforms, complemented by simple yet bloody makeup. A few unique characters added variety; many performers wielded weapons, and a few had welding helmets on their heads, enhancing the overall experience.

Killgore’s 3D Circus offered a much darker and more sinister experience compared to other clown-themed haunts we’ve encountered. Although there were moments of vibrant neon face paint and exaggerated costumes, the majority of interactions featured actors in stark black and white makeup, perfectly complementing the eerie atmosphere. Some performers took their camouflage to the next level, wearing suits that seamlessly blended into the surroundings, such as a patterned morph suit and a hallway filled with glowing masks that suddenly came alive as we passed by.

The Lockdown attraction was designed with a prison riot theme, featuring costumes that primarily depicted blood-soaked prisoners in jumpsuits, some with questionable stains. Although this aligns well with the haunt’s overall atmosphere, we believe incorporating a wider variety of characters would enhance the experience. Adding elements such as makeshift shanks for the prisoners and including a few prison guard victims would provide an extra layer of realism and diversity to the haunt.

Finding ISP was a breeze; our GPS led us straight to the entrance. They do charge for parking – $8 for standard and $12 for preferred (cash or card). Friendly parking attendants were on hand to help us find a good spot for our large truck, which we really appreciated.

Navigating the premises was straightforward – just follow the string lights! Entrances and side experiences were clearly marked with signs or lighted banners, and there’s a park legend near the front entrance to guide you.

Friendly staff greeted us the moment we arrived, easily identifiable in their red ISP shirts. They were always easy to spot if we had questions, and many had radios to get answers quickly. Before we could purchase tickets, armed security conducted a check to ensure we weren’t carrying any weapons or explosives, as these are strictly prohibited inside. A major bonus: the park has indoor restrooms, maintained and stocked by friendly attendants all night! As we exited, the staff noticed one of us had lost a VIP pass. Without hesitation, they provided a replacement on the spot – a thoughtful touch to end the night.

Parts of the park are wheelchair accessible, though the gravel terrain can be uneven. We did notice a few extra accommodations, like ramps to certain attractions and seating areas. While most indoor flooring was level with some ramps and effects, the gravel paths can be tricky in spots, especially in the darker areas of the Backwoods. Be sure to tread carefully; you don’t want to make for an easier catch – make those hillbillies work for their food!

Before our arrival, we quickly found all the information we needed for our visit. The website offers quick access to ticket options, dates, FAQs, videos, and more!

We were immediately immersed in a carnival-like atmosphere as we approached the ticket booth and entrance. A giant crazed clown was hovering on the sign above the entrance. Once inside, we could already smell the funnel cakes, french fries, and caramel apples. The only problem we noticed quickly was that the midway, full of games and yummy treats, had been invaded by various crazy clowns, zombies, an unforgettable china doll, and other creatures curious about why we were there. We were immediately ripped from our world into theirs. The different ways they interacted with us made us feel like part of the story. And we hadn’t even been to the actual haunts yet!

Inside Blackout, the darkness enveloped us, leaving only a rope on the wall to guide us. But even that rope disappears, leaving us to feel for the walls around us. The occasional stumble forward into a door added to the disorientation. Flashes of bright lights further confused us, making it impossible to anticipate what was coming next. An actor or animatronics would appear in those brief moments of light, adding to the fear. Blackout takes your fear of the dark and the unknown and will use it against you at every turn and every corner.

Once we entered the circus tent, a laser tunnel was a portal into Killgore’s 3D Circus. Immediately, we were engulfed in a whirlwind of confusion and chaos. The halls twisted and turned, with psychotic clowns airbrushed on them. The 3D glasses added to the disorientation and immersion, making the clowns seem to jump out at us. The constant sound of circus music and clowns cackling and screaming from a distance was all that we could hear. Around every corner, there was another clown ready to play with us. They made us feel like we were at a circus gone wrong. That feeling was confirmed when Honkers attacked! You must watch out for Honkers! The bright, fun colors, painted barrels and boxes, and special touches made the experience more authentic. Many rooms disoriented us to where we could not tell what was real and what was not.

The plucking of banjos and screams and howls could be heard approaching the entrance to The Backwoods. We could see long lines of rope twisting down the path back and forth for the anticipated lines. That visual took away from feeling like we were walking into the middle of the woods in the middle of nowhere. For immersion purposes, you may want to run them differently or disguise them, if possible. However, the darkness surrounded us once we started following the dim lights on the trees. We then felt like we were in the backwoods, and we could hear the echoing hillbillies waiting for us.

Each scene was distressed and looked as if it had been through generations of backwoods hillbillies, which helped immerse us into the woods. The inhabitants of these shacks had what appeared to be boils and cuts on them. And the sores were infected. That, we assume, is why they were so angry and insisted on wanting to kill us. Luckily, we made it out alive and were spat back into the midway!

As we approached the prison, we could tell something had gone wrong. Sirens were going, and a searchlight illuminated the waiting area. Once we entered through the steel bars, we were one of them. Nothing was between us and the loose inmates that had ransacked this prison that was once a fortress they had made into their playground. We were jerked in and out of cells and made to do various strange things, all for the inmate’s amusement. Dancing, being put in the boiler, and even lying in smelly body bags! The corrections officer behind the glass called for help, which made the situation seem dire. If she is scared, we definitely should be! You may even get an unexpected haircut. All of this and more made for a realistic experience that kept the storyline mostly going throughout.

In Zombieland Unchained, we were hurled into a maze of apocalyptic damage and some brain-hungry zombies. We were taken through a few buildings where the zombies had taken over. The buildings appeared to be damaged and very run down. The walls were mainly metal siding or pallets, which helped give the end-of-the-world vibe. More zombies and interactions would have made us feel more in danger, immersing us in the experience more, but for the most part, we didn’t see much here that took us out of the experience.

The exit of each attraction conveniently brings guests back to the midway. However, walking back and forth through all those roped lines where nothing was going on was barren and tiring after a while. We’re unsure if additional entertainment can be added to the lines, but they took away from the immersion.

Nightmare Factory featured some impressive special effects. We cautiously felt our way along in the pitch black, and the haunt used this darkness to their advantage – coupling bright white lights with fast effects to dial up the intensity. At one point, we entered a dark chamber, only to be met with the raucous crackling of a huge Tesla coil that was sending streams of arcing electricity at us. The haunt makes extensive use of drop panel effects; a panel in the wall drops to reveal an actor reaching for you or a bright scene revealing a new horror. Other effects include a floor that suddenly dropped, which left us scrambling, and air cannons that made us jump.

Clowns and 3D effects drenched in neon are the theme at Killgore’s 3D Circus. Masks that look like they’re extending from the wall close you in, and actors that appear in swirling colors can be found throughout. Other effects include the above-mentioned actors that blend seamlessly into the checkerboard – we only realized they were closing in once it was too late to escape. As our group rounded a corner, we were met with a massive clown emerging from the wall, which also had a great effect. The haunt makes excellent use of their 3D effects, and building the haunt around them has paid off.

Lockdown incorporated elements throughout to create a cohesive theme around a prison riot. Drop panel scares were also included here, which worked well in the scenes. The prisoners even grabbed us and loaded us into bags to make it clear they were the ones in charge. The lighting throughout the haunt also made it feel oppressive and industrial, exactly how we’d imagine a real prison would feel.

Backwoods is a trail-style haunt and, as mentioned, is purely outdoors. We stumbled into a mechanics shop and instantly regretted it – we were suddenly met with the loud honking and bright lights of a car, which gave the perfect cover for an actor rushing from our flank to confront us. Throughout the trail, they used low lighting to conceal the actors, which made it difficult at times for us to see the scenes in all their glory, but provided plenty of opportunities for them to get a good jump scare on us!

Zombieland Unchained hit the ground running, with one of the first scenes being an unfortunate woman being shredded by a piece of machinery more suited to shred cars than people. Later, when we encountered a zombie reaching up from a crashed car to grab us, it was all we could do: flee as fast as we could. The haunt did an excellent job of using the equipment and cars that would be found in a junkyard to make these scenes realistic and horrific for us. While we felt like we were in a real, apocalyptic zone, we’d like to see more animated effects mixed into this one.

If you plan on visiting Indy Scream Park, be warned of what lies inside; a distinct breed of scary resides in the shadows. ISP specializes in keeping customers on their toes, and you can never anticipate when and where the next scare might come from. Upon entering, we were welcomed by a diverse cast of authentic and persistently engaging actors we refer to as “Roamers.” The overly friendly yet, at the same time, offputting cast will make you feel right at home. Certain characters, like classic Hollywood slashers, are somewhat silent, but the original clowns and the baby doll character sure have some mouths on them! Not to mention, personal space doesn’t exist for these creeps! They will hover behind you, as close as possible, when you least expect it!

Nightmare Factory Blackout is one of Indy Scream Park’s lead producers of industrial-grade fear. For a factory, they have an interesting selection of scares. Blackout utilizes pure, pitch-black darkness to create an atmosphere where all your other senses are heightened. They then proceed to assault those senses to their advantage. Sound and motion play a big part in making Blackout scary. From the flashes of gore from dropdown panels and the electrodes that emit from a massive Tesla coil, these were the only glimpses of light used to engrain some disturbing images. Everyone enjoyed multiple scares, especially from the walls being covered in moss and floors dropping down right under our feet! The tour of the Factory concluded with us being chased out by disgruntled undead industrial workers who seemed to disappear in the strobe and try to shock us with cattle prods.

Killgore’s 3D Circus is the Big Top from your nightmares. Killer clowns run wild, and they’re definitely not mild! The 3D Circus plunges you into a neon hell that will overstimulate you with sounds and lights. This devilish fun house uses the help of 3D glasses that intensify the colors and lights. Clowns will pop out of every angle and berate you with fiendish laughter and psychotic displays of circus acts! Just pray they don’t make you meet Honkers! Light-up masks fill a room that will keep you wondering which of them might have a face beneath. Fog and mirrors will throw you off, so make sure you know which way to go, or you could be stuck there forever. Some of the clown props and animatronics do a great job of making you feel a part of this unhinged circus. The surprise at the end will surely have you slithering away as fast as possible!

From the prison sirens and barbed wire to the spotlight on the watchtower, we knew Lockdown wouldn’t be easy. The unhinged jailhouse of terror is filled with psychopathic inmates and even worse conditions! We were surprised around every corner as we narrowly escaped being locked into several jail cells by prisoners. They stalked and sporadically screamed as they tormented us from every direction. For those brave enough to wear the glowing necklaces, expect some special treatment inside the facility. You might even end up in a body bag or be put to work cleaning a toilet or maybe even repairing a boiler! As we went through the prison to the shipping area, we became victims of the saw, so be quick, or you might have a little taken off the top.

Beyond the trees lurks a generational evil that’s existed for as long as the forest itself. This evil has its roots in the land and if you’re not careful it’ll sink its roots into YOU. Backwoods trail is a dark and startling dive into a country family’s redneck property. These are a very special breed of Hell-billies that will take every opportunity to let you know that you are on their land, and they don’t take too kindly to that. You’ll encounter several different Hell-billies like Grandma and her walker, just make sure to avoid touching any of the furs in the shed! The darkness allows them to stalk you from behind without you noticing, and their weapons create the most intimidating effect. Two at the end were particularly menacing wielding chainsaws that started almost instantly without warning, so be prepared to run!

The final and most exciting tour de fear we experienced at Indy Scream Park is Zombieland Unchained. The Undead have risen from the grave and they have wreaked havoc on the living and what remains is a nightmarish post-apocalyptic wasteland where there is only one thing left to do: survive. The zombies aren’t even the only ones you need to worry about; the survivors are just as terrifying. If you’re brave enough to don a glow necklace you’ll be subjected to isolation and exclusive “grooming” by some of the savage survivors! You won’t know where to hide because nowhere is safe. As we got closer to the end, we could hear the sound of chainsaws, but we had no clue what was in store. They have devised an elaborate maze that will have the most skilled and quick thinking they gave ‘em the slip, just to turn around and be face to face with chainsaw psychos ready to cut anyone into a million pieces!

Ticket prices for Indy Scream Park can vary depending on the day you visit. It’s best to purchase tickets online as soon as you know when you’re going to lock those prices down, as they may change! Also, remember that all tickets are $6 more at the box office, so you can save money by purchasing online. During our visit, general admission was advertised at $39.95 at the ticket window (on a Friday night in early September). The park also offers VIP Fast Pass options (one VIP Fast Pass per attraction) and a Super VIP Fast Pass (Unlimited no-wait access + tour guide + gift shop coupon). In addition, when purchasing tickets to the park now, you’ll get all-night access to each attraction in the general admission lines!

You can choose from a range of separate admission tickets for Zombie Paintball Assault, depending on how much frustration you need to unleash on those zombies and their surroundings! We recommend tackling Zombieland first, then heading to paintball – trust us; you’ll want your shot at revenge! In addition, they also offer parking passes online or pizza add-ons.

During our visit, it took us approximately 38 ½ minutes to complete the haunted attractions (not including any wait times). This will vary per group. In Zombieland, one of our group members was spat out in just 7 minutes, while the rest of us were there for about 10 minutes. This was also timed with us opting for the interactive necklaces. The general admission price that night brings the MPD (minutes of entertainment received per dollar spent) to 0.96. While this is on the lower side, the midway entertainment added a lot of value to the overall experience.

Every admission includes free-roaming access to the Monster Midway. We guarantee you’ll encounter a monster – or two, or eight – while you explore! There are plenty of photo ops, several bonfires, music, and covered picnic tables where you can rest your feet for a bit – a welcome break from all that gravel in the park!

For an extra fee, you can test your skills at a few carnival games, indulge in fair foods (as we did), grab a hot or cold drink at multiple stations, or even find some liquid courage at Bonzo’s Beer Garden! They also had Hell’s Hatchet Throwing and a Caricatures booth!

As mentioned above, there is an additional parking fee – which is pretty standard for most large scream parks and amusement parks nowadays.

Prices have increased since last season, and guests can go through an unlimited amount of times with general admission, which helps account for the price increase. The lines get very long the closer it gets to Halloween, so be sure you arrive when the park opens for the best experience.

Keep in mind that cash and cards are accepted only at the parking booth, box office, and customer service desk in the Monster Midway. Everywhere else in the park is cashless, accepting only credit, debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. If you need to use cash, the customer service desk offers a “cash-to-card” service, allowing you to convert cash into a payment card usable throughout the park.

Indy Scream Park is open on various dates throughout October. To dodge larger crowds, consider visiting on a weekday. While each haunt is on the shorter side, they pack a wide variety into one location, complete with some fantastic midway entertainers. If you’re looking for a whole night of fright, gather your friends – you won’t want to brave this one alone!

Times:
Nightmare Factory: 4.5 mins
Killgore’s 3D Circus: 4 mins
Lockdown: 7 mins
Backwoods: 13 mins
Zombieland: Unchained: 10 average between all of us (time will vary due to maze/interaction)
Total: 38.5