It was an early September night, and while the leaves hadn’t yet turned, fall was already in the air as we rolled into one of Indiana’s largest scream parks. Carnival lights swayed as red and white hues glared from the distance. Every step on the gravel pulled us deeper into the night’s chaos.
Returning for their 15th year in 2025, Indy Scream Park returns with FIVE distinctly-themed haunted attractions at one sprawling location! New this year is the Neon Nightmare 3D – a “mind-melting, bass-pounding rave” where the only thing dropping isn’t just the beats. Joining it are fan favorites, including Lockdown, Backwoods, Zombieland: Unchained, and Nightmare Factory: Blackout.
When you need a breather, the Monster Midway, Bonzo’s Beer Garden, and the Zombie Paintball Assault deliver plenty of food, games, stress relief from shooting zombies, and hangout spots to keep the fright and fun going all night long!
This time around, we strapped on the glowing bands and dove headfirst into the interactive chaos! No regrets, every extra scare was worth it!
Overall Scores:
Lockdown: 8.14
Nightmare Factory: 7.72
Neon Nightmare 3D: 8.07
Backwoods: 7.23
Zombieland: Unchained: 7.98
Lockdown: “New inmates!” a gruff male voice bellowed the moment we entered the prison’s intake room. Uh oh – it looked like the only thing we were being sentenced to was our doom! A strong population of inmates had taken over the prison, and since we had the glow necklaces for a more personalized experience, they were all too happy to have fresh victims to play with. Dialogue and interactions were mixed; some actors asked pertinent questions like what we were in for, while others wanted us to dance with them or visit “Mother” (“Mother” being little more than photos on a wall). One character was in the security station, frantically beating on the glass (we believe this may have been one of the extremely few non-inmate characters in the house).
Glow necklace interactions included members of our party being taken away and interrogated in cells, burned alive in the boiler (!), or placed into body bags! We were also threatened and mocked constantly. Adding more prison staff would help the experience feel more immersive, as well as tweaking any dialogue and interactions that weren’t quite in keeping with the prison theme.
Nightmare Factory: Blackout: The cast in this blackout haunt was sparse, as it relied heavily on automated scares and special effects. Whenever we were ambushed by one of the Factory’s living nightmares, the interactions tended to be brief and limited to screams, cackles, and taunting from fiendish factory workers and shadowy beings lurking in the darkness. Most were hidden behind drop panels, but the shadows were free-roaming (and pretty sneaky, too!).
Neon Nightmare 3D: This 3D clown rave had just enough actors to keep things poppin’, though we would’ve liked to see a few more. Most appearances consisted of brief pop-outs with laughter and taunting. The actors did use dialogue; it was just hard to make out most of what they were saying due to the volume of the haunt’s audio. (We did catch “This beat’s gonna BLOW your mind!” at one point. Nice!) The DJ clown on stage put on a convincing show, and the more… animated… ravers moved fluidly through their scene to catch us unaware. A pair of clowns up above did a great job of working in tandem to torment and scare us.
Backwoods: Several rowdy rednecks were waiting for us in the holler as we cautiously made our way along the trail. Adding more would help to fill in the gaps between scenes. The grannies lurking within a maze of stained sheets were funny and tried to warn us about what- and who- might be waiting up ahead… but those warnings came a little too late. An actor in the shower requested assistance from a group member with washing her back; when he said he was too busy washing his own, she replied, “Well, you can wash mine next!” A big, intimidating brute menaced a chained-up female victim in another scene while she desperately yanked at her chains and pleaded for help. While we explored his home, an older male character accused us of “flirting with Granny” and made it clear that HE was the only one who gets to do that! There were multiple victims – some were chained up, caged, and being tortured in a shack, while others tried to flee through the woods and were captured right before our eyes.
Sometimes we would be threatened by an actor who could’ve easily followed through with a scare, only for the actor to back off abruptly and end the scene. We also heard our share of “what are you doing in my (blank)?” and actors should do their best to avoid breaking character.
Zombieland: Unchained: Between the ravenous horde and sadistic survivors, we were never sure of what would happen here! Right away, we were treated to the gruesome sight of a screaming victim being turned into ground meat by a giant saw. Yuck! This was another haunt where we donned the glow necklaces to allow for one-on-one interaction – so it came as no surprise when a deranged dentist, speaking with a Russian accent, plunked someone in our party into a chair and attempted to drill “gold” fillings out of his mouth. He wasn’t too pleased when he discovered there weren’t any! More people in our group were captured and forced to complete a puzzle to escape their imprisonment, and the same person who had their mouth drilled was also subjected to being “shaved”. Most of the zombies let out convincing snarls and growls, though one in the maze partially broke character to guide a group member with “this way” (in their defense, they maintained the growly haunt voice). We met many zombies in the haunt’s finale, but were hoping for more chainsaw maniacs, as it’s an intense scene, and we only came across one.
Lockdown: Judging by their torn-up, grimy, bloody jumpsuits and clothes, we could definitely tell these inmates had been doing time for a while! More blood and some gnarly wounds decorated the actors’ arms and faces. At least one inmate carried a prop in the form of hair clippers (and was a little too happy to offer someone in our group a shave!). We would’ve liked to see some additional prison-themed costumes used, like staff and guards.
Nightmare Factory: Blackout: Although encounters with the factory’s living nightmares were brief, we were pleased to see many of them dressed in keeping with the theme of the attraction. There were a lot of what appeared to be welder jumpsuits and masks. Deeper in the house, other characters wore black outfits to blend in with the environment. Makeup use seemed to be light and mostly restricted to blood, probably due to how little time groups would spend around the actors. Props were exclusively meant to scare in here and included tasers and horns.
Neon Nightmare 3D: What a lovely bunch of clowns! (Well, when they weren’t mocking us… and making us scream…) Everyone we came across had good, clean makeup in bright UV-reactive colors. Their costumes also matched the theme: a black base trimmed in colors that popped under the blacklights. Closer to the end of the haunt, we walked through a disorienting rave and were stalked by shadowy figures wearing black. Including masks would add some variety, and the actors in the rave scene could have used more makeup to cover their faces and help them blend in even better.
Backwoods: The amount of detail on each of the hillbillies residing on the trail varied, but we didn’t run into anyone who seemed out of place. We saw lots of bloodied and distressed overalls and street clothes, flannel shirts, and the grannies in their nightgowns and caps, which looked great! Makeup mainly consisted of gore and wounds painted across faces and arms.
Zombieland: Unchained: A full-blown zombie apocalypse was taking place in this junkyard – and everyone involved certainly looked like they’d seen better days! Most zombies wore street clothes and had their faces gored up. Survivors appeared dirty, disheveled, and had wounds on their faces, with some variations here and there. One of the more complete costumes we noticed was that of the dentist, who we met early in our adventure. The zombies could’ve been “fleshed” out with more gore and further distressing of their outfits, and greater variety in the crazed survivors also would have made the experience feel more realistic.
Locating Indy Scream Park was a breeze! Maps kept us on the right track, and signage near the entrance confirmed we’d made it to the right place. Attendants in the parking lot guided us into a good spot, and after the sun went down, they even wore reflective (and lighted) vests to help drivers park or leave the lot more easily. Once we made it inside, the park was extremely simple to navigate overall; all attractions, concessions, restrooms, and even the gift shop were clearly marked. They also have a large map of the entire park near their entrance to assist guests in figuring out where to go.
If you plan on visiting the park, we recommend wearing sturdy walking shoes! Most of the midway and the attractions are set up on gravel, which creates minor concerns about uneven pathways, especially on the dimly lit trails.
Staff all throughout Indy Scream Park were very welcoming to us, professional, and helpful whenever we had questions. However, there was one employee at the entrance to one of the haunts who was rather rude to a few members of our group. Everyone else, though, was fantastic! Shout out specifically to the team who prepared us for the Zombie Paintball Assault attraction; they made it a very fun experience for us all.
Indy Scream Park’s website couldn’t be more informative. Anything you need or just might want to know, you’ll surely find it there. From ticket prices and hours to detailed descriptions of all attractions, an FAQ page, and more! The only suggestion we have for their site is to make the parking price information more apparent.
Even with its wide range of attractions, Indy Scream Park knows how to keep the spooky vibes flowing, whether you’re waiting in line for one of their haunts or just exploring their midway.
Lockdown: As we arrived at the entrance to our first attraction of the night, the tall concrete walls, guard towers, and searchlights before us told us one simple fact: we’d stumbled upon a prison of sorts. And we weren’t sure we wanted to know who was locked up inside. The moment we stepped foot into Lockdown, however, we learned fast; the noise and lights from the outside world disappeared, and darkness surrounded us as crazed prisoners excitedly dubbed us ‘new inmates.’ They themselves had broken free of their cells and started a riot. One inmate in particular invited our entire group inside his cell for a brief dance party (to which he was not impressed with our moves), but somehow even that didn’t break the immersion of the absolute chaos we encountered throughout. Looking up on occasion, we were met with what appeared to be another level of the prison, making it appear much more realistic, especially due to the actors interacting with us from above as well. Our group was made to fit right in with the action, some of us even being forced into freezers and boilers, while others received unwanted haircuts. Last but not least, if you’re looking for a more immersive experience in this attraction, be sure to opt in to wear a glow necklace!
While we did notice a panicked security guard locked in the control room at one point, we do think it would’ve been interesting to see more actors portraying guards, perhaps those who had been tied up or locked inside the cells by the inmates. It could help not only add to the story, but also help guests understand it more as well.
Nightmare Factory: Blackout: The front facade of Nightmare Factory: Blackout resembled that of a power plant, complete with some signage and smokestacks. Unfortunately for us, though, this factory had gone dark, and we hadn’t a clue what awaited us in the unknown. Our group was not given much insight as to what had occurred there, but after venturing further, we started to gather that the “power plant” might’ve just been a facade in itself to produce living nightmares within. Subtle sirens and distant screams didn’t alleviate any tension in the slightest, and we stayed close together to brave the darkness to the best of our ability. Just when we thought we might be safe (or at least alone), there was always something lurking out of view, waiting for just the right moment to make its presence known.
This attraction is definitely a blackout haunt, using said element as its main focus. However, we would like to see more elements added in for when there is a brief light source that makes the place feel more like a factory. Abandoned equipment, hazard signs, broken machinery, etc., would potentially create a more realistic experience for those visiting.
Neon Nightmare 3D: What could go wrong with clowns and raves? As we neared Neon Nightmare 3D next, it grew clear that we’d soon find out. Colorful art jumped out at us from the walls the moment we donned our 3D glasses, and the loud EDM with Earth-shaking bass never lessened even the slightest. And this was just the queue line! This attraction in particular was labeled as more of a “sensory overload” than the others, and let’s just say we can confirm. Inside, everywhere our group looked, there were trippy patterns and bright lights and colors that twisted our very senses and made us question what was real or simply a figment of our imaginations. The energy was high from the decor alone, but once the clowns were released upon us, it only heightened the experience. While the actors were keen on achieving scares, the zany nature and unpredictability of clowns normally could have been utilized more with the characters. As stated before, the energy was high, but not quite like what we’d imagine rave-goers or clowns alike to behave like in the circumstances.
Getting lost in the mirror maze/laser swamp was extremely disorienting and added greatly to the insanity we were all slowly slipping into. The entire labyrinth felt endless with no clear way of escape, increasing the tension within our group. As if we weren’t already feeling the bass in our bones with every step, we eventually found the DJ themself, spinning some tunes for a room full of mannequins (which we were not fond of in the slightest). Snaking our way between them as we tried to find the exit was utterly terrifying, given we were unsure if any were going to move or not. We did get a little lost in there for a bit, and an actor had to guide us in the right direction. But even though this particular section and the haunt overall weren’t super actor-heavy, all of the sensory effects were overwhelming in the most effective ways and kept the theme very apparent.
Backwoods: Our next attraction of the evening had us wandering a good distance out into the dark woods, even just to reach the line. It was not only an eerie buildup, but a perfect example of what was to come. Minus the crazy hillbillies we’d soon encounter, that is. We weren’t given much of an introduction to the close-knit family that awaited our arrival, nor what they were capable of, but we sure found out! A winding path illuminated by small, dimly lit lanterns was all we had to go by whilst navigating between the multitude of small shacks and cabins. The trail itself was indeed very ominous and created a lot of tension for our group, including natural sounds of nature mixed with occasional screams and whispers, but it did feel a little lackluster that not many actors were lurking out there to continue the scares. These gaps in activity only allowed for the immersion to dissipate. For all of the characters we did encounter inside the separate areas, though, they made sure we knew they weren’t happy with us trespassing on their property!
Zombieland: Unchained: What started with a broadcasted message telling us of a “dangerous situation” that we should avoid by staying indoors at all costs quickly unraveled into the horrors of a zombie apocalypse, having long been running rampant. Simply put, we should’ve listened to the warnings. Intense music playing overhead had our group feeling like we were living out an action-packed dystopian film, one we were certainly not prepared for. These zombies had been trapped here for a while, their appetites ravenous, and if that wasn’t bad enough, we witnessed quite a few infected survivors as well that were beginning to lose themselves and transform into the very things we were desperately trying to get away from.
This is the second attraction at the park that offers the glow necklaces to guests who want a more intense and immersive experience. Upon choosing that option for ourselves, our group was split up by actors multiple times- checking us for brains, wanting to recruit us for their zombie army, and even other survivors pleading for help and claiming to know of safe hiding spots. Nonetheless, these creatures did not want us to escape, and they did a great job keeping us lost and confused. We initially made bets on who might be the first of our group to escape the maze, but by the time we all had to face the horrors of it, we just wanted to escape, period!
Similar to all of the attraction entrances, after exiting the haunts, we were guided back out into the midway, where the entertainment and frights never ended!
Lockdown: Lockdown made excellent use of their vertical space in the haunt by including actors up above our heads, and lighting and scenery above that. This made the haunt feel so much larger than it actually was and kept our heads on a swivel, looking left, right, up, and down. Our group opted for the full touch experience and all the sensory nightmares that come along with that, which included some of our team getting stuffed into real body bags and another team member almost getting their hair shaved off!
Special effects lent to some particularly standout moments in the haunt, such as a guard locked in a control room that seemed to be suffering from some kind of electrical calamity (might explain how all those inmates’ cell doors become unlocked!). We did find ourselves wanting more in some areas, though, especially when it came to audio. As it is a prison break, some alarms or repeating announcements urging prisoners to return to their cells would go a long way towards making this feel like we truly were in a prison. It also would complement the all the awesome scene building that’s gone into Lockdown. Walking through the halls while being pushed into cells, and even boilers, we couldn’t help but notice all the details that went into making us truly feel like we were in the middle of a prison.
Nightmare Factory: Blackout: Nightmare Factory is a blackout haunt, meaning we had to pick our way through inky blackness, mostly by touch and occasionally running face-first into a wall. Lurking in that darkness, though, are all the factory workers waiting to start crafting your own personal nightmare. At one point, as we felt along the walls, we could feel a metal cage and barely make out the warning of an electrical shock hazard. Even with that warning we were not prepared for the massive tesla coil on the other side of the fence that sent tendrils of electricity crackling toward our screaming group. Far from the only devious trick in this factory, our group also faced drop floors and numerous trap doors hidden in the walls to keep us from getting too comfortable using our hands to feel our way through this haunt. At one point, we even ran face-first into a furry wall for an extra sensory assault!
Neon Nightmare 3D: Imagine walking into a rave, engulfed by bass-heavy music, surrounded by strobing lights, and dancing people. Except you notice something is wrong. None of these people are moving. Dread sets in as you start to make your way towards an exit. That’s when you see it; movement from the corner of your eye. Did some of them move? It’s an intense scene that pulls the entire rave theme of this haunt together. The rest of the haunt is filled with trippy 3D neon paint that makes everything feel like it’s reaching up from the wall to grab you. When you encounter real things in the haunt it makes it that much more terrifying, not being able to tell what’s real from what isn’t. Trick spinning clowns, demented DJs, and haunting music make this a standout haunt.
Backwoods: The Backwoods lived up to their name by using a series of run-down mini cabins along a trail that was eerily lit with juuuuuust enough light to see things a moment too late. The scenery in the cabins and along the trail truly evoked the feeling of being out in the boonies. Word to the wise, though, when you walk into granny’s laundry she has hanging out to dry, be careful where you put your hands; granny left more than a few skid marks for you! We also encountered a hunting cabin full of pelts that we had to push our way through, and were chased out of a garage by a not-so-friendly mechanic. In between cabins, we heard rustling in the bushes and a few plucks of banjo strings that kept us constantly looking over our shoulders to make sure we weren’t being followed by someone mad about us in their holler.
Zombieland: Unchained: Zombieland set the tone immediately upon walking in with some poor soul being fed feet first into a huge shredder. They were too far gone, and we certainly didn’t want to be next, so we kept it moving. That turned out to be a good decision on our part because there was no shortage of zombies to run from! Excellent use of sound and lighting throughout that put us on edge and made us really feel like fleeing from a zombie infestation. The scenery, too, felt like we were escaping from the scene of some calamity that we’d be lucky to escape from. Having a whole car as a prop for a zombie to jump over to claw at us was a nice touch, too, that made it feel like a real zombie was after us. Climbing in and out of buses, crawling through tunnels, and weaving through seemingly endless barricades at the finale helped bring the apocalyptic vibe to life!
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 6.93
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 6.64
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 7.01
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 7.16
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 5.78
Lockdown: Lockdown packed a lot of scares into their haunt, creating a fast-paced and interactive experience. Our group was separated, mixed up, stuffed into body bags, and forced to dance by crazed prisoners. The energy was kept high the entire time between the actors and in the special effects, making for a riotous good time. We would’ve liked to see more of a finale to cap off that energy and end on a high note, though. While in the haunt, though, they made sure to keep the scares coming from every angle, making sure no one in our group was safe. Let that be a warning to people who like to hide in the middle of the group – that won’t keep you safe here!
Nightmare Factory: Blackout: If you’re scared of the dark and everything that could be hiding just out of sight, then the Nightmare Factory is the perfect place for you. The factory’s surprises are waiting to greet you around every corner and even lurking in places you might not expect. We were shocked to even see a giant rat come lunging out of the walls at one point to try and snatch our group up! This factory really does have it all. The tight turns and maze-like structure of the haunt made the front and back of our group prime targets, and the haunt took full advantage of that, making sure everyone in our group got a piece of the scare.
Neon Nightmare 3D: Neon Nightmare is an unnerving experience. Hiding beneath the music and the lights lurks a slew of terrifying experiences. The immersive scenes did a good job of providing everyone in our group with scares. The rave room was a standout for sure, but other scenes, like almost getting crushed by barrels or having to make our way through mirrored maze-like hallways while being chased by the occasional rave goer, made for a great time. We would’ve liked to have a bit more of a finale here, too, before we made our way back to the midway for some of those sweet, sweet caramel apples.
Backwoods: Backwoods gave our group a variety of scares, from grossouts to jump scares. Some standout scenes, like the cabin where a kidnapping was in progress, made us truly feel like we were running for our lives. There are opportunities for improvement here, though. More actors on the trail, with more intensity and energy in some of the cabins would go a long way towards making this a thrilling experience. The trail has good bones with the layout and scene building, but needs more to really make it come alive. The ending finale, for example, had one chainsaw that was just given a little rev as we walked by. Chasing us, giving us some dialogue, using the chainsaw as a prop to threaten us would’ve helped that scene tremendously.
Zombieland: Unchained: Zombieland brought the energy and intensity in the form of zombies on the prowl. Between that and having our group constantly pieced up and separated, those zombies definitely kept us on our toes! The scares here felt unique and engaging with interactive scenes like a man prying our mouth open looking for gold, or shoving us in a tunnel and making us crawl out, or pushing us into a chair to harvest our eyebrows (we never did find out what they needed those for – unfortunately, zombies don’t like being questioned!). We went screaming into the final maze filled with smoke that was conveniently concealing chainsaw-wielding zombies. Thankfully, we were not chopped up into charcuterie pieces this time around!
General admission ticket prices online were $37.90 on the Friday of our visit, but prices change per date, so these will likely increase as the season progresses. Remember, you’ll need to pay for parking, too ($8 for standard, $12 for preferred), and all tickets are $6 more at the on-site box office. They do offer multiple ticket options, including general admission (unlimited entry into each haunt), VIP Fast Pass (use fast lane once per haunt), and the SUPER VIP Fast Pass (includes unlimited, no-wait access to every attraction, including Zombie Paintball and more!).
It took us a total of 38 minutes to traverse all five haunts. At the general admission price, this brings the MPD (minutes of entertainment received per dollar spent) to right at the average of 1 minute per dollar. While there is plenty to do in the midway, on busy nights, we recommend planning to get the VIP passes so that you’re not spending your night waiting in lines as long.
Speaking of the midway, included with every ticket is access to the Monster Midway, tons of fun photo ops, fire pits, and plenty of spots to sit down while interactive characters mingle about. You will not leave here unscathed! We got scared at least a handful of times while we were eating!
For an additional cost, the park offers food, games, adult beverages, axe throwing, and the Zombie Paintball Assault attraction. Don’t forget to stop by their merch booth as well, where you can find stickers, hoodies, shirts, patches, cups, and more!
There are a few additional things to note before you go: Both cash and cards are accepted at the parking booth, box office, and customer service desk in the Monster Miday, but all other locations inside the park are cashless. They do offer a “cash-to-card” option where guests can convert cash into a gift card to be used inside the park, if needed. Also, it’s super important that you partake in a caramel apple and their hot cider! They have the best caramel apples, ever!
Between five distinct haunts, unlimited re-entry, a lively midway, and the chance to unload a little stress on a bus equipped with paintball guns, this park delivers a whole night of fear and fun at a price that’s tough to beat. Whether you’re dodging hillbillies, tangling with zombies, laughing at lunatic clowns, stumbling through darkness, or surviving prison life, there’s something here for every kind of thrill-seeker!
And one more pro tip – be sure to strap on the glowing band when given the option. Not everyone gets bragging rights for being stuffed into a body bag while still kicking!
5211 South New Columbus Road, Anderson, Indiana 46013
