Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 7.62

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 7.72

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.77

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 7.1

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 8.18

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 5.61

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 8.25

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Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 7.57

Tucked into the fields of Newburgh, IN, sits a classic haunt that has been spooking for over five decades. The Zombie Farm, appropriately named for its aesthetic, takes its patrons on a twisted walk into barns, across grassy yards, and through a wild maze of standing pallets – and who knows what uncanny and cannibalistic creatures you may run into(quite literally). One of the most outstanding features of this haunt is that, amongst those creatures, you will find our next generation of spooky-season lovers.

For years, Zombie Farm has been creating a family-friendly place for local youth to really bring out their scare factor. Actors’ age range begins in sixth grade for some of their youngest spookers – but don’t let that fool you; they are trained exceptionally well and come out of places you never thought an actor could fit!

Zombie Farm also prides itself on being a charitable organization – their proceeds go back into their farm or get distributed to local charities – it’s a project that feeds the community, so the community continues to feed it (literally if you ask some of the actors).

Admittedly, we hit the Zombie Farm pretty late into the night and during one of the biggest town festivals of the year – so they were missing quite a few of their actors. The young cast made up for the gaps and spread out to catch patrons by surprise. From cannibalistic creatures and barn witches to ghastly prairie girls who might have eaten their brother, the vibe of the cast was enough to keep customers uncomfortable.

The commitment level was intense, and although not all of the actors had the same level of passion in their scare tactics, the majority portrayed the characters they were playing. Spooky banter, shocking stories, and some bizarre body movements rounded out the skills of this cast – and shout out to our favorite actor, Carnus, who tried to poke out the eye of our team lead. Don’t worry – he didn’t.

Characters donned various costumes and makeup; although it wasn’t consistent in quality, there were plenty of outstanding designs and details. Many actors wore masks in addition to their costuming – and scenes matched the characters within them. With some of the unexpected scenes discovered, more of a variety of costumes would be helpful to match the atmosphere.

For such a youthful cast, the capabilities of costuming and makeup were impressive – but it was clear that makeup wasn’t done by years of experience. The costume design and presentation didn’t hinder the quality of the scares, though!

Our queue actor was done very well. Although we were uncertain of his name (so we have called him Hilly Billy Bob), he embodied the idea of a spooky farm – complete with wild teeth, dirty overalls and boots, and a face that would “crack the camera” – or so he told us. His commitment to his role as “yer old ticket taker” was profound, and even though we couldn’t get a picture with him (too much cost to lose a camera), he was very entertaining using his costume as a prop at times, rounding out his costume completeness.

The location was easy to find, and we were quickly directed to a parking spot. After exiting the vehicle, it was obvious where we needed to head for some spooky fun – a giant, lit-up skull clearly led the way. The parking “lot” was typical of a country setting, though there were some holes, but the area was decently lit, and staff noted that the street light was new and had helped significantly with people parking. Admittedly, it was a setting that low-riding cars should be weary of – but to visit a Zombie Farm, you have to be willing to take some risk.

The attraction hit high marks with safety – actors made sure patrons were aware of any potential hazards (one was kind enough to warn our tall team member that there would likely be a moment or two where ducking would be required in the dark). But, besides the natural happenings of a barnyard and the occasional rickety “bridge” crossing, it was clear that staff at the haunt care deeply about patrons’ safety. Outdoor areas were well-lit (for a haunt), paths were clearly marked, and at no point was there a question of safety. All the staff was kind, caring, and helpful – they answered our questions.

The attraction oozed small-town hospitality, and it was apparent that the staff cared as much about their customers as the customers cared about them. Finding information before going in didn’t require much digging– the attraction is already well known around the area, and they keep their online information up to date.

Admittedly, the pre-haunt atmosphere was slightly lackluster. However, our queue actor friend kept us entertained with funny comments and interactions. There were no direct scares, but the cries from people leaving the haunt echoed around to the front of the barn, where we awaited our own doom. It was likely that the missing cast was part of this, but with the family-friendly goals of Zombie Farm, having a funny start was quite lovely.

The storyline had some bumps in the road, but after a significant partial rebuild following a tornado earlier in the year, the staff opted to try some new things that didn’t exactly match the aesthetic. However, the unpredictability made the experience fun—and once into the attraction itself, immersion wasn’t an option. The sights and smells of the country took over. And with part of the walk under the night sky, the creepy factor became quite apparent.

The haunt ended outside – and for reasons we will keep secret, we ran back to the front of the barn – where you could buy limited t-shirts, get food from a concession stand, or hang out with a dead bride in a hearse. And who doesn’t wanna do that?

After walking into the mouth of the giant blue skull, we were met with a natural ambiance of the atmosphere already wrapping around us. Crickets, frogs, cicadas, and stepping on leaves and branches became the starting point of that “on the edge of your seat” feeling.

As we walked into the first shed, lights flickered on and off, and a haunting tune played very softly. A few actors grunted and screamed. We walked back outside into a never-ending maze, first met with a bombardment of children in the corn, and then we were left to ourselves. Once again, the countryside noises created a silence we weren’t prepared for.

We walked across a rickety bridge into a building with piercing noises of various chants and spells, screams, banging, stomps, more banging, and banter (the young ones know what to say to get under your skin). A few animatronics created extra detail and were special effects; however, we were unsure how they fit into the theme.

The natural smells and sounds were the highlights for us. Once inside the buildings, there were plenty of effects, but some just didn’t match the theme of The Zombie Farm.

The types of scares we experienced varied. Most of the cast presented scares similar to the others, with pop-outs of holes in the walls that we already had seen from a distance. They screamed and giggled, banged on walls, and ran (they ran a lot). Some screamed, “I don’t want you here,” and “Get out.” Most of the actors popped in towards the front, causing some of our group towards the back to feel left out.

A few of the cast really worked hard to leave marks on us. Carnus, whose bride was in the hearse near the parking lot up front, honestly did give us a show. When talking about the things he did to his wife, our team replied insecurely and fearfully. The improv skills he presented were off the charts. Walking away from him, we thought we might end up in that hearse with his late bride.

There was a very tiny human who caught our attention. Yelling at us from what looked like the inside of a jail cell, she cried, “They are going to keep me here! They think I am crazy. Can you help?” She escaped the jail cell, fitting in between the bars holding her inside. The strobe lights flashed, and her every movement made us uneasy.

As we walked along the hallway of strobe lights, we were met with another character on the other side of a plexiglass window. We couldn’t tell exactly where this cast fit into the theme because we couldn’t see through the lights. This actor kicked and hit the glass with props, which was thrilling.

It wasn’t super scary, but it was also not supposed to be. This is a family-oriented and family-friendly haunt for the area. The cause is truly what matters here.

The Zombie Farm was a good time. We laughed A LOT, not at the haunt but with the cast and staff. There are portapotties and a few merch options in the lot by the ticket window. You can also purchase food, candy, and drinks at the ticket window!

Carnus showed us the best photo opportunity at Zombie Farm: right next to his late bride! We snapped a few photos by the hearse and with Carnus, bantered some more, and went on our way! Not once did he break character!

We walked through in 22 minutes and 33 seconds. The ticket for this haunt with a heart is only $15! This makes the minute-per-dollar(MPD) 1.49! That is well above what we like to see in haunts!

This is a chance to have fun and help someone in need, so again, why not?