Nightmare Acres in South Windsor, Connecticut, is definitely a hidden gem. Tucked back in the woods, this haunted trail is a treasure trove of incredible actors, well built sets, and good old fashioned Halloween fun. Guests who make the trip will enjoy a surprisingly long main attraction, and amazing queue actors that will delight, fright, and entertain you all night.
On the night of my visit to Nightmare Acres, I had the chance to speak with the owner, Anthony, about the show and offer some immediate feedback upon seeing everything. Something I mentioned is that it seemed a bit light on bodies, in that a number of scenes either didn’t have an actor where one could be, or that some actors seemed to be covering multiple scenes. Anthony told me there were around 15 call-outs that day, which certainly explains the reason I felt it was a little light. Taking this into consideration, I can see how a full cast would fill out the scenes and keep guests looking over their shoulders.
The actors that were present, however, were extremely full of life and energy. They took every opportunity to engage in dialogue with me, no matter how many stupid jokes I would make. I would like to extend my gratitude to the actor in the opening scene where the rules video plays, for laughing at said dumb jokes. This cast is certainly very talented when it comes to improv while staying in character, and that is very much appreciated. There are also tons of unique characters here. Not just in design, but in the roles the characters have. A fine example of this is the camp counselor, who reminded me of my middle school gym teacher and had the attitude to match. This woman seemed ready to make me do a hundred pushups, run for ten miles, and swim some laps around the lake. She is far and away the epitome of a stereotypical camp counselor, and I would not be surprised if she worked at a summer camp.
In the circus section, I came across a fortune teller who wore a top hat and read my fortune with tarot cards. He told me to beware of dogs. I was conflicted because I love dogs, and if they’re not friends, why are they friend-shaped? This was a fun dialogue between us that I really enjoyed because this actor was able to roll with the fact that I didn’t seem worried about meeting a big dog at some point. I suspect most people will show at least a little bit of fear in this scenario, but I was just excited to meet the puppy.
The costumes here are actually really great! The attention to detail in the makeup and clothing was well beyond my expectations. Regarding the clothes, everybody has a costume on, with not a single character looking out of place. My absolute favorite costumes are those of the queue actors. The clown carrying around a fun mystery box of horrible surprises, such as a dead rat, is one of the best-looking characters I’ve ever encountered, let alone the fact that the actor in the costume is clearly having way too much fun with this role. The dirty pinstripe outfit, the mask complete with a little clown hat, it’s all just beautiful. Another of my favorites is the clown? Asylum patient? The one wielding the knife. The costume is simple; it’s just a blood-stained dress and a mask, but it works so well together, and it really fits the psychotic nature of the character.
Nightmare Acres’s website and Facebook are not the most helpful in terms of finding an abundance of information ahead of time. While I was able to find the address, dates, parking, and tickets very easily, there is nothing else that gives me any real information about the haunt, such as how many attractions they have, whether it is indoors or out, additional entertainment, touch policy, ADA information, and other commonly addressed items. In all fairness, there are ways to contact the haunt, but I think it would be wise of Nightmare Acres to include an FAQ section on their website to help answer those sorts of things.
Aside from the website, the staff is extraordinarily friendly and helpful. As I arrived, I came to a security checkpoint where the guard let everyone know what was and was not allowed on site. Leave your nicotine in the car as well as any bags – they’re not making it through. I got a funny look when I placed my camera gear down, but when I explained that the haunt was expecting me, they knew right away what was going on. This shows great communication between everyone at the haunt, and that’s such an important thing. Reaching the end of the eerily long wooded trail, a staff member greeted everyone and directed them to the ticket booth straight ahead. Past here, the midway is very easy to navigate as everything is directly in line of sight, and there is clear signage for anywhere you want to go.
Arriving on site, there is a dark walk along a wooded trail before heading up some stairs to the ticket booth and midway. It’s small, but there are people having fun, enjoying the autumn vibes. There’s also a great-looking facade near the entrance to the trail, giving a small taste of what’s to come inside. Heading into the queue, there’s not really any theming to get the juices flowing. Once the show begins, there’s a dramatic departure from the fun fall vibes.
Inside, we encounter sets and characters that bring us into the world of the attraction. From the best that I can figure, there’s not really one cohesive story through the entirety of the trail; rather, many short stories that span across a few scenes each. I found myself inside the Stoughton Asylum at the start, venturing through almost as an urban explorer, finding all of the long-forgotten ghosts of patients past. Exiting the asylum, my journey really ramped up. To not spoil every surprise, some highlights include a summer camp, a circus, and a butcher shop. The themes flow well enough together that it wasn’t a complete shock to the system when a new one took over, but they do span quite the breadth.
Exiting the trail brings guests right back to the midway, where they’ll find a small gift shop, food and drink trucks, and fun queue actors to keep the spooky fun going.
Nightmare Acres is primarily using light, sound, and sensory effects when it comes to their special effects. Every scene has an ambient soundtrack, which pulls the scene together and adds more life. I especially enjoyed the banjo music heading into a hillbilly scene. In a few places, the ambient sound was quite loud, making some actors difficult to hear. I suspect part of this comes from me losing my hearing, but there were definitely some quiet actors.
One of the coolest effects is the moving room. It’s like a hellevator, but the illusion of rising or descending isn’t the focus. I, for one, was not expecting the room to start moving around like that. Another star of the show for many people is the incredibly long blackout section. I was shooting video on site and wanted to really get the full experience in this area, so I turned my light off. Fumbling around in the dark for what felt like an eternity, I finally said, “Ah, screw it,” and turned the light back on. This was a mistake. It turns out the final section is full to the brim with fog. If you’ve ever driven down a foggy road with your high beams on, that was my experience.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 8
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 8.5
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): 8.5
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 7.5
Typically, when I visit a haunt, I will try to follow other groups so that I can see how actors will interact with different parts of the group. At Nightmare Acres, I arrived a little bit later in the evening, and it was slowing down for the night. Because of this, it was a little harder to gauge. I can see how actors would be able to evenly distribute scares, coming from the sides, behind, and in front of groups.
A few scares came from fairly unpredictable spots, including the camp counselor who came bursting out of a tent, really giving me a good startle. Early in the asylum section, there is an actor behind a slat wall that I was certainly not expecting, and the junkyard attendant, who looked suspiciously like Santa Claus, delivered a ton of energy with his scares. One of the best scares came near the pumpkin patch scene, where an actor scurried across the ground on all fours at a very high rate of speed. I can’t imagine that movement is easy to do, and even less so at that speed.
The finale comes in the form of a classic chainsaw chase. Normally, this would be very middle-of-the-road for me, as the chainsaw finale is a very common trope, but it’s performed by a clown, which adds a nice little bit of flair to the part, and I think it’s a good way to freshen this scare up.
On the night of my visit, a GA ticket cost $30, and the trail took me about 25 minutes to fully navigate. This comes to a minute per dollar calculation of 0.83, landing right in the sweet spot for time in attraction versus money spent. I do think it’s important to note that as the season progresses, the ticket cost does increase to $35 according to the website. Parking is an additional charge as well, costing $5, and that is a cash-only transaction. Fortunately, there is a gas station just next door where you can access an ATM.
Guests will also get to experience the midway, queue actors, and gift shop while on site. The midway is small, but it is just enough room to host a food truck, a drink truck, as well as a couple of spots to take photos for your social media.
Is it worth the money? This reviewer says yes! I had a great time at Nightmare Acres, and it seems like a really fun place for a date night, or just something to do on a weekend night in October. Anybody who finds themselves in the area of South Windsor, CT, should absolutely come see this show and enjoy the spooky vibes.
240 Governors Hwy, South Windsor, Connecticut 06074
