UPDATE FOR 2022: Our former “Atmosphere” and “Theme” categories have now been combined and renamed “Immersion.” Our intent with this is to give more appropriate credit to attractions that have shown a clear focus on achieving and maintaining better customer experiences (both inside and outside the attractions) and developing creative storylines.
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!
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Final Score: 8.42
How Did We Get This Score?
Final Scores:
(15% of Final Score) Cast: 7.98
(15% of Final Score) Costuming: 8.04
(10% of Final Score) Customer Service: 8.57
(10% of Final Score) Atmosphere: 8.72
(15% of Final Score) Special Effects: 8.51
(5% of Final Score) Theme:
(15% of Final Score) Scare Factor: 8.37
(5% of Final Score) Entertainment & Value: 8.9
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Summary:
Deep in the dark forests of Bishopville is Scream Acres, a charity haunted house and hayride that prides itself on passionate volunteers, annual updates, and hand-crafted innovation. Thanks to a number of updates made by the team this year, both return guests and new visitors will have a lot of unique scares to enjoy.
For thirteen years the team at Scream Acres has been growing and learning as they give back to their community. Whether you are a fan of old-school technique, high-tech effects, or stunningly creepy natural locations, there is something for everyone here. With an eye for detail that creates a number of memorable and breathtaking scenes along with a strong love for scares this haunt is aptly named.
Cast: 7.98
How Did We Get This Score?
Cast Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of Cast Score) Did it seem like there were enough actors?: 8.1
(30% of Cast Score) How creative, believable and convincing were the actors?: 7.9
(20% of Cast Score) How interactive were the actors (verbally and physically)?: 8
(15% of Cast Score) How creatively & appropriately did they use dialogue?: 7.6Explanation:
Not a lot of dialogue; house had some good parts
(15% of Cast Score) Was there a good variety of characters?: 8.3
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Scream Acres has recruited between 100 and 200 volunteers who are devoted to putting on the best show possible every year for visitors coming to their haunt to be scared. From silent stalkers to violent screamers, there is a huge variety of monsters to run from.
Our team was particularly impressed with the passion of the Butcher and his comparably huge chainsaw. In the Freakshow, a silent lunatic with a slithery friend managed to send several of the other visitors on our cart into hysterics. One chainsaw artist went out of his way to create a symphony of screams with a partner that was more than willing to participate in a mock evisceration. Interactivity is high and monsters make sure to work the entire group for maximum screams.
Our hayride had a special guest MC who announced each scene as we approached and kept up some banter between scenes. His presence was a great addition that we’ve not experienced before at this haunt.
Costuming: 8.04
How Did We Get This Score?
Costuming Scores (15% of Final Score):
(15% of Costuming Score) How complete / finished did the costumes appear to be?: 8
(25% of Costuming Score) How creative / detailed were the costumes?: 8
(20% of Costuming Score) Was their makeup creative? Detailed? Realistic?: 7.7
(15% of Costuming Score) How effectively did they use masks (if used)?: 7.8Explanation:
Pumpkin mask
(25% of Costuming Score) How appropriate were the costumes for their scene/s & theme/s?: 8.5
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Upon entering the house, we were delighted to be introduced to a very scary lady bear with an incredible mixture of makeup and prosthetics that really set a new bar for costuming at Scream Acres. Despite the heat of the evening, masks were almost universally tucked when in use, and costumes were appropriate for their scenes. An inadvisable usage of a fork by one monster also caught our team’s eye when it came to costuming.
Several improvements have been made on the monsters’ costumes within the house and our team was excited to see all the new additions that complimented the scenes. Costume usage on the trail was impressively noticeable even in the darkness of the night. A very intuitive usage of illuminated masks in one scene really underlined for us how little we could anticipate what would come out of the woods at us.
Customer Service: 8.57
How Did We Get This Score?
Customer Service Scores (10% of Final Score):
(25% of CS Score) How easy was it to locate the attraction, park, and navigate the premises?: 8.2
(30% of CS Score) How safe was the attraction?: 8.9
(25% of CS Score) How professional, helpful and friendly were the staff members?: 9
(20% of CS Score) How easy was it to find their information before* arrival?: 8
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Scream Acres has impressively easy to navigate mobile and desktop pages that show openings times, directions, ticket prices, and more.
Signs to find the haunt loom in the darkness up to five miles out from the actual location, and signage for the parking lot is easy to spot from the road. The haunt also offers concessions, a gift shop, and an ATM for customer usage on site.
Staff are easy to spot whether they are in monster makeup or in the official haunt shirts. All our interactions with the staff were friendly and supportive, and we were impressed to see how much care they give their customers. The lot is well-lit and parking attendants keep things orderly and neat. The haunt has a lot of safety features and security on site to make sure that all visitors are safe.
One of our team members this year went through the haunt season in a leg brace which allowed us a first hand glimpse at how well some haunts can handle mobility-impaired guests. Scream Acres isn’t really built to handle this, but the limited number of stairs and the seats on the hayride were adequate enough to allow enjoyment by all.
Atmosphere: 8.72
How Did We Get This Score?
Atmosphere Scores (10% of Final Score):
(60% of Atmosphere Score) How obvious was it that you were at a haunted house before entering?: 8.8Explanation:
Lots of additions outside and in second queue line
(40% of Atmosphere Score) How well did the atmosphere prepare you for what you experienced inside?: 8.6
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The Scream Acres team has revamped their fa������ade with a brand-new photo op booth at the entry as well as some fairly spooky atmosphere setting pieces. The imposing exterior perfectly reflects the interior, and brings outside of the house and trail the themes that will soon be experienced by anxious guests. Horror themed videos play on strategically placed screens while monsters weave through lines.
More exterior pieces have been added this year including some grave decorations on the inside waiting area and another new exciting photo op by the concessions area. Tensions are kept high and expectations are well set by all of these little details and carefully planned bits. There is never a question that you are about to step into a nightmare wonderland.
Special Effects: 8.51
How Did We Get This Score?
Special Effects Scores (15% of Final Score):
(20% of SFX Score) How effective were the sound effects?: 8.4
(20% of SFX Score) How creative / original were the scenes & props?: 8.7Explanation:
Levitating girl on bed
(20% of SFX Score) How well were the scenes detailed?: 9
(25% of SFX Score) How well did they achieve & maintain the suspension of disbelief?: 8
(15% of SFX Score) How effective were the SFX at providing scares / entertainment?: 8.6
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Scream Acres has been consistently good about building unique and engaging special effects throughout both their house and their trail. This year our team was delighted by the custom work done on the vortex tunnel creating an entirely new ecosystem within the house. We also enjoyed a woman who was trying to nap in a rather unusual way, a plethora of well-timed sound effects, and a creepy detail added to the library that drew our eyes and heightened our suspense.
The Scream Acres team has done an incredible job when it comes to details inside of the house, and we wanted to make sure we called out that devotion to the craft. From the floors to the ceilings there are things to look at, and the library is an incredible work of art. If several members hadn’t been sent forward screaming, we may have found ourselves slowing down just to enjoy all the sights.
On the trail revamped scenes markers set the stage for a wild show unlike any other. Updates to the Hillbilly scene brought a fresh sense of awe and fear before the monsters even arrived, and there are a few surprises as the trailer rolls through Old Salem that will speed up your heartbeat and raise your blood pressure. We may have missed our train, but we delighted in the screams of our fellow passengers. Several bits have also been added to the walking trail that were highly effective and underscored the theme of the scene.
Theme: N/A
How Did We Get This Score?
Theme Scores (5% of Final Score):
(30% of Theme Score) Could you tell what the theme was?:
(50% of Theme Score) How well was the theme carried throughout the attraction/s?:
(20% of Theme Score) How well does their location authenticate the theme?:
This score is left “N/A” when we believe the haunt is trying to target a random variety of themes or phobias, rather than a single overarching “Theme” or “storyline.”
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Scream Acres doesn’t truly have a single cohesive theme running across its attraction. However, the house itself holds up well as a great example of a traditional haunted house with a variety of rooms that all seem to flow together with their displays and actors.
On the hayride, there are a variety of different scenes, each one decorated and populated by appropriate crews.
Scare Factor: 8.37
How Did We Get This Score?
Scare Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of Scare Factor Score) How scary was it?: 8.3
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide scares to the entire group?: 8.5
(25% of Scare Factor Score) How predictable were the scares?: 8.5
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How well did they provide a wide variety of scares?: 8.3
(15% of Scare Factor Score) How strong was the ending / finale?: 8.2
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With such a wide variety of monsters, effects, and scenes, there is a ton for guests to be frightened by. This also lowers the ability to guess what the scares will be or where they’ll be placed. Effects are rarely repeated, and strategically placed to keep visitors in fear.
Monsters make sure to work every part of the line, sometimes lying in wait for large portions of a party to pass before they leap out from the darkness. Well-placed special effects, carefully crafted scenes, and passionate actors come together to create a symphony of screams. The house uses a large number of effects combined with actors to make sure that no group leaves without screams and jumps. While the house is a bit of a shorter walkthrough, the compact space is packed with everything needed to set you on edge.
On the hayride and walking trail, the monsters are equally diligent when it comes to spreading the scares over the entire party. Haunters made their way up and down the aisle, sharing their consistently creepy focus among both the visibly scared visitors and the ones trying to hide it. Props, sets, and the landscape the haunt is set in are all utilized to their fullest by the actors to terrorize.
Entertainment & Value: 8.9
How Did We Get This Score?
Entertainment & Value Factor Scores (15% of Final Score):
(30% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment received during the main attraction/s?: 9.2Explanation:
Great house (even if short)
(25% of E&V Score) How satisfied were you with the entertainment that’s available with* the ticket price, excluding the main attraction/s?: 8Explanation:
Pumpkin-head
(30% of E&V Score) How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s?: 9.3
(15% of E&V Score) Have they effectively used their available space?: 9
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With a 3-minute house walkthrough and a 36-minute tractor ride and trail walk priced at $15 for a regular ticket and $25 for a fast pass, this is one scary deal of a haunt. That comes out to 2.6 minutes per dollar; a great bargain. Pricing is amazing for the area, and the proceeds go to charity so remember that two visits in one night maximizes both your fun and your philanthropy!
Both parts of the attraction are packed with terror, and the line moves efficiently. On a busy night a fast pass is highly recommended so that you can relax in the center area with concessions and enjoy the screams before moving on to the second part of the haunt. Every inch of the space is utilized for maximum fear and entertainment, and with annual changes Scream Acres deserves to be a repeat Halloween tradition.
How Did We Get These Scores
Our Rating System
Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.
The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:
10: “Peak Performance”This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.
9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking”It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.
8: “Solid”A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.
6 to 7: “Good”We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”
5: “Average / Fair”Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”
3 to 4: “Below Average”We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.
1 to 2: “Poor”It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.
0 (Zero): “Non-Existent”No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.
Afterword:This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions!Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did.We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time.We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect.Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!