Spooky Acres Haunted House Review (2024)

We’ve been to lots of haunts and have seen all kinds of styles. Ultimately, what it comes down to is the kind of energy and scary vibes that your ghouls are willing to deliver. You can have the nicest, most detailed-looking haunt in the country, but if your actors aren’t putting in the work that it takes to turn a haunted museum into a scary haunted house, it’s gonna leave a lot of customers wondering what went wrong.

On the other hand, you can build a haunt on a lean budget and bring in a group of enthusiastic monsters to dole out the scares night after night. Delivering a good time isn’t always about putting the most money into a haunted house; it’s about creating an environment that makes your actors want to give their best, night after night. The owners of Spooky Acres have created such a **nurturing** work environment for their volunteers that they received the “Everyday Hero Award” from News Channel 3 in Norfolk, VA.

The cast at Spooky Acres delivered scare after scare. They are given free rein to use their own creativity for the characters they’re playing, and they all do it very well. They banter with you and the victims beg to be saved from the evils in the haunt while grabbing your arms, ankles, and generally pawing at you throughout the haunt. The actors either make you jump, make you begin looking over your shoulder more than you usually would, or ask why you didn’t save them when you had the chance, all while you’re moving on to the next scene. This is one of the few haunts we’ve visited where ALL of the actors put in 100% effort from beginning to end. The cool part is that they’re all volunteers ranging from 13 to 23 years old.

The actors’ costumes were appropriate for each scene. Some are dressed as executioners, mad doctors, and various monsters. The victims in the haunt were wearing tattered clothes and looked to be bleeding and bruised. Some of the actors were wearing scars that had been applied properly, so they looked realistic. The costumes for all are things that the volunteers either made or bought themselves to create their characters. This is a win on two fronts, in my eyes. You create your character by purchasing or making the costume. At that point, each actor is invested in bringing their character to life and they do a wonderful job of spooking anyone that crosses their path.

The customer service at Spooky Acres is fantastic. As a charity haunt, they go out of their way to ensure you’re happy with your experience while scaring the daylights out of you. Impressively, they are one of only five ADA Wheelchair Accessible haunts in Virginia. Spooky Acres is located in a “big indoor mall” (George Romero fans will appreciate Brad’s paraphrased reference here). Parking is convenient, with $2.00 sheltered parking available in a deck connected to the mall, and it’s just a short walk to their storefront.

You’ll enter through the S1 parking area, but note that there are two entrances, which can be a bit confusing. The haunt is located to the left once you enter the mall, but if you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to ask someone for help. They could potentially use a sign to point you in the right direction, though that might be tricky due to standard mall policies. Just listen for the screams, and you’ll know you’re heading the right way.

For parents, there’s no need to find a babysitter—Spooky Acres offers a supervised waiting area with coloring books, crayons, and a TV for little ones who are too young or too scared to go through. Simply drop them off, enjoy your scare, and pick them up afterward.

Immersion in the haunt itself at Spooky Acres begins immediately when entering. It’s dark and foggy, with flickering lights and candles scattered around, lots of gothic decor, and a very interesting monster sitting across from you while you wait in the haunted lobby area. There’s also haunting sounds playing the entire time, and screaming can be heard in the distance. While you’re in the haunt, you are grabbed and pulled by victims and ghouls either begging for help or trying to pull you away and sacrifice you in various ways.

This isn’t a traditional haunt since it’s located in a mall. They’re unable to provide any type of Midway or entertainment while you wait. The actors have to stay in the haunt unless they’re taking a break. No one from the haunt can roam the mall for safety reasons due their costuming.

Spooky Acres excels in creating a truly immersive and terrifying experience through its well-executed special effects. The haunt utilizes a foggy darkness with just enough to wonder what you’ll see and run into next. Occasional use of strobes and lasers to disorient visitors and create a sense of unease also adds to the atmosphere. Some walls include trap doors that even the most seasoned haunt fan will not expect.

One aspect of Spooky Acres that we love is its reliance on human actors and authentic screams over animatronics. This choice adds a more personal and intense touch to the experience, as visitors feel a genuine connection to the menacing figures lurking around every corner. We like animatronics but they have to be used creatively for them to make a worthwhile impact. Creepy sound effects, seamlessly integrated with the screams, further enhance the overall atmosphere of fear and suspense.

As we mentioned earlier in the cast section, a haunt’s actors can make or break the experience, and at Spooky Acres, they definitely make it. The scenes are meticulously designed, and the scares are expertly timed to catch even the most seasoned haunted house fan off guard. We were hit with frights from every direction head-on, from the sides, behind us, and even below us. We saw two guests leave the haunt early because they were too frightened to continue. The staff even told us that several people have “peed their pants” already this season!

The creativity in their scares sets them apart from other haunts, and the eerie atmosphere complete with low lighting, fog, and other effects adds to the intensity. While waiting and after our walk-through, it wasn’t uncommon to hear people come out screaming from one last scare just as they thought it was over.