Terror Field Review (2024)

While speaking with Brandon after seeing the show, he mentioned that it has been difficult to get actors this year, and that’s hard to believe. Terror Field feels like it is brimming with actors, and although a few scenes could benefit from more bodies, they are certainly punching above their weight in this category.

The actors are hard-working, dedicated, and full of energy at every single turn. From the moment you enter, all the way to the gift shop, this cast is on turbo mode. Every single actor in this cast is highly interactive, and it is really great to encounter such a lively bunch of folks who clearly love what they do!

The first half is a return to hillbilly hell, full of the most rootin’-est tootin’-est good ole boys and gals you’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering. One actor in this section that stood-out is Mama-san, who decided she didn’t like my attitude when I asked if she was going to eat the body in the sink. She had me pinned against the wall, hatchet to my throat, threatening to skin me alive in no time flat, and I’ve got a few inches and about a hundred pounds on her. This woman embodies fear, and she’s not afraid to use it against you.

Venturing further into the house, I encountered all sorts of characters, some of them eliciting screams while others made me laugh. One such joke may have gone over the heads of some guests, but I caught it. I can’t repeat the line here, as it is definitely adult-oriented, but it involved a shack and another word that rhymes with the shack. Crude? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes.

I really love the use of humor interspersed within these scenes. Not only does it make the characters feel more relatable, it lowers the guard off of haunt goers, so they can easily scare the pants off of them.

Heading upstairs to the second half, we meet a wide variety of characters. From the drywall-eating psych patient to the dentist, handing out free toothbrushes after they have been shoved into the mouths of visitors, to the priest, the nun, and a slew of other characters.

The humor doesn’t stop here, either. The psych patient has the gift of gab, and I got a great pep talk from him about why I shouldn’t let anyone stop me from eating drywall, and we had to stick together no matter what the haters have to say. All the while, he’s got the energy of a kid that just had their first Red Bull.

Other characters are a little more physically interactive. In one scene, I was shoved by an actor! Guess I was not moving fast enough. In another, I was stopped by a young girl who did not want to let me pass for one reason or another. Every time I tried to bob, she would weave! Then she stomped on the ground, and I stomped on the ground. I thought we were about to start singing indie folk songs! Eventually, she asked what my name was and then said I could go.

Something that stood out to me was the use of fake blood as part of the makeup. I know what you’re thinking: what would a haunted house be without fake blood? I raise this question: how do you keep blood looking fresh and wet all night long?

I caught this little detail early on and made a point to pay attention throughout the rest of the attraction. Almost every single actor that is wearing a bit of blood in their makeup, somehow looks like they’ve been freshly sprayed. Fake blood has a tendency to dry up quickly, as does real blood, but the dried blood look doesn’t quite have that shimmer to it under the lights.

One actor is shirtless and has makeup on his torso that looks like fresh gouges, complete with that nice liquid-blood texture. He has a very fancy hat with a history story: it is a real WWII German Luftwaffe M-40 helmet made from steel. This actor apparently purchased it earlier that day, just down the street from the haunt. It’s the little things like that pulling the whole character together, and giving them a bit of lore.

Other actors are kitted out for their respective scenes. The hillbilly costumes all feel the same to an extent, but there’s only so much to do for that particular style of character. Some of them wore denim overalls, others in simple flower-patterned dresses, and some in regular sorts of clothes that have been weathered and bloodied to fit with the theme of killer hillbillies. Despite their similarities, these costumes were picked right from the mountains of West Virginia and blended into the scenes.

In the upstairs portion, we see more variety yet again, as the scenes here follow a few different themes. In a padded cell, we find our drywall-eating friend wearing a hospital gown, and in the dentist’s office, we’re greeted by an actor wearing a white coat like a dentist would. The church scene introduces us to a priest or monk character in a black robe. In the pitch-black scenes…it can be hard to tell, but what I did see was effective!

There are two queue actors doing queue actor things. One is a very tall man with a bushy beard who is dressed in a floral-patterned dress, carrying a cane, and speaking in a very high-pitched voice. I joked that we should get him a ukulele so he could sing “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” The costume isn’t much, but this actor’s charisma made up for that.

The other wears a mask that has a hand attached to the front of it. He wears denim overalls and a plaid flannel shirt while carrying a long stick with a baby doll head affixed to one end. He uses that to poke people from afar. The rapport between these actors is that of a married couple, the one in the dress playing the “wife” role.

The crew working tirelessly behind the scenes at Terror Field are some of the best in the business. Brandon’s mom works the ticket counter, and she likes to get into the spooky spirit by letting guests know the haunt is looking for body parts. Luckily, I’m made of those! She said she needs a new hip, and I offered to trade because mine comes with sciatica. She did not want to trade. In all seriousness, this is the person you want to have working in a customer service position because she’s warm, welcoming, and friendly to every guest. Everyone, including the ticket taker, and security guard, has a friendly disposition, and they’re thrilled for guests to visit and see their show.

The last time I reviewed this show, I mentioned how I was told of a concession stand, but was not able to locate it. This year, they made sure I couldn’t miss it by moving it to the exit of the haunt. This shows that everyone here is serious about listening to guests, and making improvements based on feedback.

The website gives us just about everything we need to know right from the home page. We’re able to see a calendar, hours, rules, a link to buy tickets, and a map with their location. There are links that lead to the history of Terror Field, photos and videos, and a way to contact the haunt if you have additional questions.

One thing that seems to be missing is some information about parking once you get there. There is some parking available on the street, as well as a small lot across the street. The other thing missing that’s very pertinent to this haunt, is their touch policy. Light to moderate touch is used in several places in service of the story, and guests do need to be aware of that. You won’t be intentionally harmed in any way during your visit, but do expect some physical contact from actors.

Exiting your vehicle, the haunt is easy to find. There are signs on the building, and it’s very clear that guests have arrived at the haunt. If the cabin facade, queue barriers, and ticket window are not enough, there are queue actors in costume milling about, letting visitors know that this is a haunted attraction. Inside the haunt, guests will find it very easy to make their way through the maze of scenes, never encountering a wrong turn into a backstage area.

Safety is on point throughout the haunt, creating a welcoming atmosphere from start to finish. Stairs are well lit, and free of actors or scares to ensure that no one is put in a position where they might get hurt. In the unlikely event that something did happen, there are plenty of actors and staff members nearby to render aid if necessary, and make sure that guests are well taken care of.

The hillbilly scenes, on the lower level, are a thing of beauty. The attention to detail in every scene goes above and beyond, creating the illusion that you’ve gone outside, when in fact you haven’t, and taking guests on a journey through this ramshackle cabin. A mood is set while approaching from the street as guests walk into the queue area through a wooden facade. Inside the queue, there is an outhouse prop, hubcaps attached to a chain link fence, and decorations to get into that, rusted out ‘82 Pontiac Trans Am, in the front yard, feel.

Heading to the upper level, guests will find themselves in a psych ward, complete with a padded cell, and exam rooms where experimentation is sure to occur. The theme in these scenes take us from a sort of medical area, then into a church, with an open casket, followed by complete darkness. While it’s not explicitly told to guests, the story seems to follow the idea that you have been driven to an insane asylum, no thanks to those crazy hillbillies, where you then die, see your own funeral, and find yourself in Hell. This progression makes sense to me, and I’m, what the hillbillies might call, “not all there!”

These sets and scenes really pull you into the themes and stories at play, and take you out of the real world if only for a little while. The actors really pull this together as they bring life to the surroundings. While exiting, we come straight into the gift shop, and concession stand, where snacks and memorabilia are available for purchase.

While there are the usual complement of special effects like fog, lighting, and sound, there are also some animatronic elements in use that are seamless in their placement. Early in the first half, we find ourselves in a garage scene with a truck that has crashed through the wall, and a mechanic whose legs are still wriggling after the truck has fallen on him.

The set design across the board is top-notch. From the front porch scene, as we enter the cabin, that uses fog and lights to create the feeling of being outdoors, to the morgue in the upstairs portion, which uses a real autopsy table and body storage coolers, that I’m told come from a real asylum that has since closed down.

In one scene upstairs, while I fumbled my way through the dark, I entered a corridor where a bright light shone through a slat wall mixed with fog in the room creating an eerie feeling. It’s a very simple effect, but sometimes the best looking things are the least complex. Another great use of fog and lighting is the church scene, where the room is filled with thick clouds, and the lighting is a very dim red color, making the room feel much bigger than it actually is. Speaking of the church scene, I almost expected an actor or prop to spring up out of the casket, but alas, there was none.

As we headed deeper into the darkness, the set design plays less into the scenes, and sounds take over as the primary element. From actors talking and making noise, to ambient sounds that fill the space, this combination makes the blackness feel more intimidating.

Guests will also find realistic props in use throughout the entire haunt. In an exam room, we find a mannequin corpse that’s been bloodied up and dressed for the part, laying on a hospital bed. In the catacomb section near the end, there are small details that didn’t go unnoticed, like the skulls that are built into the walls, which I suspect is a reference to the famous catacombs of Paris, and has entire walls made from human bones. There isn’t any stone left unturned in this haunt, and it’s a sight to behold in set design alone.

This is it, the main event. The thing you want to know the most about Terror Field: is it scary? Yes! Oh my god, yes! This is one of the scariest haunts in upstate New York for several reasons, but the big one is that they’re not holding out on any punches. Oftentimes, haunted attraction websites will say things like “not for kids under 13” or “you know your children best” in regards to questions of appropriateness. This is far and away, absolutely not for children. Not only is it hands-on and in-your-face levels of aggressive energy, there are plenty of things that are absolutely not for children. Language is one. Many places won’t use swear words in dialogue, but Terror Field is not one of those places. You will hear things that make a sailor blush, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are dirty jokes being told, and references to mature topics that are not suitable for younger children.

While there are still some standard jump scares, most of the fear comes from the simple fact that you have no idea what’s going to happen next. You won’t find gaggles of clowns here, as the scares that guests experience come from pure, unbridled rage coursing through the veins of every character. While I wasn’t the lucky winner, I’m told that some people get a ride in a wheelchair, and I saw one person in my group get stuffed into a body cooler in the morgue.

In one of the blackout scenes, a door is slammed shut behind us, while an actor somewhere in the scene scolds us for not having picked up the key in the morgue. He then told us there was a key just there on the ground, probably pointing at it, as if anybody could see anything in this room. This is a whole new level of scare that grabs the entire group in a unique way, making them feel as though they’re really trapped.

The use of physical touch is being used with great success, too. There is a moderate level of touch being employed, where you won’t get physically hurt, or shocked or strangled, but you may be shoved, have a toothbrush stuffed in your mouth, or otherwise lightly harassed. The nun character painted inverted crosses on our foreheads, much like the Catholic tradition of Ash Wednesday. Unlike the real religious ritual, the use of ash or any material to actually mark us was not used, although we were splashed with “unholy water” upon exiting that scene. One of the great things is that touching is being used in service of the story being told, and enhancing the scares.

Scares also come from every angle, and at every part of the group. Being a one man group makes this difficult to judge, so while I would have absolutely loved to see this show solo, and been subject to every single scare, I asked if I could go in with a group so that I could observe the techniques being used to handle groups of four or more. I’m happy to report that every single person in my group of six got every bit of attention they could have hoped for, and then some.

Guests can purchase tickets online for $20 or in person at the box office for a very reasonable $20.80 if paying by cash or $21.80 if paying by credit or debit. This is one of the most inexpensive haunts around, and you’ll spend a whopping 20 minutes inside the attraction, giving you 1 minute for every dollar spent. This is an incredible value in 2024 and one you don’t want to miss out.

Inside the gift shop, you’ll find an assortment of Terror Field branded items, as well as other Halloween and horror-themed products available for purchase, such as retro costumes complete with plastic masks, like the ones children would wear in the 1980s and 90s; or the Disney’s Haunted Mansion themed drinkware set. There are so many cool collectible items in here, and I’m sure I still missed something. Light concessions are offered here as well and at very reasonable prices.

In terms of other entertainment available with the price of admission, there isn’t a lot, but there’s also not a lot of space to do that sort of thing. Guests can take a selfie with queue actors, or in front of the cabin facade out front. The management team knows there isn’t much to keep people on site after the attraction, which is why they’re keeping their eyes peeled for bigger properties that could host much more entertainment to keep guests engaged.

It is my sincerest hope that Terror Field continues to grow, and succeed in the years to come. This is one of the best shows in the central NY area, and it seems like they’re on a mission to make it one of the best in the nation. Through hard work and dedication, this team will surely be on a national stage before we know it! I highly recommend supporting this haunt by checking out the experience for yourselves!