Located just north of the Denver metro area, and nestled in the expansive fields of Anderson Farms, Terror in the Corn has been packing a punch for years now, and this season was no different! The full mile of mayhem winds visitors through the dense cornfields and into an old west town in the midst of a battle for its very soul. The Wells twins continue to run the town with a sadistic fist, but a new threat has emerged in the form of the witch Dumitra, who has set her sights on the town. This season, Dumitra’s influence is more obvious as she gains control over more territory and makes her mark, but Terror in the Corn offers more than just a great story. It is jam-packed with over 100 cast members fleshing out some amazing scenery and effects while powering more screams than James P. Sullivan!
With so many amazing cast members throughout the haunt, it’s impossible to recognize all of the amazing performances, but there were a few that stuck out, such as faux-naif Bella, who decided to join our group for part of the trail, Ted, and the shopkeep who appeared hinged to his counter.
Despite the crew being down a good number of folks on the night of our visit, there were plenty of actors, all playing unique characters. Those cast members were also highly interactive, whether darting at us from a darkened corner or screaming at us from the top of their lungs. Even the line actors, who have well-defined roles, do a tremendous job of interacting with guests while staying in character. The cast is clearly well-trained, and their passion for making hauntgoers shriek is obvious, which plays a large part in making Terror in the Corn the amazing haunt that it is!
How complete, unique, detailed were the costumes, accessories? – (35% of score)
Were the masks, makeup creative, detailed, realistic? – (30% of score)
How appropriate were the costumes for the respective scenes, themes? – (20% of score)
How believable-, detailed-looking were the queue actors? (See Note if N/A) – (15% of score)
That awesome cast at Terror in the Corn is clad, from head to toe, in superb costumes and makeup. The clothing the citizens wear is exactly what one would expect to see in an old-time, dusty western town, particularly one that’s suffered under the Wells and Dumitra, complete with an unnatural pallor. Some of the costumes, however, truly stood out, such as the Romani traveling circus, which provided a stark contrast to the muted tones of the rest of the townsfolk, and the mayor of the town, donning his dust-colored Sunday best. Others, particularly in the fields, had some of the best, most unique masks we’ve seen around. A personal favorite, though, is Jack, the face of the haunt, who stalks guests waiting in line, and whose costume is designed to be captured on phones from every angle.
How easy was it to locate, park at, navigate the premises? – (25% of score)
Safety (Only dock points for TRULY DANGEROUS hazards!) – (30% of score)
How professional, helpful, friendly were the staff members? – (25% of score)
How easy was it to find pertinent information before arrival? – (20% of score)
The customer service at Terror in the Corn remains extraordinary! Timed ticketing keeps hauntgoers moving steadily through the highly entertaining queue line, which features a pair of animatronic skeleton DJs who keep the tunes pumping while posters offer glimpses of some of the story’s main characters, some of whom then appear as line actors, almost as if coming to life. QR codes posted throughout the queue line offer guests curious about the lore easy access to the tale, while portapotties remain accessible without losing one’s spot.
Anderson Farms also relocated the main entrance to be nearer the humongous parking lot, and added a more obvious ticket booth queue line. All the information one could want is available on Terror in the Corn’s website, and additional information about Anderson Farms’ daytime Fall Festival activities, which is included with the cost of admission to the haunt.
How well did the pre-haunt areas ("vibe") prepare you for the attraction/s? – (25% of score)
How obvious, creative, believable was the storyline? (See Note if N/A) – (20% of score)
Were you completely, consistently immersed inside the attraction/s? – (40% of score)
How well did the "vibe" flow after, between the attraction/s? – (15% of score)
Terror in the Corn is surrounded by a seasonal spectacle that is Anderson Farms’ Fall Festival, where the farm is transformed with pumpkins, bales of hay and kitchy decoration, and fire pits that fill out the space that already offers a plethora of activities for the young at heart, including an enormous not haunted corn maze. The haunt occupies a corner near the back of the property so folks not wanting a little terror can avoid it, but folks there for the scares are utterly surrounded by the autumnal beauty both before and after the haunt experience.
Once hauntgoers enter the timed ticketing queue line, however, it’s all in, and only gets more immersive upon entering the haunt itself. Although there were a few more dead zones throughout the haunt due to some cast being out sick, the immersion was rarely broken. Even where there wound up not being cast members, the static props that you were expecting to move at any time and animatronics kept things lively, while expectation simmered seeing the next building around a bend. The non-corn segments of the haunt, however, envelop visitors from above and below with the awesome sets jam packed with scene-appropriate props. Add to that the great storyline of the Wells twins, Dumitra and the Romani, and it’s clear why Terror in the Corn is a top fall destination.
How effective were the sound effects? – (20% of score)
How realistic were the scene designs, details? – (30% of score)
How effective, realistic were the props, animatronics? – (30% of score)
How well did they use creative, special, sensory effects? – (20% of score)
The crew at Terror in the Corn has their hands full keeping the special effects that pervade the haunt running, but they do a tremendous job of it! From the moment guests step into the haunt, the audio begins with Dumitra’s haunting chants setting things off before the din of crickets, chainsaws, screams, roaring fire, and more take over.
All of the animatronics we encountered we timed well, and performed as expected, and other special effects truly brought the scenes to life, whether traversing an old mine or snaking through one of the best swamp scenes our compatriots from Team Creepy Clown–self-professed laser swamp fanatics–had ever encountered. Even subtle details, like different colored light streaming through the roofs of the buildings dotting the corn path sparked that familiar tingle of anticipation. There is a lot to see and appreciate at Terror in the Corn, and special effects are certainly high on that list.
How scary was it? – (35% of score)
How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? – (15% of score)
How predictable were the scares? – (25% of score)
How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? – (10% of score)
How strong was the ending / finale? – (15% of score)
Terror in the Corn is just that: terrifying! Creatures pop out of the corn and dark corners, glare dementedly, scream aggressively, giggle adorably, offer to involve guests in their sordid endeavors, sometimes charge while wielding weapons, and all just about every other type of scare one can imagine!
Meanwhile, special effects titillate the senses, exposing more raw nerves for the next set of monstrous Raven’s Gulch inhabitants to pluck. Although it was sometimes clear where a scare was coming from, most of the time, the set design and props kept us guessing, which made us more susceptible to being scared, and the staff used distraction to their advantage. Of course, the more direct approach also worked very well, as we witnessed one guest fall over in fear trying to escape a chainsaw-wielding cast member. This year’s all new finale left a big impression, as well, giving guests one final surprise on their way back to the cozy confines of the Fall Festival!
As another team that joined us, Team Zombillies noted during our visit, they believe this haunt excelled at targeting the group and providing multiple types of scares, sometimes even from the same characters! This resulted in one of the scariest, more conga-lined attractions they’ve seen!
How satisfied with the entertainment provided by the MAIN attraction/s? – (50% of score)
How satisfied with OTHER entertainment INCLUDED with the ticket price? – (25% of score)
How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s? – (25% of score)
General admission to Terror in the Corn runs $42, but admission to the haunt also entitles guests to visit Anderson Farms’ Fall Festival during the day, permitting a full day of seasonal fun. Guests can enjoy the non-haunted corn maze in the sun, visit the well-stocked gift shop and general store, pick pumpkins and gourds of all variety, hit the photo ops and even play some games or bounce on gigantic bouncy mat, all before heading over to the haunt and getting scared silly!
Terror in the Corn also offers fast pass admission and a platinum pass, the latter of which also comes with unique swag only available to platinum pass holders. Given all that there is to do at Anderson Farms, and the fact that Terror in the Corn is one of the top haunts in the nation, haunt lovers should make a point of paying their respects to the scarecrow this season!
6728 County Road 3 1/4, Erie, Colorado 80516