If you like realistic, detailed set designs and dedicated actors, head to Race City Haunted House for a spooky, fun night. In Panama City Beach, Race City Haunted House is a great place for date nights or family outings. It is scary enough to thrill the adults but not gory and intense, so the pre-teens and teens will enjoy it, too.
The haunted house is just one attraction of an entire amusement park filled with attractions, so you can spend a whole night there and create some great memories. The team in charge of the haunt are industry veterans who have made haunts in other locations in past years. They know what they are doing and ensure everyone who dares to enter the haunted house gets a good scare.
Race City Haunted House’s cast was small but adequate. The haunt was strategically built to make it easy for actors to move covertly from one spot to another in seconds. We encountered four different actors during our visit. They were dedicated, believable, and unrelenting in ensuring we were scared.
Every actor, in every spot in the haunt, gave us an excellent performance. We did feel the haunt would have benefitted from having additional actors to provide more of a variety of characters. That said, there was no place within the haunt we felt was empty.
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)
With only four actors, there was no variety in costumes or originality. The actors wore masks rather than makeup. That said, the masks used were realistic and fit well into the various sets in the haunt.
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)
Race City Haunted House is located in an amusement park on one of the main roads in Panama City Beach, so it is easy to find. It’s also only a couple blocks from the beach. There is plenty of complimentary parking, and once in the amusement park, you can’t miss the tall, looming haunted house structure.
We had no concerns for our safety with security throughout the park. Every team member we encountered, from the food trucks to security and management, was helpful and friendly. Race City’s website has excellent information about its attractions, so it is easy to plan your visit.
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)
The haunt looks like an actual house that was converted into a haunt. Aside from the house’s creepy entrance, there isn’t much in the way of pre-haunt décor. This was likely because Race City is an amusement park, and the haunt is just one of many fun attractions.
Once we got in the haunt, we were continuously immersed in the experience. Every room was skillfully designed and flowed well from one to the next. One of the great things about this haunt is that there are no hallways. Each room leads to another room. Every inch of space was transformed, and we felt transported to another dimension. It was like going through an actual haunted home.
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 set designs were meticulously detailed and realistic, and that is where this haunt excels above many others. I could revisit this haunt many times and still be able to see details missed from previous visits. The GM of Race City let us know that the sets were professionally created by a veteran of the haunted attraction business who has worked with some of the top haunts in the country.
The sound effects were influential throughout the haunt and were most noticeable in the beginning in the “lobby” of the house. There was a voiceover reminiscent of the Crypt Keeper that goes over the rules and then leads you into the house’s story. The lighting was equally effective, with the swamp area being our favorite effect.
We saw more than a dozen animatronics throughout the haunt that worked cohesively with the theme of the rooms that they were in. Some were effective and realistic, some were aged and had predictable scares, but all added to the ambiance.
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)
Race City Haunted House is great for first-time haunt goers and pre-teens to adults. It isn’t intense or gory, but packs in almost non-stop startle scares. The haunt was strategically built to make the most effective use of the limited cast. It was easy for actors to move covertly from one spot to another in seconds. The result was jump scares at every turn. The other scares came mostly from animatronics linked to the guest-activated triggers, and there were quite a few. Things would “come to life” when you least expected it.
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)
Race City Haunted House is reasonably priced at $12 a person, and the experience time was 6 minutes, so you are paying $2 per minute. With backyard haunts charging $15-$20 for an experience these days that isn’t even close to the professional quality of this one, $12 was a steal for what we experienced inside.
Also, haunt goers can make a whole night out for themselves at Race City. In addition to the haunt, there is a roller coaster and other carnival-type rides, games, mini–golf, and more! The other attractions come at an additional cost; however, they offer an unlimited ride pass that includes the haunt for $57. Tickets must be purchased onsite, and cash and credit are accepted.
9523 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407