Valley of Fear and The Original Haunted Hayride Review (2026)

The ticket Booth and rest area all in a decorated pavilion area upon entering. Security and first aid are all at the main entrance with the ticket booth. This is also where the food is, so think about grabbing a bite on the way in.

All trails were well marked for General Admission as well as VIP. Additionally, they had greeters at each attraction entrance guiding haunt goers to their path of destiny. They were packed this night, parking well into their 2nd overflow area, and not many were in VIP as a result because they only sell a limited amount. The hayride was a solid 90-minute wait for general admission on a busy Saturday night in the middle of haunt season. And that’s with 8 wagons, 240 in the haunt at once. Port-a-Pots right at the spot where you board the wagon after a long wait is a great touch.

The sets here, both in the hayride as well as the trail, are meticulously crafted. The hayride takes you on a journey of Hollywood’s greatest monsters and icons. Complete with a medieval castle, small villages, Egyptian tombs, and an abandoned carnival area.

The actors were not only well attired, but believable for the most part (sorry Freddy). The Wolfman mimicked Lon Chaney Jr. perfectly as he howled at the moon. The Mummy had the shriek down pat. The deadly denizens of Pirate’s Cove had their dialect and mannerisms spot on. These all rounded out the realistic, immersive environment.

The trail was an adventure, starting with a magical sequence and continuing on through seaside villages and massive pirate ships. The Manor was a proper haunted house walk-through with several stop areas where you watch a show. The clown area, a staple of almost every haunt, seemed out of place at the end of what otherwise was a creepy old house. The exterior of Miles Manor was super spooky and ramped up the excitement as we waited to enter.

Lighting effects paired with sound effects perfectly everywhere. They used neat little tricks, like a camper crawling into a tent and Jason pulling the sleeping bag out immediately and slamming it against a tree, as if she were still in there, screaming.

Another standout effect was them electrocuting another in a dazzling display. The swamp in Pirates Cove through the bamboo stalks really made you feel like you were wading through a murky swamp. Dracula’s castle with its dazzling video displays was another hit. Huge animatronics on the hayride all worked, and most approached the wagon.

The elevator ride was an exciting free fall. Curtains blowing in the wind from a local thunderstorm added realism. Creaking ship noises as you traverse the “Escape” wreckage. The haunting, echoing laughter down the corridors of Miles Manor. Really cool stuff.

Valley’s true strength is its actors. Shipwreck Cove had the strongest characters, and they acted their parts with believable accents. They were up close and personal, sometimes whispering in your ear as you passed through. The dialogue was imaginative and often hilarious, and always appropriate for the zone. Still, some of the dialogue was the typical “Keep moving” or “Can you stay with us?”

The hayride, consisting mostly of classic horror icons, had a nice variety of villains, although some stood out over others. A few originals, but mostly familiar antagonists. Shout out to the Mummy actor. No dialogue but those shrieks were spot-on! The Freddy K area could use more believable and interactive actors. Dracula could have used more of an impactful entrance. The actors will not touch you, and the design of the wagon is such that they really can’t board, so interaction is limited. Also, a shout-out to Maureen Miles! The furnace repair guy who sacrificed himself. The host at the beginning of “Escape” set the mood so well.

Actor-driven haunts can sometimes suffer because when an actor is putting on a show for you, he/she isn’t plotting to surprise you from a dark area when you least expect it. Hay ride actors rarely approached the wagon with malice, though some were excellent at catching you off guard. Also, the hay ride is considered “family-friendly.”

Miles Manor had some great jump scares, as well as “Escape,” but they picked their spots rather than a nonstop barrage. Laser swamps could use actors hidden under the “surface.” The highest scare factor of the three attractions was the trail. So many dark areas, and actors were great at stealth and following you long out of their zones to get scares.

We clocked 52 minutes’ worth of haunt time, and that didn’t include queue areas inside certain attractions to act as a buffer between groups. The night we went, the Gen Admission price was $57, which is very close to the $1 per minute used as a value scale.

Ultimate VIP is $100, which gives unlimited attraction access. Parking isn’t included, so have a fiver ready for that. Parking proceeds go to charity. We were on site for three hours with VIP so plan on a long night. An entire evening’s worth of entertainment for under 60 bucks is great value, and none of the attractions were short.