Thriller: Haunted attractions around Cincinnati

Local haunted houses were included in an annual list of best Halloween-themed attractions by Hauntworld Magazine, a publication dedicated to all things Halloween.

With so many ghoulish attractions in the area, students might feel slightly overwhelmed when it comes to deciding which haunted attractions are worth spending that pretty penny on and which can RIP.

Hauntworld uses several methods to rank the attractions. Employees see them in person, owners send them detailed photos and videos, visitors write in about their haunting experiences and the company receives recommendations from other industry experts.

“Most of the time, people who write for the magazine visit haunts all across the nation, write articles and report back,” said Larry Kirchner, who founded Hauntworld in 2004.

Students consider several factors when deciding what makes a great haunted house experience.

“The price, length of the tour, scare factor, how realistic it is, number of attractions they have and how close it is to my house are things I compare when I decide where to go,” said Taylor Pickerel, a third-year marketing student.

The Dent Schoolhouse ranked No. 6 on the list of Top-31 Haunted Houses in America because of its “incredible story telling, horrific set design and amazing fright inside one of the creepiest buildings for a haunted house,” according to Hauntworld.

A schoolhouse since 1894, the building was the focus of an investigation when more than 14 students mysteriously vanished between 1942 and 1955. After noticing a horrific odor coming from the janitor’s workroom, investigators found the decaying remains. Charlie, the janitor, disappeared after hearing about the investigation and was never seen again. The school is rumored to be haunted by the children who were “taken care of” by Charlie.

Visitors snake their way through more than 40 rooms amid eerie music and horrifying encounters with evil school employees. Creep through classrooms, blood pools, the janitor’s quarters, a prom and many more themed scenes waiting to keep you up at night.

Located on Harrison Avenue, the schoolhouse is about 20 minutes from campus. With $13 tickets and free parking, one student agrees the experience is worthwhile.

“Overall, it was worth it. A lot of parts were scary and the costumes were good. I would definitely go back again,” said Christina Heil, a second-year social work student. “I think the variety of characters and creepy background story make it a good Halloween attraction. Realistic stuff is always good.”

No stranger to Hauntworld, Kings Island’s Halloween Haunt ranked No. 7 in the Top-10 Amusement Park Halloween Haunted Events list. King’s Island offers the biggest variety of hair-raising attractions in the area with more than 500 characters, 13 Halloween themed-attractions and 20 of their world-famous coasters. Visitors can even rock out to live Halloween-themed shows.

The park warns that “Halloween Haunt is not for the faint of heart and will ravage all of your senses. This in-your-face horror experience is filled with terrifying chain-link mazes, frightening wooded trails, disturbing 3-D clowns, outrageous live shows and monsters lurking in shadows, waiting to make you their next victim.”

Although Kings Island is approximately 30 minutes from campus, one student says the attraction is worth the drive.

“If a place has a good reputation, like Kings Island, for being really cool with good special effects, and since the scare factor is high enough, it’d be worth it to pay more or drive farther,” said Clifton Sneed, a fifth-year electronic student.

Other students agree.

“I love Halloween Haunt,” Pickerel said. “You can ride roller coasters, which you can’t do anywhere else. Plus, there are multiple choices for trails and houses inside the park. You can spend all night there.”

Tickets cost as low as $20, depending on the night of visit, if a college ID is presented or if tickets are purchased online. Season pass holders receive free admission.

While not on the list this year, Newport’s USS Nightmare ranked No. 13 for 2006’s Top-13 Haunted Houses and was rated 10 out of 10 by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Built in 1934, the boat worked for 50 years in dredge service surrounded by rumors of injuries and strange occurrences reported by crew members until it made its last journey-- unmanned-- down the Missouri River.

One of the oldest attractions in the area, the USS Nightmare offers a 40-minute, bone-tingling tour with more than 40 themed areas. Visitors wander through the boat’s twisting passageways, touring the captain’s quarters, eerie play rooms, torture chambers, engine room and many more scenes guaranteed to scare. Admission is $16 and the steamboat is about 10 minutes from campus.

“I don’t like haunted houses that look too fake,” Sneed said. “The more over the top a haunted house is, the more I like it, and the USS Nightmare was really detailed with their scenes and characters. It was very scary.”