For many of us, Haunts connect directly to our own Escape Game “origin stories.” Although the industry has evolved greatly in just a few years, Haunts will always have a logical connection to the Escape Game world. With new ways to be scared every Halloween, Haunts have been an integral part of Escape Authority since its inception.
Escape Authority is honored to announce our 2019 Keys To Greatness – Best Haunt winners:
Knott’s Scary Farm
(Buena Park, CA)
The granddaddy of all Haunts – Knott’s Scary Farm quite literally invented the genre of a grand-scale Halloween event. With a whopping forty-six years of history behind it, it should come as no surprise that Knott’s Scary Farm has become synonymous with the very idea of Halloween itself. But there’s more than just nostalgia to be found at this event; “The Haunt,” as it’s still affectionately referred to by its legions of fans consistently ranks among the very best seasonal attractions we review year after year. There’s much to look forward to every October – but the one undisputed constant is our annual cross country pilgrimage to return to the fog.
Be sure to read our full review of Knott’s Scary Farm from 2018, 2017 and 2016.
Pennhurst Asylum
(Spring City, PA)
We talk a lot about “Hollywood-quality scenic,” but the simple fact remains that there’s just no amount of budget that can create something that feels more authentic than the real thing. When it comes to Haunts, there’s none more applicable to “the real thing” than Pennhurst Asylum. Set on the grounds and within the buildings of an actual abandoned insane asylum constructed more than a century again, Pennhurst doesn’t feel creepy – it IS creepy. Whether you personally believe in ghosts or not – Pennhurst Asylum will make you second guess your confidence. Add to its raw authenticity the fact that its talented team of actors treat the experience more like a setting for immersive theater than “just another boo-scare” and it should be no surprise why Pennhurst Asylum is both one of the most compelling – and scariest Haunts we’ve ever seen.
Click Here to read our full review of 2018’s Pennhurst Asylum.
Horror Made Here
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
(Burbank, CA)
In only its first true year as a full-fledged experience, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s Horror Made Here instantly became the only Halloween event to ever receive 6 Key ratings for every single one of its Haunts. Horror Made Here quite literally reinvents the genre, doing away with cliche “boo scares” and crafting each of its experiences into psychological immersive theater-esque productions. The level of theatrics exhibited here, from the actors to the sets to the effects left us naming it “the next big thing in horror” and “Los Angeles’ new undisputed king of Haloween!“
Unfortunately, Horror Made Here will be on hiatus for the 2019 season, but all signs now point to a triumphant return to terror in 2020!
Click Here to read our full review of 2018’s Horror Made Here.
Congratulations to our winners of the first ever Keys To Greatness – Best Haunt award!
With nearly 1,000 games played across the site, being picked as one of the best three in the country is a well-earned honor to truly be proud of!
With so many deserving games worthy of recognition, our goal is to ensure these Keys To Greatness awards are attainable to all – not just those with blockbuster budgets that might be otherwise out of reach. As such, it’s important to note that with just one exception, a given game can only win in a single category – but every game will still be qualified to win the coveted Keys To Greatness – Best Game award on June 2, 2019.
*Although the games I’ve personally designed are consistently very highly rated by both enthusiasts and newer players alike, I cannot in good conscience nominate an attraction I created. As such, those games and the venues that call them home have been intentionally omitted from consideration for any Keys To Greatness award.
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