Nerves of steel or faint of heart: OWA’s got something for everyone this Halloween season

By Jessica Vaughn
Posted 10/4/19

FOLEY - It’s October, which means all the ghouls and goblins are getting ready to come out in force for some Halloween fun and candy, and maybe a few scares along the way. Looking for a place with …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Nerves of steel or faint of heart: OWA’s got something for everyone this Halloween season

Posted

FOLEY - It’s October, which means all the ghouls and goblins are getting ready to come out in force for some Halloween fun and candy, and maybe a few scares along the way. Looking for a place with scare levels for the whole family, from “mild spooks leaving kids smiling and laughing” to “I’m never sleeping with the lights off again?” Then head on down to OWA, where the entire family can find the scare level that suits their mood!

Jumping headfirst into the horrorfest side of things, check into OWA’s 3rd Annual Town of Terror haunted house attraction, Hotel MitcHELL. Don’t take the name lightly, the owner of the 1800s hotel doesn’t intend to let his guests checkout once they’ve arrived. Be forewarned this attraction is OWA’s most intense Halloween feature and is not recommended for ages 12 and under.

Check into Hotel MitcHELL with a group of your fearless friends, then try to stay together as you navigate through the rundown corridors, twisting turns, and hallways that seemingly go on forever. Stay alert, as scare actors will be happy to make your trek through the hallways all the more memorable as they watch from behind walls and around corners. This unique experience offers a “choose-your-own” story format with two different endings depending on what path you choose to follow, so be ready to make your choice.

Hotel MitcHELL is open every Fri., Sat., and Sun. beginning at 6 p.m. now until Nov. 3.

For guests who are looking for smaller scares, the Fall Festival has two corn mazes to enjoy: a family-friendly maze that is open throughout festival hours, and a haunted corn maze that opens at dusk during festival hours. Though the haunted corn maze does offer up its own scares, they’re not quite as extreme as the ones had in the Town of Terror. The Fall Festival is open Fridays 4 - 9 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. now until Nov. 3. The festival is free to enter, but some activities once inside cost an extra fee.

For younger children or adult guests who want a family-friendly Halloween experience, there’s Park After Dark which happens inside The Park at OWA every Saturday and Sunday 5 - 7 p.m. Kids are able to trick-or-treat, interact with non-scary characters located throughout The Park, partake in arts and crafts such as pumpkin painting and decorating trick-or-treating bags, and try their hand at navigating a kid-friendly hay maze.

A separate ticket is not required to enjoy these activities, and trick-or-treating and arts and crafts are free to be enjoyed by guests with either a Day Pass or a Non-Rider Entry. Certain attractions, such as the hay maze, will require a Day Pass to enter.

Those who are just stopping by Downtown OWA to dine or shop, don’t worry, there’s Halloween activities to be enjoyed along the streets of the cursed town of Big Water Ridge too. Scare actors come out and interact with guests as they stroll through Downtown, and free shows will be put on during weekends now through Nov. 3. Anyone who doesn’t wish to interact with the scare actors can purchase a $3 No-Boo necklace anywhere tickets are sold.

For full details and dates for all of the Halloween events happening at OWA, to check prices, or to purchase tickets, check out VisitOWA.com. Don’t miss your chance to live these unique experiences before they’re gone until next year!