Field of Screams suffers from same old same old
On the third stop of the season, I’ve returned to an attraction I’ve visited many times before. Originally opened in 1993 by brothers Gene and Jim Schopf, Field of Screams has consistently dominated its competition, rivaled only by Pennhurst Asylum, Reaper’s Revenge, and a scant few others. I do not, however, think it’s as strong as it was last year.
This year’s weakest was Frightmare Asylum for a few minor reasons. It’s still far scarier than the Nocturnal Wasteland and Hayride, but it’s also far more stagnant. I noticed little to no changes compared to last year, save for one change I personally thought was a big mistake. For the first half of the walkthrough, which is usually the asylum’s scariest stretch, the attraction’s speakers blast metal music over both the first and second floors. This is a choice I dislike in general – I simply don’t think it’s scary – but I dislike it even less here because it weakened one of the strongest aspects of last year’s experience. By replacing traditional ambience with screaming vocals, the attraction sacrifices its atmosphere of dread in favor of flair. Thankfully the asylum otherwise maintains its strongest aspects from 2025, such as the genius change to the clown scene. In prior years the clown room was completely detached thematically from the rest of the attraction. Rather than remove the room, the FoS team instead reimagined it as a dressing room for patients and/or hired entertainment. This awesome stroke of visual storytelling fixed my issue with the attraction’s consistency.
For a long time the Haunted Hayride was my least favorite of the four, an opinion that changed around five-ish years ago with the removal and/or updates of its weakest scenes. Not only does the cryo chamber remain one of the coolest things at Field of Screams, but I’d argue it’s even more impressive now with the addition of a floor mechanism that rocks the entire hayride. The factory is still the most impressive of the haunt’s scenes from a purely visual standpoint. Another delightful, though minor, addition to the ride are the massive animatronics stationed between stops. Despite its strengths, I think the bulk of the hayrides scenes – most notably the slaughterhouse, junkyard, greenhouse, circus, and final chainsaw scene – are in need of some major updates. That final stretch is especially stale compared to what comes before it.
This year I walked through the Nocturnal Wasteland before dark, which gave me a much clearer view of the set design. While it does falter in a few minor areas, the majority of its presentation is phenomenal even with the lights on. Rather than waste money on premade sets, the FoS team builds the trail’s Mad Max-esque atmosphere through authentic scrap metal, derelict vehicles, and other retrieved junk parts. The swamp shack section isn’t bad at all, but I do think it’s in need of an update, just to offer guests something new. Another minor complaint is how little the actors present in this scene take advantage of the low visibility. Every time I’ve walked through it, its actors never even attempted to ambush me. The haunted forest section, while impressive, simply doesn’t belong in the Nocturnal Wasteland. It does not fit thematically.
The strongest and scariest of the four attractions is the Den of Darkness. In fact this attraction has, in my opinion, remained Field of Screams’ crown jewel since my first visit over a decade ago. Its set design rivals the Nocturnal Wasteland, and it exceeds the asylum in both its layout and scare factor. Last year’s strongest scenes have been maintained, such as the garage on the first floor and library on the second. The attraction’s second-floor rooms are arguably the scariest scenes on the property. That said, like the asylum, I don’t think this year’s addition is a strong one. The masquerade theme in the dining room/foyer feels like a quick reskin with mannequins placed here and there rather than a proper update. It actually weakens what was otherwise one of the strongest scenes in the building. I think the attic, the catacombs, and the final room need overhauls. All three have remained virtually the same since my first visit.
Side note: Field of Screams needs to vary its attractions’ finales. All four attractions end with a chainsaw onslaught which, while effective the first time around, grows stale when it happens another three times.
Despite some flaws this year, Field of Screams remains one of the state’s premier haunts, a status I don’t think will change any time soon.
