It may only be September, but businesses that specialize in Halloween attractions are already gearing up for the season.
For those seeking a heart-stopping thrill, Baton Rouge’s The 13th Gate provides 40,000 square feet of fright. The attraction, which opens today, was ranked the No. 2 professional haunted attraction in the United States by HauntWorld.com.
“We’ve been working on the haunted house since about March, and we’ve probably spent a little over a quarter of a million dollars on it this year,” said Dwayne Sanburn, owner of Midnight Productions, the company that produces The 13th Gate.
Sanburn said one of house’s strong points is building Hollywood-style sets.
“One of our new sets this year is our ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’-type set,” Sanburn said. “We have this huge pirate ship docked inside a cove inside the haunted house. We have a new snake room. We have 150 live water snakes. I don’t want to give away where they’re at, but they’ll be in your face.”
Sanburn advised people to come early in the season to get the best scare.
“The Saturday before Halloween, it’ll be impossible to get in,” Sanburn said. “There will be 4,000 people in line and a three or four hour wait. If you come the first or second weekend, you can go in with just your group. It’s a more intimate scare.”
The 13th Gate is also having a special after Halloween called Flashlight Fright Nights from Nov. 1-3.
“All of the lights are going to be turned out in the haunted house,” Sanburn said. “Each group gets one tiny flashlight to go through the haunted house [to] amp up the fright a little bit.”
Admission to The 13th Gate is $15.
For those who are not looking to be scared to the point of sickness, The Louisiana MAiZE offers a 9-acre corn maze located in Port Allen.
The MAiZE, which opens Saturday at 9 a.m., is a less frightening option in the area.
“We’re not about blood, guts and gore,” said Vicki Courville, co-owner of Louisiana MAiZE. “We’re about good scaring. There will be props. There will be people in costume, but it’s not real gory.”
The MAiZE will be haunted every weekend in October from dusk until 10 p.m.
The theme for this year’s maze is “Porky’s Corny Conundrum,” and it will feature live pig races
Admission is $8.75 for ages 12 and older and $6.75 for ages 5-11. Ages 4 and under get in free. Prices are raised $2 during the haunting time.
The Myrtles Plantation, known as “one of America’s most haunted homes,” is located in St. Francisville and has been a haven for thrill seekers and ghost lovers alike. The plantation, which is said to be haunted by a ghost named Chloe, is offering specials for those brave enough to enter her home.
The Myrtles will offer special mystery tours Oct. 26 and 27 and Halloween night. Tickets are $10 and will go on sale at 6 p.m. each night of the Halloween extravaganza.
“Our restaurant, Varnedoe’s, will be selling red beans and rice, jambalaya and beverages on the courtyard as well as its customary a la carte menu,” said Glenn DeVillier, manager of The Myrtles.
The Myrtles also offers the option of staying overnight in one of its 11 bed and breakfast rooms.
For directions and more information about these attractions, visit www.myrtlesplantation.com, www.cornfieldmaze.com and www.midnightproduction.com.
—Contact Sarah Aycock at [email protected]
Halloween options abound in Red Stick
September 23, 2007