Surviving Scream Zone: Frightening Fun for All

Nadia Razzaq, Staff Reporter

Courtesy of Finn Deatherage
Customers leave with food in hands at the Scream Zone’s food stands. These gather tons of customers throughout the night.

Entering The Scream Zone in Del Mar, you never know what awaits you around the next dark corner. 

On the first Friday of October, my friends and I took on the challenge of all three terrifying attractions: The Haunted Hayride, The Chamber, and the most scream-filled of all, The House of Horror.

The Haunted Hayride is an all-inclusive tractor ride that passes a variety of spine-chilling scenes. You may sit undisturbed in the hay for some time, though beware someone will unquestionably sneak up to whisper in your ear. 

The Chamber, on the other hand, is a walk-through experience where you have to escape while combating the creatures appearing around you. Make one wrong turn and you have bought yourself more time stuck in The Chamber. 

The House of Horror brings the most realistic and terrifying experience with its many clowns and meat locker room. This attraction may feel neverending, though the relief you feel when you see the exit sign makes all the screams and walking worth it. 

My Experience: 

Scream Zone was definitely different from what I ever could have imagined. I believed the outcome from this experience would be nothing but a good laugh, merely a dinner table anecdote, although the results had been a loss of voice from high pitched screams and newly-formed bonds within my friend group. Scream Zone gave my friends and I an opportunity to grow closer, make new memories that’ll keep us laughing for months, and a new trust in one another that we would stick together no matter how loudly that chainsaw was being sharpened. 

As we all had a thrilling time, we still learned what to do next time on our annual visit to The Scream Zone. Here is a guide on what to do to make your visit to Scream Zone successfully spooky. 

Courtesy of Finn Deatherage
On a Friday night, teenagers line up for attractions such as The Chamber. Waiting in lines take a reasonable time, ranging from thirty minutes to an hour per attraction.

Guide To Scream Zone: 

1.Planning Your Visit

Getting tickets for Scream Zone is definitely more time-efficient using online sales. The best ticket in terms of pricing and accessibility to the events would be the triple haunt. The triple haunt allows visitors to visit all three events once, for the price of $34, unit rate price of $11 per attraction. 

Scream Zone is open from 7 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. On all other nights, the attractions are open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Be sure to bring your school ID on a Sunday through Thursday night for a $10 off student discount.

    2. Our Favorite, The Haunted Hayride: 

If you feel overwhelmed by all the great ghoulish options at Scream Zone, we advise you to go on The Haunted Hayride first. This attraction has the longest line, though definitely worth the wait. 

As the hayride tractor makes different stops, visitors are immersed in a new, blood-pumping experience. Though you may be sitting calmly in the rough hay for some time, keep an eye out for the creatures awaiting you, ready to pop out at any moment. 

  3. The Bigger the Group, The Better: 

The saying is true: the more the merrier (and less scary). Attending The Scream Zone with a larger group has its many advantages. 

Not only will you get less attention from the terrors awaiting you in attractions such as The House of Horror, but you’ll also be able to divide to figure out which way to exit The Chamber. Be sure to bring someone to hold through the attractions as well; you never know how horrifying some parts of Scream Zone will be until you get there.  

Courtesy of Finn Deatherage
Scream Zone’s red-tone lighting and haystack seats greet visitors when first entering the event. This brings a season-appropriate atmosphere to the event.

 4. More Funnel Cakes, More Fun:  

 Before leaving The Scream Zone, be sure to grab a bite on your way out. You deserve it after all the calories you burned running through The House of Horror. 

Large crowds gather for food items such as the nachos, hotdogs and desserts. We would recommend the funnel cake with strawberries for a sweet yet (somewhat) healthy treat. 

The painful stacks of hay distributed among Scream Zone somehow seem comfortable and consoling after the night you’ve survived. So take a break, a bite of some funnel cake, and tons of group pictures for you and your friends to remember the night. 

Before the end of this spooky season, consider heading down to The Scream Zone in Del Mar for tons of frightening fun with these tips in mind before its closing on November 2nd. Be sure to pay attention during your visit, you never know who is waiting to sneak up on you.