Haunted Attractions of the Year

Asher Montaño                                           
Staff Writer 
  There are many haunted appeals throughout Eastern Idaho, including the Haunted Forest and the Lost Souls Attractions. I decided to visit both of these areas to rate them based on cost, time-to-finish, and scariness. In order to better assess each business, I attended with a group of friends to gather multiple perspectives and opinions. 
  The Haunted Forest, depressingly priced at $25 per person, was my absolute favorite haunted attraction to attend during the Halloween season. Though the wait to get in was unfortunately longer than anticipated, the entertainment throughout the waiting area made up for the time. Starting out at the concession stand, they sell amazing hot cocoa for an extraordinary price of $1, allowing people to get warmed up and ready for the walk at hand. Paid actors walk around in costumes and special effects. Some of the actors even wield chainsaws in the attempt to either scare or befriend the attendees. The beginning of the forest starts out in an interesting maze with fear and anticipation around each corner. No real mystery is involved when finding the path for the event, as it is apparent the whole time. However, it is still frightful and dark, giving actors the opportunity to hide and startle victims.
  Next on the list is the Lost Souls Attractions located in Shelley, Idaho. Despite being an inside activity, it was an extraordinary experience. Going to this attraction in a small group is highly encouraged because there are many tight places and groups get split up; going in with a smaller group of friends assures that you will not get split up during the experience. One way the Lost Souls Attractions comes out on top is the actual sounds and eerie nature of the building. Obvious electronic noises are set in place to throw off the people inside, however, there are workers inside banging on walls and screaming in order to give a more surreal experience. As well as constituents on the inside, there are slides following the theme of the haunt. This allows the attendees to lay down in a coffin-shaped box and wait for the coffin to rotate upward to an almost-vertical position from being flat on the floor, which gives a terrifying, yet quick drop for the one inside. Overall, the Lost Souls was an amazing experience. and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who might be looking for a wonderfully scary experience.
  There are many more haunted areas I have not been able to attend and share my opinions about, however I have absolutely no problem continuing this amazing journey of experiencing these extraordinary places. Each location was a blast, and it is extremely saddening to know that October is coming to a bittersweet end! I cannot wait to be able to attend these places again to experience the thrilling terror this season Halloween has to offer!

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