Sandyland Acres - 2017 Review

Overall Score - 6.3 / 10

Sandyland Acres - Hayride
Overall Score - 6.3
Scare Factor - 5.5
Actors - 6.5
Visuals - 6
Value - 7

Donna - Gene has done it again with the scariest, craziest, most fun outdoor hayride in the area!  When you first board the hayride, you get the feeling that you are on a ride through a haunted corn field.  The first thing you realize is that you are not alone in the field.  The corn is so close to the wagon that your view is limited to see who or what is waiting for you so you are at the mercy of the monsters.  Sounds, scares, people getting on the hayride and up in your face, screams from the actors blended with your own fill the ride from beginning to end.  This is a ride you will want to do more than once.  It is a fun, creative, scary, thrill ride that is worth every penny of the cost.  There are several unexpected surprises this year that just put this hayride over the top!  Well done!  Bravo!

Paul - This was my first visit to Sandyland Acres and I'm afraid that one thing kind of ruined it for me. Somewhere near the start of the hayride as we were going through a patch of corn, some sort of hidden gunshot/cannon prop went off right next to my ear. It definitely startled me but it also temporarily deafened me and my ear wouldn't stop ringing well into the next morning. I was so worried about my hearing that I didn't enjoy the rest of the night at all, and just kept my fingers in my ears for the rest of the ride since there were more gunshots to follow.

Teresa - Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride is a nice place for a family with kids who aren't too scared of scary costumes and some really loud noises to go and have a fun evening out away from the city. There's nothing like a farm in the fall, with cornfields, and a cool silo that shoots fire out the top. There are some fun skeleton decorations and refreshments available. The hayride itself has you sitting on hay bales in a cart pulled by a tractor, as you go through the fields and through some creepy horror-movie scenes. It is fun to guess the horror movie as you go through each scene. The tractor stops periodically for you to witness scenes playing out, and Jason, or Michael Myers, or another horror icon gets on the cart with you, and looks to see who is brave, and who isn't. The best parts are the truck chasing you and blaring its horn, and my personal favorite, the headless horseman. This isn't the scariest haunt, because you are sitting with a lot of other people, and the actors aren't too over-the-top. They mostly get up close to you and pass by, or maybe lunge, but they don't try to make anyone cry. My only complaints this year are the really loud cannons that were a bit much for more sensitive haunt-goers, and that some of the scenes were really hard to see from where we were seated. The other passengers blocked the view. I'm not sure if the scenes were lower than normal or what happened there, as I don't remember this being a problem in the past. However, older kids (and adults) who aren't scared by loud noises should have a nice evening here.

Todd - Sandyland Acres has not changed much since our last visit two years ago. For the most part the scenes remained the same. The hayride is a decent length, traveling to scenes with constructed facades with various themes or famous movie homages. The scenes themselves were enjoyable.

However, the acting felt very flat compared to years past. The traditional formula for the hayride is: you pull up to a scene, watch a short staged event and then the actor(s) come up into the trailer and walk back and forth between the rows of riders. 

In years past there was more interaction and energy between the actors and the riders. This year in almost every scene, the actor would come up on the trailer, pace back and forth, perhaps brandishing their signature weapon) and then hop off. There was very little intensity to any of it. A few stood out but overall the entire ride felt very programmed. The actors are the highlight of the hayride and it could have been much better if the gusto was there. 

One forewarning that I think is worth mentioning is the use of cannons (for lack of a better term). Sandyland has always had one area where a cannon was fired to produce a very deafening "BOOM." It can be ear piercing. This year, these were peppered throughout the hayride. While they're effective in producing jump scares, they can be disturbing to those with sensitive ears or small children. 

Overall this hayride is more than acceptable for families and a younger audience that is ready for the world of horror without the blood or graphic details. For adults seeking thrills, this is not the haunt for you.


Farmer's Revenge
Overall Score - 6.3
Scare Factor - 6
Actors - 6
Visuals - 6.5
Value - 6.5

Donna - This was my favorite indoor haunt so far this season!  It is a combination of a dark haunt and traditional haunt with just enough "fun" things added in to make it a truly enjoyable, yet scary haunt.  I don't scare very easily, if ever, in a haunt and this haunt actually gave me goose bumps during the first part of the walk through.  I don't want to give away any of the surprises but Gene really knows what scares people.  He did a fantastic job in putting the maximum number of scares in a relatively small area.  He should be designing haunts for Disneyworld.  I was so impressed with this year's haunt.  I highly recommend a visit to Sandyland Acres to get your Halloween on!  Great job, Gene!

Paul -  As my ears were still ringing from the hayride, I wasn't in the best mindset for going through the indoor portion of the haunt. There were a few good props and actors, some interesting sets, and one of the better spinning tunnels I've been through, but I was still too preoccupied about my hearing to really enjoy.

Teresa - Farmer's Revenge is a little scarier than the hayride. This is a classic walk-through haunt. There are a lot of dark areas, where you can't see at all and you have to feel your way through. You may get wet in the process. I liked the voice saying, "I'm following you..." in the dark. The actors were good, but there weren't a lot of them. They do have a section where you have to squeeze through the inflated walls. And my favorite part was the rotating tunnel. It was so disorienting! It isn't too long, but it is a nice option to have for the adults and older kids who want something a little scarier.

Todd - Farmer's revenge is a short indoor haunt that accompany's the hayride. It has changed very little from years past. The initial portion is a tight and dark walkway you must find your way through. There really wasn't much there to scare you; you just have to creep your way through it. A few scenes follow that have no real continuity with varying levels of details. While it's not a big haunt, there were very few actors inside which made it feel more like something to be observed than experienced.