Field of Screams is a Halloween season attraction in Mountville, PA, about an hour and forty minutes from Moravian’s South Campus. 

When I arrived there on a recent October evening, I was welcomed by a ton of other cars waiting for a parking spot. I will say, although this was noted as one of the busiest nights of the season, I felt that everything was very organized and they had adequate space and workers for parking and for the lines. 

The scenery and themes of this attraction are all amazing, with great lighting, many fitting attractions and games, and actors dressed in costume who walk around and take photos with guests. Once you enter, you can visit the entertainment area, where I went briefly to listen to a live band play. This is nice for the Frightmare Asylum and Den of Darkness attractions, since the lines are right next to the performance area.

The first attraction I attended was the Haunted Hayride. Back in my hometown in Michigan, we have similar places as Field of Screams, and typically the hayrides are most tame. As I had VIP tickets, the lines went very fast. I was on the ride in about five minutes or less. The hayride was very fun with great themed sections and a good storyline. The actors did a good job at creating a fun atmosphere. I only disliked the end, where there was a section of a hayride with an enclosed barn-like space that had a hypnotic projection all around, which made me feel dizzy. 

Next, I went to the Nocturnal Wasteland, located right next door to the Hayride. You actually pass by a bridge of the Nocturnal Wasteland and hear people scream! I attended Field of Screams alone, so thankfully (or not, depending on how you feel), they divide groups up into teams of six or seven people. This way, I had people to walk through with. I really enjoyed this attraction, though I felt like more actors would’ve made it more interesting. Again, the horror theme was great. The set was made to be an abandoned wasteland. We had to go on ramps, bridges, through school buses, and under tunnels during the attraction. The previous rain made the ramps and ground slippery, which was a cause for concern, but I felt safe otherwise. A lot of this attraction was just a walkthrough of a scene. There were parts where you would have to duck down and go into these sewer tunnel things, like in the movie “IT.” 

The third attraction was Frightmare Asylum. This, again, had teams of people so I wasn’t alone. I was most scared of this attraction, as the promotional video on the Field of Screams website was terrifying (good job on those videos by the way, Field of Screams!). The Asylum is an enclosed, multi-floor haunted house that has many actors ready to jump out at you at any given moment. Every corner you turn, there is something to be afraid of. The only thing I disliked about it was the strobe lights, which I always hate in haunted houses. They make me feel anxious and disoriented because I feel like I’m moving in slow-motion. 

Finally, I went to the Den of Darkness. This was very similar to the Frightmare Asylum. The only difference was the theme of it, but it was still good. The asylum had more of a hospital-type setting, while being in the den made me feel like I was going through someone’s house. At the top floor, there was a room that seemed like an abandoned attic–full of cobwebs and old children’s toys. I had a pretty funny experience with it, since instead of being last in a group with a bunch of adults, my group consisted of about four or five children… The amount of screams in this attraction skyrocketed due to the demographic I was walking through the Den with. 

Overall, the Field of Screams was a very fun attraction. Something unique about it that I hadn’t previously seen in my hometown haunted sites was the games. Your traditional basketball shooting game at the fair was now a severed-head toss, which definitely made me do a double-take when passing by. They also had a goblet toss, ring toss, and a bottle-breaking game which were more of a traditional carnival game style. Although I didn’t play any of them, they were fun to watch! 

Something else that was fun was the free photobooth. as well as before the Nocturnal Wasteland attraction, you get your photo taken (for free!) and then could later pay to get it printed with a scary background if you chose. I would say this place definitely deserves the title of America’s #1 Haunted Attraction.