Texas Haunts – Haunted House And Halloween News and Reviews

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Phone (972) 938-3247

Location: Screams is on FM 66, 1.6 miles east of I-35, in Waxahachie. The address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie TX, 75167. Screams is about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas and downtown Ft Worth. Screams is just off of I-35, on the Scarborough Faire grounds. Directions to Screams are here.

Screams Halloween Theme Park enters a new season with major improvements in all of it’s five main attractions, including a full redesign of Terra Mythica Castle. Time’s Up Maze has also been redesigned and it can take up to 20 minutes to find the exit. Time’s Up Actors are clearly having a good time misdirecting the guests. Bootlegger’s Bayou is outstanding this season. It has some new props, but it’s the actors who have driven most of the improvement. Klownz in 3D is fun and creepy at the same time, and is another haunt where the energy of the actors elevates the overall quality. Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse provides an intense outdoor experience. In addition to the haunted houses  Walk through attractions Cool Ghoul Boulevard and Rottingwood Cemetery are back, with changes of their own.

The walk through time is 10-15 minutes per main attraction, except for the maze, which can take over 20 minutes. The combined total walk through time for all five main attractions is over an hour. You can go through the haunted houses and walk through attractions as many times as you want. Fast passes are available online and cut the wait time in line for haunted attractions significantly on crowded nights. Fast passes can be purchased here.

Hell Dollz return on the main stage, while new stage entertainment has been added at Taboo Tavern. Hell Dolls is a 30 minute show featuring acrobatics, fire swallowing, and fire twirling. The Hell Dolls are made up of three stage performers, and much of the act involves synched routines with all three performers working with fire simultaneously. Check their schedule in front of the main stage early in the evening as it may vary nightly. Their link tree is here.

Queen Anne’s Lace from Scarborough will be singing songs in the Halloween spirit at the Taboo Tavern Stage opening weekend only. Ghouls Line Is It Anyway and Halloween themed trivia will be nightly at Taboo Tavern. End of the World Parade will march October 11,12, 18, and 19. Scary-Oke returns on Merchant’s Row near the park entrance.

Rottingwood Cemetery is a walk though attraction at the park entrance. It’s decor and props have improved this year and will usually have actors in the area. It’s well decorated and is a good way to begin and end the evening.

Cool Ghoul Boolevard is a walk through light show, with synched music. It’s very photogenic and looks good at either twilight or in the dark. Take a right at the park entrance and look for the lights just before Headless Horseman Tavern. The light patterns have changed this year, alternating between dark lights and a pattern that is almost Christmas like.

A wide variety of roaming actors can be found around the park all night. They have excellent costumes and will pose for photos. A lot of work was put into decorating the park in the off season. My favorite area is the long stretch of graveyard from Rottingwood Cemetery at park entrance down to 13th Hour Bakery. Fog machines add to the ambience once night falls.

The Mythical Monster Museum is open during Screams for the first time in a decade, and it has lots of new monsters to examine. You can find the MMM behind Taboo Tavern, next to Time’s Up Maze.

A variety of games can be found around the park, including Heads and Hoops on the side of the food court next to Bootlegger’s Bayou, Zombie Paintball next to the Mythical Monster Museum, and Drop of Doom by the food court. Additionally, Test of Strength, and Axe, Knives, & Stars Throw Games are also close to the back of the food court.

Several new vendors have been added, including food trucks close to the main stage and Coco’s Sweet Treats. A screen showing classic horror movies is up at Headless Horseman Tavern, which has the most scenic setting at Screams, and covered seating. Jack-O-Lantern Tavern is enlarged and is on the side of the main stage.  Taboo Tavern is at the back of the food court, while Morgue Tavern is on the side of the food court next to Full Moon. Spiders Web Bar is next to Taboo Tavern. Bag of Bones has a good location between the entrances to Terra Mythica and Bootleggers Bayou. In all, there are seven pubs and taverns to choose from, each with it’s own style and decor. Additionally, roaming vendors have jello syringes with vodka and rum.

The full list of alcohol offered at Screams is below. Not all taverns and pubs will have the full selection. Last call is at midnight.

Beer & Cider: Blake’s Carmel Apple, Blake’s Original Hard Cider, Blake’s Triple Jam, Bud Light,
Dallas Blonde, Deep Ellum IPA, Estella Jalisco, Left Hand Milk Stout, Mango Cart, Michelob Ultra,
Monster Beast (various flavors), Nasty Beast Hard Tea (various flavors), Neato Bandito, Paulaner
Oktoberfest, Spaten Oktoberfest, White Claw Black Cherry, Ziegenbock, and assorted variety of
specialty beers.

Wines: Alexander Valley Chardonnay, Brut Champagne, Cupcake Muscato, Ferrari Crano Fume
Blanc, Rebellious Red, White Zinfandel-Peach Sangria, and more.

Other: Cherry Noir Mead, Scarborough Mead

Jell-O Shots: Cherry, Lemon Lime, Coconut Lime

Full Moon Cafe and Bar has been revamped for 2024, and has new bartenders, plus food service again. In addition to the newly added Banana Pudding, old favorites return in Bacon Cheese Potato Wedges, Buffalo Wings, Meat Pies with Corn Salsa, Toasted Ravioli, Raspberry Fontina Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Bottled Dr Pepper products & Water, Coffee, & Hot Chocolate. Full Moon has a full bar, covered seating, very good bartenders (Alicia, Alex, Dylin), and a cool location in the park.

Taboo Tavern in the back of main food court has Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Deep Ellum IPA, Ziegenbock and Left Hand Milk Stout on tap. Best Day Electric Lime is available in bottles. Scarborough Mead, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Champagne are also offered at Taboo Tavern. Bottled water can be bought here.

Spider Web Bar next to Taboo Tavern, has bottles of Bud Light, Bud Zero, Michelob Ultra, Estrella Jalisco, Korback Cervesa Especial. White Zinfandel and bottled water are also offered.

Morgue Tavern, on the far side of the main food court next to Full Moon, has Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Ziegenbock, Mango Cart, Spaten Lager, Full ESB, and Budweiser on tap. Dallas Blonde, Bud Zero and Best Day Electric Lime are available in bottles. Chardonnay, Cabernet, champagne, and sangria are sold here.

Headless Horseman Tavern is next to Cool Ghoul Boulevard and across from 13th Hour Bakery. Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Left Hound Stout, Honey Hush, Spaten Oktoberfest, and Ziegenbock are on tap. Dallas Blonde, Best Day Electric Lime and Bud Zero are available in bottles. Wine offerings are Alexander Valley Chardonnay, Cupcake Moscato, Rebellious Red and Ferrari-Cerano Fume Blanc. Headless also has Cherry Noir Mead and Brut Champagne.

Bag of Bones is located next to the entrance to Terra Mythica Castle. It has icy Hurricanes and Blood Orange ‘Ritas on tap. Bud, Bud Light, Bud Zero, Michelob Ultra, White Claw Selzer, Miracle Wheat, Estrella Jalisco and Korback Cervesa Especial are sold in bottles. Jello shots are also available.

Jack-O-Lantern Tavern offers can and bottles only, and has more craft offerings than the other taverns. It’s located on the far side of the main stage.  Craft offerings are Ace Pear Cider, Ain’t It Funky, Coco Vodka Pineapple, Coco Rum Mojito, Monster Beast, Monster Hard Tea, Northeast IPA, and Miracle. Domestics are Bud Zero, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Electric Day Lime. Bottled water is also available here.

The main food court has faire/carnival staples. Their full list is below.

New offerings: Baked Potatoes, Brisket Baked Potatoes, Jalapeno Sausage-on-a-Stick,
Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Broccoli Cheese Soup in a Bread Bowl, Red Beans & Rice in a Bread
Bowl, Garlic Bread, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Frozen Dr Pepper & Big Red

Returning for 2024: Chicken Tenders & Fries, Corn Dogs, French Fries, Funnel Cakes, Pretzel
Bites with Cheese, Bubba’s Bacon, Sausage-on-a-Stick, BBQ Brisket Sandwich on Texas Toast,
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on Texas Toast, Smoked Turkey Legs, Elote, Beef & Chicken Fajitas,
Frito Pie, Nachos with Cheese, Beef & Chicken Nachos, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Bottled Dr Pepper
products & water, Fresh Lemonade & Iced Tea, Root Beer Floats, Coffee

You can get barbecue, sliders, nachos, fajitas, tacos and more from three food trucks.

The food trucks are:

Big Red Trailer
Sausage-on-a-Stick, Cowboy Pepper (smoked chicken, cheeses, jalapeno, wrapped in
bacon), Philly Cheesesteak, Brisket Sliders, Pulled Pork Sliders, Brisket Tacos, Smoked
Chicken Tacos, Pork Tacos, Nachos: cheese, chicken, brisket, or pork. Big Red is located next to Jack-O-Lantern Tavern and close to Cool Ghoul Boulevard.

El Taquito de Luna
Traditional Mexican Tacos made with fresh high quality ingredients: pork, brisket,
chicken fajita, Volcano plus Refreshing Fruit Waters. This stand is close to the food court and Henna Tattoos.

Missing Links BBQ
Boudin: chicken, seafood, or spicy pork; Sausage: Alligator with jalapenos, spicy beef,
Cajun beef; Sausage Hoagie. Missing Links is across from the food court and near Bootleggers Bayou.

Kettle corn is sold close to the main stage, and 13th Hour Bakery has a wide variety of sweets, tea, hot cocoa, and coffee. 13th Hour’s full menu is below:

Skull Pastries, Cookies, Cheesecake, Cannoli, Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crisp, Turnovers,
Popovers, Gourmet Brownies, Hot Coffee, Cold Brew Coffee, Iced Chai Tea Latte, Iced Green
Tea, Hot Tea, & Hot Chocolate with specialty flavors

Coco’s Sweet Shop has cotton candy, chocolate dipped bananas, cheesecake, iced apple cider, and 17 flavors of shaved ice. Coco’s is located next to Full Moon Cafe.

Screams has added a turkey leg stand on the main shopping row, close to the park entrance. A drink stand has been opened close to Zombie Wasteland.

Screams has expanded it’s list of Halloween themed merchants this year, and maintains it’s own souvenir shop. Vendors at Screams are:

Main Row by the park entrance; Creepy Coasters, Dead Dave Designs, Cowgirlz Candy, Rugged History Beard Company, Morbid Hookers, Delicious Doom Chocolates and Candies, Autumn Moon, palm reading and tarot cards, plus the Screams souvenir shop. Fyre and Fairie is located across from Terra Mythica Castle. Studio Stig is across from Bootleggers Bayou, Henna Body Art Tattoos is across from the main food court.

Across from Cool Ghoul Boulevard; Duststarr 3D, Altered Spirit.

Wares from merchants include the following:

3-D printed items, Halloween themed pumpkins, dragons, knights, Pokémon, dice towers, alter &
meditation practice tools, crystals, palm stones, trinket boxes, sage bundles, natural oils, horror themed
crochet plushies, witch starter kits, healer kits, drink coasters with classic horror & sci-fi movie themes,
dream catchers, moons, jewelry, doll art, skull art, mugs, incense, handmade clocks, coasters, kitchen
knives, neon lights, mystery bags, studio products, men’s grooming products, Halloween soaps, hair
clips, fairy gardens, charm bottles, prints & canvas art, moss art, crafts with bone, and more. Most merchants are on the main row close to the park entrance, but others are scattered through the park, with several in the back of the park near Coo Ghoul Boulevard.

The Screams souvenir shop has Screams baseball caps, beanies, t-shirts, hoodies, shot glasses, wine tumblers, water bottles, coffee mugs, bottle openers, glow sticks, necklaces, car decals, yo-yos, power pack chargers and lapel pins.

The park opens at 7pm, and closes at 1am, but the ticket office closes at midnight. This is a massive park, so arrive as early as possible. I spent two nights reviewing Screams, to give you an idea of how much there is to do at this park. If you know that you will arrive after 9, you may want to consider buying a fast pass, especially if you want to go through the haunted attractions multiple times.

It helps to go through the haunted houses first, then eat and drink. I begin my night at Screams with Terra Mythica Castle. This has the longest lines later at night, so see it early. When you enter the park, take a left past Rottingwood Cemetery, walk down Merchant’s Lane, and you will see the entrance to the Castle ahead. Once you exit the Castle, take a right, then another right and begin walking uphill, back to the shops. After a few yards you will see the entrance to Bootlegger’s Bayou on your right. This is lots of fun and also has long lines later in the evening. After Bootlegger’s, take a left, walk past the food court and games, and go into Time’s Up Maze. Once you are out of the Maze, walk past the food court, past the main stage, and look for the entrance to Zombie Apocalypse Wasteland. After Zombie Apocalypse, look for Klownz in 3D, which is close to the entrance to Zombie Apocalypse. After exiting Klownz, you will have seen all five major attractions and then it’s time to eat, drink and shop. On your way around the park you can walk through Cool Ghoul Boulevard and Rottingwood Cemetery.

Haunted Attractions

Terra Mythica Castle

Located at end of the main row of merchants, close to the park entrance, Terra Mythica Castle is the largest attraction at Screams. The Castle has been completely redesigned this year. Remnants of a tavern are found at the beginning of the trek. Dark lighting, dark wood and good detail highlight the tavern area. An evil monk puts a curse on customers in a sort of hunting trophy room after the tavern. In a rapid change of scenery, a well decorated bridge follows as the path leads into a swampy area. Good mood lighting plus fog make this area the most atmospheric part of the Castle. You’ll find great detail in the library that follows the swamp. Among the interesting props in this area are the three witches of the Castle. Actors have an easy time startling guests in the library since people tend to be distracted by the quality of the decor. Leaving the library, the descent down to the dungeon is much darker this year. Like the library, the dungeon is filled with high quality props and decor. An old favorite dating back to the early days of Screams, the big dragon animatronic, is in a new location before the end of the path. Go through the Castle a couple of times if you have a chance. There is a lot to see inside and you’ll probably notice more detail during your second trip. I have to give a special shout out to the greeters of the Castle. Great job of interacting with guests and making the experience special for everyone!

Bootleggers Bayou

Creepy and run down looking, complete with dim green lighting, the outside of Bootleggers Bayou seems like something you would find on the wrong side of a haunted swamp. A pair of perfectly cast greeters welcome you to Bootleggers and set the mood for the haunt. A dilapidated living room begins the trip, leading to a hallway filled with hanging clothes. The clothes hallway has been used at haunted houses before, but the actors here make the most of the cover the clothes provide. Bootlegger’s butcher shop is creatively decorated and comes with a couple of family members who encourage guests to be on the menu. It takes a lot of work to make a place look this filthy, and the effort paid off. A nasty looking bedroom follows, packed with old dolls that look like something out of a slasher movie. The best, or worst part of Bootleggers is the bathroom. It’s as gross as ever, and it has a peculiar aroma this year. There is nice detail in the sewing room and I appreciated the hanging cadavers that followed. Can’t go wrong with old school props. Bootleggers wouldn’t be complete without a good swamp, which wraps up your trip. This is a very well done attraction. Great dim lighting, excellent actors all the way through and believable props and decorations.

Klownz in 3D is the funhouse at Screams. It is located between Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse and the front gate. The fun at Klownz starts with an entertaining greeter who gets the crowd into the spirit for a trip through the house. You’ll find great detail in the neon 3D paint in all parts of this haunt. Variety is the best part of this attraction. Well timed airguns, strobe lights, and fog add to the usual 3D house experience. The fast spinning vortex tunnel is a good touch. A hall with shaking walls and a hall with prop clowns and a real clown coming out of the walls are always favorites of mine. The number of props is impressive and include a large four headed clown prop, a spinning clown, severed clown heads hanging from the ceiling and a toxic waste area with neon paint. Red velvet drapes in one area were an unusual touch. Some of the best actors at Screams are in Klownz and they have some of the best costumes in the park. There are plenty of good hiding places for actors in Klownz, so you’ll never know where the next scare will come from.

Time’s Up Maze is located in back of the park behind the main food court. It’s much longer than I anticipated. I would say that the average time to find the way out is 15-20 minutes. There is a considerable amount of depth in the design of this year’s maze. If you use the tops of other buildings that are visible from inside the maze you will have an easier time of it. Actors in the maze are good at popping out as customers round corners, especially in low visibility areas. There seemed to be more actors working the maze than last year as there were no long stretches without an actor around. Don’t make the mistake of listening to actors when they give you directions. That’s how you spend 30 minutes in the maze. I don’t want to give out real spoilers on how to find the exit, but I will say that you have to go through the chain link fence area to get to the exit. Also, staying to the right is usually a good idea in mazes. There were an impressive number of jump scares in Time’s Up, which isn’t easy to pull off in a maze.

Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse is the haunted trail at Screams. It is located between Klownz in 3D and the main stage. When I was going through the notes that I took after my trips through ZWA, it occurred to me that ambience is probably the best thing about this attraction. The mood is very creepy on the trail. Eerie green and blue lights illuminating the fogged path reminded me of old zombie movies that I’ve seen. The fog is heavy in one part of the trail and combined with strobe lights to almost cause me to lose my way for a second. Even the most experienced haunted house fan will be disconcerted from time to time in ZWA. I was very impressed by the actors. They had great timing and knew how to use props for cover. The diner was my favorite part of ZWA. I didn’t expect to find a room this detailed and the actors were very into their roles. I’ve always enjoyed the change of pace the outdoor area with broken down vehicles offers after the narrow passageway in the middle of the haunt. Dueling chainsaws were another good change of pace. They never fail to get people running. All in all, 2024 is another great year for Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse.

Screams is on the Scarborough Faire grounds and is natural terrain, so remember to wear comfortable shoes, and don’t wear high heels. If the weather cools down, you may want to take along a light jacket, just in case. Wearing costumes, Halloween type masks, or face paint into Screams is not allowed

Remaining Screams dates are:

October 11th and 12th

October 18th and 19th

October 25th and 26th

November 1st and 2nd

All nights are 7pm-1am. Admission to the park closes at midnight.

Online Ticket Prices are:

$42 General Admission for Friday ($45 at ticket office)

$52 general admission for Saturday ($55 at ticket office)

$30 for Friday fast pass ($33 at ticket office)

$40 for Saturday fast pass ($43 at ticket office)

$40 group tickets for Friday, $50 for Saturday. Parties of 15 or more to qualify. Online only.

$165 season pass. Available online only.

Monster Museum $5 + tax and fees online, or $7 at the door.

Buy tickets here

Ticket prices do not include taxes and fees.

Parking is free.

There are 4 ATMs onsite. Two are in the souvenir shop, one is between Coco’s Sweet Treats and the pizza stand on the far side of the main food court, and another is close to Taboo Tavern on the main food court. While all taverns and most food sellers accept credit cards, games are cash only.

Flush Toilets are available between Scary-Oke and Terra Mythica Castle. Porta potties are located  in several locations, including: by the flush toilets next to Scary-Oke, close to the exit for Terra Mythica castle across from the food court, close to Cool Ghoul Boulevard, and close to Zombie Wasteland and Klownz in 3D.

Screams is the only real haunted theme park in North Texas and is the best value around. At other haunted attractions, you drive to the haunt, wait in line, and spend 10-35 minutes inside. Then you leave. Some of the haunted houses in DFW are good, but Screams is the only place where you can go through each attraction as many times as you want, eat, drink, and shop. It is easy to arrive at 7 and stay until 1. Another unique feature is that there is something for everyone at Screams. Even if you aren’t into haunted houses, you can have a great time in the park. You can fill your evening by having dinner, trying the various pubs and taverns, seeing Hell Dolls, checking out the new stage entertainment at Taboo Tavern and Scary-Oke, shopping, playing games, and going through the walk through attractions.

Screams looks great in 2024, with a major redesign of their haunted attractions, new food and drink, and a great cast of actors. The crew went all out in preparation for this season in another summer of punishing heat, and their effort shows in the attention to detail in the houses, trails, and in the park grounds. Be sure to see Screams at least once this season, and remember, arrive early, and stay late!

Screams Halloween Theme Park will open on October 4th, and will be open Fridays and Saturdays through November 2. Hours are 7pm-1am. You can buy tickets here.

Screams features five main haunted attractions (redesigned Terra Mythica Castle, Bootleggers Bayou, Klownz in 3D, Time’s Up Maze, Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse), plus two walk through attractions (Rottingwood Cemetery, Cool Ghoul Boolevard), the Mythical Monster Museum, multiple pubs (including a full bar and cafe at Full Moon Tavern), a food court, food trucks, the 13th Hour Bakery, Coco’s Sweet Treats, live entertainment, Scary-Oke, games of skill, Henna tattoos, and Halloween related merchants. New this year on stage is the End of the World parade (October 11,12,18,19) and Queen Anne’s Lace (October 4 and 5). The Hell Dollz return this year on the main stage. Also new this year is the Halloween themed trivia show at the Taboo Tavern stage.

2024 Screams Dates

October 4th and 5th

October 11th and 12th

October 18th and 19th

October 25th and 26th

November 1st and 2nd

All nights are 7pm-1am. Admission to the park closes at midnight.

Press release from Screams for the 2024 season:

Here’s what’s ALL-NEW for Screams^® 2024!

• Totally redesigned Terra Mythica Castle
• Updates to all of the other Haunted Houses
• Mythical Monster Museum
• Exciting new Stage Shows presented by Whataburger
• Food Trucks
• Coco’s Sweet Treats
• New food offerings
• Fun new Screams shops
• Credit Cards are now accepted at most food & drink locations as well at most shops at Screams^® (Games will still be cash only)

• 5 Haunted Houses – Each of Screams’ 5 haunted houses offers a totally different, terrifyingly fun fright experience
• Don’t miss the  Cool Ghoul Boolevard and the Rottingwood Cemetery walk through attractions
• All-New Mythical Monster Museum
• Stage Shows Presented by Whataburger featuring the Hell Dolls, End oF THe WoRLD PaRADe!, and Queen Anne’s Lace
• Adults 21+ can enjoy an adult beverage at one of the 7 pubs
• Grab a bite to eat at the Food Court, the 13th Hour Bakery, the All-New Cocos Sweet Treats, or one of the All-New Food Trucks

• Scary-oke – Try out the Screams^® version of karaoke. Gather your friends and sing your favorite songs at the stage on vendor row
• Games of Skill including Axe, Knife and Star Throw, Paintball, Hoops & Heads, and Test of Strength
• Shop for some great Halloween swag at the Screams^® shops and Screams^® Souvenir Shop

General Info

Screams is on the Scarborough Faire grounds and is natural terrain, so remember to wear comfortable shoes, and don’t wear high heels. If the weather cools down, you may want to take along a light jacket, just in case. Wearing costumes, Halloween type masks, or face paint into Screams is not allowed.

Site here

Facebook here

Phone (972) 938-3247

Location: Screams is on FM 66, 1.6 miles east of I-35, in Waxahachie. The address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie TX, 75167. Screams is about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas and southeast of downtown Ft Worth. Directions to Screams are here.

It’s best to arrive as early as possible at Screams. Be there about 15-20 minutes before the park opens (6:40-6:45) if possible. Screams is open for six hours, but time flies when you are having fun. You can easily spend an entire evening at Screams and not do the same thing twice. You can find everything here, haunted houses, eating, drinking, shopping, nightly shows on the main stage, plus games of skill. If you are only going to go to one haunted attraction in the DFW area, I recommend Screams because it is so all inclusive. Another great thing is that the ticket price gets you into all of the haunted attractions as many times as you want. Basically, you get into a total of seven attractions for the price of one.

Tickets at the gate (on event nights only) start at $45 for all ages and discount tickets are now on sale at www.ScreamsPark.com. Screams^® is designed for ages 16+ and there are no child tickets or child discounts available. Fast Passes can cut your wait time for the Haunted Houses in half and there are a limited number available each night starting at $33 each. Discount Fast Passes are also on sale now at www.ScreamsPark.com Fast Passes do NOT include admission into Screams^®. Parking is FREE.

Tickets include admission into the park, all 5 haunted houses, the Rottingwood Cemetery and Cool Ghoul Boolevard walk-through attractions, live stage shows presented by Whataburger, and Scary-Oke. Food, drink, games, the Mythical Monster Museum, and shop merchandise must be purchased separately.

• Screams^® is recommended for ages 16+ and is not recommended for young children
• NO face paint, costumes, decorative or Halloween masks are allowed inside the park
• There are frights, strobes, fog, and sudden loud noises that may affect people with certain health conditions
• Most Screams^® food & drink locations now accept credit cards as do most of the Screams’ shops. Games are still cash only.
• Screams^® recommends that you bring sufficient cash. There are 4 ATMs on site for your convenience as well.

The final weekend of the season is approaching, so be sure to check out Screams Halloween Theme Park! Screams is truly a must see haunted attraction, and has something to appeal to everyone. The haunted houses at Screams are great, but if you are one of those people who becomes too frightened at haunted houses, you can eat, drink, and shop all night at Screams, while you take in the great Halloween atmosphere. Screams has a perfect 10 score from Texas Haunts.

Screams has five haunted attractions, two walk through attractions, a large food court, six pubs and taverns, plus 13th Hour Bakery! A wonderful acrobatic/aerialist group called Hell Dolls performs on the Screams main stage. A wide variety of Halloween themed merchants can be found around the park this season. There are also games of skill close to the food court.

Remember that Screams is open on Fridays and Saturdays only, from 7pm-1am.

Site here

Tickets here

Facebook here

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Screams FAQs here

Phone (972) 938-3247

Location: Screams is on FM 66, 1.6 miles east of I-35, in Waxahachie. The address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie TX, 75167. Screams is about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas and downtown Ft Worth. Screams is just off of I-35, on the Scarborough Faire grounds. Directions to Screams are here.

Check out our review of Screams here,

Screams Halloween Theme Park begins it’s 2023 season on Friday, September 29, and will be open Fridays and Saturdays through October 28, from 7pm-1am. Tickets and fast passes are available online now, and will be available at the ticket booth on event nights. The ticket booth closes at midnight. For the first time, Screams is offering a season pass. Season passes are available online only. Discount tickets are on sale now online, and discount coupons are available at Legacy Chevrolet-GMC in Waxahachie starting September 15. Parking is free, courtesy of Legacy Chevrolet-GMC. Buy tickets here.

Screams features five main haunted attractions, with two additional walk through haunted attractions, nightly stage entertainment from Hell Dolls, Scary-oke, 5 pubs, a large food court, the Full Moon Bar, 13th Hour Bakery, games of skill, plus a wide variety of Halloween related merchants. The price of admission gets you into all haunted attractions, as many times as you want. Fast passes are available, and are advisable on Saturdays, as well as Fridays later in the season.

The main haunted attractions at Screams are: Terra Mythica Castle, Bootlegger’s Bayou, Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse, Klownz in 3D, and the Time’s Up Maze. Two additional walk through haunted attractions are Rottingwood Cemetery and Cool Ghoul Boulevard.

Screams has four ATMs onsite. Most places offering food and drink take credit cards, but not all of them.

It’s best to arrive as early as possible at Screams. Be there about 15-20 minutes before the park opens (6:40-6:45) if possible. Screams is open for six hours, but time flies when you are having fun. You can easily spend an entire evening at Screams and not do the same thing twice. You can find everything here, haunted houses, eating, drinking, shopping, nightly shows on the main stage, plus games of skill. If you are only going to go to one haunted attraction in the DFW area, I recommend Screams because it is so all inclusive. Another great thing is that the ticket price gets you into all of the haunted attractions as many times as you want. Basically, you get into a total of seven attractions for the price of one.

General info:

Screams is on the Scarborough Faire grounds and is natural terrain, so remember to wear comfortable shoes, and don’t wear high heels. If the weather cools down, you may want to take along a light jacket, just in case. Wearing costumes, Halloween type masks, or face paint into Screams is not allowed.

Site here

Facebook here

Phone (972) 938-3247

Location: Screams is on FM 66, 1.6 miles east of I-35, in Waxahachie. The address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie TX, 75167. Screams is about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas and downtown Ft Worth. Directions to Screams are here.

Press release from Screams:

On the final weekend of the season, be sure to check out Screams Halloween Theme Park! Screams is truly a must see haunted attraction, and has something to appeal to everyone. The haunted houses at Screams are great, but if you are one of those people who becomes too frightened at haunted houses, you can eat, drink, and shop all night at Screams, while you take in the great Halloween atmosphere. Screams has a perfect 10 score from Texas Haunts, and is the only attraction that we visit more than once per season.

Screams has five haunted houses, two walk through attractions, a large food court, seven pubs and taverns, plus the all new 13th Hour Bakery! A wonderful acrobatic/aerialist group called Hell Dolls performs on the Screams main stage, two to three times per night. A wide variety of Halloween themed merchants can be found around the park this season. With the exception of 13th Hour bakery, credit cards are accepted where food and alcohol are served. Four ATMs are available onsite.

While you are at Screams, be sure to visit Full Moon Bar and Cafe. Bartenders Cheltsea and Michael have created a menu of specialty, Halloween themed drinks for 2022. Beer, wine, and a full bar are available at Full Moon.  Full Moon is the only full service cafe at Screams, so try some items from the menu, which includes toasted ravioli, cheeseburgers, buffalo chicken wings, street tacos, and bacon cheese fries. Full Moon has plenty of seating available. Keep in mind that 11:30 is last call at Full Moon, and around the park.

Remember that Screams is open on Fridays and Saturdays only, from 7pm-1am, and that all tickets must be purchased online. Tickets and fast passes are date specific, with the exception of the VIP combo, which is also purchased online. Screams will not be open on Sunday, October 30, or on Halloween, so tonight is your last chances to experience Screams this year. Tickets may be purchased here. Screams is limiting the number of tickets it sells for each night, so it’s a good idea to buy tickets as early as you can today.

Remember to dress comfortably for Screams. It’s a large park, so wear comfortable shoes, and this weekend, bring a jacket or coat, since the weather will be chilly at night.

Check out our review of Screams here, and our review of Full Moon Bar and Cafe here.

Full Moon Bar and Cafe has the only full bar and is the only full service café at Screams. The bartenders are Cheltsey and Michael, and the server is Jessica, although Jessica works on Saturdays only. Full Moon is located on the far side of the food court, between the Morgue Tavern, and Taboo Tavern. There is usually plenty of seating, although it can become crowded later on a Saturday night. Full Moon’s décor and dim lighting is ideal for a Halloween park. It’s a nice place to relax, eat, and enjoy Halloween themed drinks, or any other type of liquor.

I’ve tried all of the Halloween drinks at Full Moon. The Werewolf is the strongest, but it has a pleasant taste. Witches’ Brew tasted like root beer. Poison Apple tastes like a caramel apple dusted in cinnamon. “It” is probably the sweetest of the drinks, but has a kick to it. Dracula’s Kiss is my favorite. It’s great for cooling off on a warm night, and it’s strong enough to be worth the price. Of course, this is a full bar and both bartenders are excellent, so they can make a wide variety of mixed drinks. Beer is also available.

The menu at Full Moon is a little scaled down this year, but everything they make is good. I had all of the items on the menu over opening weekend. I had the street tacos and buffalo chicken wings the first night, and both were very good. On the second night I had the cheeseburger and fries, bacon cheese fries, and toasted ravioli. The toasted ravioli was my favorite, the bacon cheese fries were a close second, and the cheeseburger and fries were good.

Be sure to stop by Full Moon Bar and Cafe when you visit Screams. Keep in mind that last call for alcohol is at 11:30pm.

Specialty Drinks:

Witches’ Brew (tastes like a root beer float)

Poison Apple (tastes like cinnamon apple)

Dracula’s Kiss (strong, but refreshing)

The Werewolf (six types of alcohol)

It (sweet drink)

Food:

Bacon Cheese Fries

Street Tacos

Toasted Ravioli

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Cheeseburger and Fries

Beer

Deep Ellum IPA

Octoberfest

Michelob

Bud Light

Ziegenbock

Full Moon Cafe is the full service bar and cafe at Screams, on the far side of the Food Court, by the West Market Arch. This is the only place in Screams where you can eat, drink, and pay with a credit card. Full Moon has two great bartenders, Cheltsey and Michael, and a sweet server named Carolina. Full Moon has a full bar, but I always order the specialty drinks, which are listed below. Medusa’s Kiss is probably my favorite, but The Stoneman is a close second. I tried all of their specialty drinks this weekend and enjoyed each one. The Werewolf may be the strongest, but The Stoneman will give you a buzz pretty quickly too. If you are ballsy enough, go to the bar and say, very loudly, that you would like the Hot Seamen.

There is plenty of seating at Full Moon, and the menu has been improved for 2021. I tried the bacon cheese fries and chicken tacos on Saturday and was happy with both. I spoke with some people who recommended the pretzel bites, loaded BBQ fries, and the chicken taco salad. The cheeseburger is always reliable, and I’m going to save room for the brownie a la mode next time. The portion sizes are pretty good, so make sure to not eat before going to Screams.

As I mentioned in my review of Screams, it’s best to see the main attractions when you arrive, and eat and drink later. I like the food court and taverns, but I always stop at Full Moon after finishing with the haunted houses. Full Moon is very well decorated, so it has a real Halloween feel to it, and it’s nice to be able to sit down and relax after five attractions and lots of walking. You can order the specialty drinks as shots, but I ask for ice so that I can cool down in a hurry. This will probably be a fairly warm October, so keep that in mind. Medusa’s Kiss is the most refreshing drink they make. That will come in handy when it’s in the 80’s and humid. Last call is at 11:30, so be sure to allow enough time to have dinner and drinks. I usually get to Full Moon between 9:30 and 10, but 10:30 would be fine. The drinks, beer, and menu are listed below, along with some pictures of the bar and bartenders. Have a great time at Screams and at Full Moon!

Specialty drinks

Medusa’s Kiss

It

The Stoneman

Hot Seamen

The Werewolf

Hairy Snakes

Beer

Deep Ellum IPA

Octoberfest

Michelob

Bud Light

Ziegenbock

Food

Pretzel Bites

Bacon Cheese Fries

Buffalo Wings

Loaded BBQ Fries

Cheeseburger

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Taco Salad

Brownie a la Mode

Screams Halloween Theme Park opens this Friday, October 1. It’s been two years since Screams has been open, and they have taken the time to redo two of their five main attractions. The 3D pirate house is now the Klownz in 3D attraction, and the old maze is now the Time’s Up Maze. The big castle, Cursed: The Witches of Terra Mythica, Hotel D’Feers, and the Zombie Apocalypse trail return in 2021. For opening weekend, Screams has a special on tickets, $5 off tickets for 10/1 and 10/2 only. Buy tickets here.

Screams features the Full Moon Cafe, a full service restaurant and bar, plus four pubs. A large food court is located in the back of the park, close to the main stage and the zombie trail. The main stage hosts live music and DJs nightly, while Scaryoke is held on the end of Merchant’s Row, across from Waxed Hands. Games of skill, such as knife and star throwing, paintball, and Hoops and Heads, can be found across from the food court.

When you enter Screams, remember to walk through Rottingwood Cemetery, and take a look at the shops on Merchants Row. You’ll find tarot and palm readings, wax hands, henna tattoos, face painting and more at the shops in Screams.

Screams is located in Waxahachie, on FM 66, about a mile and a half west of I-35, on the Scarborough Faire grounds. It’s about 30 minutes south of downtown Dallas. Click here for directions. If you find yourself running low on gas, stop at the Scarborough Travel Stop, at the NW corner of I-35 and FM 66.

Park hours are 7:30pm to 1am. I recommend arriving as early as possible. It’s a huge park, with lots to do, and some of the bigger attractions will have longer lines later at night. Remember to wear comfortable clothing, especially comfortable shoes. If you want to cut way down on wait time in line, get a fast pass. I use them, and they will cut your wait time by half, or more.

Since Covid is still a problem, I should go over the precautions Screams is taking this season. Screams employees will be required to wear protective facemasks. Customers are encouraged to wear protective facemasks, but are not required to do so. Please note that decorative facemasks and Halloween masks are not allowed for customers. For more information, check the Screams FAQ page here.

Be sure to take time to walk the park, eat, drink, and shop when you visit Screams. Haunted parks are a very different experience from urban haunted houses, and the best part is the variety of experiences you can have at parks like Screams. I’ve included some pictures from the 2019 season below. Please bear in mind that Screams has updated their park in the last two years. I’ll post new pictures, along with the review, this coming Sunday. To avoid a wait in the ticket line, get your tickets online here.

Screams Front Gate Twilight II

Screams Front Gate Twilight

Food Court

Food Court Twilight

Zombie Wasteland Exterior

Full Moon Interior Sign

Full Moon Bartender Michael

Taboo Tavern

Climbing Tower

Merchant’s Row Waxed Hands

Henna Tattoos

Games

Souvenirs

From Screams:

Screams Halloween Theme Park will open on October 1, for the first time since 2019. No details are available yet, but it’s likely that the park will open at 7:30pm and will remain open to 1:30am, every Friday and Saturday in October. Five major haunted attractions should return, along with several smaller attractions, the Full Moon Cafe, Taboo Tavern, Scaryoke, live music on the main stage, a food court, games, and merchants.

I haven’t seen Screams in two years, so I’ll be there on opening weekend. If we’re lucky, it will be business as usual everywhere by October and we can have a normal Haloween season!

It is incredibly difficult for me to write this, but Screams just announced that they have cancelled their 2020 season. I will post their full press release below. I was greatly looking forward to seeing everyone at Screams, and especially Helaine, the Screams/Scarborough marketing director, Cheltsea and Michael at the Full Moon Cafe, and Tai.

As anyone who visits this site knows, Screams is my favorite theme park (of any kind) and the Halloween season will not be the same without it. It would have been extra difficult for Screams to have opened, given that they sell a great deal of food and drink, and in the end, management made a decision in the interest of the safety of Screams employees and guests. As sad as this is, I am already looking forward to Screams 2021!

Below is the Screams announcement.

I went to Screams this Friday and had a wonderful time! The park has been upgraded since I reviewed on October 5th, and looks even better now. All other haunted attractions will be open at least on Halloween, so you can see them later this week, but this Saturday is the last night of the season for Screams. The weather will be perfect, and you can’t beat the value, so check out Screams while you still can. Be sure to stop by Full Moon Cafe, a full service bar and cafe, and say hi to Michael and Cheltsey at the bar. Order a Dracula’s Kiss, you won’t be disappointed. Check out my review of Screams here, Full Moon here, and the pics below. You can buy tickets on site, or online here. Screams opens at 7:30pm and closes at 1:30am, with ticket sales cutting off at midnight.

This coming weekend is your last chance to see Screams this year! Please remember that Screams will not be open on Halloween, so this Friday and Saturday are the final days for the 2019 season at Screams. All of the haunted attractions, and most of the park, have been remodeled for this season, so even if you’ve seen Screams in the past, there will be things for you to see. Please refer to my review of Screams from October 5th for more detailed information.

Screams has five main attractions, Cursed: the Witches of Terra Mythica Castle, Hotel D’Feers, Capt’n Barbarosa’s Blood Harbour (3D), PT Harmum’s Carnival of Chaos (maze), and the Zombie Wasteland Apocalypse trail. I listed the attractions in the best order to see them in, especially if you don’t have a fast pass. Screams also has a large food court, three pubs, and a full service bar and cafe called Full Moon Cafe. Full Moon has an excellent selection of Halloween specialty drinks (Dracula’s Kiss is my favorite) and great bartenders. They also have good food, generous portions, and reasonable prices. Full Moon is well decorated too, it’s like eating and drinking inside a haunted house. You can find Full Moon Cafe on the side of the food court by the West Market Arch.

Screams also has Scaryoke in the covered seating area next to Taboo Tavern, games of skill across from the food court, Halloween related shops, wax hands, henna tattoos, palm and tarot readings, and feather extensions.

Screams has general admission tickets, fast passes, and group tickets available here. Group tickets have to be purchased in advance, online. They are not available at the ticket booth.

Screams has never been better, so be sure to check it out this weekend! Screams is located in Waxahachie, on the Scarborough Faire grounds. Their address is 2511 FM 66 Waxahachie, TX 75167. If you are coming from the north, take exit 399A from I-35, and head west (right), if you are coming from the south, take exit 399, and head west (left). Screams is 1.6 miles west of I-35. Visit their site here for more information.

Full Moon Cafe is the full bar and full service cafe at Screams, on the west end of the Food Court area. Cheltsey and Michael are excellent bartenders, and Rachael looks after the dining area. This is the only place in Screams where you can eat, drink and pay with a credit card. Full Moon has plenty of seating and is well decorated. It’s dimly lit, with a cozy Halloween feel to it, and the bartenders and servers dress up in Halloween costumes. I spoke with a few people who said that this is their favorite place to go in Screams. The food was excellent on our visit (we had bacon and cheese fries, plus cheeseburgers) and I love the Dracula’s Kiss drink. It’s refreshing, and has a kick since it’s vodka based. Cheltsey has come up with a peanut butter and banana flavored drink that tastes like ice cream, that was very welcome on the incredibly hot night of our review. Other Halloween specialty drinks are available, and Michael and Cheltsey can take requests. Full Moon is a great place to begin, or end your night at Screams.

October 5, 2019

Score-10

Site here

Facebook here

Tickets here

Phone-972-938-3247

Location-2511 FM 66 Waxahachie, TX 75167

Directions-from Dallas: Take I-35E South to Exit 399A, Go west on FM66 1.6 miles

From Ft Worth: Take Hwy 287 South to I-35E South, Take I-35E South to Exit 399A, Go west on FM66 1.6 miles

From Waco:Due to I-35E construction, the exit for Screams has temporarily changed to exit 397 on northbound I-35E. Proceed to FM66, go west 1.6 miles

Attractions-Five major haunted attractions, plus a cemetery trail, food court, multiple taverns, a great full service bar and cafe (Full Moon Cafe) games of skill, a climbing tower, live music, Scaryoke, Halloween related merchants, a psychic, Henna tattoos, wax hands, palm readings, and more!

Full Moon Cafe is the full bar and full service cafe at Screams, on the west end of the Food Court area. Cheltsea and Michael are excellent bartenders, and Rachael looks after the dining area. This is the only place in Screams where you can eat, drink and pay with a credit card. Full Moon has plenty of seating and is well decorated. It’s dimly lit, with a cozy Halloween feel to it, and the bartenders and servers dress up in Halloween costumes. I spoke with a few people who said that this is their favorite place to go in Screams. The food was excellent on our visit (we had bacon and cheese fries, plus cheeseburgers) and I love the Dracula’s Kiss drink. It’s refreshing, and has a kick since it’s vodka based. Cheltsea has come up with a peanut butter and banana flavored drink that tastes like ice cream, that was very welcome on the incredibly hot night of our review. Other Halloween specialty drinks are available, and Michael and Cheltsea can take requests. Full Moon is a great place to begin, or end your night at Screams.

Dates open-Fridays and Saturdays in October, from 7:30pm-1:30am. Ticket sales end at midnight.

Tickets-General admission is $35 at the box office, $32 online (plus a $1 service fee) while group tickets are $30 for groups of 15 or more. Group tickets have to be purchased in advance and are not available at the gate. Fast passes are $20 each, and are highly advisable later in the season. $4 off coupons are available at participating T-Mobile stores.

Parking -Parking is free

Miscellaneous info-Always wear comfortable shoes or boots at Screams. You will have problems in high heels. This is a park, and the terrain is natural. On warm nights, dress in your coolest clothing, but on colder nights, remember that Screams is in the country, so it’s going to be several degrees cooler than DFW or Austin. Remember to not wear costumes or masks. For security reasons, guests can’t wear either at Screams.

Walk through time-Around an hour for all of the attractions combined. Please keep in mind that this is a haunted park, not just a haunted house. A great deal of the fun at Screams is being able to walk around, checking out merchants, music, and eating and drinking. It’s best to allow a good part of the night to spend at Screams. You can go through the attractions as many times as you want, although having a fast pass really helps if you want to see the attractions multiple times. On our review, we arrived before the park opened, and left around midnight. We could easily have spent more time in the park. This is a place to take your time, have fun, and relax.

Review:

Screams is the largest Halloween park I’ve been to, and it helps to have a plan for seeing the main attractions. I always advise people to see the attractions first, and eat and drink afterward. I save checking out the games and merchants for after dinner and drinks. It’s also fun to mix it up and alternate between roaming around the park and visiting the food court and Full Moon Cafe, but see the attractions first. On busy nights, Screams can be kind of hectic, so below is the schedule that I follow when I review Screams. It’s worked well for me for many years. If you need to orient yourself, a map of the park is located next to the entrance to the cemetery trail, in front of the park entrance. A signpost pointing out the direction of the attractions and services is in front of the souvenir shop, also close to the park entrance. Reviews of the individual attractions follow my guide.

As tempting as it is to go through the cemetery trail in front of the park entrance, it’s always best to start with the Witches of Terra Mythica Castle. The line for the Castle becomes long early in the evening, and even the fast pass wait can eat heavily into your evening. See the Castle first, then go to your right after exiting the Castle, walk uphill to the trail from the food court to the park entrance, and take a right. That will take you to Hotel D’Feers, which will be on your right. After the Hotel, head straight across the park to Blood Harbour, the 3D pirate themed funhouse. When you exit Blood Harbour, take a right and go to Carnival of Chaos, a clown themed maze. Zombie Wasteland is the main trail at Screams and is located behind the food court. From the Carnival exit, head straight across the park to the food court, wrap around the food court, and you will find Zombie Wasteland. The lines at Zombie Wasteland are usually not as long as at the other big attractions, so I save it for last.

Once you have been through the main attractions, you’ll have worked up an appetite, and the food court is next to the exit for Zombie Wasteland. For food, you have a choice of the full service Full Moon Cafe, located on the west side of the food court, or a wide variety of carnival food at the court itself. Fajitas, pizza, turkey legs, barbecue sandwiches, chicken or sausage on a stick are some of the offerings at the food court. 21 and over can find alcohol at Taboo Tavern, Spider Web Bar, and the Morgue Tavern. All are located in the food court area. Full Moon Cafe is the only place in Screams with a full bar.

After you’ve eaten and visited the taverns, you can turn your attention to playing and shopping. Across from the food court, by the exit for the Castle, are the games, and a well decorated kettle corn stand. Henna Tattoos is now located catty-corner from the food court. Nightly Scaryoke is held at the stage under the pavilion by Taboo Tavern (it’s the King’s Pub Stage during Scarborough) and the main stage (at the back of the park, Crown Meadow Stage during Scarborough) features live musical acts. If you want to rock climb, or just watch people climb, a climbing tower is located close to the Carnival of Chaos.

For shopping, head to Merchant’s Row, located close to the park entrance. Waxed hands, Glo items, jewelry, tombstones, glass pipes, feather extensions, a psychic, tarot card readings, and palm readings are all on Merchant’s Row. Screams also has a souvenir shop located between Merchant’s Row and the park entrance. Before you leave, don’t forget the cemetery trail, with some of the coolest lighting and props in the park. It’s located directly across from the park entrance. There is no line for this trail, you just walk in. It’s a nice way to wind up the evening, and you can get some good pictures without using a flash.

Main Attractions:

Cursed: The Witches of Terra Mythica Castle

The Castle has a great setting. You can see pictures taken from the trail leading to the castle in the gallery below. I love the lighting of the Castle walls and the flames shooting out, near the Castle entrance. You walk over a little bridge to get into the Castle, passing under a gate. Action comes as soon as you are inside, with actors all around you while you’re surrounded by undead armored knights. Dark hallways lead into the dungeon, illuminated by dim lighting, alternating between red, blue, and green. A swampy area follows after a bridge, with heavy fog and orange lighting. Look for the library in this area, it has some of the best decor in Screams. The sound effects are creepy, with werewolves and bats seemingly around you as you descend into the catacombs. This is my favorite part of the Castle. It could be my imagination, but the walkway seems to narrow in this area, and the lighting is perfectly adjusted to unnerve you. An extra long vibrating bridge frightened the group in front of us, and actors kept popping in and out of the hall. A group of angry witches follow the catacombs, giving you a proper send off, although there is more to be seen just outside the Castle.

Throughout the Castle, halls are narrow and well decorated, with actors blending in with the scenery. There are two actors who are so well camouflaged that they can’t be detected until they jump out at you. If you want to try to look for them, they are in the swamp and catacombs. I thought that the one in the catacombs was part of the wall. This is the largest and best decorated attraction at Screams, and it’s probably the most intense, though Hotel D’Feers gives it strong competition in that department. I’ve mentioned this before, but be sure to see the Castle first.

Hotel D’Feers

Actors in the Hotel waste no time. Two or three are there to “greet” guests just past the entrance, with quite a bit of movement and screaming. The screaming girl must use a bag of lozenges a night because she didn’t stop until we were well past the front room. Playing elevator music after the front room was an interesting choice, it made for a sharp contrast with the chaos at the entrance to the Hotel. Heavy fog follows and guests move very slowly in this area, due to limited visibility, so slow down too and avoid forming a conga line for the rest of the Hotel. In addition to heavy fog, there are lots of twists and turns in the hallway, plus animatronic props popping out. The actors interact with you, asking for a donation of body parts from time to time. A foggy swamp changed the mood of the Hotel, apparently the place has fallen into such disrepair that heavy vegetation has taken over. Try to find the camouflaged actor in the swamp. You won’t be able to, but you’ll have fun trying. White strobes and more fog are disorienting just past the swamp, with wooden fencing keeping you from wandering off the path. The residential part of the Hotel that follows has a run down, Texas Chainsaw look and feel to it, with energetic actors making almost as much noise as the screaming girl at the front.

The Hotel is loud, foggy, and designed to keep you on edge. It’s not as long as the Castle, but it’s close to being as intense. The actors are the main attraction of this haunt. I’m not sure how many there were, but they didn’t let up on the guests at any point.

Capt’n Barbarossa’s Blood Harbour

This year all of Blood Harbour is 3D. The outside of the haunt is dark, with the exception of the area around the sign, but the inside is covered in bright neon paint, with props appropriate for a pirate ship.  The vortex tunnel and the hallway of crabs are my favorites, but the shaking hallway is fun too. 3D glasses make it difficult to see the doors the actors use to pop in and out, so they nearly always surprised me. The laser and smoke effect that makes it look like you’re waist deep in water worked much better this year. All animatronics were in good working order, sound effects were loud enough to be distracting, which helped the actors sneak up on our group. This is one of the last dedicated 3D houses around, so be sure to check it out after the Hotel. Everyone in Blood Harbour seemed to have a good time, including the actors.

PT Harmum’s Carnival of Chaos

This is a clown heavy maze, with chain link fencing, and lots of strobes to disorient you. The clowns give terrible directions and harass throughout the maze. Loud carnival music also makes it difficult to concentrate. For the first time ever, my group found the exit quickly, and with no outside help. Randell, a member of the review team, has a freakish ability to navigate mazes. He heads for the middle of the maze, somehow pictures the layout from there, and finds the exit quickly. We did see an interesting circus scene made of dinosaur bones and clowns, and a four clown animatronic with Pennywise that moved like a train. If not for Randell, the strobes and clowns would have kept me in the maze for a long time and would have forced me to do what I usually do, which is to use an emergency exit to get out. Try Randell’s strategy and get to middle of the maze, then try to go straight ahead from there.

Zombie Wasteland…Apocalypse

The location of the zombie trail is important. Being at the back of Screams allows the trail to seem isolated once you enter, and the surrounding Scarborough buildings add to the eerie atmosphere. The terrain does look like a wasteland, with overturned cars, burnt out electronics, and ruined buildings around the trail. Creepy sound effects block out sound from the rest of the park, and set the mood for the entire trail. Props are perfectly lit, and the zombie computer room is probably the first of it’s kind. Strobes are well placed, and alternating between red, blue and orange lighting in different areas works well. I love this part of Scarborough (Holly Field) and I had thought that it would make a great haunted trail during Screams. I would like for the trail to go deeper into Holly Field, but it’s winding layout does give actors plenty of opportunities to scare guests. Speaking of the actors, they really get into their roles. They deserve a lot of credit for going all out on an incredibly hot and humid night. Their level of intensity makes me wonder how great they will be on colder nights, when people and makeup aren’t melting. I heard more screams from guests in Zombie Wasteland than in any other attraction at Screams. The actors were so in character that the guests were freaked out by the end. This is an attraction to go through more than once, especially if you have a fast pass.

2018 was a season that featured major upgrades at Screams. 2019 continues the park wide upgrades. New props and decorations by the ticket booth and front gate get people in the mood to be scared, the main attractions have all improved, and the cemetery trail is a full length trail again. New merchants and games have been added, while the park is even better decorated than before, with great attention to detail from the outside of the park, all the way back to Zombie Wasteland. Screams has never looked better, and it’s still the best overall value in North Texas. It is possible to see the attractions pretty quickly, if you arrive early or get a fast pass, but Screams is so much more fun if you take your time and make a night of it. This is the greatest Halloween festival close to DFW, and the weather is finally going to feel like Fall this coming weekend, so see Screams while the cool weather lasts!

I visited Screams on opening night, Friday September 27. I thought I would share some of the photos that I took. The review will be on October 5. This visit was just for fun, and photos.

Screams^® 2019 Opens This Friday, September 27th!

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (September 23, 2019):  Screams^® Halloween Theme Park, presented by Metro^® by T-Mobile, will open its doors for its 24^th season this Friday, September 27, 2019 at 7:30 pm.

Screams^®, presented by Metro^® by T-Mobile, is 5 Haunted Houses and a whole lot more!  After being transformed over the last several years, Screams^® has been further enhanced for the 2019 season to provide the scariest Screams^® experience ever! There are 5 haunted houses, each with a different theme along with a haunted graveyard and Strigoi (evil souls) roaming throughout the site – they are sure to find what terrifies you! The haunted houses include:

• Cursed… the witches of TerraMythica Castle – A terrifying trip in the Medieval Myths surrounding the Magdena Sisters and their evil!
• PT Harmum’s Carnival of Chaos – Get lost and hopefully not found in this Carnival of Clowns and Freaks
• Captain Barbarosa’s Blood Harbour – Looting, murder & magic await as you enter a cursed pirate village and encounter the evil that encompasses it!
• Hotel D’Feers – Frozen in time after a brutal mass murder, meet the ones who STAYED for eternity!
• Zombie Wasteland… Apocalypse – Fight to the finish: survivors think you’re zombies, Zombies think you’re food… Good Luck!

       “If you’ve never been to Screams^® before or it’s been a while since you’ve been back, make sure this is the year you come!” says Coy Sevier, Screams^® General Manager. “With the enhancements we’ve made to all 5 of the haunted houses, the spooky haunted graveyard, and the great cast of creepy new characters, the 2019 season of Screams^® is sure to be the scariest Screams^® ever. You don’t want to miss it!”

Plus, there’s a whole lot more! When you’re ready to take a break from being scared, Screams^® has a DJ spinning music on the Screams^® stage, Scary-Oke, games of skill, shops, face painting, waxed hands, Henna tattoos, Palm Readers, Psychic readings and more.

Screams^® also has a food court and full-service restaurant. For those over 21, there is a full bar and 3 different pubs featuring a great selection of seasonal and craft beers such as ZiegenBock, Spaten Oktoberfest, Bishop Crackberry Cider, Spaten Lager, Belhaven Black Scottish Stout, Bishop Apple Pineapple Cider, Deep Ellum Blind Lemon, White Claw Black Cherry Hard Seltzer, Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Bon & Viv Cranberry Spiked Seltzer and Ace Pear Cider along with Bud Light Platinum, Michelob Ultra and Lime & Cherry Jell-O Shots.

Screams^® Halloween Theme Park, presented by Metro^® by T-Mobile, is the ultimate Halloween experience running every Friday and Saturday night September 27 through October 26, 2019 from 7:30 PM and open late until 1:30 AM.  The single admission price is $35 at the gate and includes all 5 haunted houses, music and Scary-Oke.  $4 off discount coupons are available at North Texas Metro^® by T-Mobile stores and discount tickets can be purchased on-line at ScreamsPark.com. Visitors can go through the haunted houses as many times as they like (as the crowds will allow). To cut the wait times in half, you can also purchase a VIP Fast Pass for $20 on-line or at the event. Screams^® is designed for ages 16+ and is not recommended for small children. Costumes and masks are NOT allowed at Screams^®.

Screams^® is located in Waxahachie, just 30 minutes south of the downtowns of Dallas and Fort Worth off I-35E at exit 399A on the Scarborough Faire^® site.  Just 60 minutes from Waco.  Due to I-35E construction, the exit for Screams^® has temporarily changed to exit 397 on northbound I-35E.  Parking is free compliments of Waxahachie Nissan.  Screams^® is presented by Metro^® by T-Mobile and is sponsored by Dr Pepper and Waxahachie Nissan.

For more information visit ScreamsPark.com, or ScreamsPark on FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram.