Asylum Run
On Friday, 10/14, a couple HRC members ventured to Asylum Run in Harrisburg, PA. This was the 4th year for this nonprofit haunt. Proceeds from admissions help 2 great local organizations; Hospice of Central PA's Camp Dragonfly and C.M.C (Cooper's Monster Creations). We love supporting haunts that give back to the community.
This year Asylum Run's theme was "Unfairy Tales: When Legends Become Nightmares." They have 3 attractions, starting with Hatter's Mad House. The Mad Hatter has tipped the scales on "mad" in this crazy cozy house. The house is very unassuming from the outside, but when you enter it will surprise you with the great use of space, including your personal space! The characters were all versions of your childhood "friends" gone quite mad. We hope you still love your cuddly teddy bears after this! The use of lighting was well done, making you question what was real and what wasn't. The characters were unsettling, as they followed us, made hideous sounds, and generally creeped us out.
Next we were off to Alice's Nightmare, and it was a nightmare. Alice looked like she lost a fight with a werewolf! Apparently, Alice was recently prescribed anxiety medication, but a side effect of the medication.......her nightmares come to life!! In Alice's nightmare, we see the gruesome creatures that plague Alice. They hide in dark corners and even in plain sight; but is that creature in "plain sight" real?? Maybe, maybe not. If we were Alice we would ask the doctor for a different medication!!!
The last attraction was Horrorland; a walk through the pasture, where creatures lurk. This was a long walking attraction with multiple scenes and plenty of space between scenes, which just heightened the anticipation. Don't be surprised if your group gains a member or 2 along the trail; the creatures seem to tag along from scene to scene. Beware, is this just an empty area along the trail, or is there something out there watching and waiting? Is that just a prop scene or is there a creature hidden right in front of your face?
Overall, Asylum Run was well done for a haunt just in it's 4th year. We commend this all volunteer staffed haunt; their volunteers help with set design, costumes, and even come up with the theme every year! Asylum Run has an impressive roster of over 170 volunteers, including full families. This gives them variety each night, so it's never really the same exact show. We loved seeing the small children actors, in full character, truly enjoying playing their part. We must also mention this was our second, female run haunt this year. We applaud Raelee Shafer, for her dedication to this haunt and the community. As we interviewed Raelee, we could feel the love and affection her volunteers had for her. Thank you for all you do, Raelee. Check out our interview with Raelee in the video review. Also, please check out the local charities Asylum Run benefits: www.hospiceofcentralpa.org/camp_dragonfly.php & www.facebook.com/coopersmonstercreations/
