It’s a fall tradition. As Halloween nears, people of all ages trade comfort for chills, stepping into the dark unknown of local haunted houses. WEMU’s John Stockwell did just that, leaving his family and cats behind for a night of fright.
As I approach Wiard’s Orchards, the sun is beginning to set as dozens of families head to their cars to head home while another large group of patrons descend on the site for Wiard’s Night Terrors.
My first stop was to speak to Travis Hill. He is the director of operations for this nighttime scare fest.
STOCKWELL: “Travis, explain to me what's happening here. Apples by day. You know, skeletons at night. How does it work?”
TRAVIS HILL: “Yeah. So, during the day, we're family-based agricultural entertainment. So, it's called ‘agritainment.’ And then at night, we switch gears and do haunted houses and haunted attractions.”
As I continued my journey, I spoke to many of the actors whose job it is to scare people. My first encounter was with Freaky the Clown… just like a normal clown... but with a bloody chin.
FREAKY: “I'm Freaky the Clown.”
STOCKWELL: “Freaky, what's going on here tonight?”
FREAKY: “I don't know. I'm hungry.”
STOCKWELL: What do you like to eat?
FREAKY: (laughs maniacally)
I next found the backstage barn, ripe with activity with people running to and fro, while others donned costumes and makeup. Holly was all made up and ready to go.
STOCKWELL: “So, if I'm going in there tonight, what am I gonna see?”
HOLLY: “Well, you're gonna walk into a waiting room and see a bunch of actors who are gonna try and kill you, I guess.”
STOCKWELL: “Tell me about the reaction you get from people. What's it like seeing people freak out and yell and scream?”
HOLLY: “Oh, it's hilarious! I think, especially because I'm a teacher during the day, so, sometimes, I get to see my students, and they don't know it's me, and I get to scream with them.”
Josh is also one of the actors and told me the actors have a true family vibe and enjoy working together.
JOSH: “Oh yeah! A lot of us have been working together for years now, like, some of us for, like, well over a decade, and it definitely ends up like a family a lot of time. We all hang out afterwards as well, kind of swap stories of scares. There's a kind of, like, a level of different things. If you get someone running away and out, that's, like, a nice one.”
The music has started. The fireworks are going off. That means Wiard’s Night Terrors is now open. It's a crisp fall night with a little bit of haze in the air. All of the apples and cider have been put away, and the goblins are coming out! The crowds are coming in now. After the big fireworks show, let me take a look and see where I want to go first. Let me check the map. I think I'll check out the asylum. That doesn't look too scary. I bet that's not too scary. Let's go to the asylum.
STOCKWELL: “All right. Hey, we are walking into the asylum right now with my new friends I just met. Oh okay, okay, that's not good! Oh, there's a head in the wall. Okay, okay, all right. There's a head popped out of the wall. It's very foggy in here. Not much is happening. Okay. Oh, don't look at the doll. It'll put you in a trance. There's a lady with a doll. Oh, there's somebody screaming. There's a person up there. I don't know what's happening. Where are we? Well, there's a person. There's a person. Whoa, I think I made it!”
After making it out of the asylum alive, I caught up with an entire family from Dundee, who had just completed the same scary journey.
STOCKWELL: “Hannah, tell me about the event tonight. What's going on? Why do you like it here?”
HANNAH: “We like scary things!”
HANNAH’S DAD: “I'm Hannah's dad. Great, great! I mean, we've been coming to Wiard’s since we were little and love it! Absolutely love it!”
STOCKWELL: “Why do you think people like being scared so much?”
HANNAH’S DAD: “I don't know. Yeah, I think it's just fear of the unknown, right?"
STOCKWELL: "It's only about the attraction you were just on. How was that?"
HANNAH'S DAD: "For the first one. Hoo, man! That's a top bar! That's the top bar to be! That was very good! I liked it, yeah!”
STOCKWELL: “Taylor, tell me about why do you like this event? Why do you like being scared?”
TAYLOR: “Um, I don’t! My dad just made me come!”
STOCKWELL: “What are you gonna do next?”
TAYLOR: “Hopefully, catch my breath.”
LIAM: “I'm Liam, and I'm also from Dundee.”
STOCKWELL: “Okay. I knew that somehow. Liam, tell me why do you like this event? What's going on?”
LIAM: “A lot of scary stuff, I guess. I like getting scared.”
STOCKWELL: “Rachel, tell me why do you like this event? Why is it so great?”
RACHEL: “Well, I don't go into the scary houses, but I like to watch my family.”
STOCKWELL: “What are some of the best reactions? Who gets the most scared?”
RACHEL: “I think Taylor.”
STOCKWELL: “Why do you like this event? Why is this so much fun?"
FAMILY MEMBER: “Watching them get scared!”
So, where to next? Let me check my map. I think I’ll head to the ultimate haunted barn! I bet that’s not too scary. Maybe.
All dates, times and tickets for Wiard’s Thrill Park are available online. Click here for all of the details.
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