FOLEY, Ala. — Four friends from Baldwin County’s Eastern Shore walked into the dark this week not knowing what was waiting for them. Knife-wielding fiends. Hungry killer clowns. Chainsaw-swinging madmen. Live cockroaches.
They walked out laughing.
Emerging from the Primal Fear Experience at OWA in Foley after a preview earlier this week, the women were smiling, a little shaken and already talking about where to find their next scare. Like survivors in a horror movie sequel, they were ready for more.
“My heart is racing now,” said Lizzie Lake of Daphne after making it through the haunted attraction.
“I’m terrified,” added Elise Bridges of Foley, who was all smiles. “It was beautiful in there.”
Spooky season has officially arrived in Alabama. Primal Fear opens to the public Friday and runs through the Halloween season, joining haunted attractions across the state that are preparing to frighten thousands of thrill-seekers through October.
Inside Primal Fear
Primal Fear is built to test visitors with some of the most common human anxieties. Guests navigate a maze of narrow tunnels and walkways, claustrophobic spaces and deranged clowns, and the attraction even features live cockroaches for those who dread creepy-crawlies.
Christi Mann, special events coordinator at OWA, summed up the experience in a single breath.
“We got total darkness, infestation, claustrophobia, moving walls and tons of scare actors and a good time,” she said.
Mann said the attraction is designed to confront visitors with fears such as insects and confined spaces, and she suggested a little reverse psychology might be at work.
“It might get rid of your fear for you,” she said. “Hopefully it will get rid of your fear. If not, it might make the fear even greater for you.”
Lake and Bridges made the trip with friends Sydney Booth of Fairhope and Lindsey Holmes of Foley. For the group, the eerie atmosphere and unsettling characters delivered exactly what they came for, and they plan to come back ready to face new monsters and fresh scares.
“This was our first one,” Lake said. “So far.”
A Halloween-themed entertainment district
The preview event at OWA on Monday also gave visitors a taste of the Halloween-themed entertainment district that will surround the attraction this season. Restaurants and snack stands throughout OWA are featuring seasonal treats.
The most talked-about item may be the Frankenburger at Jon Smith Subs: a hamburger topped with bacon and Gouda cheese, served between two funnel cakes. Some might say it is scarier than anything inside the haunted house.
Mann said Halloween-themed foods and drinks will be available throughout the entertainment district during the season, making a trip to Primal Fear part of a larger night out.
Haunts across Alabama
Primal Fear is one of many haunted attractions across the state gearing up for the season. From Arx Mortis in Killen to The Haunted Chicken House in Heflin and Conjure Haunted Attraction in downtown Birmingham, haunted houses across Alabama are preparing to scare visitors through October. Most wrap up on Halloween night, although a few stay open through Christmas.
The screams, nervous laughter and adrenaline rushes are all part of the Halloween experience, and for many Alabamians, a trip to at least one haunted house is an annual fall tradition.
Halloween is big business
Haunted attractions are part of the economic engine that Halloween has become in the United States. The National Retail Federation projects that Americans will spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, continuing an upward trend, even as consumers remain mindful of inflation and household costs such as gas prices.
Haunted attraction operators face many of the same pressures. They are dealing with tighter budgets, rising costs and the ongoing challenge of finding enough workers to staff their attractions during a short, intense season. Larger haunts often require substantial staffing and may open every night beginning in mid-October.
Susan Weidmann, a professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, whose research includes haunted attractions, said economics always shape recreation.
“Economics always plays a role in recreation participation, so challenges they experience will be related to how to run the same or better quality show on a more limited budget, or thinking about ticketing and other products/experiences offered to demonstrate value to a budget-conscious consumer,” Weidmann said.
“Increasing costs of things like insurance and payroll will affect this, as well as the rising prices for props and power,” she added. “The pressure is always on to innovate and keep the attraction fresh in order to attract new guests as well as keep people who consistently attend to come back.”
From spook houses to immersive theater
Today’s haunted attractions look very different from those of two decades ago, thanks to advances in technology and growing demand for immersive entertainment.
“In general, people are looking for immersive experiences, and the horror recreation industry has really capitalized on the desire for more storytelling and immersion at attractions,” Weidmann said.
She said haunted attractions experienced a “real growth era” from 2000 to 2010, as they evolved from simple spook houses into full-scale theatrical productions — a shift that continues to drive demand today. Still, the classic jump scare remains essential.
A Mobile native’s horror hit
Haunted attractions offer a real-life version of the emotions audiences seek from horror movies, and the genre continues to thrive at the box office thanks to relatively low production costs, strong returns and a loyal fan base.
One of this summer’s biggest horror hits has a South Alabama connection. “Obsession” was written and directed by 27-year-old Curry Barker, a Mobile native and Baker High School graduate. The film has grossed more than $519 million worldwide this year, making it the fifth-highest-grossing horror movie of all time. Barker’s next project appears to be a reboot of the horror classic “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
“Yes, horror is increasing in both story and quality — ‘Obsession’ was great,” Weidmann said. “The world we live in can be challenging, and horror films have been a way to deal with real life horrors that we experience as a society, as well of course as a way to experience emotions we would never want to experience in real life. I think this provides a real opportunity for haunts to grab an expanding audience.”
Why we love to be scared
Lisa Morton, a historian of Halloween, said the success of horror films and Halloween’s enduring popularity continue to fuel interest in haunted attractions, and she said there is a reason so many people come out of a haunted house laughing.
“If you can make it through a scary movie or a haunted house, you come out knowing that you survived; it’s a good feeling, which is why we so often laugh at the conclusion of something frightening,” Morton said. “And maybe it even helps us deal with our daily fears.”
Tips for a safe and fun haunt
For those planning a trip to Primal Fear or another haunted attraction this season, a few practical tips can help make the night more enjoyable:
- Check dates and hours in advance. Many attractions open only on select nights early in the season and add nights as Halloween approaches.
- Buy tickets early. Popular haunts often sell out on weekends in late October.
- Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Dark, narrow passages and uneven floors are part of the experience.
- Know the rules. Most attractions do not allow guests to touch actors, and actors typically do not touch guests.
- Consider age and health. Intense attractions may not be suitable for young children or people with certain health conditions. Check the attraction’s guidelines before you go.
For Lake, Bridges and their friends, the first scare of the season is in the books. Like the survivors of any good horror sequel, they are already planning to return, ready for whatever comes next.