Terror Behind the Walls – 2015 Preview
Joe Rovinsky
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Terror Behind the Walls, America’s largest haunted house, is located inside the massive, castle-like walls of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This extraordinary theatrical production, consistently ranked among the top haunted attractions in the nation, runs select evenings from September 18 through November 7, 2015.
Terror Behind the Walls begins with a critical decision for visitors: Should they explore the prison and watch the action, or should they mark themselves to truly interact with the denizens of the cellblocks? Those who opt in for true interactivity may be grabbed, held back, sent into hidden passageways, removed from their group, and even incorporated into the show. They will deal with the consequences of their decision through six long attractions.
To celebrate its 25th season of scares, Terror Behind the Walls unveils the most ambitious redesign in the history of the event – two groundbreaking new attractions:
Inside Quarantine: 4D, visitors learn of an infectious outbreak, whose symptoms include hallucinations, blurry vision, distorted depth perception, and other mind-altering effects. Flat walls appear to have depth, creatures emerge from (seemingly) nowhere, and some brave visitors will be challenged to face their worst fears.
Also new for 2015 is Break Out, the final Terror Behind the Walls attraction. Just when visitors think they have found freedom, they find themselves in the middle of a prison break! Inmates surround them using every way imaginable to escape, including barrels, ropes, tunnels, ladders, and crates. Visitors must keep an eye out at every corner, as inmates may even be using them to aid in their attempt to gain freedom.
A Massive Haunted House in a Real Prison:
The setting for Terror Behind the Walls is perfect for a haunted attraction. Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but it stands today in ruin, a lost world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. This Gothic structure, with soaring 30-foot high fortress walls, is intimidating enough during the day. At night the cellblocks fall into darkness, and the building becomes truly terrifying.
Terror Behind the Walls features Hollywood-quality sets, animatronics, and custom-designed soundtracks, all taking place within the walls of the prison. It takes an elite team of 14 makeup artists almost three hours to prepare the cast of more than 200 performers each evening. The event consists of six haunted attractions that create a seamless experience for visitors.
No. 1 Haunted House in America:
Terror Behind the Walls is consistently ranked among the nation’s top haunted attractions. Travel Channel calls it “One of America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions,” The New York Times calls it “perfect for Halloween,” and Forbes names it #1 in the nation.
The industry commends the event as well. It was named “one of the top three must-see haunts in America” by Haunted Attraction Magazine. John Eslich, president of the Haunted Attraction Association, says, “Terror Behind the Walls is one of the best. A world-class haunted attraction.”
Terror Behind the Walls has grown from a single-night event in 1991 to a 30-night event with shows selling out far in advance. More than half of the visitors who attended in 2014 traveled to Philadelphia for the event, with tickets sold to visitors in 49 states and 21 foreign countries, making Terror Behind the Walls a national and international destination for thrill-seekers and Halloween lovers.
Is it Really Haunted?
Many people believe that Eastern State Penitentiary is haunted. As early as the 1940s, officers and inmates reported mysterious visions and eerie experiences in the ancient prison.
With the growing interest in paranormal investigations, Eastern State Penitentiary may now be the most carefully studied building in the United States. Approximately 60 paranormal teams visit to explore the site in a typical year. The historic site’s website, easternstate.org/ghosts, features extensive television and audio clips that document real paranormal investigations inside the 186-year-old prison.
The penitentiary has been featured on Travel Channel’s “Most Haunted Live,” “Ghost Adventures,” and “Paranormal Challenge”; Fox Television’s “World’s Scariest Places”; TLC’s “America’s Ghost Hunters”; and MTV’s “FEAR.” Footage captured on the second tier of Cellblock 12 by paranormal investigators during filming of Syfy’s “Ghost Hunters” may be the most controversial ghost sighting of the past 10 years. During the filming of “Paranormal Challenge,” host Zak Bagans called Eastern State Penitentiary “one of the most haunted places in the world.”
General Information:
Terror Behind the Walls is located inside Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Terror Behind the Walls does not affect operation of the historic site, which remains open for daytime tours seven days a week, year round. All proceeds from Terror Behind the Walls benefit the preservation of Eastern State Penitentiary, a National Historic Landmark.
Terror Behind the Walls runs on select evenings from September 18 through November 7, 2015. Tickets for Terror Behind the Walls are on sale now at easternstate.org/buynow. Buying online is always the cheapest and most convenient way to purchase Terror Behind the Walls tickets. Visitors save time and money, and purchasing in advance is the only way to guarantee entry to the event. For more information about Terror Behind the Walls, the public can visit Terror Behind The Walls online.
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