Pennhurst Asylum 2015 Review
Joe Rovinsky
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Pennhurst Asylum (website)
Location: Church Street and Bridge Road, Spring City, PA, 19475
Introduction
The Pennhurst Asylum is one of the most impressive major mainstream haunted attractions that places guests into what can be best described as an insane, horror movie come to life. Every year the actors and designers of the Pennhurst Asylum create an interactive, disturbing show that makes it a must visit attraction. Over the past several years the attraction has undergone several changes and additions to its three core attractions, has taken on a more interactive, aggressive approach to scares and is for mature audiences. Pennhurst Asylum continues to push limits regarding mature themes, disturbing scenes, and twisted humor which makes this one of the most memorable haunted attractions.
Pennhurst Asylum is located on the grounds of the infamous Pennhurst State School and Hospital which closed in 1986, due to mistreatment of disabled patients, and inhumane living conditions. The massive hospital campus, functioned as a self-contained community, and was left abandoned until opened as a haunted attraction several years ago. There is no haunted attraction that utilizes its environment to generate fear more than Pennhurst. Pennhurst’s decrepit architecture is hauntingly beautiful, and the urban decay sets the tone for a gritty, realistic experience featuring surreal set designs, twisted imagery and some of the most hands-on disturbing actors found in any haunted attraction. The graffiti which adorns each room, the putrid smells of the property and the abandoned buildings which adorn the campus set the perfect tone for a haunted attraction experience second to none.
Pennhurst Asylum continues to evolve each year and add new scenes to its three core attractions. The attraction is somewhat expensive compared to other events, and if you are traveling from a long distance a VIP pass may be necessary. A VIP ticket will cost $75.00 (plus tax and service fees), and it is worth the purchase because the lines at the attraction can get extremely long. We purchased the VIP tickets on a Sunday night, due to the length of the lines and did not regret this decision. Not only did we skip the endless lines, but had the best line position when entering the attraction. While the scare actors do a fantastic job at working the long lines and crowds, the best, most interactive scares seem to be reserved for those in the front of the line. We were given “shots” by doctors, grabbed by mental patients, tickled, pushed into walls and treated to various disturbingly entertaining interactions with the insane actors of the Pennhurst Asylum. The creative designs of each room and quality of the attraction is second to none. The entire attraction utilizes high-tech animatronics, movie quality designs and blatantly violent imagery creates an unsettling, psychologically disturbing experience that is a must visit this year! Please remember that this attraction is extremely popular and lines do get long. VIP is a must if you do not want to wait in lines as the attractions try to limit the number of guests that enter.
We love the Pennhurst Asylum, every year it gets more mature, continues to add some of the highest quality set pieces and utilizes designs that are not possible in other haunted attractions. We hope that next year the attraction fixes some minor issues regarding backup in the “Administrative Building” and perhaps opens a new building for an attraction. Please also note that your experience may vary depending on the number of individuals in your group. The attraction continues to grow in popularity and often reaches capacity on the weekends.
Attractions
Pennhurst Asylum is split into four unique attractions, three core attractions which are a part of the haunt and the fourth, a self-guided tour through what is reported to be one of the most “haunted” buildings on the campus. The attractions are completed in succession, and while waiting, various actors roam the campus and interact with guests. These interactions while waiting are not simple startle scares, they may include unique personal interactions. We witnessed a disturbed, creepy clown chase after guests, several actors in straitjackets and other bizarre characters who did a great job at entertaining guests in between attractions.
While visiting the attractions of the Pennhurst Asylum you will have to navigate through a swamp, visit various rooms of medical experiments, transverse catacombs, and make your way through the dark tunnel system which underlies the expansive Pennhurst campus. Each attraction builds to the next, heightens fear and does a great job of building psychological horror. The actors themselves are very intrusive, aggressive, crazy and at times off-color. The experience is unique, disturbing, interactive, and exhausting that we give the attraction our highest recommendation.
The Pennhurst Asylum (Administration Building)
“The Pennhurst Asylum Administration Building” is the first attraction which features detailed rooms, interactive actors and some of the oddest/disturbing scenes we have ever witnessed in a haunted attraction. Bloody, violent imagery is highlighted throughout the surgical rooms found throughout this attraction, and mature themes permeate each hallway. We witnessed the “birth” of what appeared to be a demonic child (think baby being ejected from a patient), were chased by various actors giggling in straitjackets, were “zapped” and “tickled” by the inmates, were grabbed at, and asked to become participants in several of the doctor’s various experiments. The actors in this attraction are intense. From the creepy priest conducting an exorcist on a patient, to a demented dentist ripping teeth from a patient, the actors and their theatrical scenes are downright unsettling. The set designs are gruesome, they depict scenes of medical and psychological torture and the talented actors use guest responses to modify the show. These actors do not relent in their efforts to generate a response, from taunting guests to take their “medicine” to giving guests “needles” the interactive nature of this attraction is fantastic. As we made our way through the attraction we walked through twisted fun house like rooms, walked on the edge of a cliff, and once again encountered a large man-baby who rubbed fake “feces” over the guests. One actor again introduced us to her good friend (a live mouse), and others constantly screamed at us to take our medication.
The creative and interactive set designs make exploring each horrific room an entertaining, surprise filled experience. The relentless actors will make you believe you are in a nightmare. The quality of acting coupled with unparalleled set design makes this attraction stand out amongst other mainstream haunted attractions. Sensory confusion, animatronics and elaborate set designs distract guests and keep each room exciting. The attraction has also changed its “finale” adding an intense final scene in which multiple insane inmates try to escape the confines of the asylum. While the attraction is extremely well designed, we did run into multiple groups during our visit. This did prevent us from seeing several scenes play out in their entirety and at times we were in the rooms with large groups. Luckily we were close to the front of our line and were able to experience most of the scenes, however, the attraction could improve its spacing of guests and reduce the number of people entering into the first attraction.
Dungeon of Lost Souls
“Dungeon of Lost Souls” is a unique attraction which took us through the laboratory of a demented, mad scientist who encouraged us to drink what he called “urine”, and made some hilarious off-color jokes. The “Dungeon of Lost Souls” was our favorite attraction at Pennhurst as we were able to go through the attraction alone. Several props and animatronics hid scare actors in darkly lit rooms, featuring blinding lights and fog which attacked our senses. The insane actors aggressively attacked us around each corner, relentlessly trying to scare and pop out of the most unexpected locations. The “Dungeon of Lost Souls” is legitimately scary and disturbing. From a visit to a gritty boiler room, to the hanging bodies mixed in with well-hidden scare actors each scene is designed to disoriented, confuse and scare guests. We specifically found the actors to be personally interactive and entertaining during this attraction. The orderly in the laundry room made some entertaining jokes, and we ran into various scare actors who tried to prevent our escape.
“Dungeon of Lost Souls” is an all-out assault on one’s senses, featuring talented scare actors, disturbing imagery, blinding lights, high-tech set designs and disgusting smells which constantly augment fear. We were able to go through the entire attraction by ourselves which made the entire experience far scarier since we felt at the mercy of the asylum’s vicious inmates and diabolical, nightmarish design.
The Tunnel Terror
“Tunnel Terror” is a terrifying, claustrophobic experience that uses set designs to create psychological and sensory based fear. “Tunnel of Terror” is a journey through the abandoned tunnel system underlying the Pennhurst campus. The attraction incorporates blinding slow and fast white strobe lights, fog and darkness to maximize a sense of being lost, at times trapped and once again at the mercy of the actors. Effective use of light, disorienting sound and darkness hides the insane clowns, inmates and a strange bat-like creature who resides amongst the horrific tunnel system. Actors chased after us, smashed walkers against walls, grabbed at our sides and laughed as we made our way through the attraction.
“Tunnel Terror” incorporates a seemingly endless maze of dimly light catacombs and actors grab from every direction. Lighting effects and the already creepy atmosphere of the tunnel system creates a panic inducing environment. We did run into a backup issue as we were reaching the end of the attraction and bumped into another group. For about 80% of the attraction we were able to go through the tunnels in our small group. Line backup at the backend of the attraction prevented us from seeing its final scenes. Overall the quality of the “Tunnel of Terror” attraction is fantastic. The psychological fear generated by the ominous tunnel system is a unique horror attraction that can only be experienced at the Pennhurst Asylum.
Ghost Hunt and Pennhurst State School Museum
“Ghost Hunt” and the “Pennhurst State School Museum”
The fourth attraction is a self-guided tour through the Mayflower building found on the Pennhurst campus. The attraction also includes an informative, and interesting museum which has various items and historical images of the campus while it was in operation. The “Ghost Hunt” tour allows for guests to take pictures using cell phones, or walk through the first two floors using a flashlight. The Pennhurst environment itself plays a powerful role in the attractions ability to cultivate fear and this was a good way to see more of the area and be able to explore the closed off portions of the campus. We hope the attraction opens up additional buildings on the campus for similar exploration!
The Final Word
Pennhurst Asylum is a mature, relentless nightmare featuring non-stop action and insanity around every turn. The interactive, aggressive nature of this attraction provides for a unique experience that may change depending on your own fears. Pennhurst seems to find strategies to adapt to guests’ fear, and utilize immersive set designs to attack one’s senses. The quality of acting, professionalism displayed by staff and one of a kind design make this a must visit every year. Pennhurst continues to improve every year and hopefully 2016 will bring a new attraction or opening of an additional building. Pennhurst Asylum continues to be one of the very best major haunted attractions we have ever visited, and you will have a memorable experience.
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