Local scares worth the trip
Ashley Troyer
Issue date: 10/26/06 Section: Online Exclusives
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Halloween is near, and ghouls and goblins decorate doorsteps and lawns while pumpkins carved into jack-o-lanterns glow in the night. It is the holiday of fright. And the fright business is huge.
If you're looking for a good scare, look no farther than the Panic Box Spookhouse here in Springfield. The Panic Box is truly that-an enclosed maze of sorts that will leave your knees shaking. Often blinded by fog and strobes, you have to feel your way through the winding corridors as masked figures jump out from dark corners and chainsaws grind away . . . coming ever closer. Some strong-scented rodents await you in a low-ceilinged tunnel, and you'll have to navigate through a two-acre maze just to get out. But the thrill is definitely worth it!
The property's second attraction, the Krueger Korn Maze, is more run-of-the-mill and leaves much to be desired. It definitely isn't lacking in masked figures (based on movies like "Jeepers Creepers"), chainsaws, and labyrinth-like pathways, but the dead-ends and loop-a-rounds just get annoying after awhile. The creepy figures lose their scare appeal when they have to constantly point you in the correct direction. Sure, the masked men will catch you off guard once in awhile (and I even witnessed one of the figures become startled with the sudden appearance of one of his counterparts). But tromping through muddy pathways and leaving with filthy shoes seems a tall price to pay for a less-than-thrilling stroll through the maze.
If you're out for a scare, the Panic Box Spookhouse is definitely for you, and Krueger's Korn Maze is perfect for children or easily-frightened friends. Both are festive fun if you're just looking for a Halloween trick . . . or treat.
If You Go:
What: Panic Box Spookhouse & Kreuger's Korn Maze
When: Fridays and Saturdays through October 28
Time: 8pm to midnight
Where: 6997 Springfield-Jamestown Rd.
Cost: $10/each or $18/both (*Coupons available online at www.creepyminds.com )
If you're looking for a good scare, look no farther than the Panic Box Spookhouse here in Springfield. The Panic Box is truly that-an enclosed maze of sorts that will leave your knees shaking. Often blinded by fog and strobes, you have to feel your way through the winding corridors as masked figures jump out from dark corners and chainsaws grind away . . . coming ever closer. Some strong-scented rodents await you in a low-ceilinged tunnel, and you'll have to navigate through a two-acre maze just to get out. But the thrill is definitely worth it!
The property's second attraction, the Krueger Korn Maze, is more run-of-the-mill and leaves much to be desired. It definitely isn't lacking in masked figures (based on movies like "Jeepers Creepers"), chainsaws, and labyrinth-like pathways, but the dead-ends and loop-a-rounds just get annoying after awhile. The creepy figures lose their scare appeal when they have to constantly point you in the correct direction. Sure, the masked men will catch you off guard once in awhile (and I even witnessed one of the figures become startled with the sudden appearance of one of his counterparts). But tromping through muddy pathways and leaving with filthy shoes seems a tall price to pay for a less-than-thrilling stroll through the maze.
If you're out for a scare, the Panic Box Spookhouse is definitely for you, and Krueger's Korn Maze is perfect for children or easily-frightened friends. Both are festive fun if you're just looking for a Halloween trick . . . or treat.
If You Go:
What: Panic Box Spookhouse & Kreuger's Korn Maze
When: Fridays and Saturdays through October 28
Time: 8pm to midnight
Where: 6997 Springfield-Jamestown Rd.
Cost: $10/each or $18/both (*Coupons available online at www.creepyminds.com )
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