Nestled away in the forests of Blakely, less than 10 miles from Marywood, lies an incredible experience for all horror enthusiasts.

Reaper’s Revenge is a haunted hayride attraction. First opened in 2009, the attraction has grown in size and popularity ever since. The venue is broken into sets of separate attractions as well as the hayride itself. These attractions include Delirium, Pitch Black and Sector 13.

The hayride is more theatrical than scary. Both actors and animatronics frighten riders and numerous set pieces make for a creepy but entertaining experience. Many sets are pulled from famous horror movies from “Halloween” to “Nightmare on Elm Street” to “The Ring.” An iconic set is of course numerous zombie actors reenacting Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

About midway through the hayride, the tractor is suddenly stopped by “security,” saying that someone on the ride was being handsy with an actor. This results in everyone being brought into a security trailer, where they are questioned by “staff.” Lights flicker, actors appear in your face and in the end, everyone is brought to the Lost Carnival. The Lost Carnival is filled with eerie empty rides, games being run by creepy clowns and not to mention the funhouse – a disorienting experience that left me winded in the best possible way.

You are then brought to Delirium, an altered reality experience where crazed drawings seem to be coming off the walls. Not to mention that actors can be waiting around every corner – if they aren’t camouflaged into the walls. Once (or if) you make it through, you are put back on the hayride to finish your journey with creepy cannibals equipped with chainsaws and even a visit from the Reaper himself.

From here, you have two options: Pitch Black or Sector 13. Pitch Black is simply that – you are in a pitch black maze with creepy actors around every turn. Strobe lights are your only form of vision throughout this attraction.

Sector 13 is a post-apocalyptic experience where you must navigate a maze of crazed mutant experiments and frights to escape to civilization. The attraction has been described as “organized chaos”– a completely correct assessment.

However, the attractions pale in comparison to the actors who keep them adrenaline-pumped. Karle Mongiello, a scare actor in the chainsaw sequence at the end of the hayride, described her time at Reapers as amazing.

“You can absolutely be yourself here. No one’s gonna judge you, people have their own characters, they just really support you being yourself,” said Mongiello.

This mentality is clear to see in each and every actor at Reaper’s. The energy is high, and the fun they have doing their job is evident. This makes for a much more entertaining customer experience.

Reaper’s Revenge is growing and changing just about every year. One of its largest changes is coming next year with a brand-new attraction. Little is known about next year’s new haunt. The only thing riders know is from a peek of the new building at the end of the hayride: a dark, creepy mansion.

Todd Fedyshyn, a co-owner of the company, said Reaper’s is chaotic but enjoyable.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of being here, whether I was an employee at one point or one of the owners being trusted to guide the future of this corporation and come up with new ideas to offer. So I’m very blessed to have an amazing haunt family and some great people around me that make this job fun,” said Fedyshyn.

The attraction in its entirety was a delightful experience. The walking attractions kept you on your toes – you never knew when an actor might pop out from behind the walls, whether or not that still figure was an actor and what was waiting for you around the corner. If you are local and a fan of horror, I strongly recommend Reaper’s Revenge as your pick.

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