If you’re looking for some spooky good fun this Halloween, but you can’t see yourself shelling out top dollars for the likes of Halloween Horror Nights and Howl-O-Scream, then consider visiting the Haunted Angelus House in Hudson FL. This delightfully scary attraction embodies the spirit of Halloween yet the proceeds go to a noble cause. The Angelus House helps and houses people with cerebral palsy, a debilitating disorder affecting the brain and nervous system. . More information about the terrible disorder can be found at Mayo Clinic’s website www.mayoclinic.com/health/cerebral–palsy.
The Haunted Angelus House is a definite treat if you’re looking to shy away from larger crowds and get a feel for the country while having a good fright. It is also handicap-accessible so there’s no reason to leave anyone behind to miss out on the fun. The attraction has a large main haunted house, a smaller pirate maze, a very spooky haunted trail through the dimly lit woods and a hayride underneath the stars.
The main haunted house has ghouls and monsters that rival even the best theme park Halloween production. The house is fairly large and offers spooks and screams at every turn. The actors are superb in not only bringing on the scares but picking out the less courageous of us and playing it to their advantage. I was chased and followed quite a bit by the evil minions as they quickly realized my fear and used it against me. Delightfully creepy! I’ve never screamed so much in my life, and the costumes were extremely scary.
The pirate maze is PG-13, and I wouldn’t suggest younger children enter the maze only because it is fairly small. The only way to enter the maze is to go in after a rather funny short show put on by the actors resembling pirates. Once inside the maze you are encouraged and even forced (by ghoulish beasts) to find the exit but be careful because the maze is treacherous and you’ll definitely be stumped in trying to find the exit. Great fun and lots of laughs!
The Haunted trail is one of the creepiest scariest trails I’ve ever walked my entire life. It winds through woods and there are demons at every turn. Once the sun goes down you are completely at the mercy of the monsters as they know their way around the darkened trail and you don’t. The trail is pretty large so expect to find yourself completely alone on certain parts where there are no lights and spider webs hang above your head. The trail is the absolute best. I’ve never been so terrified but if you have young children or you don’t want to be petrified out of your mind then there are glow sticks available and the actors know not to scare you when they see the glow sticks.
The last attraction the Haunted Angelus has to offer is the hayride, which would be pretty relaxing and even a bit romantic if there weren’t swooping bats over head and it didn’t veer into the woods where the goblins and creatures roamed at will. Expect to be scared but not so much that you’ll wet your pants. The hayride is a good option to take your kids especially if they are very young.
The Haunted Angelus House offers good ole American fare like hotdogs and chips or hamburgers and sodas all for a reasonable price. The highest price is $1.50 for a hamburger. You really can’t beat that. There is candy and kettle corn and even a place to stop and take your monstrous picture if you are so inclined. There are public toilets and portable toilets at the entrance of the attraction and throughout the trail just in case you need to stop for a bathroom break.
All in all, the Haunted Angelus House can’t be beaten for a night of frights without the huge crowds and the long waiting in lines. The prices are dirt cheap. The tickets start at $9 for one attraction and go up to $25 per person for all the attractions with a family pass priced at $60. Compared to similar attractions the prices really can’t be beat especially since the proceeds go to a good cause.
The Haunted Angelus House is located 12413 Hudson Ave, Hudson, FL 34669, and the attraction opens at 6:30 p.m. on the weekends thorough the month of October. Visit hauntedangelus.com for more information or hauntedangelushouse.ticketleap.com to buy tickets and have a frightfully good time while helping out this Halloween.