CRITIC 3: JASON V.

There are many family-oriented activities available on or around Halloween. Denver haunted houses, trick-or-treating, parties, etc. are all par for the course. Perhaps the greatest seasonal activity for a family with young children, however, is to attend a corn maze.

Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes to haunt the maze as families attempt to find their way through it. Be sure children wear sufficiently warm clothing under their costumes, as it is often cold during this season.

A good corn maze will be somewhat challenging to navigate. It is traditional for there to be several ancillary program features.

Snacks such as kettle corn, cider, hot cocoa, caramel apples, roasted nuts, etc. are common delicacies. Some corn maze operators include an expanded menu to also embrace Oktoberfest. Bratwurst, beer and pretzels are therefore often included as menu choices.

Usually, carnival games are also offered attractions. These come in the form of ring toss games, bouncing tents, miniature bowling, etc. It is common to also see seasonal games such as bobbing for apples, costume contests, pumpkin carving and the like.

Remember to bring a camera to capture treasured images of your children playing, as well as walking through the maze. Many operators offer aerial-view maps of a given corn maze, in order to assist you on your journey. Even so, a good maze can prove difficult to complete. Therefore, there are usually several “emergency” exits along the way. Restroom facilities are normally provided in the form of portable toilets.

Clearly, there is a lot more to a corn maze than one might think. The veritable plethora of activities and treats available are sure to please all members of the family.

The Asylum Haunted House is located in the Boondocks Fun Center at 11425 Community Center Drive in Northglenn, Colorado and is among the top haunted houses in the area.  The staff at The Asylum Haunted House can be contacted by phone at 303-355-FEAR, or by e-mail at info@getscared.com.  You can also visit The Asylum Haunted House online at www.getscared.com.  First-time visitors should review the frequently asked questions section of the website, in order to familiarize themselves with all pertinent rules, safety information, etc.

Parking is provided free of charge in the Boondocks Fun Center parking lot.  Forms of payment accepted are cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Admission to the Boondocks Fun Center is free, as always, however, you do have to pay for attractions if you decide to play.  Hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 7:00 PM to Midnight.  While there is no age limit to enter The Asylum Haunted House, due to the graphic nature of the layout, it is not recommended for small children.  The house is handicap accessible. Photography and video recording are not permitted in The Asylum Haunted House.  The layout and features of the house are different every year.

There are live animals, reptiles and insects incorporated into the layout.  Visitors should not attempt to touch or otherwise handle them.  There are other hazards incorporated into the layout.  However, if you walk where directed you will make it through without incident.

Come Halloween there is a short window that the Denver Haunted Houses are open.  Although some of the haunted houses are open longer than others, they all have a down time but they all have a great time to go depending on your own personal situation.  Are you going with your friends? Are you bringing your children?  Are you looking for the scariest time possible?  These are all questions you need to ask yourself to ensure you choose the best time to go to all of the Denver Haunted Houses.

If you are going to bring your children, chances are you aren’t going to want to go at a time where there is a line.  You’re also not going to want to go when the haunted house is fully staffed if your children are small so there will be more breaks between scares.  Haunted houses tend to be fully staffed on the weekends and actually the first few weeks they are open they have more people working the haunted house as well.

If you are going with a group of friends you are probably more concerned with the actual Denver haunted house iteself then the line so you will want the complete opposite; more staff and a great show.  You will want to know when the haunted house has a special event because chances are the haunted house will be fully staffed.  Its also great to go when everyone is enthusiastic about the haunted house. Going on a Thursday is probably the best time to go with friends because the haunted house will be fully staffed and line should be down a bit.

There is another alternative to avoiding the line and thats buying tickets online!  So many of the Denver haunted houses now accept credit cards online and often times offer a discount for buying tickets early.  Check out the hanted house’s website, buy tickets online and when you show up move straight to the front of the line.  VIP tickets are worth buying online to avoid the long lines of the haunted houses.

Even furniture can be the recipient of ghostly attention in haunted houses.  Not very far from Castle Hill, Virginia, is one of America’s important historical buildings: the country home once owned by former president James Monroe, where he and Thomas Jefferson often conversed and may have made major political decisions.  This haunted houses, small and cozy, was James Monroe’s favorite even after he moved to the bigger place that became his stately home later in his career.  At Ash Lawn he could get away from affairs of state and public attention to discuss matters of great concern with his friend Jefferson, who lived only two miles away at Monticello.

The ghostly occurrences center around a wooden rocking chair in the main room, which has been seen to rock without the benefit of human hands.  It is unknown how many people have seen the chair rock, but Mrs. J. Massey, who lived in the area for many years, is on record as saying, “I will tell anyone and I have no objection to its being known, that I’ve seen not once but time and time again the rocking chair rocking exactly as though someone were in it.  My brother, John, has seen it too.  Whenever we touched it, it would stop rocking.”

Although there has been considerable speculation regarding the nature of this haunted houses, there has thus far been no consensus.  A haunted houses of this vintage has likely been marred by tragedy more than once.  The truth behind the haunted chair at Ash Lawn may never be known.

Here is a video we found on You Tube that shows a real ghost crying.  For more haunted videos, see ghost activity in a haunted house and the asylum in Denver.

There are several things that should be taken into consideration when young children go trick-or-treating.  The primary concern is safety, but comfort should also be kept in mind.  To begin with, an adult should accompany young children.  If a large group of young children is trick-or-treating together, be sure to bring several adults along.

Children choose their costumes based upon any number of criteria, such as how popular it is, how scary it is, etc.  There are other factors that should be considered by the child’s parents.  It is often cold on Halloween night, so be sure that a costume is either warm enough by itself, or that it is loose-fitting enough to accommodate a warm layer of clothing underneath it. 

Also, be sure that the costume does not obstruct the child’s view.  This is one of several safety considerations.  Inspect the costume to make sure that there are no parts that could act as a tripping hazard.  Likewise, see to it that any accessory items do not have sharp edges or points.

Visibility is important, as well.  Give each child a flashlight or glow stick so that motorists and other pedestrians can see them.  Each adult should also have a flashlight to help children find their way around large bushes, shrubs, etc.  It is also important to monitor the children when approaching darkened porches and doorways.  A good flashlight is invaluable in this application.

Finally, when you get home all items received must be inspected for tears in wrappers, pinholes and the like.  Instruct the children not to consume any of their candy or other treats until they have been looked through at home.  If you are at all uncertain about the safety of a given item, discard it.  It is better to be safe than sorry, especially if the children were trick-or-treating in a somewhat unfamiliar area. 

Halloween should be a fun and carefree holiday for children.  A small group of responsible adults can ensure the safety of the children and allow them to have a fun time.  Harmful incidents on or around Halloween are rare, and are often the stuff of urban legends.  Taking a few precautions will provide a comfortable level of safety for all those involved.

Written By: Nick Hantge

If you are wondering which haunted house you want to bring your friends to or maybe even a date, you are going to want to check out Colorado Haunted Houses.   It is a website dedicated to reviewing all of the Haunted houses in Colorado.  The great thing about this site is it doens’t just list the good ones, you also get a taste of the bad ones and what people thought about them as well.

There is also a map section on the site that has all of the haunted houses in Colorado so you can see which ones are in close proximity and which ones are kind of a hike.  This way you can plan out a way to visit a few haunted houses in a night!  With the reviews on the site you can also see which ones are worth driving the extra mile for an extra scare.  Along with the map section of the site there are links that will directly take you to the Haunted House websites themselves.  This is nice so you don’t have to open another window and look up the haunted house on Google.

I would highly recommend checking out the site to plan your next halloween night!  There is nothing worse than waiting in line for a half hour for a haunted house that just isn’t worth it.  Save yourself some time and check out the haunted house review site for Colorado haunted houses.  I promise it will be worth it!