Ames Haunted Forest builds new scenes every year. In 2015, they added a checkerboard room, illuminated entirely by strobe lights. This made it very disorienting. They also camouflaged the exit door, which would have been tricky to find under normal lighting. So they put a clown there, too, so he could help victims find a way out. Classy.
Freak Show was a brand new attraction in 2015, so no one knew what to expect. Even those who thought they knew what to expect probably didn't expect that popping those balloons hanging in a hallway under a sign that said 'Do Not Pop Balloons' would cover them with glitter. Now THAT is a dirty trick. That stuff lasts forever!
In 2015, the Ankeny Haunted Barn bought the former Slaughterhouse haunted house. They had enough wall panels and props to create a second attraction, but instead, they decided to just expand their original haunt. Instead of running down a hallway to freedom, as in years past, this year, victims ran straight into … another haunt! Nice.
We asked you to tell us which haunts you visited this year, and then pick your favorite one from several categories. The more haunts you experienced, the more your vote would count (since you had more to compare with). Here are the questions we asked, and the results of our second annual non-scientific survey.
For 2016, if a past winner of category has no challengers the next year, that category will be retired. This will keep the same haunt from winning the same category over and over.