Category: Haunt News

Wheelchair accessible haunts?

When the Ankeny Haunted Barn announced they were returning, one of the details they provided was that they would be “handicap accessible.” Because of this, I created a new category this year called “Wheelchair Access.” You will now be able to select that category and see all the attractions that should be able to accommodate screaming guests travelling in wheelchairs.

Ian Miller, one of the folks behind the newly rebuilt Slaughterhouse, also says that they are “definitely accessible!”

Be sure to check out these haunt’s entries in our index for maps, discount information, and links to official websites and social media accounts.

And please let us know if there are any others in the state of Iowa. Thanks to the filters in the new directory (which let you see only haunts within a certain distance), I will now be listing any haunt in the state of Iowa that wishes to be included.

No Linn’s this year :(

Unfortunately, Linn’s Supermarket Haunted House will not be operating this year. This message was posted to their Facebook page today:

“After 37 years of operating our Haunted House in the basement of Linn’s Super Market, we regret we will not be opening this year (2020) due to Covid-19.

We will miss seeing you this year, but feel that since the experts have said we have one of the worst outbreaks in the country at this time, we should not put our customers and workers at risk.

We have always prided ourselves in running a safe Haunted House and feel it would be impossible to keep everyone safe at this time.We will continue working to improve the Haunted House and are looking forward to seeing you in 2021.”

Merlyn & Shari Linn, Owners

What a year 2020 has been…

Welcome, Tormented Souls Haunt

I’d like to welcome Tormented Souls as the latest site sponsor for this season.

Tormented Souls Haunt originally opened in Madrid, Iowa in 2013. It was unique because you never actually parked at the haunt. Instead, you drove to a park and waited for the “Terror Bus” (a decorated school bus) to pick you up and drive you deep into the woods to where the haunt was. It gave quite the feeling of being isolated.

They were also the first attraction in the area to offer a zombie themed paintball shoot where guests rode on a tractor-pulled trailer and used mounted paintball guns to blast away at targets and live (er, undead?) zombie actors wearing protective gear. Great fun!

They ran for a few years, then went on hiatus. They returned in 2018 and DMHH helped install an all-new central sound system to their main haunt, and other sound systems to their external areas. And a great time was had by all!

They will be operating this year with new Covid-19 precautions in place. You can find more details from their listing page here on the site. Be sure to check out their website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

They are currently requesting molds of people’s faces. But why?

More to come…

Ankeny Haunted Barn returns.

In 2009, the Bondurant Haunted Barn appeared on the scene. In 2011, they relocated to Ankeny where they became known as the Ankeny Haunted Barn. This was the year Des Moines Haunted Houses first began doing video interviews. The Haunted Barn was the second haunt ever interviewed by this site. Here is that original interview. (Sadly, the interviewee Chris Bales passed away last year.)

In 2020, the Ankeny Haunted Barn will be returning. They will be in the same Ankeny location as past years, but the haunt has been completely rebuilt from the ground up. DMHH got a sneak peek at their new layout, and it looks quite fun.

The Barn will continue its style of having random scenes of horror. Many rooms are inspired by popular horror movies. The tradition of using live snakes and rats is also expected to return. There are even some fan-favorite actors returning.

New for 2020 will be wheelchair access thanks to wider hallways. There will also be a new sound system and computerized show lighting.

Admission will be $25, but look for $5 OFF coupons if you want to save some money. (Just note you have to have a physical coupon.)

For more details, see their listing on this site and follow links to their website and social media page.