See also: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
I never did get a full listing of haunted houses operating in Des Moines for 2010, but I am hoping 2011 will be more complete. This page will eventually be provided in a much nicer table format, and I will categorize events. I will also try to do video interviews/promotions with the events (if they want) and post summary/reviews of ones we visit. Stay tuned!
- Updated 10/9: The Asylum Haunted House – Indianola
Location: 1301 E 2nd Ave., Indianola IA 50125
Notes: Not recommended for kids under 12.
Dates & Times: Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Theme: NA
Duration: NA
Admission: $15
Discounts: NA - Castle of Blood – Pleasant Hill (facebook)
Location: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines IA. 515-262-4100.
Notes: One of three enclosed haunted houses at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-8, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2011. Opens at 7 p.m. and tickets sold until sold out or 11:30 p.m., whichever comes first.
Theme: Female vampires in the huge Des Moines Renaissance Festival castle. Upgraded show system for this year features a 2-minute preshow inside queue area before the haunted house itself, which features new multi-channel audio and other effects.
Duration: 5-10 minutes.
Admission: Only available as part of a package: Do-It-All Package (5 haunts + fog maze, 3-D gallery, horror museum), $25. Or Pick 3 package available.
Discounts: $2 off coupons. - Chaos – Pleasant Hill (facebook)
Location: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines IA. 515-262-4100.
Notes: One of three enclosed haunted houses at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-8, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2011. Opens at 7 p.m. and tickets sold until sold out or 11:30 p.m., whichever comes first.
Theme: Everything chaotic — chainsaws, blood, electrocution, and twisted images. Upgraded for 2011.
Duration: 5-10 minutes.
Admission: Only available as part of a package: Do-It-All Package (5 haunts + fog maze, 3-D gallery, horror museum), $25. Or Pick 3 package available.
Discounts: $2 off coupons. - Updated 10/9: Duty Calls: Zombie Shootout – Pleasant Hill (facebook)
Location: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines IA. 515-262-4100
Notes: One of five haunted attractions at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-8, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2011. Opens at 7 p.m. and tickets sold until sold out or 11:30 p.m., whichever comes first.
Theme: Haunted walk through a zombie apocalypse wasteland of burning trailers, where you get laser tag guns to shoot back at the zombies as they attack. Features expanded queue area with preshow, and expanded playfield for 2011.
Duration: 5-10 minutes.
Admission: Only available as part of a package: Do-It-All Package (5 haunts + fog maze, 3-D gallery, horror museum), $25. Or Pick 3 package available.
Discounts: $2 off coupons. - Updated 10/21: The Haunted Barn 2011 – Ankeny (facebook) (video)
Location: 3215 S.E. 72nd St., Ankeny, IA 50021
Notes: Some crawling. New website.
Dates & Times: Oct 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29: 7 p.m. to Midnight, Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 24-27, 30-31: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Theme: Various scenes of horror, from movies (including a very unique room inspired by Saw), as well as live rats and snakes. Some crawling. Much darkness. Large enough that it even spills over outside of the barn. (Video interview posted 10/17/2011.)
Duration: 12-15 minutes.
Admission: $12
Discounts: Coupons are available at Casey’s, Kum and Go, Halloween Boutique Ankeny, Ankeny Hardware, Git n Go, and in Cityview.). - Added 10/11: Haunted Forest – Ames
Location: 1 block east of Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA. 515-249-0553
Notes: NA
Theme: NA
Admission: NA
Discounts: NA - Nightmare Estates – Pleasant Hill (facebook)
Location: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines IA. 515-262-4100.
Notes: One of three enclosed haunted houses at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-8, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2011. Opens at 7 p.m. and tickets sold until sold out or 11:30 p.m., whichever comes first.
Theme: Redneck trailer park.
Duration: 5-10 minutes.
Admission: Only available as part of a package: Do-It-All Package (5 haunts + fog maze, 3-D gallery, horror museum), $25. Or Pick 3 package available.
Discounts: $2 off coupons available. - Updated 10/12: The Slaughterhouse – Des Moines (facebook) (video)
Location: 10506 Southwold Rd., Des Moines IA (Located just behind Skate South.)
Notes: “Des Moines most feared haunted house.” It’s a slaughter house — and you are the pig! After a special preshow, experience what it’s like to go through the process of “rendering”. Endless metal hallways, darkness, blood, and a crew of slaughter house workers all “in character” just for you. (Video interview posted.)
Theme: Pig slaughterhouse.
Duration: 12-15 minutes.
Admission: $12
Discounts: $2 coupons at Jay’s CD & Hobby, Zombie Burger, or on the website. - Soap Box Derby Haunted House – Des Moines
Location: 3805 Sixth Ave., Des Moines, IA 50313
Notes: The classic Linn’s Supermarket haunted house.
Theme: NA
Duration: NA
Admission: NA
Discounts: NA - Updated 10/16: Trail of Terror – Carlisle
Location: Scotch Ridge Center, Carlisle, IA. 515-333-1491
Notes: Anyone have an address? I can’t find this place in Google.
Dates & Times: Oct 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, 2011. 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., with kid’s trail from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct 31, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (kid’s trail 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Theme: NA
Duration: NA
Admission: NA
Discounts: NA - Updated 10/16: Twisted Tales: The Next Chapter – Pleasant Hill (facebook)
Location: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines IA. 515-262-4100.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-8, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2011. Opens at 7 p.m. and tickets sold until sold out or 11:30 p.m., whichever comes first.
Notes: One of five haunted attractions at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park.
Theme: Fairy tales gone wrong, with new scenes and effects for 2011.
Duration: 15-20 minutes.
Admission: Only available as part of a package: Do-It-All Package (5 haunts + fog maze, 3-D gallery, horror museum), $25. Or Pick 3 package available.
Discounts: $2 off coupons available. - Added 10/11: Ultimate Haunted House – Pleasant Hill
Location: 5401 East University Ave., Pleasant Hill, IA 50327-8415.
Dates & Times: Oct 7-9, 14-16, 21-31, 2011. (from coupon)
Notes: At White Water University. This attraction doesn’t seem to be listed on any of the newspaper/radio/TV sites I have found so far, but $2 off coupons were seen at the Theatrical Shop in Valley Junction, so I assume it is happening…
Theme: NA
Duration: NA
Admission: NA
Dicounts: $2 off discounts (Theatrical Shop, Valley Junction). - Updated 10/17: Zombie’s House of Horror – Pleasant Hill
Location: 1300 Metro East Dr., Pleasant Hill IA (The Batter’s Box)
Dates & Times: Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 30 through Oct 29, and Oct 30-31, 7:30 p.m. to Midnight.
Theme: From WHO TV site: “An amazing themed Haunted house experience. A virus epidemic has infected many in the Des Moines metro area. The result is a Zombie invasion of epic proportions. One of the largest, all-indoor haunted experiences, professionally designed and decorated, and completely new to the Des Moines will deliver the perfect scare experience.”
Duration: NA
Admission: $13
Discounts: $2 discount if you bring a can of food to donate to the food bank.
Other Haunted House Listings:
- Des Moines Register event listing for Halloween events. (This one does not currently list Ultimate Haunted House.)
- LITE 104.4 “Spooky Des Moines” listing (thanks to “Fan of Jar Jar” for sending in this link.) (This one also does not list Ultimate Haunted House.)
- WHO TV “Halloween Haunts Map”. (Also doesn’t list Ultimate Haunted House… is it actually happening?)
See also: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.