You can skip the lines at these haunted houses on Long Island
You can avoid the lines at Gateway Playhouse annual haunts. Credit: Johnny Milano
The anticipation of entering a haunted house in October can be exhilarating, but waiting in long lines to enter is exhausting. This season, there’s a way to avoid the time drag. Here are four haunts that offer fast passes or timed ticketing to help you skip the crowds and get to the scares.
RESTLESS SOULS HAUNTED HOUSE COMPLEX
Things can get crowded at this four-attraction haunt in Huntington Station, which raises funds for the West Hills United Methodist Church. A fast pass option is offered and suggested on weekends visits.
"It’s very useful especially on Saturday nights," says co-creator Todd Iredell. Partner Anthony Zero adds, "We limit fast passes to 50 customers per night."
At Restless Souls, guests can venture into two indoor and two outdoor attractions. "The Shack" (indoors) is a traditional haunted house featuring a crazy family patriarch who is riddled with conspiracy theories. Put on your 3D glasses to go through "KlownKatraz" (outdoors) — a three-dimensional trip where clowns take over an asylum. Become victims of the Daniels family in "The Dark Colony" (outdoors) or try to get out of the "Alien Autopsy Escape Room" (indoors).
WHEN | WHERE Oct. 22-24 and 29-31 (Fridays and Saturdays 6-10 p.m., Sundays 5-9 p.m.); 301 W. Hills Road, Huntington Station
INFO 631-319-9662, restlesssoulsli.com
ADMISSION The Shack — $10, The Dark Colony — $8, KlownKatraz — $8, Alien Autopsy Escape Room — $8 (add $1 for a fast pass), combo: $29 (all four attractions), fast pass combo: $32
COVID-19 PROTOCOL Masks are requested for indoor attractions
GATEWAY’S HAUNTED PLAYHOUSE
Fast passes are not needed at Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse in Bellport because of the use of timed ticketing.
"You choose your own time to enter," says manager Paul Allan. "All tickets sold in 15-minute blocks."
This year, two separate haunts are offered at different locations. "Campers’ Pike" on the Forgotten Road is a drive-thru attraction at Southaven County Park in Yaphank, while "Camp Terror" serves as an indoor/outdoor walk-thru haunt in and around Gateway Playhouse in Bellport.
"We are connecting the two haunts with the same story of Camp Gateway, which gets possessed because it was built on a cemetery," says Allan. "Campers and camp staff have become demonized and morphed out of the human form."
WHEN/WHERE Oct. 21-24, 28-31 (Fridays and Saturdays: 7-11:30 p.m., Thursdays and Sundays: 7-10 p.m.); "Campers’ Pike": Southaven County Park, 761 Victory Ave., Yaphank, "Camp Terror": Gateway Playhouse, 215 S. Country Road, Bellport
INFO 631-286-1133, gatewayshauntedplayhouse.com
ADMISSION "Campers’ Pike": $54 per car, "Camp Terror": $25 per person, tickets are sold online only in timed blocks
COVID-19 PROTOCOL Vaccination proof and ID required and masks must be worn at "Camp Terror"
DARKNESS RISING
Get to the front of the line with a fast pass at Darkness Rising in Copiague, which is in its seventh year haunting.
"Our fast pass will get you in within a few minutes because you skip the entire line," says creator/owner Kevin Baird. "The wait can get crazy so you have the option to pay a few extra bucks to not deal with all that."
This year, the storyline is a throwback to the 1880s featuring old-school vampires.
"Visitors get attacked by these monstrous-looking vampires that are half-transformed into bats," says Baird. "They go on a journey to get to the vampire castle and in the process travel through a dark forest, a haunted swamp with a witch’s shack and a creepy sewer."
WHEN | WHERE Oct. 22-24, 28-31 (Thursdays 7-10 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays 7 p.m.-midnight, Sundays 6-10 p.m.); 360 Sports Center Indoor Training Facility, 800 Chettic Ave., Copiague
INFO 516-799-4747, darknessrising.org
ADMISSION $32, $45 — fast pass
COVID-19 PROTOCOL Masks are suggested and temperature checks will be conducted at the door
DARKSIDE HAUNTED HOUSE
Because of the pandemic, Darkside Haunted House has restructured its ticketing policy. Admission must be strictly purchased online and sold for specific times to make it move quicker.
"Every ticket you purchase is a fast pass," says owner Mike Meola. "We are doing timed ticking in order to reduce capacity on the property for social distancing."
Darkside is known as a classic high-startle haunted house that is completely immersive with both inside and outside elements.
"The goal is to keep you guessing," says Meola. "We aim to make it fresh and exciting for our guests every year by playing on all fears. There’s definitely something inside you will be afraid of."
WHEN | WHERE Oct. 21-24, 27-31 (Wednesdays-Thursdays: 7-11 p.m., Fridays: 7 p.m.-midnight, Saturdays: 6 p.m.-midnight, Sundays: 6-10:30 p.m.); 5184 NY-25A, Wading River
INFO 631-369-7227, darksideproductions.com
ADMISSION $35, tickets are sold in timed blocks
COVID-19 PROTOCOL Masks are required
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
