Haunted Overload — Attraction in Lee

Haunted Overload is the least wheelchair accessible/friendly haunt I've ever been to, and I've been through a LOT of haunts across America as a guest and as a scare actor. For full-time manual wheelchair users, forget about going to this haunt. Even power wheelchair users will have difficulty.

The only positive with my wheelchair experience is that the parking attendants were very helpful in getting us parked as close to the entrance as possible. The overall positives regarding the haunt are the enormous displays like the giant wooden pumpkin head, tree, dragon, and skeleton (my favorite) were very cool, along with all of the many real carved lit pumpkins and haunted house set, but that's where the impressiveness ends.

We got there at our 8pm arrival time and it took us an entire hour to get through the worst terrain to wheel through, which included a very steep hill and even two stairs JUST to get up to the people scanning tickets, and they offered no way to avoid this. There was very clearly an easier and much quicker way to bypass all of that for those who cannot wait in that line, but they didn't help us or invite us to do that; instead, they disclosed to us that the terrain would be challenging but possible. Two of the scare actors helped us out of character when my wheels got stuck and also when I needed to exit the line to go the bathroom. Keep in mind, the last chance to go to the bathroom is after they scan the tickets and before you enter below the dragon head; they don't make this very clear, and you have to exit the line to do so.

Then it was 30 minutes through a, what felt like, random array of props and scare actors. It all melded together, and I had to use my wheelchair as a walker for the vast majority of the walkthrough. Additionally, most of the scare actors did the bare minimum in engaging with us, it was very quiet for a haunt, and the pathways are mostly wood chips, uphill and downhill, and very tight spaces and turns to wheel through in the set pieces. I have a narrow wheelchair, and it barely squeezed through, so a standard or large wheelchair will very likely not be able to fit in some doorways.

We complained to multiple employees about our experience throughout it, and they said they will talk to the owner about it, but that didn't help us for this one-time experience since we traveled from across the US for this. They mentioned twice to me after it was much too late that I should have reached out to them ahead of time for unknown accommodations. They could have easily helped us when we were there, as clearly we needed it, and I mentioned my multiple disabilities that made waiting in line difficult, and they said there was no other way and that I'll be fine. But the path to the porta potties could have been the short cut we took if we were permitted to do so.

We're very disappointed in our experience here. We went to Fright Kingdom, Spooky World, and Haunted Overload, and if you get the opportunity, Fright Kingdom is 100% the ONLY one of these three that's worth visiting (and it's very much worth every penny). Even if I wasn't an ambulatory wheelchair user, I did not get scared, and the system in place to get to the beginning of the actual trail is...

I went to Haunted Overload for the first time last night (Nov 1st) with a few friends and I am already excited to go back next year. Absolutely incredible from beginning to end—the scare actors, structures, lighting, sound design, everything.

We knew there would be a long wait and we bundled up real good with hats, gloves, scarves, and multiple layers (note: double socks were not quite enough in 45° weather, I’d recommend very warm shoes) and then we went to the beer garden first, where we were able to pick up some hand warmers for my friend who forgot her gloves—I love that they had them for sale! The beer wore off by the time we got to the actual haunted house, but the 90 minute wait time was filled with entertainment because the sets along the way were astounding, with scare actors here and there, but not so much that you get scared before you ever get to the “real” haunted house.

Anyone in the reviews saying they were bored or the excitement wore off by the time they actually got to the haunted house probably went with people they don’t actually have a fun time with. My friends and I were oohing and ahhing at everything, making jokes and being playful, chit chatting with the people around us, taking photos and videos (which is allowed until you actually get into the haunted house), discussing the detail of the sets and props, etc. Find your sense of childlike wonder! Admire the amazing and hard work that went into creating everything around you!!

I also appreciated that I got some quality time with my friends before clinging desperately to them as we spent 40 minutes walking through the “real” haunted houses—which were also extremely well-done, with fun and unique themes—my favorite was the hornet nest with actors who were hornet mutants—among the classics (multitudes of creepy dolls).

Between the beer garden, the wait, and actual haunted house attraction, we spent 3 hours at the farm (7-10pm) and loved every second of it. Bravo to the amazing actors who were still putting on a great show despite having (presumably) done it all season already.

Oh! And the parking was clear and easy, with many people directing us where to go—that started the night off on a...

My wife and I attended the 8:00 PM slot on a Saturday evening, fully aware it would be busy and prepared for some wait time. However, we did not anticipate waiting in line for TWO HOURS, especially with no access to restrooms or refreshments. This significantly impacted our overall experience and reflects poor event management.

We’ve visited numerous attractions throughout New England, and unfortunately, this was the most poorly operated one we've encountered. The long wait followed by a brief 15-minute walkthrough, where the pacing was hindered by crowding and the predictability of the scares, ruined the whole experience. Continuously running into the group ahead or being rushed by the group behind made it difficult to enjoy the experience. By the time you finally go into the walk through, you do not even care because you are so upset about how long you just waited.

I get it - you want to make as much money as possible. But keep it mind - the more people ruins the experience for the customers. If you are so worried about money, charge more per ticket. At least be honest and I would be willing to pay more if it made my experience better. Additionally, offering more amenities, such as food options or entertainment before or after the walkthrough, would make the wait more bearable. Instead - theres a row of port-a-potties and a small downeast cider beer garden - whoopie!

The only reason I did not give this a 1-star review was the fact that they did have some cool decorations and a really cool massive pumpkin building. However, beyond that, the experience was comparable to many other attractions but without the added convenience or services.

I would not recommend this attraction in its current state, as other venues offer quicker entry, better amenities, and a more enjoyable overall experience. The good news is that Haunted Overload has the space and opportunity to make this better. I hope to see this location...