Arasapha Farms in Glen Mills, Pa. has one of America’s best-ranked haunted attractions known as the Bates Motel. At the farm, there are three attractions that patrons can enjoy. There is a haunted hayride through the woods, a haunted corn maze and the main attraction, the Bates Motel.
Normally, the first attraction people encounter is the hayride. There are set stations that the tractor brings customers through and at each station there are impressive props that bring the horror to life.
Not only are there terrifying and graphic props, but there are also actors dressed in costumes that come out from the woods to scare everyone further. The tractor also plays a soundtrack of songs, which changes upon the arrival at the different stations.
At Arasapha, the actors are allowed to touch patrons, unlike at many other haunted attractions and this also adds to the experience. Not only are the actors coming out of the dark and startling everyone, but they also will touch and pull people to get the full fright out of them.
There is also a stop that the tractor makes where actors come out with chainsaws (without the chains) that they actually put against the tractor and touch people with. This stop got the most screams.
After the hayride is over, you walk down a path that is lined with fenced-in corn stalks on either side. At the end of the path is the side of the Bates Motel. To the right is the entrance of the corn maze.
At the beginning of the corn maze, a gruesome clown greets patrons. When entering the corn maze (which isn’t really a maze at all but actually a guided path through the corn stalks), patrons have to enter a dark tunnel that at first has plenty of space but then turns into a tight, dark space. Though it is hard to describe, it is basically a blown-up walkway that squeezes together and forces people to face the fear of darkness and claustrophobia at the same time.
From there, it opens up to the first scene. New this year, the owners added a section where patrons have to walk through a tent full of clowns. The exit of the corn maze opens up to the general area and has easy access to the entrance of the Bates Motel.
When entering the Bates Motel, there is an actor waiting to scare you and from there, you are contantly screaming. The building has twists and turns and it zigzags around corners and through rooms.
There is even a part when customers go outside to a “garden” area and though they might feel a sense of relief, that doesn’t last for long. Once back inside, the zig-zagging continues until the last room when actors chase everyone out.
All in all, Arasapha is a fun and spooky environment. While waiting in line, there is music playing and there is a large movie screen projector that plays scenes from scary movies, footage from a “scare cam” and even a trivia game. There is also a snack bar that serves food and drinks at affordable prices.
Arasapha has pretty reasonable prices and they offer discounts on specific days. Also, there is always a coupon that is printable off their website. For all three attractions, they offer a combo ticket that is $30 on weekdays and $40 on weekends.
