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UPDATE 8/16/2023: Update: 2023 Season at Acres of Madness
Exciting news for all horror enthusiasts! The tickets for the 2023 season at Acres of Madness are now live. This year, attendees can look forward to some thrilling upgrades and additions to their favorite attractions.
Coffin Ride Enhancement: The Coffin Ride, a fan-favorite, has undergone a significant enhancement. Now, before you embark on the spine-chilling journey inside the coffin, you'll experience a short ride in a makeshift coffin placed in the back of a hearse. This new addition promises to elevate the eerie atmosphere and provide an even more immersive experience. However, it's worth noting that this new feature is limited to only 10 rides per night initially, so make sure to book your spot early!
New Games: Apart from the Coffin Ride upgrade, Acres of Madness introduces two new games for attendees to enjoy:
Zombie Hunt Archery Target: Test your archery skills by aiming at zombie targets. Perfect for those who want to practice their aim in a fun and spooky setting.
Inflatable Axe Throwing Game: If archery isn't your thing, try your hand at axe throwing with this new inflatable game. It's safe, fun, and offers a unique twist to the traditional axe throwing experience.
For those interested in combo packages, Acres of Madness has several options available on their ticket site. And for any administrative changes, like updating the card on file, it's best to reach out directly to their customer service for assistance.
So, gear up for another season of spine-chilling adventures at Acres of Madness. With these new additions and upgrades, 2023 promises to be their most thrilling year yet!
Kansas City Haunt
There are many outstanding small businesses across America that offer unique and relatable experiences, and that's exactly what we want to dive into today! This article will highlight one such small business and hopefully get you as excited about them as we are!
Now, without further ado, here we go!
Introducing Acres of Madness, a horror themed attraction based out of Kansas City, Kansas, open weekends during the Halloween season. Perfect for everything from spooky family outings to memorable date nights, Acres of Madness delivers — and they deliver well! This haunted little gem has quickly become the Midwest's premier horror destination, and for good reason! With multiple main events, and a slew of tantalizing side activities, Acres of Madness brings quality scares to all who dare enter their gates.
Where It All Began
We were lucky enough to speak with Bob Pessel, one of the owners of Acres of Madness. We asked him some questions regarding how they got their start and how their business has evolved over the years! Here's what he had to say:
The "Acres of Madness" haunt actually started as a single event called "Zombie Purge" in 2019. Both myself and my wife Pam started the business.
He went on to say:
First and most important is that Pam and myself love Halloween and the haunt. For many years we had a residential haunt on our property. When the haunt outgrew [our] property we decided it was time to take it to the next level — but also be different than the haunted attractions in our operating area. That's when we founded the Zombie Purge monster bus!
So how did everything become Acres of Madness? Bob had the answer ready to go:
Zombie Purge started at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas in 2019. In 2020, we added the Crazy Clown Funhouse and Terror Trail to the Zombie Purge haunt. In 2021 we created "Acres of Madness." This haunt included the Zombie Purge monster bus, House of Horrors, Hells Gate, Riot Room, Zombie Shooting Gallery and the Coffin Ride. We added different scares to the haunt in 2022 and will do the same in the 2023 haunt season!
We wanted to know what inspired Bob and Pam the most. We know their love of Halloween kicked everything off, but there had to be more. We asked what keeps them going year after year! Here was Bob's response:
The people inspire us the most at our haunt. Our Actors and Managers of "Acres of Madness" are incredible individuals. Their creativity and love of the haunt and scare fascinates us every year. Over the last 5 years they have become our haunt family and we are blessed to know every one of them. They make it happen!
What to Expect at Acres of Madness
Acres of Madness has something for everyone to enjoy with three ultra-popular attractions. In addition to their primary events, they also offer plenty of other fun and spooky things to check out. Here's the breakdown of what to expect from your next visit to Acres of Madness!
The Main Attractions
House of Horrors
House of Horrors is not your typical haunted house, though it is haunted.
This attraction takes you on a disturbing tour through history's most prolific and influential horror movies, giving you new perspectives on (and new ways to be scared by) your favorite cult classics!
If scary movies are your cup of tea, and you want to explore a terrifying tribute to the best ones ever released, House of Horrors should be first on your list.
Check out more info on House of Horrors here: https://www.zombiepurge.com/house-of-horrors
Zombie Purge Monster Bus
Perhaps what Acres of Madness is best known for is their ridiculously fun Zombie Purge — Monster Bus experience. At this event you will be equipped with paintballs and paintball guns, and ushered onto the Monster Bus, where you'll shoot hordes of real-life zombies with family and friends.
And they mean "real-life," by the way! Picture your favorite zombie horror movie, and that's what you can expect. Swarms of undead pouring out of the woods as you ride by on the Monster Bus, peppering them with colorful ammunition.
Zombie Purge — Monster Bus an interactive, hyper-realistic zombie apocalypse scenario, and one you won't find anywhere else! This attraction has been a fan favorite for years, and has garnered a good following on social media as well!
What more can you ask from your haunted destination than to allow you to blast paintballs at the encroaching zombie threat?!
Read more about this attraction here: https://www.zombiepurge.com/zombie-purge-bus
Hells Gate
Acres of Madness turns up the heat with Hell's Gate, a downright terror-filled haunted event that will have you trembling from start to finish! You can expect nightmarish sights and sounds as you make your way through what they've dubbed as the scariest 20 minutes in the Midwest!
To read more information about this event, check out the Hell's Gate page on the Acres of Madness website here: https://www.zombiepurge.com/hells-gate
Other Fun Activities
It's not just those three main events that get all the attention. Because Acres of Madness wants to provide a well-rounded horror experience, there are several other key events that should NOT be forgotten! Here's what to look out for:
Blow off steam inside Acres of Madness' Riot Room! This is an event you will definitely want to add to your itinerary.
Who needs a hayride when you can get to where you're going inside a coffin instead? The Coffin Rides at Acres of Madness offer a terrifying twist on the classic alternative, and at only $5 per person, make for the perfect addition to your night at Acres of Madness.
Need more zombie shooting fun? After your ride on the Zombie Purge Monster Bus, head over to Acres of Madness' Zombie Shooting Gallery where you can continue to hone your undead blasting skills. Another $5 per person event, the Zombie Shooting Gallery adds yet another layer of fun and shouldn't be missed!
Last but not least, don't forget to feast! Acres of Madness hosts various food trucks for your eating pleasure during your time within their gates! Prices vary, but should you get hungry, you'll be well taken care of! And no, brains aren't on the menu, don't worry.
How They're Different
If you haven't gotten the sense already, Acres of Madness isn't simply a haunted house. Operating a collection of attractions and maintaining vastly different themes throughout their entire complex is a feat not easily attainable! It's one that sets them apart from typical haunted events.
Here's what Mr. Pessel had to say about their originality:
Make no doubt, there are haunted houses and trails all around us, but Acres of Madness is different. Where else can you ride a 14 foot tall zombie-killing monster bus, shooting paintballs at live zombies who are coming after you? Nowhere in Kansas but at Acres of Madness, at Lakeside Speedway. The House of Horrors and Hells Gate attractions are different walk-through haunts than any other haunt you ever been through. We have affordable ticket prices, and the food that is available is great!
The owners at Acres of Madness have delivered in bringing a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted horror themed destination to families, friends, and people of all generations and walks of life. You get it all at Acres of Madness.
What Everyone's Saying
Acres of Madness has been a staple in many people's Halloween season celebrations. Here's what some of those people had to say!
And these are just a few of many! Every year they get more and more great feedback, and the impact is clear — people love spending time within the walls of Acres of Madness.
The Takeaways
If you're looking for someplace to go this Halloween season, look no further. With three epic main attractions and many more fun activities, Acres of Madness will keep you occupied all season long. If you're anywhere near Kansas City, Kansas this fall, don't be shy. Give Acres of Madness a try! They are a small business that packs a big punch and doesn't hold back the horror. Here are other ways to follow their journey and stay updated on any announcements they put out! Trust us... you'll want to. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zombiepurge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zombiepurge/?hl=en Check out their website for all the good details! https://www.zombiepurge.com/
Local
Welcome to the LOCAL Topic of the blog, where we celebrate the small businesses and localized news that make your community special. Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people and places that make our neighborhood unique, and to provide a platform for local voices to be heard. From highlighting the best local shops and restaurants to reporting on important community issues, we aim to be a valuable resource for anyone interested in staying connected to their community. Thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoy reading about all the amazing things happening in your neighborhood.
