October has long since been in full force, and with that, the Halloween atmosphere. One well-known attraction for this Halloween is Halloween Haunt at Worlds of Fun, which runs from September 15through October 27, Fridays and Saturdays. As October nears its end, many have already experienced this eerie attraction.

“When you first walk in, you get this feeling of not knowing what is going to happen, until you get further into Worlds of Fun; you understand and you make sure you’re about to watch what’s going to happen,” sophomore Danielle Myers said.

The thrill and the abnormality are what give haunted houses their enticing appeal. People that go there are looking to be scared, and not only anticipate it, but enjoy it.

“I like Halloween Haunt because it’s different; it gives you a thrill that you usually don’t experience in everyday life,” junior Amanda Heuertz said.

Many of the rides are still open during Halloween Haunt, packing that extra punch that takes it beyond the haunted house standard. However, as if that were not enough, it may be that they get a bit of a twisted turbo boost, just for the occasion.

“I’m not sure what they do to the rides, but we rode the Mamba, and it felt like they made it stop for longer, and when it went down it felt faster than usual,” Myers said.

In addition to the thrill rides, it would not be Halloween Haunt without the haunted houses. These mazes are dotted throughout the park and carry a variety of frightening themes, from Asylum to Zombies.

“There are the more creative and in-depth places like the Haunted Houses, like the Doll House,” Myers said. “Then you have your Corn Stalkers; you get the real feel of Halloween because when you walk in you feel like you’re lost.”

Though Halloween Haunt does open during the day, most agree that the real haunted house effect can only be achieved after dark.

“At night, I think people are scared of the dark, so they see things different and they get more scared than they would in the day,” Heuertz said.

For anyone who has yet to experience Halloween Haunt, and likes the thrill of haunted houses, it can be said that Halloween Haunt most definitely qualifies as one. Some say that it is not scary; for others, the horror is what makes it so fun.

“Why are haunted houses so thrilling and exciting? Because it’s unexpected. You don’t know when someone is going to jump out at you,” sophomore Noah Rubinetti said.