SOUTHINGTON — Lake Compounce is putting finishing touches on this year’s Halloween-themed attraction, Phantom Fall Fest.
The attraction, which opens Sept. 30, will run from 6 to 10 p.m on Fridays and from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30.
Phantom Fall Fest features four haunted houses and three themed “scare zones.”
It replaces the Haunted Graveyard attraction, which was at the park for 20 years.
“The whole event is brand new,” said Lynsey Winters, the park’s marketing director. “It’ll be nothing like they saw the past twenty years….It’s a completely brand new haunt...”
The four haunted houses are twisting labyrinths dotted throughout the park with different themes.
MediEvil takes you to an inquisitor’s torture chamber, The Root of All Evil is the manor of a mad scientist, while Spirits of the Swamp has you trek through a haunted bayou. mAlice in Wonderland, the largest haunted house, has an additional $5 admission.
“It’s the longest, it’s the best,” Winters said, “You choose your path, so you can either go down the rabbit hole or through the looking glass. At some places they merge, but it’ll essentially be like almost two different haunts.”
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get through each of the other three haunted houses, with mAlice in Wonderland taking upwards of 20 minutes.
Younger children are encouraged to come between noon and 6 p.m Saturday and Sunday in costumes to enjoy more family-friendly festivities. All of the park’s roller coasters will be running during weekend hours.
After 6 p.m the scare actors emerge. Lake Compounce has brought on 100 temporary staff members for its fall attractions.
“Even if you’re not into haunted houses, I think you can come here and get just the right level of scare that’s appropriate,” General Manager Jeff Davis said.
The park partnered with RWS Entertainment on the creative design and construction of the haunted houses. RWS has worked with other amusement parks like Six Flags.
The scope of the attractions exceeds any of the park’s previous Halloween offerings, and park owners aim to leave a lasting impression on guests.
“It’s terrifying,” Davis said. “It’s a good type of stressful. Because all we’re trying to do is just create something unique and interesting.”