St. Louis Scarefest: A Parents Guide to Taking Your Kids to Haunted Houses

It’s that time of year again for the spooky season to begin! It is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather is amazing but sometimes chilly, and the end of the year festivities begin to really start ramping up. For the last few years my wife and I had the awesome opportunity to visit two amazing haunted houses, The Darkness downtown in the historic Soulard area and Creepyworld in Fenton. They have always, always, ALWAYS been a blast, but this year was a little different… We brought the kids!!!

We have waited so long for this time to come. To be able to take our children to the fun things that we like to do but they had never been old or mature enough! That changed this year. As the spooky season approached we had discussed with our kids the idea of going to one or more of the haunted houses in the St. Louis area. They always seemed reluctant, but this year was different. I talked with my brother-in-law about going to the haunts and that I thought my niece (12) would be able to handle it. He thought both of his kids (12 & 8) would enjoy a walk through terrifying lane. So I talked with my kids as well. My son Alex (8), he was all about it, my daughter (12) on the other hand, she was a little iffy and asked if she could think about it over night.

The next morning she said she was down to go, so we figured out a time and Friday night when the sun went down we were on our way to Creepyworld in Fenton, MO with a group of 10 ready to take on the scares that awaited us.

It was so much fun! Having the four kids with us made the frightening adventure that much more enjoyable. We have done the haunted houses, so we know what it’s like to get jump scared or grossed out from looking at the amazing setups, but seeing our own children get frightened beyond belief is the entertainment parents need. Remember all those times they wouldn’t go to bed, well now it’s time for payback with a few dozen jump scares!!!

The kids had the time of their lives. They got scared but not scared enough to turn around. The actors did an amazing job of being creepy and scary! Going through each attraction was a heart racing time as we twisted and turned our way through areas such as the Krampus House, Camp Crystal Creek, Silo X, and the eye popping Sleepy Hollow 3D! We also had to ride the haunted hayride at Creepyworld. It was one of the kids’ favorite parts, especially when Jason dragged a camper right off the trailer! The hayride is a nice break between a few of the houses. It gives you a change of pace before getting right back into the biggest Screampark in St. Louis.

After a trip the grab a couple t-shirts from the gift shop we ventured through the new Jack O’ Lantern Spooktacular setup they have out at Creepyworld. It is a large area with some of the most amazing, awesome, pumpkins ever made! Lots of photo-ops and a nice change up from the scary adventure you just went through. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you have kids with you, or even if its just adults, it is a nice break from the creepiness that is Creepyworld.

Our experience at The Darkness was much different, and not in a bad way. In my opinion I think The Darkness can be scarier than Creepyworld. Mainly because The Darkness is inside a building, Creepyworld, while you do go inside areas, you are also outside too, but The Darkness, well it’s a maze inside there and it can get pretty scary. We went to The Darkness two days after Creepyworld. We also didn’t have a big group of 10, it was just the St. Louis Dad crew. 2 adults and 2 kids. The Darkness did their job of terrifying us and we had to let Pig Face that was hanging outside with the line that The Darkness was pretty scary!

Between the two Scarefest options, I think they both are great for kids. Well, kids that have watched at least a scary movie or two. You know your kids better than I would, but if the Sanderson sisters freak them out, haunted houses might not be for them, but if Ghostface is a household staple, it’s time to get them into Scarefest!

If you plan on taking your kids, here are few things that might be helpful before you get in line.

  • Use the bathroom! If you already went before you left the house, go again!
  • Parts of Creepyworld are outside such as the lines to each attraction and the Haunted Hayride and Jack O Lantern Spooktacular, so be sure to check the weather and dress accordingly.
  • The Darkness is indoors and it can get pretty warm. You will get hot if you wear a hoodie.
  • Remind your child that the actors cannot touch you and they should not touch them! It’s all just for fun and nobody is there to hurt anyone.
  • There are no refunds! Even if you are in line and you haven’t gone in, you can’t get a refund!
  • Parking at Creepyworld is $5, so bring some cash, and parking at The Darkness is in a secured lot, but you do have to pay at a kiosk or use the app.
  • Use the bathroom before you go!!!

Both places are affordable and tickets can be purchased online or at the locations. They both have great gift shops with shirts, masks, and other spooky items and according to my sister-in-law the hotdogs at Creepyworld are AMAZING!

This coming up weekend my wife and I are planning on visiting the Lemp Brewery Haunted House. That will be a completely new experience for us and we are looking forward to it. Be sure to come back to read about our visit!

Creepyworld, The Darkness, and the Lemp Brewery Haunted House are now open! Grab your tickets ahead of time by ordering online and be sure to follow them and of course, me on social media!

Richie

My name is Richie and I am a 40 year old father of two, a daughter and son. I am married to a beautiful woman named Destiny. She is the foundation of our family, and without her, none of this would be possible. During the day I work as a network security administrator for a local school district. At night I can be found illustrating books, working on websites, or creating music, but more than likely though I am spending time with my kids.

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