Haunted Attraction Reviewed: Bedlam in the Boro
Website: www.bedlamintheboro.com
Location of Attraction: Lineboro Maryland
Total Number of Attractions Available: TWO
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 5.5/10
Entertainment and Food Rating: 8/10
Atmosphere Rating: 8/10
Overall Costume and Make Up Rating: 6/10
Overall Cast and Crew Rating: 6/10
Overall Props, Animatronics and Set Design Rating: 5.5/10
Overall Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 3/10
Overall Feedback: Bedlam in the Boro located in Lineboro Maryland offers a spooky fun haunt experience suitable for the entire family, young ones included. We paid a visit to this haunt on Friday October 18th. The haunt itself takes place at Lineboro Volunteer Fire Department and is actually a fundraiser for them. We arrived shortly after 9pm and this place had a rather large crowd on hand. We were glad to see the surrounding communities supporting this event while hoping to receive a spooky fun experience.
Bedlam in the Boro possesses two haunted attractions: House of Horrors and the Haunted Hayride. We would consider both attractions family friendly and appropriate for most ages. With ticket prices at $18 for a combo ticket, Bedlam in the Boro won’t deplete your bank account while you search out for a spooky fun time. The midway area is a memorable one which features several carnival style games, live music, bull riding (on select nights), plentiful food options, tons of seating and a photo booth. Definitely come hungry as this place serves up some delicious grub! We sampled a good portion of the menu and have to say the crab balls, maryland crab soup and beef sandwiches were scrumptious!
Before we dive into the attractions themselves, we went to mention that reviewing Bedlam in the Boro is a bit trickier then most of the haunts we visit. Due to the haunts clear family friendly nature we feel its best to mention that they would hands down be a 10/10 haunt IF you’re looking for a family friendly option. For haunt goers looking to receive countless scares and an adrenaline pumping experience, we suggest visiting elsewhere as Bedlam in the Boro will likely not provide the exhilarating experience you are seeking.
To kick off the evening we elected to test our fate at the House of Horrors. While waiting in the queue line we quickly picked up on the significant spacing they allowed between groups. Groups of 4-6 patrons entered the attraction every few minutes. The House of Horrors features a wide variety of scenes ranging from clowns to toxic waste to dolls. For the most part, minimal animatronics were utilized as the haunt relied heavily on their hand built props and scare actors to bring the scenes to life. Considering the small scale nature of Bedlam in the Boro, we were quite impressed with the set design and amount of clear detail that went into the work. The scare actors throughout the House of Horrors all seemed to be rather young in age and lacking in training. Some elected the creep factor route, as they stared into our souls. While others utilized the typical haunt phrases/lines. We’d definitely like to see the management team provide the actors with skits to rehearse and execute. The House of Horrors did possess a few “gotcha” pop scares but overall was a bit dull for our liking. But from the family friendly point of view we definitely feel this would have the younger audiences adrenaline pumping. We were surprised to see that the attraction itself only took about 6-7 minutes to complete, as it surely felt much longer than that.
Next up to round out the night we headed for the Haunted Hayride. The unique part of the hayride here at Bedlam in the Boro is the length and where it takes place. Guests are taken on a several mile journey throughout the town of Lineboro. Wandering down some of the darkest roadways this small town possesses. The experience as a whole is a lengthy one, with the hayride lasting a good 35-40 minutes. Make sure to bundle up because it sure is cold when the tractor is flying down the road in between sets. Throughout the town of Lineboro hayride sets take place in a wide variety of areas; the local church parking lot, several citizens front yards, random dark alleyways and several on the backside of the midway area. We encountered various sets such as a clown house, toxic wasteland, rednecks, butcher shop, outhouse and more. Most of these scenes had a unique twist to them and several featured pre-recorded audio clips to help describe and playout the scene. One of the first scenes, the outhouse, was definitely an entertaining one. That poor guy sure sounded backed up as he released his “demons” into the toilet. By far, the most well constructed sets of the night were the clown house and toxic wasteland. The clown house scene utilized lighting changes three different times with clowns appearing from different areas each time, it was a cool twist to a popular haunt theme. Also tossed throughout the hayride course were several LOUD horns and booms, perfectly placed to deliver a solid “gotcha” pop scare. Would we consider the Haunted Hayride scary? For most audiences no, as this hayride seems to be geared more towards entertainment purposes. Overall, the Haunted Hayride was a pleasant experience and the families with younger kiddos onboard our wagon definitely seemed to enjoy it.
Across the board at Bedlam in the Boro we give their scare acting team props for being passionate and dedicated to their work. Could they utilize some training and guidance with their roles? Of course! But it was clear they loved what they were doing and were having a blast doing so! For us, it’s refreshing to kick things back a notch to experience haunts such as Bedlam in the Boro who aren’t the “typical” haunt experience. It is tough these days to find family friendly haunts with age appropriate attractions for the younger generation. Bedlam in the Boro provides just that type of experience and executes it at near 10/10 level. If you want movie quality scenes, top notch costuming and makeup and endless scares, Bedlam in the Boro is not for you. But if you’re looking to kick back and enjoy a spooky fun night with your family then definitely pay Bedlam in the Boro a visit. Thank you Bedlam in the Boro for a pleasant experience; you folks are spooktastic! Happy Hauntings Folks!
Individual Attraction Review:
Attraction Name: House of Horrors
Overall Attraction Rating: 6/10
Cast and Crew Rating: 6/10
Props, Animatronics and Set Design Rating: 6/10
Attraction Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 4/10
Attraction Name: Haunted Hayride
Overall Attraction Rating: 5/10
Cast and Crew Rating: 6/10
Props, Animatronics and Set Design Rating: 5/10
Attraction Scare/Thrill Factor Rating: 3/10
Comments