Hayride of Horror and Curse of the Bayou 2022

Hayride of Horror and Curse of the Bayou
199 Woods Drive
Lockport, IL 60441
https://www.lockportpark.org/HayrideOfHorror/
Visited on: Friday, October 7, 2022

Vital Signs:
Opened: 2015
Number of seasons-to-date: 8
Number of attractions: 2
Number of actors: 40
Parking: Free, on-site
Fun Fact: Offers two different options depending on your level of braveness!

Located in Lockport, Illinois on the grounds of Dellwood Park is Hayride of Horror and Curse of the Bayou. This pair of attractions are operated by a theatrical group in junction with the Lockport Park District. Now for some, hearing that there is a “park district” haunt in town doesn’t earn them the best reputation, but we beg to differ. These attractions pack a great one-two punch, each bringing a little something different to the table. It is hard to find an attraction that will have a balance of being both “kid” and “grown-up”, but when it comes to the minds here, a true balance has been set and they appeal to all ages!

We began our evening on the midway surrounded by food, horror movies, bonfires, and everyone’s lovable clown, Pogo. Making his way through the crowd, we were delivered treats and laughter as we waited patiently. Many of Pogo’s friends welcomed us as well, including Peek-a-boo, the Devil, and even a wonderful guy named Muffin.

We started our journey to their main attraction, the “Hayride of Horror”. This is a classic hayrack ride pulled by a real tractor that takes patrons through several fully immersive scenes along the route. As we walked the path and over the bridge into the darkness that awaited us, we were ready for a night under the stars. Once we boarded the wagon, there was no seat left safe, as ghouls boarded with us! As our journey under the stars commenced, actors and actresses lurked in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. Encounters along the way included, Jason Vorhees and Camp Crystal Lake, Michael Myers lurking in the woods, and everyone’s lovable doll, Chucky. Other scenes included the graveyard and the ever so large gang that were relentless with their attacks!

As our journey on the hayride ended, it was time to depart from the wagons and head to the second attraction, “Curse of the Bayou”. While the hayride is intended for families and children of all ages, this second attraction is scaled up a notch for teens and those young children, who are ready to encounter that next level of scare. From previous years, this attraction is more than just an accompaniment attraction, it is a solid stand-alone experience.

Here, creatures of the night lurk in the darkness as patrons are forced to explore the trails through the dark, dense woods. Attacks from all angles come at us, where actors wait for the perfect moment to attack. We applaud them for their patience and relentless attacks to our group! The main highlight of this attraction is the Voodoo priestess’s maze. Here, guests are told to search for a heart to be given to the priestess. Filled with twists, turns, darkness, and the perfect amount of fog, make sure to keep an eye on those walls, it will make you turn-around. Think you found an exit? No, only numerous dead-ends! This is a wonderfully built maze that is filled with many laughs and screams along the way.

As we exited the maze, we met with the Voodoo Priestess herself as she told us that we were worthy individuals for successfully making it out of her maze. But the heart she wanted was one of ours! We hurried along on our way, making sure we weren’t kept forever by one of her ghouls.

Overall, Hayride of Horror and Curse of the Bayou continue to grow with each season. With the dedicated team of builders and actors behind them, this is definitely an attraction to bring the family to and grow right along with them.

Monsters of Note: Pogo, Peek-a-boo, and Muffin

The Bottom Line: Halloween is all about fear and fun, and Hayride of Horror and Curse of the Bayou certainly have both of those elements. This is more than just an attraction, but an event that can fill your entire family with laughter and nightmares!

But, don’t just take our word for it, check out media from our visit: