Scaredy-cats beware of Ghost Lake

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Jordan Pendel, Contributing writer

October. The spookiest month of the year, where haunted houses are finally open again. Do you have what it takes to make through “the largest, longest and scariest haunted attraction in the world?” For $25, visitors can face their fears and walk through the two-hour Ghost Lake 13 Levels Of Fear in Conneaut Lake Park.
It first came about after Dominic Baragona and his promotional company Mid America Events were invited to Conneaut Lake Park to consider a rib cook off event.
“But the minute I saw the dilapidated amusement park, I thought it would be a perfect haunted attraction,” said Baragona. “It looked like a Hollywood movie set right out of a Stephen Spielberg thriller with its old rides and rundown buildings.”
When Ghost Lake began in 2008 it started out as the 8 Levels Of Fear, but has now grown into 13. Each year the company changes four to five levels after they brainstorm new ideas.
More than 160 monsters are located throughout the haunted attraction, and each level is just as scary as the next. As you buy your ticket, monsters greet you before you make your way through the first level “Front Gates of Hell.”
“Clowns Behaving Badly” is next followed by the “House of Coffins.”
The fourth, fifth and sixth levels have you “Panic Upstairs,” traversing through the actual haunted Hotel Conneaut, and avoiding “Scarecrows Revenge” as you escape a corn maze.
Can you survive “The Purge” and make it through the seventh level? The “3D Carnival of Fear,” “Purple Haze” and the “Demon House” follow.
“Purple Haze” has purple lights all through it and a fog machine which makes it hard to see as scarers appear beside you,” Samantha Horodyski , junior Biology major said.
Props if you can make it thus far. Finally, the “Black Vortex,” “Devils Den” and the “Blue Streak Ghoster Coaster” round out the last three levels. The historic Blue Streak wooden roller coaster was built in 1937.
“It is super scary to ride in the dark, but that might be because it is so old,” Horodyski said.
All guests have to do is follow the tickets in the order of the 13 levels. Do not worry about getting lost because there are signs throughout directing the way. There are even exits in each level in case one gets too scared to continue.
Like many other haunted houses, guests are not allowed to touch the monsters and monsters are not allowed to touch the public. Therefore, you may want to watch your reflexes when one of them jumps out at you.
Avoid becoming intoxicated to calm your nerves before entering otherwise, Baragona says you will not be allowed in. Signing a waiver is not required to enter, but there are multiple signs warning visitors of the scares that they will encounter.
Are you brave enough to enter? Ghost Lake 13 Levels Of Fear is open Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m. to midnight and Sundays 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Oct. 31. $2 discounts are available at the counter in Country Fair.