Warning: The following contains spoilers about an event and may include scary themes.
The NYPD is hosting a thrilling event just in time for Halloween: “Terror on Totten.” This Haunted House consists of spooky fog, loud noises, and of course creepy characters!
The Haunted House took place in a tall brick building, decorated with a large skeleton with a pumpkin head. The hosts at the front door inform visitors that NYPD members volunteered to play the characters in the house. They also inform visitors that all noises played are fake and that any contact with the actors is completely unintentional.
A volunteer then takes the visitors through a hallway to experience some potential sensations in the house: mist, noises, and scary visuals. The visitors proceed to enter through a tunnel… a very disorienting tunnel. As they cross a bridge, they pass through a tunnel of spinning lights that creates a wobbly sensation. When the visitors try to cross the bridge, an unexpected creature chases the group, as they all push each other to the finish.
Finally, at the end of the tunnel, the Haunted House begins. In groups of one to three, visitors walk up the stairs to the second level of the building. The host at the door yells, “fresh meat!” into the house as the visitors pass through the door. Enormous fog encapsulates the first room, as well as the rooms after.
What seems like an empty room soon becomes a series of seemingly empty rooms. Creepy characters hide and disguise themselves with their surroundings. They perfectly time their “pop-outs” with chainsaw noises, banging, and silent crawling.
At times, visitors have to do a double-take to try to figure out if a prop or a person stands ahead of them… and when it’s a person, a shriek usually follows the discovery. Human dolls, human pigs, and the Plague Doctor all made a frightening appearance.
The spookiest part of the whole experience: the sensation of the unknown. Visitors, cornered by two creatures with scary noises and props, must pass to the next room through two inflatables pushing on each other. As visitors walk through the channel, they cannot see in front or behind them, and never know when this seemingly endless route will end. Without giving too much away, they will find the ending with a scary surprise!
Going through the Haunted House for the first time felt like a dream (perhaps a nightmare), specifically for me. As someone with a low tolerance for fright, I found this Haunted House as a scary experience. Even after going through the house four times, I screamed in each room and found myself clinging to a different family member. Even though others may scare less easily than myself, I still recommend visiting “Terror on Totten” if you’re looking for a fun Halloween thrill.
The event will continue through October on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Visitors can attend for free! The Haunted House is located on 604 Little Bay Road, Building 604, Bayside, NY 11359, and is recommended for people ages 12 and up.
