Each year, America’s Best Haunts evaluates dozens of haunted attractions based on scores across several categories including: safety, scare factor, special effects, design innovation, marketing, consumer appeal, attention to detail, and long-term commitment to the community. A panel of judges with more than 100 years of combined industry experience carefully select the winners – thirteen haunted attractions showcasing the most chilling and hair-raising themes. Winners are rewarded with recognition on America’s Best Haunts’ annual “Spookiest Haunted Attractions in America” list, a web page on the America’s Best Haunts website and rights to display the America’s Best Haunts seal of honor.
The 2012 Winners of the prestigious “America’s Best Haunts” title are:
13th Door
Location: Aurora, CO Website:
Bennett’s Curse
Location: Baltimore, MD Website:
Eastern State Penitentiary, Terror Behind the Walls
Location: Philadelphia, PA Website:
Fright Kingdom
Location: Nashua, New Hampshire
Ghostly Manor
Location: Sandusky, OH Website:
Haunted Montrose
Location: Montrose, GA Website:
House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs
Location: Alden, NY Website:
Night Terrors
Location: Jacksonville FL Website:
Nightmare New York
Location: New York, New York Website:
The Mortuary
Location: New Orleans, La Website:
The Nest Haunted House
Location: Chandler, AZ Website:
Screamworld
Location: Houston, TX Website:
\Wisconsin Feargrounds
Location: Waukesha, WI Website:
\Woods of Terror
Location: Greensboro, NC Website:
According to a National Retail Federation survey, 24 million people are planning to visit a haunted attraction this year. That is more than the number of people who will visit an NBA (21 million) or NFL (16 million) game, or a NASCAR race (17 million). Around the nation, long lines of thrill-seekers pay anywhere from $20 to $50 per ticket for an hour or more of controlled fright. Estimates indicate that there are over 1,200 haunted attractions charging admission fees to their events. Over 300 amusement facilities, such as amusement parks or family fun centers, produce some sort of Halloween or Haunted House event every year.
Founded in 2006, America’s Best Haunts has grown to become a premier resource for the haunted house industry. The top ranked haunted houses named as America’s Best Haunts in 2011 received additional national acclaim on Good Morning America (The Nest Haunted House), Top 20 Haunts by MSN (Woods of Terror), Top 25 Must See Haunts, Haunted
For more information, and to view the complete list of America’s Best Haunts’ 2012 Spookiest Haunted Attractions in America winners, please visit www.AmericasBestHaunts.com.
