WITH PHOTOS: Entry Way To Scares Gets New Look At Local Haunt

Armed with unique tricks, Windsor’s biggest haunt is giving people a new entry to some serious scares.

After opening on September 12th, Scarehouse Windsor (located at 1441 McDougall Avenue) is ready for another season full of nighttime frights. Taking a cue from what worked with last year’s many sellouts and overall energy, focus has been put on More tech, more detail and more story to level up fan favourite attractions.

It’s a process that began early and continued straight into opening night.

“We started in the spring,” said co-owner Shawn Lippert. “Boo Crew and builders work all summer — it’s dozens of us, all hands on deck. And yeah, we’re usually hammering until the night before. Don’t lean on the walls, you might get paint on ya!”

Another part of the process also took place as casting was held in mid-summer for Boo Crew members: A group of people who would eventually inhabit different roles throughout the venue. Once hired, they underwent training in August for scaring, safety and timing. It’s an attention to detail that all came together for a dress rehearsal the day before Scarehouse Windsor opened its doors.

Beyond these standard aspects of putting everything together, everyone also looked at the haunt to assess what changes were needed. Looking at bottlenecks that slowed people down first, the staff then mapped out what steps to take.

Having targeted other elements in past years, it was decided the timing was right to give Scarehouse Windsor’s entrance a facelift.

“[The entrance is[ bigger, cleaner and scarier,” said Lippert. “It sets the tone now. We sketched ideas, played with flow, then built something that screams ‘you’re in for a night.’ We also expanded the gift shop—our fans love scooping up keepsakes, so we leaned into that. The whole idea was to create a good, clean, happy flow… right before we punch you in the face with anxiety. (laughs)”

Along with Ward 13 and Fun House gaining attention, the new Frankly, Black and White immersive dining experience was very popular last year. Constantly adding new things to the haunt, even more changes await visitors this season as well.

Debuting a new lobby, the differences will give people another way to interact with the facility.

“It’s got this killer photo op where people can grab pics and even buy them as a keepsake,” said the co-owner. “The original concept came from local artist Dave Creed, and once he gave us the green light, we brought in Enjoy Denial to finish it off. He layered in this rustic, graffiti vibe that feels gritty but stylish. It’s the perfect pairing spot before the haunts.”

Another creative addition is a little more secluded, however.

“Off Ward 13, we also added a secret bar called The Rift,” he said. “If you grab the upgrade, you’ll get a wristband that’s your ticket straight into this apocalyptic speakeasy hidden inside the haunt. You can grab the signature drink in there—it’s like a haunted house speakeasy you have to go through the maze to get to. It’s so much fun!”

When it comes to what Lippert’s most excited for people to see, he’s still amazed by the Frankly, Black and White immersive dinner experience. Mentioning it feels like stepping into a Universal monster movie, a lighting trick creates an optical illusion that makes everything come out in greyscale — including those eating in the immersive dinner room. It’s one of multiple experiences people can choose from to fill their stomachs before having them drop from the scares throughout the venue.

In addition, the co-owner also gave a special shout-out to how Scarehouse’s Scared Evil attraction has been stretched out: It now includes an abandoned church scene that Dennis Stokovic took charge of during the building process.

In the lead-up to Halloween, Scarehouse Windsor is also taking part in several events and initiatives that will benefit the community. On opening night, the venue is teaming up with AM800 and St. Vincent de Paul to provide two haunts of free food for customers who bring canned goods. Raising further money and awareness for homelessness, Scarehouse Windsor will once again be a proud supporter of Zombie Walk Windsor as well.

On October 5th from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, they’ll also be continuing the Lights On Tour with Windsor Police to help raise money for La Salle Special Olympics. At the event, all animatronics are turned off, lights are left on, and kids are allowed to enjoy the venue while listening to fun music.

With so much to do, there’s something for everyone to enjoy from now until Halloween.

“It’s not just a haunt, it’s dinner, drinks and five attractions in one night,” said Lippert. “Best way to experience it? Grab the dinner package, then hit the haunts. Scaredy cats? You don’t even have to go into the haunts if you don’t want to. You can hang out in the safe zone we call The Deadway. It’s basically a piazza for the whole facility. You can sit there, grab a drink, and just people-watch. Honestly, that’s a lot of fun on its own. Ward 13 will still pull in the hardcore scare-seekers, Fun House is great for all ages, and the dinner keeps drawing in people who never thought they’d set foot in a haunt.”

For a list of dates, times and tickets, those interested can visit Scarehouse Windsor’s website. Providing all of this and more, the facility will be open for business from now until October 31.

Although it’s only a month and a half, Lippert remains passionate about what they provide the public during this window of time.

“What keeps me going,” he started when asked. “Seeing people laugh, scream, and come back year after year. That energy never gets old. We’ve been at this for 18 years, and we’re still pushing the boundaries. It’s Windsor’s must-see Halloween spot.”