Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia
Categories
Location on the map
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Phone: +1 215-236-3300
Site: https://www.easternstate.org/hal...
Site: https://www.easternstate.org/hal...
Opening hours
- Monday:Open 24 hours
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:Closed
- Thursday:Closed
- Friday:Closed
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Open 24 hours
Comments (199)
Just to clarify. I was not here for Terror Behind the Walls. That is a haunted Halloween attraction. Although I was there a few years ago and really enjoyed it. We were here today to take the history tour of Eastern State Penitentiary. I learned so much today that I didnt know. Not just about this old prison but also about the original prison systems. I do not know the cost for this event because the tickets were bought for me. I highly recommend it though. It was very informative and rich with history.
It wasn’t as scary this year, like it was the last time we went, but the effort was there. Hope once covid is over they can make it more interactive and as scary as before. Also groups should be more spread apart, I hated that the group in front of us would ruin the scares for us.
Loved it! We went twice and seen different things both times. And we spent a really nice night out! Over 4 hours each time. So much fun!!
Not sure why this is called Terror Behind the Walls? I inquired about a haunted night tour and this was immensely scourned by the staff at Eastern State Penn and the following is an excerpt from an Email I received from a Ms. Schiffman: We no longer offer paranormal investigations or participate in projects that portray the penitentiary as haunted. We know this is an area of interest for many, but our mission drives our work. At this time, we are focusing our resources on maintaining and expanding programs that explore the penitentiarys history and connections to contemporary justice reform.Paranormal investigations (including the use of EVP recorders or other pieces of paranormal investigation equipment) are not permitted at Eastern State Penitentiary. Thank you for your understanding!So having been warned via email, it was definitely a topic of taboo when I inquired of staff. They steered clear of ghosts, no one talked abt any crazy experiences and referred us to our educational recorders. When I asked why the night tour was more expensive then the day tour when they wanted to stay away from the ghost/scary theme? I was told the tour is exactly the same - but its at night! ( Thank you Captain Obvious!)Theres also the Beer Garden and paid sitting areas. Let me save you from the excitement: Its a few covered picnic tables with an awning overhead in the rec yard/baseball diamond outside. An inquiry in the same email quoted the Hospitality Lounge as the smallest space that could accommodate 15 people and for 1.5 hrs in this area - the going rate was $525!The experience was very disappointing for me overall.Ive been told that the prison embraces the SPOOKY in October- so if youre into that, sounds like itd be worth it to wait until then.
One of the best haunted attractions we have ever been to!! The actors, the decor, the locations... it all leads up to the best fright night. We have no complaints. The lines were moving at a good speed. The actors outside the facility are entertaining and interactive with everyone. They have plenty of security to ensure a safe time. This will definitely be a yearly attraction for us!
We did the VIP After Dark your which included admission to Terror Behind the Walls, the haunted house is cool and the actors are really into it. I tried to ask one how long he spent practicing his throat noises but he didnt break character to tell me! That said the tour is where it is at. Loved every second, the staff really seems to care both about the property and the history behind it. Very knowledgeable!
Wow! I haven’t been here in about 6 years and they have stepped their game up! My date and I had a blast, you can choose to have a more interactive experience and get to be a part of the show. Is it cheap, no, but is it cheap to put on a production like this? Try to go during off peak times or purchasing VIP tickets to avoid lines but even if you wait in line it’ll be worth it.
Terror Behind the Walls was really fun, from the staff to props being used. The staffs acting was really good, they really go all out on playing the part as well as playing into weird visuals which give them an advantage on jump scaring you. Gotta hand it to the staff when they pulled someone out of your party they wouldnt be separated throughout the whole attraction. Overall the length of each room was great, theres a lot to experience in each room. Although one thing I didnt like is that since this attraction has become super popular your party may catch up to some groups ahead thus missing out on some experiences.
Excellent exhibit about the history of the site; changes in crime rates & processing through the decades; various perspectives based on health, gender, race, profession, lifestyle... Spent about 1.75hrs here and still want to return to see areas that I missed! Do make time for this trip. Its great for education, conversation, and platforms for change.
Amazing and really nice and knowledgeable employees. ESP made an effort to educate the public about the history and social costs of incarceration. Pop up museum, experiences and artists shows were beautiful and thoughtfully exhibited and designed. Staff was incredibly friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. One of the best experiences in Philadelphia.Way better than the awful Mutter museum with the rude and unhelpful staff who dont answer questions or even know how to do their own jobs.
Ive been coming here since 2006 and it still scares me till this day. This time I was able to bring my nephews to show them the experience. We will be back again next year for some more terrifying fun!
My wife & I go to state penn every year (5) it is NOT worth the money anymore. So many significant changes. You spend more time walking around the prison to find the next attraction than being scared. (Groups of 10) if you are not in the middle of the crowd there’s no interaction. MORE stops to drink/eat then scares. So instead of being a family friendly place you are dealing with obnoxious drinkers, completely ruining the atmosphere. There is a place to sit & pay($5) for a couple s’mores to roast- 3 seats around 3 fire pits/ 4-5 tall tables to stand- occupied by the drinkers. Entering under the gargoyle archway there are 15 actors going up to you-staring awkwardly- cutting in between you & your significant other holding hands- if we did not let go she prob would’ve aggressively unlocked our hands. Literally just a corner with purple lights & a poor kid playing guitar/ singing. Prob the biggest gig he has ever had. Poor thing. We asked an actor which way to go next & she told us depends on what you want to do & kept walking. Completely uncalled for. Another actor we asked told us exactly what is ahead/exit. One of the attractions is actually a yellow bus walk thru with one live actor- let me surprise you- he jumps up from sitting in the seat! So scary 😬🙄 the girl outside the bus was talking out of character about the people in front of us & saying how bored she was. I was actually scaring the actors- caught off guard they got extremely close to my face with a hiss or an awkward stare. It is not fun anymore. My wife is easily shook up & she was not impressed. The penitentiary is lacking passion. Just don’t do it. It is a big waste of $50+, not including the $20-30 to park if you don’t want to find a spot on the back streets. Id rather go pumpkin picking or drive an extra half hour to Brighton asylum.
NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY!!!I had low expectations going into the new Halloween Nights but this didnt even come close to living up to those low expectations. For 50$+ you basically receive entry into a couple low budget scary attractions and multiple beet gardens. They charged you extra to get a tour in one attraction and the rest was basically outdoor bar hopping for, of course, more money. The attractions were brightly lit, not scary at all, and most of the monsters were fake and hydrolic powered. Very few real humans were in the haunted houses and, again, there were only a handful. Otherwise you can expect to walk by plenty of bars, a souvenir shop, and an outdoor dance party with no one dancing. Save your money- its not worth it.
The prototype Penitent penitentiary in design and philosophy. The design became the one used worldwide with many still in use - hub and spokes of a wheel. This one closed in 1971 and went into decay but has been cleaned up and opened as a display and history of incarceration and method. It also has a storied past of its own with famous inmates (Al Capone and others), successful escapes, and literal isolation of original and early prisoners to more social programs. Very much worth the visit - allow for a few hours to tour and see and have docents tell the story.
2018 was my first time going and will be the first of many more years to come! Amazing place that scared me, and I dont scare easily! They gave you the choice of wearing a glowstick necklace and potentially be grabbed and taken from your group and just all around be scared to the core! I did this and was taken and it was awesome!!! They also did a choreographed dance after the terror tour! Highly recommended! If your not there next halloween season...YOUR MISSING OUT!!
If youre a ESP Terror fan.....DO NOT GO!!!!!!Honestly, I cant say how disappointed we were this tonight. My husband and I have been going to ESP Terror Behind the Walls for the past 5+ years. Terror was the absolute best. This year, it was all just an over priced joke. The management/higher ups made a big mistake fixing what was not broken. If ESP does not bring back Terror back the way it was, this will be the last year we will ever be coming back. Spending over $200 for 3 of us to go, not have any scares, and being surrounded by unruly drunks, it was such a shocking disappointment.We even brought our 13yr old son this year thinking he was going to be able to enjoy it as we have for the past years. Wow, we were very wrong. He did not even enjoy it. Only 2 Haunted (if you can even call them that) attractions, and more food and drink stops then a person can count. Unbelievable. Not to say, that when asked, the staff that was on duty, were quick to show how very upset and displeased they are with the change.....I think that also goes to show its a bad change.Also, for the management to say how they wanted this change to come about so they can bring more of the history of ESP into the attraction,......OK.....but how does that work, when you have unattended people, who have been giving many bars to drink from, have free rein of the premises, running in and out of the cells, and just destroying the history of the building. It is unfathomable that the management of this attraction could allow and bring about such a change, and a very detrimental change if you ask myself, my family and many other Terror fans.Terror Behind the Walls need to be brought back. If not, ESP will loose many of its loyal followers, many, like myself, who drive almost 2hrs to visit. Along with the followers, goes the funding......lets see how long this Halloween Nights can continue funding ESP like Terror did.So so so very disappointed. I really hope management sees these comments that all of us Terror fans have put up so far.I really hope that it gets through to them, and they see that they have made a big mistake and that they fix it before it is too late.If youre a Terror fan....DO NOT GO!!!!
Super fun and new experience for a haunted house. Came in with an open mind and was impressed. Beer and snacks were also priced fair compared to other places.
We went while it was not featured as a haunted house. It was very interesting to see. The audio tour was great. It was included in the cost, but was a little slow for me (took too long). I often walked ahead.
Amazing experience! The place is scary even during the day.
The kids had a great time the experience was really cool
Very educational, though not very scary, (at least to me, though its hard to scare me anyways) Id definitely come back again!
Ok this was a lot of fun. Although to enhance the experience I recommend getting the band to allow them to interact with you. It may intensify the experience. But was still fun without. There were 3 main areas and I think the 3rd area was the best with 3D glasses and all. Wont give anything else away. There were a few areas where it felt kind of empty, but still a great time.
This year 2019, is SO MUCH better than last year!! More actors and much more character/patron interaction! Make sure to get your tracking necklace for the best experience. Only downside was it took 45 minutes of waiting for our picture after handing the woman our card. It was very disorganised but hey, the picture is free so I cant really complain.
Fun as hell, the attractions were very cool and time flew. Worth every penny
We went for a day visit and the prison was great and interesting place to visit. Will definitely go back. The interactive tours were interesting and the staff really knows the history of the place. We were there for about an hour and a half, and it was still not enough time. The thought of the a visit to prison may turn some people away but the staff are inviting and are all around to answer questions.
This is an old prison museum, (Eastern State Penetentiary) unique in structure, which is fascinating and eerie. Al Capone was a famous prisoner here, and I am posting a photo of his cell which shows how privileged he was due to connections compared to the miserable cells of all others. The self audio tour is excellent and you can walk through the various cell blocks. It can take a couple of hours depending on how much you explore through, read and listen to audio recordings.This is also the same place that has a very popular real creepy and scary Halloween haunted house which I went to several years ago. Its not to be missed! I would not recommend that for young children. Get tickets way in advance and early on before Halloween. You will have to wait on a long line as people are allowed in slowly . There is limited on street parking and a public parking lot on the next block for fees. I suggest you take a cab or Uber.
Amazing prison. This is a place where you can feel a ghost of the past. I would love to spend a night there. It is well cared. Everything is clearly described. There is plenty of interesting facts. We had very limited time for sightseeing it, so I would like to come back there someday.
Really cool. The entire set is done really well. Mostly jump scares but good for the whole family and children around 6 to 10. Great for adults and all as well. Children under 6 might get scared and want out. Definitely worth it if you never been.
Great fun place to go to and go through...Itd be more accurate to name this seasonal attraction Scares Behind The Walls since virtually nothing about this place was terrifying save maybe the fine print waiver they make you sign in order to enter AND the condition of some the ridiculously unattended port-a-potties once youve entered.The creep factor is lost by the size of the crowd in attendance, so when buying tickets try to find a time when its near empty so the cast members can focus their affect on you; maybe 5pm - 7pm? Dont worry if its day or night, you are indoors for most of this, so try not to let nightfall be your deciding factor. Advice: You must wear a glow-in-the-dark necklace to maximize what little fright their is to offer. Its included in the price of admission, so you might as well get the most out of it.The fun factor though is amazing with your own crowd. Despite the lack of fear, our party of four had a fantastic time together. Bobbing and weaving through each of the spires filled with all kinds of prison guard ghouls and effects, from lighting to lack there of, from body parts to dentist chairs, from math to wobbly floors, it was all good fun. Advice: hold the handrail in the spin-room if youre eyesight is poor.Now, I dont mean to scare anyone off from going to this place with this review. Ill definitely go again. Just temper your expectations and youll have a truly great time. Yes, its pricey for what theyre selling (a party of 4 is about $190, more even if you pay for the VIP, more still if you buy the photo package on the way out) but in the grand scheme of things, youll have a whole lot of fun, so thats worth it.Honestly, if the scares were scarier Id give it another half-star and if the port-a-potties were better maintained, Id give it still another 1/2 star. *Rant* Makes no sense to me that with the amount of money theyre raking in not to hire 4 people at $60 per night to cleanse these things once every half hour with some disinfectant and re-stock the T.P.!Parking advice: Pay online and youll get indoor parking for only $13 at the Philadelphia Zoos garage. Plus they give you a free bus ride to and from the penitentiary. And that is the perfect wind down as you and your group make your way back to the car. Especially true, if youre bringing the kids, or your lovely date back to the car as the kids can relax and you can snuggle a bit before your ride home.Yes, go and enjoy and have some great Philly fun at Eastern State Penitentiary! Then grab a cheese steak at Dalessandros or lounge around Reading Terminal for some good eats. And if you want a bit more terror head over to Jackson, NJ and try out Gravity Hills. Perhaps not the greatest, but certainly better and 1/2 the price. Again though, dont go when its too crowded.No photography allowed beyond bag checkpoint, so very few photos to post here.
The penitentiary is awesome. And they off a lot of things for Halloween night. Its really well decorated. And the actors were all fantastic too. I also really dug the speakeasy and cocktail bar, but its just way too crowded. They dont space it out well enough for you to get scared because youre only ever a foot away from anyone else. Just not conducive to being frightened, especially when you can see the actor try and scare the three groups in front of you.Everything other that the scary attractions were great though. Probably wont return but will definitely love to take a tour of the penitentiary!
My daughter and I went on Halloween night. I absolutely loved it!!! My daughter had gotten scared but still had a fun time! It was surreal seeing this place in person instead of on a tv screen. Staff was great at what they do. Scaring people! Would love to come back and pay extra for the Al Capone Suite. That looked interesting!! So much to do.
It was a good place to visit years ago, it was about the haunted houses. This year and I dont know if theyve done it in the past it has gotten very commercialized. And some of their attractions are considered monster vans playing music and other venues. If you dont buy the VIP tickets there are some of the haunted houses you cannot enter. So it was a little disappointing the cost of the visit.
We had a really fun time! We didnt get particularly scared, but it was great to have drinks available throughout the attractions and all of the actors/staff were very nice! It was a really fun way to spend the evening.
ZERO Stars! Seriously a SCAM. It’s no longer Terror Behind The Wall. It’s just a family friendly attraction with the same cost $120 (for two). I understand they made changes but they need to change the price! I came to pay for the same attraction as the past years. It’s just with regular people dress in Movie Theater Uniforms with painted white faces. Save you money for another place!
This is very good attraction for Halloween season in Philly!! The thrill and horror are super great!!! You should come here if you were in Philly!!!!
I have wanted to come here for years. I wish I would have read the article about terror behind the walls becoming Halloween nights. I would not have driven and paid for a rushed walk through child appropriate haunted house. VIP drinks were a bonus. I give an extra star to the awesome employee (women dressed in century dress with bones protruding from chest and possible antlers) who let us redo the first two walk through attractions since the first time our group literally pushed us through as fast as possible. All the covid precautions yet reusing 3D glasses that people used? Gross didn’t appreciate that.
I have this rule where I only leave reviews on attractions, restaurants and events that are either extremely good or bad. If it is average, I could care less to post. In this case, it was one of the worst scare-based attractions I have ever been to in my life. If you are coming here to be scared, WARNING: DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY BECAUSE IT IS A RIP OFF/SCAM. Why? Well, they have limited scary walk through attractions and the crazy part in all of this is they have more stuff dedicated to bars, food stands, miscellaneous non-scary stuff like music with dancing skeletons and VIP only attractions if you care to spend the extra money. At the end of the limited scary walk through attractions, my friends and I are were in utter disbelief.Conclusion: Whoever is the heads of this place should absolutely be ashamed of themselves to charge $40+ or more a ticket (depending on the day) to people with what is provided. It’s basically like going into an amusement park but instead of having tons of fun things to do like roller coasters or other fun attractions - it’s mainly bars, food stands or random miscellaneous attractions. Enjoy the money you made now, because myself, friends and family will NEVER COME BACK TO THIS RIP OFF AGAIN. I will personally do everything in my power to ensure no one else wastes their time or money coming here. Even if I need to make 100 different Google accounts to leave separate reviews for people to read and NEVER COME HERE.
Unfortunately I can say there was nothing scary about this evening. The food and beer were decently good. But the tickets I bought were to enjoy a haunted house, which was very lacking. The atmosphere was phenomenal thanks the penitentiary, but all the attractions within barely had any build up to the scares. Ultimately I found myself disappointed by the occiosnal actor jumping out, and finding myself only mildly annoyed rather than enjoying the rush of adrenaline I was looking for. At the end the various haunted experiences they advertised were only an overpriced entry ticketed event. The only reason I gave this review one star was the beer and food within helped me enjoy a night out with friends.
Great experience from start to finish! High quality productions. Would definitely recommend going early because the line goes all the way down the block and around the corner to get in. If not, get the VIP, you can skip the line and Al Capones Speakeasy was totally worth it! You wont regret going!
I love how interactive TBW is, especially if you choose the glow necklace. My family and I have been a fan since moving up here 4 years ago. If youre sensitive stay home, but if you like the spirit of Halloween then you have to try this place out. As you can tell from the photos, we really get in to it. 😂
I went there every year prior and it was great. The actors used to be interactive and touch you as well as just be scary overall.This year was awful. They have so much room to set up things and make it longer but it was awful. The entire attractions were overall 30 minutes long and they were all just lounge areas and scenery to look at. Barely anyone jumped out at you and there was no fright. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. I looked at reviews prior to going and didn’t believe them but trust me….. im sorry but it sucked.
All tricks and no treats... Similar to other reviewers, Ive been coming to ESP for Terror Behind the Walls for years. The new Halloween Nights mantra of something for everybody is more like nothing for anybody. The haunted portion is now limited to 2 small sections of the prison, which take about 10 minutes max to walk through. The VIP Bloodline Lounge is listed as a scary attraction but its a hallway with one jumpscare and a free drink. We couldnt locate the Kaleidoscope attraction and no one who worked there seemed to know where it was. As other reviewers mentioned, the rest of the property is taken up by food stands or overpriced bars. One of the attractions - the Junkyard Jam - was literally a person banging on an empty oil can with drum sticks.The actors used to be a great part of the experience, but now there are hardly any. They used to have great makeup/costumes, but now they are cartoon-ish.Not worth the trip anymore unless they bring back the old style of Terror Behind the Walls. I dont understand how they are supposed to be making the event more family friendly when half of the attractions are liquor based anyway. Youre basically paying a $50+ cover charge for a Halloween-themed bar.
Horrible. Least scary attraction I’ve ever been to. Don’t waste your money unless you want to pay $15 for a mediocre (at best) ipa or a drink that lacks any alcohol. They claim there are 15 attractions but 12 of them are bars/food spots/bathrooms. Each “scary” attraction was a minute long without any scares. A 6 month old baby could make it through the “scary” parts without crying or being scared. We were expecting so much more.
I had my first experience at Eastern State Penitentiary, known this year as Halloween Nights. It was FABULOUS!!!!!! Didnt do every attraction but these people LOVE what they do because there costumes and attitudes are unbelievable. If you do anything go to the Speak Easy!! This is one of their attractions you dont wanna miss! The dead singers are Marvelous, especially Clyde and Seelie Silver!! Cant wait to go again next year! A Great Experience and a great night out!!
This was my friends first time attending and he had a blast! His girlfriend and I have been before and it seems to get better every year. The music, the atmosphere, the pacing was all very well done.
Absolute most pathetic waste of money. I normally try to find a positive no matter what kind of experience I have, but this was full of rude staff. The bad far surpassed the good (the zoo bus driver... she was hilarious). Also, not scary at all. They should offer refunds if Im being completely honest.
This used to be my favorite attraction to go to each Halloween season. Not sure what happened but this year (2021) it was absolutely horrible. Paid for VIP which was a total waste of money. There were only 2 “scary” attractions and they were both about 5 minutes long. There was PLENTY of food and alcohol throughout so if you’re looking to do that this place may be for you. The people working there had no idea where things were and were completely useless. I could go on and on but in summary avoid going here, especially for the 2021 season. Extremely disappointing.
Should have looked at the reviews before going. This place is the definition of “eh.” Was not worth the 39 dollars plus the 5 dollar fee. Nothing about the haunt was scary besides the price of it. The atmosphere and lighting was what gave it 2 stars and the fact that once you get in, you have to pay for other activities in there that they don’t mention. By the time you leave there, you spent 100 bucks and nothing to show for it. Most likely will not be back unless they change a lot of the “haunting” part.
HORRIBLE NOT SCARY AT ALL DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY. we where litterally walking through haunted house talking and laughing nothing scared us I was disappointed. I was more interested in looking at Tue actual building itself for the history. very cheesy haunted house
More history than horror, which is exactly the way I like it. The light beyond real, its no wonder so many motion pictures and videos utilized the space.
Was looking forward to this for months based off of experience from previous years. It was extremely disappointing, there wasnt a moment I was was scared or jumped at all. They took out lots of the better scares and its walking around in a maze outside trying to figure out where youre supposed to go next, most of which is just hang out spots. I feel bad for the employees that probably loved it previous years and now are forced to try to make this failure that they used to love not as bad by doing their best, but theirs not much for them to work with. Whoever in management made this decision ruined the best Halloween attraction I had ever been to.
So much history in 1 place! Incredible experience!
The negative reviews are wrong! Fabulous good time. VIP tickets absolutely worth it. Every actor gave 100%. Skeletons were a blast to dance with. Glitter and garbage was our highlight. The only thing wed have liked a change for is that the green glow bands need to come back for scaredy cat safety and fun.
I am so disappointed! I need to warn others- if you’ve been to terror behind the walls, THIS IS NOT THAT. So far from it. It’s a huge scam now with more food/drink attractions. Even if you’ve never been to terror behind the walls, don’t waste your money here. 100% false advertisement. I’m hearing rumors that they were told it’s been “too scary” in the past, but that’s why people like me would travel over an hour to attend. If management sees this, please consider lowering your prices to make it actually “family friendly” or return to the old event.
Awful, why they thought Philadelphia needed another beer garden is beyond me. As if there aren’t 20 different places to drink a beer within a 5 block radius of the prison. Obviously nothing but a money grab. Terror Behind the Walls was always highly anticipated and ranked one of the best haunted attractions why on earth they decided to make a switch to neon lights and beer gardens most of us will never understand. Their core customer at Halloween has always been those wanting to be scared so again why they would not consider their core customer base when updating attractions is almost non-sensical. Just look at reviews from 2019 and prior then the reviews for the attraction starting 2021 “Halloween Nights” the difference speaks for its self. Great job of losing all of your notoriety. You’re attractions main talking point this year will be mostly directed at how much worse it has gotten compared to recent years. No one wanted another beer garden or bars in a prison who asked for that? This is a haunted prison…not a Dave and Busters.. please act like it… people go here for scares not beers and shows…
I love the jump scares and this year just had less. It was much more family oriented then previous years. So if you had younger kids it would be a good year to go. Drinks are really overpriced but it’s for fun. So yes I would go but dont expect the same terror levels as previous years.
Definately disappointed in this years activities. Two of the houses advertised were right when you walked in and took literally two minutes. There were only two real haunted houses and those were also very fast. The kaleidoscope hall was so disappointing it wasn’t even an attraction it was just a hallway with lights on the ceiling. Drinks were so expensive and so tiny. Best part of the night was down north pizza! Such kind guys. But honestly if they keep doing the attractions that they did this year they’ll have far less customers. People were going up to gift shop employees and complaining and the only thing they could say were NO REFUNDS!! When you walk in and they start to tell you the rules, the biggest rule is absolutely no refunds, and while I understand the money is going to the penitentiary I feel robbed honestly.
What an awesome tour. great experience of history. highly suggested to everyone that enjoys history. great staff, very informative.
Its was fun, the staff was nice and scary lol. They had some good actors there. We went on a Sunday and was able to go in a little earlier, we went through security then off to be scared. Stop for a bite to eat at Down North. Then finished our trail. I want to go back!
I’ve been to ESP for about 4 years now, and I feel like every year it gets worse and worse. This year I was in utter disbelief at just how bad it was. There’s no signs telling you where to go, every one was lost. I asked two workers where I was supposed to go, they had no clue. The attractions were really really short, and not scary at all (had like 3 actors). I just feel like this year was a cash grab, so many bars yet no scaring. I’m really sad because a few years ago it was great. Hope they can fix these problems!
Don’t waste your time or money going here! Such a disappointment everything has changed! They will literally tell you on the shuttle there it is more like a festival and more family friendly. If you’re looking for a scare try somewhere else. Most of the attractions inside are drink/food related which equals spending more money. There were only 3 “scary” attractions and even then they were short and not the same as previous years. The whole environment is different, no lines anymore, no actors walking along while you wait scaring you. It’s pathetic and sad
We had a decent time, but we felt like it wasnt as advertised. Finished everything in about an hour and a half. If youre sober, dont bother with the VIP... ends up being a very expensive can of warm soda. There were no actual performances going on like they advertised. In the Speakeasy, a singer performed one (fantastic!) song, but then there was nothing. We were even in there for a good 30 minutes. As ESP members that adore Party at the Pen and TBTW, enough to go multiple times in a year to each, Im hoping this is only temporary.
It was cool but the tickets are very expensive for what you get
It was cool inside and my friend and I had fun, however it was seriously over crowded and you’re rushed through the entire thing after waiting an hour and a half just to get into the atttaction itself. And we went on a Wednesday. They should limit ticket sales so it doesn’t get so overwhelmingly overcrowded. If we go back we’ll definitely do the VIP to skip the line but it’s still a bummer you’re so rushed through and the attractions themselves are very short. Jason’s Woods and Frightland are better but if you’re looking to stay local I’d say it’s worth the time/money.
If you want to be scared DO NOT go this year. When you walk in it is somewhat scary then theres a bunch of dancing and beer gardens and bright neon lights. By the time you find the 1 scary hallway it’s over and you have to exit with no reentry. Not worth it this year the drinks are overpriced and you have to pay extra money for almost everything once inside. Nice for the kids. Epic fail this year
You cant get much better. The main tour was like 1 hour but we felt like walking around more there was at least 3 hours of stuff. If you dont like an art exhibit, skip it there are more than enough though a lot of them are interesting.
Went on the 31st, great experience, they were sold out but the lines were moving fairly quickly and we got through all the non VIP attractions in less than 2 hrs all while moving through each attraction non stop. My friend and I had a great time and we did scream a couple of times lol. We bought the parking + shuttle ride to take us from the zoo parking lot to the actual penitentiary because there is no parking at the vicinity, and we barely had to wait for the shuttle theres always one at either location so that was great, I do recommend buying that if you bring your car. The actors and staff working the attractions were amazing and helpful, and the sets as well, really good visual experience. Mask are mandatory so thats good and actors are not allowed to touch you in order to follow covid rules.
This was my first time at Halloween Nights. I went off of numerous recommendations from friends that “ESP’s Halloween events are awesome!” And from what I gather from reading reviews, that used to be the case. This was not awesome. I bought VIP tickets and had nothing to show for it, but even if I had gotten regular tickets I would have been disappointed. The haunted house attractions were half decent, but since so many people went in at once, you saw the jump scares before you were supposed to and ruined the effect. They were also quite short and there were only 3 and half of them (the 3D one, Machine shop, the crypt, and that bus). The rest of the “attractions” were essentially food or bar stops (which I don’t mind) with lackluster theming, mediocre selection, and lazy decorations. A side note: one of the drinks at the skeleton dancing bar contained cinnamon, which wasn’t listed on the board as an ingredient, and my fiancé had to switch drinks with me as she’s allergic to cinnamon (luckily nothing too serious but cinnamon should be listed). Overall I was quite disappointed after driving over an hour, spending 200 dollars for two people, and getting very little out of it. I will probably visit the penitentiary again for it’s history (the Al Capone VIP section was interesting), but I will definitely do my research before attending their Halloween events in the future. I would like to note that the staff was excellent, but you could tell even they weren’t too enthused about it, which is honestly more telling than any review.
DO NOT GO. First off, we were never really told of the changes until we got on the bus ride to the place. We were so excited to go since we went two years ago and it was AMAZING! This year it’s pathetic. They will lose their money quickly and I hope they go back to the true terror behind the walls. This was a freaking joke. 3 haunted things now and everything was underwhelming. So so so so sad. Would totally give it 0 stars if I could. We were so so so so sad to see it changed.
They have turned Terror Behind the Walls into a joke. There were literally 2 and half haunted houses. I say a half because the first attraction took approximately 30 seconds to walk through. The other 2 haunted houses took about 5 minutes or less to walk through. They werent even scary. The rest is just drinking now. Even while I was there, you could see women stumbling around because they had gotten so drunk. All I have to say is that at the end of the day you get about 10 minutes and 30 seconds of Haunted Houses and you pay 50 dollars for that. Complete and utter waste of money and I will never be returning. Which is sad because I had been going to Eastern State since 2017. Halloween Nights is a laughing stock.
Didnt have high expectations for this year since knowing its been changed from Terror behind the walls but honestly I could not have been more disappointed. There was barely any sign of a Halloween type event walking up to the actual prison. Walking in, there were a few actors who didnt have much of a character going at all. It seemed like most of them were volunteers who didnt care to be there. The lighting and any Halloween type effects were very minimal and randomly set up. No Halloween music playing anywhere at all, which was very weird. Even the so-called attractions were very poorly set up. Like there was zero effort in any of it. Walking around, there was no order or direction on which way to go. I even had to ask a security guard where the exit was. The concession stands were even few and far between and very sloppily setup. Honestly I wish there were a way for me to get a refund.
Bought the year long membership. Have explored once and cant wait to go back.
I wish I could rate this 0 stars. I miss terror behind the walls and I hope this Halloween night thing isnt permanent. Each haunted house that was labeled scary took 3 minutes max to walk through. There were about 3-6 actors in each who seemed just as confused to be there as we were (since we paid $50 a ticket for nothing). Also every other attraction is actually just food and drinks for you to spend money on overpriced things. There is no fear factor at all and theres even a safe word to get the 4 actors to stop trying to scare you. Like why are you at a haunted attraction if you need a safe word. No thanks.Also dont buy the VIP pass. The vampire lounge was the most pathetic thing Ive ever walked by, there was 1 actor who was just leaning on a fence so I dont know how that was labeled scary. I dont know about al capones cell.Im really hoping this isnt permanent and only until the pandemic is under control or else I will never be going back.
Halloween Nights pales in comparison to Terror Behind the Walls. I was actually excited about the changes they made, but everything was terribly boring and half baked. I was so excited about the scary bar and it seemed promising when the bar was ornately decorated, but the scary lounge was just a small hallway with some mannequins hanging from chains. Almost everything was super lame. The only things done well were Al Capones speakeasy and the machine shop hallway. Considering those were two things carried over from Terror Behind the Walls, its pretty clear they should change back next year.
Do not waste money on this horrible attempt of throwing together a Halloween attraction this year. Tickets cost almost $40 and its nothing like its been the previous years. It is a joke. Nothing scary about it. Bunch of women dressed like candy dancing around. The attraction is obviously only geared for the over 21 crowd who want to go to a beer garden. I guess you have to be drunk in order to enjoy it !!
I havent been to Terror Behind the Walls in three years and went tonight. It was horrible and there were two scary attractions. One we almost missed because you didnt realize it was an attraction until you walked by and had to turn around and go back to it. The focus was on drinking, there were plenty of places to get a drink at the lounges and beer garden. Even an over priced smores and lore area. I was extremely disappointed at what this has become. I didnt pay $40 per a ticket to be constantly reminded there are non scary areas to drink at. If this is the direction they want to go, the name needs to be changed because the terror is gone from behind these walls.
I have to say, I feel really sorry for the people who gave this experience a 1 star rating, because every time I have gone, it’s been close to amazing. After reading the other 1 star reviews, I wouldn’t recommend going during the weekend (Sat/Sun) because from what I’ve read, it looks very busy. Also I recommend going in groups of 2 instead of 5-10. In my opinion, you’re just ruining the experience if you go in a massive group cause then you’ll just wind up psyching each other out of a good time. Both times I have gone, it was a Friday for the 9:30pm slot time and got in fairly quick both times. 20min most from line to entrance. The houses and the entire scene is amazing to look at and I feel the actors that are working there all have done an amazing job. Some of the themes are so realistic I thought I was in a movie. So, for those who are looking through the reviews, I say it’s worth the money. Philadelphia city is beautiful and the food in the area is just great.
A gloriously over priced waste of time!!! DO NOT go to this Halloween Nights garbage. I will never come back to this until they bring back the haunted, scary attractions. This felt like a very blatant money grab. You pay to get in, then theres 3 bars and snack counters trying to get you to buy over priced garbage drinks, between the TWO barely scary sections. I cannot believe what a colossal waste of time this was. Let your money speak, DO NOT spend it here until the scary returns.
Really fun experience! Highly recommend going with friends!
Wasnt sure I could give zero stars. Def not the experience of years past. Really only 2 scary attractions. I can remember the kids being scared even as we waited in line/entered. Most of this new version seems to be an effort to upsell customers with randomly scattered drinking/food stations and more of tour the Pen type of thing. We wont return but wish them best of luck!
Always entertaining and informative. Glad I wore a jacket, wind was a bit brisk.
As a former major supporter and fan of going here…this was such a DISAPPOINTMENT & WASTE of money! We knew they changed it, but since it was a beloved tradition of ours going to eastern state we decided to try it anyway. They have turned the whole thing into a bad joke… we used to love coming hear year after year taking the ghost bus from the zoo going across the street to the urban saloon for a pre game , and then heading across the street to the haunted prison. This “Halloween Nights” garbage is not worth your time or money and they have completely ruined their whole show! We REFUSE to come back here ever again UNTIL they bring back TERROR BEHIND THE WALLS!!!
This was a fun time and plan on doing it again!
Nice experience but it was very crowded and that made it less thrilling
Totally overrated and not worth it ... lines were long on a Thursday night and you walked more than around the jail instead of being scared.... place has potential but totally lacked actors to scare you ... there was probably at most 3-4 actors to each attraction.. cool props but not enough actors ..Hell the most place I saw actors were the dancing skeletons in the Gargoyles yard .
This place was fun could be a Lil more intense and scary but maybe its me lol cuz my grandmothers bunions are scarier then this lol
This was a huge let down this year! Went a few years back when it was still terror behind the walls, this year they have completely changed it to a huge bar. Bought tickets to have a spooky time, went and bought over priced drinks and had a few actors scream at you. Was better as terror behind the walls
It was good. I give it a five star. Covid has messed up a lot of things. So it was like it was in 2019. But it was still fun . It was still scary. I enjoyed it along with the kids. Because of Covid the dead couldn’t touch us or locked us away. But it was still fun.
Wish I could give it a zero. Never had the chance to go to ESP for Halloween before but friends of mine always hyped it up from their previous experiences there. We decided to to go this year and we were really disappointed. The portapotta was the scariest thing in the whole place. They say they have 15 “attractions” when it really is just two. Most of the “attractions” are just expensive beer gardens, two are only available if you pay for the VIP passes (just two more bars), and another attraction is $10 extra on top of whatever pass you buy. One of the attractions is just a regular hallway with some colorful lights on the ceiling. I was surprised they didn’t list the bathrooms as an “attraction” tbh. In the two scary attractions there were only a few actors, making the experience almost a simple walkthrough. All in all the bus ride from the zoo took longer than the time spent walking through the “scary attractions” at ESP. Unless things get changed back to the way it was before I don’t think I’d ever go back.
Definitely regret buying vip. For the one line skip there was not even a line. The bloodbath drink at the bloodline bar did not have any alcohol in it, zero bubbles for a drink claiming to have champagne. It was just syrup water. The speakeasy wine definitely had actual water mixed in. One of the haunted sections with the backstage theme was really good, but the others were just OK and big sections with no actors in them. I liked the idea of having the glow necklaces to be targeted more, but it was still lackluster. Plenty of fried food sections and places to buy drinks, but we didnt bother after the terrible vip drinks.
Absoulte money grab. The first 20 minutes they just funnel you through a bunch of not scary hallways and then once you exit that portion you go outside and then there are activities that you can do but you need to pay $20 bucks for, or you need to have vip which is $70 a person. Not to mention parking is $30 and admission is like another $30 per person if I remember correctly. Overall not worth it, but going to that section of Philly was quite nice in itself at least.
The Terror behind the walls have downgraded. It use to have so many scary attractions. Now there’s nothing but bars. There’s only 2 actual scare thing. If you crave being touched and taken to places in this haunted house your out of luck, if you came 3 years earlier you would have loved it. But now it’s just a club. I’ll miss the old one but everything is over priced so would even recommend to go.
We go to Terror Behind The Walls every year and its been a terrifyingly fun experience each and every time, but this year exceeded all the others. My group had a great time. Tons of shrieks and scares around every corner. This years haunted tour was much more interactive and hands on, which made it 1000x scarier and easy more exciting and fun. Afterwards, the zombie guard squad put on a dance battle for all of us while we shopped, ate, and got our pictures taken. The staff are all amazingly talented and do their jobs well. Id strongly recommend stopping by Eastern State Penitentiary for Terror Behind The Walls if youre in the Philadelphia area during the month of October, you wont be disappointed- that I can promise!!
Like many other reviews I came to Eastern State when it was Terror Behind the Walls and throughly enjoyed my experience then. The atmosphere was scary and there were multiple themed sections which were all well made and full of many performers. So this year I decided to go again in a large group of 10. It was raining that day so it was an uncomfortable experience sloshing around the penitentiary and it was very difficult to enjoy anyone seating areas. It would have been good if the event provided free ponchos. Unlike previous years the event has been rebranded as family friendly with scary options. However it felt half baked in both the family friendly events and the scary sections.The first section ,Delirium, was ok and was a repeat from previous years. The next ection was a Hollywood theme and let me tell you I couldnt even call it a full section. It took maybe 1 or 2 minutes to get through and afterward none of my friends even realized it was a section because of how short it was. Next was the Machine shop which was again ok but definitely not as scary as before. The place was much brighter so seeing performers was much easier to spot and many didnt try to scare me because of this. After this section was the beer garden and graph which especially due to the rain were forgettable. The next and last scary section was the crypt which reused the bus and hanging body room from previous years and again was ok but not as good as before. The rest of the event required paying for overpriced food which you can get pretty much any were else in Philly. The entertainment was ok but not really what anyone wanted to come or stay for.Overall save your money if you want to be scared or even have lots of fun. Maybe you could enjoy the festival if you plan on putting down another $50 which Im pretty sure could be found anywhere else in the city. I urge the penitentiary to rethink Halloween nights. Your customer base are people who want to be scared not go get overpriced drinks and snacks. Terror behind the walls was great so dont try to fix something that wasnt ever broken in the first place.
Me and my boyfriend have been coming here since we started dating for terror behind the walls… this year it is TERRIBLE. Instead of one long scary attractions like it used to be it’s very small sections that are actually supposed to be “scary” and with beer gardens and dancing shows… it’s definitely not like it used to be and isn’t scary at all anymore. If it continues to be like this we will not continue to go yearly.
I was extremely disappointed! ESP used to be the best part of Halloween season and now what has become of such a legendary haunted attraction is a tragic disappointment. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!!!The entire experience was nothing like it used to be! Firstly, there was no fear factor this year nothing was scary except the crypt and machine shop they were the best part of the night. Second, out of 15 attractions 4-5 were bars/s’mores, a few were “only VIP”, one cost extra even if you’re VIP, and some were mediocre entertainment. They give a map but everyone just wanders around going into random attractions it was very unorganized. There were so many beer gardens, like we are in the middle of the city surrounded by plenty of amazing bars there’s even one right across the street! I didn’t come to a haunted house to have bad s’mores and beer. I loved the dancers before in camo but this year was reflective shiny skeleton costumes not scary at all! Before there was scary creepy music which made the experience feel scary but now they play pop music I hear everywhere, Halsey isn’t the music I want to hear in a haunted house. They took away every part of what made ESP such a great haunted attraction. With all of its HISTORY it’s the ONE place that should not have changed for the worse. I am so upset I wasted my time and money going to this awful remake. I feel like an ICONIC part of Philadelphia was destroyed. They ruined the entire atmosphere and ruined the memory of this great landmark and tradition of Philly. Sad very sad!
This was a very fun experience. I would definitely recommend sticking around and visiting Al Capones cell while enjoying some cocktails.
Such a scam. Do not waste your money or your time. I paid $44 and a parking fee. They do not honor your ticket time. The wait in line is 2 hours+. Stay far far away from here. The staff is unaccommodating and not understanding at all. The worst experience I have had in years.
Zero Stars!!! Please never come here I was hoping to actually be terrified, and this place could not scare a newborn. I got ripoff disney vibes from the start and the scariest thing was the lines, porta potties, and prices for the extra stuff. They label things as scary, but nothing about that place was scary .There was about 5 workers scaring people and providing no scares. It was a hot gross walk through and would not reccomend to anyone unless u are trying to scare your tiny child. Please do not waste any money, the good reviews are from years ago. Totally underwelmed!!
This is not the same place I grew up waiting for every year. It was way shorter than all other years not to for get the bars and snack places they added for the extra bit of take all your money there was like two haunted areas this time and like four places to have an over priced drink. Definitely not kid friendly this year. Not trying to call them a sell out but someone should
Went here with a friend and was extremely disappointing. We came here 2 years ago for terror behind the walls and it was a tone of fun,but this new Halloween nights thing is awful. Everything is overpriced and there are only two scary attractions, it seems more like a hangout spot with bars and campfires. The way they used to do it was so much better, the whole thing felt unorganised. If you want a good haunted house in PA I would recommend Bates Motel and Penhurst. The whole thing was terrible and confusing, would not recommend to anybody looking for a fun haunted house experience. Because there is nothing haunted or scary about this. Go somewhere else and save your money
This place and show is one of the best haunted house events Ive ever been to. The actors are really really good at what they do, but I seriously suggest going for the extra experience they offer 😈😈😈
The haunted houses were not as scary as prior years but overall it was still fun. The actors did a great job and all the staff was friendly.
This was absolutely terrible. i’ve never been to terror behind the walls, but my family tells me it’s incredible and truly scary with real actors!! this “halloween nights” was a huge waste of money. only 2 “scary” halloween attractions that i expected to be what terror behind the walls was described as. the 2 “scary” attractions didn’t even make me flinch. not scary and not professional! the haunted house run by 8th grades in my town is scarier than this! the rest of the “halloween nights”’is walking around hallways with neon lights and occasionally running into a random bar. it was boring, not thrilling in the slightest, and a waste of money. drove 2 hours for nothing! don’t come here and waste your time.
I used to go to Terror Behind the Walls every year with friends before I moved out of state. Some of the attractions stay the same from year to year, but they always introduce a new theme or attraction every year to keep it fresh. Its honestly so much fun. Ive gone in rain and shine, with big groups and small, busy times and quiet times, it doesnt matter. Its always fun. Actually I think my favorite year was when it rained. A lot of the attraction is outdoors, so you will get soaked if its raining, but it definitely adds to the atmosphere. You can tell the actors really have fun with it too. I miss coming here.They have the option to opt for a scarier experience. They give you a glow stick to wear which tells the actors that theyre allowed to touch to you. Theyll take you to interact with some of the props, separate you from your group and send you down different pathways. Youll /usually/ meet up with your group again before too long, but it doesnt always work out that way. Its a bit lame when it doesnt. Ive never done it, too scared, but its fun even if you have a friend that does it. If you find its too much for you partway through the attraction, you can just take it off and leave it behind. For the kids they have a cue they can use if they get too scared. They can just say it and the actors will back off and move on to scare someone else, usually pretending the cue has some profound effect on them so the kid gets a kick out of it. It really caters to all types of people even within the same run of the prison.Ive been to the day tour too. Its not really my cup of tea. My boyfriend would like it. I want to bring him some time. To Terror Behind the Walls too! He scares really easy. Itd be a hoot.
Super interesting, were there for about an hour and a half and didnt get to see everything. Definitely want to go back!
The experience I had was a night where all the lights were out in the penitentiary and we had a glow stick and I opted to be taken as they say I actually had the best time in a long time and I was just with my cousin the one thing that I recommend regardless of the weather is dont wear too many layers dont want to carry anything really if you opt in to be taken and your group gets a light dont be the light holder cuz they will not take you if you are leading The pack its definitely well worth it I would go back but I definitely would get a jump pass the VIP to jump the line that is well worth it that line is ridiculous planning on going back for the tour in the afternoon with the kids not recommended for children at all at night awesome experience thank you to all that played apart in my experience very good kind fun staff cant wait to go back if youre going good luck its very creepy
It pains me to do this but they just shouldnt have opened this year. Theres literally two, 5 min scary attractions the other stuff they have there are just bars, marshmallow roasting and some weird thing where skeleton people dance. Every other year I gave 5 stars but this year was such a disappointment.
THIS IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE . Read all current reviews before coming I wish I did. It was the biggest scam and waste of money . It was not scary whatsoever , lots of bars and places to eat and a bunch of nonsense walking around with cheesy costumes and disappointment . This was my favorite Halloween attraction for 5 years and it’s not one bit the same . GO ELSEWHERE
Eh. Not hugely scary great effort and I enjoyed your production. Beautiful building. shuttle was great. Do yall have a waiver night?
Not worth the money for express pass at all so disappointed because in the pass it was so much more exciting..... vip pass only gets you in threw the front gate nothing else you must wait on lines for everything else with everyone... there are on two scary attractions the machine and the crypt both are good but that it nothing else the blood lounge ran out of its Signature drink and only had dry and sweet wine and vodka.. how you run out of your signature drink before the night is over is nuts....I paid an extra $30 to do and wait on the same lines as everyone else....
The building itself was quite eerie feeling coupled with the tour information made this a fascinating and scary tour at the same time. Now I know what prison must have been like. Thank GOD I will never know more than that!
Huge place. I got a good workout. I just did the audio tour and there was so much to listen to. I enjoyed my visit here. Very Interesting.
Difficulty interpreting directions as to where to park...not just us but many people we spoke to. They should have a clear here is the address to put into your gps in with the electronic tickets. The purchase of the pictures the site staff take of each admittee leaves a lot to be desired...
Terrible! Do not go there. Do not waist your time and money. We came from NY and this is a big mistake to choose this hunted house. They are very rude and attractions are not scary at all. Few actors who doesn’t understand what are they doing there.
Based on the reviews I was seeing, I was skeptical going in to Halloween nights, but honestly, I do not get the hate for this years event! Ok, so its not the same as Terror Behind the Walls, but theyve kept a lot of what Terror offered and then added some new features. The attractions LOCKDOWN, MACHINE SHOP and QUARANTINE 4-D are all still there, as is SPEAKEASY. There is now a stronger emphasis on the Penitentiary itself—you know, the actual historical site?! So you get to explore some of the ruins and learn about the history of the place. Plus there are places to do other fun Halloween/fall activities like eat Smores, watch dancing monsters or just have a drink with friends (the new Bloodline Lounge was a particular standout!). It is less rushed than the Terror experience was; you can take this event at your own pace and spend a couple hours exploring. Lots of fun, and a great way to celebrate the season!
Rushed people through so youd catch up to the group infront of you,no time for actors to reset, nothing scary about it. Very disappointed. Felt like a money grab. Waste of a 3.5 hour drive.
Unbelievable! What was the management thinking? Terror behind the walls was awesome and they replaced it with some goofy, expensive walk thru tour. Dont get me wrong bc the prison itself is very cool. Im sure some dopey group complained about it and they replaced it with this. They said they were affected by covid. Sorry but using Covid is an excuse and that is not cool. How come Pennhurst & Field of Screams (which is awesome) werent so dramatically affected by covid? I predict terror behind the walls will be back bc this will Halloween nights NOT be financially lucrative. For the love of Halloween, BRING BACK TERROR BEHIND THE WALLS!
Fun times and scary. Only 3 major scary attractions but they’re worth it. Lots of food and drinks available, too. Had a great time
Part of Philadelphia 💝. Amazing staff all over the facility. Definitely a must explore and experience.
This is not at all what it used to be. They ruined a great thing. Not scary at all. Over priced for what you get. To enjoy the “15 attractions” inside, you have to pay an extra $40 at least..
Very disappointed :( Heard a lot of good things about this place and had high hopes. There were only 2 hallways that were actually “scary” but there was not a lot of actors or seperation of groups. Mostly consisted of little drinking and food sections. Not worth the amount of $$ I spent.
Its a great haunted house, with great actors, but the fact that they push along the visitors like sardines ruins everything. This could have been the scariest haunted house in phili, but when theres some random group in front of you laughing or on their phones, while the group behind you is pushing you to go forward, it just ruins the vibe. Please limit the capacity
This was amazing! I loved how you were kinda free to explore on your own.
One of the best! If you do go definitely opt for the interactive experience. Will be coming back next year.
The penitentiary where Capone stayed. This tour was fascinating and spooky. Worth the visit if you have the time.
Horribly boring. had only two haunted houses and was mainly just a beer garden. we decided to go here for my birthday this year and it was a major disappointment. hope they bring back terror behind the walls and get rid of this horrible halloween nights stuff
Seriously disappointed, weve been coming here year after year and this year was very underwhelming. Less actors nowhere near as many scares. Added boring cash grabs beer, garden, additional attractions for more $$, etc. Bring back terror behind the walls.
Very fun, spooky but not too scary experience. I liked the variety of exhibits/events and the sort of eerie, somber atmosphere in some of them.
Definitely disappointing if you are going for the horror. Comparable to a single haunted house at Dorney park or six flags. And then a bunch of places to buy overpriced beer spread throughout.
Literally paid 100 dollars to see 1/8 of the building and tour, how can you charge full price when you have blocked off most of the tour? If you plan on charging higher rates open more up to be viewed if not lower the prices and make them accordingly to view a deteriorating building, Philadelphia has over 100 over buildings in similar conditions that can be viewed for free, to pay almost 40 a person I expect to be somewhat wowed, the coolest part was seeing the mummified squirrel, will possibly be disputing charge with credit card company.
Spent over $120 on tickets for ONLY two scary attractions. The rest was not considered an attraction. Understandable with covid, but they cut out the fun.. waste of money
Such a great connection to the past events of this facility.( It is cold in the winter. Take it into account)
Was awesome! Effects and actors. Scared the hell out of my friends
Awesome experience with kids. Staff and actors are lots of fun. The props and set up are extremely detailed!
Night tour! Spooky! Very popular! Definitely worth it! Its a mix of facility tour, night and possibilities that makes it fun!
Terrible! Sooooo disappointing!! There’s absolutely NOTHING scary or even Halloweenie about this “Halloween nights”!!! I’m standing in the empty beer garden writing this while listening to under the boardwalk!! The actors are dressed in 50s clothing or colorful candy pieces it’s Pathetic! We’ve come on opening night since 2015 and we’ll NEVER be back!! Save your $$$$$
In 2019 they did a great job with the Haunted House. In 2021 they did not put much effort into the haunted house it was not scary at all it was just a disappointment. They did not live up to there reputation this year.
My family and I go to this every year and we were very disappointed this year. It’s always been Terror behind the walls but they changed the entire layout this year and renamed it “Halloween Nights.” It’s a completely different experience from past years and not in a good way! You are free to walk about the grounds and there are a lot of stops along the way to drink and eat. I didn’t go there to get drunk or eat. I did that beforehand like a normal person. I went there to be scared and for the entertainment aspect which was completely lacking in every aspect. It felt more like a “hang out” spot versus a Halloween attraction. The few themed attractions that we were actually able to access with our non-VIP tickets were unbelievably short and not scary at all. There were very little jump scares, too short of a walk through each attraction and each one was in desperate need of more actors. I have plenty of Halloween decorations at home that I can walk around and stare at, I didn’t need to drive into Philadelphia, take a shuttle and wait in a long line in the rain to experience that!!! I found myself saying “that’s it?” after each one along with all of my family members. Also, it’s extremely disappointing to not be able to experience what others were experiencing in regards to the VIP only attractions. We would have gladly paid the extra money but the VIP tickets were sold out. I had assumed VIP tickets were to get ahead of others on the line outside of the building which has always been the case in the past. If I had known that we would not be able to access some of the events I would have not purchased the tickets and driven over an hour to get there! Who’s the genius who decided it would be a good idea to incentivize paying more for a ticket to get into VIP events but then not be able to offer those tickets to everyone?! I did, however, enjoy the fried Oreos….That was about the only thing on point.
I wish there were more scary attractions, there are only around 3 scary ones out of the 6-7 total attractions. However, it was still a fun first time experience.
This visit was worth the money. The line moved fast enough with the crowd. The attractions were fun and exciting. Be aware there are Porto potties here so thats never a preference for anyone. The staff seem to be really into putting on a performance. I have to say compared to all of the horror attractions Ive been to this was the most immersive and enjoyable.
The show this year was phenomenal!!! Even though i had a few issues with tickets in the beginning, they were extremely helpful about the situation. Its a great place not only for families to go to, but adults as well. The interactive experience and the speakeasy at the end topped everything off!! I will most definitely be back!!
Place wasn’t really scary at all & I get scared easily, lots of actors broke character multiple times. Definitely a fun place to pass time but not for the price.
If I could Id choose no stars! This place sucks now it is NOT the same. I would not recommend coming its a waste of money and time. Its not scary anymore. Highly highly disappointed they need to keep it the way it was there was nothing wrong with it
The most scary haunted house I ever been too very fun. Get the glow stick options so the actors can take you into this room. Lol
I loved it. I have been wanting to go there for years.
This is a very very old and a history museum, kind of scary inside.
Very fun!!!!! It wasnt over the top. Great set up. Lots to do. Will be back next year.
Such a GREAT night!! Lots of fun and surprises! Make sure you opt in!! That lets the actors grab you and raises the level of intensity!!
Good, but not as scary as the Haunted Prison in Lorton, VA. They were very flexible w/ upgrading our tix
Solidly ok. Its not going to be the highlight of your trip to Philly, but its not bad. Highly educational, but at times approaching pedantic. Part of that might be covid and the lack of human guided tours (the audio tour is good, but some things deserve a good human tour guide). It must be an awesome place during night tours at Halloween!
It was nice long tour but wasn’t that scary because of so much people being there. So my advice try to go there when there is less people.
Extremely rude employees, completely ruined the night. Especially the gentleman at the entrance of the graveyard (on 10/30 8:30-9 pm) telling people theyre killing everyone as he provided masks to those who didnt have them.
We went last year and we had the MOST FUN! This was so well done! I loved the fact that they asked the patrons to participate. That is a plus! The actors and props were awesome! Halloween is my favorite so I look to visit a haunted house every year. This year will be hard to find a place to top this one off. So far, this has been the best of my experiences yet!
Very poorly run. Bought tickets ahead of time for 10PM on Saturday, told to arrive by 9:30PM. We show up and are essentially told that we would not be getting in until close to 11:30 (at 10PM they were just letting in the 8:30PM ticket holders). How can you get in anywhere close to the time you actually paid for? By forking over another $15 per person to get a Quick Pass! Since it was pouring rain and they did everything they could to ensure you stayed in the area that you would get soaked (No standing on the Garden Terrace, where the walls of the penitentiary provide shelter!), they successfully gouged everyone in our group.Get a refund instead of paying ~$90 a couple, you say? Despite their inability to actually follow their own schedule, they are 100% insistent that you absolutely cannot be reimbursed for their incompetence!In terms of the attraction itself, this was my first terror/haunted experience, and my opinion was that it is made to be kid-friendly. I cant say that I ever had a moment that I was frightened (I opted for the touching+separation option to maximize it), and pretty much everyone in our group of 7 (most of whom are easily scared) agreed that they felt there needed to be something more to inspire terror.Would not do this again or recommend to others.
There was absolutely nothing scary about this attraction. Take your children and grandchildren for mild fun, just for them.
Love this event! They always put a lot of effort into this.
Very fun! Wasnt scared, but I found it enjoyable regardless. The actors were having a blast and the sets were pretty good. I chose to wear the glow stick and I wouldnt do it any other way. It allows for a more immersive experience. Will definitely go back sometime.
Trash! Not scary. I tried to pretend like one of the female actors scared me and she got and tried to have me removed. 2hr ride and a waste of money.
This is scariest haunted attraction I’ve ever been to! I went last year too. Their special effects are so realistic and well made. All of the employees stay in character really well. Some of them a little too well, which really freaked me out! It took over an hour inside the actual prison, there are so many different parts they put together! The lines only took like 2 minutes, 5 max. I definitely recommend this over anything else around!
Not what it was a couple years ago.... line is insanely long and they got cheap and are starting to go with way more machines rather than actors. At the end of the night the only terror behind the walls was the terror it left on my wallet with those kind of prices for such little scares....EDIT: Came back today to give it one more shot and honestly it got worse. Went through everything in 30 minutes and certain trails were VIP only which is a joke. Run away from this place it is absolute garbage.
We came the Penitentiary for the history not the Terror Behind.... Enjoyed the guided headphone tour! Highly recommend as a must see
Was an amazing time, the actors and staff worked very hard to make the experience immersive. Professional staff and good time getting scared! Family friendly haunt with options for those wanting more! The dancers are worth the trip alone.
Really great experience. The line was long but it moved quickly. The employees did a good job of remaining in character and being pretty vocal and scary throughout the night. The exhibits used new technology mixed with old classic scares to give a great halloween experience. I drove all the way from Virginia to attend the penitentiary and I am not disappointed.
I normally dont care for events like this, but THIS was very well done. Whether you get the general or VIP pass, youll have a good time.
Its fun place to visit as Museum and also special events good for family, friends, and to take a date too. If like history.
Wow, my friends and I walked out of here clapping and saying BRAVO. Then right when we thought it was over, these super talented zombie actors broke out into a flash mob dance routine that was INCREDIBLE. Ive never been to terror behind the walls but was thoroughly impressed. Everything was awesome from the decoration, costumes, and actors. The line was long but extremely organized and went by quickly. If you dont want to wait forever, go on a Sunday or during the week. Itll be less expensive that way, too. 10 out of 10 would recommend.
Went here with my boyfriend in October. Totally worth it! Make sure you get there early. The wait wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be. Once youre inside the prison, things move fast. We opted to have the extra interaction experience and while we werent separated from each other, there was an instance when we got separated from our group. It was fun! I dont get scared from these type of things, I merely go for the entertainment. However, there were a lot of other people who did get scared. I think having this sort of event in a haunted prison adds more to the creepy factor which is completely appropriate for Halloween and any paranormal fan. I will probably come back this year!
Everyone looked and acted outstanding in their characters!!The quick pass option is the way to go.There is an interactive option to participate in while moving through the houses - it is moderate and appropriate.If you happen to get separated from your party in any of the attractions - the crew does a PERFECT job returning you to your party, in one piece 😜Their timing and methods were incredible.Thank you so much for the safe and fun play!!👻🤡👹💀💉
The day time tour was a good experience. Terror behind the walls I loved it. Very well set up and put to together fast. The makeup on the actors was really well done as well. And bonus shout out to the guy zombie in scrubs for that slide he did. Also extra an other shout out again to the guy that danced with my. Group. Going next year for sure..
It wasnt bad! It was pretty entertaining. In my opinion, I think they could have amped it up a tiny bit more, but maybe they were erring on the side of caution. If you wear the red necklaces then you will get special attention. But even then it was not so bad. No one was ever rough with you. The actors were careful, but still would take you and pull you into places and make you do things lol everyone should try it at least once.
Absolutely a blast. The best haunted attraction I ever been to. Spokes around every corner. Amazing sets and sound throughout. Plus the Al Capones cell and bar was a great vibe. Will be back!!!
Had a great time! I would recommend to everyone and all ages. You can say Monsters be good if you are scared and they will be instantly good. We bought our tickets online the fast line option was well worth it. We also paid online for parking at the zoo. The parking garage is right there off of the zoo exit off the turnpike and there is a bus waiting for you when you arrive. Well organized, great staff, loved it!
It was my birthday weekend, so I decided to spend it here. It was so fun!I recommend doing the tour first so that you know the history and get a sense of what the actual prisoners endured.For the Terror Behind the Walls, it was soooo great! Opt in for the necklace (interactive experience), it is worth it.The actors were engaging and there were a lot of scares.Also, check out Al Capones Speakeasy Bar. It is fun. We played Blackjack, Checkers, and heard the actors singing songs and putting on a show. You can also sit in a cell that they turned into a cozy lounge.So worth it! Check it out!
Missed TBTW. This experience is alright, still better than generic haunted houses. Its better when staff spaces people on the entrance to scary trails.
We had 9:00 tickets. This review was written at 9:40. We are still standing around the corner from the entrance because the 8:30 people haven’t entered yet. They completely over sold each time slot apparently. At this nonrefundable cost do you leave? I won’t even it review if I decide to stay.
It was a good time, a little tamer than expected. I would only suggest getting the glow rings(allows for you to be touched by preformers) if your willing to have fun and be part of the show. Line pacing was good, never felt like we were being being herded like cattle. The scares in some of the rooms were really well done. I definitely want to take the daytime tour of the penitentiary.
The attractions were creative, the employees obviously loved their jobs (they thoroughly enjoy their characterizations and are as creative as the decorations).Fun, interesting, and organized throughout each attraction. LOVED IT! I will definitely make it a Halloween tradition. Worth every penny. The food stand at the end of the attraction serves coffee, hot chocolate, funnel cakes, soft pretzels, lemonade, etc. All fresh.It is a NOT TO MISS event.
This could be one of the best haunted houses in the country. However this place was way too crowded. You loss the fear when you are surrounded by tons of people. This would be amazing if they just spread the people out more. Everyone is literally on top of each other. Thank God I had the fast pass. Couldnt imagine waiting in the long line outside. Overall, very well done by everyone involved. Just a shame that its so crowded.
To be honest this place is really hyped up. the props were mediocre and for what you’re spending...... not impressed. They need more actresses and actors and they need more scare factor. It was too predictable. You have such a wonderful and historic building to use and they really did not go above and beyond for all that they are earning. Very disappointed... not impressed don’t waste your money unless you have kids they will be scared .
Not like it used to be. It was more like a campfire for kids. And they cant touch you anymore! Definitely wasnt worth the money. It used to be way better.
Such a cool place!! The scar actors are really into it, they clearly love doing it or they wouldnt be there putting their all into it! I had a blast! Also i really love that you can chose whether you want a hands on or hands off experience!
Absolutely amazing. Amazing scares, amazing costumes, amazing makeup and amazing staff! I was actually hurt waiting in line, I went up to the info desk and a nice women took me right to a first aid station where they took care of my knees that got torn up (I tripped and fell). The ONLY thing that made me not give it that 5 stars is that when you’re going through the attractions, there’s not much of a break between you and the group (although that could totally just be the people who get too scared to keep walking lol) ahead so it kinda took away from the experience but it was still completely worth it!! I would recommend to anyone who loves these haunted attractions like I do!
Drove from north Jersey to get here, and Id say it was worth it! The entire event was so well planned! Parking is tough to find, so keep that in mind. From the second youre in line to even the zombie guard dance show after the scare event is over, its entirely immersive. If you go on Thursdays you get a free daily tour ticket if you buy online. If you come early for the day time. You should try to reserve tickets for the walking tour(its included for free, just limited in space). I know everyone on here has taken those iconic perspective shots down the prison corridors, but it doesnt do it justice to the real thing. Awesome exhibit on how messed up our prison system with mass incarceration fever is. Hope you enjoy!
One of the best experience I had with my girls
4.5 - I had been wanting to go here for ten years and finally went last night. Some logistics first - I bought a parking pass online and parked right at the Zoo parking garage, which was very easy (note - NO BATHROOMS at the parking garage, so you either have to wait till you get to the prison (porta potties) or go at the gas station up the street - plan ahead for this and leave time or youll miss the bus haha). There were clear directions when we got there, and we were given fair warning that there was a wait, though it was only about 25 minutes (on a weeknight, weekends might be very different). Actors move through the line and scare you, and its very fun - neat sneak peek of whats to come. Once you get inside, theres a fair amount of shuffling through lines to get the waiver signed, take pictures, opt in for the immersive experience, etc., but its all very organized, and they try to keep the group sizes entering the prison small, which makes it a much more in your face experience rather than along moving with the herd.When we started, I was there with my friend - I opted in, he did not, so I was separated from him quite a bit. It was generally easy to find him again until the end when he got out a full ten minutes before I did - I am not sure if there is a way to make sure people get back to their groups (might just be your group members waiting for you), but I would have enjoyed finishing it out with him. Opting in was MORE than worth it (and you get cool blood on your face haha which I kept on throughout the night so it looked like I got into some sort of fight XD) - though claustrophobic people BEWARE - you are forced into small places a LOT - fortunately, this scares me, so I really felt like I was in a scary situation :DI dont want to give away specific details of the scares, but there are plenty of jump moments and really neat special effects - makeup and acting is exceptional. I LOVED it, especially the infirmary and the breakout part. I will say, its extremely disorienting (which does add to the appeal), and if youre not a fan of vigorously flashing lights, fog machines, or sensory stuff that can give you vertigo, I might skip it. One section in particular was visually AWESOME, but very similar to a simulation or 3D movie, which personally made me dizzy (still enjoyable, just needed a moment to recover when I got out haha).I have to give props to the actors as they do watch out for you, and a few of them acted quickly and professionally to help guide out a patron clearly suffering a very real panic attack without taking away from the experience for the other patrons.Overall, I had an awesome time, and it was absolutely everything I imagined it would be. The price was more than fair for what we got, and the yard at the end (though not fully taken advantage of by me and my friend cause we had a long drive ahead) looks like a nice place to spend some time and decompress before heading home.
It was both fascinating from the historical perspective as well as a lot of fun! I was definitely scared and the actors/actresses did a great job. It was fantastic and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to have good Halloween fun.
I actually love this place... I’ve been coming here for several years and it’s just such great quality and value for the price. Actors are great, staff is always nice. The only negative thing is definitely the amount of people. I did feel too close to people quite often, which sucks because then you know what’s coming up since the guy in front of you is so close. It definitely wasn’t like this a few years ago so its gotten progressively more crowded, but they haven’t done anything about it yet. Also - they change things every year which is great too!
Ive built and worked at a few haunted houses. The detail was as great as the cast, its obvious they put a lot of work into everything. Imaginative, scary, and a lot of attention to detail. The swat dancers were on point, especially the redheaded girl. Would recommend to anyone.
Total reviews rating 4.4
199 Reviews for Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary 2023:
Review №1
2021-10-14As a first time visitor to ESP, I was totally thrilled by Halloween Nights!! The event had everything: theatrical haunted houses, historical information, food & drinks, shopping, and live entertainment. The VIP pass was worth it, especially for the interactive experience at the Speakeasy at Al Capone’s Cell.All of the actors and staff were helpful, humorous, kind, and scary! If you have the opportunity to take the CB3 tour, it’s worth the extra $10! The guides provide some insightful facts and point out one-of-a-kind artifacts.My main recommendation: get an early ticket! My partner and I went late, and we ended up getting playfully “chased out” of the place as they wrapped up for the evening.
Review №2
2021-10-29Halloween nights at Eastern State Penitentiary was so awesome. Our Family really loved it, even my little 7 year old. If she got a little scared all the monsters said to her to say be good monster and they did not scare her. She really had a great time. There is all different themes they do which i loved. I highly recommend and i would love to go on their daytime tour as well. It was a little expensive but a really great experience!
Review №3
2021-10-17This was such a fun night out! We purchased the VIP tickets a must. You skip the line, and got to go in this bloodline lounge for free drinks, and more drinks at Al Capones jail cell. All the haunted experience were cool, the 3D haunted house was super unique, there was even a place where the fog was done so well it looked like you were walking through water. I cannot wait for them to be able to grab people again, but still had a blast. Even out bus driver was super funny and she started the experience off right. Go have a blast and get in the Halloween spirit!
Review №4
2021-10-09Had an amazing time!!! Actors/actresses were very authentic and played their roles well. I enjoyed the guided tour of the cells and the kaleidoscope immersive experience as well! Also I enjoyed “Bunny” at the machine zone...a few young girls were having some trouble and needed assistance and she went from scary to helpful and was able to take care of them! So that was also nice to see. I think I may go a second time this season!!
Review №5
2021-10-27Probably the most fun I have ever had in any haunted house experience. The VIP does grant you to two exclusive areas right before the exit and one drink at each exclusive area. Its hard to say definitely whether its worth it or not.
Review №6
2021-12-23The staff was great! Lots of haunted house scenes as well as lots of historical information and artifacts posted throughout the exhibits. My daughter and I are both history buffs as well as haunted house enthusiasts and we will definitely be back next year!
Review №7
2021-11-13I had such a great time... i wish I would have upgraded to the VIP tickets to see AL Capones cell but even so the entire thing was amazing.... I highly recommend going...
Review №8
2021-10-19I was soooooo excited to go to this haunted attraction. We arrived at our alloted time. They sent groups through pretty close to each other so you saw was to expect.Its wasnt scary but I did enjoy seeing the old remains of the penitentiary.
Review №9
2021-10-11Everything about the event was put together perfectly! The one downfall was the bathroom facilities or rather the lack of bathroom facilities. Dirty ,dark porta potties are not my thing.
Review №10
2021-10-25Overated, expensive for no reason, and since when did they start demanding even more money to see Capones cell!? Ive gone on n off for years and this year I was so disappointed. Total rip-off. Literally go at your own risk of disappointment