Scarywood Haunted Nights: The stuff of nightmares

Ernie Olson’s job is frightening. The North Idaho man jumps out of the bushes with a roaring chainsaw and chases groups of teenagers and adults screaming into the night.

Olson plays a chainsaw-wielding maniac called Leatherface when Silverwood Theme Park is transformed into Scarywood, a mecca of monsters and other evil creatures haunting the region’s most popular theme park for 14 evenings.

“It’s a blast,” said Olson. “This will be my seventh season at Scarywood. From Day 1, I’ve been hooked. You get to scare people and get paid for it. It’s a lot of fun.”

Olson is one of Scarywood’s more popular performers.  

“I’ve had a dad tell me I was the greatest for chasing off his kids,” said Olson. “Others like to try and taunt me - that is, until I rev up the chainsaw. That usually gets them going.”

It should. Olson is a big man with a flaming red beard and a bone-chilling stare. Causing people to run for their lives in the spirit of good scary fun is part of the appeal of Scarywood, which has become a popular social event.

“It’s entertainment,” said Chris Russell, one of Scarywood’s masterminds. “We’re always looking to push the envelope. People like to be scared. It’s our job to figure out what scares them.”

Olson is one of 120 performers who will delight, thrill and scare the living daylights out of people starting Friday, Sept. 30. Scarywood runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays in October.

Making people scream and lose their minds, albeit temporarily, is an art.

“You divert them from the front and scare at the side,” said Russell, a special effects designer, effects art director, and scenic artist.  “You wait for people to get distracted, you make eye contact, or you come up from behind. You have to look for things that disturb people, things that create panic.”

Scarywood has seven scare zones, featuring Clown Town and the Doll House, and five haunted attractions, including Total Darkness and Blood Bayou. Most of the popular theme park rides are also operating — except the kiddie rides and the upside down rollercoaster Aftershock. One of their most popular roller coasters, Timber Terror, runs backwards as a fun twist.

“It’s impossible to see it all in one night,” said Chris Lempesis, Scarywood’s Facilities Manager. “There is so much detail and effort to make this an incredible experience.”

So what’s new? Russell boasts that the Caved-In attraction, a house full of monsters, has been upgraded and is more realistic than last year’s version. Some of the art in 3D Dementia, a haunted house, is actually monsters who jump out of the walls.

“Every year we’re trying to out-do better than before,” said Russell. “It’s studying pop culture and always looking for new things to frighten people. We also go around the country visiting other haunts to learn what’s hot right now.”

And right now — zombies are big. The Zombiewood Express, an extremely popular train ride around the park, is back. The undead will be roaming the park waiting to chomp on unsuspecting guests.

“If you want to ride the train, get there early,” said Lempesis. “The zombie train gets more popular every year. TV shows like The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead are fueling the zombie craze.”

Getting the park ready for Scarywood takes months of preparation and hard work. The final touches on sets are being applied and everyone is preparing for a frantic 14 evenings to come. It takes up to three hours to apply makeup on certain monsters.

Every year performers are enrolled in “scare school,” where they’re taught how to frighten people without making physical contact.

“It’s an art,” said Russell. “A lot of our haunters have been with us a long time. They have a bulk of knowledge, and the goal is to keep getting better —  and scarier.”

To check the schedule and buy tickets visit www.scarywoodhaunt.com/

What is Scarywood?

The region’s most popular theme park is transformed into a dark and twisted place of nightmares, full of horrifying spaces and roaming monsters. Experience seven pulse-pounding scare zones and five haunted attractions. Enjoy many of Silverwood's signature rides in the dark.

Who should come?

Scarywood is for adults and teenagers (no one under 13 is recommended). Dress appropriately for the weather. Sorry, no costumes or masks allowed.

Ticket prices

Thursdays — $26

Fridays — $33

Saturdays — $40

When to go

Scarywood opens Friday, Sept. 30.

The haunted theme park is open 14 days in September and October. Scarywood will not be open on Halloween.

Times

Thursdays — 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays — 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Order tickets online at at http://www.scarywoodhaunt.com/

Scarywood by the numbers

• An estimated 70,000 people visit Scarywood every year.
• 120 haunters (monsters, zombies, etc.) roam the park, thrilling visitors.
• 90 minutes — the average time performers spend having makeup applied and getting into character.
• There are about 60 fog machines and Scarywood goes through between 1,000 and 1,400 gallons of fog fluid.
• 40,000 rounds of fake ammunition are fired during Scarywood performances. Hundreds of gallons of fake blood are used.