Ed note: For those that have followed HauntFreaks, you'll note that it is the trials that this attraction has faced in opening that encouraged us to cover it's first night. In an effort to give this attraction its due respect, we will save our commentary on those issues for a separate article.

We arrived at Pennhurst Asylum after dark, Friday September 24th. It was the opening day for the brand new haunted attraction but with Bates Motel's Randy Bates' years of expertise behind the scenes, it already appeared to be a smooth running operation.

Parking was not an issue with it being so early in the season but beginning October 1st the attraction will have busses shuttling patrons. To reach the ticket area, we had to walk thru a dark wooded area that was well marked with arrows. This little bit of unsettling eeriness is yours for free!

The ticket area is located in the back of the building housing the haunted attraction. While the history ofthe asylum is a sad commentary on human nature, the grounds and architecture for the time must have been magnificent. Today the unused buildings still stand, slowly but surely being reclaimed by the earth beneath them.

A sign located near the booth reminds you that Pennhurst is a high action haunted attractions and the actors may touch you. Of course…we love this. We picked up our tickets and headed around the large building. The first thing we noticed was the staggering of groups going into the building. No cattle chutes here. Thinking back to our trips to Bates Motel, I was not surprised as these haunters don't simply go for the startle, they prefer to tell a story in their haunt as well.

Our group of 5 entered the attraction with 5 other young men, three of whom expressed a great deal of concern before the doors even opened and who continued to grill the security person working the door about what exactly was meant by "the actors may touch you." We entered and were welcomed by one of Pennhurst's "nurses," though we were unable to catch her greeting over the music and the nervous chatter of our fellow travelers.

The next few rooms were not part of the "haunt" but had been developed into a small museum documenting the history of the building.

From there we entered the hallway to the first room of the haunt. The first thing that struck me was the immenseness, the high arches and ceilings. This was definitely a perk of utilizing the existing architecture of the building and while the openness is in direct opposition to the "closed in" feeling one gets when walking through a constructed plywood maze, it works. We felt small in this grand space.

To go into detail here about each room would be to rob you of the experience. What I can say is that we passed through some well done rooms occupied by enthusiastic actors. From what we understand, when the buildings were opened, they were full of equipment that was left behind. Almost as if the last inhabitants just locked the door behind them and left it all to rot. The use of these authentic items as props added to the ambience of the scenes.

I had the opportunity to catch up with the owner Richard Chakejian after our walk through. I looked forward to meeting with him as it was the persecution of this endeavor that drew HauntFreaks to the event. The asylum had been shut down in 1987 and the property sat vacant for years. When it went up for sale, Richard spent 10 years raising the money to purchase the property with commercial real estate endeavors in mind. What he soon discovered, was the intense interest the public had in the buildings. Believed to be haunted, the spot was a prime target for urban exploration by "ghost hunters" and teenagers alike. On a drive home discussing his frustration at not being able to keep the public out, even with hiring a private security company, it was his son that suggested "If you can't keep them out, charge them to come in." And it was here that the seed was planted.

We wish Pennhurst a successful opening season and look forward to great things from them for years to come.