Hauntington Beach Manor’s Followers of Pythia

What can be scarier than the inside of your mind? Than the weight of having to step forward to seize your future? Than the inner demons that hide in the sulci of the mind? Well, Hauntington Beach Manor asked that question too and has created Followers of Pythia a haunted maze that traps you and forces you to look inside the darkness and accept a future foretold to you.

Hauntington Beach Manor presents Followers of Pythia, a 10- to 15-minute haunted house experience in the same open lot as Dark Harvest in Garden Grove, CA. This is a magnificent haunt that is actually scary—placing guests in a maze that is not a maze: a series of twists and turns through the dark that make the space feel five times the size. Creatures and demons lead you back and forth through side rooms and hidden alcoves leading to dead ends and switchbacks—until the path forward finally is revealed. But that’s not all, Followers of Pythia utilizes air cannons, complete darkness, blinding strobes, and fog filled laser rooms to disorient, confuse, and ultimately frighten. This isn’t like the fun antics of the clowns in Dark Harvest—this is an immersive haunt that is as scary as your mind lets it be.

Followers of Pythia expertly uses illusion and optics to always keep guests adjusting to the next room. Pitch black rooms are juxtaposed against a brilliantly white strobe. Just as your eyes adjust to the first moments of darkness, the light blinds guests, ensuring the next moments of darkness are equally as debilitating. This is a great technique and aptly used, showing that the order matters to Hauntington Beach Manor—and that they know scares.

Further, the actors will utilize this maze-like structure to their own benefit. Representing your childlike innocence, a young girl in a white dress will lead you through wrong passages and around circling areas. And then she will scream as loud as she can. It’s impressively scary and enjoyable once you’re away for her piercing vocal shrills.

Hauntington Beach Manor was not planning on producing a haunt this year when their co-owner was diagnosed with a serious illness. But the team came together and built this experience in 2 weeks. With the heart and passion of their team, they made sure that it was worthy of the Hauntington beach manor name. And we definitely think Followers of Pythia is.

Hauntington Beach Manor is a professional haunt with the heart of a home haunt. They understand scares, knowing how to disorient and distract fans, ensuring that scares land with maximum effectivity. Even with a reduced build time and Followers of Pythia conceived at the midnight hour, the constraints add to the experience, creating a less is more experience, letting your mind fill in the blanks. The immersive start is fantastic, and this is a worth the trip, especially when you can add Dark Harvest on with it.

Do yourself a favor and visit Twisted Dreams as well after visiting these haunts. This is a fantastic home haunt also well worth your time.

For more information about Hauntington Beach Manor, checkout their Facebook, Instagram and webpage.

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