Forsaken Lands

Goshen, CT

Website: https://www.forsakenlandshaunt.com/

Pricing: $27.50-37.50 (+$6 parking)

Type: Haunt/Trail

Setting: Outdoor(ish)

Full Contact Option: Yes (Xtreme Night)

Overview

After visiting over forty haunted attractions across New England, one location was still outstanding after these past few years. This was partially due to it being right on the cusp of driving distance, at just over three hours away, and the necessity of pairing it with another nearby event in order to maximize our weekend efficiency. Hitting up Lake Compounce during the Halloween activities made sense, but the problem lay in the fact that there were also many others in that area which were possible candidates. Haunting at the Ridge, Haunt on Eden, and Nightmare on Wolcott Street are only a stone’s through from each other, so one weekend we were able to go to the amusement park AND two other haunts back to back. So Forsaken lands, while close, was in the other direction and fell by the wayside.

But it remained on the radar, and with the possibility of not renewing our Lake Compounce season pass due to lack of use this past summer, I figured the chances of getting out to western Connecticut were getting slim, and it needed to be checked off the list.

So after getting a few rides in, we took the backroads to Goshen, CT and made our way out to the attraction. As the towns and highways faded away, we found ourselves out beyond cell phone reception and into a forested area where the Forsaken Lands were tucked away. Parking had a small cash fee, so keep that in mind, and beyond that there’s a few food trucks and concession stands to keep your blood sugar up. After going through light security, you can buy tickets or redeem your online codes before getting into the queue. While there is a fast pass option, I feel the process of waiting for a short time adds to the experience. Several characters make an appearance and will promptly photobomb you any time you have your phone out. They were of the flannel serial killer persuasion, as well as a decked out foul-mouthed clown, who we found out was named Kiwi after locating the copious amount of tiny QR codes littered around the establishment.

The wait wasn’t all that long, and this was on a peak Saturday during the middle of October, so it’s a far cry from place like Spooky World or Vengeance in the Valley were you can be queued up for literally hours. The greeting staff is very friendly, and thanks you endlessly for coming out. The path is estimated at about 25 minutes, and that seemed to be accurate. There is a mid-way line that helps break up the groups a bit. It’s about another 10 minutes between the first half and second, but it did prevent coming into contact with either the group ahead or the group behind, which is a fair tradeoff. There’s certainly no conga-line effect, which is always welcome.

The usual tropes are employed in the walk, ranging from run-down hotels to clown houses and cannibal rednecks. It did begin at a gas station type location, which is one I haven’t seen before, except perhaps at Nightmare Acres, also in Connecticut. Much like Evidence of Evil, it is also an outdoorish attraction, insofar as you aren’t in a warehouse, but the labyrinth simulates indoor set pieces and is tightly woven enough to provide plenty of walking distance in a rather compact location. Tarps and clotheslines help separate the ‘rooms’ and keep the jumpscares and surprises well enough hidden. I’ve grown immune to most scares at this point, but a few actors were hidden enough to surprise me throughout the pathway. Fog machines also play an important role and bath a few areas in an impermeable mist that forces you to feel your way around certain sections.

It ends, as many do, with the chainsaw maniac kindly escorting you out to where you can do a few more photo ops near the signage.

Notable Moment

The nice thing about most of these attractions is the fact that they are generally run by a small team or single owners. There aren’t really any commercial or chain operations outside the larger amusement parks, and the largest reach any would have would in the cases of a sister location as with 13th World or the Fear Town/Factory of Terror pairs. Word of mouth and organic reach is of utmost importance in these cases, so often the owner will be on hand to ensure that people had a good time.

During the mid-way queue, we happened to mention our three hour travel time, which prompted the owner to meet us right at the end. We spent some extra time chatting about the different haunts around New England, and how connected many of the staff members are to them all. Kiwi the clown appears, as he has a tendency to teleport around the attraction at will, showing up at pretty much every key event that evening. You can tell that there’s a passion for these types of haunts with each hoping to put their unique touch. The smiles on most of those making their exit is apparent that it was a job well done, despite being chased down by someone with a blaring chainsaw.

Photos

Ratings

Ambience:

Forsaken Lands is one of the haunts that focuses on hyper-detail, with each 'room' in the attraction being chock full of props and relics from bygone times. I enjoy these, since the jump-scares are only half the experience, and I do like to take in the surroundings as I walk through. The waiting queue is set outside an old garage facade, which sets the mood for the following walk, so it all ties nicely together.

Value:

This is right in the median of most of the local haunts, and the fast pass is only $10 more vs. other places which usually charge double. However, the wait was not bad and skipping it would remove some of the experience with the characters that keep you company in line. Do keep in mind that parking is also an additional $6, and I believe unrelated to the event. It's cash only, so I was quickly borrowing a few singles from my daughter, who was the only one with any money.

Scares:

Like the great majority of haunts, the no-contact necessity limits interactions to ambience and jump scares, of which Forsaken Lands has plenty of both. The intricate set pieces fit nicely with the generous amount of actors that are in each location. I don't recall any of the rooms lacking some sort of character that keeps you on your toes. There is also a contact night later in the season, and while I haven't attended that, it appears to be modeled after the 13th World glow-necklace approach, which is promising.