Haunted Hunt Club Farms 2018

As I've mentioned in the past, in Virginia Beach there is a farm, called Hunt Club Farms, that does events and sells produce and such.  In October they get haunted.  For a hefty fee you can enjoy unlimited access to the haunted hay ride, the field of screams corn not-maze, and the village of the damned.  Oh, and event food, but more on that in a bit.  Here, in no particular order, are the photos of the trip.

The weather was hot and muggy-because this is Virginia Beach, people-and that made it a bit less pleasant than I'd hoped.  We arrived before dark (when the haunted festivities begin) and spent some time feeding goats and an alpaca at the petting zoo side.  Once 6:30 PM hit we paid for the haunted part and let the fun begin...

A nice exterior shot of the backside of the large barn-like building where they have events and you can sit and have a bite to eat.  Notice the pumpkin up top.  That will get interesting after dark. 

 Okay, I don't actually know any of these people.  I just wanted to get a shot of the produce and the store where I bought a candy apple.  If it makes you feel better you can give them names.  Or I will.  There's Ted and Esperanza at the register, and look, Hilda Humperfrinks is examining a stack of pumpkins!

 EVENT FOOD!  The Italian sausage and steaks sandwich cart is featured, but you can see the kettle corn tent beside it.  Next to that is the lemonade/deep fried Oreo/smoked turkey leg tent.  I don't know what those three things have to do with one another, but they got your bases covered.
We confirmed that, just like 26 years ago, I still don't like corndogs.  Yep.  My event food was not good.  So there I was dripping sweat and not enjoying my event food.  Wretched.

 Yeah, still don't know these people, but you can see the tiny ferris wheel.  In years past they had a full size proper adults-can-ride wheel, but the past few it has been kids size only.

 Vendors!  Dipping Dots.  (Or is it Dippin' Dots?  I really don't know)  I didn't actually check out the vendors on that side of the fairway.  You can see the kids pumpkin patch in the background here.

 Why did I take a picture of this sign?  Enlarge it and hopefully you can see how cool it looks.

 My arm with wristbands.  Pink band was for the petting zoo, but the sparkly orange band...that's my unlimited SCREAM pass.  I did not scream.  I did pull a Barney Fife though when a guy jumped out of a dark corner at me.  I don't care what you say, if you were a psycho murderer wouldn't you hide out in a Halloween spook house?  Perfect cover.

 Two shots of the sign at the front, also the pumpkin.  

 I selected this blurry photo of the front of the store and the pumpkins out of 12 rapid fire Austin Powers shots I took.  It's a bit crap.

 Percy the pooping pumpkin.  See, I can name things.  This little guy is one of a half dozen copies for sale.  Look at him, glancing around furtively, hoping nobody is watching him squat a squash in the bushes.  Too cute.

 Look closely.  It's a Jack O Lantern now.  Yeah, I know.  That's not a good picture.

 I literally have no idea what this is.  I took a picture of dark.  That's all I got.  Thankfully they lit the dark for me.

 Look, I just like pumpkins, okay?  You can see the barn design though.

 Okay, I do know this person.  That's Mrs. Rook Wilder.  See how the carnival atmosphere has pervaded the place?  Nice, yeah?  

 I think I'm trying to get a picture of this pumpkin gate while moving at a reasonable pace toward the Village of the Damned.

 Again, I have no idea what this is.  I don't always think before I hit the button.

Ah, it finally pays off.  There's the happy Jack-O.  It looks very fetching as you are driving down the street toward the farm.  Very inviting.  Protecting the farm from ghosts and, presumably, corn smut.
I just wanted an excuse to say "corn smut".  
You might notice a lack of pictures of the Haunted Hayride, the Village of the Damned, or the Field of Screams.  
They won't let you take pictures. 
So let's just remember my poor art skills and paint a word picture instead.

Should scary rides/walkthroughs be themed?  Maybe random scary and jump scares are better.  This is a serious question that deserves further study.  It's what you think.  You go through the corn maze that only lets you go one way, things stalk (there's the pun...knew it was there somewhere), things jump at you, and there's a strange barn full of right angle to disorient you...and a toilet.  I wondered if it was plumbed or not.  It was a real shitter.
Village of the Damned has a bit of a story.  This brings up a protocol question.  Should you rush through or let them tell their whole story.  How long do you linger listening to the "actress" going on about gypsies and her unfaithful husband before you walk on?
I figured, for respect, to stop and listen.  And walk slowly.  I mean, you paid for this.  Take it all in.  
Hayrides are different.  They move you at the speed they wish you to go.  It's always the same at Hunt Club Farm, in terms of format.  The things that jump out at you are not always the same, and yes, they have a story.  You only get the story when they pull this massive tractor and two flatbeds train into it and close it up behind you.  This year was a ghost girl and some creepy dolls that my wife noticed are the animatronic elves from their Christmas display.  So that's either hilarious or holy shit, you decide.  
I always feel bad for the guy in the scene right after the barn though.  That's like being the opening act and having to go on AFTER the main act.  You've just crapped your pants in a dark barn.  What, possibly, can this guy say to scare you?
He tries his best though.  Very professional.  He's not phoning it in, so bless him for it.  Eye of the tiger, that guy.

Keep your pumpkins lit.