One of the country’s most famous haunted houses is celebrating 30 years of business in a big way when it reopens this Friday.
The Dent Schoolhouse, located at 5963 Harrison Avenue, has made several renovations to celebrate three decades in business. Major additions include a new immersive audio system, a complete renovation of the basement and a transformed finale.
“Thirty seasons is a milestone that means more to us than we can put into words,” said Bud Stross, the haunted house’s co-owner. “Dent has become part of Cincinnati’s Halloween tradition, and we would not be here without the guests, actors and team members who have supported us year after year. The best way we know how to celebrate is by continuing to raise the bar and create an experience worthy of the people who keep coming back.”
Also new this year is “Mr. Shady,” a new character joining the cast of sinister personalities that have become part of The Dent Schoolhouse story. Described as a mysterious “dream dealer” with oversized hands and a skull-like face, Mr. Shady will play a central role in the attraction’s experience.
The basement, one of Dent’s longest-running sections, has been completely rebuilt for the anniversary season. The transformation includes more than 3,000 individually hand-cut foam bricks and approximately 80 hand-sculpted wooden timbers. In addition, the new movie-style audio system (featuring 20 added speakers) will make the experience louder, more immersive and more physically intense.
“It’s all about immersion,” Stross said. “We want guests to do more than hear the music and sound effects as they walk through the attraction. We want them to feel the sound around them and experience the tension that creates.”
The area outside the haunted house also has new upgrades. Monster Midway, as it is called, will debut a new game titled “Pumpkin Smashers Scarecrow Toss” and more than 10 new photo opportunities for the anniversary season, including group coffins, a talking brain and a tribute to classic Hollywood slasher films.
Ticket prices to Dent remain unchanged from previous years, as Stross said keeping the attraction affordable is “important to us… we want as many people as possible to experience everything we have created and continue making Dent part of their Halloween tradition.”
For more information on the Dent Schoolhouse, visit the official website.
