If you’ve been around here for a while, you know we’re a family that loves a good adventure. Broadway, conventions, road trips, you name it. But when fall rolls around, there’s one outing that goes on the calendar before almost anything else: Castle of Chaos. It’s one of our favorite haunted houses, and we look forward to going every single year.
A Utah Legend Born in a College Classroom
Castle of Chaos started as a school project and business plan in college. Let that sink in for a minute. A class assignment turned into a can’t-miss Utah establishment, and it’s been terrorizing and delighting guests since 2001.
It’s still an ever-evolving labor of love. Every season it feels like the team has found new ways to top themselves. Nothing here is copy and paste, and you can feel the passion in every corner of the castle.
Choose Your Own Level of Fear
This is my favorite thing about Castle of Chaos, and it’s what makes it work for so many different people. There are five levels of fear, so everyone who dares to cross through those doors gets to decide exactly how far they want to go.
- Level 1, Monsters Be Gone: Your glow wand keeps the monsters at a distance. This one is great for the timid or the first-timers.
- Level 2, General Admission: The classic walkthrough. The monsters neither touch you nor stay away from you.
- Level 3, Hands On Horror: You may be touched, but you’ll never be moved. (Recommended for ages 13+.)
- Level 4, X-Scream Hands On: You might be restrained, moved, or threatened. (Ages 16+, or 13+ with a legal guardian attending.)
- Level 5, Ultimate Hands On: Restrained, moved, bagged, kidnapped. This one is for the out-of-their-minds crazy. (18+ only, ID required.)
From the nervous newbie to the true fear fanatic, there’s an experience custom tailored to what you’re craving. And if you start to feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, you can always drop back to Level 2 by removing your glow product during the haunt. It’s a nice safety net for the brave-ish.
We’re an adventurous crew, so we typically go with Level 3 or 4. Every single time, we walk out of the castle energized, laughing, and sufficiently spooked. Nothing beats that post-scare adrenaline high, and we always leave already talking about what got us the worst. Each year I think to myself I will level up, but I haven’t gotten there yet. Maybe next time.
It Starts Before You Even Walk Through the Door
Castle of Chaos doesn’t wait for you to get inside to start the show. The moment you walk into the courtyard, you’re completely immersed in a world of dark, sinister scenes. We got scared several times before we even reached the entrance! Between the creepy details and the characters lurking around, we knew right then that we were in for a great time.
The Sets Are Next Level
Once you’re inside, the sets are unbelievable. I’m still amazed at how much creativity and detail go into every room. The sets are built within the walls of preexisting escape rooms inside the castle, and they’ve been transformed into fully realized, terrifying scenes. Weaving through level, both above and underground, you go from one room to the next and each one feels completely different from the last.
The props deserve a shout-out too. Most of them are created by the castle’s own production team, Chaos FX, so they’re highly customized just for this experience. You won’t find these in a store. That level of custom detail is what makes the whole thing feel so immersive.
The Fun and the Fright
There are so many layers that go into building the perfect sensory experience: the sets, the props, the lighting, the sounds, the atmosphere, and the actors who commit to every second. Castle of Chaos has mastered all of it. Just when you think you’ve got the rhythm of a room figured out, something jumps out or grabs you from a direction you were not watching.
And here’s what I love most: it’s just as fun as it is scary. We screamed, we laughed, we grabbed each other, and we came out the other side a little breathless and a lot happy. It’s a bonding experience, and everyone in the group has a different moment they remember from the night. (Somebody is always the one who shrieks the loudest, and I’m not naming names. Okay, it might be me.)
How to Get Your Tickets
Good news! Castle of Chaos is open now for the Halloween season. Tickets are date and time specific, so I highly recommend booking ahead, especially for weekends, which sell out fast. You can pick your level and grab tickets at castleofchaos.com. Pricing varies by night and by level, and you can save time by signing your waiver online before you arrive.
And here’s a fun bonus: they’re even open on Friday the 13th in November. Spooky season, extended!
The castle is located at 7980 S State St in Midvale, about 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, and there’s free on-site parking.
If you’ve never been, make this the year. If you’re a returning victim like us, I’ll see you in the courtyard. Which level are you brave enough to try?
*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*
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