Valley of Fear Rises from the Ashes for Grand Opening

Though a fire at the Valley of Fear seemed like a devastation back in August, causing $100,000 in damage and injuring six local fire fighters, the popular haunted attraction is ready to scare and frighten just in time for the Halloween season.

In fact, the Valley of Fear is celebrating its grand opening tonight, Oct. 4.

"We’re feeling great. We’re very positive about the season," Northampton resident and Valley of Fear operator Tom Yaegel told Patch.

The two popular haunted attractions that burnt down, the Zombie Research and Control Center and Captain Willie’s Shipwreck, were unrecognizable, but did inspire Yaegel's newest attraction this season: Zombie Research Center Zombie Excape Maze.

A couple of nights after the fire, which was caused by fireworks, Yaegel said he woke up at 3 a.m. thinking about how he could fix what the fire destroyed. At 5 a.m. when his wife asked him why he was awake, he said "I have the answer... All of the zombies escaped."

Yaegel and his crew worked for three and a half weeks to construct a 5,000-square foot maze built with fire proof tent fabric and is filled with 25 actors and special effects, he said.

The twisting turning maze worked as a scary replacement, Yaegel said, because it was something that could be built and inspected in enough time for the Halloween season, in addition to being affordable.

But none of that takes away from the fright factor.

Valley of Fear held a "soft opening" last weekend, Yaegel said, as a way to test out the new attraction.

"It’s unbelievable, they think it’s just great. They’re getting so scared they’re running out of the emergency exits," he said of the new maze, which he stated is the "talk of the town."

While Valley of Fear has a new haunt, you will still be able to scream from its original haunted hayride and scary tales.

But tonight marks the Valley of Fear's grand opening, as well as firefighters' appreciation night.

Yaegel said that firefighters' appreciation night is in "honor of the heroic firefighters" who tackled the blaze at the haunted attraction this summer. Special rates will be offered to firefighters and their families from the fire companies that responded to the fire, which included more than 75 firefighters from close to 10 fire companies in Bucks and Montgomery counties .

In addition for the grand opening weekend, Yaegel said that 94.5 PST will be broadcasting live from Valley of Fear and a special offer of three for two—all three attractions for the price of two.

Visit the Valley of Fear's website for coupons and discounts.