Forest of Screams — 2025 Review

Forest of Screams – 2025 Review 

Location: Medina, Ohio

Date: 10/11/2025

Website: www.forestofscreams.com

Overall Rating: 6.75/10

Forest of Screams in Medina, OH, delivers a three-part evening with a Haunted Hayride, Nightstalkers Trail, and Morbid Manor. The property shines as a fall festival hub — photo ops, bonfires, roaming characters, and plenty of food and merch — but as a haunt it leans toward family-friendly fun rather than hardcore scares. Younger or first-time haunt-goers may find it thrilling, but seasoned enthusiasts will likely leave wanting more.

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10

This is where Forest of Screams shines. The event grounds are loaded with photo opportunities (even a small lake for “Camp Crystal Lake” vibes), roaming spooks, music, and large bonfires to keep the energy high. Videos play in the hayride queue line, and the midway has plenty of food, merchandise, and even Coffin Rides for guests wanting an extra thrill.

Special shout-out to the lovely lady manning the coffin ride station — she flagged us down to say hello, and we had a great chat. Her friendliness was a reminder that sometimes the little interactions can elevate the overall guest experience.

It’s also important to note: this place was INCREDIBLY packed on our Saturday night visit, easily several thousand people in attendance. General admission ($35) meant long waits, but the VIP upgrade ($45) cut those waits down considerably and was well worth the extra $10.

Unfortunately, our hayride experience was partially ruined by a VERY rowdy group on our wagon. They were so loud and disruptive (even falling off seats at times) that it was extremely difficult to hear the actors, despite many being mic’d up. While this is absolutely not the haunt’s fault, it was frustrating and diminished our ability to enjoy what the performers were delivering.

The only stumble with operations came after the hayride, where most guests funneled into the wrong line until staff redirected them. Stronger oversight here would keep the flow smooth.

Costume & Makeup: 7/10

Costuming was a mixed bag. A few characters looked sharp and fit their scenes — like the animal-fur-and-antlered creature with an airhorn on the trail — but others needed more polish and cohesion. Some costumes felt generic, while stronger consistency across attractions would help tie everything together.

Cast & Crew: 6/10

We absolutely saw effort from most of the cast, but much of it felt unguided. Outside of a handful of key performers in each attraction, dialogue was sparse, and many fell back on generic lines like “What are you doing here?” or “Get out!” Others defaulted to plain screaming, which quickly became repetitive and less effective.

That said, there were standouts who showed exactly what strong character work can do. On the hayride, the British-accented cemetery performer stole the scene — lantern in one hand, a dilapidated book in the other, chanting like he was mid-ritual. He even tried to “hypnotize” one of our group before cheekily breaking character with a ritualistic “like and subscribe.” He’s the perfect example of the motto: if you can’t scare them, entertain them. His energy and creativity elevated the whole scene and showed what more improv-based training could bring across the board.

Certain areas of the haunt rely heavily on live actors to carry the atmosphere, and unfortunately many performers simply weren’t strong enough to fill that role. With more training in improv, dialogue, and scene-specific skits, the cast could elevate the entire show dramatically.

Set Design & Special Effects: 7.25/10

The sets varied in quality, with some memorable highlights. The toxic wasteland finale on the hayride was a standout — packed with zombies, multiple actors, towering animatronics, and high-energy action. The western town and saloon felt decrepit but effective, creating an authentic atmosphere. And the cemetery with church was particularly well designed and lit, providing one of the most visually striking scenes of the night.

Elsewhere, however, things leaned too heavily on prefab props and repetition — vampire figures popped up across multiple attractions, and some trail scenes felt like filler. Morbid Manor offered some nice moments like the floating table illusion and a trippy laboratory, but its short runtime (3–4 minutes) kept it from leaving a lasting impression.

Fright/Thrill Factor: 6/10

Forest of Screams we feel is best described as a family-friendly haunt. For casual guests or teens, there’s plenty to giggle and scream at. For veteran haunt-goers, the scares lacked intensity. The hayride’s ~25-minute runtime was a nice length, but inward-facing bench seating made it awkward to view the sets, and with only one or two actors in some scenes, engagement felt limited.

The trail (~13 minutes) leaned heavily on animatronics and props, with only occasional strong actor moments like the fur-and-antlered airhorn character. Morbid Manor (3–4 minutes tops) was nicely constructed with some clever illusions, but at that length, it felt more like a side attraction than a main event.

Sharpening the Scare:

Forest of Screams already has a fantastic property, a lively midway, and a clear passion behind its production. To really elevate the experience, a few adjustments could make a big difference:

• Actor Development: We noticed a lot of enthusiasm from the cast, but much of it seemed unguided. Providing more structured training in improv and scene-specific dialogue would help performers go beyond generic lines or simple screams. Even small skits tailored to each set could make the characters feel more distinct and immersive, giving guests a reason to remember them long after the night is over.

• Scene Coverage on the Hayride: Many hayride scenes featured only one or two actors, which made engagement feel thin — especially with such large wagons. Adding a few more performers per scene could allow for multi-angled scares and richer interaction with both sides of the wagon. This would make the sets feel even more alive.

• Operational Flow: With such big crowds, smooth transitions are critical. Having staff consistently stationed at line merge points would prevent general admission guests from slipping into VIP queues by mistake, ensuring a less confusing and more enjoyable experience for everyone.

• Balance Between Props and People: Animatronics and sets with heavy usage of pneumatic props are fun tools, but guests connect most strongly with live actors. Shifting a bit of investment toward customizing existing sets and empowering actors to own their spaces would create more memorable and unique scenes.

• Expanding Morbid Manor: The sets inside Morbid Manor were nicely built and themed, but at just 3–4 minutes, it ended far too soon. Lengthening this attraction or adding more layered detail would help it stand as a true headline experience alongside the hayride.

• Guest Visibility and Engagement: The hayride’s inward-facing bench seating sometimes made it difficult to take in the scenic work. It also made for predictable scares, as actors ran up and down the middle of the wagon. Exploring ways to improve sightlines, or encouraging actors to engage more directly with both sides of the wagon, would maximize the effort already being put into the build.

With changes like these, Forest of Screams could shift from being a family-friendly fall staple into a destination that resonates with casual fans and seasoned haunt-goers alike.

Fright Night MVP:

FATWOODS Redneck Maniac on the hayride! His chaotic, high-energy hillbilly performance stole the show and gave the wagon the in-your-face intensity it needed.

Recap the Screams:

Forest of Screams offers a fun night out in Medina, OH, especially for families, teens, and casual haunt fans. With its sprawling property, festive midway, coffin rides, and three distinct attractions, it certainly feels like a full night of fall entertainment. But the scares themselves skew tame, relying too much on props and not enough on engaging actors. For hardcore haunt enthusiasts, this one may fall short. Still, the potential is here — with more focus on live performance and scene depth, Forest of Screams could grow into something far more memorable.