The Curley's Haunt — 2025 Review

Chandler Clouser
4 days ago
5 min read

🎃 The Curley’s Haunt — 2025 Review

Location: Wilmington, Delaware

Date: October 25, 2025

Overall Rating: 6.75/10

The Curley’s Haunt made its professional debut this year, moving from years as a home haunt into the Concord Mall—specifically, inside a gutted Hollister (the grungiest one you’ll ever walk into). At the helm are Tommy and Adam, two young, kind, and incredibly passionate owners with bright futures in haunting. While still growing into its new space, The Curley’s Haunt showcased strong energy, clever scares, and promising groundwork. At just $15, it’s an affordable addition to your Halloween night—though with a ~8-9 minute walkthrough, in our opinion it currently functions best as part of a bigger evening (dinner, shopping, and then a fun haunt add-on).

Entertainment Value: 5/10

The haunt itself carried the night with its energy and clever moments, but there was little outside of the walkthrough to extend the experience. The wait was short for us (thanks to the owners graciously bumping us up), but those in line might appreciate some added atmosphere—like a roaming character or scare-cam/live-stream from inside the haunt to hype people up before entry. A photo backdrop would also give guests a chance to capture memories while doubling as free marketing. Several mall-goers stopped to ask what the line was for, showing that stronger signage and external presence could both reduce confusion and increase foot traffic. With no midway on-site, the mall itself becomes your entertainment, but The Curley’s Haunt has the potential to expand its own footprint in future years.

Costume & Makeup: 7.5/10

Costumes and makeup exceeded expectations for a first-year pro haunt. Most characters looked sharp and believable, from the shotgun-wielding redneck to the zapper-wielding inmate. A few roles could use more detail or upgrades to really push their impact, but overall, the looks were solid and paired well with the energy of the actors. A mix of masks and makeup worked just fine for this style of haunt.

Cast & Crew: 8/10

The cast is the clear backbone of Curley’s. They came in swinging with immersive dialogue, high energy, and strong improvisation—refreshingly avoiding lazy “boo” or “get out” tactics. The bar scene actor barreling in with a shotgun, the zapper-crazed inmate tormenting his victim, and the finale stilted monster all showed commitment and charisma. The grungy opening actor and gurney victim also sold their roles well. At times, certain rooms felt overcrowded (like the checkered room, which had three performers)—but dispersing one into another quieter area would create a better balance across the haunt and keep surprises flowing from start to finish.

Set Design & Special Effects: 6.5/10

Curley’s sets were modest but sprinkled with creativity and ambition. Memorable scenes included:

Opening TV sequence, where a video cuts to live action executed to perfection by an animated “homeless” fellow. “Do you wanna stick around for the second cut?”
Office/study room, lined with shelves of odd trinkets—animal skulls, diagrams, and orchestra instruments—centered around a mannequin seated in a chair. The actor from the opening scene reappeared here, carrying the dialogue forward that tied the two spaces together.
A deadly hand of poker ended in a bar room shootout—a rowdy, high-energy highlight.
Casket hallway, with a body that sat up at just the right moment (could be delayed slightly for full group impact versus 1st person heavy).
Checkered strobe room, chaotic with loud pops, flashing lights, and an inmate tormentor.
A room filled with mannequins/dolls arranged across a table created a chilling visual. As we rounded the corner, a sudden blast of fog obscured our vision, leaving us vulnerable to a perfectly timed scare from a cleverly hidden actor.
Blue-lit severed leg room, with a violently thrashing limb hanging from a chain.
Tubing gore room, a gruesome display of a mannequin with bloodied tubing pouring out of its body & dangled across the room like party streamers!

While the build is fairly simple, the bones are there for a more immersive future. Lighting at times was dim, which added a layer of suspense and dread. Fog in certain areas also helped to diminish sightlines & disorient guests. Continued emphasis and attention to detail with layering, sensory details, and scenic misdirects would add depth and unpredictability.

Fright/Thrill Factor: 7/10

For its size, The Curley’s Haunt packed a respectable punch. The bar room chaos, fog-filled mannequin/doll scare, and violent leg room all hit effectively, while the checkered strobe space disoriented and startled. The finale was the ultimate exclamation point: a stilted actor cleverly disguised until they erupted into thrashing chaos, bouncing wildly around the room and delivering the strongest scare of the night. For just $15, the thrill factor felt like a great value, especially for your average haunt fan—though added sensory tricks, louder audio effects, and more misdirects could elevate it further.

Sharpening the Scare:

Actor Distribution: Fewer performers per room would help spread energy across the haunt. Example: two actors in the checkered room (tormentor + gurney victim) would have sufficed, while moving the third into a quieter area would give more balance.
Queue & Exterior Presence: Adding a scare cam or live-stream by the ticket booth would hype the crowd. A roaming actor outside, plus photo ops, would engage guests, advertise, and set the tone before entry.
Signage: Larger, themed signage outside would catch mall-goers’ attention. Guests were asking what the line was for—signage eliminates confusion and draws walk-ups.
Sensory Effects: Louder music, stronger ambient sounds, and even themed smells (imagine a spoof on Hollister’s cologne with a “ghoul scent”) would deepen immersion.
Merch Expansion: Current "Curley's Haunt" shirts + hoodies and “302” shirts were fun, but sizes only went to XL. Offering plus sizes (2X–3X) would make the merch more inclusive and likely increase sales.
Scene Layering: Add more scenic distractions, trinkets, or props to keep guests’ eyes scanning while hiding clever scares. This creates stronger misdirects, making guests more susceptible to being caught off guard.
Re-Admission Add-On: Consider offering a “Re-Admission” ticket option for a small upcharge, giving guests the chance to experience the haunt a second time. Including a skip-the-line benefit for the re-entry would not only add value for haunt goers but also help stretch the 8–9 minute walkthrough into a fuller evening experience. Guests often notice new details and scares on a second run, and the added revenue stream could support future growth while giving fans another reason to return.
Off-Season Growth: Valentine’s or Halfway-to-Halloween events could establish The Curley’s Haunt as a year-round haunt destination. We’d certainly support these guys during offseason shows!

Fright Night MVP:

The stilted finale monster stole the spotlight. Their sudden explosion into thrashing, bouncing chaos was equal parts terrifying and impressive—a scare that capped the night on a high note and left our group buzzing.

Recap the Screams:

The Curley’s Haunt may only clock in at 8–9 minutes, but it makes solid use of its time—especially given the small space they have to work with. This isn’t yet a full evening destination—it’s better suited as a fun add-on to dinner or shopping—but it’s a worthy stop that shows a ton of promise. With enthusiastic owners (Tommy and Adam) leading the way, The Curley’s Haunt already has strong bones: passionate actors, clever scares, and creative touches. The highlights on our journey were memorable and delivered value beyond the ticket price. With stronger branding, expanded immersion, and continued growth, The Curley’s Haunt could evolve quickly into a must-visit Delaware haunt. We look forward to following these guys on their journey of haunting!