The Curley's Haunt — 2026 Review
The Curley's Haunt — Wilmington, DE
Overall Rating — 8.22/10
The Curley's Haunt came out swinging for 2026, proving you don't need a massive scream park or a monstrous budget to deliver one seriously killer experience!
Now in their second season of professional haunting inside Wilmington's Concord Mall, this passionate crew has taken a tremendous leap forward. From more immersive sets and disturbingly realistic characters to an exceptionally talented cast, Curley's is punching WAY above its weight class!
Their home-haunting roots are still very much alive, with an old-school approach that favors unsettling environments, creative scares, and genuine character interactions over flashy gimmicks.
The Curley's Haunt may be small in size, but the talent, creativity, and scares are anything but!
Entertainment Value — 6.00/10
Curley's keeps things simple outside the attraction, but they're making strides! A new photo op, improved entrance signage, fresh merchandise, and a killer Delaware-inspired T-shirt design are welcome additions for 2026.
At just $15 for roughly 10 minutes of action-packed haunting, the value is downright impressive!
Want to make a spooky night of it? There's a Spirit Halloween just a few storefronts down, perfect for some Halloween shopping before or after your screams. And hang onto your ticket! Café Riviera, the longtime pizzeria inside the mall, offers a discount on pizza and drinks.
While the pre-haunt entertainment remains limited by the mall setting, Curley's delivers where it matters most. Fifteen bucks, ten minutes, and a whole lot of nightmare fuel—Curley's delivers some serious bang for your buck!
Costume & Makeup — 9.10/10
Curley's monsters got a serious makeover for 2026, and WOW, what an improvement!
Impressive special effects makeup, detailed airbrushing, quality masks, and thoughtfully assembled costumes bring these twisted characters to life. There's nothing cheap or thrown together about their presentation!
From the sinister gentleman lurking in his living room to the bizarre creatures hiding throughout the haunt, the attention to detail makes these encounters feel remarkably believable.
Curley's proves that professional-quality monsters don't require a massive budget—just creativity, craftsmanship, and a wicked eye for detail!
Cast & Crew — 9.50/10
Holy haunt actors, Batman! This crew is PHENOMENAL! Curley's has assembled an incredibly talented cast that brings every twisted scene to life through energetic performances, improvisation, and genuinely unsettling interactions.
The undisputed standout was the creepy older gentleman in the billiards room. On our first walkthrough, he casually crossed in front of us, grabbed something from a bookshelf, and turned around as though he'd just discovered strangers in his home. What followed was gloriously uncomfortable chaos!
Our second visit? A completely different performance, featuring manic laughter that suddenly turned into crying. His acting was so convincing it bordered on disturbing. THAT is exceptional character work!
Elsewhere, Needle Jack measured our limbs for his collection, Peaches the Clown delivered twisted humor, and a bizarre bathroom-dwelling character followed us into another scene, eerily peering through the wire. Even the opening rules character turned a routine safety briefing into an entertaining, in-character introduction!
Curley's has the kind of acting talent you'd expect from a top-tier scream park, packed into one wildly entertaining, intimate nightmare!
Set Design & Special Effects — 8.20/10
Curley's scenic design took a MAJOR step forward this season, with more developed environments, creative concepts, and effective lighting and audio that elevate the experience.
One of our favorites was Birthday Barbara, where guests step through a broken Barbie-style box into a pink birthday party gone horribly wrong! The smashed mannequin birthday cake was a wickedly creative centerpiece.
The billiards room was another standout, featuring unsettling decor, a body sprawled across the table, and an atmosphere that perfectly complemented its menacing resident.
Needle Jack's scene featured frantic writing across the walls and strobing lights, while Long Pig Bistro served up twisted dining, animated characters, and an excellent surprise scare.
Other memorable touches included strategically placed peepholes, a toxic waste-inspired bathroom scene, and a toothy creature nibbling on a prop body while producing creepy clicking sounds.
Every square foot of Curley's is packed with imagination, proving that creative scenic design can make even the smallest spaces feel like a full-blown nightmare!
Fright & Thrill Factor — 8.30/10
Curley's isn't interested in simply throwing monsters at you. They want to make you uncomfortable, and they're remarkably good at it! This is old-school haunting at its finest, blending psychological tension, startling encounters, and deeply unsettling character interactions.
The billiards room was arguably the most intense experience of the night, thanks to a performance that felt disturbingly authentic. Needle Jack's erratic behavior, a perfectly concealed stilt-walker scare, and the animated chaos inside Long Pig Bistro kept us guessing throughout.
Even the quieter moments packed a punch, like the toothy creature's unnerving clicking sounds or the bathroom character silently stalking our group. The experience may be brief, but there's very little downtime, and the variety of scare tactics keeps things fresh!
Curley's doesn't need endless corridors to get under your skin—just a few dark rooms, some twisted characters, and actors who know exactly how to make your blood run cold!
Sharpening the Scare
Curley's has made incredible progress in just two professional seasons! Here are a few opportunities to keep that momentum rolling:
Build up the pre-haunt experience: The new photo op and entrance improvements are great additions! Continue developing the waiting area where space allows, perhaps with a roaming character or a live scare-cam showing reactions from inside the haunt.
Improve visibility and signage: Additional directional signs near other mall entrances could help guests locate the attraction. If possible, consider relocating the photo op away from the queue to reduce congestion.
Fine-tune fog levels: One section became heavily saturated with fog, obscuring some impressive scenic details. Adjusting output or improving airflow could preserve the atmosphere without hiding the hard work.
Encourage repeat scares: Consider discounted second walkthroughs or a premium ticket that includes two visits with priority entry. With performances that change between visits, Curley's is perfectly suited for repeat experiences!
Secure the future of Curley's: With uncertainty surrounding Concord Mall's future, finding a sustainable long-term home should be a priority. This talented crew deserves a space where their creativity can continue to grow!
Fright Night MVPs
The Billiards Room Gentleman (Bathrobe Bob): Our undisputed MVP! His chilling, unpredictable performances during both walkthroughs were phenomenal. Give this guy a standing ovation... preferably from a safe distance!
Needle Jack: Measuring limbs, appearing throughout the haunt, and keeping guests thoroughly unsettled. Wonderfully bizarre!
Peaches the Clown: From cracking jokes to eerily singing on a rocking horse, Peaches proved that sometimes the quietest clown moments are the creepiest.
The Bathroom Dweller: Twisted toilet humor followed by some seriously unsettling stalking and peeping through the wire!
The Electric Cage Character: Flailing and throwing themselves around the cage with tremendous energy. Absolutely wild!
The Hidden Stilt Walker: Perfectly concealed and responsible for one heck of a surprise scare!
The Opening Rules Character: A fantastic in-character introduction that set the tone before the first real scare!
Final Thoughts
Curley's isn't trying to be the biggest haunt in the region. They're proving they can hang with the best of them! In just their second professional season, this crew has demonstrated extraordinary growth. The scenic work is more immersive, the monsters look phenomenal, and the cast delivers performances worthy of some of the region's largest attractions.
But beyond the screams, major kudos go to owners Tommy and Adam, two young haunt entrepreneurs who are already making some serious noise in Delaware's haunt scene! These guys are among the most genuine, kindhearted, and passionate people you'll meet in the industry. Their home-haunting roots run deep, and they're pouring their hearts into building something special, constantly pushing themselves to improve and deliver an unforgettable experience. For two guys this young to be producing a haunt with this level of talent, creativity, and professionalism is nothing short of impressive! It's impossible not to root for them!
The uncertain future of Concord Mall is concerning, but we're hopeful this crew finds a home where their creativity can continue to flourish. Delaware's haunt scene needs passionate people like these guys!
At just $15, Curley's offers exceptional value and an experience that punches well above its price point. Whether you're a casual Halloween fan or a seasoned haunt enthusiast, this is one little nightmare worth seeking out!
The Curley's Haunt is living proof that big talent, genuine passion, and unforgettable scares can come in surprisingly small packages!
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