Good friends, more than a decade of great ideas and attention to detail have made “The Haunted Hoochie” a benchmark for haunted house creators worldwide.
“The Hooch” started 12 years ago at Fran Bar Park and is the brainchild of Tim May, CEO of Mega Entertainment Productions, Inc., and owner of Fran Bar Park, the location of “The Haunted Hoochie.”
Fran Bar Park had a simple beginning in the mid-20th century. Owned by May’s grandfather, the park was a place for farming and haunted hayrides.
“We used to scare people on the hayrides when we were little kids,” said May.
There are 25 people working at Fran Bar Park – many of whom are May’s childhood friends – who help develop and perform new ideas and skits for “The Haunted Hoochie.”
The park went out of business for 15 years, but was bought by May in the 1980s. The hayrides started again soon after and eventually morphed into Columbus’ most innovative haunt in 1990.
Visitors of “The Haunted Hoochie” walk through the Fran Bar Park forest with a front and rear guide, and 10 to 30 other scared people. Gory scenes await visitors in each of the 12 “hoochies,” or huts, that dot the woods. The guides lead guests into each dark “hoochie” to await a death-themed skit.
“The key is paying attention to the simple, little things,” May said.
He certainly has.
“The Haunted Hoochie” has real skeletons – cartilage and all – in one of the huts. A large Dragon sits atop another “hoochie” and blows a long, blue stream of fire at visitors.
“Almost all this stuff is virgin,” May said. “It is 95 percent us.”
Other details include a band that plays for spectators waiting in line -sometimes for over an hour. “The Edgars” are the newest rock, house band of “The Haunted Hoochie.”
Haunted house creators worldwide have come to “The Haunted Hoochie” for ideas.
“We share our ideas at events like the Haunted Conference and with groups like the International Association of Haunted Attractions,” May said.
Once near “the hooch,” an energy can be felt that is indescribable to those who haven’t visited, May said.
“This place is not breathing until all the houses are up and running,” May said. “This place just has a vibration to it.”
Visitors agree.
“It gets better every year,” said James Johanson of Dublin. “Now I can’t wait for next year.”
“I thought I was going to lose it a couple of times,” said Marie DeLissio of West Holmes High School.
“The Haunted Hoochie” will soon be no more, however. To remain innovative, May is creating a new haunted attraction, The Psychopath.
“It’ll be something Columbus hasn’t seen,” May said.
The Psychopath will be up and running by October of 2004.
