South Florida haunted houses
By Ariana DeStefano | Industry Idols
Spooky season is here, and South Florida has a new destination for fright night. Sound of Screams officially opened its doors this past Thursday, bringing a brand-new Halloween experience to the area.
After an influencer preview night was canceled due to weather, I was invited back two days later for the official grand opening. From the moment you walk in, it’s clear that Sound of Screams was designed to be more than a collection of haunted houses. It’s meant to be an entire night out.
Through the first entrance is a massive 20-foot step-and-repeat where guests can capture their first moments of the evening before stepping farther into the park and eventually getting absolutely terrified.
More than just haunted houses, Sound of Screams combines elements of an amusement park with roaming characters, food, drinks and live performances. As an invited influencer guest, I also had access to the Fast Pass, which made it possible to experience the haunted attractions without spending the majority of the night in line.
THE HAUNTED HOUSES
With five different haunted attractions, Sound of Screams gives guests plenty to explore, and each one has its own distinct personality.
THE INFECTED
The Infected was easily my favorite and, in my opinion, the scariest of the night.
The actors were incredible and completely committed to their characters. At one point, someone was literally crawling across the floor toward me, and I screamed like my life depended on it.
The timing of the pop-out scares was great, but what really made this house stand out was the cast. They sold every moment and kept every room unpredictable.
WITCH TRIALS
Witch Trials was another favorite. This one was more interactive and pulled you directly into the storyline.
It begins with a witch standing before a judge in a space designed to resemble a 1600s courthouse and jail. From there, you move through the story and even get locked inside a jail cell with your group.
The attention to detail made it feel immersive, like you had actually stepped into another time.
DEAD END
Dead End was different from the others. It felt more like a haunted zone than a traditional house, taking you through a junkyard filled with abandoned cars and debris.
The actors brought a more playful, humorous energy, which made it feel like a nice break between some of the more intense attractions. It was more fun than frightening, but still memorable.
MITOS Y LEYENDAS
Mitos y Leyendas was probably the most visually striking.
The costumes, props and special effects were incredibly well done, and the attraction takes guests through different interpretations of legendary creatures from across Latin America.
There were jump scares along the way, but I found myself just as interested in taking in all of the design details. It was beautifully executed and felt completely different from the other houses.
THE SOS HOUSE
And then there was The SOS House, which was easily the most unsettling.
The attraction is restricted to guests 18 and older, and after experiencing it, I understood why. The storyline follows a deranged photographer and becomes extremely graphic, featuring disturbing scenes and remarkably realistic-looking props.
It was eerie in a way that occasionally felt a little too close to real life, and it is definitely not for anyone who is easily disturbed.
MORE THAN THE HAUNTED HOUSES
One of my favorite parts of the entire night was actually a haunted chapel.
Guests can walk inside, enter the confessional and even “repent” their sins before making their way back out. Naturally, we had to see what it was about.
When the pastor eventually came chasing us out of the church, I was suddenly very thankful for the pearl cross I happened to be wearing. Apparently, that was my only protection.
The scares don’t stop when you leave the houses, either. Characters roam throughout Sound of Screams, keeping guests on their toes as they move around the park.
For South Florida locals, having an experience like this nearby is particularly exciting, especially for Halloween fans accustomed to traveling to larger destination events.
The Fast Pass was also something I would recommend. It made getting through the haunted houses much easier and left us with more time to experience everything else happening throughout the park.
There is also a VIP area featuring its own bar, merchandise and additional amenities, although we didn’t get the opportunity to spend much time there.
For everyone else, a public merchandise shop offers apparel, accessories and other Sound of Screams pieces. It’s a fun final stop if you want to take something home from the night.
BEYOND THE SCARES
We saved the amusement park rides for the end of the evening, which turned out to be our mistake. By then, we didn’t have nearly as much time to explore them as I would have liked.
Between the rides, haunted attractions, entertainment, food and drinks, there is enough happening to turn Sound of Screams into a full evening rather than a quick haunted-house stop.
And just when we thought the night was over, Sound of Screams closed things out with a fireworks show.
It was the perfect ending to the evening.
FINAL THOUGHTS
What stood out most about Sound of Screams was the variety.
Even between haunted attractions, there was always something happening, someone to interact with or another part of the park to explore. The different personalities of the five haunted experiences also kept the night from feeling repetitive.
I still feel like I barely scratched the surface of the amusement park itself, which gives me a good reason to return closer to Halloween.
For its first season in South Florida, Sound of Screams made an impression.
And next time, I’m doing the rides first.
