Where to get scared: Canton's Factory of Terror among Halloween hotspots opening

CANTON − Maximus Bryant has been to scores of haunted houses in pursuit of the ultimate scare.

That moment when his spine tingles, blood pumps and heart hammers inside the chest. He compares it to riding a roller coaster.

Bryant, president of the Ohio Haunters Association, said there are many others like him throughout a state featuring more than 100 Halloween attractions opening this month.

"They love to have the feeling of fear and a rush that happens in an environment where they know they are going to be safe, but haunts temporarily take that safe feeling away, which brings that rush," he said. "You’ll find many people come out of haunted attractions laughing because of how much they enjoyed being scared."

Among the most legendary haunts in Ohio is Factory of Terror in Canton, said Bryant, who works at The Dent Schoolhouse haunted attraction in Cincinnati. Using set design, sound, acting, misdirection, props and other techniques, Factory of Terror lived up to its reputation when he visited.

"It has been known as a huge attraction and has been a world record holder for this," he said. "My experience was great. I really enjoyed the Industrial Nightmare because there was a section that was very disorienting to me because of how they use the lights, which made it easy for the actors to scare me.

"Factory of Terror is definitely considered a must-see attraction in the Canton area and all of Ohio."

When does Factory of Terror in Canton open?

Although it becomes a challenge for the haunted attraction to top itself each year, owner John Eslich, who spends the off-months working on new designs, attending industry events, traveling the country and conducting research, believes Factory of Terror has done it again this year.

Some new ghoulish scenes and areas have been added, including a small dance floor. The Zombie Bar Crawl is back with some tweaks. And a new family-friendly Christmas-themed indoor experience opens Nov. 24.

"It can be very overwhelming, and there are times that I feel extremely overwhelmed," Eslich said of readying and updating the haunted attraction. "And there's times when I wake up and I'm ready to tackle the world again."

It's spooky season: Guide to Northeast Ohio's haunted houses in and around Greater Akron

Halloween lovers and those in search of fright are expected to flock to the Factory of Terror when it opens for the season on Saturday. Friday and Saturday hours start next weekend and run through October.

"We can't wait to have visitors again," said Eslich, who also serves as producer at Factory of Terror. "And that's what we live for."

Opening in 2002, Factory of Terror originally was located in the industrial remnants of the former Hercules Engine Co. near downtown Canton before moving to the current location at 4125 Mahoning Road NE. Factory of Terror now encompasses 160,000 square feet.

Eslich also owns and operates the longtime Haunted Schoolhouse and Haunted Laboratory in Akron.

Here's what to know about the Factory of Terror this year:

Haunted Stark: 7 of the most haunted spots in Stark County

What are the hours and how do you buy tickets for the Factory of Terror?

Hours are 7 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets cost $30 when purchased online and $32 on site. To purchase tickets, fast passes and for more information, including higher rates for peak nights, go to https://fotohio.com/.

Season passes are also available.

Haunted attraction ticket holders have access to all bars (those under age 21 have access to three).

The Zombie Bar Crawl (featuring the five bars) costs $17 for those not entering the haunted attractions.

So what's inside the Factory of Terror?

More than a mile long, the Factory of Terror consists of five attractions: 1300 Lost Souls, Industrial Nightmare, Lafayette 13, Massacre on Mahoning and The Abyss.

And there's the Zombie Bar Crawl, which proved to be popular during its introduction last year. It features Carnevil Bar, Poison Ivy's Greenhouse Bar and Forsaken Bar on Bourbon. There's also One-Eyed Jack's Pirate Bar and Bulleyes Axe Bar (ax throwing is an additional charge separate from the haunted house and must be reserved in advance.)

New attraction returns Factory of Terror adds to the spooky fun with Zombie Bar Crawl in Canton

French Quarter at the Factory now includes a spot to dance in the new Fear Fair Back Alley. A 300-square-foot dance floor lights up and there's music.

"It's like a little secret brick alley," Eslich said. "Like when you're down in New Orleans, you have these little nooks everywhere."

Zombie Bar Crawl allows guests to drink and hang out and avoid the haunted house attractions if they desire amid a spooky atmosphere.

"We're not appealing to just the haunted house crowd ... but also to the Halloween people who love to decorate their houses for the season," Eslich said.

Christmas coming early at Factory of Terror

Eslich and his crew have made various modifications.

Among them is the re-invented maze of mirrors and an industrial toxic wall.

"I took the barrel and chains maze and moved it 60 feet away and rebuilt it and made it more special," he explained. "I didn't lose it, and connected the two areas with six to eight new scenes."

New scenes are toward the end of the second show, Industrial Nightmare, extending the overall attraction, Eslich said.

Later this year, the "100% non-scary" Christmas attraction will be unveiled.

"We're extremely excited about it," he said of the addition, which will be fully developed over a three-year period at an investment of more than $1 million. "And it's going to be the only thing in the state of Ohio like it."

Factory of Terror never stays the same

"It's a year-round development project with design work," Eslich said. "And we're constantly changing how we do business, whether it's ticketing or how we manage the crowds. It's constantly trying to adjust to what our guests have come to experience. It just continues to evolve year after year after year."

Decisions and changes are also based on "what our guests are gravitating to, what they are enjoying, what are the fun spots and what are the boring spots, and let's see how we can make the boring spots better," the 55-year-old Stark County native said.

Boo business is strong

Lori Kline is among those who never tire of Factory of Terror and look forward to any changes or new features each fall.

For nearly 20 years, it's been a Halloween rite of passage for Kline and her family and friends.

"The makeup is superb," the Bergholz resident said. "The actors will get into character with enthusiasm. ... (and) it is long enough that the mazes, scares and rooms are spaced out enough to laugh or cry at what you had just seen before you enter another ghoulish area.

"From slamming office file cabinets to black light rooms to goblins jumping out of the dark, you are in for a great night," Kline added. "They do amazing work."

Designing the attraction and making those scares possible is a year-round staff of around a dozen people who work at Factory of Terror. During Halloween season, the workforce swells to around 200, including actors, security staff, parking assistance, bartenders and others.

"It's not just me," Eslich said. "It's the whole team. We want to provide a great show. If that keeps us on top, that's great, but our drive is to provide the best show we can and bring enough people through the doors so we can do it next year."

Other haunted attractions in Stark County

Other Canton-area attractions to make you cringe include:

• Fortress of Fear Haunted ScreamPark, 12175 State St. NE in Alliance. Opening night is Sept. 30 before opening Friday and Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to midnight through October. Hours are 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Sundays in October. Admission costs $25 when purchased online and $28 on site at the box office.

• Carnival of Horrors at the Stark County Fairgrounds, 305 Wertz Ave. NW. From Sept. 29 through Oct. 29, hours will be 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday; 7:30 to midnight Saturday; and 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The attractions include the Insane Asylum, the Fun House, the Trail of Terror and The Freakshow in 3D Terrorvision. General admission to all four costs $24 online and $25 on site.

Reach Ed ebalint@gannett.com and on X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Factory of Terror in Canton among Halloween hotspots in Northeast Ohio