By Rosemary Ford
Staff writer

Vampires and werewolves are stalking people in the woods just outside of Manchester — and their victims are paying good money for it.
These are only a few of the thrills and chills that await those headed to the new home of Spooky World in Litchfield. The well-known name in local horror for the last 18 years has teamed up with the folks at Nightmare New England to offer a frighteningly fun time at Mel’s Funway Park.
According to director of operations Mike Krausert, this partnership makes the new Halloween park the largest in New England and one of the largest in the country.

He expects 72,000 brave souls to visit its seven horrifying haunted attractions throughout the month of October. Even those who’ve been to Spooky World or Nightmare New England should expect some new scare tactics.

“I think we are going to deliver something pretty unique and pretty memorable for our customers,” he said.

The park features 130 “live” classically trained actors and several animatronic performers. Krausert also tapped makeup artists and special effects gurus in the film industry to put this haunted happening together.
Nightmare New England is ranked one of the best fright factories in the U.S. and is listed as one of top 12 eerie elite across the nation for 2009 by

“America’s Best Haunts,” the country’s eminent authority on thrill attractions.

Haunted Attraction magazine named it one of the “25 must-see haunted attractions” in the U.S.

Those who dare to go to this fright-fest will encounter zombies, killer clowns and a few mad humans. Krausert calls it “something for everyone.”

“Our goal and our job is to scare you while you are here,” he said. “We have events that are designed to do just that.”

One of the more upsetting attractions is one that simulates a live burial.

“We call it the last ride,” said Krausert with a chuckle. “We bury you in a coffin. You hear sounds — the guys loading you into the hearse, you smell the exhaust from the car, you smell flowers (in the hearse), you smell dirt as you are being buried. It’s  a two- to three-minute ride that puts you through the process of what it is like to be buried alive.”

For the faint of heart, there is some tamer fun — from zombie paintball to go-cart racing.

“For zombie paintball, you actually walk into this giant tent, set up like a New Orleans cemetery,” said Krausert. “There will be live zombies, and you stand and you shoot the zombies.”

If you go
What: Spooky World/Nightmare New England.
When: Now through Oct. 31. Ticket booths open at 6 p.m., attractions at 7 p.m.
Where: Mel’s Fun Park, 454 Charles Bancroft Highway (Route 3A), Litchfield, N.H.
How: Tickets range from $29.99 to $49.99. Discounts available for parties of 30 or more.