'Land of Fear' brings nightmares to life in Taneytown

With a mad scientist, zombies and, of course, clowns, a Maryland haunt is promising to entertain and terrify.

"Land of Fear," a haunted attraction in Taneytown, opened this month and aims to outdo more expensive and established Halloween attractions with creativity and commitment.

And with a tagline of "fear will hunt you down," founder Greg Durkin is clearly motivated to spook his visitors.

"Our focus was more on — not the expensive gadgetry as much as getting people isolated in certain situations and trying to scare them," Durkin said.

This October marks Land of Fear's second year after a "much lesser effort" in 2013. Durkin, a Halloween enthusiast, wanted to give his seasonal vision one more spirited attempt.

That vision has come to life today with an intricate, creepy course at the site of Paintball Adventure Park. The haunt, a 25-to-30-minute walking tour, is complete with a sizable cemetery, haunted manor, zombie village and tons of frightful surprises for guests.

"I've always liked Halloween," Durkin said. "I've always enjoyed it. It's the one holiday where I feel like that even adults get to not have to act like adults."

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Durkin and his team — Rick Castro, Mike Navaro and his son, Greg Durkin Jr. — constructed the entirety of the attraction, including 13-foot-tall tombstones and a tiki torch-lit bridge that leads visitors into the darkened woods.

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of the excursion are the 40 volunteer actors, wearing elaborate costumes and makeup to help elicit screams from customers. Some are so committed they like to stay in character.

Amanda Polanowski, who portrays a decaying zombie at Land of Fear, described the work as an improvisational acting opportunity.

"I like dressing up and doing the makeup," she said, describing Land of Fear as an "immersive experience."

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Guests have the option of taking in a glow stick, an indicator that they want a more aggressive, interactive experience. The glow stick signifies that they actors can touch the holders and put more effort into frightening them. 

For Durkin, a typically shy person who moonlights as the haunt's resident mad scientist, it's a dare.

"I try to get very aggressive only because my goal is to take away their sense of security," he said. "If they wear a glow stick, I'm thinking, we got to set ourselves apart from other haunts."

The haunt has amassed favorable reviews so far, even with guests shrieking regularly in fear, hitting the deck and attempting to hide their glow sticks, Durkin said.

"When you put me in a costume, and I know people are paying to get entertained to some level, I'm going to give them what they came here for," he added. "I'm going to come out of my shell, and I'm just going to go for it, and I think they like it."

At $15 per customer, Durkin believes Land of Fear is the best value in a haunt that still meets or exceeds expectations.

"I want people to be afraid that they came in," he said.

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If you go

What: Land of Fear

Where: 3939 Old Taneytown Road in Taneytown, Maryland

When: 7 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October

Cost: $15 per person. Cash only.