September 11, 2019

'Terror Behind the Walls' at Eastern State Penitentiary adds new interactive experiences for 2019

Philly's popular Halloween attraction is filled with frights

By Sinead Cummings
PhillyVoice Staff

Courtesy of/Darryl Moran

"Terror Behind the Walls" at Eastern State Penitentiary is a haunted house in an abandoned prison.

Feeling brave? Philly's popular Halloween attraction "Terror Behind the Walls" at Eastern State Penitentiary is back for the 2019 season from Friday, Sept. 20, through Saturday, Nov. 9.

Visitors to the haunted house in the nearly 200-year-old prison must choose if they'll watch the action unfold around them, or mark themselves to interact with the maniacal surgeons, zombie inmates, blood-hungry creatures and other horrors inside the cellblocks.

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For 2019, "Terror Behind the Walls" is bringing back six scary attractions with new interactive experiences that Eastern State promises are more immersive than ever.

Those who choose the interactive experience may be grabbed, held back, sent into hidden passageways or even temporarily separated from their group.

For all the attractions, there are Hollywood-quality sets, animatronics and custom-designed soundtracks, and a team of makeup artists works to make the cast appear as fearsome and frightening as possible.

Tickets to the Halloween attraction start at $24 and vary by night. Buying a ticket in advance is the only way to guarantee entry, as dates often sell out.

Also, note that children and students receive a discount on Sunday evenings, and the last two nights are "Remix: Lights Out," which means visitors will experience all six attractions in complete darkness.