Think of a traditional haunt, the spooky scenery, the eerie lighting, the familiar smell of fog in the air, and of course the threat of a monster around every blind corner.  There would probably be a spooky house scene, maybe a mad scientist lab, a gaggle of zombies looking for human flesh to feast upon.  Now put them all in one, gigantic experience that spans 25 minutes, spans 15,000 square feet, and throw every single gag in the traditional haunted house book in there and you have the absolutely brilliant Reign of Terror Haunted House.

Now in its 15th year, Reign of Terror occupies a “vacant” space above a Gold’s Gym in the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks. The entrance is standard enough, not even scary really, a side door, leading to an industrial stairwell.  Once up the stairs we are guided into a dark space that stands in stark contrast to the antiseptic fluorescent lighting that preceded it.  We are suddenly in an old ghost town setting at night.  Thunder and lighting betray the presence of storm clouds off in the distance as a macabre disaster has struck a small mining town.  A homestead to the right is nearly burnt to the ground as indicated by the flickering glowing embers left behind.  Oh, and that is just the queue.

Enter here.

We queue up in a mining town and the experience technically begins as we wander into an abandoned mine. We are surrounded by earthen walls, flickering lanterns, abandoned mine shafts, and skeletal remains.  The smell of freshly turned earth lingers (yes they use smells, sparingly).  Slowly the scenery shifts and becomes more verdant.  We are now in a jungle cavern with blacklights a-plenty.  Weaving through the brush we see that we are now at an asylum.  And so it goes.

Yes, Reign of Terror is a sprawling haunted house of epic scope.  Through its gigantic floor space we are treated to no less than 82 rooms of scares.  To put it in cinematic terms, Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks is the Ben Hur of haunted houses in Southern California. It goes on forever, but when it ends, you are begging for more.

Reign of Terror benefits greatly from set designer and founder Bruce Stanton’s ability to create inviting, yet frightening sets, scenes, and scenarios.  Each turn offers a new surprise be it a change in tone, scenery, or just a good, old-fashioned scare. The all-volunteer staff at the Reign of Terror really works hard to create a mischievously spooky, often times startling atmosphere too.  They are to be commended for their tireless work on such a massive project.

If all of that Halloween goodness isn’t enough to warm your heart, you need to also keep in mind that the entire haunt is for charity.  Last year, $30,000 was donated from the October Reign of Terror Haunted House to the Conejo Recreation and Park District; more than $90,000 has been donated to ConejoRPD. The annual donations benefit the District’s Thousand Oaks Teen Center, Young Artists Ensemble programs and the Conejo Theatre for Everyone, which gives special needs youth the opportunity to perform.

For children, (and those adults who can’t quite handle it) there are “lights on” tours available on Saturday, October 24th and Saturday October 31st from 1pm-4pm. No actors, no scares, no animations, or darkness! This is a great opportunity to have some fun with the kids & for haunt enthusiasts to check out the details of the scenes.

Reign of Terror is open weekends in October now through the 31st.

Tickets are $17 for regular admission and $25 for the VIP front of the line access. GET TICKETS HERE.

Pro-Tip! The box office for Reign of Terror accepts CASH ONLY.  There is an ATM nearby for a fee.  Best bet is to stop at one of the many nearby banks to grab cash first, then head on in.

Check out our new Calendar for up to the minute dates and hours for your favorite So-Cal Haunts and Events.

Now, tell us, why aren’t you at Reign of Terror yet?