Something is happening at the Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint. While the 2020 Halloween season is still very much in the planning stages, these monsters wanted to give fans a nice little fright to tide you over as we all practice social distancing.

BEHOLD! Terror Vault presents the
HAUNT-IN-PLACE Challenge!

Sit back, turn off those lights, turn up the sound, and go on a virtual journey through the most terrifying haunted house ever!

Terror Vault Haunt-In-Place Challenge 2020

The Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint is presented by INTO THE DARK and is the brainchild of Joshua Grannell (aka Peaches Christ) and producer David Mazochi. Having produced a First and Second Season, the team was in development for Season 3 when the current COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold mid-February in the U.S. Even now, with the haunting season just 3 months away the haunt community is still very much unsure about what is lingering in the fog.

The first move was to keep the scares coming, hence the Haunt-in-Place Challenge. But what will be happening at the Vault this year? We asked Grannell what if anything was going to happen. “We are moving forward with creating a wholly new Terror Vault show that will be fully immersive and still very COVID-safe, following city regulations and guidelines,” said Grannell.  Going further he stated “We are switching gears on the narrative and have added a secondary title to this year’s show to reflect that. The 2020 show is called “Terror Vault: The Immortal Reckoning“.

So we are getting a new story that will get more into visitor’s minds. Grannell explains, “In past years, our dramatic narrative centered around the historic San Francisco Mint as a former secret prison, but this year we are creating a new story that will catapult guests into an alternate dimension full of paranormal horrors including ghosts, vampires, witches, creatures and more. It’s going to be more fantastic and wild where the supernatural scares and effects will both frighten and electrify you.”

With ever-changing regulations, the team at INTO THE DARK, which produces Terror Vault, is aiming at a moving target Grannell said, “Last year we had two very large attractions, plus a big open Bar, and a Morbid Midway that served food, had a Gift Shop, Tarot readings, an arcade, etc. This year, due to COVID-19, we are not going to bring back our popular zombie-themed escape room experience called Apocalypse and we are going to need to down-size our other offerings and really focus on creating Terror Vault: The Immortal Reckoning as a COVID-safe but terrifying experience. We are getting very creative with our scares! Actors will be distanced, wearing masks, or behind protective barriers, and guests will also be required to wear masks (as part of the narrative). Our group size is going to be reduced and this alone offers more intimacy for the experience. We are looking forward to meeting the challenge this year’s circumstances require for being extra creative!”
So, color us safely scared and eager to venture into the vault. See you in the fog!

About the Author

Norman Gidney is a nearly lifelong horror fan. Beginning his love for the scare at the age of 5 by watching John Carpenter's Halloween, he set out on a quest to share his passion for all things spooky with the rest of the world.