<\/p>\n
Walking through Phantom Fall Fest at Lake Compounce<\/a> has meant enduring a haunted swamp, a monster-filled mansion and a disturbingly dark version of Wonderland, but this year\u2019s attraction adds perhaps the creepiest element yet: Visitors show up for a sleep study that\u2019s gone horrifyingly wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year\u2019s Phantom Fall Fest unleashes more horror than ever before, with the debut of Project Nightmare<\/a> and a full lineup of terrifying haunts and scare zones,\u201d said Assistant General Manager Megan Major. \u201cWe\u2019ve pushed the limits of what a haunt can be.\u201d<\/p>\n The new Project Nightmare horror house is set up as a tour through a sleep study, with the visitor\u2019s worst nightmares coming to life from all sides. The Sleep Keepers Research Facility has gone malevolent, and the tagline \u201cdream \u2019til you scream\u201d accurately sums it up.<\/p>\n Otherwise happy childhood scenes \u2013 stuffed animals, a warm bed with toys, a wall of children\u2019s art \u2013 all become dark and deranged, and a cast of more than a dozen and a half scare-actors inside keep the scares coming.<\/p>\n But Madison Burnes-Baker, the park\u2019s entertainment manager, said the designers left a lot of the fear to visitors\u2019 imaginations: Dark rooms with shadowy figures set a steady tone of terror without as many gore and violence scenes as more typical haunted houses.<\/p>\n Lake Compounce\u2019s annual Halloween attraction is actually in two parts. Daylight hours are reserved for youngsters<\/a>: the kiddie rides and easy-going entertainment are the stars.<\/p>\n