Guest Name: Jonah Snyder
Visit Date: October 15, 2022
Recommended to Friends?: Yes
Title: "The Best Halloween Experience at at Theme Park"

Score: 9.5 out of 10

When it comes to Halloween events at theme parks, it usually leans into one of two camps: a family-friendly experience, or a horror-themed experience aimed at an older audience. Tweetsie Railroad manages to provide the perfect balance with it's Ghost Train event, offering a generally family-friendly enviroment, but with easily accessible 'scare zones' for those who do want that more thrilling experience, which includes the train itself, the Haunted House, and the 'Freaky Forest.' The Freaky Forest is a little lackluster when it comes to scares, but the Haunted House is perfect. The small size and tight corridors give you a sense of claustrophobia, and helps with building anticipation as you navigate the maze of walls within. The Ghost Train itself though is easily the highlight, as there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the country. The locomotive is an authentic coal-fired steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone, PA in 1943, decorated perfectly for the occasion. Usually the Halloween garb put on trains can look kind of tacky, but Tweetsie's is genuinely impressive, with a gorgeously sculpted skull mask, a flamethrower behind the smokestack, and a sparks that fly out of the skull mask, and smoke effects galore give this train a truly eerie feel. The train ride itself gives you a sense of dread too. While not necessarily scary, there is a sense of anticipation as you travel into the darkness, and being stuck on a train for 20 minutes as you ride into the unknown really makes you feel more susceptible to the implied danger. The entertainment is also great, with nightly performances of Thriller, and other spooky fun with 'Darkus Knight' and the 'Spice Ghouls.' In short, Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train is the perfect Halloween event, by so masterfully catering to practically every demographic possible for a Halloween event, and having visited multiple times over the years, I can say it's well worth the trip.

Features Noticed: Food/Concessions, Handicap Accessible, Queue Actors/Entertainment, Multiple Attractions/Ticket Options, Gift Shop/Souvenirs
Suggestions for the Attraction: Train Rides require you to book a specific time, so make sure you do so over their website at www.tweetsie.com. Season Pass holders can book their tickets over the phone, and get $20 off.