The Horror Tuscaloosa leads haunted attractions returning to the area for 2021

Oct. 1—When you want something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?

For haunted attractions around Tuscaloosa, one of your first rings should go to Cody Minor. The longtime horror fan ran United Cerebral Palsy's Fright Factory for several years in the early century, then later helped create and run Main Avenue Mortuary, and Tuscaloosa Screams.

For 2021, Minor and his team, many of whom have worked on Halloween events for 15 or 20 years, have crafted the area's largest yet, The Horror Tuscaloosa. It opens this Friday and Saturday, then continues weekends, with some Thursdays, through October.

Unlike the previous attractions, all for-charity events, this one is going full professional, with the backing of Taylor Electrical Contractors, aiming toward the sort of high-intensity terrors wrought by the long-running Atrox Factory in Leeds.

The Horror Tuscaloosa has a split personality, for one ticket price: $25, or $40 for a fast pass. Only a limited number of the latter will be sold each night, and only on-site.

"In the first end of the house, we're sticking to kind of like the classics: vampires, werewolves, mad scientists; kind of a like a haunted mansion," Minor said. "The other side's like a little house on Halloween night, with a kind of haunted maze set up."

It's housed in a substantial warehouse, behind Taylor Electrical in Cottondale, with 15 or so acres behind, so there's room for growth, as the plan is to keep The Horror Tuscaloosa running for years to come. After visiting Pelham's Warehouse 31 attraction with his family, Brad Taylor shared a vision to create something like that house with Minor and his team.

"It's not as easy as it looks," Minor said, laughing, "but we thought let's just jump in and do it."

Creating a substantial haunted attraction is a year-round effort, he said. Visiting the annual TransWorld Halloween and Attractions four-day spring event in St. Louis, is a must for anyone in the haunted house, escape room or related entertainment businesses. The trade show offers training, makeup demonstrations, interactive exhibits, hundreds of vendors for the physical goods, and more.

"That's where you go to get animatronics and special effects," Minor said. "This is a big industry, much more than people imagine."

Industry publications estimate there are between 2,500 and 4,000 haunted attractions running each fall, with an economic impact between $300 million and $1 billion, depending on how you count in the for-charity events. Throwing in candy, costumes, decorations and more, Americans spend $7 billion yearly on Halloween overall.

The Horror Tuscaloosa will run 7 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays, from this weekend through Oct. 30; 7-10 p.m.Oct. 14, 21 and 28; and 7-11 p.m.Oct. 31, Halloween night, a Sunday. It's built behind Taylor Electrical Contractors, at 5477 Skyland Blvd E. in Cottondale. For a map, see the site at www.thehorrortuscaloosa.com/location.

The Horror team trained last week, going over what the actor/performers can do, how they should act, and of course emphasizing safety and COVID-19 protocols. The performers are a hodgepodge, including several who have worked haunted attractions with Minor many times before. Some are theatrically inclined, and look for any and all opportunities to perform.

"Some just wanna scare the crap out of people," he said, laughing.

A fan of '70s and '80s TV and film horror, and horror-comedy, Minor grew into it naturally. His parents worked at a haunted attraction for the volunteer fire department in McCalla.

"My mom bought me a costume and stuck me in a dark corner," he said, laughing. "And it just took off from there.

"Once you've done it, you either love it or hate it."

And though they're still rolling in some pieces — as with virtually everything in the pandemic world, supply-chain issues exist — The Horror Tuscaloosa is ready for 2021 ... and 2022, and beyond.

"You talk to anybody in this business, and they're already thinking about next year," Minor said. "We're wanting to grow this into a major attraction."

Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase at The Horror Tuscaloosa nights, and food trucks will be visiting the site. Those 13 years old and younger must be accompanied by a parent of guardian. All state and local COVID-19 protocols will be followed.

Fayette's Nightmare at the Farm returns for 2021, with a 20-minute walk-through of frights and fiends beginning at Nelson Funeral Home, 3659 Highway 171 N, about an hour's drive north-northwest of Tuscaloosa. Trailers will pick up patrons and transport them to the haunted attraction.

Nightmare at the Farm runs 7 p.m.-midnight every Friday and Saturday through the month. Admission is $10 general, $5 for those 10 and under. In case of inclement weather, the trail might be postponed or closed for an evening, so check the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Nightmare-at-the-Farm, or call 205-442-5780.

—Warehouse 31: 3150 Lee St., in Pelham, purports to be haunted by remnants of a decades-old industrial accident in the meat-packing warehouse. Warehouse 31 features a number of attractions, including Rigamortis, the interior haunted house; a 3D artwork experience; an escape room; and some lantern-only nights, in which trips through Rigamortis are lit by just a single lamp. Tickets are $29.95 for the Rigamortis and 3D experience package, or $49.95 for the fast-pass admission to the same. Escape room tickets are $10. The $59.95 Warehouse 31 VIP package includes fast-pass tickets to Rigamortis/3D, preferred seating in the waiting area, a free beverage ticket, a free popcorn ticket, a "freaky photo" from the photo booth, and a $2 off coupon for merchandise. For the full opening schedule, see www.warehouse31.com/tickets.

—Atrox Factory: 8404 Parkway Drive, in Leeds, utilizes more than 50,000 square feet, making it one of the largest haunted attractions in the Southeast. Atrox will be open 7-10 pm. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, 7-midnight Friday and Saturday. Tickets begin at $25. The Atrox waiting area features vendors, films, and some horror-movie celebrity appearances. For more details, see www.atroxfactory.com.

Sloss Fright Furnace will not open for 2021, as it did not in 2020, because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

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