The Roller Coaster Alley crew made our annual pilgrimage to Scarywood Theme Park this past weekend, and it was quite an adventure to say the least! In this post, we’ll share photos, details about our experience, and our commentary about everything this “Bigger and Badder” version for 2025 has to offer!
We’re going to try something a little different this time around. Whereas our trip reports in the past have focused primarily on our reviews of the attractions, this time around we experienced a few unique twists that we thought would be interesting and helpful to share. For starters, the weather was not on our side for most of the evening. Additionally, we were bringing our 13-year-old daughter for her first visit ever. This was our first time coming to the event with one of our own kiddos, and she is one who is a bit more on the jittery side when it comes to Halloween events. We were a bit apprehensive as to how she would handle everything. We’ll share some details about how it went, in hopes that it might be helpful info for any readers out there in a similar situation.
But before we get to that, let’s talk weather. In the days leading up to our Saturday evening visit, we were aware that it wasn’t shaping up to be the most cozy evening to attend. We’ve talked in the past about how October is a complete wild card in northern Idaho for weather – we’ve attended on nights where it was in the 60’s, other times where it was in the 20’s, and even encountered rain on a couple of unlucky occasions. This time, the forecast called for wind, rain, and cold temps, with a winter storm warning on Saturday night and into Sunday. We’ve never seen it quite like this before – there was literally the possibility of snow! Let this be a good reminder – when we say to come prepared for any possibility, this is what we are talking about!
The forecast was so daunting that the park even announced that they would not be opening Sunday evening. With all of this looming over our heads, we braced ourselves for what we expected to be a rough night. Perhaps another post for another day might be a run down of all the different clothes we pack in an effort to be ready for whatever the weather throws at us – let us know if you’d like to see something like that! Suffice to say we layered up, donned all our rain gear, and made our way to the park. A wise man once said “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear”. We were about to put those words to the ultimate test!
Upon arrival, we were met with light-to-moderate rainfall as we waited with the crowds at the front gate. We wondered if the bad forecast would keep some park-goers at home, but we were surprised at how many still decided to show up. No doubt that the Sunday closure probably caused more than a few people to change their plans and attend Saturday instead. All in all, both of those factors seemed to offset each other, resulting in a negligible impact on crowds. We don’t have any data to back that up, but just going off of “feels like” crowds, it seemed a little less busy than what we’ve seen on a typical Saturday, but not by a wide margin.
We started the night by making our way back to Timber Terror as per our usual strategy. The recent re-tracking of the first drop made for a fantastic ride – better than we’ve had in several years. Yes, it was raining during our ride, but due to the backwards facing cars, that wasn’t an issue at all. We just popped up our rain hoodies and that did the trick.
Next up, it was time to hit up some haunts. Scarywood 2025 has been promoted with the tagline as being “Bigger and Badder”, mainly due to the plussed up version of “The Swine”, so we were very much looking forward to checking that out. We headed that way first. Note that, unlike last year, the pathway through the picnic pavilion area is not open. As such, the only way to access both The Swine, and Chuckle’s 3D Sideshow, was via the pathway by Aftershock.
We hit up The Swine first, and were greeted with the glorious sight of no queue. We consider that our small reward for showing up early! And it was a great way to start out the evening. “Bigger and Badder” doesn’t even begin to describe how much better this was compared to 2024.
It didn’t feel like the same attraction at all – it was completely new. Never in our 15+ years of coming to Scarywood have we seen a more pronounced year-over-year improvement to a haunt than we did with The Swine.
For starters, they ditched the “maze” concept to allow for a strictly linear pathway through the attraction, which naturally resulted in a longer walk-through.
Next, they added 3 new buildings, which conveniently aligned to the story of the three little pigs – one house of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks.
And finally, all of the props and sets were themed to the extreme – with one jaw dropping moment after another around every corner. Scareactors were well placed, with a few that were so well designed that we had a hard time distinguishing between the ones that were real people or just props.
Suffice to say, this was fantastic. We enjoyed The Swine last year – it was fun getting to do a maze that was mostly outdoors, and we loved all of the call-backs to haunts from previous years.
But this time around, it really felt like maze designers rolled up their sleeves and went all-in. It was incredible from start to finish, and we hope to see The Swine return for at least a few more years. It’s just that good!
We then made our way through three of the other haunts, all returning from 2024: Chuckle’s 3D Sideshow, Pharaoh’s Curse, and Planet Zombie: Lights Out. There isn’t much to say about these three that we haven’t covered in other posts, so we won’t dwell on them too much. We did noticed (and love!) that it seemed like every prop and animation was working correctly this year. It’s a small detail that might not seem like much to the average guest, but to us it shows the park’s commitment to making Scarywood as good as it can be. There were other small new details we noticed in each of the three mazes, but overall nothing too much different from years past.
Our only minor gripe this year is with Planet Zombie: Lights Out. We loved the “Lights Out” version when it debuted a few years ago, but it’s starting to feel a bit stale for us…similar to how we felt with “Total Darkness”. Part of that stems from the fact that Planet Zombie is such an incredibly detailed and intricate attraction, and having all the lights out means we miss out getting to see a lot of that. We would love to see it in its full glory again at some point, or perhaps in a “hybrid” mode where the lights are on for part of the time and off for part of it. Don’t misunderstand – it’s still a fantastic attraction. We just wish we could see more of it again.
Minor quibbles aside, we next decided to head over to Stunt Pilot. The rain was starting to let up a bit and we wanted to get a coaster in while we had a window of opportunity. The queue was longer than we’ve seen in the past – almost 30 mins. While waiting, the rain picked back up again, so we were bracing ourselves (and our eyes!) for the water. But as luck would have it, the rain stopped just as we dispatched from the station. It’s not often that the stars align just right, so we savored every moment and had a great ride on the best coaster in the park.
Thankfully from that point on, the weather continued to let up for the most part, so we were able to enjoy the rest of the event without that much more rain. But it was definitely one of the wettest and coldest evenings we’ve had at the park. That said, we came prepared, and still ended up enjoying ourselves. At no point were we feeling soaked or frozen to the core. Luck favors the prepared, and in our case, we definitely survived the night from a weather standpoint.
Our next stop as we continued making our way through the park was the Monster Meal inside the Theater of Illusion. This was the only truly “new” offering for 2025, and truthfully we weren’t expecting much. The menu didn’t look too appealing to us, and we were anticipating it wouldn’t come close to meeting the excellence of the Dillusion magic show that we’ve come to know and love.
As it turns out, we were…right. It was likely our own fault for trying to compare this to its predecessor, but the Monster Meal just didn’t really land for us. Upon entering, we could see some scary videos and imagery playing on the big screen on stage, several food service stations lined up along the front of the theater, and guests enjoying their meals at the tables. The video clips that were shown on the big screen were decent. It did appear that a fair bit of effort went into filming them; they looked far better than we had expected, especially for an in-house production. But without much in the way of recognizable characters or material, it just didn’t keep our attention for very long.
The food service was a “buffet-style” setting with themed tables for each of the food options. A monster scareactor was stationed at each and would serve up the food you had ordered. To their credit, the actors were fun to interact with and did a good job staying in character to keep it interesting. We even made a friend named Hank, who we promised a brief shout-out to!
Having filled up on food before arriving at the park, we opted to only order the dessert, which was a churro fries ice cream sundae. It was okay, but nothing to write home about. Nothing else on the menu looked appealing to us, although we have to admit it’s a decent deal at only $20 if you opt for the full 3-course meal. That said, if you get hungry during Scarywood, we’d recommend the Caselli’s Pizza stand over by Corkscrew where you can get a cheese stuffed breadstick and sauce (our personal favorite savory snack for Scarywood). Or better yet, head over to the High Moon Saloon, which we were pleased to see offering their full summer menu including the excellent Monte Cristo sandwich.
Be aware – the actors don’t leave you alone once you sit down to eat – they’ll continue to sneak up on you until you leave! It’s not as scary as one of the haunted attractions, but it’s definitely not a “safe zone” if that’s what you’re looking for! If you need a break to warm up or rest your feet, it’s not a bad spot to kick back.
We did appreciate the Monster Meal as a good attempt to make lemons out of lemonade, given that the magic show could not go forward this year. And we’re glad to see the park trying out new ideas and concepts, even if they don’t always live up to our admittedly hyper-inflated and nerdy expectations. Ultimately, what it comes down to for us is that this was the very first year that there was no live entertainment offering at Scarywood. Without a live show of some kind, the event didn’t feel as complete as it usually does. So whether it’s the return of Dillusion, or something new, here’s hoping that live entertainment makes its way back into the lineup for Scarywood 2026!
After we moved on from the Monster Meal, our final stop was Blood Bayou, which continues to impress us every single year. We always wonder if and when this will be replaced, so we cherish each additional year we get with this amazing attraction. The Swine definitely gave this a run for it’s money, but if we are ranking on pure thematic immersion, Blood Bayou still takes the #1 spot in our book.
Before we wrap up our review, we teased earlier that we brought our daughter along for her first visit, so how did she do? Overall, she did great! She chose not to try any haunts this first time around, but she did every scare zone, and didn’t even need a FrightLight pass! She was very nervous before the event started, unsure of what to expect. We made many attempts at reassuring her by showing her the many pictures and trip reports we’ve shared over the years. But that only helped marginally – she wasn’t convinced she’d be okay until she actually got to try it out in person. “Fear of the unknown” was a major factor, and once she met a few of the roaming scareactors wandering the courtyard as we were waiting, she began to feel a lot more at ease. It wasn’t long before she was able to fully relax and have a lot of fun.
We owe a lot of that to the fact that we chose to let her go at her own pace. That helped take some of the stress off (she was feeling enough of it already!) and helped her feel comfortable saying “no” when she didn’t feel ready to try something. It might not be the approach that works for every kid, but for her it seemed to do the trick. Ultimately we wanted her to end the night feeling like she had conquered some of her fears, and enjoying things enough that she wanted to come back next year. And thankfully, she does!
Even without using one of the new FrightLight passes, it was nice to know those were an option. For someone like her, it was a great thing to have as a backup in case she hadn’t acclimated to the event as quickly as she did. Our plan going in was to see how the first 10-15 minutes went, and then decide if she needed one of the passes.
Speaking of the FrightLight passes, we did notice a few people wearing them throughout the night, but it was not distracting to us at all. We still had plenty of jump scares throughout all of the scare zones and pathways throughout the entire night. So, if anyone reading this is concerned that these might lessen the impact of Scarywood or create an impediment to getting your fill of frights in, you can put your mind at ease. If our experience is any indicator, these passes are great for those using them, and don’t impact anyone else wishing to enjoy the full experience.
For those who do choose to purchase one, they certainly open up the event to a bigger audience of people who might not otherwise be able to attend. And nothing says you have to keep it switched on all night – if you get partway through the evening and are feeling brave, you can always turn it off. At the very least, they make for a great souvenir. We loved the design, and almost bought one just as a keepsake!
We hope our experience this year goes to show that anyone can have a great time at Scarywood – whether you’re a seasoned haunter or a first timer – and no matter what the weather throws at you. All it takes is a little planning and preparation. Even though we missed the live entertainment, this was our favorite year yet in terms of scare zones and haunted attractions. Scarywood continues to one-up themselves in that department. We truly cannot overstate how amazing The Swine is this year. In summation, it’s a great year to visit Scarywood, and there’s still plenty of time left with 3 full weekends remaining; you definitely don’t want to miss out!
Planning a trip to Scarywood? Be sure to check out our Scarywood Haunted Nights Trip Planning Guide as well as our Scarywood 1-Night Itinerary posts to help you get the most out of your time in the park!
Have you been to Scarywood yet this year? What did you like or not like? Did you think the Swine was Bigger and Badder, as promised? Did you enjoy the Monster Meal more than we did? Let us know what you think in the comments - we love hearing from you!
The official Silverwood Theme Park website can be found at: www.silverwoodthemepark.com. All business-related questions should be directed to this site.
Hey again! Good to hear you had a great time along with your Daughter!
I’ve gone these past three (03, 10, and 17) Fridays, and I really love the expanded Swine, one thing I’m also happy about is that last year the Teasers for it were showing Wolves so I thought it would be Wolf themed (I didn’t notice the Pig related stuff on the teasers), thankfully this year they added the Wolf Den at the beginning of the Haunt so I feel somewhat less embarrassed about just focusing on the Wolves.
For the “Bigger and Badder” they’ve been advertising. Besides the Swine upgrade I notice they sort of expanded the Scare Zones hiding spots, with more Hay Bales, and putting those Planters with the Trees in the walkways for the Actors to hide behind and spook you. Also in the Toy Box area, the Blocks are stacked higher so that even the actors on Stilts can hide behind them. I think they added some more props, mainly I noticed the hanging Egg Sacks/Pustules in the Spider Web “Phobia” area.
In the Planet Zombie Haunt it looked like there was a new Animatronic of Zombie hanging off of one of the buildings and over the path. At first I thought it was an actor, but after going through again I realized it was an animatronic. Like you mentioned I wouldn’t mind them turning the Lights back on in Planet Zombie so you can take in more of it. I always notice new things each time I go through the Haunts.
I saw the talking Head was moving its mouth properly in the Pharoah’s Curse Haunt which I had seen in people’s videos, but never when I was there. I don’t know what else they’ve added, but I’m very pleased about it all across the whole Park.
I hope they are able to bring back the Magic Show for next Scarywood (Praying for Nick!), but I have greatly enjoyed the Monster Meal, and since I do it each week the actors recognize me, and I get a lot of fun interactions. The little Movies are also great, I recognize most of the actors in them from going through the Haunts so much, and Bub the Zombie from seeing him walk around, and on the Silverwood show. (I saw you guys on the Silverwood Show also which was really nice also!) I hope they upload the videos on their Youtube channel later, and I’d love to see more of the stories of the various characters.
I usually go by myself, but last Night I was able to meet up with one of my Pastor’s Sons, and his group. I got to be sort of their tour guide so it was a bit of a different experience for me. All in all I always love Scarywood, and I dream about it basically all year long.
Thanks for the comment Josh! Glad you enjoyed Scarywood this year as well; sounds like you liked the Monster Meal a lot more than we did! Maybe if we had more time to spend in there it would have been better.
You’re right, the scare zones definitely felt a lot more beefed up this year, and we noticed a lot of the same enhancements you did. Even though there were fewer zones, it seemed like things were more concentrated and better executed. We prefer quality over quantity when it comes to scare zones, and they definitely delivered on that this year!