Erebus haunted attraction facts for kids
Erebus Logo
|
|
| Location | 18 S. Perry St. Pontiac, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°38′11″N 83°17′35″W / 42.6362628°N 83.2929243°W |
| Opened | 2000 |
| Operated by | Edward & Jim Terebus |
| Theme | Halloween |
| Operating season | Fall |
Erebus is a huge, four-story haunted house located in Pontiac, Michigan. It opens every year around Halloween time. For a few years, it was even in the Guinness World Records as the biggest walk-through haunted attraction! It's usually suggested for kids aged 13 and up.
The Story of Erebus
Erebus first opened its doors in the year 2000. It's built inside an old four-story parking garage in Pontiac, Michigan. This building was empty for almost 50 years before Erebus moved in!
The owners are two brothers, Edward and Jim Terebus. Before Erebus, they ran other haunted attractions. These were often smaller, portable haunts. Erebus was their first big, permanent haunted house. They also help other haunted houses in Michigan by publishing a guide called Fear Finder. This guide helps people find all the spooky places to visit.
What You'll Experience
When you visit Erebus, you'll go on a wild journey through time. A scientist sends you to different periods in history. The haunted house changes some of its scares each year. But the main idea of time travel stays the same.
Actors, props, and huge animatronics make the experience scary. They get very close to visitors without actually touching anyone. For example, a giant 6-foot dragon might appear from the shadows! It looks like it's trying to eat you. Other tricks include moving walls and mirrors. You might feel like you're falling into a bottomless pit. Or even like you're being buried alive!
Cool Features of Erebus
The Metro Detroit area has many Halloween attractions. Erebus is one of the biggest. It covers a huge area, about 100,000 square feet! A lot of this space is used to store all the amazing props. The haunted house has multiple levels, and you even go through an elevator.
Erebus hires about 90 actors to bring the scares to life. They also use many animatronics that look like animals and monsters. These animatronics help create scares without breaking the "no-touch" rule. They might drop fake bugs from the ceiling. Or make parts of the building seem to move.
The path through Erebus is full of surprises. You'll go up inclines and down stairwells. There are narrow passages and low ceilings. You might even find trap doors! The attraction also uses special effects. Lasers, bright lights, and mirrors create confusing visuals. Erebus even has a unique scoreboard. It tracks how many visitors get scared or "wimp out"!
Awards and Recognition
Erebus has won several awards over the years:
- 2005–2009: Erebus was listed in the Guinness World Records. It was named the "World's Largest Walk-Through Haunted Attraction". It was 2,189 feet long!
- 2009: Click on Detroit voted Erebus the "#1 Best Haunted House in Pontiac".
- 2010: It was rated as the Number 1 best haunted house in the United States.
- 2015: Erebus was ranked among the top 10 scariest, biggest, and best haunted houses.
