Terror Behind the Walls

BOO-​YAH
A fun time beyond one of the creepiest abandoned prisons in the country, if not in the world!
Every fall, after night fall, between mid September and early November, Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) will open its gate, to people who voluntarily enters the gate of hell.
Don’t miss out this top-​rated REAL haunted Halloween house.
— There were 6 attractions: Lockdown, Infirmary, Detritus, Break Out, Machine Shop and the 4D Quarantine.
— Spooky romantic date. Run for your love! Ooops, I mean life. Run for your lives!
— Mysterious group screaming. So, ready, set, BOO!
— There will be unpleasant guards, maniac prisoners and disturbing nurses. And who knows what else you may encounter during your visit. After all, ESP is believed to be haunted!
— If you decided to opt-​in, you will be given a glowing necklace to wear, you will be touched, grabbed and pulled away in some hidden passages. Note: You may have to crawl.
I did it couple of times, and I want to do it all over again.
Four and Half Unilocal

If you go, you should wear the glow-​in-​the-​dark necklace that allows the actors to touch you. This includes bringing you in cells and [man made] passageways. By going on these passageways or brought into cells, it’s probably fairly easy to get split up from your group. I usually don’t get scared easily by these kinds of things, but what really got me was the fact that it’s an actual, haunted prison. I gotta admit, I was a little spooked out when an actor brought me and my friend into a cell. It was more exhilarating than scary when he then slammed us up against the cell wall, shortly after, and screamed in our faces. They don’t play around!
Even though were in and out of all the walk-​throughs in less than 30 minutes, we probably waiting in lines for over 2 hours all together.

Probably was of the most fun I have had in a while, we came with a bunch a peeps and had the VIP passes which were key, we all wore the glow necklaces which is they way to go, I got fucked with a lot so it was really fun, went to the speak easy bar after and had drinks and saw Al Capone cell.

We went on the last Friday they were open which was a «Lights Out» event. They completely turned off all the lights, so during the event it was a bit hard to see. The line was TERRIBLE. GOD AWFUL. We made friends in the line, so it made it a bit more bearable, but waiting two hours after your ticket time is a bit ridiculous.
The first four attractions were fun, mildly scary, but the last two really made it amazing. I was SCARED AS H*LL. They tore us away from the group and made us crawl through a tiny crawl space and from there on out I was having a BLAST.
Despite the wait, I’d say it was worth it. Upgrade to the quick pass or VIP so you don’t have to wait forever.

This year, for Halloween, we decided to take a little road trip to Terror Behind the Walls at the Eastern State Penitentiary. We purchased the quickpass tickets for 9:30 PM on Halloween night, expecting it to be a little scarier, and it was NOT! The drive there, from NYC, was not too bad; it was pretty quick. We arrived, and from the outside, looking in or pulling up, the prison (itself) is pretty intimidating! The place is intimidating with, or without, a Halloween event going down.
Once we arrived to the area, we saw huge lines! We were about to go into its parking, when we noticed that the parking lot was full. We ended up having to drive to the Philadelphia Zoo for additional parking; then, hopped on the the shuttle bus, AKA «The Ghost Bus,» from the zoo to the penitentiary. With that name, I was expecting a little creativity or activity while on the bus… maybe some history? NO! Actually, I think the ghost bus was one of the worst experiences of the night. I felt like I was in elementary school going on a class trip, everyone was shouting perverted things and making «funny noises» since it was dark in the bus.
Next time, I’ll pay for parking close by… oh wait, I’m never going there again! LOL. Once off the ghost bus, we went up to the entrance and told the ticket taker we had quick passes. Be ready for everyone with regular tickets to give you dirty looks since they are on a long, miserable, line which isnt even worth the wait! I REALLY recommend quick passes! Once inside, you know it is your typical haunted attraction walk through, some scary sections, some not so scary.
One of the biggest problems with this place is that there were too many empty spaces. The thing I did enjoy was actually being in the penitentiary! I think that if I would have done a, night time, walk through the penitentiary, without any fake zombies (with bad make up on), I would of been way more terrified. Maybe even being told about the history, I would have been terrified!
Also, they had a 4D room, and it was tacky! It was not scary at all! It would have been cool as an additional room at the end, but not being connected to the rest of the rooms! Also, they had like two clowns in one room; it would have been nice if they would have expanded on that! The clowns could have been scarier than fake prisoners yelling, «You’re in my block, this is D Block! Watch your back!» HUHHHH?! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!
Oh, and when we walked into the food court, I was so lost! I was like, that’s it?! It ended! It was way too short and sudden! When we walked out of the penitentiary, we were all dizzy from the lights in one of the rooms!
** I AM GIVING THIS EVENT THREE STARS BASED ON THE PENITENTIARY ALONE AND THE HISTORY! Terror Behind the Walls gets ZERO STARS!

Loved it!!! I’m always a fan of haunted houses/​mazes. My brother and I were in town for the Rock n Roll Marathon. We looked into this scary prison haunting and were not disappointed. The penitentiary is already creepy to begin with, perfect setting for this scary experience. The staff stayed in character from beginning to end. Took advantage of every opportunity to scare us.

At the very end when you’re close to the gift shop I was walking with my group. I still had the glowing band around my neck meaning that the employees of the event could touch me. Prior to this, the employees approaching me and physically grabbing me had been mild and not very aggressive.
As we were making our way up the ramp into the gift shop, one of the employees dressed as a zombie soldier ran up behind me and, best I can guess, quickly tried to put me in a headlock. I don’t know if he misjudged his approach or he was just irresponsible but he basically ended up punching me in the side of the head. The side of my face swelled and it’s still painful today, the next morning.
I’m never doing this event again.

Went here the night before halloween. It was sold out, we bought tickets in advance online. I highly recommend this method. We did not use rhe lot parking and shuttle they offer so i cannot speak on that. We made the trip from virginia specifically for this attraction as i love halloween. Well worth the trip. You have an option to let the staff touch you or seperate you from your group for a brief time. I am not easily scared, and was several times. The staff costumes were superb. Some areas were pretty scary and graphic. There were kids there, but not many under 11 or 12.

I didn’t realize that by «long lines» people meant 1 hour ½ wait time (AFTER YOUR DESIGNATED TICKET TIME).
I like arriving places early so we bought tickets for 12am and arrived at 11:30pm. I saw the huge lines and to get a sense as to how long we were going to wait I asked people by the door what their time slot was for… I asked 2 people and each said 10:30pm. So at that point we were already looking at not getting in until 1:00am. Thankfully it wasn’t THAT cold out.
We didn’t get in until 1:30am and we were done by 2:15am. We waited over an hour for a show that didn’t even last that long.
Needless to say, I won’t be returning.
The good:
They did add 2 other rooms which were cool. I got spooked twice.
Quick tip: We parked on the street in front of the police station on 21^st street. This was so worth it! You have to pay between 7am — 7pm (it was free since we were there so late) and it was only a 10 minute walk. It’s on the corner of a Wawa so you can grab a coffee or snack before you wait on the line.
The bad:
Most rooms weren’t scary. Waiting in between rooms were annoying.
My main gripe is that they trickle you in with groups of about 8 people at a time so that it’s not a huge mob which is fine. However I always end up at the part of a group where I’m a couple of feet behind the people who get the scare shock, so either 1. I know what’s coming or 2. They don’t even bother to scare me because they just went through their round and the people behind me get scared.
I’ve done this twice and twice the same thing happened again. It really sucks being behind the people who get the «boo». If they can fix this and come up with some sort of system that you’ll know what «number they are taking» kind of like at a deli then it would be much better. Or if they had some sort of distraction while you wait in line that would make this whole waiting experience worth it.

I highly recommend getting the VIP pass if you want the ultimate experience. For example, you don’t have to wait in line, you get a discount to the Al Capone speakeasy and you get nifty gifts such as the badge necklace, miniature flashlight and free photo. My favorite part of being VIP, is that the «monsters» and employees are aware of your status because of your badge. They then make sure you are in the front of the line/​group and get the ultimate scares first.
If you are unsure about spending so much money on the VIP pass, keep in mind that the proceeds are donated to the prison/​museum to keep it functional, open and to preserve its historical look.
The actors for the monsters are very talented. A couple of them made me jump and scream. There will be a guy with a chainsaw who may chase you and try to saw your legs. However, the main scare for me would be the loud sounds, eerie environment and the fact that you don’t know what will pop out or what is coming next.
The VIP pass also comes with a group tour of the penitentiary, with a tour guide who is very knowledgable and talks about the history; they are very informative and answer all questions. Be careful maneuvering around staircases and the basement, you may trip down the stairs or bump your head on the low ceiling if you are not careful.
My only complaints are the portable potties are the only bathrooms that are available. Be sure to bring hand sanitizer. The gift shop is cool and there is a section where you can watch documentaries of the prison; they need to update their televisions because they are old-​fashioned and tiny. But, I guess it suits the overall scenery. The food is very plain such as chicken tenders, fries and the alcoholic drinks are just okay.
Lastly, be sure to wear your jacket because it can get chilly. If you wear the glowing necklace (allows monsters to touch you and separate you from the group), I do not recommend bringing any large purse since it may fall over or be a hassle to carry around. A small purse with long body strap is fine. If you choose not to wear the necklace, any purse would be fine. Just keep in mind that you will be walking (maybe even running and screaming!) throughout the entire time.

Terror Behind the Walls is absolutely terrifying! I am normally a big scaredy cat, but hearing all about this Halloween event from everyone I know near Philadelphia I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be spooked inside a historic prison where Al Capone was once held! Buying tickets beforehand with a time slot can help you avoid the masses of crowds that start to gather when this event opens in Mid-​September and lasts until the week after Halloween. Weekday prices are the cheapest. Weekend prices are steep at $ 30-​$ 40/​ticket if purchased online ($ 5 more on site) but Sunday nights offer student discounts of 50%. Ticket packages including dinner at nearby restaurants in Fairmount are a new option. Event parking costs $ 20 unless you want to try to find street parking. Souvenir photos are $ 25 – 35 and there is also a speakeasy bar opened inside Al Capone’s cell.
Overall this attraction is NOT cheap, but you can find ways around paying too much. They do put a lot of money into the costumes and attraction. I would say that with so many horror attractions around for Halloween this is one that is a MUST SEE. There are 6 different themed areas inside the prison where you will be spooked. Entrants can opt to be touched and separated from their group by wearing a glow stick necklace at no extra charge. Souvenir photos are taken at the beginning of the attraction for pick-​up at the end. Overall the attractions takes about 45+ minutes depending on the crowds. If you get the chance you should also check out the daytime historic prison it is really an eerie and awesome location.

Very fun place to go for Halloween festivities! Really cool that they turned this into a haunted house. Great acting!

People who know me know that I hate scary things. So it would seem that making the conscious decision to go to a haunted house in an actual old prison would be a major error in judgment. However, I actually really enjoyed the experience.
First of all, the scares are «good scares», as in, ones that provide the startling element without the actual dread and terror. Even though I scream easily, I never actually truly felt frightened, which is a good thing. You’re given the choice of either the regular experience or the interactive experience. If you choose the latter, the actors are allowed to touch you, grab you, possibly take you away and lead you to another section of the room where the regular experience doesn’t go. I was hesitant to do it, but in the end I’m glad I did. I really think the regular experience isn’t nearly as fun.
I was totally blown away by how well and detailed they designed the haunted prison. This isn’t your typical haunted house. The prison is set up like spokes on a wheel. And every spoke is a different place, and a completely new experience. You’ll be in the mental hospital, the kitchen (or chop shop), the lab, the garden, and others. Things jump out at you, chase you, grab you and put you in other places. The props and costumes and sound are very elaborate. The last room is crazy psychedelic. You’re given 3-​D glasses to wear, and pretty much the entire experience is designed to disorient you and mess with your head.
Things to note. If you do the interactive experience, you ‘ll likely be separated from your friends at some point. I was taken away no less than 3 times, but luckily it was easy enough to find my group afterwards. I lost them completely at the end, and some nice people invited me to tag along with their group.
It was an awesome time! Although I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go to another haunted house again, since the bar is now set so high.

I came to TBTW a couple of years ago and, although I enjoyed it, it had not been my favorite Halloween attraction. This year, since a friend is one of the zombies, I came back to show her support and I am so glad I did! It got way better!!!
Not only is the whole thing more interactive — for the brave there are «trackers» that basically allow you to get grabbed and pulled aside by the monsters — but they also set up a speakeasy where you get one drink, then you can wonder around different cells to gamble, get your tarot cards read or check out Al Capone’s old cell.
Overall, totally worth the money, an awesome Halloween activity that I reccomend to everyone!

This place might have the potential of being entertaining or somewhat scary if it wasn’t so cheesed.
The annoying actors walk around the NEVER ENDING HOURS LONG lines, as if only to distract you for a moment about how much money to spent to wait in an old parking lot.
They shovel groups through the actual prison like cattle so nothing is scary and anyone who jumps out in front is ruined because you’re only 1 foot behind or in front of the next groups.
If you want an over priced, gimmick-​y version of a guided tour of the prison, then this is your place, if you like to actually be scared and feel like you’re spending your money wisely then look otherwise

This was a highly engaging experience. You have a choice upon entering: either wearing a glow stick around your neck, or not. If you wear the glow stick, you can literally get shoved into cells, touched on the head, or provoked by the characters. Without giving away too many details, it was well worth the money for the hour. Makeup is great, personalities are wonderful, and a lot of jump scares.

I’ve heard about this Halloween Haunted House for awhile and I’m so glad we finally were able to experience it. We had a great time! To begin with the penitentiary itself is a bit creepy and eerie so it becomes 10x’s more creepy when you turn out the lights and have people jumping out of nowhere. I was pleasantly surprised at how organized everything was, the lines were long but moving quickly and were orderly. They only let small groups in at a time so everyone was able to be frightened.
We parked at the zoo and took the ghost bus over to the penitentiary, it was well worth it. If you buy your tickets for admission and parking online you save considerably so I definitely recommend purchasing online. Afterwards we purchased tickets to Capone’s Lounge for 10.00 and we were glad we did, it was a good time and the ticket included a drink. It was cool to be having a drink while checking out the cells, taking pictures of Al Capone’s cell and enjoying the shows with the actors.
If you want to experience a different type of haunted house, then this is your spot.

Terror Behind the Walls was a highlight of my night only because I opted for the actors to be able to touch me. Personally, if I’m going to a haunted attraction, I’d rather be scared. Especially since I know nothing is going to happen to me in reality. I came with 4 of my friends and it was a lot of fun. I liked that it was ⁴⁄₅ different tunnels and everyone was spread out so for the most part, you & your group are the only ones in that section. There were times we joined other groups, but it was pretty dark so sometimes I couldn’t even tell where my friends were even though they were standing right next to me.
Since this was slightly family friendly, I wouldn’t come back again just because I would prefer to go somewhere a little more scarier. But nevertheless, it was a great first time experience!

I was part of a large group this past Saturday night on their 2015 opening weekend at the Eastern State Penitentiary. For a haunted house attraction this is definition one of the biggest settings in the area. As many have said the long wait time is definition a detraction so I would highly recommend you come visit as early as you can not only for less crowds but also cheaper admission fees too. Also if you buy online ahead of the time the better chances you get an earlier entry time since entry is done by half hour blocks.
Even though they were recommending parking at the zoo and taking the provided shuttle ($ 13 buying online, $ 20 at the door), we were able to find street parking around the location, however most of them do have some kind of regulations or hour limits but they tend to be more relaxed on weekends. If you’re able to come early to get a good parking spot you should be able to avoid paying for parking at the lots completely like we did if walking a few blocks is an option.
As for the actual attraction itself, I thought it was done quite well. The actors were quite professional and very into the characters. Like most people have mentioned, you get a choice to participate in an interactive experience allowing the performers to touch and actually send you on a slight detours. I highly recommend you go for it for the full experience. There were few times in the course that I was rushed off course for a bit of one on one with the actors and afterwards got a bit of alone time myself to go through remainder of the courses. The experience is MUCH MUCH more immersive when you’re alone as oppose with a crowds while navigating through the courses. So in a group I would suggest to create some buffer space between the people in front of you so you don’t get spoiled of what comes up next :)
I never do find these things scary as intended but its honestly quite a lot of fun and you can really appreciate the amount of work and efforts they put into to create an environment and also the costume and makeups that’s quite exciting and fun. My only minor complaint was that you do go through the courses rather on the quick side as when I step out of the last course I was quite disappointed that it was the end already. I would say from the start when you actually enter the first course to the end runs well under an hour probably around 40 – 45 minutes. However if you can avoid the long wait and/​or full admission price I would highly recommend for a night of fun.

I’ve long passed the age where haunted houses can still be considered scary, but have twice attended Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penn and enjoyed myself considerably.
I grew up in an area that boasted a number of quality haunted houses — during high school I had many friends who worked either behind the scenes or as talent. As such, I have a deep appreciation of the work that goes into a successful haunted house. Terror Behind the Walls is a truly impressive display of performing arts and inventive set construction. Some of the criticisms I’ve read are mainly concerned with the long wait times — I purchased the VIP package and was moved to the front of the line; I guess it was worth the extra cost.