BRISTOL, Connecticut, U.S.A. — As I walked on the chilly pavement of Lake Compounce and passed the games where you squirt things or knock down pins, I saw about 3 people who didn’t exactly blend in. They were disguised as monsters, ghouls, devils, and creatures from the dead.
They reminded me of dogs because if you let them know you’re scared. If you do, they’ll follow you in this slow, creepy sort of way.
When the sky became dark, the bright, colorful light decorations on the rides lit the park. The most eye-catching ride there was the Ferris Wheel. The bars on the inside had brilliant lights changing colors over and over.
The ride was even better when I looked over the side of the gondola. From up there, the whole park was visible.
When I saw the Pirate Ship from the top of the Ferris Wheel, I knew right away which ride I was going on next.
When I got to the Pirate Ship, I climbed into the row or seats that was empty (which was close to the middle of the ship) and raised my arms in the air so the person controlling the ride could lower the bars that hold you in.
The ride started up and I got excited, but by the time it was over, I was disappointed. If you happen to go on that ride, try to get a seat at one of the ends.
When you are nearer to the tips of the ship, you go so much higher.
When I got off that ride I was got into the Top Spin. The person running the ride seemed to run it a lot longer than usual, but maybe it was just me.
The park looks great up high from the Ferris wheel, but it also looks pretty cool upside down from the Top Spin.
Another ride I went on was the Ghost Hunt. In this ride, you sit in a little vehicle with another person and there are two little laser guns you use in front of you.
You go through a couple of rooms and shoot at the blue glow-in-the-dark dots. They’re on the ghosts, ghouls, and other little things near them.
There is a tiny screen in front of each player that shows them their scores. At the tail end of the ride, you go through a room where you get misted and dripped on. That would have been very refreshing in the summer, but not in the fall.
And the last, but not least, ride I want to mention is the Haunted Graveyard. I’ve been to many haunted houses in my life — ones made by friends, one at Minor’s Farm, and ones on Halloween before trick-or-treating (the one at Minor’s Farm was the best).
The Haunted Graveyard at Lake Compounce, however, topped them all.
That exciting graveyard must’ve taken weeks to set up. I think what makes a haunted house is the element of surprise, and this one definitely had that down pat.
Everywhere you turned there was another creepy creature or dead person popping out at you.
Even waiting in line wasn’t bad, despite it being extremely freezing out, there was a stage on the side of the line on which there was a magic show. It was all right, and at the end, I caught some streamers that popped out of the side poles of the stage.
Another visitor, John Hazelton, a Bristol Central High School junior, agreed with me that it was scary.
Jen Plonski is a Reporter for Youth Journalism International. Another YJI reporter, Cassie Nowak contributed to this story.
Graveyard fact box
The Haunted Graveyard is open from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and from 5 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays through Halloween night, when it is also open.
Combination tickets for the Graveyard and Lake Compounce are $22.95 for adults and $17.95 for
children. Tickets for either the rides or Graveyard separately are $14.95 for adults and $9.95 for
children. General admission tickets, which allow entrance to the park but no access to most rides or the Graveyard, are $7.95.
A portion of the proceeds goes into the fight against Juvenile Diabetes.
