A volunteer at Dr. Pain's asylum gazes into a crystal ball and predicts the fates of patrons.
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There are only two signs on the old lumber mill announcing that you have arrived at Dr. Pain's Haunted Asylum.
But even if they were missing, it would still be eerie. From the faded, peeling red shingles to the chain-linked-fence-covered windows, there really isn't much that could make it scarier. That is, until you step inside.
After purchasing your tickets, there is entertainment for the wait. They've taken an old ambulance and put speakers in it to broadcast WXLK-K92 and WROV 96.3, the two stations sponsoring the Haunted Asylum.
Expect a visit from a dead-on Beetlejuice impersonator. He comes with a foghorn, two snakes draped around his arms, one real and one rubber, and the infamous white-and-black-striped suit. The maximum wait time is about two hours.
While in line, screams can be heard inside the house. Tour guides make colorful entrances. One was wearing a black pinstriped trench coat, white button-up shirt, top hat and six-inch platform boots. There are four to five tour guides who rotate throughout the night.
The first room, as the rest of the house, is dimly lit. The guide will go over the rules of conduct and may give creative reasons for them. The rules include: No drugs or alcohol ("these people are crazy enough without it"), no cameras, no touching ("if you touch them, the price is your arm"), and food, drinks, weapons and lighters are also prohibited.
The guide will lead everyone through 12 rooms with each getting progressively scarier. The first room features a hypnotist who predicted that the journey of the group will be ill-fated as another patient, with no eyes, crept up behind and stared. Upon entering the next room, everyone was greeted with a scream.
One of the final rooms in the first leg of the tour was home to a scientist with a scale that predicted death. He then brandished a bottle of neon green liquid and told everyone to drink from it.
The tour guide ushered the group out after this. Halfway through, there's an exit. If the first part of the house was too intense, you might want to leave because it gets worse. If you leave early, your money will not be refunded.
The remaining hallways were scariest. Some are pitch black and things "touch" you. One such hallway contained a display case that held a character who was spewing a liquid, and then you walk through something wet. This hallway is lit solely by a red light that goes on intermittently.
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Just wanted to thank the Collegiate Times for doign such a great feature on us! Also - for those of you who are familiar with us - expect the unexpected! We change our rooms nightly and even our final scare changes from group to group! We love doing this and hope that everyone will come down to "Experience the Terror for Yourself!" this fall. Also, we encourage everyone to visit the website for the charity we are supporting this year, the Roanoke Valley Therapeutic Riding Program (www.rvtrp.org). A portion of our proceeds will benefit them and they will be on premises some nights to discuss their program and take donations towards their efforts to expand their program. Thanks again the VT Collegiate Times for their time and consideration in writing the article. Go Hokies!!
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The wait time was over 2 hours long for a 10 minute walk threw. There should be a better system in place to handle the crowd.
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"The first room features a hypnotist who predicted that the journey of the group will be ill-fated as another patient, with no eyes, crept up behind and stared. Upon entering the next room, everyone was greeted with a scream." As a person who currently receives treatment for a mental illness and has actually stayed as a resident in a state mental hospital, I find this to be extremely offensive. What's next? "The Trip a Cripple Cruise?" or perhaps "Poke the Alzheimer’s Patients Day?"
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This is not funny - Maybe you should take your med's and realize that this is a place to have fun. Your life must be really miserable if you take offense to a haunted house. Do you get offended every time a scary movie is taking place in a asylum? Ya know what, you should just kill yourself b/c your bringing everyone around you down with your negative attitude. The statement you made on this page is the biggest piece of retard bable I have ever read. Please go OD on your crazy pills so I never risk reading anything that comes out of your crazy head again. Thanks.
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Is there a website to this place?
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http://www.drpainshauntedasylum.com
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This article is a perfect example of false advertisement. Salem is half an hour away from campus, and the wait was almost three hours long. The tour guide was corny, and the rooms did not get progressively scarier. In fact, the rooms were not scary at all. It was obvious that the show is unscripted and acted by volunteers, because of the acting quality was absolutely horrendous. Dr. Pain's Haunted Asylum is not worth the money and is a perfect waste of a weekend night. If you are interested, please do not waste your time. I am extremely disappointed in this fine publication for printing this article. One should not lie just to obtain a story.
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