Westchester’s longest-running haunted attraction is back where it all began. “Scared by the Sound” opened Friday, Oct. 10, at Rye Playland, returning to the amusement park’s waterfront picnic pavilions after a five-year absence.
For the Costello family, who have run the haunt since 2000, the homecoming is more than symbolic.
“This is definitely a full-circle moment for us,” said Connor Costello, who builds and operates the event alongside his father, Pat, and a tight-knit team of siblings and cousins. “We started here in 2000 and were at Playland through 2019. Then with the pandemic we were closed in 2020 and 2021, and then with the privatizing of Rye Playland we moved to a few locations up in Yorktown. So now it feels amazing to return to the same spot where it all began.”
The attraction transforms two large pavilions into a winding labyrinth of hallways and rooms.
“You might end up in our library, which has thousands of real books, or our wine cellar with thousands of real bottles built into the shelves,” Costello said. “We want people to have no idea where they are once they step inside. Even if you know Playland, we want you to feel like you’ve been transported into a totally different world.”
The website promises: “We’ll be waiting to scare the sound out of you in the mortuary, asylum, clown hallway and more! And just when you think it’s over, you’ll be in the all new graveyard with even more creatures lurking in and around the mausoleums with just the moon and stars to light the way out!”
Scared yet?
Unlike many haunted houses that rely heavily on animatronics, “Scared by the Sound” emphasizes live actors. “At any given moment, we could have 60 actors working inside,” said Costello. “We don’t want it to be someone popping out from a corner, yelling ‘boo,’ and then you move on. It’s interactive, it’s immersive. Our actors can transform any room into something unforgettable.”
The Costellos carefully time groups to avoid the dreaded “conga line effect.” Groups are capped at six, ensuring everyone gets the full show. “We want each group to have their own individual experience,” Costello said. “That’s something we take a lot of pride in.”
This year promises to be the longest version yet, approaching a 30-minute walk-through. A new outdoor haunted scene will add fresh frights, while most of the event remains under cover, running rain or shine. Timed tickets — and a Fast Pass option — keep waits manageable.
On the scare scale, Costello gives the experience high marks.
“If you’re asking me on a scale of 1 to 10, I like to say it’s about an 11.3,” he said with a (not-so-spooky) laugh. The event isn’t recommended for children under 10, though Costello noted, “I’ve had 7-year-olds go through and love it, and I’ve had 57-year-olds run out screaming.” Those with pacemakers might opt to wait outside and relish the crisp night air and starry sky while their hardier loved ones endure the orchestrated terror.
For families with younger kids, the “Hardly Haunted” matinee on October 19 offers a much friendlier version of the attraction.
“It’s pretty much not scary at all,” said Costello. “It’s more about giving kids a cool experience in the daylight, with interactive characters and activities. Parents can bring them for a fall afternoon without worrying about the full scares.”
The experience extends beyond the walls of the maze. Guests waiting in the courtyard will encounter roving characters and atmospheric set pieces, with the Long Island Sound providing an eerie natural backdrop. “On a crisp fall night, with the waves coming in and the cool breeze off the water, there’s really nothing better,” Costello said. “It sets the mood before you even walk inside.”
For the Costello crew, “Scared by the Sound” has always been a family operation. Connor’s father, Pat, first dreamed up the idea after years of turning his New Rochelle home into an elaborate front-yard cemetery for Halloween parties. Today, Connor’s siblings help with building sets, ticketing, and acting, while his mother handles group sales calls.
“It’s by far a family business, and we’re very proud of that,” Costello said. “Once October rolls around, we spend a lot of time together, and that’s a beautiful thing.”
Running a seasonal haunted house isn’t easy — everything must be built and torn down each year, with weather and timing adding extra challenges. But the Costellos have kept it going for 24 seasons, even earning recognition as one of CNN Travel’s “Top 10 Haunted Houses in America.”
“Any business that lasts more than 20 years in Westchester is impressive,” Costello said. “To do it with a seasonal haunted house is something we’re very proud of. The fact that people come back, sometimes three or four times in a season, is the ultimate compliment.”
“Scared by the Sound” opens Friday, Oct. 10, and runs every weekend through Nov. 1. General Admittance Tickets are $29 (plus fees), with a $10 “Hardly Haunted” matinee for children on Oct. 19.
For tickets and details, visit www.scaredbythesound.com.
Dare you!
