Halloween is only a few weeks away and haunted houses are back from their year long hiatus. A Thousand Oaks local haunt, Reign of Terror, is back with even more attractions to spook patrons. While the greater Los Angeles area is home to a multitude of haunted houses, according to the Reign of Terror website, it is the largest indoor haunted house in Southern California.

For some, the haunted house has become a staple of the Thousand Oaks community. Lexi Cuevas, a patron who has attended Reign of Terror before, said she prefers this hometown gem over any other flashy haunt around.

“The Reign of Terror Haunted House is definitely a one-of-a-kind where you get your money’s worth,” she said. “I’ve been to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios but I feel like I get so much more of that Halloween and horror experience when I go through the different themed mazes here.”

Located in Janss Marketplace, Reign of Terror is just 10 minutes from the California  Lutheran University campus, making it a hot spot for many students during the fall. The attraction is open limited week days, but the week of Halloween it will be open Wednesday and Thursday to allow guests to experience the haunted house on the scariest night of the year.

According to the Reign of Terror website, the completely indoor haunted house features over 100 rooms with nine attractions: The Haunted House, Miner’s Revenge, Casa Blood, Quarantine, Fun House, Inbred, Infected, The Asylum and Containment. New to the scene this year is “Containment.” In “Containment,” guests will experience the dangerous victims of “Quarantine.” 

The new attraction has garnered attention from new and returning patrons. Local high school student Sarah Griffin said she couldn’t wait to try out the newest attraction.

“I am really excited to see ‘Containment’ because I like their other attractions so much, and I think it’s cool that they usually have new attractions every year,” Griffin said.

Local resident Tess Temmens said during her first visit that she was going to become a returning patron.

“Other places are so expensive and they’re over so quickly, or you have to wait in multiple lines for each attraction,” Temmens said. “Here you have one line and with all the different rooms it takes you a while to get through so you really get your money’s worth.”

The cost to attend the haunted house ranges from $17 to $40 depending on the day you go and if you choose to purchase express admission which reduces wait times.

According to its website, Reign of Terror also holds a “lights on” experience for a discounted price on Oct. 19 and 26. This allows patrons, young and old, to experience the rooms with the lights on without special effects and monsters. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a little extra spook, the haunted house holds a special “lights out” tour on November 2nd. With all lights off, guests are given one glowstick to navigate their way through the rooms where they will experience monsters and special effects. According to the Reign of Terror website, they recommend that those wanting to participate in the “lights out” experience should go through the attraction prior to have a full sense of the rooms.

Reign of Terror has 10 more days open as of Oct. 15. All proceeds from the haunted house benefit the Teen Center of Thousand Oaks and the Young Artists Ensemble Theater Group.