Reign of Terror - Halfway to Halloween 2025

Happy Halfway to Halloween! We're less than six months out from the spookiest night of the year, and for haunt lovers, that means it’s time to shake off the cobwebs and start making those haunt season plans. In honor of the occasion, we visited one of California’s most legendary haunts—so grab your flashlight and steady your nerves as we take you inside the chilling corridors of Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks. If you’re new here, read on for a little more about the haunt and our experience within it’s walls, or if you just want to know our rating, jump to the TLDR!

Nestled within the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks, California, the Reign of Terror Haunted House stands as Southern California's largest indoor walk-through haunted attraction. Since its inception in 1999, this spine-chilling experience has expanded to encompass over 142 meticulously crafted rooms covering more than 28,000 square feet of pure terror! Each themed section is designed to tap into various fears, from claustrophobic corridors to eerie asylums, ensuring a heart-pounding journey for every visitor. The attraction boasts a combination of live actors and state-of-the-art animatronics. Beyond the frights, Reign of Terror is deeply rooted in community involvement. Proceeds from the haunted house benefit local organizations, including the Conejo Recreation and Park District, supporting programs like the Thousand Oaks Teen Center and the Young Artists Ensemble.

We hadn’t been up to ROT since maybe 2021, and it was when they had a very limited amount of live actors due to Covid restrictions. We enjoyed the set design and attention to details back then, but really weren’t sure what to expect this go around. We were so glad to find out they were doing a one weekend only opening to celebrate Halfway to Halloween! There was a line when we queued up around 8:15 but I think that just added to the anticipation and excitement; we were in line for about an hour in total. There were a few actors doing crowd work, as well as fog, a cemetery fence façade and a couple giant skeletons flanking the entrance to set the mood. Once you enter the building itself, there is a short immersive queue with a few animatronic jump scares awaiting you which further enhances the immersion.

One thing I have always appreciated about ROT is that they operate in a way that is anti-conga line. They have scheduled stops throughout their 142 rooms that act as a way to stop the flow of traffic and hold you there until groups before you can continue on, preventing the stacking effect that happens at events like Halloween Horror Nights. Not every single room has a live actor which for me is a positive. I really appreciate time to appreciate the sets as well as ROT just having really fun animatronics (that actually work well). There were SO many haunt mechanics in this haunted house, from collapsing bridges to falling ceilings. I don’t want to spoil anything by being too specific, but if you appreciate unique frights I really recommend you make it up there this fall.

All in all, we had a great time being back in the fog and highly recommend the trip to Thousand Oaks to experience this one. They have upped their game once again for 2025 and it is pure Halloween haunted fun.

Note that there is no food or drink available on-site, but plenty in the area! We really love Oak & Iron just a few minutes away for pre- or post-haunt drinks.

TLDR

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TLDR 〰️

Boo’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 4.5
Atmosphere Rating: 5
Vegan Food Rating: N/A
Costume & Makeup Rating: 3
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2.5
Value for Money Rating: 2.5

Killer K8’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 4
Atmosphere Rating: 4
Vegan Food Rating: N/A
Costume & Makeup Rating: 3.5
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 3.5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 3
Value for Money Rating: 3