Terror filled the swamps of Lowndes County Wednesday night and crept into Wild Adventures to scare the pants off thousands of VSU students.

It was the annual VSU student night at Wild Adventure’s Terror in the Wild event and many students braved the long lines to experience this year’s haunted attractions.

“It’s my first time here, and it is a lot of fun,” Danielle Jordan, anthropology major, said. “I’d say it is a nice night away from school, and it’s free.”

The employees at the park love putting on this special night for all the VSU students.

“College students like to be frightened and they love Halloween just like everyone else so we are excited to have college students out, and getting into the Halloween spirit,” Micha Hogan, public relations manager of Wild Adventures, said.

This year marks a rebranding of Wild Adventure’s Halloween event. This year features seven haunted areas including a spooky corn maze, the ghost train and the main attraction of the year, “Ashkra, Plague of the Witch.”

“It’s ever-growing,” Sarah Herring, two-year employee of Wild Adventures, said. “What’s in the first week, may not be there the second week. We just see what works and what doesn’t.”

For many students, Wild Adventures is a yearly tradition that they look forward to each year during Homecoming week, but the event was met with mixed reviews.

“I’ve been to Wild Adventures many times before, and in the past it has been better,” Janique Segers, sophomore chemistry major, said. “There were more haunted houses and more people in costumes.”

Joe Collins, junior anthropology major added, “It’s Zombieland. It needs more twinkies.”

Students had their fair share of scares as the park stayed open till 11 p.m.

 “I really enjoy the horror aspect, and it’s fun seeing everyone get scared by the chainsaw guy,” Joe Albahari, English language major, said.

But some students still weren’t scared enough.

“They need to make it scarier,” Josh Gomez, sophomore Spanish major, said. “It needs more horror!”

The workers enjoy startling park patrons as much, if not more, than the students enjoy the adrenaline rush of getting chased by ghouls and ghosts.

Mitchell Browning, junior exercise physiology major, has been working at the park for a

Terror jumps starts here.

few years and has the privilege of being the fawn beast this year.

“It’s a beastly looking creature on stilts,” Browning said. “He’s about 8.5 feet tall. I just kind of roam around the park, and hide in the shadows. I’ve gotten faster on the stilts, and people don’t realize how fast I can get so they get pretty scared.”

While many students come exclusively for the scares, the park’s main thrill rides and attractions were also open for students who wanted a different kind of adrenaline rush.

“I don’t like all the spooks,” Juliana Danielle Bishop, junior physical education major. “I came for the rides.”

Nicholas Baggarley, sophomore vocal performance major, added, “Better every year. My favorite thing is anything that spins.”

Ben Skender also contributed to this article.