2024 Question and Answer With Dead Whispers

VirginiaHauntedHouses.com recently sat down with Bill Carroll of Dead Whispers, to discuss what's new at Dead Whispers for the 2024 Halloween Season!

What's new at Dead Whispers for 2024? Do you have any new rides, attractions, or special features that Haunt Seekers should know about?

Since we took a different direction with our events, shows and attractions creating intense epic Holiday Laser Shows, we've been getting so much feedback from everyone in town and beyond that we needed to bring back a Haunted Attraction to our area, similar to what we have done in the past. From Bowling Green's Harvest Festival in 2016, next at the Huge Children's Museum in Richmond Virginia our Halloween Hoopla for all of the kids of Virginia during our 2-weekend run of our Halloween-inspired educational puppet shows and then at the Spotsylvania Towne Centre in 2018 to for another adult version of our Haunts.

Since then we've developed other kinds of shows like our Christmas Holiday Laser Shows and have done those up til this year where we might flip this same location from our Haunt at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds and turn that huge space into a Winter Wonderland in November and create another very epic 4D laser show for everyone to come and experience. We're working on that now but this year's Haunt is pretty elevated compared to our other Haunts in the past. Those were awesome but this year we're bringing in some major effects, more entertainment, more food, hayrides and such. Its our biggest to date.

We've been a part of the major Haunts on the East Coast over the years and decades but 2024 it's all us at the Bill Carroll Foundation & Groove Factory Studios where we can create any incredible attraction, event or show.

What are you most excited about for the 2024 Halloween Season?

This year we've added so much to this attraction. Not only is it our largest build to date, but we've added vendors, food trucks, DJ entertainment and Hayrides. Compared to our past Haunted Houses in Central Virginia, this one is 4 times larger.

Plus, I'm most excited about the effects we've created for this Haunt. Holographic images floating throughout the rooms, 3-dimensional spirits that talk to you, a LOT of dark creepy characters, hallways, mazes, and themed-out rooms with some pretty wild effects along with our live actors. In some rooms, you won't be able to tell what's real and what's not. That's the exciting part about it all.

What differentiates Dead Whispers from other local haunts in Virginia?

The other Haunts in our area and beyond are epic in their own way for sure and I love visiting them too. A lot of them are outside as well. Ours is always indoors and uses a bit more Hollywood-style effects, projections, scents and many effects to hit most of your senses. Where a lot of other attractions tend to lean on over-the-top very cool decor and animatronics, we concentrate more on the effects itself which bring a higher level of realism to our scare factors throughout the Haunt. Our Haunt is pretty psychological as well which really can scare you in a deeper way other than your traditional "Boo-Scare". But, we have those too, Haha.

How long has Dead Whispers been in business? Can you tell us a bit more about Dead Whispers's history?

We've been making Haunted Attractions for years, since the 1990s up in New York State. But back in 2016 we started to create them here in Virginia for the first time with a limited budget and resources and won awards from local businesses and publications as well as receiving incredible reviews. So then we were asked to create one at our local mall and run it for 2 weeks and that was a big hit as well. We took a few years break of scaring people and concentrated on more children's shows, laser shows and such but when asked consistently to bring back another one of our Haunted Houses, BOOM! Here we are again in 2024 creating the largest one we've ever built.

What's your favorite experience since opening Dead Whispers?

Designing the rooms really. I'm also an Audiovisual Engineer by trade and creating high-level special effects is just something that I adore doing. Been creating mini haunted houses since I was a kid really and once I became an adult and learned all kinds f cool things to do with special effects, to me that was no-brainer to go into the attraction-creating business.

How long is a typical haunt experience at Dead Whispers from start to finish?

Before it took about 15-20 minutes depending on how fast you ran through from being chased or walked through slowly or was too scared to move. This year since its 4 times larger than our previous Haunts, we're guessing about 20 mins at least.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how scary would you say Dead Whispers is? Why?

According to our level of special effects, dark mazes, hallways, creepy-themed out rooms, live characters, floating ghosts and spirits that talk to you, I'd say this could be extremely scary to the faint of heart or just plain awesome to experience at any age. It's harder to "thrill" attraction-goers in this day and age. Children are more resilient and teens expect higher levels of entertainment. We're trying to carefully find that balance between getting entertained and scared at the same time.

Does Dead Whispers's property have any real haunted history? Do you have a spooky encounter you'd like to share?

Fredericksburg Virginia is a backdrop of Ghostly Tales. "This city, steeped in centuries-old history, whispers tales of mysterious encounters and spectral apparitions. They seem to be inspired by the significant happenings engraved in their past. A walk through Fredericksburg’s historic neighborhoods is like stepping into a time machine. Each corner reveals a new chapter from the annals of American history. Blood-stained battlegrounds of the Civil War and magnificently preserved historic homes exist. The town’s past has a way of wrapping itself around the present.

With a backdrop as dramatic and consequential as this, it’s no wonder that tales of the supernatural have found fertile ground here. Bloody battles, tragic love stories, and tales of heroism are the wellspring of legends that bring Fredericksburg’s haunted history to life. These ghostly tales lend an intriguing spectral aura to the city’s rich narrative."

(excerpt taken from the Fredericksburg Guidebook)

Can Dead Whispers accommodate large groups? How many people can experience Dead Whispers together as a group?

We like to do 6 people at a time so everyone can really experience everything that the Haunt has to offer. We don't want too many people getting in the way of another guest's experience. The less the better actually. That way you'll be more likely to be scared more.

Does Dead Whispers offer any special deals, discounts, or coupons?

Yes, right now you can get a $5 off price if you buy your tickets online. In-person at the door is full price.