A couple of Metro Vancouver’s best Halloween haunted houses in October are the ones from Potter’s (now called Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors) in Surrey.
After not happening in 2020, Potter’s House of Horrors returned in 2021 as Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors. The haunted attraction returned again in October 2022 with two haunts, a new maze and an escape room.
Surrey Haunted Houses
A couple of years ago Potter’s House of Horrors got a new name due to a change in ownership. It’s now called Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors. The same as before, the place is still a tremendously popular seasonal attraction.
The experience at Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors is like a cross between visiting Disneyland and being inside multiple different horror movie sets. The haunted houses really are impressive.
Event Location
Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors’ address is 12530 72nd Avenue in Surrey. It’s in south-central Surrey near Newton.
What to Expect
Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors is exceptional. It’s of a professional quality and highly recommended (assuming you like scary stuff). It’s definitely worth the drive out to Surrey from Vancouver to see it.
Expect loud rocking music, flashing lights and the odd scary character walking around. You can also expect to be surrounded by people mostly between the ages of 15 and 30 while waiting in the lineups. Inside the venues expect lots of blood and bulging eyes, torture-chamber-like scenes, musty smells and wax-museum-calibre characters.
If you like haunted houses, you’ll love this place!
Hours and Admission
Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors runs most nights in October.
In 2022 the venue operated on select dates between September 30th and the end of October. October dates included the 1st, 7th to 9th, 13th to 16th, 19th to 23rd, and 26th to 31st.
This past year, all tickets to the Ultra-Scary Show included access to the two haunted houses and the new maze. Prices were the same for all ages.
Including taxes and additional fees, regular admission cost about $35 to start the month and then up to about $55 later on. For folks wanting to avoid long lines, Speedpasses were available for about $55 early in October and up to about $80 later in the month. VIP Speedpasses granted instant access to the attractions and cost up to $110 each.
Due to COVID-19, masks were recommended but not required.
Horrors Jr Times and Prices
Horrors Jr is when the scariness factor is turned down a couple of notches. There are no live actors or scary animatronics, so it’s more kid friendly. In 2022 the Horrors Jr show ran from 2:00 to 5:00 pm on October 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th.
Admission includes access to all houses during the day. Prices last year were about $20 per person including taxes and fees. The price was the same for both children and adults. Kids ages 3 and under, however, got in for free.
Cougar Creek’s Haunted Houses
There are usually two main haunted houses at Cougar Creek’s. One is normally brand new and the other is from the previous year.
In 2019, thrill seekers could experience “Devils Descent”, but also choose the new “Death Valley Motor Inn.” The attraction didn’t operate in 2020 because of COVID-19. In 2021, both of 2019’s houses were back for another year.
In 2022 the haunts were “Echoes of Abbath” and “New Year’s Evil“. There was also a new “Zycho Zerkus” carnival maze experience. Interestingly, none of the haunts were the same as the year before.
The live actors in both venues are typically excellent. The scene settings are of a Hollywood calibre, complete even with clammy, spooky smells. Expect each experience to take between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on your speed and that of the friends you’re with.
Echoes of Abbath
Echoes of Abbath featured an underworld theme. Guests moved through forest-themed decorations and came face to face with Abbath’s army.
New Year’s Evil
New Year’s Evil transported visitors to a motel in 1970. It was snowing outside and dead bodies turned up as midnight approached. There was loud music and gory scenes in the hallways.
Zycho Zerkus
Brand new for 2022 was the Zycho Zerkus maze. The attraction had a carnival theme and was full of terrifying clowns.
The Escape from Incineration!
New for 2019, Potter’s House of Horrors had its own escape room experience, all in the theme it is famous for. Guests had to solve puzzles and riddles to escape within 20 minutes from a burning building.
The escape room experience was back in 2021 and it happened again in 2022. Tickets cost about $30 per pair (plus taxes and fees). Up to 6 people could participate at a time in the room.
Cougar Creek at Christmas
Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors doesn’t only operate during the Halloween season. In 2021 and 2022 the place also hosted A Very Creepy Xmas which was a Christmas attraction with a Halloween twist. It features a couple of haunted houses and an escape room.
In 2022 A Very Creepy Xmas was going to take place at night in Surrey on the weekends of December 16th to 18th and December 21st to 23rd. Due to a major snowstorm, however, the last three days got cancelled. Hopefully it will be back again in 2023!
A Very Creepy Xmas is recommended for folks ages 14+ who like both Christmas and scary Halloween attractions.
To learn more, see the Cougar Creek House of Horrors website or our article about A Very Creepy Xmas. Or, for an idea of what the attraction looks like, check out the following video. We did the filming in 2022 before the attraction started up fully, so before there were actors and the main music and special effects. The video though will still give you a rough idea of what the attraction looks like (and a taste of what to expect at Halloween too, minus the Christmas decor).
Tips to Enhance Your Experience
Below are even more tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your Halloween experience at Cougar Creek’s.
TIP #1: If you can afford it, don’t like standing in line for a long time and plan to go on a weekend or during the last few days of October when the crowds are at their peak, get a speed pass.
TIP #2: To minimize your time in line, go early in the evening and earlier than later in the month. Also, buy your tickets online to avoid having to stand in the ticket lineup and then later in a different lineup to get in.
TIP #3: Admission is cheaper on weekdays earlier in the month – when the place is less crowded – and more on weekends and during the last week before Halloween.
Other Information
For more information on these two impressive Halloween haunted houses in Surrey, and to book your tickets now, see the Cougar Creek’s House of Horrors website.
To learn more other scary places to check out elsewhere, see Lower Mainland Haunted Houses.
For a list of other things to do this season click Lower Mainland Halloween Events.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s October Calendar
- A Very Creepy Xmas at Cougar Creek
- Vancouver’s December Calendar
- City of Surrey
