Dave Gugel started his home haunt in 2001 with a few pumpkins and tombstones. He then decided to create a theme for his home's interior to entertain guests at his annual Halloween party. In 2005, he wanted the house to take on a Victorian feel, so he added more architectural pieces to the house's facade.
"Kids started asking if it was a haunted house, so I opened the inside up for a haunted tour and trick-or-treating," Gugel explains. "It was received by the neighbors so well that I wanted the adults to have a chance to play, hence the 'Scare Zone.' Each year I add a few more pieces and change things around to keep people guessing."
Gugel's yard haunt is the perfect blend of excitement, suspense, humor and visual beauty. It's no surprise that he used to work for Disney designing merchandise display windows.
"But most of my abilities come from building things around my house," Gugel says.
