NYZ Apocalypse

Last year, my now ex-boyfriend took me to NYZ Apocalypse in Deer Park, NY on our second date. As far as dates go, that was definitely one of the best, second only to maybe the Museum of Natural History. And Finding Neverland on Broadway. So...Third, really. But still awesome!

NYZ Apocalypse takes place in a fictional prison where a zombie outbreak occurs. Before entering, you're sent over to a computer and asked to create an account, which you can then log into when you escape the prison and purchase the picture you take at the end of the experience, if you want to. The attraction is open on Friday and Saturday nights and costs $40 per person. It's kind of on the expensive side (for what it is), but I guarantee if you enjoy things like haunted houses, it will be completely worth it. I suggest making reservations beforehand because when we went, we didn't have one and we waited on line for a very long time.

If you go somewhere like Bayville Scream Park, sure, it's scary (it's always terrifying to have someone jump out at you when you aren't expecting it), but it's not too bad because, at most, you'll have one or two actors trailing behind you and there are no real consequences if they get too close to you. That is not the case with NYZ Apocalypse. For me, this experience was so much scarier and I'm about to explain why.

Let me say now, I suggest going with more than two people, as going in with just my ex made things very difficult. The prison is set up with a series of checkpoints, each area becoming progressively more difficult. All you're told before entering is to shoot any zombies that get in your way. So, my ex took the lead and I was happy to let him. Unfortunately, I soon found out that shooting zombies doesn't actually kill them, it only makes them fall momentarily, which means whoever is covering the person in front is going to have a pretty bad time. I was the person having a pretty bad time, with an entire horde of zombies trailing behind me.

Every time you reach a checkpoint, you stock up on ammo again. It gives you a false sense of security, you think you'll have enough to get you to the next checkpoint. You won't. I promise, you will run out of ammo and you will be forced to run to the next area. But they don't tell you that immediately. My ex and I had to hide behind a barricade in an attempt to not get bitten. When he ran out of ammo, he hid behind me. (I should have known then that we would never work out.) Only after the zombies were close enough to bite us were we told to run for it.

When you finally escape, you're given a bite count so you know how well you did. I was bitten five times, thanks to my cowardly ex.

NYZ Apocalypse was a really unique experience for me. I've been to a lot of haunted attractions, everywhere from here on Long Island, to Orlando, to Eastern State in Pennsylvania and Salem, Massachusetts, but I've never seen anything like that before. It's not just walking through a haunted house, it's interactive and it really immerses you in the experience. If you live in New York, I definitely recommend checking it out. They also have a location in Orlando, Florida.

Just make sure if you go, you bring a large group with you. Safety in numbers.