REVIEW: dead serious packing company
October 26, 2025
REVIEW: dead serious packing company
Sometimes when you leave the beaten path you are pleasantly surprised at what haunts you can find. Years ago we randomly stopped by the Micheltorena Pumpkin Fest and found out that they do an annual haunted house fundraiser. This maze, put together by students and parents, raises money for the school while providing a very unique experience for the community.
Every year the people in charge of the mazes change and therefore so do the themes. In the past we have seen a vast amount of ideas explored that range from you being in your own horror movie to going deep into the depths of the ocean where you learn about the effects of pollution. It really is THAT broad which creates a pleasant surprise with every year's visit. And in the tradition of previous years’ themes they amazed us once again by creating a maze about a haunted Amazon shipping factory this past weekend.
Taking place beneath the elementary school, the "Dead Serious Packing Company" maze spits you through hallways and rooms filled with thousands of boxes the students decorated with haunting words and blood. When you first enter, an adult volunteer, dressed as a shipping driver, explains that things have "gone wrong" and "gotten weird" at the factory but to not worry and head inside. Surrounded by boxes you are jumped at by children at every turn which was elevated when a zombie adult came out and pulled one of the children monsters behind a stack of boxes. Everything comes to a thrilling conclusion when you are met face-to-face with cardboard demons and an adult clown showcasing her new toy shipment - a transparent box containing a talented, tied-up child scare actor trying desperately to escape while foam peanuts fly in the air around her.
Every year Micheltorena Elementary delivers quite the haunt and this season was up there with the rest. While it is only open for one afternoon per season, this maze always leaves us feeling good. And more importantly, we are happy to know that we contributed to the school's fundraiser as they pumped everyone up to celebrate Halloween!
VC
October 26, 2025
#pumpkinfest #halloween #hauntedhouse #hauntsofla
