By Jennifer Corr
At a time where festive Saint Patrick’s Day bar hoppers dressed in green will be perusing down Long Island’s streets, Bayville Scream Park is introducing an alternative to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.
Bayville Haunted St. Patrick’s, at Bayville Adventure Park will be the place to find scary leprechauns who demand gold coins in order to gain entry through the three haunted houses — Haunted St. Patrick’s Haunted House, Haunted St. Patrick’s at the Asylum and Leprechaun’s Funhouse.
“There are going to be a lot of leprechauns,” said Bayville Adventure Park general manager, Mike Difelippo, of the attraction that will begin on March 13. “Very good masks. The makeup is all top-notch makeup. We have a lot of animatronics, a lot of animations. We have 30 actors. It’s a really good show.”
But the Saint Patrick’s Day theme is not the only twist that these haunted houses have to offer.
“For this one, we give gold coins out and you pay the leprechauns to go through,” Difelippo said.
According to Bayville Scream Park’s website, guests who have any leftover coins at the end may redeem “goodies” at restaurant Shipwreck Tavern next door. But it’s another story for those who run out of gold coins. According to the website, “If you run out of coins before the end, it is unlikely you will ever make it out.”
And if all that fear makes a customer hungry, there is a deal that may suit them. A three course Saint Patrick’s dinner is being served next at Shipwreck Tavern and is even included in some of the package deals.
“We do a three course meal deal and the house so go over there and eat, have a drink than come over and do the houses,” Difelippo suggested.
There is also “Leprechaun Axe Throwing,” which is one of Bayville Scream Park’s newer attractions.
Scary attractions outside of the Halloween season is not new at Bayville Scream Park, however. Christmas and Valentine’s Day haunted houses have been going on at the park for a few years.
The Bayville Vampire Valentine’s Haunted House, which features houses only lit by candles and a three-course dinner, has been Meeta Jajji’s, the park’s director of sales, favorite event.
“Couples come through and they see how their significant other reacts to their date as opposed to the typical date when they go to a steak house or a bar or whatnot,” Jajji said.
When asked if she is excited about the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day event, she said she was looking forward to meeting the new crowd, but that she was frightened of the leprechauns.
“I’m honestly terrified of leprechauns,” Jajji said, and then she laughed. “I’ve seen the latest commercial and me even knowing who’s in it still scared me.”
Jimmy Louie is among the actors that will be given the task of scaring guests as they make their way through the haunted houses. He’s worked at Bayville Scream Park since 2006, the year that the Halloween-themed part of the park opened.
“Since the first year that they opened, they were known for their CGI [computer-generated imagery] effects, their animatronics,” Louie said.
He said he has enjoyed being able to see the “priceless” faces of the customers, as they see the sets and actors in Bayville Scream Park’s shows.
“Valentine’s Day was a huge hit this year,” Louie said. “We had a Christmas [haunted house], haunted Krampus. It was amazing because it gives us an opportunity to come in and work and have fun with the patrons.”
And as Saint Patrick’s Day approaches, he is excited to give patrons a good scare once again.
“Come prepared,” Louie said. “Bring as many people as you can and get ready to be scared off your feet.”
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