We all have different “scare tolerances.” Some of us can’t handle the cheesy scares of camp Snoopy, while others dive headfirst into a world of horror, living for the adrenaline rush of a good scream. For the bravest among us, there exists a place so scary that you can’t enter without first taking a physical and signing a 40-page waiver. McKamey Manor, a haunted house exhibit in Summertown, Tennessee requires more steps to be allowed entrance than it takes to get a gun in literally any state in the nation (which is scary in a different way).
But if you’ve got the guts to last 10 hours in McKamey Manor, you’re can win $20,000 and the ultimate bragging rights, you’ll be the only person in the world to have completed the tour. And all it’ll cost you is a bag of dog food.
The McKamey Manor is full of weird little details like that — the dog food, the hour and a half video you have to watch of past failed attempts, the 40-page waiver, it all comes from the mind of Russ McKamey a pioneer in the “Extreme Haunts” scene. The manor has been featured on Netflix’s Haunters: Art of the Scare and had an episode devoted to it on Dark Tourist. Originally started in San Diego, the experience has since moved to Summertown, Tennesee and Huntsville, Alabama, but still has yet to be completed by a single person.
Think you’ve got what it takes?
Guess again, the requirements are so extensive that honestly even attempting it sounds like a chore, but if you insist here are the rules:
- You’ll have to be at least 21 to enter, or between the ages of 18 and 20 with parent approval. Yes, you a legal adult, must get a letter from your mom.
- Completed a physical with a doctor’s note that states you are physically and mentally sound. Your doctor will think you’re crazy for asking.
- Pass a background check and screening via Facebook, FaceTime, or over the phone by a McKamey Manor employee.
- Proof of medical insurance.
- A signed 40-page waiver that requires you to film a testimonial of your experience after you leave the manor.
- Pass a drug test on the day of the show
- Create a safe word.
- Watch a video that showcases every contestant who has tried and failed to complete the McKamey Manor, to help you understand what to expect in the manor.
- Bring the dog food, McKamey’s got pups to feed.
Too much? Absolutely! But if you can get through all of that and last 10 hours in the manor you’ll receive a cool $20,000 which is a lot of money. Is it enough for a lifetime of horrors and post-traumatic stress? Tough to say. The Manor rules require no cussing (not fair), drinking (fair), smoking (JUUL?), running, eating, or touching the actors or the props. Making the experience a 10-hour fight against your reflexes if nothing else.
The tour can be done as a single experience, known as “Desolation” or can be attempted as a two-person interactive experience which honestly sounds more embarrassing and frightening. If you think you’ve got what it takes, head over to the McKamey manor site to find out more. Or watch the creepy testimonial video, but be warned, it’s f*cking weird.
