ZombiePark Paintball

The zombie apocalypse is coming to Central Ohio this Halloween season as the walking dead infest SplatterPark’s newest paintball attraction, ZombiePark.

ZombiePark takes zombie hunters on an interactive, thrilling hayride through walking-dead infested woods where riders shoot live zombies and other strategic targets with paintball guns to eradicate the zombie infestation of 2013. Open now through November 2, the attraction runs every Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

“Zombies are more popular now than ever, and people want to feel like they can be part of the walking dead phenomenon,” said Mike Miller, SplatterPark president. “We created ZombiePark to fulfill that interest and to allow paintball to be more accessible to non-traditional players as well as our high school and college-aged core player.”

The ride is available to anyone ages 5 years and up. Riders may first take practice shots at the Zombie Target Range Test Facility. While riders wait to board the Zombie Hunting Vehicle, a video entertains participants with a zombie infestation backstory. The backstory also is available on YouTube with ZombiePark Breaking News coverage or at zombiepark.com.

“Paintball has evolved over the years from a sport to activity and now to an attraction,” Miller explains. “We have customers who have always wanted to participate in a paintball activity but were afraid of trying it. The hayride allows riders to have all the fun of paintball but without getting shot or dirty. It’s well suited for families, dates, school-aged groups, and sorority and fraternities.”

The Zombie Hunting Vehicles, which are equipped with blue lights to light the targets, weave through a dark path covering 30-acres of woods filled with live, roaming zombie actors. Admission is $19 and includes 100 UV-reactive paintballs and unlimited access to the target test range. Located in Mt. Gilead, Ohio at 5560 County Road 109, ZombiePark also offers a VIP Package for $29 to skip the line.

“In the dark, it is a completely different experience, and that is when it starts to get really fun,” Miller adds. “We also offer some daylight hours for younger children or the more squeamish.”

At ZombiePark, safety is the first priority. Zombie actors are fully protected with facemasks and padded coveralls beneath their zombie costumes. The paintball guns also are mounted to the Zombie Hunting Vehicle for rider safety.

To purchase tickets, visit zombiepark.com or call 1-800-815-2204. Reservations are recommended. Follow SplatterPark on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for updates and discounts as the Zombie Resistance battles the dead.

About SplatterPark: SplatterPark is rated as the premier paintball facility in the Midwest and is featured in the Activision hit paintball video game Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball. It is the largest paintball park between New York and Chicago with 40 acres of park and 12 playing fields. Catering to all levels of play, the park is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for open play and private groups. The park also is available by appointment for private groups during the week. ZombiePark is open Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. during the Halloween season. The park is closed during the last half of December until the beginning of March. Visit www.splatterpark.com to learn more.

Read OHventures Post on Paintball at SplatterPark!

Hubbard Library Zombie Run Recap

 

 

It's always more fun to run a 5K with a twist. The hot new trend for 5Ks nowadays is the "zombie run," which geniously capitalizes on the growing popularity of the undead (Resident Evil, The Walking Dead, Lindsay Lohan...) and combines it with the growing popularity of competitive running. The basic premise is that people dress up as "zombies," who, along the course, "attack" runners by ripping a flag off of them (much like flag football). It's an all-out war between zombies and runners, as each tries to conquer the other. What will they think of next?

 

 

This particular zombie run took place in my hometown of Hubbard, Ohio, located in Trumbull County in the northeast region of the state. It was enouraging to me that my little city was finally jumping on the active lifestyle bandwagon, as this was one of the first 5K races that has ever taken place there, at least to my immediate knowledge (mind you I have not lived there in 9 years, so I could be wrong). I decided to head home to have yet another bonding experience with my older brother Curt (pictured above, before the race), who has also caught the running bug as of late and recently ran the Warrior Dash with me.

 

 

Curt and I traveled to Battlefront Paintball, located in the outskirts of Hubbard (which is also known as one of the best paintball spots in the whole state) on Sunday, October 14 to begin the race at 11 AM. The rules of the race were really not so clear, as we were left wondering what was supposed to happen to us if we were to lose both of our flags (do we quit running? do we become zombies? do we lose? do we keep going?). The rules were probably not so strict, as this was an event for all ages, and it was meant to be fun for the kids (you know, one of those "everybody wins" kind of things).

 

 



 

It was a beautiful October day, which was soon ruined by the ugliness of the zombies all along the run. Makeup artists worked their magic to transform the citizens of Hubbard into monsters (although I can vouch that I know some citizens that wouldn't need any makeup...joking...). The race route was a double loop through the paintball fields, which were peppered with junk cars, fortresses, and other obstacles along the way. The terrain was rough and tough. There were hills, holes, uneven ground, and a few creeks we had to splash our way through (or jump across, which Curt and I managed to do successfully).

 

 

My first flag was taken from me almost immediately when a "zombie" child no taller than four feet came out of nowhere and ripped it from my belt. I continued on the run, climbing over walls made of wooden palates (pictured above), crawling underneath another obstacle made out of 2x4s and thrashing through the brush, collecting countless burrs on my socks along the way. My calves were burning pretty badly because of the tough terrain, and I had a minor cramp in my stomach as well. Additionally, I could feel a blister on the bottom of my right foot, which was caused by my wearing a pair of my dad's old ill-fitting tennis shoes (the problem with mud runs such as this is that you don't want to wear a good pair of shoes in fear that you will ruin them).

 

 

 

As the race went on, I lost my second flag to a zombie gal who cornered me at an obstacle (not fair), and my brother somehow had his flags snatched up as well. This didn't bother us much, as there seemed not to be any repercussions for having lost the flags. In fact, it was pretty fun to see all of the scary looking kids (and adults) who were acting as zombies and jumping out of the weeds. It added a fun factor attempting to dodge the enemy and save your flags. I even got legitimately scared a couple of times from surprise zombie attacks. Despite losing our flags and experiencing some minor aches and pains, my brother and I conquered the second loop and crossed the finish line side by side with a time of 27:57, which was great considering all of the obstacles and the difficult course.

 

All in all, I feel it was a successful event for the Hubbard Public Library, and I hope that it is the start of many more years of zombie runs (or any other kind of run) in my home sweet home of Hubbard, Ohio.

 

 

 

 



5 Extreme Thrills in Ohio

If you came to OHventures looking for some action packed thrills (like the kind Jason Statham's character in "Crank" needs), here is a list of 5 of the most extreme ways to fill your need for speed in the Buckeye State!

1. Cedar Point (1 Cedar Point Drive  Sandusky, OH 44870): I remember going to Cedar Point ever since I was a little tyke. Back then, I never wanted to set foot on anythin that was higher than my dad's shoulders. But, as time went on, I grew up, "grew a pair" and grew tall enough to make it on the biggest and baddest roller coasters found at this massive amusement park! Cedar Point currently holds the record as being the "Best Amusement Park in the WORLD" and has held that title for the past 14 years. This is due to the fact that it has the most roller coasters than any other park on the planet, including the mammoth steel monsters: Magnum XL-200 (209 feet tall), Millennium Force (310 feet tall), and the Top Thrill Dragster (400 feet tall). There is also the Raptor (inverted coaster), Mantis (stand-up coaster), Maverick (95-degree drop coaster), Wicked Twister (inverted impulse coaster), and 9 other amazing coasters. Add to that countless other rides, a water park, and fantastic entertainment, and you have a thrill-seeker's heaven!

2. King's Island (6300 Kings Island Drive Mason, OH 45040): King's Island is the little sibling of Cedar Point, and is in fact owned by the same company that owns Cedar Point. It holds it's own, however, and is more accessible to those in the Southern part of the state. It's home to collossal coasters such as Diamondback (a floorless roller coaster), Firehawk (flying roller coaster), Vortex (looping coaster), and of course the famed wooden coaster, The Beast, which is the longest wooden coaster in the world (lasting over 4 minutes). King's Island also has a water park and tons of non-coaster thrills such as the Drop Tower, Slingshot, and Windsurfer. I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it!

3. Splatter Park Paintball (5560 County Road 109, Mount Gilead, OH 43338) Not many other activities can get as extreme as paintball! Players gather on either an indoor or an outdoor course to play on teams or individually. While many variations of gameplay exist, the general object is to avoid getting "shot" by paintballs, and to eliminate other players by hitting them with paintballs. It is evident when an opponent is out, as the bright neon colored liquid is splattered upon them. Sounds pretty intense! However, aside from minor welts, it is rare that any major injury occurs when paintball is played properly and with the appropriate safety gear. Splatter Park Paintball has been dubbed the "Best Paintball in Ohio" so if you're looking to play, head here for sure.

4. Ozone Zipline Adventures (5291 State Route 350, Oregonia, OH 45054): Ziplining consists of a series of heavy duty wires suspended in the air, typically connected to a tree or manmade platform at either end. A harnass straps the daring rider in and a pulley system allows the rider to hang from the wire and glide - or "zip" - across from one end to the other! This extreme activity offers thrills on a multitude of levels. The speed and height of the zipline varies throughout each "course" and beautiful views of Ohio's lush flora are consistent through and through! Ozone Zipline Adventures has been named the longest (6,000 plus feet) and fasted zipline course in the entire Midwest.

5. Skydive in Ohio (Various Locations): Skydiving is the holy grail of any adventurer. It's the zenith of most bucket lists, and it's pretty hard to outdo yourself after skydiving. After you go skydiving, you get stamped with a title of "badass" for the rest of your life. There are approximately 11 locations to skydive in Ohio. Do your homework to determine which location is best for you!

Splatter Park Paintball

Photos by OHventures

Splatter Park Paintball

5560 County Road 109 

Mount Gilead, OH 43338

(419) 946-4964

Not many other activities can get as extreme as paintball! Paintball brings the childhood favorites of Super Soakers, Nerf Guns, and Laser Tag to a whole new level by incorporating a certain level of danger on a sophisticated grown-up playing field. Players gather on either an indoor, or - in most cases - an outdoor course to play on teams or individually. While many variations of gameplay exist, the general object is to avoid getting "shot" by paintballs, and to eliminate other players by hitting them with paintballs. It is evident when an opponent is out, as the bright neon colored liquid is splattered upon them. 

Sounds pretty intense! However, aside from minor welts, it is rare that any major injury occurs when paintball is played properly and with the appropriate safety gear.

The "paint" in paintball is in reality a water soluble dye with a clear gelatin shell. The substance washes out very easily from clothes and skin, and the capsules are designed in a way that they are supposed to explode (or break) without trouble when they hit. In some cases, the shells do not explode, which ends up hurting quite a bit. It is usually nothing more than a stinging sensation.

All paintball locations require that you wear a mask at ALL times, unless in a designated safe zone (which is usually a tiny tent). Beyond that, it is up to the player to decide what else to wear. In my experience playing paintball, I have found that a good pair of gloves and multiple layers of clothing are essential. It's also smart to wear a hat or hooded sweatshirt, as the masks do not always cover your entire head (such as your hair). A turtleneck or other padding around the neck is also recommended. Depending on the weather, you will want to stay as dry as possible, so a good pair of hiking boots or steel-toe boots are the best bet if it is muddy or rainy.

Playing paintball without any of your own gear is rather inexpensive. To rent a paintball "gun" (which is powered by air), a mask, and ammunition, it costs as little as $25! The cost will depend on how much ammo you need, which will depend on how much time you wish to play and/or how well you are able to conserve the colorful bullets.

I have only played this extreme sport on a few occasions, and I have had a surprisingly amazing time. Once was with a group of fraternity brothers as we welcomed our friend and brother, Richard, back from active duty in Afghanistan. Needless to say, we had a badass time with a marine on our team. The other time I went was for a bachelor party consisting of both the groom AND bride! This paintball outing took place at Splatter Park located in Mount Gilead in Morrow County.

Splatter Park was buzzing with business, even on a very rainy Saturday morning when we arrived. The friend in charge of the event called ahead and booked us as a "private group" so that we would only be playing with each other rather than with strangers. The cost was approximately $37 for the amount of ammunition we decided to get. At any time, we would be able to purchase more ammo if need be.

A very professional and helpful staff assisted our group in explaining the rules and getting our rental gear checked for speed and functionality. Soon, we were all ready to tromp through the mud to annihilate our opponents (each other) with fluorescent green paint! Led by a "referee" of sorts, we played in a series of courses - all outdoor - on various terrain with various obstacles. Some courses had steep hills, others had a great deal of vegetation and trees to hide behind, and others were nothing but open fields with bunkers and mounds of dirt. The courses were almost always peppered with wooden barriers, forts, steel barrels, and even abandoned aircrafts that we could hide behind when strategically attacking our opponents.

It was great that Splatter Park was able to offer so much variety. The referee made sure we played a number of different types of games, such as capture the flag, King of the Hill, and good old fashioned "last man standing" format. I made some bold moves that sometimes cost me (like getting pelted in the back), and sometimes worked out for the better (like acquiring the flag and taking it to our base to win the game for my team). Agility, stamina, strategy, and sharpshooter skills are all key components to paintball.

As part of our package, we also received a meal of a hot dog, chips and drink during lunch. This may not be enough food for most people, so be sure to eat ahead of time, or pack a cooler of (non alcoholic) drinks and food to have at your base camp.

In all, the only downfall of my paintball experience was that the masks constantly fogged up due to the humidity and the rain. This limited our vision and made it very difficult to accurately identify targets and play the game to the best of our abilities. Aside from that, we all had an absolute blast at Splatter Park, which offers the "Best Paintball in Ohio."