ESTES PARK, Colo. -- The Estes Park hotel that was part of the backdrop for the movie "The Shining," is recruiting people to recreate the hedge maze made famous in the horror film.
More than 60,000 people take tours at the Stanley every year and at least half that amount hope to have a paranormal experience. Now, owners are capitalizing on fame from movies like “The Shining” and putting their own stamp on the Stanley’s history.
"People are intrigued by the unknown and everyone wants to believe in something that they can't see they can't touch, they can't feel,” said visitor Philip Economou.
Hopeful guest who want to feel, or hear, the so-called spirits have to book months in advance.
“This is room 217, where Stephen King stayed in 1973,”said Jeremy Spates. “ It's haunted by the ghost of a chamber maid injured in a gas explosion in 1911.”
Spates, a hotel historian, says one homage to “The Shining” is notably absent from the grounds.
"People come here looking for the hedge maze wondering if there ever was one that inspired Stephen King or Stanley Kubrick."
The hotel wants the public to design a 10,100 square-foot hedge maze, to sit atop the property's south lawn.
Already they've received ideas from more than 20 horror-film enthusiasts, landscape artists and one Loveland geometry class.
The hotel will unveil the winning design with party, celebrating the hotel's history and future.
"I think they need some extra things at this hotel to draw people and i think it will just be one more thing that people will enjoy,” said Economou.
You can submit your ideas through the end of the month, and this spring, the hotel will build the final design. They plan to make the hedge maze a permanent fixture at the Stanley Hotel.
Learn more on their website.
