1. Don't bother trying to act tough, we know you're scared. And pretending to act tough and being a jerk ruins the fun and wastes your money, not ours.
2. Be prepared for the environment. I work in a haunted forest and people lose their shoes all the time. If you know it's going to be outdoors (which is probably a little cold too), wear the proper attire. Likewise, if you have asthma bring your inhaler, etc. Pretty much every haunted house has fog machines, and it's not easy to avoid the smoke.
3. Don't show up under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This especially goes for you if you tend to get a little angry after a few drinks. We get people who have been drinking all the time, and honestly if you're a fun, non-agressive drunk, it's not a problem for us at all. Just a friendly warning, we've had people who urinate themselves when coming through because of the alcohol + scare combo. If deciding to visit a haunt last minute after you've had a few drinks, make sure you have sober friends with you to keep you in check.
4. Do NOT touch the actors or props (unless otherwise stated). Even if it's not listed it's pretty much an unspoken rule. As far as props go, avoid touching them unless it's explicably stated that touching certain props or items is okay.
5. We only the date the dead. Stop trying to give every actor your number, we aren't going to break character and we aren't interested.
6. Do not hang out in an actor's scene and refuse to move. If you're trying to be funny, you aren't. If you're scared, just ask the actor to escort you out. There's no harm in leaving; and though you won't get a refund, it's better than having a complete and total panic attack.
7. Stating that you aren't frightened indicates to the actor that you are. Usually people try to calm themselves down by saying 'that's not scary!' or to look tough when they're with their friends. It's okay to be spooked, that's the entire point.
8. Don't try to scare the actors. This won't work, we're used to loud noises and things popping out. The only thing screaming at the actors will do is make them angry; and has even resulted in people getting kicked out because it's seen as aggressive behavior.
9. "Don't Scare Me!" This is more common than you'd think, and asking actors not to scare you won't stop them. Actually, it will often cause the actors to want to scare you even more.
10. Have fun while walking through. I mean, that's what you came for, right?
11. Don't walk too slowly or stop and stare at everything. This causes groups to get clumped up and often makes it more difficult for the actors to get a scare in, which basically ruins the experience.
12. Don't tell other customers what awaits. If you've been to the haunted attraction before, or have just walked through, don't tell the waiting visitors what's inside. That's like spoiling the ending to a movie.
13. Don't take photos or video tape when you walk through. This really destroys the experience for others. It also hurts the haunt business and hurts those who took the time to create this art form. Not to mention it can be blinding to actors and make their job difficult/impossible. It's just plain rude and poor behavior in general. Plus, larger haunts may take legal action if you spread the tape around.
14. Don't leave the group to hide in an attempt to scare them. That's not your job, it's rude to the performers, and it can hold it's own dangers. There are electrical cords, huge hills (if outdoors), and other dangers you might be making yourself vulnerable to.
15. "That's going to pop out" "Look over there" If you see what appears to be an actor, or an actor preparing for a scare, don't ruin it for the whole group. Keep it to yourself. If you see an actor peeking out from around the corner or from behind a curtain, it's probably because they WANTED to be seen. Saying snarky things like "ha, I can see you!" doesn't prove you're clever.
16. Don't ball your fists. This is a huge sign of aggression, and it makes actors not really want to pop out and scare you. Remember, if you do happen to punch an actor, legal action may be taken. Usually there are off duty cops working at haunts, so you can't really 'run' from it.
TIPS
WARNINGS
I hope these tips are helpful for returning haunt goers as well as those about to go to their first haunted attraction! Remember, just have fun!
Happy October!
2. Be prepared for the environment. I work in a haunted forest and people lose their shoes all the time. If you know it's going to be outdoors (which is probably a little cold too), wear the proper attire. Likewise, if you have asthma bring your inhaler, etc. Pretty much every haunted house has fog machines, and it's not easy to avoid the smoke.
3. Don't show up under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This especially goes for you if you tend to get a little angry after a few drinks. We get people who have been drinking all the time, and honestly if you're a fun, non-agressive drunk, it's not a problem for us at all. Just a friendly warning, we've had people who urinate themselves when coming through because of the alcohol + scare combo. If deciding to visit a haunt last minute after you've had a few drinks, make sure you have sober friends with you to keep you in check.
4. Do NOT touch the actors or props (unless otherwise stated). Even if it's not listed it's pretty much an unspoken rule. As far as props go, avoid touching them unless it's explicably stated that touching certain props or items is okay.
5. We only the date the dead. Stop trying to give every actor your number, we aren't going to break character and we aren't interested.
6. Do not hang out in an actor's scene and refuse to move. If you're trying to be funny, you aren't. If you're scared, just ask the actor to escort you out. There's no harm in leaving; and though you won't get a refund, it's better than having a complete and total panic attack.
7. Stating that you aren't frightened indicates to the actor that you are. Usually people try to calm themselves down by saying 'that's not scary!' or to look tough when they're with their friends. It's okay to be spooked, that's the entire point.
8. Don't try to scare the actors. This won't work, we're used to loud noises and things popping out. The only thing screaming at the actors will do is make them angry; and has even resulted in people getting kicked out because it's seen as aggressive behavior.
9. "Don't Scare Me!" This is more common than you'd think, and asking actors not to scare you won't stop them. Actually, it will often cause the actors to want to scare you even more.
10. Have fun while walking through. I mean, that's what you came for, right?
11. Don't walk too slowly or stop and stare at everything. This causes groups to get clumped up and often makes it more difficult for the actors to get a scare in, which basically ruins the experience.
12. Don't tell other customers what awaits. If you've been to the haunted attraction before, or have just walked through, don't tell the waiting visitors what's inside. That's like spoiling the ending to a movie.
13. Don't take photos or video tape when you walk through. This really destroys the experience for others. It also hurts the haunt business and hurts those who took the time to create this art form. Not to mention it can be blinding to actors and make their job difficult/impossible. It's just plain rude and poor behavior in general. Plus, larger haunts may take legal action if you spread the tape around.
14. Don't leave the group to hide in an attempt to scare them. That's not your job, it's rude to the performers, and it can hold it's own dangers. There are electrical cords, huge hills (if outdoors), and other dangers you might be making yourself vulnerable to.
15. "That's going to pop out" "Look over there" If you see what appears to be an actor, or an actor preparing for a scare, don't ruin it for the whole group. Keep it to yourself. If you see an actor peeking out from around the corner or from behind a curtain, it's probably because they WANTED to be seen. Saying snarky things like "ha, I can see you!" doesn't prove you're clever.
16. Don't ball your fists. This is a huge sign of aggression, and it makes actors not really want to pop out and scare you. Remember, if you do happen to punch an actor, legal action may be taken. Usually there are off duty cops working at haunts, so you can't really 'run' from it.
TIPS
- When planning to attend a Haunted Attraction, think about your attire. Close toed shoes are a better option.
- If you do go through more than once, don't be obnoxious about how much you now know about the haunt. Try to enjoy it as you would a new haunt!
- If an actor tells you "Wait", "Move faster", "Wrong way", etc. you need to listen.
- Be aware of what time the haunt closes for the evening. If it closes at midnight, do not show up at midnight. The actors will be preparing to leave and most likely won't care so much about scaring you.
- A haunted attraction is only as scary as the surprises that it holds. Going through more than once can ruin the experience for you, your friends, and the actors, unless you are respectful on your subsequent ventures and are there to appreciate the things you might have missed the first time through.
- Remember, for actors this is their JOB. As you're leaving their area, or the whole attraction for that matter, tell the ticket booth who did a good job. It makes the monsters feel appreciated and will make them strive to do even better! - Plus it's always nice to know that you're efforts aren't wasted.
- Making fun of actors or attempting to break their character is neither witty nor amusing.
- Don't try to be a tough guy. Don't be insulting to and/or hit the actor because they scared you. You paid money for them to do that, remember? If you can't handle it, stay home.
- Don't tell actors "stop scaring my kid(s)!". If you think that your kids can't handle it, don't go in.
WARNINGS
- As stated above, don't touch the actors. Do not hit the actors. Do not kick, push, bite, slap, lick, scratch, or otherwise assault the actors either. The same goes for mannequins, which could be an actor pretending to e fake.
- Don't bring flashlights. Bringing flashlights ruins the whole effect because the majority of haunted attractions use the darkness to their advantage. It spoils the thrill for you and your group, Plus can blind the actors.
- If you are prone to striking out when frightened, do not go through a haunted attraction. The actors do not want to be punched in the face for doing their jobs any more than you do. If you meant to do it or not doesn't matter. If you can't control yourself, stay some. Some "hitters" find that keeping their hands in their pockets during the entire walk can keep them from reflexively lashing out. You might see if that works, but do so before you go. As mentioned, you can be charged with assault.
- No smoking on the property. I know some haunts do allow this in the parking area, but if you are going to a haunted attraction outside (like in a forest) smoking is a huge no no.
I hope these tips are helpful for returning haunt goers as well as those about to go to their first haunted attraction! Remember, just have fun!
Happy October!
Happy October! This is my favorite time of the year, so hopefully I can get around to doing tons of DIY's (especially SFX makeup)!
This is my 7th year working at haunted attraction as an actor and doing SFX makeup as well.
Every year there's always some incident where one of the actors gets punched, grabbed, or absolutely verbally assaulted, that's why I thought it'd be a good idea to post a list!
This is my 7th year working at haunted attraction as an actor and doing SFX makeup as well.
Every year there's always some incident where one of the actors gets punched, grabbed, or absolutely verbally assaulted, that's why I thought it'd be a good idea to post a list!