13 Haunted House Do’s and Dont’s

So, you and your friends bought tickets to a nearby haunted house. Everyone’s watched the trailer on Youtube and is excited about a night of spooky Halloween scares. But maybe you’ve never been to a haunted house before. Here at The Nevermore Haunt we have a few suggestions 

 

1 – Do check to see if the event offers Fast-Pass!

Many events will offer an expedited pass for a shorter line. If you’re headed to a haunted house towards the end of October, especially on a Friday or Saturday night (or Halloween night) expect long lines, the Fast-Pass is almost always worth it.

 

2 – Don’t wear a costume mask.

You should check with the particular event you plan to attend to confirm that costumes are  allowed at all. Most will not allow you to enter with props or masks. Wearing a mask in the haunted house can create confusion as to who is a visitor and who is a haunted house actor. Unless you’ve applied, been hired and have a scene assignment, leave the Jason mask before entering. 

 

3 – Do wear closed toe shoes.

Even if you’re headed to an indoor event, open toe shoes are a really bad idea. When your friends start jumping in fright or when a ghoulish fiend comes sneaking out of a hiding space your little toes will be in the danger zone. Wear comfortable shoes that protect your toes, going to a haunted house is often a very active experience.

 

4 – Scope out the food situation before you go.
Most events these days have some kind of food offering on hand. Some haunted trails and or forest can be very remote, they’re not often located in urban or suburban neighborhoods where food is easy to come by. So if you have dietary restrictions or are just a picky eater you might want to think about that before you get out into a long walk in the woods

 

5 – Don’t try to sneak up on or scare the actors.

When you go to a restaurant you don’t try to serve your own table, you don’t pour your own drinks at a bar. You paid to get scared, let the haunt actors do their thing. This can often be a safety concern as well. When you deviate from the planned course in a haunted house you’re likely to encounter trip hazards or get lost. It’ll be embarrassing if the haunted house staff have to send a search party to find you. 

 

6 – Check out the haunted houses website.
Is the event indoors or should you be dressing for the weather? Will they cancel if it rains? Is there a hayride, is the hayride scary or for kids? What’s the food like and do they serve drinks? Even if you been to a bunch of haunted houses before each one has different offerings. You’ll make the night a lot smoother by familiarizing yourself with the locations FAQ page and offerings.

 

7 – Do let yourself be scared.
For some folks this one is easy. Every bump and jump inside the event sends them screaming. But if that’s not you it might require a little bit of effort on your part. You might be really good at guessing where the actors are going to jump out, keep that to yourself. Don’t try and figure it out, let the actors surprise you. When an actor tries to distract you with a skit, let them. If you walk through the haunted house like you’re too cool to be scared you might just be right. Remember, you paid good money to be here so try and turn your brain off for a bit, let yourself get immersed in the experience. We all know it’s not real but it is still a lot of fun. And if that doesn’t work and you just can’t be scared, try to bring someone with you that can be and enjoy the experience with them. 

 

8 – Don’t interrupt performers’ skits.

If you want to do a stand-up routine there are open mic nights for that. Your friends didn’t come to the haunted house to listen to you  crack one-liners at every actor that you encounter, especially when the actors have a skit or routine to do. Having a laugh is part of the fun, just don’t over do it. You might not be as funny as you think you are.

 

 

9 –  Do interact with the actors, especially when prompted.

At a good haunted house you’ll encounter actors who will do a lot more than jump out and say “boo!” They’ll likely encourage you to interact, to respond to questions or make decisions. Follow their lead. Let them work the scene and you’ll likely get more out of the experience. If you walk by with your head down or use the opportunity to speak over the actor you might miss out on a really memorable portion of the event.

 

10 – Don’t Run.

This one is hard for the really scared people. If you’re one of the braver folks in your group, try and keep the runners in check. It’s safer not to run and you don’t want to miss out on all the scenes because you’re trying to speed run the attraction. 

 

11 – Do keep it moving.

Sometimes groups are slow because they are terrified at every scene they enter. Sometimes there are mobility issues. Sometimes groups are slow because they’re taking in all of the scene decor or really enjoying interacting with an actor. This is great, as long as everyone is having a good time taking your time through the event can be great. However, you should try to be mindful of other groups. Most events will work to accommodate or work around slower moving groups but you can help. Encourage your group to keep it moving when the actors give you the hint, or help lead the way if someone is too scared, if they’re really scared they definitely don’t want to be left behind. And If you find a faster group is coming up behind you there’s also nothing wrong with letting them go ahead of you.

 

12 – Don’t show up intoxicated.

Some events will serve alcohol, although this is uncommon. Here at The Nevermore Haunt we have a bar serving wine and beer. There’s nothing wrong with having a drink beforehand or after to calm your nerves. But if you really want to waste your money the easiest way to get yourself booted from any haunted attraction is to be visibly intoxicated (most often with no refund). So keep it together and be responsible. If the event you’re going to doesn’t serve alcohol save it for after the event. Not only will you likely get kicked out with no refund, your friends might be removed as well and they will be none to pleased with you in the morning.

 

13 – Do, have a good time.

Visiting Haunted Houses is a tradition going back at least a hundred years. There are well over a thousand spread across the United States, entertaining millions of people. Why? Because its so much fun! Every single person who works in the industry does it because it’s fun to do and because entertaining guests in the weird way we do it is a thrill for everyone involved. So get your friends, put some proper shoes on, be responsible and go have a good time!!! And if you’re in the Baltimore area come check us out this October. Tickets are on sale now for a haunted house near you!

Happy Haunt Season,
The Nevermore Haunt