1. Surrender
Haunted houses are all about immersing you in a totally unexpected, unpredictable, thrilling environment and the more you can surrender to the evening you are about to have (and we mean this in a good way) the more memorable the experience.
2. Make a Night Out of It
If your plan is to drive up, park, buy a ticket, go inside, walk through, get back in the car and go home then you are totally cheating yourself out of a crazy fun evening. Instead, show up, have a drink, mingle and watch the crowds, soak up the action that is going on around you and the people who are already shaking in their boots. Enjoy the atmosphere of the attraction before you even go in. When you enter the event, take your time enjoying the scenes and having fun getting scared, spooked, or shocked. Why rush the experience? Better yet, if there is only a single haunted house at the attraction you picked, see if there is a second one within driving distance and hit up two in an evening! The Halloween season is over a month-long--challenge yourself to see how many you can rack up every weekend.
If your plan is to drive up, park, buy a ticket, go inside, walk through, get back in the car and go home then you are totally cheating yourself out of a crazy fun evening. Instead, show up, have a drink, mingle and watch the crowds, soak up the action that is going on around you and the people who are already shaking in their boots. Enjoy the atmosphere of the attraction before you even go in. When you enter the event, take your time enjoying the scenes and having fun getting scared, spooked, or shocked. Why rush the experience? Better yet, if there is only a single haunted house at the attraction you picked, see if there is a second one within driving distance and hit up two in an evening! The Halloween season is over a month-long--challenge yourself to see how many you can rack up every weekend.3. Only Go With Fun People
You would think this is a no-brainer but it is not. Frankly, nothing can kill your fun evening like bringing along your obnoxious cousin who thinks he's too tough to be scared and makes sneering comments to the actors, gripes about the scenes, and ruins the surprises. Of course, everyone knows that the characters and scenes aren't real but you've paid good money for a ticket to have a great time, why go through with anyone who only wants to belittle or make fun of the experience? Seriously, leave the frat boy buddies at home--they'll only drag you down and ruin your night.
4. Dress for Success
Do a little research to find out what you are getting into. Some haunted attractions are in a warehouse, others are in houses, many are outdoors under tents, and some are in the woods. Others may have a combination of haunted trails with a hayride or haunted corn maze added in so do a little research about what you're in for. Depending on where you're headed, you may be walking through the woods the night after a downpour and you will be glad you wore your not-so-stylish but hyper-practical boots to navigate your way. Even more, dress warmly and comfortably. The haunt may be under a tent but the queue line could be outdoors and you might be standing outside for 45 minutes or more.
5. Prepare to Wait...And Love Every Minute of It
Depending on the time of the season you go, prepare to wait in line. Weekends are busiest, especially mid-October through Halloween. We can't stress this enough--waiting is truly part of the experience. Not only does waiting in line give you time to get acclimated to the creepy vibe of the place but many attractions have different characters that roam and interact with the crowds. The time you spend waiting is time spent priming you for the main attraction. Change your perspective from impatience to embracing the wait as a very cool and important part of the experience.
Many haunted houses open up in late September or early October. Many attractions have special deals like Buy-One-Get-One Free options early in the season or on off-peak nights like a Thursday or Sunday. Going early in the season can help you avoid some of the long waits and crowds and you can usually linger longer to enjoy each scene (not always the case on busy nights). On lighter volume nights, the attractions can space out the groups to give you a different kind of experience. With more elbow room, you won't end up shuffling through in a crowd seeing the scare happening to the group 10 feet ahead of you ruining the surprise. You won't be rushed through the rooms that you really want to take your time in.
On a busy night late in the season, it's going to take a while to get through the attraction(s)--that is a plain fact of hitting up a popular attraction so close to Halloween. Not everybody wants to wait in line (after all, someone has to relieve the babysitter!) so it might be worth your while to spring for an Express Ticket or a VIP Pass. It's not uncommon to pay up to double the general admission price but you are diverted to a speedier line and there may be other perks included. Some VIP tickets may permit you to go through the attraction unlimited times or have other freebies thrown in. Not every attraction has this so you'll need to look into it.
8. Be Good to the Actors The various characters you see inside and outside the haunted attraction are there to give you a great time. There's a saying "don't touch the actors and they won't touch you" and generally there is a rule that none of the actors will ever physically interact with you--which isn't to say they won't be blowing on the back of your neck to freak you out! But hey, most attractions are dark and a little confusing so you may bump into one another from time to time by accident. Acting in a haunted house is a very physical, demanding, and challenging job. Remember, they are there to try to give you a great experience.
9. Not Every Attraction is Suitable for Everyone
Just like going to a PG-13 or R movie, not every haunted house is appropriate for every age. Some haunts might be suitable for your thrill-seeking preteens while other attractions may be too visceral, and graphic for even a sensitive adult to handle.
If you are planning to bring your preteens or teens in tow, read up on the haunt to see if the themes and content are right for your older kids. Know your kids and use your best judgment with the information you have--ask others who may have been there for their opinion. Unless it is a designated Kids Day, haunted attractions are not a good fit for young children.
If you are afraid to continue (or are with someone who is), just speak in a loud clear voice that you want to exit the event and ask an actor to show you the way out. Professional attractions train their actors to help you exit and regroup. If you are unsure whether you will be able to brave the event, it's always a good idea to inquire ahead of time to find out how you can exit an event if you need to.
10. Appreciate the Artistry
You might be surprised to learn that designing and building haunted attractions is a thriving industry filled with super creative people who are tremendously dedicated to their craft. Whether you are visiting one of the largest attractions in your area or a local yard haunt, you will see the culmination of months of planning, creating, building, and decorating by artists who put their heart and soul into delivering a memorable and thrilling time for their visitors. In those rare moments when you aren't getting the daylights scared out of you, look around you to appreciate all the work that has gone into the event. You will not be disappointed!
Looking for Haunted Attractions in New England? Halloween New England's guides to CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and VT Haunted Houses and Trails will give you a complete list of attractions, maps, contact info, haunted house features, and much more.Special thanks to The Pixel Perfection: After Dark for contributing their stunning haunt photos for this article.
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