Haunted attraction (simulated)

Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris is an example of a haunted attraction.

A haunted attraction or dark attraction is a venue which simulates the experience of visiting a structure or outside space that is inhabited by what appear to be supernatural beings—such as ghosts or entities. They can also be venues featuring other frightening subjects such as crazed animals or escaped murderers. The illusion—created by actors, animatronics, theatrical sets, sounds, lighting, and other special effects—is designed to frighten patrons who typically purchase tickets for the privilege. These events are open to the public and commonly held throughout the month of October, leading up to Halloween. However there is a small sub-set of dark attractions that are open all year long. Over the years, dark attractions have expanded their scope beyond the "haunted house" format to include any place that is either ominous or foreboding, such as abandoned factories, old prisons or early 1900s-era hospitals/asylums.

Venues

The attractions are held in various venues. Events held in older, slightly dilapidated buildings utilize the natural atmosphere with strategically placed special effects, lights and props, while others will construct elaborate scenery and contain amusement park quality mechanical figures and illusions. On the same token, actors (known as "scare-actors") in these dark attractions might be dressed either in masks or greasepaints and basic costumes, but those with higher budgets often opt to dress their characters in customized outfits and elaborate make-up.

Another difference to be found is that some dark attractions present their event as following a storyline (i.e., the tale of madness and murder that lead to the building being haunted), while others present a random order of scenes and tableaux designed to shock and startle the patrons. Visitors to these dark attractions may be escorted through by tour guides (possibly in part to help deter potential encounters between actors and patrons who were suddenly startled or unruly). Other attractions may be run as self-guided events, letting the patrons follow a set path and thus get more "up close and personal" with the ghouls and monsters therein. More permanent venues may have a mechanized system for transporting patrons through the attraction.

Haunted hayride

Haunted hayrides are haunted attractions set in farmers' fields, primarily across the United States. In this sort of attraction, groups of patrons sit in a wagon filled with hay and are pulled by a tractor through the field. There is no definite record of where the first one was held. As popularity increased entrepreneurs began to view the haunted hayride as a legitimate family attraction, and this has made it an annual Halloween event.

Haunted places

In the UK there are a number of haunted places that see a rise in visitors during events such as Halloween. Pluckley, the most haunted village in England is just one example of a haunted place. It is rumoured that The London Tombs are also haunted after a collection of human remains were found there during renovation in 2008.

Haunted trail

A haunted trail or spooky trail is usually held at night in a public park, garden, or preserve, although it may be held at any outdoor venue. They are often included as one of the attractions at a Halloween carnival. In most instances, a trail or walkway is used. When said trail or walkway does not exist, one is cordoned off through use of ropes or barriers. Along this trail are displays or exhibits representing cemeteries, crime scenes, and the like. Also along this trail are human subjects dressed up to resemble mummies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies and various other scary characters. These actors frequently jump out at guests along the trail, or they may walk back and forth in silence and make threatening gestures with axes, chainsaws or other sharp garden equipment. Some haunted trails may have a maze near the end. A variant of the haunted trail that has gained popularity over the past few years has been the cornfield maze, in which patrons follow a path cut through the dense foliage of a cornfield and encounter various creatures and scenes within. Some of these mazes can be quite large and cover several acres.

Haunted house

An American Halloween practice is to decorate a house, yard, or garage and open it to other members of the public. For some, the decorations are something created specifically for trick-or-treating and are in place for one night only. For others, the decorations are done more in the tradition of Christmas decor and appear a month or so before the actual holiday.

Common motifs for Halloween are settings resembling a cemetery, a haunted house, a hospital, or a specific monster-driven theme built around famous creatures or characters.

Typical elements of decoration include jack-o'-lanterns, fake spiders and cobwebs, and artificial gravestones and coffins. Coffins can be built to contain bodies or skeletons, and are sometimes rigged with animatronic equipment and motion detectors so that they will spring open in reaction to passers-by. Eerie music and sound effects are often played over loudspeakers to add to the atmosphere. Haunts can also be given a more "professional" look, now that such items as fog machines and strobe lights have become available for more affordable prices at discount retailers. Some haunted houses issue flashlights with dying batteries to attendees to enhance the feeling of unease.

Business environment

Running and owning dark attractions and haunted houses is an industry in and of itself. There are estimated to be over 1,500 haunted attractions in the United States, attracting roughly 12,000,000 guests per year.^[1] There are also a great many haunted houses run as non-profit charity fundraisers by such organizations as the Jaycees or Kiwanis Clubs.

Legal environment

Safety requirements generally include fire suppression systems, clearly-marked exits, and panic systems. Most attractions must be inspected by local authorities to confirm that they comply with codes.^[2]

References

^ America Haunts - Haunted Facts accessed October 29, 2007 at 08:35
^ Fire Departments Clamp Down On Unsprinklered Haunts!, HauntedAttractions.com, August 5, 2007, accessed November 2, 2007 at 01:25

External links

[1] America Haunts - Haunted Facts accessed October 29, 2007 at 08:35

[2] Fire Departments Clamp Down On Unsprinklered Haunts!, HauntedAttractions.com, August 5, 2007, accessed November 2, 2007 at 01:25

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