500 Grim

We were just ruminating this week about what kind of haunted houses we liked best and which ones didn’t make our cut. There are certain things that will really help a haunted attraction stand out in the mind and keep it in your consciousness for a long time.

When coming up with a list of what those things might be, we know we will end up leaving a few things off, but at least we can give you a list that you might look at and nod your head in agreement. Maybe this will help you to find the kind of place that will shock your socks off and stick with you for a long time.  

Employees That Enjoy Their Work

We think the biggest factor that makes a haunted house stand out is probably the people who work there. This would not go for each and every one, as some of them have more employee interaction with the customers than others. However, when the employees love what they do and they are fully committed to it, then that makes for a great experience for the guests.

It’s great to see the actors getting into their roles and pretending to be all these different monsters. And then when you have employees dressed up and selling tickets and concessions or greeting you when you come in, it can be a lot of fun when they are committed to what they’re doing. If they have pleasant attitudes and really want to entertain you, it makes the experience so much better. It’s certainly a big difference from going to a haunted house where the employees simply don’t care and they put very little effort into what they’re doing.

 Atmospheric Lighting

The lighting can really sell the spookiness and atmosphere of a haunted house. If the lighting is poor, you can’t see a lot of the great props and the awesome makeup on the actors. When the lighting is just right, it sets a mood and helps make the haunted house so much spookier.

Proper lighting also keeps you from tripping over your feet and having to worry too much about where you’re stepping. It is also really cool to see how some haunted houses play around with lighting, as some of them will use strobe lights or turn lights on and off. Some of them will also have very dark areas that make you walk on something strange and suspicious, making you wonder about what kind of environment you’re passing through. There are all sorts of fun ways to incorporate lighting into the haunted house and make the experience a lot more interesting, and it’s a very cost-effective way to up the scare level.

A Clean Environment

We understand that haunted houses are supposed to look kind of grungy, run down, and maybe a little bit gross. However, all of those character traits should be intentional. If you have spilled soda on the floor or icky stains and grime stuck to the walls, those don’t make for a very pleasant experience. The haunted house can be gross and spooky without being nasty due to how dirty it is.

We recommend that haunted house owners use professional cleaners regularly or at least do the cleaning themselves every day. It’s important that they clean up any spills and get rid of trash on the floor quickly that could ruin the atmosphere and the look that they’re going for. If the house is going for a Victorian vibe, for instance, no one wants to see a Coke bottle on the floor.

Quality Decorations

Anyone can put up some cobwebs and some creepy looking pumpkins and call it a haunted house, but it takes dedication to make the house look good and spooky. The decorations that are used can’t look cheap. It has to look like there’s some level of commitment to the work.

Each decoration should be considered carefully about how it adds to the whole or whether it perhaps detracts from the look of the haunted house. Choosing quality decorations for a haunted house isn’t just about buying the most expensive and best looking stuff. It’s also about perfect placement and deciding where each item should go and how it creates the desired atmosphere.

The haunted houses that really stand out to us are those that have been very thoughtful with their decorations and didn’t just slap something together quickly.

Surprises

The final item on our list is possibly one of the most important We are going to talk about. We have all been to haunted houses that were fine but didn’t amaze and didn’t surprise. The missing ingredient in these haunted houses is usually that they don’t do anything new or different. The operators may be perfectly competent, but they may not know how to be creative. They may simply be copying what other people have done in their haunted houses.

What helps an attraction stand out in our minds and stick with us for a long time is when it does something truly unique. You can tell that a lot of passion and thought went into a haunted house when they break the mold and try something different. Even if it doesn’t always work, that new and surprising thing will often stand out to you.

We would encourage haunted house owners to look at their setup and see if there’s something they can do to shock and amaze their guests. What can they do that will make their attraction different from everybody else? What would help them to get noticed and have people talking? They can’t simply do more of the same stuff that has always been done.

We like to see it when haunted house owners take some risks and try something that no one else is doing. These surprising additions don’t always work perfectly, but they can be a lot of fun.

And that is our list of factors that make a haunted house really memorable for us. 

What can you do to make sure the guests who come to your haunted house have a good time? There are so many ways to make your haunted house unique and entertaining, but it’s always important to ensure that the environment is safe. We want to share with you a few pointers that may help you lookout for some dangers that could harm your guests.

Prohibit Drugs

Attractions and drugs don’t mix very well. When people are inebriated, they tend to make poor decisions, and they can put themselves and other people at risk. It’s a good idea to completely prohibit alcohol, cigarettes, and all other kinds of drugs at your haunted house.

Cigarettes and marijuana should be prohibited because they can easily start fires, especially in the confined spaces of the haunted house and with all the draped and hanging material that may be present. Alcohol and other drugs that relax inhibitions can be dangerous because your customers and workers may make poor decisions and cause injuries.

We recommend making your haunted house as much a drug free zone as possible. Put up signs at the attraction and put warnings on the website so that people know ahead of time what to expect and that they are not allowed to bring drugs on the premises.

Keep It Clean

The haunted house should be a very clean place, even if there are fake spider webs hanging everywhere and draped sheets on every wall. A haunted house can be very tidy and safe and still be scary.

If you have a lot of business coming through your house, you may want to schedule professional cleaners to keep up with it for you. Otherwise, make sure the attraction is cleaned at least once a day. You should also have your employees look out for spills and other dangers in the haunted house that happen throughout the day. They should clean those up as quickly as possible, and you may have to shut down the house for a few minutes just to get the mess cleaned up and keep the area safe.

Even cleaning up dust and dirt in your haunted house is important to creating a safe and pleasant environment. When you cut down on dust, your guests can breathe easier, and they are less likely to suffer from allergy symptoms.

If there are any water leaks, you need to deal with those immediately, since they can cause mold. Mold in haunted houses is a problem because it can trigger allergic reactions as well as breathing difficulties. It also smells bad, and you just want to be rid of it.

In some cases, you will need to hire specialized mold removers to get rid of the mold completely and you may not be able to remove it on your own. Mold can devalue your home and make your attraction less inviting. Don’t mess around with this and ensure that you get rid of mold as soon as you see it.

Keep Props and Decorations in Good Condition

If you have a haunted house up and running for very long, you’re going to find that your decorations start to fall apart and your props start to wear down. Part of this is simply the wear and tear of having guests move through the haunted house. Some of it may be due to poor materials that deteriorate or slip off after a while. In some cases, it could even be that your guests are interfering with the decorations and causing damage.

Whatever the reason, you want to keep your haunted house looking its best and make sure that all the props and decorations are in good condition. If they do become damaged, they can create tripping hazards and other dangers. Any exposed wires or other materials can cause all sorts of injuries that you need to avoid.

The best practice is to walk through the haunted house carefully before opening it each day. Make sure that everything is in order and that there are no hazards for your guests or costumed employees who may be operating inside the haunted house.

Keep in mind that most haunted house interiors tend to be dark, so it’s easy for guests and employees to trip over something that is placed where it should not be. If there’s anything poking out or protruding that could cause injury, your guests may not see it until they bump into it. That’s why you want to take a careful inspection of the haunted house before you open it each day.

Look for Electrical Hazards

One of the most common problems with haunted houses is that the owners are not very careful about how they handle the electrical supply. They may plug multiple cords into the same outlet or use multiple extension cords to power a single light or animatronic. When you spread the electrical charge too thin, you can run into problems. When you send too much current into the same outlet, you can cause an overload or some other hazard.

Follow safety protocols when it comes to your outlets, lighting, and other electrical components. Make sure that you’re using the best safe practices and that you’re not cutting corners just to save some money or time.

Keep Emergency Exits Clear

The emergency exits in your haunted house should be kept completely clear and should never be blocked. You want to make them highly visible, ensuring that there are lighted signs in dark areas. You can also set up arrows to indicate where the exit is in case of an emergency.

Also ensure that your employees know where the emergency exits are located so they can find them in the event that something happens. Instruct employees to help guests find those exits if something goes wrong. The guest should not be permitted to simply stumble around in the dark trying to find the exits if the power goes out.

We hope these tips help keep your haunted house safe.

When the haunting season comes upon you, will you be ready to make a spooky impression? Not every house will look Halloween ready when the holiday approaches, and we don’t want you to miss out on bringing in lots of trick-or-treaters and making your home the spot to visit this fall.

Here are our best tips for making your home visit-worthy by those who are trick or treating.

Get Decorations Out Early

Start off with putting up some decorations as soon as you can. They don’t have to be elaborate, and they don’t have to be all of the decorations you are going to use, but you at least need to get something up.

What this does is tell everyone in the neighborhood that you will be participating in Halloween this year. You can be sure that the kids in your area will be talking long before Halloween about which houses they want to visit. Their parents may be discussing it as well. If you can set out your purpose early on, you will be more likely to attract a lot of kids.

Save Some Decorations for Later

We actually recommend against putting up all of our decorations right away. If you do put them all up well in advance of the holiday, then you will have nothing to really surprise people with.

Putting out the initial decorations tells people that you are participating, and it can build up excitement. Then, putting out additional decorations right before Halloween tells people you are planning something special. It builds the hype up a second time, and it is sure to help bring more people to your door.

We suggest saving a couple of the really cool and really large decorations for a day or two before Halloween. That way, people will notice them from a distance and get excited about what your house has to offer.

Get the House Cleaned

Our next suggestion it to ensure that your house is clean. You may have some surprises in store for your visitors inside the house, and you want to make a good impression. You can do that partly by cleaning the house very well, or at least the entry rooms.

You want to get your home looking spotless for the holiday, because nothing will chase your visitors away faster than an unsightly home. You can cover some of that up with decorations, but there’s no beating having a tidy home to spruce up with beautiful decorations. No matter what kind of Halloween aesthetic you’re going for, you want to do it in a clean home.

With all the decorations and other preparations you have to do, you may not have time to get your home as clean as you would like. Bringing in skilled house cleaners from your area, such as Cleaning Service NYC, may be the answer so that you have more time for all the other things you’re planning to do.

Buy the Good Stuff

When it comes to Halloween candy, you want to be able to offer kids something exciting. You can get candies that are hard to find and aren’t commonly given out. That can be a good way to attract attention to your house. You can also choose high quality candies, like large candy bars and name brand treats.

It’s actually more important than ever to buy good snacks to give out on Halloween, and that’s because word spreads quickly through social media and neighborhood groups about which home has the best candy and where everyone should be looking for snacks.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to buy only candy. You can also buy small toys and snacks that aren’t candy to give away. Small packs of crackers, cookies, trail mix, and even granola bars are good options. You just want to make them small enough to fit into kids backpacks, pockets, in bags.

If you’re going all out, why not buy some gift cards to give away. Those will be a big score for anyone who stops by your house and ends up with them. You can also give away random grab bags, where you’ve mixed a bunch of items into a bag and sealed it tight so no one knows what they have until they walk away from your house and check it. This can make visiting your house more exciting and get people hyped up to talk about what you’re offering.

Check Your Lights

You wanna make sure that your home is well lit. You can use spooky lights and special colored Halloween lighting, but you should make certain that people can see the path to your home easily. They shouldn’t have to figure out where the driveway is or which door they should come to. Make it obvious which door trick or treaters should use, and you can even create a path with outdoor decorations that leads directly to your door, if there’s going to be any question.

Make sure all of your lights are working order. Check them the day before to ascertain whether any of them have gone out and need to be replaced. Since Halloween is not a bank holiday, most stores will still be open on that day, and you should be able to replace any bulbs that have gone out.

Spread the Word

The final tip we want to leave you with is that if you really want a lot of people to show up at your house for trick-or-treat, you should tell them that you’re doing something special there. If you’re going to be doing games or other activities, then post that on your neighborhood group or on your social media pages. Let people know that there’s something exciting happening in your house for the holiday.

If you’re not going quite that all-out with your home this holiday, then at least make sure that you have decorations by the road and perhaps even a sign that welcomes trick or treaters. This will make it easy for people to figure out whether they should try your house or not.

At 500grim.com, we love haunted houses, and we love to see people enjoying them. Part of making sure that these environments are enjoyable for everyone is that people need to treat others and treat the property with respect.

We think knowledge is a great way to keep everyone having a good time. Most people who cause problems at haunted houses simply don’t know what the rules are or what the expected etiquette is for using a haunted house. So, we wanted to educate those that might be interested and make things nicer for everyone.

Read the House Rules

Each haunted house will have its own set of instructions. Some of these will be on the website, others might be on the front of the haunted house, some may be in a booklet or pamphlet, and some might be told to you by the guides at the haunted house. Make sure you pay attention to the rules and follow them exactly.

The rules can differ from one haunted house to the next, and there are plenty of reasons for that. Some haunted houses have expensive animatronics that can be very fragile. Others may have live performers, and they could be injured or cause injury if the guests are not careful. These are just a few examples, but you get the idea of why there may need to be different rules for the different haunted houses.

Respect the Property

There will  be some haunted houses that allow you to interact with the environment as you pass through the attraction, and some of them will even encourage it. They want their customers to try things out and have a very hands-on approach to the attraction. That’s not all of them, though. Even in haunted houses where you’re encouraged to touch the environment and play with some things, you want to make sure that you’re respecting other people’s property.

Don’t be rough with any of the decorations or props. Do not intentionally damage anything. If you’re trying to interact with something and get it to respond to you, and you have to use a lot of force, you’re probably not interacting with that item correctly. Remember that most interactive parts of haunted houses are designed to respond to light touches, because they are meant to be used many times by many people.

If you have any doubt about whether it’s OK to touch decorations or props or anything else in the haunted house, then just leave it alone. You can always interact with it in your next trip through, once you have permission from the owners.

If you cause damage to the property, you may be required to pay for it. At the very least, you will probably be banned from the attraction.

Don’t Leave Your Garbage

Any haunted house worth its salt will have garbage bins at the entrance and the exit and perhaps a few throughout the attraction as well. Make use of these and don’t throw your food wrappers and other garbage items just anywhere. Remember that the haunted house owners have to clean up every night. You don’t want to add to the mess and create extra work for them. They may even have to hire professional cleaners to keep up with the high traffic and extensive mess left behind.

Be respectful to those who run the haunted house and make sure you put your garbage in the appropriate bins.

Don’t Harass the Workers

It shouldn’t need to be said at any business establishment that customers should be respectful to workers. There should be no reason to abuse workers, even if they are unpleasant or unkind.

It seems like haunted house workers often receive a lot of abuse because customers think they are allowed to be rude to them as part of the experience. You want to be careful about your interactions with workers, especially those not part of the actual attraction. They may say things that are designed to scare you and set the mood, but you still want to respond in a respectful way. It’s OK to play along and treat character actors as characters, but you don’t want to cross the line into abusive and hateful territory with the way you speak or act.

Once again, I want to caution you that if there is any doubt that your behavior may be considered rude, disrespectful, or abusive, you should simply avoid it. Everyone can have a great experience at a haunted house, including those who work there, as long as people respect one another. There’s a lot of fun to be had by interacting with the costumed workers and getting in the mood of the atmosphere they are setting there. Just be careful about your interactions and make sure that anything you say is done in the right spirit.

On a similar note, be careful about asking too personal of questions to the actors. You shouldn’t ask any sexually suggestive questions, and it can be rude to ask them if they are being paid or what their hours are. If they are in costume, they may be trying to not break character. You don’t want to badger them with questions and try to get them to break character.

Arrive Sober

The last bit of haunted house etiquette that we want to share with you is that you should arrive sober to the attraction. Make sure that you’re not doing drugs while you’re there and that you are completely sober when you arrive. That will help ensure the experience is a pleasant one, and it keeps you from saying or doing something you might regret later.

The flashing lights, strange noises, and atmospheric environment can react badly to some drugs, so do be careful about what you’re using ahead of going to the haunted house.

We hope these guidelines help you enjoy yourself at the haunted house. If you’re being sensible and following the rules, everyone should be able to have a good time.

Are you looking to make your home into a haunted house for the fall season? That’s a great way to bring in some extra revenue, and much of it can be passive. You could do an active house if you wanted to be involved and jump out at people or give them a scary tour. Or you can just set up the house with decorations and automated scares and leave them to find their way through.

What are you going to need to make your home ready to be haunted? You may know a few of the basics, but we want to tell you about some of the tasks that you might not have thought about.

Clean It Well

Start with a thorough cleaning of the house, as much of a deep cleaning as you can do. There are a few reasons we highly recommend that you do this. First of all, you want your home to be neat and presentable. Keeping it clean will help to attract people and make it feel welcoming.

Secondly, you will have an easier time putting up decorations and preparing your house if it is cleaned. You can get tape to stick to the counters and walls easier, and you can decorate with fewer hindrances in the way. It is always easier to work with a clean house.

Thirdly, a clean house will ensure that there are no foul odors that could make a visit to your home unpleasant. You want to control the scents in your haunted house, ensuring that only the ones you want to be there are present. By cleaning your home, you will get the smells under control and make certain that your home has the kind of environment that would be conducive to a haunted house.

Cleaning your home up is the very first step in preparing it to become a haunted house, but the job might be bigger than you expect. It could be a good idea to call in professional cleaners to do it so you can do all the other tasks necessary for setting up your home.

Remove Unnecessary Items

You are going to need space for all of your decorations and haunted items. Your house is probably filled with furniture and other items you use every day, but that will need to change if you are going to make the space into a haunted house. Figure out which rooms you will use for the attraction and make sure those are as clear as possible.

Some furniture may be able to stay. You might want to leave some tables, for example, to place candles on or severed heads. You could leave a couch and prop up a dead body there. But look at each room carefully and consider what could be used for your haunted house and what needs to go.

The unnecessary items can be sorted into rooms that won’t be used in the attraction or even moved out to someone else’s house. The more space you have to work with, the more people you can have in your home at once and the more you can do with your haunted home.

Break Up the Rooms

Large rooms are a boon to haunted house builders. You can break these rooms down into smaller spaces, creating twisting paths through them that give your visitors more bang for their buck.

For instance, a large entry room can be constricted to a small entry space that winds around and creates a twisting path for visitors to walk through. Think about how you might want to divide up rooms so that you can make the best use of space.

Consider whether you want to make constricting spaces or wide open ones. You probably want a mix of both so that your haunted house feels varied and doesn’t suffer from the problem of having identical feeling spaces.

Draw Up a Plan

Should you go buy supplies first or make up a plan for each room? That will depend partly on your budget, but we recommend mapping out the room setup first of all. That will give you an idea of what to shop for, so you are not wasting trips and so you can make the most of each shopping outing.

Figure out what kind of decorations you want in each room and how you want them set up. Then, break down the total decoration plan by item so you can buy all you need at the same time.

It is a good idea to buy more than you think you will need, especially when it comes to decorations like cobwebs, dark sheets, candles, and other décor that will be spread across multiple rooms.

Your plan can always be modified later on, but having a plan to begin with will help you begin to take action. You will feel like you have purpose when you go out to buy things.

Get Everyone on the Same Page

While you have your home set up as a haunted house, you may have to do things differently. You should let friends, neighbors and family members know what you are doing so that they won’t impose. You don’t want customers going through the haunted house and then be interrupted by a neighbor who needs to borrow something from you.

You may have to change up your work schedule and keep the house locked when it is not in use, all so you can ensure that the haunted house is kept safe and undisturbed and to ensure that it is a big success.  

Your family will have to be in agreement about the haunted house, because anyone living there will be inconvenienced. You may want to make an arrangement with your spouse or kids that they will get a cut of the money if they sacrifice their rooms and their time to make the attraction a success. See if you can rope them in to helping set everything up and running it so they can feel like they are part of the process and not just being inconvenienced.