Thread: help with an issue with my haunt every year

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Ok so every year we do a walk through haunt and its been a big hit with the neighborhood kids and is growing. I have one problem though. After they go in a couple of times they know where the actors are and sometimes turn on them LOL Last year the actors came out and were mad because they said the kids knew where they were and were trying to hit them with their candy bags. The problem is there is no one in my neighborhood that does anything like us so the people want to go through more than one time. They also DONT MOVE ON! They linger in front of my house and clogg up the streets. I want them to go through once or maybe twice and keep going. So....do you have any suggestions for me this year that we can do to alleviate the TOT turning on the actors and keep the scare factor fresh...and how to keep them from just sitting on the street and hanging out there causing a problem???? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Caddle prods. Keep the herd moving...

We deal with the same problem. We have a walk through haunt that makes a loop down our driveway, past a covered patio, to the garage and then through our back yard down a neighbors driveway back to the street. We have the occasional kid or group of kids that will go through a few times and then wait by the que line an tell everyone else where the scares are. When we observe this we tell them to move along and that they've already gone through and are spoiling it for others. We also have adults placed strategically through the haunt to watch for kids who are rowdy or who have cme through already and we make them leave. Usually they're young kids who will listen to you. At any given time we can have 30-40 people lined up to go through and another 40 standing in front of the house looking at the cemetery so crowd control can be an issue. My best suggestion would be to have adults close by to any area to help with punk control.

This is a part of the reason I instituted the 'double reward' system.

One area, we give away nice visible things. (glow bracelets, etc) The other is the candy drop.

This easily identifies who's been through a couple times (cause it can get confusing which spiderman has been through or not) Once, twice, I'm not too worried. As for trouble makers, we've had a few over the years, mostly older kids, a few adults mixed in, and I've dealt with them personally. But, I'm a big scary guy without the costume, so folks tend to do what I say when I make it clear I mean it...You might need a designated bouncer.

Originally Posted by UnOrthodOx

This is a part of the reason I instituted the 'double reward' system.

One area, we give away nice visible things. (glow bracelets, etc) The other is the candy drop.

This easily identifies who's been through a couple times (cause it can get confusing which spiderman has been through or not) Once, twice, I'm not too worried. As for trouble makers, we've had a few over the years, mostly older kids, a few adults mixed in, and I've dealt with them personally. But, I'm a big scary guy without the costume, so folks tend to do what I say when I make it clear I mean it...You might need a designated bouncer.

Second the glow items. We give out glow necklaces at the beginning of the haunt and while waiting to go in, they put it on. That also helps in another regard, I can see them advancing inside the haunt easier and so the scares are better timed. Currently, they can go through as many times as they want as long as they go to the end of the line. When we are busy, that means another 15 min or longer wait and so they usually move on (or the parents make them). But, if we get much busier then we will institute a one time only. If they are already wearing a necklace, they won't be able to go in.

In regards to hanging around, luckily they do that at the end of the street by the cemetery. Lot's of eye candy there.

You could also get stamps that are blacklight reactive (if you have a blacklight at the beginning or a handheld one that would be the best setup) and stamp the kids' hands. More than two stamps, they need to give the other kids a chance to go through and ask them to move on to TOT elsewhere? I don't know... it seems like you'd need a bouncer at that point.

Or use the stamps to yell a "codeword" to the scareactors... something to alert them that the group going through are frequent flyers and to change their location and scare?

I'd also make sure that the space configuration between the actors and the kids is wide enough to be able to dodge the kids if they start swinging their bags. And maybe tell them that they won't be allowed back in or kick them out if they get mean. (have the scareactors blow a whistle or something if they don't want to come out and have someone go in and get them?)

I'm probably overthinking this.

Those are all great ideas guys thank you. Anyone else have any?? Im trying to get as many as i can then see how to incorporate the most so that I can make sure this Halloween goes more smoothly

Fluorescent slap bands! each ToT gets a fluorescent slap-band on their "left" wrist when entering.
Once they exit the haunt they can either return the wristband to a box, or keep it as a souvenir. ( I usually have it set up so that they choose between getting 2 pieces of candy, or the slap band) Only 10% of the slap-bands are ever returned. They like them more!

Back at the entrance, If I notice a kid already wearing a band or if it's been moved to their "right" wrist, I know they've already been thru.

Another option are those cheap paper wristbands by Tyvek.

I don't have any suggestions but I'm hoping to do my first walk through this year so thanks for posting!!

I use glow bracelets, too. If a group of punks keeps going in and bugging the actors, we tell them to go on break (or hide) and walk through with the punks. When there is nothing to scare them they get bored and leave. I have never had anyone try to hit my actors (thankfully), but have a sign out front saying we will call authorities if anyone hits an actor, or anyone else in the crowd.

As for the OUTER stragglers ...OMG we had one last year ...30 MIN talking to our actors outside (the outer entertainers). It was a case of being dropped off to go ToT and no other house was cool or had any candy so he was waiting for Mummy ... ugh and telling life story about divorce and this and that ... eventually he went away. We did ask him to leave when he started acting like he was working WITH us and making up things about the haunt and such. THAT was a tad too much. ... move along sonny...

Anyone have any hints on the outer stragglers?? We tried to not be rude but in the end just asked him to leave (BTW it took FOUR people doing that for it to work)