[crazydecorator]

This year (our 4th or 5th year decorating) is going to be a big leap forward for us this year. But To go really big we thought of using our backyard for our display., But we got thinking, would people be reluctant to go see. I figured before I moved forward anymore Id ask on the forums.

 

[LadyAlthea]

I think it would depend on your yards set up. Is the backyard visible from the street anywhere? Can you start the display or walk through in the front and wind it around to the back?

 

[creepy crawler]

Yes thats my problem too! I have no good way to move the people from the front yard to the back yard. sidewalk is about 18" wide and not good access.
thought about starting in the front doing the inside of the house and have the walk through the house the the back yard and the out that side walk. I will have to look I dont know if I want folks on the side of house!

 

[bradbaum]

I have had people walk through my back yard for 4 out of the last 5 years. I took a year off when my wife and i had a baby. I have a large area on one side of mu house with a large swing open gate that can accomadate a vehicle. The other side of the house has a small gate.
My back yard is terraced with landscaping timbers so it is easy to build walls and rooms. I have sent people through in one direction one year and the other the next year to mix it up from year to year. I have never had a problem with people not wanting to go through (other then being too scared). My wife and I usally sit in the driveway and hand out candy after the TOTs and thier parents exit the haunted house. The teenagers are not showing much intrest in helping on the haunted house this next year so I am probally going to scale back to just the large side of the house and then have the TOTs exit through the garage.

 

[bozz]

We run them through the side yard to the back and then back up to the garage sevice door and out the front of the garage (see my profile album pics) , its really one big horse shoe shaped trail. We built our house 5 years ago with adding the back garage service door in mind and that was the key to a nice flow for a trail walk, you may be able to add one Next year we will go deeper into the backyard and extend into the cedar trees with a another "U" shaped turn around and back up. The trail will now be a few hundred yards long. Since half our TOTing takes place during daylight hrs. the Cedars will offer great hiding places and props and is just as creepy in the daytime because you can't see around the next bend of Cedars......can't wait. Already have one spotlight pole in place and need to put one more up for when it gets dark back there.

 

[Wolfman]

A backyard setup will be less vulnerable to vandalism. Your "regular customers" will all return, but you'll need something in the front to let people know what you have in back. If it's really elaborate, it will catch them off-guard, always a good thing on Hallowe'en Night...

 

[TheGothicPrincess]

You could also set up the before scene in the front yard and the after scene in the backyard.

I use all area's of my yard, maybe black the area out and have this a blackout room, until they get to the back yard.

 

[Bubbels]

I also have considered this as my front yard was very full this year. But I have concern of not having someone back there to watch it. Even if I could, its sometimes rather cold up here in minnesota and think it would be undesirable to stand outside all night. Do any of you that currently use the backyard generally have someone to watch to make sure no one is stealing / vandalizing? Or is it just not that big of a concern?

Would be great advertisement as I have a city owned walk area behind my house.

Love the term "regular customers"! I had a couple people show up with cameras this year. Like to think they brought them along just for my display.

 

[bozz]

Not a concern for us and we start decorating early Sept. out back, we live a nice new development so no stealing around here. We also have about 10 actors on our trail and when I'm not acting I police the grounds just to make sure all is well safety wise.

 

[Bubbels]

I like to think that I live in a nice neighborhood as well. But shoot, I was an Eagle Scout and I still enjoyed messing with people like any other teenage boy would. I think its going to have to be someone in back for me to create a display back there. I already see I am going to need a fence next year as the 10 year old boys that wanted to treck across my cemetary this year was very annoying. I guess that is something else to take into consideration. If you are going out back, you need the materials to create a fenced path way.

 

[Scatterbrains]

I think the key to using the backyard is to have help. Not just to control vandalism, but because of the liability you incur by having people wander around your yard. First and foremost, your haunt needs to be safe. I was going to have people come in my garage then go out the side door last year, but I couldn't get anyone to commit to making sure that the ToTs watched their step going out the door since the door sits about 6" above the pavement and people would have to step up and out. I worried that someone would panic and just run and trip.

 

[bozz]

I just use marking tape or trail tape to make them go where I want them to go, I also use some old foosball poles and drive them in the ground and run my tape to them at about 3-4' high.