[Jack'sEckstein]

What are the things you like best? What makes you want to go to a haunted attraction, what brings you back? Just your positive opinions here, I'll be making another forum post asking about the things you dislike thanks for your input everyone, I appreciate it!
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Thanks everyone!

 

[MacEricG]

I love what you don't see anymore — the classics. Someone in another forum posted how long it had been since they saw a vampire or a werewolf in a haunted house. I agree. Give me a good old spook house any day where I'm reminded of "The Haunting" or any of the Universal Monster stories.

I miss the fantasy — and I'm tired of the gorefest.

 

[Tinaspaintedlady]

Agree 100 percent, I am longing for the classics.
Beyond sick of Gore.

 

[cid404]

Leave the gore, zombies only if you're doing voodoo theme, tired of the road warrior gear (the spikes, mohawks, biker stuff).

Look back at 'ol Bela Lugosi. He scared the wits out of people with his look, his voice, his manner. He didn't need animatronics, prosthetics or
50 gallons of stage blood.

If you're doing a haunt that just streams through (where you don't cut off into parties), insert a shill in every now & then. Have the monsters really grab them and drag them screaming away. Freaks out the guests like nothing else....

 

[Oak Lane Cemetery]

Love a good, well staged scene that tells a story and sets me on edge, then once the scene draws me in with the visuals, having an actor spring from an unexpected location for the startle scare. Hate having someone just scream in my ear as i walk past. Screaming at someone is not scary. It is annoying and unoriginal.

 

[Count Chocula]

I totally agree about the screaming stuff Nightfisher, it's annoying and just lazy in my opinion. A good haunted house has atmosphere that sets the mood and visual scares that catch you off guard. Nothing like a slight of hand over here, then you jump two feet from the drop panel you never expected.

And keep the gore down, it's getting old.

 

[TheMonsterSquad]

I'm okay with well-done gore, but I think its overused. I agree with the others in this thread that I would LOVE a haunt that had old Universal Horror style settings and ambience.

The big thing that makes a haunt for me is detailed, rich set design. I want an immersive environment akin to a theme park. Too many haunts rely on fog and darkness to cover for plywood walls and cheap sets. I remember being in a haunt here that after wandering through a gothic castle, you enter a forest and cross over a bridge into a shack. There was what looked like flowing water underneath the bridge and fireflies in the air. It was completely immersive and let you really get into the scene. Later in the same haunt they had a bombed out street set with cars on "fire" and zombies wandering around. All of this inside of an old grocery store. That's the kind of haunt I'm willing shell out for again and again. There's another haunt near the first that is less razzle-dazzle, but uses a really well-crafted storyline and just enough set design to accomplish the same effect, so its not a matter of money spent, its a matter of the care and attention put into the details.

Also, I prefer if you let groups space themselves out. Conga lines are annoying.

 

[Jack'sEckstein]

I like the gore, but I also very much agree with the classics!! Would you all be okay with the gore if an attraction or haunted house would also feature those great classic monsters? Not mashed together in one though. Maybe having two separate attractions in the one place? Like a scream park? That way it better pleases everyone.

 

[Zombastic]

Imo a traditional werewolf or classic vampire can't cut it nowadays in a haunted house...They'd have to be pretty badass looking to get a scare.
I like different themes in a haunted house. Different rooms, maybe a clown room, spider room, zombies room, gore room. etc.
I recently went to a pro haunt and was a little letdown because it was all just one theme. Basically crazed rednecks. I was hoping for a bunch of different scares.

 

[Mysterious Mansion Fan]

I would love to see a haunted attraction with a classic Haunted Mansion theme. Now days, it seems that haunted houses rely too much on gore.

 

[creepingdth]

Good props. Good technological/electronics stuff. The "haunted house" I have here just races you through and all you get to see is people dressed in costumes chasing you around. I want to see the work they've put into it, otherwise just put some garbage bags up and have people chase you around. I like the effects. I myself have the hallowindow in my window and a projector playing a ghost out in my yard. I like the magic of it all. I love buying all the "toys" the books that move as you walk by, the haunted mirrors, the candles floating by your head. Guess I'm not in it to be scared and running through as fast as I can and missing out. I like the cheap ole kids haunts the best, done by every day people with the stuff from their house. And the strobe lights? What's up with that? I want to be able to see what I'm looking at. I took my daughter to a kids haunted house and it was so dark and so many strobes that all i remember is the cool glow in the dark feet they had on the stairs. Instead of strobes use more black lights. It can be dark and spooky, but let me see what's on display.

 

[OctoberDream]

Now that I am older, I really don’t want to hear chain saws or people screaming at the top of their lungs. I miss the good old story telling while walking through the house or while on a hay ride. I am in to creepy not gore these days. In short, I miss Vincent Price.

 

[theworstwitch]

I love good interactive scare acting. As creepy as a set can look, I'm not really scared until someone comes near me. They are scariest as they are approaching you so drawing out the approach is a valuable tactic.

 

[miles]

I agree with everyone, i just want to walk into a haunted attraction and be scared by ambiance, heck i get more scared in a house basement than in a "scary attraction". I hate screamers its like going on a zombie walk and thats what everyone does as well...actually for a zombie walk i absolutetly hate when people say "brains" i never liked that, zombies eat you, all of you lol. ehhhh i digress.

 

[kissedazombieandlikedit]

I went thru a haunted house that was a wak thru a forest. Pitch black, then you see something odd shaped running between the trees. Pitch black and stillness, then they blew really louds horns. Did I jump! Back to blackness then suddenly it looks like a out of control jeep with blinding headlights about to mow you down. On and on it went like this, no gore, just messing with your senses. I loved it!

 

[MacEricG]

I remember being in a haunt here that after wandering through a gothic castle, you enter a forest and cross over a bridge into a shack. There was what looked like flowing water underneath the bridge and fireflies in the air. It was completely immersive and let you really get into the scene. Later in the same haunt they had a bombed out street set with cars on "fire" and zombies wandering around. All of this inside of an old grocery store. That's the kind of haunt I'm willing shell out for again and again.

Would love to see the one you described MonsterSquad. Do they wave a website?

 

[clowns_eat_people]

What are the things you like best: New ideas. Most people want bigger, better, goreier...not me. I like interesting takes on old things or creative ideas. Where I live we have a haunted house that took you into a basement and we couldnt figure out how to get out, come to find out you have to crawl through a window. OMG we squealed with excitement...now that wouldnt be fore everyone but I thought it was amazing. There was also a haunt that did the whole "maze" concept but they had it where it was timed...and had clowns!!! When the time was up and they lead you out, there was a pit of foam you had to go through.

Also houses that stick to themes and actors that commit!!!...there was a house that was strickly a doll theme and we were getting ready to leave the little girl followed us out. The tallest guy in our group was like "psh your not scary" with that she did a back bend ala the Regan from The Exorcist and freaking spider walked the rest of the way out. That guy RAN to the car.

What brings me back....reviews. Even if I go to a haunt and I think its horrible if I keep hearing good reviews I'll go back.

Another thing is memories, you build fun halloween memories when you go to haunts with friends.

 

[MacEricG]

Imo a traditional werewolf or classic vampire can't cut it nowadays in a haunted house...They'd have to be pretty badass looking to get a scare.

This is my vampire. He gets the job done.

 

[Jack'sEckstein]

What I've learned is that people want that gore filled scare, they want to feel like they are actually in a nightmare. It attracts people of many ages. If I were to do my own haunt I would have different themes. I would definitely do a haunted mansion featuring the classic monsters. I think it would be a big hit, but I would also do a lot of gore. But none of that just screaming and running around type of crap. I would have a good back story and people to make your fears come alive. I would definitely have a carnival theme because so many people are afraid of clowns lol I have so many ideas to appeal to a wide range of guests. I want everyone to find something to enjoy and make them want to come back. If I did a hayride it would be more family oriented.

 

[Jack'sEckstein]

I would love to see a haunted attraction with a classic Haunted Mansion theme. Now days, it seems that haunted houses rely too much on gore.

that's what people like, they like feeling like they're in a scary movie from today. That's more realistic to a lot of people which makes it more scary for them. I get it though, It would bring me so much joy to go to a haunted mansion with the classic monsters!! I wouldn't be scared but I sure would love it!!!