 Lessons learned from haunted walkthroughs— straight from the operators
by George Rohman
Haunted walkthroughs are often the showpiece attraction at any Halloween event. As many operators have learned, however, operating such a specialized attraction can be tricky as it presents a number of operational challenges that have to be managed.
At Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey, we first experimented with haunted attractions decades ago with the addition of several passive mechanical dark rides. After several years of planning and researching other parks and attractions, in 2010 we constructed our first actual “interactive” haunted walkthrough, “The Ghost Ship.” Unlike many other haunted walkthroughs that only operate during Halloween events, “Ghost Ship” runs all season long, and we learned a lot from its first season.
Training
Shortly after opening the attraction, we quickly learned the importance of the roles of the actors inside the attraction, and the tremendous effect they have on the guest experience.
“By far, the most important aspect of a successful haunt is the actors,” says Dino Fazio, director of operations for Morey’s Piers. “Every actor needs to be committed to the scare and put everything they have into it.”
As a result, like other haunt operators, we quickly realized we needed to spend quite a bit of time on actor training and development.
“We take our actors on a complete walkthrough of the attraction and have them act out each scene in front of their supervisor before being assigned to various positions withinthe ship,” Fazio says. “In this manner, we can ensure we place each actor in a scene that will best fit their personality.
“Additionally, simple scare techniques are taught, such as ensuring scares are coming from different locations and elevations. Without taking this kind of time with your actors, even the best designed haunt can quickly get boring and very predictable.”
In addition to the “scare” training provided, actors also receive an additional three or four hours of safety and operational training. Operators of haunted walkthroughs place the highest priority on safety and must communicate this core principle to their haunt staff. Actors need to be interactive, but you don’t want them to do anything that could compromise guest or employee safety.
Design and Construction
From a design and construction perspective, it is critical you work with development teams well versed in the National Fire Protection Act (NFPA) so you can design your haunted walkthrough in accordance with current codes and standards.
According to Scott Silar from Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, this practice should continue and follow the attraction as it evolves over time. “Often, haunted walkthroughs evolve from year to year, as you adjust your ‘scenes’ and add new props,” he says. “It is important that any new props added meet fire protection standards and coatings meet flammable ratings as with the original construction.”
Silar also recommends all haunted walkthroughs have detailed emergency action plans, and that the staff practice evacuations and emergency scenarios on a regular basis.
 Staffing
Between security, supervision, and crowd and queue control, haunts often require dozens of workers at one time. In addition, popular haunted attractions can draw long lines, so it is important to have plenty of queue and personnel available to organize the line if needed. Like many other operators, Morey’s Piers struggled in the beginning to find the right number of actors to have in “Ghost Ship” and originally underestimated the amount of labor needed to operate a quality walkthrough attraction.
“When we originally forecasted labor for the ‘Ghost Ship’ project, we were hopeful that we could provide a quality show with a very small staff,” says Fazio. “We quickly learned that more were needed to provide a quality scare experience, so we adjusted, and on some days we more than doubled our original budget. The interactive component is one of the most important aspects to a successful haunt.” Makeup and Costumes Makeup and costumes also pose a different challenge for traditional amusement ride operators and can often cost much more than expected. “Makeup and costuming can get very expensive if you let your actors apply the makeup and handle their costumes,” notes Fazio. “You need to have someone who is trained in proper makeup usage as well as some ‘tricks of the trade’ with makeup application to get the most out of the products, and keep the expense in line.”
Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, regular upkeep is often needed to keep your scenes and attraction looking fresh and free from damage. The movement of guests can sometimes damage the facility and/or decorations, so it is vital to have a thorough preopening inspection program in addition to conducting periodic inspections throughout operation.
Efficiency
Finally, with growing popularity of these types of attractions, efficiency is becoming more and more important. Teach your staff to be aware of attraction throughput to keep your guests continually moving through the haunt. Try to avoid scaring guests “backwards,” as you always want to keep the flow of guests moving in one direction.
Haunted walkthroughs can offer a one-of-a-kind interactive thrill that allows for a different guest experience every time an individual dares enter. But as they say, success is in the details.
“You can have the most detailed haunt imaginable,” says Fazio, “but if it doesn’t create a sense of foreboding and uneasiness, with highly interactive and energetic actors, you won’t be successful in giving your guests what they paid for— the fright of their lives.”
George Rohman is an operations manager for Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks in Wildwood, New Jersey, and a member of the IAAPA Waterpark Committee. Morey’s operates more than 100 rides and attractions on four amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks (Raging Waters & Ocean Oasis).
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