Buzz
As Halloween approaches, the season for haunted houses kicks off. These chilling attractions provide a thrilling experience to enjoy with friends, becoming an annual tradition for many who observe All Hallow’s Eve.
While you scream at every turn or try to impress your friends with your bravery, have you ever thought about what happens behind the scenes at these popular scare destinations? The haunted house industry remains largely mysterious. Here are ten fascinating facts about commercial haunted attractions across the United States.
10. Haunted Houses Outnumber Target Stores
Believe it or not, the U.S. has more haunted houses than Target stores. According to the Haunted House Association, approximately 2,700 haunted attractions operate nationwide, compared to Target’s 1,800 locations. Melissa Carbone left a lucrative marketing career nearly ten years ago to launch the LA Haunted Hayride, which anticipated 80,000 visitors in 2016. She noted, “People are drawn to the thrill of being scared in a controlled, safe setting.”
The growing popularity of haunted attractions is often credited to advancements in technology and the overall production quality. Michael Jubie, who owns Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted Houses in New York, employs professional makeup artists to enhance the realism of his creatures and sets that compete with Hollywood standards.
Steve Kopelman, a designer of numerous haunted attractions, emphasizes the importance of extending the guest experience to meet modern expectations. While a brief, spooky ten-minute tour was once sufficient, today’s visitors consider a haunted house an entire evening’s entertainment.
9. The Haunted House Industry Generates $300 Million Annually
When executed well, haunted attractions can generate significant revenue. The Haunted Attraction Association reports that the industry is worth $300 million. A 2013 National Retail Federation survey revealed that around 20% of Americans celebrating Halloween planned to visit haunted houses. Steve Kopelman noted that major attractions can rake in $2 to $3 million during the Halloween season alone, not counting those open year-round.
Ticket prices for seasonal haunts typically range from $15 to $40, offering a similar experience to all visitors. However, some attractions provide premium VIP experiences at higher costs. One might question whether the scares from zombies, ghosts, and vampires compare to the shock of seeing how quickly wallets empty.
8. Operating Costs Can Be Extremely High
Running haunted attractions is far more costly than many realize. Jeff Schiefelbein, CEO of Sinister Pointe Productions, states, “The expenses are so high that unless you invest $100,000 upfront and $30,000 in marketing, success is unlikely.” In 2016, Schiefelbein contemplated shutting down his attraction after two decades due to the overwhelming stress and challenges posed by regulations. Many haunts struggle to meet the industry’s escalating financial demands, driven by maintenance costs, rising insurance premiums, and “stringent government rules.”
Melissa Carbone of LA Haunted Hayride credits her success to offering a distinctive and memorable experience. “While haunted houses are popular, they’re also quite common,” she explained. Her inspiration came from the classic haunted hayrides she enjoyed during her childhood in Connecticut.
However, her vision extends beyond the LA hayride. Expanding and enhancing the visitor experience is crucial. Through Ten Thirty One Productions, she has launched a second hayride, a haunted boat ride, horror movie events, and haunted camping experiences in six major U.S. cities. This demonstrates the principle that investing heavily is often necessary to achieve significant returns.
7. The Majority of Haunted Houses Operate as Charitable Organizations
A significant number of haunted houses operate with more than just profit in mind. Over 80% of haunted attractions in the U.S. are either managed by a charity or contribute all their earnings to charitable causes. For instance, the Hangman’s House of Horrors in Fort Worth, Texas, has generated over $1.7 million for local charities.
In Salem, Virginia, Meek Manor is set to open its doors for the first time this year after a year of preparation. Although it’s a for-profit venture, Meek Manor has partnered with HopeTree Family Services, with the attraction situated on their campus. A share of the proceeds will support at-risk children and youth. Mark Early, HopeTree’s communications director, remarked, “This initiative will have a significant impact, and we hope it inspires others to contribute to helping children in need.”
On a smaller scale, the Garber family in Milton, Ontario, transforms their garage into a haunted house annually to support the Kidney Foundation of Canada. In 2013, Mitch Garber was diagnosed with kidney disease after initially mistaking his symptoms for food poisoning. This diagnosis spurred the family to raise awareness and funds for kidney disease research. To date, their efforts have raised over $13,000 CAD, earning Garber the Kidney Foundation of Canada Special Events Award of Excellence in July of this year.
6. The Popularity of Extreme Haunted Houses Is Growing
Unlike traditional haunted houses that relied on simple scares and props, modern haunts are pushing the boundaries of fear. “They’ve evolved into something more intense, almost like an extreme sport,” says Timothy Haskell of New York City’s Nightmare attraction.
McKamey Manor in Tennessee is dubbed “the world’s most extreme haunted house,” where participants may encounter bizarre challenges and have their personal limits tested. Owner Russ McKamey reports a waiting list of 27,000 eager visitors. However, gaining entry requires meeting strict criteria, including a “doctor’s note, a background check, and a signed waiver.”
“Surviving even a minute there earns my utmost respect,” said visitor Brandon Vance, who paid for admission with a bag of dog food. Unlike traditional haunts that last around ten minutes, McKamey Manor’s experience can stretch for hours. Vance lasted two and a half hours, describing a strange medical reaction: “I couldn’t stand up, and my balance was completely off.” He recounted having his head wrapped in duct tape, leaving only his nose and mouth exposed, to heighten disorientation. Despite leaving with scrapes and bruises, Vance emphasized, “I never felt my life was at risk. They ensure your safety.”
Sociologist Dr. Margee Kerr, who helped design Pittsburgh’s The Basement, conducted surveys to create a more intense experience. She noted, “Many visitors sought something more extreme and immersive.” This is evident in the attraction’s atmosphere, where performers, often partially nude, invade personal space and even lick visitors’ necks to amplify the fear factor.
5. Certain Haunted Houses Face Significant Opposition
Despite its popularity, McKamey Manor faces backlash from local residents. Neighbors fear letting their children outside due to the disturbing scenes, even though they’re staged. “The constant screams are unsettling,” one anonymous neighbor shared. They added that while they don’t oppose the concept, the location amidst residential homes is problematic.
It’s no surprise that neighbors are alarmed when scenes straight out of a horror movie unfold across the street. One resident recalled witnessing a screaming woman being pulled from a car on the property, while another described a woman being led by a chain around her neck. “This doesn’t belong in our town,” a neighbor protested. “I never know what disturbing sight my child might see when we drive past.”
McKamey remains unfazed by the local backlash. “It’s not torture,” he stated, adding, “Some people just don’t understand the appeal.”
4. Haunted Houses Can Strain Your Heart
Last year, Jeff Rossen, a correspondent for Today, visited NYC’s Blood Manor while wearing a heart monitor. Cardiologist Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum analyzed the results, explaining that the experience triggers hormones that “elevate your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate.”
When actors startled Rossen, Dr. Steinbaum noted his heart rate spiked multiple times, reaching over 146 beats per minute at one point—equivalent to intense exercise. She cautioned that while healthy individuals can handle this stress, those with heart conditions might face risks like irregular heartbeats or even a heart attack.
3. The Science Behind Haunted House Success
Dr. Margee Kerr, who contributed to designing The Basement, aimed to create a “frightening yet safe experience that wouldn’t trigger trauma.” To achieve this, she focused on the two primary pathways for sensory information in the brain, termed the Low Road and the High Road by Dr. Joseph LeDeux of NYU.
The Low Road sends sensory data to the hypothalamus, the brain area responsible for initiating the fight-or-flight response. This is when your brain perceives danger, prompting an immediate reaction: your heart races, your skin cools as blood is redirected, and your adrenal glands release glucose and hormones like dopamine. This biochemical surge is essentially your body’s “OMG!” moment.
Next, sensory information travels along the High Road to the hippocampus, which handles long-term memory. This part of the brain uses past experiences to contextualize the situation, reassuring your body that the haunted house isn’t a real threat. A successful haunt must activate both pathways, creating a thrilling yet safe experience. As Dr. Kerr explained, the goal is to “trigger the initial fear response while reinforcing that no real danger exists.”
2. Disney Played a Key Role in Making Haunted Houses a Pop Culture Phenomenon
Let’s shift to a lighter topic: Disney. “Many professional haunters credit Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion as the foundation of the haunted attraction industry,” says Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween. While the concept dates back to 19th-century London, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, which opened in 1969, transformed haunted houses into the iconic Halloween staple they are today.
Early influences included Madame Tussaud’s eerie wax displays, gruesome live theater performances, and a “ghost house” introduced in 1915 at the Liphook fairground. Basement haunts gained traction during the Great Depression as a way to entertain young people and deter mischief. However, the Haunted Mansion’s debut solidified the commercial haunted attraction as a cultural landmark.
The attraction was an immediate hit, drawing 82,000 visitors in a single day soon after its launch. Morton highlights the ride’s cutting-edge technology, such as the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect, which uses “refracted light to create ghostly illusions.” The Great Hall scene, featuring dancing ghosts in a ballroom, remains one of the most impressive effects even 48 years later.
1. If a Tragedy Occurs in a Haunted House, It Might Go Unnoticed
The terrifying nature of haunted houses can make it difficult to distinguish between staged scares and real emergencies. On October 20, 1990, 17-year-old Brian Jewell tragically died after accidentally hanging himself while working at a haunted hayride in Lakewood, New Jersey. Visitors on the ride discovered his body hanging from a gallows, mistaking it for part of the show. Prosecutor James Holzapfel explained, “The noose around his neck wasn’t supposed to tighten.” Jewell typically interacted with guests while hanging, but when he remained silent, the tractor driver grew concerned and made the heartbreaking discovery.
In 2001, 14-year-old Caleb Rebh suffered a similar fate while volunteering at a haunted hayride in Michigan. Witnesses, including visitors and staff, assumed his struggle with the noose was part of the act and failed to intervene. Rebh had switched stations to one featuring a hanging skeleton, replacing it with himself to heighten the scare factor. As he released the rope, the branch snapped back, tightening the noose fatally. By the time others realized the danger, attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
A decade later, 17-year-old Jessica Rue survived a near-fatal accident while working at Creepyworld in Fenton, Missouri. Stationed alone in a room with a bathtub and a noose, Rue became entangled in the rope, which tightened around her neck. The details remain unclear as she was in a coma for three days and experienced memory loss afterward. Despite lasting effects, Rue recovered, returned to school, and graduated on time with her class.
