Haunted attractions

Humorous tombstones in front of a house in northern California.Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses. Origins of these paid scare venues are difficult to pinpoint, but it is generally accepted that they were first commonly used by the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) for fundraising. They include haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides, and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown. Haunted attractions in the United States bring in an estimate $300–500 million each year, and draw some 400,000 customers, although press sources writing in 2005 speculated that the industry had reached its peak at that time. This maturing and growth within the industry has led to more technically-advanced special effects and costuming, comparable with that of Hollywood films.

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The attractions are held in various venues. Events held in older, slightly dilapidated buildings utilize the natural atmosphere with strategically placed special effects, lights and props, while others will construct elaborate scenery and contain amusement park quality mechanical figures and illusions. On the same token, actors (known as "scare-actors") in these dark attractions might be dressed either in masks or greasepaints and basic costumes, but those with higher budgets often opt to dress their characters in customized outfits and elaborate make-up. Another difference is some dark attractions present their event using a storyline (i.e., the tale of madness and murder that lead to the building being haunted), while others present a random order of scenes and tableaux designed to shock and startle. Visitors to these dark attractions may be escorted through by tour guides (possibly in part to help deter potential encounters between actors and patrons who were suddenly startled or unruly). Other attractions may be run as self-guided events, letting the patrons follow a set path and thus get more "up close and personal" with the ghouls and monsters therein. More permanent venues may have a mechanized system for transporting patrons through the attraction.