Haunting doesn’t just happen in October. Operating a haunted attraction is a year-round duty, requiring months of preparation.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed or let the small details fall through the cracks. To help you make sure nothing gets overlooked, we’ve compiled a checklist for you so nothing gets overlooked. Don’t worry if you’re a little behind the timeline; you can get caught up now by following this handy checklist.
1. Assess Your Haunt’s Current Conditions
First, you should take a good look at the state of your haunted attraction and determine what work needs to be done and repairs need to be made. This is a great time to do an in-depth walkthrough of your haunt and inspect everything to make sure it’s all in proper working order.
2. Evaluate Last Season’s Performance
Review any feedback you gathered from customers and staff. (If you don’t have any yet, check for online reviews and social media mentions for useful insights.) Then, take a look at your ticket sales, attendance, and any additional revenue such as merchandise or concessions sales. Are there areas where you could improve or build up on your success? This will help you start to set some goals for this year, and well as assist with budgeting for the 2024 season.
3. Test Your Current Equipment
A dead battery or faulty lightbulb has ruined many a spooky evening; don’t assume that last year’s equipment will function properly this season. Now is a great time to check all your equipment, props, electronics, etc. Basically, if it has a battery or a power cord, you should check it and replace anything that needs to be replaced. Some of the things that should be tested are: walkie talkies, flashlights, any lighting, mobile devices, fog machines, etc. You should also be testing out and checking out all of the props you use to make sure none of them are faulty or broken.
4. Order New Props or Supplies
After going through all your props and equipment, you’ll have a better idea of what needs to be replaced or fixed and what supplies you’re low on. Make a list of all the things you need for the upcoming season. This could also be a great time to think about how you can upgrade your haunt or any changes you want to make to the theme that you’re working with.
5. Create a Marketing Plan
Getting guests to show up to your haunted attraction can be a difficult task. It can be extremely valuable for a haunt to create a marketing plan that outlines how you plan to promote/advertise your haunted attraction. This will guide every marketing decision you make going forward and can be an extremely useful tool.
If you already have a marketing plan in place, now could be a great time to update it. Take some time to determine what worked well in the past and maybe what didn’t work so well. This will give you a better idea of the most profitable way to market/advertise your haunt.
6. Enhance the Atmosphere
Start refreshing any spaces in your haunt that need a little TLC or a change of theme. As your new prop orders start coming in, work them into your haunt, leaving plenty of time to test and re-test how they work to make sure they perform seamlessly during the season. Pay attention to details like lighting, fog effects, and sound design to maximize the scare factor.
7. Secure Permits and Licenses
Confirm that you have all necessary permits, licenses, and insurance coverage for operating the attraction. Renew or obtain any additional permits required for special events or attractions.
8. Start Staffing Up
Things are getting real now and as the haunt season creeps even closer, staffing should be on your list of priorities. Staffing is an essential part of operating your haunt and has become increasingly difficult to do during labor shortages, especially for seasonal work. We have a blog post that could be helpful if you’re trying to staff your haunt during a labor shortage. It’s important to start the staffing process early to allow yourself enough time to fully staff up. You could start by contacting staff members from previous years to see if they’d like to work with you again this season before writing up job postings to draw in new hires.
It’s also important to set up payroll and other compensation before the season begins so there aren’t any surprises or issues with that. Taking care of your team should be a top priority.
9. Start Pitching Sponsors
Sponsorships and partnerships can be huge money-makers for haunts and mutually beneficial for both parties. Running a haunt can be expensive up front, before you’ve even had your first sale of the season your entire budget may be spent. Sponsorships can be a great way to alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with running a haunted attraction. However, don’t wait too long to start reaching out to potential sponsors since their budget may be all used up by the time September rolls around.
10. Update Your Marketing Materials and Website
A new season means new dates and times and any changes in dates or information which will have to be updated on your website and any marketing materials you use. This could also be a great time to revamp your ad campaigns or take time to work on your social media presence. You may also want to dig deep on your current marketing strategy and how that’s working for you and brainstorm ways to improve your numbers and gain more business.
11. Set Up Your Ticketing
The sooner your ticketing is set up, the sooner you’ll see money coming in. Don’t wait until the last minute to set up your ticketing, that way your guests can start buying their tickets or merchandise which will also help with cash flow. This can help you plan your staffing in advance too since you’ll be able to see which nights are selling out quickly and may require a little extra help.
If you’re already using HauntPay, our team will do the work for you of setting up your ticketing, product sales, virtual queues, all of it. If you’re not using HauntPay, maybe now is the time to consider switching over. Don’t wait until the last minute to find a good ticketing solution and get everything put together.
12. Review Safety Measures
Conduct a thorough safety inspection of your entire attraction. Ensure that emergency exits are clearly marked, pathways are unobstructed, and all safety procedures are in place. Need some help with this one? Read our tips for haunted attraction safety.
13. Reach Out to Past Guests
Do you have an email list of guests who visited last season? Reach out to past guests and let them know when you’ll be open for the season and what scary attractions you’re offering! After you’ve set up ticketing, send out an email blast or post on your social media that tickets are available for the season and any updates that you’ve made.
14. Reach Out to Local Media
We’re still living in a world of shut downs and strange hours so it may be helpful to reach out to local media outlets to let them know you’re open for the season and what your health & safety precautions may be. This will also get your venue onto lists of open haunts this season and could bring in more business for you.
15. Consider Local Partnerships
Supporting local businesses is always a great way to give back to the community. Your haunt can team up with local businesses to get both of your names out there and form a mutually beneficial partnership. It could also be a potential sponsorship opportunity for your haunt to bring in some extra cash flow.
16. Test Run and Rehearse
Perform a full test run of the attraction to identify any issues or areas for improvement.
Conduct rehearsals with actors to fine-tune performances and ensure smooth operation.
Better Late Than Never
It’s never too early to start preparing for the next haunt season, but it can be too late. Start prepping now and making lists of all the things that need to be done before the moon is up on the first night of the season. Be as prepared as possible so that your season is as smooth as it can be.
When you’re ready to start selling tickets, HauntPay has all the features and support you need for a successful haunt season. Schedule an onboarding call and let our team set everything up for you. It’s scary simple!
