The props are packed away, the fog machines are empty, and the zombies have returned to their crypts. The 2025 haunt season is officially in the books. But before we fully shift our focus to next year, there is one big question left to answer: How did the industry actually perform?
Back in September, we released our annual Haunt Industry Report, based on a nationwide survey of haunt owners predicting what the season would look like. But predictions only tell half the story.
For the first time ever, we have updated the report with a brand-new 2025 Haunt Season Post-Mortem. We crunched anonymized, real-time data from the HauntPay platform to show you exactly what happened during the season that just ended.
If you’ve ever wondered how your transaction sizes, total sales, or peak nights compare to the national average, the answers are inside.
The Numbers Are In: A “Frightfully” Good Year
Despite challenges with hurricanes and severe weather in parts of the country, the data shows the industry is resilient. In fact, the average total sales per haunt increased by more than 8% compared to 2024.
Here is a sneak peek at what we uncovered in the updated report:
1. Online Shoppers Spend More (A Lot More)
We have said it before, and the 2025 data confirms it: it is easier for guests to spend money when they aren’t fumbling for cash in a dark corn maze.
- Average Online Transaction: $84.00
- Average In-Person Transaction: $54.71
That means online transactions were 54% higher than those made at the ticket booth. If you aren’t pushing online upsells like merchandise, concessions, or fast passes, you are leaving money on the table.
2. The “Make-or-Break” Saturday
Every haunter knows the pressure of those peak October Saturdays. This year, the data pinpointed one specific day that reigned supreme. The Saturday before Halloween wasn’t just busy; it accounted for roughly 10% of all sales for the entire season.
This statistic highlights just how high the stakes are. If weather (or a power outage) hits on that one critical Saturday, it can impact your bottom line for the whole year.
3. Refunds and Weather Woes
While sales were up, refunds also saw a slight tick upward, rising from 0.53% of total sales in 2024 to 0.62% in 2025. This likely reflects the severe weather events that forced many haunts to close their doors for unplanned nights.
Get Personal: Book Your Free “Haunt Season Autopsy”
The report is fantastic for benchmarking your haunt against national averages, but your business is unique. You know your haunt was killer creatively—but was your revenue?
To help you figure that out, we are offering a Free 30-Minute Haunt Season Autopsy.
This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a one-on-one deep dive into your season’s performance. Whether you are a current HauntPay client or not (yes, this is open to everyone!), we want to help you dissect your season.
In this 30-minute session, we will look at:
- Where you might have left revenue on the table.
- How your ticket pricing strategy impacted your bottom line.
- Actionable changes you can make to boost profits in 2026.
Get the Full Picture
This update isn’t just about looking back; it’s about planning for 2026. Benchmarking your haunt against real industry data is the best way to spot opportunities for growth.
The updated 2025 Haunt Industry Report also includes all the original insights you need, such as:
- Standard ticket pricing trends (most haunts are still charging under $30).
- Top marketing channels and budget breakdowns.
- The biggest challenges owners faced this year, from staffing to overhead.
Ready to see the rest of the data?
