"Don't be the last person in the group," warned an undead doctor with his brain exposed.
Planning on visiting a haunted house this Halloween?
Reporters from InsideEdition.com paid a special visit to Hudson Horrors in Rye, New York, for some tips and tricks on how to have a successful visit to any haunted attraction this season.
“Don’t be the last person [in the group],” said host Steve Zarro, who called himself the “brains of the operation” because of his costume, which featured his skull exposed and cracked.
He explained that, very often, the most scared haunted housegoer assumes letting the braver souls lead their group is the best option, but it leaves whoever ends up at the back open and exposed to a jump scare from behind.
“You should expect not to be the first one to walk but don’t be the last either,” Zarro said. And if there are only two people in your group, “I’d stand next to each other.”
While actors might get up close, Zarro said audience members generally don’t have to worry about being grabbed unless specifically stated.
“Very often, people anticipate or fear coming to this is touching or grabbing or confinement or being trapped not able to escape – not our goal at all,” he clarified. “We won’t touch a guest. We will scare them, but we don’t make any physical contact and we don’t want anyone to be trapped or feel confined.”
And even though many haunted houses are designed to confuse, with asymmetric turns and unconventional layouts, guests should trust the actors to lead them in the right direction.
“We want people to move through,” Zarro said. “We scare people forward, not backward.”
And above all, Zarro reminds visitors to have fun. From the music playing throughout the fairgrounds, to the actors scaring people while waiting in line and snacks and drinks at the concession, Zarro explained a visit to any haunted attraction relies on the experience as a whole.
“Our job is to entertain you, not just to scare you,” he said. “They should expect a lot of screaming, a lot of scariness, some laughs. It’s about entertainment, not just fear.”
RELATED STORIES
