Practiced on

During the entire fall season and not on a specific day

Country of Origin 

England (1915) The Precursor to the Modern Haunted Attraction

United States (1973) California Knott's Scary Farm

Variations

Obakeyashiki (Japanese Ghost Houses)

Key Points / Halloween Connection

- Offer live entertainment meant to simulate a haunted location or horror scenerio

- Range from massive  multi-million dollar theme park attractions to small attractions for charity held at schools and fire halls.

- Themes range from Haunted Houses, Ships, Prisons, Asylums, Defunct Theme Parks, Factories, Malls, Farms, Mazes and Barns

Brief Bio

A haunted attraction is a form of live entertainment that simulates visiting haunted locations or experiencing horror scenarios. They usually feature fearsome sets and characters, especially demons, ghosts, skeletons, zombies, monsters, possessed people, witches, serial killers, and slashers. Humorous characters may also be included.

Haunted attractions may be set up at many kinds of locations. Built attractions or existing structures in which attractions may be operated include temporarily constructed simulations of haunted houses; actual abandoned or dilapidated houses; abandoned asylums; defunct prisons; defunct or active amusement parks; defunct or active ships; defunct factories; defunct or active barns; and shopping malls. Outdoor places hosting such attractions include corn mazes or cornfields; hedge mazes; farms (often including "haunted" hayrides); wooded areas or forests; and parks.

Haunted attractions originated from ancient storytelling traditions, but modern physical attractions began in 19th-century London with Madame Tussaud's "Chamber of Horrors" and similar exhibits. 

The concept evolved into theatrical "spook shows" and carnival attractions in the early 20th century, before becoming a widespread Halloween tradition in America during the Great Depression, where basic, family-run haunted houses emerged as a way to entertain children and prevent vandalism. 

The concept of the physical haunted house was further developed by fairgrounds, which created "ghost houses" as early attractions. 

Haunted houses quickly spread across the country via charity fundraisers conducted by The United States Junior Chamber ("the Jaycees") and others. The Jaycees encouraged its membership to construct haunted houses in abandoned buildings or fields as charity fundraising events, and the organization became known for these houses throughout America.

The beginning of the end for the charity haunts can be traced to a singular event: the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure caught fire on the evening of May 11, 1984, in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Eight teenagers lost their lives in the fire.

Professional haunted houses began to show up in the United States about the same time as the non-profits. However, subsequent to the Haunted Castle fire, many existing haunted attractions were shut down, as politicians and regulators enacted stronger safety codes. Volunteer (non-profit) organizations struggled to compete against the new for-profit competition under the tougher rules. Many were forced out of business either from the added competition or the inability to fund safety requirements.

In order to increase off-season attendance, theme parks entered the business seriously in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The theme park haunts are by far the largest, both in scale and attendance.

With that said, independent haunted attractions which are privately owned and operated Halloween events, ranging from small, local haunts to large, multi-attraction scream parks like Field of Screams in Pennsylvania and Pure Terror Scream Park in New York, have earned national recognition for their quality and scare factor.

Many feel that these independent attractions offer a local cultural "feeling" and indie charm that massive commerical theme parks cannot compete with while also offering a gritty look and feel that is more evocative of the holiday's origins that commericials attractions are unable or unwilling to provide.