# Guided Tour of a Home Haunt



## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

Does anybody out there run their home haunt as a guided tour?

I'm planning on doing it this way this year for a couple of reasons.

1) to slow the TOTs down a little. They enjoy the haunt but tend to just march through, get candy and leave. I'm hoping this will get them a bit more "involved" in the haunt.

2) to make the most of our light traffic for our own entertainment. Keep them in there longer, have more fun with them (better chance to get a few scares) minimize the lulls between groups.

Has anybody tried this approach? Any thoughts, suggestions or problems?


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## EerieEstate (Jul 11, 2009)

For lack of a better word, we 'chaperone' groups of kids/adults through our home haunt for all of the reasons you listed as well as... well, our home haunt is our 'home' so we are making sure no one is trying to wander off into an area they shouldn't be in and make sure folks are moving through in a timely, but not rushed, manner. It's worked out well this way. Folks that we know as 'regulars' may get to walk through on their own but any newcomers or just groups of tots we always go along with.

Don't see any reason why you can't have success with it too!  Happy Haunting!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I had friends who ran a tour through their house (lots of Victorian antiques, etc.) 'til some "guests" slashed and spray painted furniture, paintings, etc.. You need to be super vigilant in who and how you let people into your home.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

I've thought about this but what about scares? If you are leading the "pack" then how will you stop the automatic floor pad type scares from going off once you pass and then the people behind you missing it? Or having actors that pay attention and not jump out at you but jump out at the folks behind you??.. My haunt is just a walkthrough of my backyard and then we walk them into my shed and then out and then into my garage .. So once you enter my backyard the ENTIRE area is a "path" with scenes set in certain places etc etc.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

I really don't have much in the way of automated scares and the few I do have are on prop controllers. A short delay would be easy to add. 

My actors are friends and family. They know which one I am.


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## jaac98 (Oct 26, 2008)

I have done both, and both have pros and cons. Guided tours tend to keep people on pace but can take the fear of going through on your own away. Unguided TOTers either run through in fear and miss all the props or or go too slow and hold up the next group but the scares seem to multiply since they are alone and don't know what is coming up or if they are going to get out. If it is going through your home I wouldn't let someone into my house unguided, outside it's all good either way. Just have to try it both ways and see which you enjoy more.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

Ah, I should have been more clear. This is a yard haunt. Nobody enters the house.

There is a separate parlor scene set up in the garage that we affectionately call "Not So Scaryland" for the young and the timid if they don't want to brave the cemetery to which my girlfriend attends.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

I have solved my problem of both worrying about trick or treaters vandalizing or breaking my props,punching them,thinking its cool or funny.. AND needing a bunch of actors. How did i solve this problem? Well I guide them without them really knowing it. I have my backyard set up as a walk through haunted yard. each blacked out wall tunnels lead to a scene i have set up. Just like any other haunt ..Except i have placed certain spots, holes etc all over that i can kinda follow on the outside of the path to run ahead and pop out and scare them. They won't ever know it's the same person because i am a blackout character.. Wearing all black. You might have an arm or hand pop out at you or a quick mask thrown on and a head pop out at you. That combined with my few animated props will get lots of scares! Hopefully. Oh and this way if i am on the outside following and "Lurking" then they can still get scared by the props i have waiting to jump at them. Elimnates the need for tons of actors. Usually all my friends, like me, have kids so its hard for me to get actors lined up. Oh and yea they usually go in groups. I like it better that way. Once first group is out the next group of kiddies can go.


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

To see how to properly escort ToT's through a haunt, check out this haunt.


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