# Actors Disguised as Guests



## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

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## drez (Oct 19, 2012)

i think that's a great idea. at first it might catch people off guard but as the night goes on i think word will spread and people might start looking at one another wondering if that's the "actor". 

i think that if the actor has a marked spot to stand that will give a little "buffer" distance from the rest of the group it should work perfect.


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

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## Instant Monsters (Aug 23, 2012)

I think it's a cool idea, I just have visions of real customers going overboard as they try to come to the rescue. Never underestimate the unpredictability of haunt customers...


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## tjc67 (Jul 28, 2013)

drez said:


> i think that's a great idea. at first it might catch people off guard but as the night goes on i think word will spread and people might start looking at one another wondering if that's the "actor".
> 
> i think that if the actor has a marked spot to stand that will give a little "buffer" distance from the rest of the group it should work perfect.


 Can make them the straggler from a previous group that the group just entering an area sees get grabbed. That way there is enough separation to prevent a non-actor from getting grabbed/injured etc.

This is something that always wanted to do if ever worked a haunted house.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

The idea sounds intriguing but remember patrons are hard to predict. One group will be freaked out, and the next, will try to punch a monster to prevent said event from occurring. If they think the rules have been broken and a monster did touch someone, then to them the rules could be off. 

Patrons are crazy you know......


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

I think it is an awesome idea, if pulled off correctly. I could imagine guests thinking "Where'd they go??? Am I next???"


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Plan......

You could put up a sign at the front. Do not touch the monsters, They will not touch you.... Unless you signed the waiver and were chosen......

Or something creepy like that. That way they know they didn't sign anything and they are safe.

Just thinking outloud here.


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

I've always wanted to do something like this. My plan was to have a kid (10 years old-ish) be the plant in every group. At a key point in the haunt, have one of the actors drag the kid away.


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

Has anybody on here ever pulled this off? I would be really interested to hear how the guests reacted....


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## Toothpaste (Oct 9, 2012)

I wouldn't do any touching of the plant, personally. As mentioned, there may be some confusion among the patrons when one of them is touched by a monster, breaking the barrier and possibly causing alarm. You could have a false hallway where they see someone from the previous group go down, or the plant in the group takes off and runs into it. 

The group follows and is then trapped or at least confused where an actor can split the group.


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## diggerc (Feb 22, 2006)

I did something similar at a hay ride, My niece (who was still a pipsqueak at the time) would get on every other wagon or so at the entrance and I would climb on the wagon, pick her up and hand her to the monster hoard waiting below. Never did have any issues.


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## Snort (Sep 7, 2009)

If your plant was charismatic enough so that everyone would remember them and notice they were missing, you could have the plant talk a big game about how the monsters can't touch, aren't real, etc. then at some point in the haunt, straggle to the back and disappear loudly and messily.


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## RandalB (Jun 8, 2009)

Will Reid said:


> Hello! :cheesien:
> 
> So, I was thinking of new ways to scare guests that enter my haunt. Then I thought, what if I sprinkle in actors in the crowd for the monsters to grab onto or "kill"? Because everyone knows the monsters can't touch you, so I thought this would be a good way to shake things up.
> 
> Has anyone else done this? Does it scare guests too much? Do people call the cops?


We've done this with great success for the past couple of years. We have a distraction at the very beginning of the haunt and use that to add a "Ringer" guest (girls seem to be the most effective at this) to the group.

The ringers are instructed to be obnoxious and fake brave throughout the haunt. "That's not scary" "That's Stupid", etc. Then near the end a monster jumps out and drags them off screaming.

Last year we did a Hansel and Gretel themed room with a "Queasy Bake" Oven. The witch grabbed the ringer and placed them in the oven, after some smoke and lighting effects, the witch would pull out the rack with a charred skeleton on it. Got the most comments from both kids and adults.

Never had anyone complain about the ringers, and as far as too scary, that's what haunted houses are for....

My advice is go for it... Find a couple of actors that can really scream.

HTH,
RandalB


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

RandalB said:


> We've done this with great success for the past couple of years. We have a distraction at the very beginning of the haunt and use that to add a "Ringer" guest (girls seem to be the most effective at this) to the group.
> 
> The ringers are instructed to be obnoxious and fake brave throughout the haunt. "That's not scary" "That's Stupid", etc. Then near the end a monster jumps out and drags them off screaming.
> 
> ...


That sounds awesome! I may have to run that by my haunt director/creator/madman/genius. I especially like that the actor talks a big game and is the one who gets taken.


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## RandalB (Jun 8, 2009)

shannibal said:


> That sounds awesome! I may have to run that by my haunt director/creator/madman/genius. I especially like that the actor talks a big game and is the one who gets taken.


Haunt- Director/creator/madman/genius? I add "Sucker" and "gets blamed for everything" to that list and they call me the Haunt Master... LOL

Seriously tho, Shannibal, tell your director that it doesn't cost anything extra and very little effort is needed to pull off. It's also a great place to use volunteers who don't have a specific preference about what they want to do.

RandalB


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## LilMissSunshine (Sep 1, 2013)

I love this idea, I think the plant would have to be memorable.


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

RandalB said:


> Seriously tho, Shannibal, tell your director that it doesn't cost anything extra and very little effort is needed to pull off. It's also a great place to use volunteers who don't have a specific preference about what they want to do.


I ran it by him and he seemed to like the idea. I will have to share the results post-Halloween! I was thinking- maybe get 2 or 3 (or more) people as the fake guests- so there is at least one every few groups and people don't catch on to the same person walking through the haunt about 25 times a night. Plus it would be better if they stood in line with people so it wouldn't be obvious we were slipping them in.....or maybe slip them in (since they'll be alone) nearer the front and use the reason that since they're alone, we want to put them with a group?


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

I had also toyed with pushing in fake guests to the line, but then there is the chance someone might want to be all line vigilante about someone cutting in front of them for my free walkthrough. Maybe this next idea might work for some of you.

Setup: a walkthrough down my rockwalled-in sideyard, around the back, and through my detached garage. Here is the key to the scheme... is a guided waltkthrough to prevent the conga line and injury issues, but enabling me to do a quick evaluation of the guests to see who might be game in participating with this idea.

As I get to the garage, there will be a "cage" area (constructed with two standing iron screen doors near a wall with a black cloth rear access) that if I see one of the guests really enjoyed themselves, I will invite them to linger in the cage area to be a one-time actor... in hopes of freaking out the guests that follow behind them and who will have hopefully noticed them before in the line. Consider it on-the-spot volunteer recruiting and an added bonus to their whole experience... maybe further aiding in the creation of future haunters.


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## RandalB (Jun 8, 2009)

shannibal said:


> I ran it by him and he seemed to like the idea. I will have to share the results post-Halloween! I was thinking- maybe get 2 or 3 (or more) people as the fake guests- so there is at least one every few groups and people don't catch on to the same person walking through the haunt about 25 times a night. Plus it would be better if they stood in line with people so it wouldn't be obvious we were slipping them in.....or maybe slip them in (since they'll be alone) nearer the front and use the reason that since they're alone, we want to put them with a group?


Shan,
We always add them in at the beginning of the haunt just inside the entry doors. You'd need tons of them if you want them in line with the guests. We use a scene or a video projection to distract them and keep them from noticing the fact a person has joined the group. If challenged, the ringers are instructed to tell the guests that "they won't let me go by myself, I have to be with a group" and that "the creep on the door put me with you guys". No one has ever challenged a ringer in the last 3 years we've done it. As far as we can tell, no one has ever even commented on their presence in the group.

This is a great role for kids who want to volunteer, but don't want to dress up. I always have several who don't want to be zombies, etc.

HTH,
RandalB


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

RandalB said:


> Shan,
> We always add them in at the beginning of the haunt just inside the entry doors. You'd need tons of them if you want them in line with the guests. We use a scene or a video projection to distract them and keep them from noticing the fact a person has joined the group. If challenged, the ringers are instructed to tell the guests that "they won't let me go by myself, I have to be with a group" and that "the creep on the door put me with you guys". No one has ever challenged a ringer in the last 3 years we've done it. As far as we can tell, no one has ever even commented on their presence in the group.
> 
> This is a great role for kids who want to volunteer, but don't want to dress up. I always have several who don't want to be zombies, etc.
> ...


That's a good idea- plus we won't have to worry about the actors having to run around the haunt, then back outside to wait to be let in again....Just let them circle back to the inside door. Thanks for all the tips! I will definitely be using them!


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## Dave Cohen (Sep 13, 2013)

My advice is once ir twice a night have an actor wait in line with everyone else. When they arrive to the front of the line, have the door fly open and a group of monsters grab them and drag them inside, slamming the door behind them. It's a good way to kickoff a night, and if done at the right times and frequency, could add some serious adrenaline among guests.


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## Sirius (Jul 18, 2009)

Just brainstorming; what about an entire ringer group? There could be a place where the path passes by an adjacent room, and the real patrons see through a window to find the ringer group exploring. All of sudden, a spook barrels right into their midst and attacks with apparently total disregard for rules or safety. The fakes escape or are disposed of, and as the real group advances, they're confronted with the same room and monster(or an identical dummy in case someone gets punchy).

Maybe when the fakes scatter from the attack, one girl comes running backward through the haunt, and jumps and yelps when she sees the customers, then shrinks into a corner and starts crying.

Incidentally, I'm curious about the "no touching" rule. It's definitely good policy, but some of the professional haunts I've been to in my area do allow their spooks to touch patrons(if this is the case it is clearly stated in the rules). Things like grabbing ankles through holes near the floor or sneaking up and stroking someone's hair are pretty much the limit. Is it an insurance issue, part of the honor code, or an actual law in the books in some places?


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Having a "plant" or "ringer" group would be fun, but more often than not most haunts barely have enough actors to take care of the haunt itself. And if there is a lot of screaming, falling, etc., by the ringers, then you will have to have at least two teams of ringers so that one group can recover while the other performs.

On the touching issue, with people being as lawsuit crazy as they are, you are better off just making the "No Touching" a hard and fast rule. People often strike out, physically, when they are stressed out or scared, and others are, sadly, just looking for an excuse to "retaliate" for "being attacked". If they, the actors, need to touch the hair or ankles, might I suggest that they use a feather rather than their hands? A feather won't bruise or trip anyone and as often as not, the light touch will freak out people more than a solid contact/touch will.


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

fontgeek said:


> Having a "plant" or "ringer" group would be fun, but more often than not most haunts barely have enough actors to take care of the haunt itself. And if there is a lot of screaming, falling, etc., by the ringers, then you will have to have at least two teams of ringers so that one group can recover while the other performs.


Ours is all volunteer for charity, so we are in the category of not having an abundance of actors to do a plant in every group that comes through. I have 2 people for sure who will be plants. I think even having them sporadically will get people talking- especially since we are running the Friday and Saturday before Halloween as well as Halloween night. Get people talking such as "did you guys have an actor grab one of your group away?" and that person not believing so they make a repeat trip.....Or something like that. I'd rather have a sporadic plant than no plant at all. I think it's a great concept.


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## RandalB (Jun 8, 2009)

shannibal said:


> Ours is all volunteer for charity, so we are in the category of not having an abundance of actors to do a plant in every group that comes through. I have 2 people for sure who will be plants. I think even having them sporadically will get people talking- especially since we are running the Friday and Saturday before Halloween as well as Halloween night. Get people talking such as "did you guys have an actor grab one of your group away?" and that person not believing so they make a repeat trip.....Or something like that. I'd rather have a sporadic plant than no plant at all. I think it's a great concept.


Same with us... All Volunteer for charity...

How did it work out for you guys Shannibal?

RandalB


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## The Red Skull (Dec 23, 2010)

One word: Shill



We've used this concept for years at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Specifically in the trial and dunk show. Villagers are called up on various "charges" and dunked in a tank of water several times as punishment. About 2/3 of the way through the show a patron is brought up on stage from the audience and placed on trial.... she's reluctantly placed on the dunking seat with much comforting from the person escorting her to it, only to be dunked as the sheriff gives the signal... The sputtering patron is brought up with a big smile on her face to the GASPS of the audience.... It was always effective and only got complaints when the weather turned colder... 
The key was that the shill made all the difference, a good shill made it work, a bad one.....well.......
So a shill is a time honored tradition....


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## FrightProps (Feb 22, 2011)

I think I echo a lot of the things people have said - having a ringer is an awesome way to heighten scares, but it's true - in a large haunt, you simply might not have someone for every group. Who cares. Find a few interesting and different things you can do to change it up for everyone.

The key is having a good actor who loves what they do.

As far as the touching/no touching thing goes, while none of the people who work here have a problem with touching, it just opens the door for so many problems. No one wants to be in the middle of a dispute where a guest is insisting that someone stepped over a line somewhere. That's the way bad rumors get spread about good productions. If you're dedicated to doing it, have a short waiver. If you do the waiver right, it may even raise the fear before they even step through the gates...


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