# Front Lines



## Brandon (Feb 21, 2013)

Ok all, our biggest problem in recent years is that we have become TOO popular lol. While this may not seem like a problem we were not prepared to handle it. We had 6700 people go through the attraction last year alone.

We have had ALOT of complaints about the long wait, line cutters and not enough entertainment before hand.

In the past our front line entertainers have always done their own security but recently things have gotten out of hand. Last year one of my front line people had a chair yanked out from under him and he broke his tail bone. When i kicked the agressor out he claimed he didn't know abusing our staff was not allowed! I could not believe this guy! Thankfully in the end our insurance companie sued him and my volunteer also had him charged with simple assault. We have seen and increase in abusive customers. We've also had a much larger issue with line cutters the past few years. We started doing a ticket check point last year and caught nearly 75 people the first night! After a couple nights though word got around and the check point no longer worked.

Our wait can be long and part of it is outside. Ouside in October in South Dakota is not always a great idea, last year there were actually freezing temps one night. I can't cut the time between groups, our enteratiners barely have time to reset as it is. Obviously I can not take away breaks for the entertainers. Whats a guy to do?!

One thing that was brought up is to have some different entertainment for the line. Scaring the cute teenage girl that terrified of Michael Meyers is only entertaining for so long you know. 

Does anyone bring in outside security for your haunt? What about entertainment other than line scarers?


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Most larger haunts I've worked at had security for the front lines as well as perimeter and at some internal spots too. Having them, the security force, in recognizable shirts or jackets tends to help keep people on the "straight and narrow", it also helps protect the line entertainment. We've often done sign boards that are readable stuck within the fence/perimeter that first advise the guests as to the rules and the penalties, this helps eliminate the excuse of ignorance, then we posted signs that helped give the background story to the haunt. Set at regular intervals, these helped keep the people a little busy and also made it easier to get more complex/involved stories or themes stuck in people's heads before they entered the haunt. We've kept the entrance lines roped off so that you can't get the casual cutters diving into the line. We kept the entrance paths wide enough for two people to stand side by side without crowding each other. (4"-5"). Good security is cheaper than a bad lawsuit.
You can also post signs that let the customers know what the approximate wait will be from various points in line. This tends to quell the typical moaning and question of "How much longer do we have to wait?" as well as acting as a natural culling by scaring off those who only have a few minutes for your haunt.
Why not sell shirts and such to those in line? You have a captive audience, you might as well make use of it.


----------



## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

Where I live, there is a major attraction called Nightmare Factory. You may have seen it on ABC network a couple of years ago on their extreme makeover show. They too have have long lines, used to have problems with crowd control. Mostly because it rains here sometimes during October. One of the things they did is provide cover now for when it rains. They also have a place where you can purchase food and such in case you get hungry while you wait. 

They do have outside entertainers and also security throughout the area. I think because this is a fund raiser for the school where it's held, people are a little more restrained. I don't think they have had the problems that your talking about. They also offer VIP tickets where you pay a little more and you can get in sooner and don't have to wait in line longer. 

I don't know if you charge for this but you might consider doing something for your local food bank or charity. This sometimes changes the way people approach your haunt. They know that your doing something to benefit people. No guaranties though. I'm no expert on this cause I don't even come close to what you have in attendance. But I do know that you will get much better info from people here who do this for a living.


----------



## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

You could increase security, as mentioned. Increase "pre-show" entertainment. Perhaps put a cap on the number of tickets sold per night?


----------



## Brandon (Feb 21, 2013)

These are ALL awesome suggestions and just help cement what I have been telling the board of directors for 3 years now. Our line entertainers can not longer double as security, we have gotten too big for that.

Fontgeek, alot of the things you are suggesting are all ready on my list of ideas. I started doing "haunt security" shirts last year. My biggest problem was that the volunteers that worked as line entertainers had to rotate between security and entertainer each hour. Entertainers don't like to be security. They want to show people a good time, not the door. Part of the problem with getting security is that the haunt is owned by a non profit organization and they do not want to shell out any $$ for security but none of the security people in town will volunteer their time to help out. We are going to be doing wait time signs this year for sure. The haunt rules are printed on the back of the tickets that everyone purchases so that eliminates the saying "i didn't know". The usual response i get now is "well i didn't read the back of the ticket" lol.

Troll, we are already a non profit AND we give a $3.00 discount if you bring a food pantry donation. The food donation is always a competition between us and the post office every year to see who brings more food in . We also have a large banner showing how the profit from the event gets put right back into the community throughout the year.

Offwhiteknight, we are looking at adding a few different aspects to the pre show entertainment. A live band has been brought up as well as showing horror movies for people to watch while in line.


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

It's clear that just printing the rules on the back of the tickets just isn't working.
You may actually have to breakdown and pay your security people, either with money, benefits, or a combination of the two. Shy of making line barriers so that people can't cut into line, you will have to increase the human aspect of your security.
Also, making more of an example of the rule breakers can be a major help. Having them photographed and led away in cuffs can be a strong deterrent for other trouble makers.


----------



## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

fontgeek said:


> Also, making more of an example of the rule breakers can be a major help. Having them photographed and led away in cuffs can be a strong deterrent for other trouble makers.


Can't say that's a good idea because of liability issues. Security in most states can not simply handcuff someone as you're actually putting someone under arrest. Doing this without police powers your insurance company will drop you, you will be personally sued, and thus no more future shows because it is not worth it.

As others have suggested the most important thing is getting the info out there to your customers. Having a person keep them informed does not solve everything, but it does keep the natives from taking it out on the workers. It is better for a few to get frustrated and leave than to get many riled up with a mob mentality.


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

My suggestion was not intended to mean that you, the haunter, should cuff the people, but let the police do that. The photograph gives you and your people a reference for screening future guests, and it makes it hit home with the trouble makers that you are serious. The rowdy bunch won't take your threats seriously if you don't.
Of course you do need to have your rules clearly posted, for the amusement parks, the rules are often posted in several places.


----------



## Gallows (Aug 16, 2013)

I understand your pain OP, our small town haunt hit record numbers last year. For this year we brainstormed a couple of ideas to help keep the crowd satisfied.

Our haunt is run by the local Shriners as a fundraiser, and we have both a haunted house and hayride. One technique we plan to use is to give 2 tickets for admission, so visitor's can choose which order to go through the events. If the Haunted House had a long line, people can jump on the Hayride, and hope for a shorter line upon returning. We are in a very rural area, so this works great for us. 

A second idea is to have a Dark Carnival in the waiting area with games for people to play. Our games so far include "Zombie Toss" where you try to toss plastic body parts through holes in wooden zombie cut outs to "feed" them, as well as a Tarot Card / Fortune Teller booth. We charge just a buck, and try to make each station last a bit. We give out candy as prizes (shoestring budget). Other ideas are still being explored, such as having a movie playing on a projector, the outside actors making more frequent visits, and other types of carnival games.

As for security, we have been lucky so far with only a few minor events. We've had 2 actors (both female) get a bloody nose from a startled guest. I actually dropped character and removed one obnoxious teenager from the haunt after he twice put his hands on an actor as well as punched a prop. We also have a woman (late 50's I think) who comes each year late and very intoxicated, who enjoys flashing the actors. Mostly we just warn the actors, but I felt sorry for the 13 year old who said he never wanted to see a naked woman again. Good luck with the security, let us know if you find something that works well!


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You might contact local drama clubs, magic shops, clowns, balloon sculptures/balloon animals, etc., to see if there are those who would like to help out. For Magicians, the chance to show and sell themselves, especially to those kinds of numbers of people should bring some needed help. If they are allowed to pass out business cards or flyers, then it will be even more attractive to them. Talk to local pizza joints and the like and see if you can trade advertisement for goods (pizza soda, etc.), and maybe for help on printing tickets/flyers, etc. Saving money on those things lets you have a bigger budget for things like security.


----------



## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I love these suggestions. A dark carnival could be a substantial value-add if it's done right. Partnering with other local businesses is a great zero-cost way to add to your attraction. Video is a perfect distraction.... Video projection can be used in a million different ways. A slideshow could combine horror trivia, key RULES, video clips, live footage of people in line posing with (or being stalked by) actors, your haunt backstory...


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Maybe have some fixed/stationary cameras to snap photos of guests at a set spot(s), much like amusement parks do on some of the wilder rides. Then you can show those and other stuff to the guests in line, or, like the amusement parks, offer those photos for sale.


----------



## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

I debated putting one of these up next to the line so that people could entertain themselves. Don't know if it would just invite chaos, though.

Amazon.com: Shadow Magic Strobe Flasher: Toys & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@41MPkBaHKZL


----------



## tjc67 (Jul 28, 2013)

When I was a kid ,flying to visit relatives one year, the flight crew made the flight interesting by playing a game with the passengers. It was like a scavenger hunt and they would ask something like "who has a picture with more then 10 people in it" . The winner got a free drink (or in my case some more snacks). It made time fly on that flight and was the most enjoyable flight ever been on.

So maybe some version of that(or halloween trivia) to keep people distracted with maybe small Halloween items,candy or maybe tickets (either discounts or free) to the winners.


----------

