# Putting together a haunted trail for 2013 any ideas?



## oilkann (Nov 24, 2012)

Hey guys Im new to the forum but I have been reading alot of the posts here good stuff . I am putting together a small haunted trail for 2013 will be my first yr. I know every one says to not go pro but for some reason I can resist lol. we own about 7 acres and plan to use most for the trail. I have planned out a 2500 square foot maze with about a 4 acre trail. I plan to do as most of you and get with our county fire marshal & codes plus I we have home owners but I will not open the doors unless we get commercial insurance also. I guess Im looking for advise with good scenes also advise with keeping it safe and legal any help would be great!


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## QueenRuby2002 (Oct 23, 2011)

Zoneing!! check your zoneing. It might not effect you or it could shut you down.


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

Haunti's thread: "Can we get shut down?" is really good. A lot of good questions asked, and a lot good good answers given, as well as some recommendations for resourses.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Take a look at this thread about setting up a haunted trail on a multi-acre property for ideas:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=30164

You will also find time spent browsing the threads in Haunt Tactics and Techniques well spent when it comes to getting useful ideas.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Lots of things you need to consider, the budget, ADA requirements, Numbers of actors, theme or story-line, length of time the haunt will be open (both per night and number of days/weekends), climate, and type of terrain, target demographic, skills & abilities of you and your staff, availability of power (electricity, pneumatics) along the trail, availability of props for your theme or story-line, etc.

As it's been suggested before, especially for those new to haunting, work for someone else for a year or three to get some experience and to see real day to day workings of a haunt, and to see if it's really what you want to do. It's a whole lot more work than the vast majority think it is, especially if you are talking about many, long, long nights of haunts, and having to be ADA compliant, compliant with fire and safety laws and officials, insurance, marketing, budgets and accounting, ring leader for a bunch of actors/loose cannons, security, etc. As soon as you charge for your haunt, you have to live up to a much higher standard for your haunt, or you can kiss it goodbye after the first or second year. Most haunts break even or maybe make or lose a small amount.
You will have to pay your actors, makeup people, props builders & maint. crew, security, etc., and Uncle Sam will be there with an open hand too.


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## oilkann (Nov 24, 2012)

well zoning may be an issue will have to find that out for sure I have been reading all the threads good stuff !


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## scarypapa (Jan 23, 2012)

Oilkann, Like you I have a 10 acre haunted trail that I have done for the past few years for the grandkids. However, unlike you I do not open the haunted trail up to the general public or charge any admission. Ours is only for our family and friends and friends of our family members. Even though we have been told many times that our little haunted trail is better than the majority of the other commercial haunts in our area we simply will not go commercial because of TOO MUCH LIABILITY. Since we are not a commercial haunt our homeowners will cover any liability from trips and falls on our property suffered by invited guests but once you charge admission or allow anyone in the general public to come on the property you are open to lots of additional liability. If you do decide to go pro I would suggest setting up an LLC to protect your personal assets. Just something to think about. Good luck with your haunt.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

I expect the liability issue with paid haunts, but how is opening for free to general public different than my throwing a party where a friend of a friend stumbles? Homeowners Ins should handle either, no? Both are just a party if I don't charge or advertise, I would think.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I would guess that the major difference is that you are putting your haunt "guests" through an obstacle course or other potential hazards that the typical party guests would never face, and the reality is that for parties, you do face the same potential lawsuits, you just have less potential hazards for those guests to deal with. The risk is all yours. If someone gets hurt on your property you are liable for injury, or, God forbid, death. The potential costs to you for either or both of those things are astronomical.


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## hauntedyardofdoom (Nov 6, 2008)

MurrayTX said:


> I expect the liability issue with paid haunts, but how is opening for free to general public different than my throwing a party where a friend of a friend stumbles? Homeowners Ins should handle either, no? Both are just a party if I don't charge or advertise, I would think.


It may have something to do with getting permits and zoning. Others can probably clarify more accurately, but I'd guess that an insurance agency might say that because you weren't properly zoned or filled out the proper permits and did not have any inspections, that they won't cover any losses. Also you might have to worry about building codes and such. You might be able to get away with it if all proceeds are for charity...


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