RESEARCH & PHOTOS

SURVEY 1998

• Slightly more than one-third of the haunts had been in business three years or less, half (median) of the participants have been in business less than six years and half have been in business more. The average was 9 years.
• More than half of the haunts were in operation from one week to one month, while twenty-five percent had an operating season of more than one month. The average was 26 days.
• In terms of jobs, the 95 attractions represent 6,300 paid and unpaid jobs.
• The attractions surveyed drew a total of 717,500 visitors. Fifty percent of those surveyed had a 1998 attendance below 2,378. The average was 9,963 and 14.7% had more than 10,000.
• The average adult admission was $6.16 and $4.70 for kids. In total the attractions surveyed represented $4.2 million in ticket sales or $42,000 per attraction.
• The average attendance growth is 29%. Fifty percent saw growth of less than 15%, but still solid growth. Only one attraction reported slower growth in 1998.
• The haunted attractions surveyed were typically around 3,400 to 5,400 square feet.
• The average number of full-time actors was six with 35 volunteers.