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Before you read this, please scroll down and read parts 1 & 2 as it will help put this review in perspective.
In part 3 of my Legendary Haunt Tour review:
I went through as so many of you did…as a Haunter…actually, as a Haunter that is pretty concerned about getting sued. I don’t ever remember a time when there has been more Gov’t intervention in our business. Here in the great State of NJ there is barely an agency that in one way or another doesn’t stick it’s greasy paw into what we do. Between local and federal regulations it has made being a Haunter all but impossible.
Of course all this Gov’t is not without it’s upside. With the country all but bankrupt, everyone is looking at the one sure way of making some money…the lawsuit. To that end, the multiple inspections, inspectors, laws, codes, and Gov’t. intervention does help to keep our attractions as safe as possible (kind of) or at least that is how we can rationalize these people sticking their big noses in our business. The Haunting version of 1984 (George Orwell).
All that said, I’m guessing that none of that holds true in Kansas City Mo. as the inspectors, fire marshals and all other Gov’t officials have obviously been on vacation for the last 35 years. I say this as there is no way on God’s green earth that I, nor anyone else, could open up an attraction like The Beast, Edge of Hell etc. Listen, this is not a negative nor does it mean that I didn’t love them…it just means that these attractions are old school. In this case old school dates back to a time when 1 out of every 4 students graduating college weren’t destined to become lawyers.
All joking aside (well…I wasn’t really joking) with it’s total darkness, low overhangs, stairs and more stairs and more stairs…uneven floors, hidden hazards, trip hazqards, the slides, the narrow hallways and the live alligator (I just felt like throwing that in) there is no way that any inspector I’ve ever been inspected by would be ok with the potential for problems here. I’m guessing there were ADA compliant pathways that we just didn’t see. If not, you were not making it through if you were physically challenged. No wheelchair I know of is going to traverse 3 or 4 floors of stairs, roll over the stone floors in the basements or squeeze through some of those narrow corridors. I don’t know how it can be ok to be destined to bang your head, be hit by a prop, slip off a step and so much more…but it is ok inside these shows.
Most of the group I was with spent a lot of their time looking backwards and pointing out steps, 2x4’s, rocks, declines and other potential trip hazards to the people that were following us. I saw Tim Gavinski hit what was probably a 6 to 9 inch step and go flying. As his back received one hell of a jolt I saw his foot try to land on thin air as he lurched forward …I thought he was destined to really hurt his back or flat out land on his face. I could go on and on about this but let’s just say that from a Business man’s perspective I would be scared to death about a steady stream of never ending lawsuits.
Posted out front of each attraction, and also printed on the back of each ticket is the best, most comprehensive disclaimer I have ever seen at any attraction…not just haunted but ANY attraction.
I don’t know if that clears them of any or all responsibility but they have been around for 35 years so they certainly know how to survive. This was a show worth seeing if only to see what they were getting away with vs what you and I could never possibly dream of doing.
As one very well known said to me upon leaving The Beast… “Rich…it’s not too late for that second career…I’ll go to law school and set up shop just across the street from these shows. You Rich, can serve as my expert witness. We’ll make a fortune”.
Part 4…the wrap up is coming soon Rich Hanf
In part 3 of my Legendary Haunt Tour review:
I went through as so many of you did…as a Haunter…actually, as a Haunter that is pretty concerned about getting sued. I don’t ever remember a time when there has been more Gov’t intervention in our business. Here in the great State of NJ there is barely an agency that in one way or another doesn’t stick it’s greasy paw into what we do. Between local and federal regulations it has made being a Haunter all but impossible.
Of course all this Gov’t is not without it’s upside. With the country all but bankrupt, everyone is looking at the one sure way of making some money…the lawsuit. To that end, the multiple inspections, inspectors, laws, codes, and Gov’t. intervention does help to keep our attractions as safe as possible (kind of) or at least that is how we can rationalize these people sticking their big noses in our business. The Haunting version of 1984 (George Orwell).
All that said, I’m guessing that none of that holds true in Kansas City Mo. as the inspectors, fire marshals and all other Gov’t officials have obviously been on vacation for the last 35 years. I say this as there is no way on God’s green earth that I, nor anyone else, could open up an attraction like The Beast, Edge of Hell etc. Listen, this is not a negative nor does it mean that I didn’t love them…it just means that these attractions are old school. In this case old school dates back to a time when 1 out of every 4 students graduating college weren’t destined to become lawyers.
All joking aside (well…I wasn’t really joking) with it’s total darkness, low overhangs, stairs and more stairs and more stairs…uneven floors, hidden hazards, trip hazqards, the slides, the narrow hallways and the live alligator (I just felt like throwing that in) there is no way that any inspector I’ve ever been inspected by would be ok with the potential for problems here. I’m guessing there were ADA compliant pathways that we just didn’t see. If not, you were not making it through if you were physically challenged. No wheelchair I know of is going to traverse 3 or 4 floors of stairs, roll over the stone floors in the basements or squeeze through some of those narrow corridors. I don’t know how it can be ok to be destined to bang your head, be hit by a prop, slip off a step and so much more…but it is ok inside these shows.
Most of the group I was with spent a lot of their time looking backwards and pointing out steps, 2x4’s, rocks, declines and other potential trip hazards to the people that were following us. I saw Tim Gavinski hit what was probably a 6 to 9 inch step and go flying. As his back received one hell of a jolt I saw his foot try to land on thin air as he lurched forward …I thought he was destined to really hurt his back or flat out land on his face. I could go on and on about this but let’s just say that from a Business man’s perspective I would be scared to death about a steady stream of never ending lawsuits.
Posted out front of each attraction, and also printed on the back of each ticket is the best, most comprehensive disclaimer I have ever seen at any attraction…not just haunted but ANY attraction.
I don’t know if that clears them of any or all responsibility but they have been around for 35 years so they certainly know how to survive. This was a show worth seeing if only to see what they were getting away with vs what you and I could never possibly dream of doing.
As one very well known said to me upon leaving The Beast… “Rich…it’s not too late for that second career…I’ll go to law school and set up shop just across the street from these shows. You Rich, can serve as my expert witness. We’ll make a fortune”.
Part 4…the wrap up is coming soon Rich Hanf
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