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  • How far are visitors well to travel?

    How far are visitors well to travel?

    As we draw near another haunted house season we are looking to move from our current location to a larger area to help expand the attraction. What I'm worried about is how far are people willing to travel these days to get to the attraction. From the nearest city it would be around 15 to 20 minute drive and 40 to 60 minutes from others. Looking to see what others feel about travel distance? What driving range do other haunters feel is best to shoot for, because those would be the areas I would target for advertising as well then.

    0-15 minutes

    16-30 minutes

    31-45 minutes

    46-60 minutes

    60- or more minutes

  • #2
    Me personally would drive 30-45 minutes to a haunted house from my house if I knew it was well worth it. I did tho in fact drive 12 hours to Netherworld a couple years ago.
    ~Bill Mlinac
    The Deadland Haunted House
    www.facebook.com/Deadlandhauntedhouse
    www.Thedeadland.comsigpic

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    • #3
      Depends. Me? 1-2 hours is my max range usually, but then again I'm there for research over entertaent

      Comment


      • #4
        variables...

        Depends on variables. If you are "just another _______" they will travel no farther than the other destinations like you. If you do something different or extra and word of mouth gets around they will drive right by other similar locations to get to you. Had a truck driver who lived in another state stop by one evening as we are by major interstate highway. He brought his family from 3 hours away driving right by other places advertising same type of attraction that I have. He found what he liked here...had many experiences at other places like mine he didn't care for and that was enough reason for him to spend 6 hours in a car round trip to bring his family.

        I LOVE getting phone calls that start out like 'My neighbor says to forget the mazes around here and drive all the way to your place. I have even offered to refund tickets sometimes on calls like that if they are not impressed when someone tells me it is over an hour to get to my place. Haven't had to refund one of those offers yet.

        Now something like Disney World people fly across the oceans for. Make something they are willing to drive a few hours for and they will.

        Wicked Farmer

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        • #5
          Interesting topic...

          I have an answer for you... there is no limit! I've had people visit from Spain, Australia over 6% of every customer who came last year was from out of the states of MO and IL.

          We get about half our business from MO and the other half from IL... we are right on the border of the two states. I'm planning on a marketing program this year to hit up every small town/city in Missouri and Illinois and as far away as KC to Memphis. So to answer your question the web markets for you world wide especially search engines and youtube. But marketing you spending dollars don't be afraid to go outside your town or city by as far away as 100 miles 200 miles ... if you advertise smart you will make back 4 to 1 and grow your reach and audience.

          Is your attraction worth the drive the people will come!

          How far do people go to see Universal Studios, or a major coaster park like Cedar Point... people will travel if they think its worth it.

          Larry
          Larry Kirchner
          President
          www.HalloweenProductions.com
          www.BlacklightAttractions.com
          www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
          www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

          Comment


          • #6
            The big question?

            Larry hit the nail on the head with his last statement. People are willing to travel a great distance to see a great show. If someone does a great job getting their home market in the door, but struggles to pull from farther. It might say something about the show. Minnesota does not have a volume of great haunted houses like other parts of the country, so we can get people to travel a greater distance than other markets. If your market is flooded with stellar stuff to visit then it all comes full circle to the king MARKETING. Getting people to drive past two stops to get to your front door. Marketing! Marketing!
            Brent F.
            www.thedeadendhayride.com
            Keep Minnesota Scary!

            Comment


            • #7
              I have friends that plan road trips each season and hit a series of haunts in a particular area. Some of them have been rather...epic trips to places like MI, OH, NY, LA, and WI.
              http://www.bigscaryshow.com
              http://www.rabidbadger.org

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              • #8
                one hour is my golden number, but they will drive two hours if they are in a group.
                www.Stiltbeaststudios.com
                http://www.youtube.com/user/Stiltbea...s?feature=mhee

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                • #9
                  My bf and I drove over 6 hours last year to go to Haunted Houses in Ohio.

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                  • #10
                    I've talked with people that have visited the haunt I help at that have driven from haunt to haunt to haunt, making a weekend trip over multiple days to visit 4 and 6 haunts in a weekend. They are rare but it does happen. The majority of our customers drive 60 mins or less to visit the haunt.
                    Chris Riehl
                    Sales@spookyfinder.com
                    (586)209-6935
                    www.spookyfinder.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I live in pennsylvania and..............

                      I have traveled to maryland (about 200 miles each way from my home) BUT I am a die hard haunt fan, so I just go..... There are local haunts here too, but a 4 hour road trip (each way) for me is not out of the question. If I want to see it, I will go.... Hope this helps. JOHN

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                      • #12
                        The average person is going to travel 1hr and you'll likely lose attendance the year of a move.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Ravens Grin has several advantages

                          Open every night of the year makes it more possible for someone to plan to come here no matter how far they may be coming from.
                          We have had visitors from almost every country anyone may care to name.
                          Tonight a group who were a bit drunk came through, behaved themselves and even they were very impressed by the house and the tour, becoming very complimentary at the tour's finale.
                          Many pro-haunters have told me since "Day-One" that Ravens Grin has the worst possible location for a haunt.. but here were are!
                          Right now at 1:45 am we are waiting for a group to show up from a long drive of several hours to arrive here.
                          Being open every night also makes it easier for other haunts to pay us a visit since this is pretty impossible to do during October.
                          the actual drive distance for normal haunt customers might be radically affected by the price of a gallon of gasoline come this October.
                          Let's all hope political decisions on the world stage doesn't make our lives any harder in this respect.
                          hauntedravensgrin.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Ravens Grin has several advantages

                            Open every night of the year makes it more possible for someone to plan to come here no matter how far they may be coming from.
                            We have had visitors from almost every country anyone may care to name.
                            Tonight a group who were a bit drunk came through, behaved themselves and even they were very impressed by the house and the tour, becoming very complimentary at the tour's finale.
                            Many pro-haunters have told me since "Day-One" that Ravens Grin has the worst possible location for a haunt.. but here were are!
                            Right now at 1:45 am we are waiting for a group to show up from a long drive of several hours to arrive here.
                            Being open every night also makes it easier for other haunts to pay us a visit since this is pretty impossible to do during October.
                            The actual drive distance for normal haunt customers might be radically affected by the price of a gallon of gasoline come this October.
                            Let's all hope political decisions on the world stage doesn't make our lives any harder in this respect.
                            hauntedravensgrin.com

                            Comment

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