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  • Haunted Attraction Rating Systems

    Does anyone here have a rating system they use to review haunted attractions that they don't mind sharing? I'm looking for something more complex than just "Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10".

    Something with categories like:
    1. Startles
    2. Believability of Experience
    3. Acting
    4. Storyline
    5. Set design
    6. Special Props and Animatronics
    7. Unique ideas
    8. Length of experience
    9. Parking

    Anyone else put any thought into this?

    Thanks!
    mrfoos

    ***************************************
    EDIT: This thread has been hijacked by people who don't like reviewers. Of course they totally have the right to their opinion but I'd love it if we could stick to my original question. If you want to trash talk reviewers then please start a new thread.
    ***************************************
    Last edited by mrfoos; 12-25-2016, 09:33 PM.

  • #2
    I'm a member of the NC Frightseekers Review Team. We review haunts on a 1-5 score based on the following

    Scare Factor
    Props/FX
    Actors
    Length
    Value
    Other
    Overall

    Here's a page of what a few of us did this season.
    http://www.nchaunts.com/forum/index.php/board,52.0.html
    http://www.bigscaryshow.com
    http://www.rabidbadger.org

    Comment


    • #3
      Haunt reviewers do more harm than good for the industry. They rate on who gives them free passes and treats them like celebrities. All these reviewers are, are average people who want free tickets and perks so they can visit haunts and get their Ass kissed and feel important. Until you've actually owned a haunt and know of how hard it is to open a haunt and keep it open you basically know nothing and your opinion isn't important.

      Jake

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Deathwing View Post
        They rate on who gives them free passes and treats them like celebrities. All these reviewers are, are average people who want free tickets and perks so they can visit haunts and get their Ass kissed and feel important. Until you've actually owned a haunt and know of how hard it is to open a haunt and keep it open you basically know nothing and your opinion isn't important.

        Jake
        I get what you mean. It's all subjective anyway. We don't grant any special favors to people who contact us as haunt reviewers. If they are legit then they don't want it, right? The only way to get a truly objective opinion is to go through anonymously. We had one couple come through last year and tell us after their trip was over that they were reviewers. It gave them a chance to experience it like everyone else AND gave me the chance to ask them some questions. I thought that was cool.

        Comment


        • #5
          But the problem is some people don't know any better and trust the review sites and then guests decide not to go and it'll cost businesses money. Why does everyone think their opinion matters and must be heard? I guess it's like the old saying "those that can't do, teach". If they were experts they'd do their own.

          Jake

          Comment


          • #6
            I agree with Deathwing's position that "haunt reviewers" do more damage than good, too, and for the same reasons. Particularly since, unlike a restaurant, we are a seasonal operation, and if we receive bad reviews we have to wait an entire year for changes to be seen, while the reviews from the prior year are having their optimum damaging effect.

            I do believe most "haunt reviewers" just want free tickets and most are looking for extras from the haunt, or are given extras by the haunt.

            Besides, it is already a rigged game, to some extent, and there are plenty of people who seek to use their influence to influence reviews or otherwise unfairly compromise public perception.

            Comment


            • #7
              Yup you nailed it!


              Originally posted by SAWDUST JONES View Post
              I agree with Deathwing's position that "haunt reviewers" do more damage than good, too, and for the same reasons. Particularly since, unlike a restaurant, we are a seasonal operation, and if we receive bad reviews we have to wait an entire year for changes to be seen, while the reviews from the prior year are having their optimum damaging effect.

              I do believe most "haunt reviewers" just want free tickets and most are looking for extras from the haunt, or are given extras by the haunt.

              Besides, it is already a rigged game, to some extent, and there are plenty of people who seek to use their influence to influence reviews or otherwise unfairly compromise public perception.

              Comment


              • #8
                I will mention that as a reviewer I have never received any special perks from a haunt, nor have I been anything less than honest in my reviews.
                http://www.bigscaryshow.com
                http://www.rabidbadger.org

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Badger View Post
                  I will mention that as a reviewer I have never received any special perks from a haunt, nor have I been anything less than honest in my reviews.
                  Yes sir. Anyone who listens to your awesome podcast, The Big Scary Show, would never question your integrity to the business.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Badger View Post
                    I will mention that as a reviewer I have never received any special perks from a haunt, nor have I been anything less than honest in my reviews.
                    I'm sure you would agree that not all reviewers are created equal. Some are nothing more than armchair haunter wannabes who relish the power they have by having Haunters kiss up to them so they don't get a bad review which will hurt their business.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Not all haunts are equal.

                      Nobody is questioning your judgement or integrity, Badger, but let's be honest, there are unscrupulous reviewers and unscrupulous haunt owners. And a mere behind-the-scenes tour IS a plus, often influencing a review. If you even personally know or are friends with or (as with your show) have haunters that have come on your show as a guest, or otherwise contributed to such, bias is hard to remove.

                      The majority of haunt reviewers DO cause more damage than good, if anyone even reads what they write. Internet reviews, in general, are too often politically driven, sometimes a single player putting up many bad reviews under different names. It is a slippery slope. Or haunt owners who repeatedly vote for themselves the best haunted house in a market, using different names and accounts to do such. I know people who have done this, people many would know.

                      Here is an example of such, critics of Donald Trump leaving false negative reviews for Trump's daughter's products: "Critics Leaving Bad Amazon Reviews on Ivanka Trump Products"

                      http://www.mytotalretail.com/article...rump-products/

                      Further, not all haunts are created equal. A $25 dollar haunt should be reviewed more stringent than a $7 one. And there is other methodology that need be employed in reviewing such, that most reviewers probably never think of.

                      And again, the fact that haunts are a seasonal operation, has to be a major consideration in any review, as again, we have to wait a whole year for any opportunity to show improvement, while working against negative, audience depleting reviews. Perhaps there should be an opportunity for the haunt owner to respond, if the reviewer actually understands and cares about the industry.

                      I've never been in an industry full of so many "helpful" people, pretending to care about the industry and promote the industry, who are in reality nothing of the sort, helping nobody but themselves, and manipulating factors with their influence to unfairly damage their competition, or to just ensure that others never get a hand up in a difficult business, all while simultaneously putting on a smiling face and pretending to care.
                      Last edited by SAWDUST JONES; 12-25-2016, 02:08 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        not hot on reviews

                        Reviews are a double edge sword. If the review is a 15yo girl, the scare factor and attention rate are very different than a 24 man. The biggest thing I see wrong with reviews is an unhappy customer is much more likely to put one out than a happy customer.
                        If you are a small haunt and you listen to the BIG GUYS on here, it makes you feel like your not worthy to be called a haunt. Like Sawdust said, a $7 haunt and $25 one should have different expectations. But people treat them the same, often making the little guy sound inferior.
                        We have a small cheap haunt, and it is not very scary to many. But we found a nitche and are doing ok. We have a lot of younger kids coming out to their FIRST haunted experience. Parent and Grands like it because it is a fun outing with the kids, scary, but not to scary.

                        Here is an idea to use for your next haunt review, remember moms words when she said be nice to people, and if you can't say something nice say nothing at all.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Then we also have the flip side, any home haunter or haunt enthusiast that has a blog or a "HAUNT REVIEW" becomes an "expert reviewer". He gets his free tickets, writes a rave reviews in return. He gives the haunter owner the link to prove his glowing report. Now the haunt owner takes the glorified puff piece and touts it on his haunt website site, like this person it a big shot reviewer! Now this haunt is "#1 in the world!" ...according to Mister Spooky at Spooky's Haunt Rater . com !!!

                          Others take such a review, take comments out of context and promote them! Real review states something like.." ABC Haunt's competitor claims to be rated 5 out of 5 stars. If that's true then ABC Haunt will have to be 6 out of 5 stars. " So ABC Haunt is slightly better than his competitor.

                          Instead.... ABC Haunt promotes review as " ...ABC Haunt is 6 out of 5 stars!"

                          Not exactly what the reviewer claimed...but it IS the words that he used.

                          This becomes a problem when the audience is swayed to go to an attraction only based on these types of false impressions.

                          I have had issues where I didn't let a reviewer in for free so he writes a super BAD review, whether or not if he even went through the haunt!

                          Afraid we will continue to have these problems when anyone who can purchase a url becomes an "authority ".
                          Last edited by RJ Productions; 12-28-2016, 01:14 AM.
                          R&J Productions
                          Las Vegas, NV
                          www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            We live in an age where everyone is a critic. I remember every weekend watching the TWO THUMBS UP show you know it Rodger and Ebert. Their reviews in some cases could make or break a movie. Everyone looked to those guys. Now you go to IMBD or Rotten Tomatoes or social media... anyone and everyone is a critic now.

                            Do people leave bad reviews and in some cases didn't even experience your event... 110%. Do people want to hurt your business... ah yeah!

                            There is almost nothing you can do about but encourage as many people as you can to leave you POSITIVE feedback. Its really hard to keep up with all the noise now because of social media.

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

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I think this is what we deal with now. Experts say to respond to all positive and negative comments. Who can keep up with that? Some of the negative comments are so bogus it's really hard to believe. So what does everyone else think respond or delete all together?

                              Comment

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