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  • Trailer Haunt Layout

    Hi, Everybody,

    I'm looking for suggestions/recommendations for an effective trailer haunt floor plan. What I'm looking for is the 'basic rule of thumb' in planning a mobile haunted house attraction inside tight spaces like office and/or semi-trailers. My plan is to utilize office trailers which range from 28' to 40' or more but with an overall width of only 8-10'. Some semi-trailer haunts built and operated in recent years include: Terror on the Fox, The Assylum, Hotel Fear and Monster City along with many more. What is the secret to developing an effective floor plan for this particular type of haunt? Thanx in advance.

    Steve....
    Last edited by Uptown Haunts; 06-29-2008, 02:59 PM.
    UptownHaunts@aol.com

    "Follow the Bloody Brick Road to Nightmare Village"

  • #2
    Sample trailer haunt layout using six 48' semi trailers. This layout yields 2304 sq feet of interior space and 3072 sq ft of flexible outdoor court yard space for a total of 5376 sq ft.
    Attached Files
    Kevin
    MindWerxKMG, LLC

    Comment


    • #3
      Here is all you need by haunted brother...did you get the last issue of Hauntworld Magazine? The magazines focus was VEGAS... Rich Strelak wrote a giant article on building trailer haunted houses. If you back up to some of the first issues he had other articles about building trailer haunted house.

      Did you get these issues?

      There are floor plans and more.

      Larry

      "Whatever, Whatever and What Not'.

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

      Comment


      • #4
        Trailer Haunts

        MindWerx,

        Thanx for responding. The multiple trailer layout above just has a 'zig-zag' pattern which is probably about as best as can be expected in 8' wide coaches. No surprise there but your response tells me that I'm on the right track and shouldn't over think the plan as I've been doing. My plans also include outdoor space as mentioned in your response.

        Larry,

        I missed Rich's recent Haunt World article on trailer haunts. Then again, my subscription expired a while back. Basically, I had decided that I would renew it once my 'interlocking wall' question from about two years ago was answered. "They interlock" was the answer I got from the seller of the 250 interlocking panels which obviously didn't answer my question.

        Steve....
        UptownHaunts@aol.com

        "Follow the Bloody Brick Road to Nightmare Village"

        Comment


        • #5
          That is just like the automotive book I bought so I could fix my car. The section on "Engine Removal" said: "Remove engine!"
          That was nothing short of a great and wonderfully inspiring piece of information, now wasn't it? For $8.00, 35 years ago.
          hauntedravensgrin.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Unanswered questions

            Yep,

            One of my biggest pet peaves is asking a question and not getting an intelligent answer. Example: I've been searching the internet for hearses. When inquiring about a hearse, I'll ask "which coach company did the conversion?" or other simple questions like "What year? What engine? Mileage? Front or rear wheel drive?" if that information is not listed in the ad. You'd be surprised at the number of hostile responses I get. Other responses include "It's a Cadillac or Lincoln" which is usually already known from the ad. About one dozen of the responses from different sellers of hearses were "It's a hearse". That's about as good as my interlocking wall question which has never been answered. One seller even went so far as to tell me to shop elsewhere rather than answer my questions about the vehicle which were not addressed in the classified ad. I never realized thinking could be so difficult or traumatic for some people. What would they do if they had real problems?

            Steve....
            UptownHaunts@aol.com

            "Follow the Bloody Brick Road to Nightmare Village"

            Comment


            • #7
              Ive wondered how the rooms are layed out too. Do you use the whole width of the trailer for your rooms and then put in a hallway? Or do you use say a smaller sized room? Ive been in more than one trailer haunt but its really hard to tell in the dark and fog ect. I would like to see a room layout.
              Damon
              Damon Carson

              Comment


              • #8
                Here's a sample layout using a container box (like those self storage containers you see) which can easily be retrofitted into a semi-trailer configuration. This will also give you preview of how the 'scenes' are laid out etc.

                Regards,
                Tom
                Attached Files

                Comment


                • #9
                  Additionally, here's another sample two trailer haunt floorplan layout. Hope this helps.

                  Regards,
                  Tom
                  Attached Files

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I think this question is a good reason for having haunt tours with the lights on. I made that suggestion on a thread about the Vegas tours and everybody thought I was crazy. I have a pretty good understanding of scares and what scares people. I would be more interested in seeing what is happening behind the scenes than to just walk through in the dark like another customer wanting to be scared on Halloween.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Again with the "Zig Zag"

                      I guess no matter how hard we try, we probably can't get away from the basic "zig zag" pattern of a trailer haunt design because of the narrow width although, Rich Strelak of the Asylum and Hotel Fear in Las Vegas did something in these trailer haunts which I think was pretty cleaver. He built small rooms along the way where you would have to walk along the outer wall of the trailer past a room to one side or the other with actors, animatronics, etc. Small rooms. After the room, you turn and then work your way into the next scene. Another trick he employed was to add doors along some walls so you really wouldn't know how big or small the trailer haunt is. The Asylum is featured in Haunt World the Movie Part 16. Very good lights on tour.

                      My trailer haunt plan would feature a 90* trailer layout. Simply put, when you are exiting one trailer, you take a hard left or right turn into the next one, zig zag your way through, hard left or right turn into the next coach and so on. This way, you just back one trailer into the side of another, and another, etc. This eliminates the need to build connecting passage bridges between the trailers. Just set it up like you're backing up to a loading dock. The exterior of the trailers would have to be painted up and/or facade pieces added. Don't forget to build your ramps to meet ADA standards. In a nut shell, if you have semi-trailers for your haunt, the trailer floor where your customers will be walking is approximately 48" above ground level. This means you need 48' of ramp to meet the standard but it can't just be 48' of straight ramp. You need a level point about half way up from the entrance end and the same thing back down on the exit end. I think the requirement is a level turn around area no more than 32' from the start of the ramp but I'd have to double check that information to be sure. The level space has to be at least 4'. If your ramps are setup for a 180* turn on the way up, that turn area should be 4'x8'. This allows reasonable access for wheel chairs if necessary. All of my emergency exits will also be ramped the same way.

                      Steve....
                      Last edited by Uptown Haunts; 07-08-2008, 06:56 PM.
                      UptownHaunts@aol.com

                      "Follow the Bloody Brick Road to Nightmare Village"

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Thanks for sharing pics, It looks pretty basic and it looks about how I had thought or seen on a video. Larrys seem a bit different I didnt know if you would be willing to share how Ravens Mansion is set up at Creepworld if its different. Thanks to everyone with info and sharing on this topic. This is great!
                        Damon
                        Damon Carson

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Upton Haunt,

                          Just a qick comment. I don't want it to appear that I've just been ignoring this thread. I'v actually been on an extensive road trip. I'm in Canada right now and I've had VERY limited internet access. I JUST found out TW is in St. Louis next year!! (Good luck Larry & Mark!!!)

                          A few quick comments...you mentioned "stacking" the trailers jsut side by side...
                          remember you can never be more than 50 ft from an emergency exit.
                          If you have more than 1,000 sq. ft in any unit you must have a sprinkler system.
                          In some jurisdictions over a certain sq. ft puts you in an "A Occupancy" rating as a "Meeting Hall", there are also load occupancies, and total attendee numbers to consider. I have spent thousands of dollars learning some valuable lessons!!!

                          I think the trailer concept is a very viable alternative in certain situations. It may not be the answer for everyone, but it is a viable concept. As mentione in some of the posts, there are a few "tricks of the trade" just as there are in tent haunts, haunted trails and indoor haunts.

                          I won't be back in Vegas until next week. I'll check the thread then and see if I can add anything. I have several consulting contracts to finish for this season and then try and complete the changes in my own haunts!!! Boy it's gonna be HOT in Vegas...then add another 20 degrees INSIDE the trailers!!!
                          Good luck!!

                          Rich
                          R&J Productions
                          Las Vegas, NV
                          www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            One thing that im seeing on alot of "floorplans" is the entrance facing the same direction and close to the exit. Keep hem apart if possible. You dont want the people coming out of the attraction talking to the people about to go in...
                            Sean De Wane
                            ----------------------------------------------
                            The De Wane Asylum
                            www.dewaneasylum.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Rich,

                              That 1,000 sq. ft. rule would not apply in my home town. At least, not according to the fire marshal and building inspector here. They want sprinklers in any square footage. What is the square footage of your haunts?

                              If I position the trailers side by side, I'd alternate them as far as which direction they are facing. First trailer facing east, second west, third east, fourth west, etc. using the back end of each as an emergency exit with 4 doors installed (2 on each side) for interconnecting them and increasing available emergency exits. Even if the trailers are 53' long, there will be an exit well within 50' from any point inside. Installing 2 doors on each side also allows for setup versatility, entry, exit, actor and security access, etc.

                              Positioning trailers 90* to each other is another setup I considered depending on available parking lot or ground space and how large you want the haunt to appear. You would park a trailer then back another one up against the side of that first parked trailer at one of the side door openings. The rear of the backing trailer becomes the passage way from one coach to another. Backing another trailer up against the side of this second trailer at a 90* angle would continue this design thus spreading out the overall haunt in order to appear larger and/or create a specific design or shape when viewed from overhead. Side exits would provide passage between the coaches and emergency exits.

                              All coaches would have connectors for power, air, etc. One plugs into the other. Larger haunts would require splitting the utilities into 2 zones. Have them come into the middle trailer (half way through the attraction) and branch off toward the entry end and another set of lines toward the exit end. Pending fire marshal approval, the use of fire hose hookups could possibly be used from one coach to the next for the sprinkler system. If not, hard pipe with swivel connections could be used if necessary.

                              Steve.....
                              UptownHaunts@aol.com

                              "Follow the Bloody Brick Road to Nightmare Village"

                              Comment

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