Going Down the elevator shaft

[Boni]

This year I plan on adding a dark maze (Buzzsaw's Basement) to go along with my Dr. Buzzsaw's Haunted Hospital.

I want to make the sensation that they are going down an elevator or a shaft of some sort.

First, is the elevator idea overdone, or is it necessary to give the illusion of being in a basement.

Second, how do you make a realisitic fake elevator.

[robos99]

It's seeming the elevator idea is being done everywhere....but nonetheless I still think you could make it work for you, especially since it fits in with the story.

To make it seem real, you could add lights flashing in sequence, airbags or other such things to move it back and forth. You could even add some mechanics to make it move laterally, to really help with the impression of movement.

[oscodatownship]

I created a "Hellivator" several years ago out of a big cart (6'x8') we had for moving large floor mats. The frame of the cart was made of 2" square box steel tubing. It had four heavy duty caster wheels, one on each corner. Under the cart, we bolted a piece of steel seawall to be used as the main piece to lift on. On top of the cart, in order were:
*3/4" plywood
*2x4 frame. Much like the walls of a house, 16" on center, 8'x8' and bolted to cart
*3/4" O.S.B. (floor to stand on)
*Walls
*8'x8' ceiling fastened to the walls

The walls were built in pieces and the hooked together by two large bolts on each side, two through the floor and one through the ceiling. I choose to do it this way because I could then dismantle it and put it back together in exactly the same way every year. There were three full sized walls and two short ones. The two short ones(one inside and one outside for the front) were spaced apart to make a "pocket" for the door to slide into. We used a large car jack to lift the whole thing off the ground once everyone was inside, only about an inch. After about a minute or two, we would drop the whole thing and it would thud on the floor, making most people scream. Some of the ways we made it feel real were: adding a fan that blew air up from the floor, cutting a small "window" in a side and using a treadmill(painted as bricks or rocks) turning slowly for guests to see from inside, and playing clunky mechanical sounds through speakers in the ceiling. Depending on our theme, we would either let it rock between all four wheels, or make a track from the floor to ceiling so that it wouldn't rock. Most importantly, we used wooden blocks underneath, in case the wheels of the cart failed.
Hope that some of these ideas will help you!

[Kallie]

Thanks this sounds great.

I know a game you can play where somebody is blindfold or his eyes is closed > like a kid, or some body not to heavy.
( Can be done in darkness then )
Get him to stand on a small plank which is lifted by two people on each side. While it is lifted tell him he is going higher and higher, but only lift him about an inch from the ground, by lightly swinging the plank. At some stage ask him to jump off. The illusion in his mind is that he is very high by now and scared to jump, but when he does, he get the surprise.
Because of this illusion I can see that an elevator trick can work if the area of the lift will fall in total darkness, when it start to 'lift'. May be it can get 'stuck' and they have to get out while it is still dark...they might think it's somewhere high up in the air.

[tchaunt]

Kallie, even though your idea would be great for a small haunt (like one for a child and their friends), it wouldn't be too good of an idea for a professional haunt. If the people land the wrong way, fall on someone else, etc., they could file law suits. If you really wanted to use this effect, you would have to try and make sure only one guest is on the "elevator" at a time.

[oakhillshaunterTHEFEAR]

does anyone have the link to the professional version of the hellevator?

[geckofx]

Airbags and a nice metal frame, it's all you really need.

[FablesStudios]

Airbags and a nice metal frame, it's all you really need.

This is how I would do it. If you don’t have Airbags use Springs/Shocks from the suspension of a car (Use a couple!) They are pretty strong and will give you some movement (this is def a cheaper way but you would need two doors of you didn’t use casters to turn it to the next room).
Pete
FS

[Mr Nightmarez]

My first Elevator was done by utilizing a Pallet Jack $200 a pallet base and a box built around it.
I actually submitted my article to Hauntworld and Haunted Attraction -
We found this to work and we moved to another method of rollers later.

So cheap - can be done. The air bladder and controller will run you over $750 - $1,000. But is extremely effective also!

Good Luck!

[Jim Warfield]

Build a convincing looking elevator, load in the people, make eye contact with them,(through the steel gate) then bend your knees lowering yourself.
This worked for me, people yelling, jerking around as they assumed it was an actual moving device.
Nope. No floor movement at all.
Bowel movement, maybe?