Haunted attractions use real special effects: strobe lighting, fog machines, loud sudden noise, low visibility, tight corridors and performers who get close to you. None of that is unusual for the format, but it is worth checking before you buy a ticket, especially if you are pregnant, have a health condition, or are bringing someone who struggles with dark, enclosed spaces. The original festival carried its own version of this page more than once, in 2016 and again in 2018, under a few different page names, which suggests organisers kept revisiting and republishing the same safety messaging rather than treating it as a one-off notice.
Common health warnings
Across haunted attractions generally, a few warnings come up again and again. Strobe lighting and fog effects are commonly flagged for anyone with photosensitive epilepsy, since flashing light is a recognised trigger for some people with the condition. Pregnant visitors are routinely advised to think carefully before entering, and some venues ask them not to enter at all, often alongside similar advice for guests with heart conditions or asthma, given the physical intensity, fog and sudden exertion involved. Fog and smoke effects can also irritate respiratory conditions beyond asthma, so if you are sensitive to smoke, ask a venue what kind of fog effect it uses before you go in.
Enclosed spaces and physical intensity
Many haunted houses involve narrow corridors, low lighting, uneven or damp floors, and sections where you may need to crouch, climb or move quickly. That combination is genuinely difficult for anyone with claustrophobia, mobility limitations or balance issues, independent of how frightening the theming is. If a venue offers an accessible or lower-intensity route, as some do, it is worth asking about it directly rather than assuming one exists.
Conduct rules worth expecting
Most haunted attractions set rules around physical contact, typically stating that performers will not touch guests and asking guests not to touch performers or props in return. Running, intoxication and bringing recording equipment into a scare attraction are also commonly restricted, both for safety and to protect the experience for other visitors. Entry is usually refused to anyone who appears intoxicated, and venues generally reserve the right to remove a guest who breaks these rules without a refund.
Before you book
None of this is medical advice, and specific conditions affect people differently, so if you have a diagnosed condition such as epilepsy, a heart condition or a pregnancy-related concern, it is worth talking to your own doctor as well as checking directly with the venue. Our scare levels guide explains how to judge an attraction's intensity before you book, and our page on fear themes in haunted attractions looks at the kinds of scares that tend to affect people differently depending on their own triggers. For wider planning, the info section covers the rest of what to check before a Halloween night out.
