Nightmare on 13th Haunted House

The Nightmare on 13th is a haunted attraction in Salt Lake City, Utah. Located on 300 West and 1300 South, it is in a 36,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) warehouse, which was a former car dealership. Nightmare on 13th is one of the largest and longest running haunted attractions in the United States. As of 2021 they have been in business for 31 years, and over 60,000 people attend Nightmare on 13th each season.[1][2] Over the 31 years this haunted house has made more than 1.5 million people scream. [3]

Nightmare on 13th Haunted House
Nightmare on 13th logo
LocationSalt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Coordinates40.7415648°N 111.9018419°W / 40.7415648; -111.9018419
Opened1990
Operated byMike Henrie
ThemeHalloween
SloganUtah's Legendary Haunted Attraction
Operating seasonFall
WebsiteOfficial website

Nightmare on 13th has been voted one of America's scariest attractions by the Travel Channel.[4]

In 2015, BuzzFeed also recommended Nightmare on 13th as one of the 19 Insane Haunted Houses That'll Literally Scare The Shit Out Of You.[5]

History

The Nightmare on 13th was started by Klane Anderson in 1984 as The Institute of Terror.[6] The Institute of Terror was sold to Troy Barber and Mike Henrie in 1990, as Klane was moving to Atlanta to help start a nuclear robotics division of Westinghouse. Early adoption of robotics and high tech special effects by Klane Anderson were a big attraction of "The Institute of Terror."

In 1993, after three seasons Mike and Troy decided that they wanted to do something that separated them from their competitors:

"In 1993 after three successful seasons the decision to put every dime into buying the building proved to be a wise move. By owning their building, Mike and Troy could spend all year working on the Haunted House. This enabled them to separate themselves from the competition."[7]

By purchasing the building, it put them in a position to run the haunted house business full-time. This gave them a very strategic advantage over their competitors who ran their haunted houses on the side.[7] In 1996, Troy and Mike decided that they would attend the Halloween, Costume and Party show which was hosted in Chicago. Once there, they learned some very valuable lessons that would make them more successful:

"Mike and Troy realized that they were under priced nationally and that a raise in the price of admission could pay for a substantial investment in the show.  They firmly believed that with each price increase should come a perceived higher value to the customer.  That show opened their eyes to the possibilities before them."[7]

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the company changed its name to the Nightmare on 13th in 2001.[8]

Nightmare on 13th is a seasonal haunted house open in September and October, but its creators work on it all year long to keep it fresh every year.

Nightmare on 13th is the only haunted attraction that has a fully animated theater show that you watch while you wait in line before going into the actual haunted house. After you enter the haunted house there are over 45 different rooms you travel through which take approximately 45-60 minutes.[2][9][10]

The business environment for haunts in Utah is one of the most active in the United States. Nightmare on 13th is regularly part of the top tier of houses in Utah.[11]

This haunted house was featured on the Travel Channel in 2009 and 2010 and was on the cover of Haunted Attraction Magazine in 2009.

As of 2016, approximately 120 people staff the haunt on any given evening.[12] Employees get paid minimum wage.[13]

Running a haunted house during the Covid-19 pandemic

When it came time for Nightmare on 13th to open for the 2020 season. Some major adjustments had to be made to combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of having lines of people the haunted house switched to a limited timed ticketing system and had patrons socially distance the recommended 6 feet apart:

"Tickets are sold every half-hour and in limited quantities. Everyone must stay 6 feet apart, except for household groups. All characters wear masks, many of them double masks; rooms where creatures used to reach out and grab you have been closed off like Dracula’s tomb; hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the building — in addition to the Plague Doctor’s scrubbing duties."[14]

In order to help patrons to follow the rules regarding mask Nightmare adopted mask requirement to get in and a "no mask, no scare" policy:

"Every customer must wear a mask to get in. And if they take them off while walking from room to room? There are signs throughout the building that warn: “If you remove your mask inside the attraction our actors and staff will not interact with you.” "[14]

References
  1. Randall, Lynette (October 25, 2016). "Nightmare on 13th: Thrills, Chills, and "Phantasms"". The Daily Utah Chronicle. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  2. Wilson, Staci Layne (2016). "Nightmare on 13th – Upping the Evil Ante". America Haunts. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  3. Scene, The Salt Lake (2020-09-04). "Nightmare On 13th - 30 Years of Terror!". www.visitsaltlake.com. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
  4. Kopsky, Anna (October 11, 2015). "19 Insane Haunted Houses That'll Literally Scare The Shit Out Of You". BuzzFeed. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  5. Kopsky, Anna. "19 Insane Haunted Houses That'll Literally Scare The Shit Out Of You". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  6. News, Deseret (1988-10-07). "HALLOWEEN'S HAUNTED HABITATIONS DEMONIC MONSTER MEISTERS HAVE UTAH JUST ABOUT GHOSTBUSTING AT THE SEAMS". Deseret News. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  7. "Haunted Houses in Salt Lake Utah - Nightmare On 13th". www.hauntedhouseassociation.org. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  8. Steffen, Rob; Oct. 29, KSL com Contributor | Posted-; A.m, 2011 at 9:26. "VIDEO: Eyes on Nightmare on 13th". www.ksl.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23. {{cite web}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  9. Parkinson, Pat (2017). "One of the Best Haunted Houses in the Country". Hometown Values. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  10. "Haunted House in Salt Lake City Utah Nightmare on 13th". Hauntworld Magazine. 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  11. Cairns, Becky (March 6, 2014). "Attendance at local haunted houses above national average". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  12. Jones, Caitlin (October 30, 2016). "Behind the Scenes at Nightmare on 13th Haunted House". The Digital Journalist. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  13. Benson, Lee (October 15, 2017). "It's scary how much these workers like their jobs". Deseret News. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  14. Benson, Lee (2020-10-11). "The Plague Doctor does more than provide scares at Nightmare on 13th". Deseret News. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
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