The safety of our staff and patrons is of utmost importance to us at the Haunted Schoolhouse & Laboratory. We have worked long and hard on figuring out a COVID safety plan that we feel will keep everyone safe while still delivering the Halloween experience that so many of us love. Here is what we will be doing to ensure everyone’s safety during Halfway to Halloween:
FACE COVERINGS REQUIRED
All staff and guests* will be required to properly wear face coverings, in accordance with the Ohio mask mandate. This WILL be enforced. Actors will be incorporating masks into their costumes where possible, and wearing them under costumes in other situations.
*Except those with legitimate medical exemptions, for which we will need to see a note from your doctor to allow you inside.
TIMED TICKETING & LIMITED CAPACITY
When purchasing your tickets, you must choose the exact time slot that you plan to attend. This is to limit the amount of guests that may go through our attraction at one time to allow for proper group distancing.
Also, there is a total capacity limit for this event, so we recommend buying your tickets online in advance to ensure that you will be able to attend. You will not be permitted to enter the building until your time slot.
SANITATION STATIONS LOCATED THROUGHOUT
We will be providing multiple hand sanitizer stations throughout the attraction, and will have hand washing stations around the restrooms. In addition, we will be sanitizing all patrons hands before entering each of our attractions.
INCREASED CLEANING
There will be easily-identified COVID staff members assigned to clean all high-touch surfaces throughout the night. Queue lines, props, door handles, restrooms, counters, and more will all be sanitized regularly.
CONTACT-FREE TICKETING
All tickets (except fast pass wristbands) will be delivered electronically in an effort to reduce physical contact between our ticket booth staff and patrons.
Furthermore, we recommend paying with a credit or debit card instead of cash to further reduce the risk. Our ticket booth, bars, and merchandise stand are all able to accept Apple and Samsung Pay, as well as contactless payment for chip cards.
SOCIAL DISTANCING - PRIVATE GROUPS
Staff will be vigorously enforcing social distancing guidelines. For your convenience, there will be 6-foot markings in all queue lines throughout the attraction. Please keep your group together and at least 6 feet away from other patrons during your visit.
In addition, we will have a strict limit of 8 persons per group going through the attractions at one time. No exceptions. You’ll not be placed with anyone outside your group, there will be private groups only. We will do our best to wait the appropriate amount of time so as to not allow groups to bunch up together. But, we’ll need your help with this. If you see yourselves catching up to the group in front of you, please slow down a bit.
Also, the number of monsters in each attraction will be slightly reduced so as to try and minimize contact with patrons. NO ONE will touch you in any way this season. Also, many actors will be incorporating pre-recorded scares in an effort to reduce yelling around customers and other staff.
STAFF HEALTH SCREENINGS
All staff will be required to fill out a health-screening form and complete temperature screening every night before they arrive at work. In addition, they have all signed a pledge to commit to being safe during the season outside the time when they are in our building.
Similarly, we ask that you please refrain from attending if you are experiencing any of the following CDC-provided symptoms of COVID-19: Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, or Diarrhea.
DO NOT TOUCH
We ask all patrons to please not touch anything that they do not have to. This includes: Queue Line barriers, props, actors, walls, or other patrons not in your party.
2020 was one for the books. The kind of book that haunts your dreams for years and years after reading it. Think Stephen King on crack. It looks like we may be lucky to have a much more “normal” 2021 season, however we still feel that we must be safe. We wanted to do our part to give you the joy and “normalcy” that so many of us need right now.
However, more important to us than anything is the safety of our staff and customers. So, we’ve implemented all of the above policies and more to do everything possible to keep you safe. You can help us do this, because we’ll need the cooperation of everyone to keep Halloween alive this year.
- First and foremost, please listen to and cooperate with our staff. We’re only trying to keep everyone safe so we can STAY open this season. We reserve the right to remove any patrons from our property without a refund for not complying with our policies, refusing to wear face coverings without an exemption, or becoming combative with our staff.
- Our staff is staying home if they aren’t feeling well, and we ask that you do the same.
- All guests and staff will be required to properly wear face coverings. If you have a medical exemption, we ask that you provide us proof in the form of a doctor’s note in order to be permitted inside without a face covering. Additionally, we still recommend that you wear a face shield if you can not wear a mask.
- Please read and follow all signage and markings. If you have any questions, we will have dedicated COVID staff around to help you and to enforce our policies.
- Please stay with your group and practice social distancing, staying 6 feet from other groups whenever possible.
- Our monsters will not be touching you AT ALL or getting in your face, so we ask that you do the same for them and other patrons.
- Buying your tickets online in advance is the best way to ensure that you have your tickets before that evening sells out.
- Credit cards & contactless payment are the preferred methods of payment. Cash is accepted, but discouraged because of the extra possible transmission of germs.
- Please use the hand sanitizer provided to you at various points throughout the attraction.
- Refrain from touching anything that you do not have to touch.
We are so excited to see everyone. Stay safe and see you soon!
Additional concerns or comments? Please contact us at operations@hauntedohio.com and we’ll get back with you.