Entertainment · Film · 10 hrs ago
Why people pay to be scared at haunted attractions
Markoff's Haunted Forest in Dickerson, Maryland, has more than a mile of haunted trails and dozens of themed houses.
It has been open since 1992 and employs hundreds of people, including actors, makeup artists and engineers.
Many Americans pay to visit haunted attractions, and tens of millions take part in them each year.
Scare-actor Robert Doyle says visitors may enjoy testing themselves and feeling they have faced a fear safely.
Doyle also says he likes giving people a scare that brings a rush of dopamine.
The attraction uses makeup, costumes and staged scenes to create frightening characters, while emergency radios help staff respond if someone needs assistance.
Markoff's Haunted Forest in Dickerson, Maryland, is a large attraction where visitors pay to be frightened.
The attraction has more than a mile of haunted trails and dozens of themed haunted houses.
People who take part say they enjoy giving others a scare or facing their own fears in a safe setting.
The article says Americans spend an estimated $300 million to $500 million on haunted attractions each year.
- Who
- Visitors pay to experience haunted attractions, including Markoff's Haunted Forest.
- What
- People willingly seek frightening experiences at haunted attractions.
- When
- The article was published on October 11, 2026, during the Halloween season.
- Where
- Markoff's Haunted Forest is in Dickerson, Maryland.
- Why
- Some people seek a safe way to face fears or challenge themselves. A scare-actor says giving visitors a scare can provide a dopamine rush.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Some of our designers, including myself, have done some music festivals before. So yeah, that's the inspiration… from kind-of [a] Van Helsing vampire village aspect of things
I love Halloween. I love going out and interacting with people, entertaining them, making them laugh. Giving them a good scare, you know, giving them a good dopamine rush
People want to challenge themselves and they can say they accomplished something
Markoff's Haunted Forest opened.
NPR published its report on why people enjoy being scared at haunted attractions.
- Location
- Dickerson, Maryland
- Opened
- 1992
- Haunted trails
- More than a mile
- Themed haunted houses
- Dozens
- Estimated US spending on haunted attractions
- $300 million to $500 million per year
Sources
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