Frequently Asked Questions

Questions? Check out the ones below and if you need to, get in touch with your own creepy query.

General Info

As the Haunted Trail is outdoors, inclement weather may cause us to close due to safety reasons but WE WILL MAKE ALL EFFORTS TO STAY OPEN!

If there are light or intermediate showers, we can typically stay open. If it turns into a storm or heavy rain, we will have to close.

If the official decision is made that we must close, whether it is before opening time or at some point during the night, it will be posted on our Instagram (@hauntedtrailbp). If you bought a ticket for a night that we have to close, we will include on that post when you are able to return with that ticket for entry.
PARKING: While there is not a designated parking lot, you can find parking throughout Balboa Park and surrounding area and then walk over.

DROP OFF & PICKUP will be at Balboa Dr & Juniper. The entrance is a short walk to the left. You can pull over to drop off here but you cannot park or stay so you will need to find parking elsewhere.

If you are picking up, this is also where customers will need to walk back to once they are done at the event. The exit of the haunt is at the bottom of the street, which will be closed to vehicles, no exceptions.

Please Note, on Busy Nights this intersection can get very congested. Cars will not be allowed to remain in this area for longer than the typical pickup window.
Before you start on the mile long Trail, you will go through The eXperiment Maze. You are in the maze until you find your way out (usually no more than 15 minutes unless you are having a very difficult time). After you exit the Maze, there will be a brief regrouping before you are sent through the Trail, which takes anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on the pace of your group. However, this does not include your wait time in line.

To save time waiting in line, the SCREAM PASS admission allows you to use an express entrance line.
Timed GA typically does not have more than a 1 hour overall wait. On slower nights when not near capacity/sold out, it can be quicker. EXAMPLE: 7pm tickets will wait out front in a que line until 7pm and are then let into the main line/corral by 7:30pm. There will be a wait in the main line/corral as people are grouped and sent through.

SCREAM PASS admission will give you a much shorter wait! When you arrive, you will enter an express SCREAM PASS line and will have a brief wait to get grouped and sent in.

If you try to purchase tickets on site, there is a separate line for the Ticket Booth which can get very long and may sell out. Once you buy your ticket, you then need to wait in the que line until it is your turn to enter the main line. Strongly Recommend buying your ticket online in advance.
Timed GA allows you to select your time of arrival and you will enter the main line within 30 minutes of that time.

SCREAM PASS admission gives you the flexibility of arriving within a 1-Hour window if your reserved time and you will enter via an express line.
If you have already been waiting in the entrance line with ticket in hand, we make all efforts to make sure everyone is able to get through. If the line is simply too long or we have reached our time limit for operating, we will honor your tickets on another night when we are open. It is always best to arrive as early as you can and/or buy your tickets online in advance.

Tickets

The Ticket Booth always has tickets available right at opening time and then usually a small number of tickets throughout the night, however, the ticket options may be limited. Unfortunately, Customer Support will not know what the current status of on-site tickets are as it all depends on the capacity of the event at the time that you arrive. More often than not, you should be able to get a ticket but we cannot guarantee it. (You will be subject to the current wait at Ticket Booth before you can then get into the Entrance Line).

We strongly recommend buying Online in advance.
Printing out your online tickets is the safest option! If your battery dies, you cannot locate your ticket email, or your phone is cracked/unscannable...you will need to buy a new ticket on site to enter. If you are not worried about any of those issues, then we can scan the ticket barcode off of your phone.

TIP: You may want to take a screenshot of your ticket beforehand as many customers have issues finding their ticket order in their email and have to get out of line.
PLEASE NOTE: In order to make either of these changes, you will need to "Create an Account". That link is listed at the bottom of your Ticket Order email.

You can Reschedule your ticket up to 1 hour before your reserved time. (Subject to availability on the new date/time. Price is subject to increase on select nights).

You can Upgrade your ticket up to 1 hour before your reserved time. (If Scream Passes are still available, you can upgrade your TIMED GA and get express entry).

If you are not able to select tickets on the new date/time, then that option is SOLD OUT.
Sorry, NO REFUNDS FOR ANY REASON*, including but not limited to: being too scared to enter, exiting the haunt early, unused tickets, arriving after closing time, weather forecast and/or rain (unless Trail is forced to close), etc.

*If you added Purchase Protection, then a refund will be allowed if you are prevented from attending the event due to specifically listed unforeseen circumstances (terms & conditions apply).

Bring young kids at your discretion as you will NOT be refunded if they are too scared to enter or complete event. (Babies/toddlers/strollers/Pregnant women are not allowed to enter the haunt).
The SCREAM PASS Admission lets you use an express entrance line for a much shorter wait than the Timed GA. You also have the flexibility of arriving within a 1-Hour window.

You will enter the express line at the main entrance before you are sent through the eXperiment Maze. There will be a short regrouping upon exiting the Maze and entering the mile long Trail.

If you purchase a Timed GA, you may be able to upgrade to Scream Pass onsite. Price subject to increase and is subject to availability.

Yes, if you bought the Scream Pass but the rest of your group has TIMED GA, you are able to go with them via the TIMED GA entrance instead but please note, we do not offer any credit should you decide to not use the express entry.

Alternatively, the TIMED GA ticket holders can ask on-site about upgrading to the Scream Pass and then your group can enter through the express entry.
If your card is being declined, you may still see the attempted purchase show as an Auth Hold/Pending/Held from your account, especially if you are using a debit card. This is done by your bank while the order is trying to be completed. If you received an error/your card was declined AND you did not reach the confirmation page with your tickets nor receive a Ticket Order confirmation email, then no order has been placed and that charge will not settle on our end. Please note, each attempt you make to place an order may result in another held amount so it is best to make sure you are entering all of the correct information before you try again.

With most banks, those amounts typically drop off in a few days as the order was not able to be charged on our end. If they are affecting your available funds, you will need to reach out to your bank to see if they can help to remove those as your order was not able to be placed. Unfortunately, we do not have control over the holds that banks/credit cards put on cards when attempting to approve a transaction.

If you continue to have issues trying to place an order or want to make sure no order has actually gone through, please email the office for further assistance hauntedhotel@yahoo.com
SCAM ALERT: Every year The Haunted Trail is targeted by online scammers trying to sell fake or duplicated tickets on craigslist, offer up, etc. They claim they have “extra/unused tickets” but you are really buying a ticket that will not be valid for entry.

Please do not give scammers your money! You will have to buy a real ticket at the ticket booth in order to enter.

The only tickets that are real/valid will be the ones you purchase directly from The Haunted Trail.

Discounts & Coupons

Group Discount Tickets are available when you buy at least 20 tickets in advance through the office. (credit cards not accepted)

Group Tickets are valid SUN - THURS through Oct 23. (NOT VALID on FRI/SAT).

For more details or to place an order, please email hauntedhotel@yahoo.com
Deals for 2025 are TBD at this time

Thank you for your service! You can receive a Military discount of $5 off Timed General Admission if you are attending the event SUN–THURS from 9/28/25 - 10/23/25.

You will need to buy your tickets at the Ticket Booth and show your Military ID. One ID is good for 2 tickets.

Discounted tickets are subject to availability and may not be available if the ticket booth has sold out.

Discount is not valid on Fri/Sat. Not valid after 10/23/25. Not valid towards SCREAM PASS Admission.

Entry Restrictions

The Haunted Trail is NOT recommended for children under the age of 10. However, if they are old enough to walk on their own, they will be allowed in with a parent. You will not be allowed to pick them up and carry them, they must be able to walk on their own two feet.

Sorry, NO ENTRY for Babies, Stollers, or Children being carried.

Children need a ticket to enter and we do not offer special pricing for children. There are many emergency exits throughout each attraction in case anyone gets too scared to continue, but please be warned, scared patrons/children who need to exit (or choose not to enter) will not receive a refund.
Sorry, but no pregnant women, infants, or children being carried will be allowed entry. This attraction is not recommended for visitors who have heart conditions, are prone to seizures, or are in general poor health. We reserve the right to determine if you are not allowed in due to safety reasons.
The Haunted Trail is wheelchair accessible but please note, due to the terrain, it can very difficult for wheelchairs to maneuver through this outdoor event.

The pathways are dirt and mulch and may be uneven as they wind through the park.

Manual wheelchairs that can be pushed/pushed if they get stuck, tend to get through a little better than powerchairs.
A service animal is permitted for individuals with a disability. Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. All service animals must remain on a leash or harness and may not be left unattended. Service animal behavior is the responsibility of the owner and you will be asked to leave The Haunted Trail if their behavior becomes a threat to the safety of another guest or employee. We do not have accommodations for pets at the The Haunted Trail. All other will need to stay home where they are safe from our ghouls.

The DOJ/ADA does not qualify “Emotional Support or Companion Animals” as service dogs.
Your ticket is valid for entry ONE TIME through the eXperiment Maze and ONE TIME through the Trail. If you want to go through again, you will need to purchase another ticket.

Rules of the Haunt

NO. As you walk through, our zombies and ghouls will appear, disappear, and come very close, but they will not intentionally touch you or grab you.

Please do not touch the actors. We reserve the right to prosecute any patrons who strike or harm our actors.
While you can take personal photos & video while going through, please be advised, we strongly suggest you keep your phone secure! Cell Phones are the most commonly lost & broken items!!

We are NOT liable for lost or damaged phones nor will we have a search party to find it while we are open. Many phones get lost or broken so please be aware!

NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY OR LIGHTS. For the safety of our actors, as well as not ruining the experience for other patrons, we do not allow any type of FLASH photography or flashlights while you are walking through the haunts. You may be asked to exit early should you use flash or have any type of light turned on while going through.

If you are trying to film for media purposes, you will need to contact hauntedhotel@yahoo.com for inquiries and permission.
YES! Halloween Costumes are allowed but please note, if your costume is offensive or involves nudity, you will not be allowed in. Any props that you are carrying will need to be left at the entrance. If you are wearing a mask, you will need to remove it to walk through the haunt.
Yes!! We do not allow foul language, pushing, vulgar behavior, weapons of any kind, alcohol, harming our actors or staff, etc. We do not allow babies or children to be carried through. Smoking and alcohol is not allowed. We reserve the right to remove any patron from the event if we feel it is necessary.

Violation of these rules will usually bring a warning and then being asked to leave without a refund.
Items NOT allowed into the Haunted Trail include, but are not limited to, the following:

Skateboards
Backpacks
Large Bags
Pets
Weapons
Props
Alcohol
Cameras
Laser Pointers
Flashlights
Food or Beverage
Babies/ Strollers / Children being Carried

There is no smoking or vaping allowed inside our gates or in our lines.

Please also be aware, there is no smoking in Balboa Park in general and you can be fined.
NO! Alcohol is not allowed on the haunt premises, or in Balboa Park. Should you bring any, you will be asked to leave without refund.
NO! It is illegal to smoke or vape throughout all areas of Balboa Park, including in our lines, inside the gates, and inside of the haunts.

What to Expect

Yes, bring a change of underwear!! The Haunted Trail features live actors, loud noises, flashing lights, and other scary elements designed to scare the “yell” out of you!

The Haunted Trail does not offer any scare deterrents, anyone at the event should be prepared to be scared!! Beware, the Scare Actors will be scaring all groups throughout the attraction as well as in the entrance line and while not every person will directly be scared or approached by an actor, it could happen to anyone at the event.

This haunted attraction is not recommended for children under the age of 10 or those that are too terrified to enter. This attraction contains high impact scares and strobe lights which may not be suitable for people with heart conditions or prone to seizures.

We do not offer refunds should a child/teen/adult be too scared to enter or opts to exit early.
Yes! There is a concessions booth inside the front entrance that sells bottled water, sodas, energy drinks, candy, packaged snack items, as well as souvenir and glow novelties. Please note, you cannot take open food into the actual haunt. Bottled drinks will be allowed as long as they can securely be closed and put away.

At the exit of the Haunt, there is a Bootique Gift Shop and Midway Madness, which will have a variety of Food Truck vendors.
Visit Midway Madness, a NEW dark carnival scare zone with roaming monsters, axe throwing, games, photo ops, an expanded BOOtique Gift Shop, and bites from local food trucks!

Located at the exit of the haunt and no ticket is required to enter Midway Madness. This is also a great spot for parents or non haunt patrons to have some thrills while waiting for their group to exit the Trail. There will be some picnic tables but seating may be limited.

Please note, while some food trucks *may* accept cash, the majority of Midway Madness will be cashless.
YES! This attraction contains high impact scares and strobe lights which may not be suitable for people with heart conditions or prone to seizures. Attraction may include the use of fog juice as well as spraying water.
This is a walk-through attraction. The eXperiment Maze is a maze which may take some people longer to find their way out but you will not get lost. The Trail has a pathway that you will follow. Rooms may very dark and some may be pitch black but the entire attraction will not be pitch black, you will see the actors and sets.
Yes, we do have security. We seldom, if ever, have a problem that actually requires security but we have it just in case.

We also have an EMT on staff each night.
Running is the main cause of minor injuries. Make sure to follow the rules and DON’T run and you should be fine!
Unfortunately no, that haunted house does not exist in San Diego. As far as we know, it is an urban legend.
For media inquiries, please e-mail: hauntedhotel@yahoo.com

WARNING

WARNING: All patrons enter at their own risk. Owners & sponsors are not responsible or liable for any harm incurred on the premises. This attraction contains high impact scares and strobe lights which may not be suitable for people with heart conditions or prone to seizures. Attraction may include the use of fog juice as well as spraying water. Sorry, NO pregnant women, infants, or children being carried will be allowed entry. Not recommended for children under 10.

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