Nightmare on 13th

What Nightmare on 13th does

Nightmare on 13th is a privately held, single-location haunted attraction business founded in 1990 in Salt Lake City, Utah (originally as The Institute of Terror Haunted House). The company operates a 36,000 square-foot purpose-built indoor haunted house at 300 W 1300 S, featuring 16+ named themed areas (including Nightmare Alley, Call of Cthulhu, Ossuary, and Helheim) that are refreshed annually, with professionally trained actors, cutting-edge animatronics, and cinematic-quality audio/lighting effects. Its product surface has expanded to include a second asylum-themed attraction (Institute of Terror, launched 2023), a family-friendly Day Haunt tour (launched 2025), an X-Scream add-on, and affiliated Escape on 13th escape rooms.

The business generates revenue through four primary streams: tiered ticket sales (General Admission, Combo, VIP, Red Carpet VIP) sold via Interactive Ticketing and on-site box office during a September–November peak season supplemented by Friday the 13th special events; merchandise e-commerce (apparel, accessories, phone cases, novelty items); photo sales at attraction exit; and year-round private venue rentals of the 1,600 sq ft Club Nightmare event space for corporate events, weddings, and birthday parties. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company's own online ticketing, e-commerce store, on-site box office, and group sales programs, with marketing executed through Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, email newsletter, blog content, and an influencer collaboration program.

The company markets itself as Utah's #1 haunted attraction and one of America's top haunted houses, drawing favorable comparisons from visitors to Universal Studios and Six Flags production quality. It is a member of the America Haunts network of 20+ top-tier attractions and operates with 150+ paid seasonal positions during peak season, supported by a small year-round core. There is no disclosed venture capital, private equity investment, parent company, or M&A activity; ownership appears to be independent and long-tenured since founding.

Name

Nightmare on 13th

Legal name

Nightmare On 13th

Website

https://nightmareon13th.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nightmare on 13th is a privately held, single-location haunted attraction venue in Salt Lake City, Utah, operating since 1990. It runs a 36,000-square-foot indoor haunted house with annual themed refreshes, secondary attractions, family-friendly Day Haunt tours, event venue rentals, and branded merchandise serving Halloween enthusiasts, families, and private event customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from admission tickets to haunted attractions. Multiple ticket tiers including General Admission, Combo Tickets (Nightmare + Institute of Terror), VIP tickets, and Day Haunt tickets. Online tickets are discounted compared to box office pricing.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, toddler/infant clothing), accessories (hats, beanies, fanny packs, drawstring bags), electronics cases (iPhone, Samsung phone cases), and novelty items (patches, magnets, stickers, laptop sleeves, mouse pads).
3. Event Venue Rentals: Club Nightmare event venue available for rental year-round for private events including Halloween parties, birthday parties, corporate events, weddings, music videos, paranormal investigations, and more. 1,600 sq ft multi-purpose space with optional behind-the-scenes tours and attraction ticket add-ons.
4. Photo Sales: Photo services at the attraction including free low-resolution digital photos and high-resolution 6x8 prints available for purchase at the end of the haunted house.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nightmare on 13th operates a 36,000 square-foot indoor haunted attraction in Salt Lake City featuring professionally trained actors, professionally crafted costumes, masks, makeup, cutting-edge animatronics, and audio/lighting effects across multiple themed areas (Nightmare Alley, Call of Cthulhu, Dark Harvest, Ossuary, Helheim, etc.) that are refreshed every season. The company also runs the Institute of Terror asylum-themed second attraction, a family-friendly Day Haunt experience, year-round event venue rental at Club Nightmare, and an online branded merchandise store.

Product overview

Nightmare on 13th is a single haunted house attraction venue offering multiple themed experiences. The core product is the main Nightmare Haunted House featuring 36,000 square feet of themed areas with professionally trained actors, animatronics, and audio/lighting effects. Secondary attractions include the Institute of Terror (a separate intense asylum-themed attraction available with Combo/VIP tickets) and the Day Haunt (a family-friendly scare-free daytime experience on Saturdays). The company also operates Club Nightmare as a 1,600 sq ft event venue for private rentals, maintains an online merchandise store, and offers add-on experiences including X-Scream and VIP FastPass. Ticket tiers include General Admission, Combo (main + Institute of Terror), VIP, and Red Carpet VIP (includes X-Scream).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institute of Terror: A separate second attraction themed as an insane asylum for the criminally insane, darker and more intense than the main Nightmare haunted house. Included with VIP or Combo tickets.
• Day Haunt
• Club Nightmare

Products and services

• Nightmare Main Haunted House Flagship indoor haunted house attraction spanning 36,000 square feet with multiple themed areas (Nightmare Alley, Call of Cthulhu, Dark Harvest, Black Water, Swamp Blood, Possession of Black Thorn Manor, The Howling, Ossuary, Helheim, Dark Ride, Slayer's Inferno, The Depths, Deep Freeze, Horror Cinema, The Thing With Red Eyes, and Final Cut), featuring professionally trained actors, cutting-edge animatronics, and audio/lighting effects.
• Institute of Terror Separate full-scale haunted attraction themed as an insane asylum for the criminally insane, featuring psychological horrors with deranged doctors, nuns, and patients. Darker and more intense than the main attraction and available only with Combo or VIP level tickets.
• Day Haunt Family-friendly, scare-free daytime walkthrough experience available on Saturday afternoons that lets families and children explore the attraction's sets and snap photos without monsters.
• Escape on 13th Separate affiliated escape room experience operated as a sister attraction to the main haunted house, listed on Nightmare on 13th's website navigation.
• Club Nightmare Event Venue 1,600 sq ft multi-purpose event venue space with year-round Halloween theming, available for partial or full building rentals for Halloween parties, corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, music videos, paranormal investigations, and other occasions. Add-ons include behind-the-scenes tours and discounted attraction tickets.
• Nightmare Store Online branded merchandise store selling apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, toddler/infant clothing), accessories (hats, beanies, fanny packs, drawstring bags), electronics cases (iPhone and Samsung phone cases), and novelty items (patches, magnets, stickers, laptop sleeves, mouse pads).

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked as one of America's top haunted houses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Spirit HalloweenminorOthersCurrent partner displayed on partnership page. Coming soon status. Spirit Halloween is a seasonal Halloween costume and decoration retailer.
• BevgasminorOthersCurrent partner displayed on partnership page. Coming soon status. Nature of partnership not specified.
• America HauntscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNightmare on 13th is listed as a member of America Haunts, a network of 20+ haunted attractions nationwide serving over a million thrill seekers annually. America Haunts members have been featured on the Travel Channel and recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records. The organization provides technical excellence, stunning set design, Hollywood-quality makeup, costumes and actors. Nightmare on 13th is featured among top attractions including Netherworld, 13th Gate, Bates Motel, Erebus, Headless Horseman, Spooky Woods, Cutting Edge, and others.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cutting Edge Haunted House: Texas-based haunted attraction holding Guinness world record recognition. America Haunts member with comparable scale and reputation for cinematic set design.
• 13th Gate Haunted House: Louisiana-based haunted attraction and America Haunts member, known for ultra-detailed themed environments. Direct competitor in the high-end, story-driven haunted attraction category.
• Erebus Haunted Attraction: Four-story haunted attraction in Pontiac, Michigan, and America Haunts co-member. Comparable in scale and nationally recognized reputation as one of the country's premier scare experiences.
• Bates Motel Haunted Attraction: Pennsylvania-based seasonal haunted attraction featuring hayride, haunted house, and corn maze. Listed as a peer America Haunts attraction alongside Nightmare on 13th.
• Spooky Woods: North Carolina-based high-profile haunted attraction and America Haunts member. Comparable seasonal outdoor/indoor hybrid haunted experience model.
• Netherworld Haunted House: Atlanta-based haunted attraction frequently ranked among America's top haunted houses. Co-member of America Haunts with Nightmare on 13th, comparable in scale, themed-area approach, and ticketing model.
• Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions: New York-based multi-attraction Halloween destination with hayrides, haunted houses, and corn mazes. America Haunts peer, comparable multi-product seasonal model.

Broad incumbents

• Six Flags Fright Fest: Major regional theme park chain's seasonal Halloween event, mentioned by Nightmare on 13th customers as a comparison point. Broader incumbent with less specialized scare production.
• Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights: Major theme park operator's flagship Halloween event, repeatedly referenced in Nightmare on 13th customer comparisons. Represents the high-end broad-incumbent benchmark for production-quality scare experiences.
• Knott's Scary Farm: Long-running Halloween event at Knott's Berry Farm, frequently cited alongside Universal as the comparison standard for top-tier haunts in Nightmare on 13th's customer testimonials.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nightmareon13th
• YouTubeyoutube.com/nightmareon13th
• Facebookfacebook.com/nightmareon13th
• Instagraminstagram.com/nightmareon13th
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nightmare-on-13th

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nightmare on 13th