#18 Hallowed Haunt: Inside a Nationally Acclaimed Haunted Experience

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sitting just off the bank of the mississippi river is The 13th Gate. A repeatedly nationally acclaimed haunted house and escape room. The founder and owner -an understated multi-medium master- Dwayne Sanburn joins the podcast to discuss the experience that has repeatedly set the bar for each of his respective categories.

Opening on September 27th this year, The 13 Gate is a haunted immersive experience spanning 40,000 square feet. 13 highly detailed themed areas and approximately 160 actors enable your spooky season adventure. In addition to the expansive haunt, The experience holds 7 escape rooms and a 4 player virtual reality zombie game, all of which are open year round. The escape rooms, specifically cutthroat cavern has become something of a pilgrimage for the national escape room community. 

Selected Links:

• 13th gate site
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
• 13th gate escape site
  • Facebook 
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
• Haunt tickets
• Escape tickets
• The incredibly long list of the experience’s reviews and press coverage

Show Notes:

• Favorite fictional world [2:24]
• What drew you to the haunted and horror genre ? [3:36]
• What are people missing in the haunted and horror genre? [6:09]
• here to fix your phobia [7:46]
• Real fear vs. fake fear [8:54]
• The nursing connection [9:43]
• What are people looking for? [11:41]
• Specifically in this experience [12:25]
• What is ‘The 13th Gate’? [15:04]
• 13th Gate Escape [15:28]
• Make it immersive: Unleashing the story [19:10]
• How many times through the warp bubble? [22:07]
• From haunted house to escape room [25:39]
• What is the value of play? [28:36]
• The search for shared experience [30:39]
• It’s supposed to be special [31:42]
• Explaining immersion [34:43]
• The takeaway [36:10]
• On the immersive horizon [38:22]