It is with tremendous sadness that we join our haunt family in remembering Randy Bates, founder of The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.
Randy’s story is part of the story of the modern haunted attraction industry. In 1991, Randy and his wife, Anne, began with a small haunted hayride through the woods of their family’s Arasapha Farm. Tickets were just $2, and in those early years, Randy was simply following an idea and his love of scaring people.
That idea grew.
After attending the TransWorld Halloween trade show in the mid-1990s, Randy returned home inspired to build a haunted house of his own. The Bates Motel opened in 1996, followed several years later by a haunted trail through the cornfield. Together, those attractions grew into one of the most recognized and celebrated Halloween destinations in the country.
The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride became known for its enormous sets, incredible actors, spectacular effects and Randy’s particular fondness for fire and pyrotechnics. It earned national recognition, appeared on television and inspired generations of attraction owners, designers and performers.
However, Randy’s legacy cannot be measured by attendance numbers, awards or the size of the monsters he built.
Those who knew him remember an intelligent, innovative and generous man who was always willing to share his knowledge and help others succeed. Randy supported the growth of TransWorld’s Halloween and Attractions Show and became a familiar, welcoming presence within the haunt community. Whether someone was an established attraction owner or a haunter attending their first trade show, Randy treated people with kindness and respect.
He showed up. He cared. He helped.
Most importantly, behind the legendary haunter was a devoted family man. Randy was a husband, a dad and a grandfather. The attraction he created was rooted in his family’s farm, built alongside the people he loved and sustained through decades of hard work and imagination.
That may be the most fitting part of his legacy. Randy did not merely build a successful haunted attraction. He built something his family, his community and the entire haunt industry could be proud of.
For those of us who dedicate our lives to Halloween, Randy demonstrated what was possible. He helped transform a seasonal farm hayride into world-class entertainment while never losing the generosity and sense of community that made him so respected.
The lights will continue to flicker at The Bates Motel. Wagons will continue traveling through the dark woods of Arasapha Farm. Actors will continue hiding in the shadows, waiting to create another scream. Every one of those moments will carry a little piece of the man who started it all.
Our hearts are with Randy’s family, friends, team and everyone fortunate enough to know him.
Thank you for the scares, the inspiration and the friendship, Randy.
Your legacy will live on every October.
