Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're talking about how you, yes you, can give a talk that will help improve the haunt industry.With HAuNTcon extending the deadline for speakers, now is a great time to think about what topic you may want to speak on and how you can assemble a great presentation.To that end, there's a lot that you can do. You have experiences and knowledge that is valuable to the haunt industry and that's whether you're the newest home haunter or the longest-running veteran...
Aug 19, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly it's all about Computer Assisted Design (or Computer Aided Drafting if you're the older crowd).While many think of CAD as a highly-technical skill only achievable by those that have studied it for years, that's only really true for the upper echelon of CAD. There are plenty of CAD tools that are perfectly usable by anyone capable of clicking a mouse and those tools can be very useful in laying out a haunt.Best of all, many of those tools are FREE (or extreme...
Aug 12, 2019•57 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news and what a news episode it is!We have an update on our 2019 season and a possible danger to it happening. We also have the latest on the rather stupid petition to try and move Halloween (or at least Trick or Treating) to the last Saturday of month.In less annoying news, we have lots of great stories about haunt openings and a major announcement from a haunt that many thought had closed permanently. This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConf...
Aug 05, 2019•1 hr
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're discussing year-round haunting and we're doing it by sitting down with Shelby Rodwell. Shelby runs both The Haunted Mayfield Manor and Pirates! Legends of the Gulf Coast (https://www.piratesandghosts.com) in Galveston. The first is a year-round haunted attraction and the second an equally year-round pirate museum.We're going to talk about the challenges and opportunities in running a year-round haunt including how they keep it going and what some of t...
Jul 29, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Send a text Pretty much every haunted house has a merch booth or a gift shop. There's almost no reason not to. It's a fairly straightforward way to make extra money from your haunt and, in many cases, do some great self-promotion. However, as an industry, our merch game is often times pretty weak. Many places offer t-shirts and hats and not a lot more. There's a lot of room for many haunts to elevate their merch and gift shop game and that's what this episode is about. Finding ways to make more ...
Jul 22, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Send a text When Midwest Haunters Convention left Ohio to head to Chicago, the Ohio Haunters Association (https://ohiohaunters.com) found themselves without a conference in their backyard. So, they had a crazy idea, why not create one.Thus the Ohio Halloween & Haunters Convention was born!So how did a team of great haunt activists and organizers become a crack team of event planners and conference hosts? Well, that's exactly what we're talking with Maximus Bryant about on this week's episode...
Jul 16, 2019•50 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news and, despite it being in the doldrums of summer we have a surprisingly large amount of news to go through.We have updates about new haunts, new escape rooms, a haunt getting a beer license and a triple update on Halloween Horror Nights.So while the temperatures are rising outside, why don't you cool off for the next 45 minutes or so with us and catch up on all the goings on in the haunt industry.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConfere...
Jul 08, 2019•46 min
Send a text Last week, we talked about what we wished we'd known when we started haunting, this week, we're looking at it as customers and talking about things that big haunts forget to do.However, we're not really focusing on things IN the haunt itself. Instead, we're talking about the things that impact the customer experience around the haunt and help keep the haunt safe. All of these things are simple, easy-to-execute elements that make your haunt experience better for customers but that oft...
Jul 01, 2019•53 min
Send a text Haunting is a learning process and, no matter how much you know, there's always more to learn. However, there are still some things that we really wish we had known before we got started. We made some major blunders simply because we didn't know what we were walking into.So what do we wish we had known? There's a lot but here are just seven things to get you started.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersUpdate on The RoofHow to Build a Proper Panel/Don't Cheap Out on ...
Jun 24, 2019•55 min
Send a text Haunters and often avid games and there's not a genre of games haunters love more than horror games. But can horror games help make us better haunters? What lessons can we learn from them?Well, we're going to list ten horror games that definitely have lessons haunters can learn. Even if they're not all the best horror games ever, they're great educational experiences.So sit back, relax and let's talk about some horror video games!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference Reminders...
Jun 17, 2019•55 min
Send a text It's an episode that's divisible by four and that means it's time to do the news!And we have a doozy of a podcast for you as it has been a very active week for haunted attraction news. We have a tale of one haunt being spared by flooding, another that was badly damaged, another story about an arsonist and much more.We also have our seasonal drip feed of Halloween Horror Nights news and one lady who is tried to pass of her racist yard display as Halloween decorations.Yeah, it's a pret...
Jun 11, 2019•47 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're wrapping up our room trilogy as we discuss the best room in your haunt. We've done the first room, we've done the last room and now we're doing the best room.But the best room is more important than some people realize. Your customers, when they walk away from your haunt, will likely only remember one or two things. Having a room that stands out and gets attention, ensures that not only do your customers remember you positively, but that they remember...
Jun 03, 2019•49 min
Send a text Last week, we discussed the importance of the first room, the approaches to it and the purposes it can serve. This week, we're doing the bookend and talking about the last room, and the importance of it.The last room, however, is somewhat unique among haunts in that it's the only room (or haunt element) that has a de facto standard. We've grown to expect that haunts will end with chainsaws the same way we expect a concert to end with the greatest hit by the band. That said, should it...
May 27, 2019•52 min
Send a text The common logic when it comes to building a haunted house is that you put most of your energy, detail and work into the first room and the last room. The idea is that these are the rooms that will be the most memorable to your customers.But is that really true? In thinking about first rooms we've seen we struggled to remember many. That said though, the first room does play a key role in a haunt and you definitely need to put some time and energy in finding the approach that's right...
May 21, 2019•50 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing the news and boy do we have a surprisingly stacked show for an episode that's as far away from Halloween as we can get. We have two announcements from Universal Studios, two more from Disney and a slew of local haunt news across the country.It's one busy episode with a few fun items at the end so stick around as we go through all the haunt news that's fit to print, or talk about rather.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersPosters...
May 13, 2019•45 min
Send a text It's the time of year when haunts are either ramping up their recruitment or are thinking about doing so. It's also the time of the year newbie actors are considering if they want to come on board and, if so, what haunt they want to work.So we've reached out to our resident actor expert, Japes Palles, to tell newbie actors what they can expect and to help haunt owners figure out how to make the process suck less. So prepare yourself for a jam-packed hour of talking about actor recrui...
May 06, 2019•58 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're about as far as Halloween as possible, the weather is getting warmer and it can pretty much not feel less like Halloween.Luckily, we're haunters and we have a lot of great ways to keep Halloween alive 365. However, there's always room to improve so that's why we're sharing 31 ways that we keep the Halloween and haunter spirit alive, no matter what the season outside is doing.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersWhy We're Talking About...
Apr 29, 2019•57 min
Send a text Last week, we were late because we paid a visit to the Paranormal Cirque, this week, we're recounting that visit but with a haunter's eye as we look at some lessons that other (non-traveling) haunted attractions can learn.Please bear in mind that, though we try to keep this spoiler-free, someone it may be considered spoiler-ish. We tried to keep big surprises hidden but some of you are better at figuring out clues than others.With that aside, there's a lot to go through on this episo...
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly it's time to do the news!And what a month of news we have for you with stories from all over the world, including new attractions, attractions reopening and one that had an unexpected closing. We also have two Halloween Horror Nights announcements and a couple of great new ways to make money from your haunt year-round.In short, this is one jam-packed news month so let's dive right in!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersSeveral Haunts Openin...
Apr 15, 2019•50 min
Send a text Last week's episode was something of a downer. Luckily, this week we get to be a bit more optimistic as we talk about all of the signs that show the haunt industry's future is looking bright.Admittedly, this episode was a bit more difficult to research than I had planned but there are some very clear signs that the haunt industry, in spite of its challenges, is doing well and will likely still be doing well in the future.What are those signs? Well, here's a few just to get us started...
Apr 09, 2019•49 min
Send a text Depending on how you look at it, the haunt industry is either set to rocket to the moon or it's doomed to crash and burn.As small business people, we think a lot about the future of the haunt industry and have talked a great deal about it on the podcast over the past three years. The truth is, whether you're a doomsayer or a terminal optimist, you can find a lot of data to support your view.So, over these next two episodes, we're going to do just that and we're going to start by putt...
Apr 01, 2019•50 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're sitting down Elizabeth Zibilich, the proprietor behind Crafty Li'l Devil (https://www.craftylildevil.com/), a New Orleans costuming company, and, as of this year, a first time haunter.Elizabeth cut her teeth this year doing makeup for the The Mortuary Haunted House and ended up getting into the scaring action a bit too. However, as a long time crafter, makeup artist and costume designer, there was some transition for her to the field.So, we're sitting...
Mar 25, 2019•49 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, it's time to do the news!And for a March podcast, we have a LOT of news to get through. We literally cover the entire continental United States, from Alaska to Miami. We have stories of haunt successes, a haunt closure or two, one that caught fire and a few more... interesting pieces that are also Halloween related.All in all, this is one packed episode that also includes some suggestions for what you could (and should) be doing with your haunt in the off s...
Mar 18, 2019•52 min
Send a text The haunted attraction industry loves its conferences but there are still plenty of areas that are either unserved or underserved. To that end, there are many out there who may be cnosidering setting up a conference or gathering of their own.Awesome!But here's the thing: If you want your conference to be a success, you need to take some basic precautions and have a few ideas on what will make your event great. Luckily, we're here to help with some of our best advice for when we have ...
Mar 12, 2019•1 hr
Send a text It's Mardi Gras here in New Orleans.That means the parades are rolling, beads are being thrown and the beers are being downed. However, Mardi Gras is realy more than just an amazing party, it's an amazing feat of security and promotion and seasonal entertainment.Now we know a bunch of other attractions that are season in nature and worried about crowd safety/control so that raises the questions: What can haunts learn from Mardi Gras? That's the question we're tackling here.This Week'...
Mar 04, 2019•1 hr
Send a text Pretty much every business owner hopes to get positive media attention. However, haunted attractions are uniquely positioned to make it happen. Still, dealing with the media can be stressful and it can be difficult to ensure you geet the coverage you want.Fortunately, we're here to help. As a haunt that's had great luck with the media and half of us holding journalism degrees, we have some tips, tricks and ideas to help you not just get the media's attention, but to keep the coverage...
Feb 25, 2019•58 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, it's another episode divisible by four and that means it's time to do the news!And boy do we have some doozies this week. First, we FINALLY get to cover the lawsuit filed against Dorney's Theme Park as well as provide an update on the Old Joliet Prison. However, we also have news on a new attraction at Legoland and new study that shows why people got to haunted houses.So strap yourselves in, we have a lot of news to go over and not a lot of time to do it in...
Feb 18, 2019•51 min
Send a text Haunted attraction documentaries are increasinly common. However, those that put the community in a wholly positive light are still somewhat rare. If that's the case, Spookers: A Family Like No Other, is a great rare gem of a documentary that takes a look bethind the panel walls of a haunted attraction and finds nothing but warmth and happiness. While not a perfect movie, it's a near-perfect representation of what haunting is about.As such, on this episode, we're going to take a deep...
Feb 11, 2019•51 min
Send a text On May 11, 1984, a tragedy unfolded at the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. The fire took 8 young lives and started both criminal and civil proceedings against the company. The fire and the investigation that followed was not only a horrible tragedy, but an event that forever changed the entire industry. This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a long, hard look at this fire, which turns 35 later this year. We look at how it unfolded, the mistakes that were ...
Feb 04, 2019•58 min
Send a text HAuNTcon 2019 is in the books and it looks to be the pentultimate HAuNTcon in New Orleans. However, it isn't leaving the city without a party on the way and, to that end, it was an amazing year. With a trade show floor that was double the size of last year, a new education setup and an equally impressive Halloween & Party Expo there was a LOT to do. Best of all, a lot of the listeners of this podcast and many great online friends made the trip and we got to hang out, party and ge...
Jan 28, 2019•1 hr
