Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking holiday shows or, perhaps more accurately, how similar so many of them are.With more haunts expanding into the holiday season, it makes sense to talk about how you can make your show truly unique, including steps you can take right now and today to start improving your show for next year.So sit back and relax as we tackle some tough questions including "Why do all holiday shows feel the same?" and "Really, Krampus is here too?"This Week's Epis...
Dec 13, 2021•56 min
Send a text Pretty much everyone agrees that fast food mascots are creepy. We've taken it a step further and devised a theory that they are, without exception, serial killers.So, this week, we are discussing them. We're taking a look at the major fast food mascots, why they are creepy and how you can introduce some of that creep into your haunt.We do this in hopes that maybe, just maybe, some haunts will steer away from ripping off famous horror movie characters and shift to either using parodie...
Dec 07, 2021•56 min
Send a text Looking around many haunted attraction groups, I've been seeing several posts claiming that haunts are recession-proof or, at the very least, recession-resilliant. But is it?Haunted attractions have changed a LOT over the past decade or so. We've become a luxury entertainment experience and that's one that had an increasing impact on our customers' wallets? What happens when belts tighten?That's what we're going to look at today with evidence both for and against this notion as well ...
Nov 29, 2021•51 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing the news, and it has been another busy news cycle to say the least. Not only do we have the end of the 2021 haunt season to go over, but the aftermath of that season carries with it tons of news of its own.Luckily for us, it's an interesting mix of happy and serious stories this week as we talk about an arson at one haunt, another haunt run by the developmentally disabled and much, much more.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroQuestion of the WeekC...
Nov 22, 2021•51 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're celebrating the end of haunt season 2021 with a look back to the past.Haunting: Starring Polterguy, is a unique game for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive. Released in 1993, the game has you play the role of a poltergeist with the singular goal of scaring a family out of their beloved home. However, there's much more to this game than fun, cartoony graphics and silly scares. There are some lessons for haunters and, just maybe, a good way to wind down af...
Nov 15, 2021•55 min
Send a text Halloween 2021 is in the books and for us, well, it didn't exactly go as well as planned. Between car accidents, back injuries and a million other misfortunes, this was NOT the Halloween we wanted.However, we did try to make the best of it. There were parties, or at least A party, trick or treating and a lot of moaning and crying out, just not the spooky kind.So join us as we go back through the Halloween that was, discuss why our haunt was closed this year and, more importantly, wha...
Nov 09, 2021•53 min
Send a text **Due to a back injury we are doing another classic episode, this one an interview with Jim Warfield from Raven's Grin Inn!** Most haunters are already very familiar with Raven's Grin Inn , a year-round haunted attraction in Mt. Carroll, IL. The brain child and labor of Jim Warfield, it is an attraction that is both unique and revered. Last week, we got the chance to see the iconic haunt and it was indeed every bit as unusual an amazing that we thought it would be. But, equally aweso...
Nov 01, 2021•57 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news and man do we have a busy show for you. Without a doubt, 2021 has been one of the busiest and most chaotic seasons to date and we're covering the bulk of it in just one episode as we discuss all the haunt news that's fit to print (or talk about).So sit back, relax and let's talk about some haunted attraction news!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroUpdate on Our DisplayRevisiting the Question of the WeekThis Week's Question of the WeekCon...
Oct 25, 2021•50 min
Send a text Halloween novelty songs are a tradition that goes back more than sixty years. They have been a part of American culture for decades and have made a splash all around the world.So this week we're going to take a look at some classic mainstays of the genre. We'll examine the song itself, what it means, and take a look at the person or people that wrote it.Hopefully this trip down memory lane will be just as exciting and for you as it was for both of us.This Week's Episode Includes:Intr...
Oct 18, 2021•55 min
Send a text As we've discussed, we didn't get the Episode 300 we wanted or the Episode 305 we wanted either. However, Crystal is back now, and we're trying to get some of what we missed back as we look over our history and discuss our favorite episodes.But wait, you say, didn't you do this in Episode 200? Well, yes. That's why we're focusing most of our energy on the last 100 episode and looking at some of our favorite episodes over the least 100 weeks. So sit back, relax and join us as we discu...
Oct 11, 2021•52 min
Send a text Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to record a new episode this week. So, instead, we're resharing Episode 200, Our Favorite Haunt Weekly Episodes.This was meant to be the episode we were going to play off of this week, but it's a great episode that points to many other great episodes and is well worth either a first or second listen.Previous Show Notes: It is our 200th episode and, to celebrate, we're going through our entire library and highlighting the b...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we are doing the news and the past four weeks have been busy ones. Most notably, we've had the start of haunt season and, with that, we have our first shooting of the season and a very odd stabbing.However, it's not all bad news as we have some very unique haunts opening or reopening this year as well as some very upbeat forecasts on the seasons. So sit down, grab your favorite beverage and listen as we take you though all the haunt news fit to print... or ...
Sep 27, 2021•51 min
Send a text It's the busy time of year for most haunts. After all, your haunt is likely either just opening up or about to open soon. So, it's that last-minute crunch to get everything ready.But did you remember everything? Are you sure? We know from experience that it's easy to overlook a lot when things are at their craziest, so we are here to help with 10 things that you or your haunt should be doing right now, but may have overlooked.This Week's Episode Includes: IntroLast Week's QuestionThi...
Sep 20, 2021•48 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're digging through the archives and revisiting Episode 71, when we talked about our haunt wishlist.This week, we get to update it by first scratching off some that we already made it to, adding a some new ones that stoked our interest and discuss the types of haunts we desperately want to make it to.So sit back, relax and let us go through a few places on our bucket list.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroQuestion of the WeekConference RemindersSending Lov...
Sep 13, 2021•45 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're taking a look at the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and the various ways that being haunters helped us get through it.Sure, being a haunter may seem like a great way to accumulate a slew of useless skills, but in reality, they can help you survive a natural disaster.Here's just some of those ways.This Week's Episode Includes;IntroHousekeeping NotesQuestion of the WeekHurricane Updates7 Ways Being a Haunter Helped UsConclusionsAll in all, this is one episod...
Sep 07, 2021•51 min
Send a text This isn't the 300th episode we were hoping for. However, not rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor hurricane will stop the Haunt Weekly train. Sure, we don't have the big panel and blowout we were planning, but we can bring you... DA NEWS.So sit back, relax and let us regale you both in the story of Ida and the latest in haunted attraction news. This Week's Episode Includes:Intro Update on the StormKentucky Haunt Mourns Death of Actor (https://www.wlky.com/article/castmates-reflect-on-slai...
Aug 31, 2021•49 min
Send a text If you run a home haunt, you most likely take donations. If you aren't, you probably should consider it.But donations can be a touch subject for visitor and haunter alike. So, how do you maximize the donations that you receive while minimizing the headache that they cause? That's exactly what we aim to answer this week.This Week's Episode Includes: IntroQuestion of the WeekWhy Home Haunts Take DonationsPromoting DonationsBuilding a Donation BoxVirtual DonationsSome Additional Thought...
Aug 23, 2021•50 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're throwing the curtain back on our podcast and showing you how we make this show week after week. So, whether you're an aspiring podcaster, a successful podcaster that wants to mock us, or just plain curious how we make the show, your questions will be answered.So sit back, relax and enjoy this look at how the sausage is made.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersSome Transparency About This Week's EpisodeThe Origins of Haunt WeeklyThe E...
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're turning our gaze to the upcoming 2021 haunt season and the challenges that we are facing.As wild and as unpredictable as 2020 season, this one is setting up to be even more so. Between pent-up demand, the rising Delta variant and new rules and regulations being handed down, we are actually less sure about this year than the last.So let's break it all down and see what you should be thinking about right now.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroQuick Non-H...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly it is time to do the news and what a news week we have for you. This July has been anything but a quiet month.Of course, we have the latest on HHN and other major haunt shows but also news about Reaper's Realm, Eastern State Penn and much, much more.This episode also marks the return of the conference reminders, so come find out what conventions are happening in your area!This Week's Episode Includes: IntroQuestion of the WeekConference RemindersReaper's Rea...
Aug 02, 2021•54 min
Send a text Last week we paid a visit to St. Louis, our first trip since the start of the pandemic. Though most of the trip was about family, we decided to take a day to visit the legendary City Museum. Though City Museum may not be a haunted attraction in and of itself, it has a lot in common with one. To that end, there's a lot that the museum gets right when it comes to being an attraction and a few things it could improve.However, in both cases, there's a lot that haunters can learn about ho...
Jul 27, 2021•57 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're looking at a different Halloween tradition, trick-or-treating.Trick-or-Treating may seem like something that doesn't have a lot to do with haunting, but the truth is that it is where many young haunt lovers get their start, and it's a potential way to expand your audience and reach a younger crowd.So, whether you're a first-time haunter hoping to give away some candy or a pro haunt looking to expand their business, we're talking ways that you can enco...
Jul 19, 2021•54 min
Send a text Two episodes ago, we talked about event planning for haunts and harped on the importance of communication. Now we're exploring that topic more fully. So take a seat and let's discuss some ways that you can improve communication in your haunt, and ensure that everyone knows what they need to know.We will look at everything from communication with the core staff to your entire actor team.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroHousekeepingQuestion of the WeekBackground on the TopicGeneral Ru...
Jul 12, 2021•55 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly, we're spending the Fourth of July with you (you can probably hear the fireworks in the background) and working hard to bring you the best and biggest stories in haunted attraction news. And it is a very busy news cycle this go around as we have one haunted prop builder pleading guilty to tax evasion, another haunt destroyed by a flood and new scholarships made possible by a haunted attraction.It's not the longest episode ever, but it is a jam packed one wit...
Jul 05, 2021•49 min
Send a text Running a haunt is about more than building it and staffing. A haunt is an event, and it needs to be planned like it.But, while event planning is very much about setting up the best event possible, it's also about preparing for the worst and developing alternatives and backups for just about everything.So, that's what we're teaching this week, the rules and techniques to follow to make sure that your show goes off with the minimal problems and that you can enjoy your haunt to its ful...
Jun 28, 2021•57 min
Send a text It might seem unusual for a podcast named Haunt Weekly. After all, pretty much everyone who listens to this podcast has probably visited a haunt or 10,000. However, you know someone who has never gone and, if so, this episode is for them.Here, we take a look back at the dark times before we became haunters and talk about our first visit to haunts and the things we wish we knew before we walked in the door.That said, we have ten suggestions that should help you, or someone you know, m...
Jun 21, 2021•51 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're taking a look at outdoor haunts and the unique opportunities they have to make revenue from their property all year long.Whether you have an empty field, a wooded forest or something in between, there are ways that you can turn your haunt into a year-round source of income. Best of all, a lot of these approaches do NOT require a large investment and can even be done for free or for just a few thousand dollars. This Week's Episode Includes: Intro New Pr...
Jun 15, 2021•52 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we are doing the news, and it's a jam-packed news episode with haunts, opening, closing, being sold, being demolished and even a restaurant.Safe to say, this is not your typical early-summer news month, that much is for certain!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroHousekeeping NotesQuestion of the WeekWaco Haunted Houses up for Sale (https://www.newsweek.com/authors/utkarsha-laharia)Lakeville Charity Haunt Set for Demolition (https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sto...
Jun 07, 2021•51 min
Send a text This week on Haunt Weekly we're talking about prop-based layout! What is prop-based layout? It's a way to save on lumber costs, give customers a more varied experience and create some new scares along the way.However, there are drawbacks and concerns with a prop-based layout so we're going to, well, lay it all out for you in this episode of Haunt Weekly.The good, the bad and the ugly of prop-based layout.This week's Episode Includes: IntroHousekeeping NotesFollow Up on Last Week's Qu...
May 31, 2021•57 min
Send a text The prices of lumber are insane and keep getting worse. This is forcing many haunts, especially those with lower budgets, to start rethinking their build.For those haunts, we are here to help. We've got six different build types that can help you reduce the amount of lumber you need, save you money and give customers a truly unique experience.However, there's no such thing as a free lunch so, of course, we'll be talking about the drawbacks of each so you can make an informed decision...
May 24, 2021•1 hr
