Haunt Weekly

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 down with her to discuss those speed bumps and learn both how we can recruit other crafty people into haunting and what lessons they might have to learn along the way.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroInterview with Elizabeth ZibilichConclusionsAll in all, this is one episode that you do not want to miss! Special Guest: Elizabeth Zibilich.Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

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 season. So strap yourself in! It's going to be a bumpy ride!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersAlaska Haunt Burns to the Ground (https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Dungeon-of-Doom-haunted-house-burns-in-early-morning-fire-506026621.html)Oklahoma Haunt Goes Up for Sale (https://ktul.com/news/local/haunted-attraction-goes-up-for-sale-in-morris)Another Oklahoma Haunt Says First Year Was a Success (https://www.ardmoreite.com/news/20190224/haunted-forest-considered-success-will-likely-return-next-year)2

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 organized events in the past including tips on how not to brankrupt yourself, or your conference, trying to put on a great show.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersOur History Organizing EventsDo The Business StuffStart SmallCreating the IdeaChoosing the LocationChoosing and Caring for SpeakersThe Social AspectAnnouncing and MarketingHow Conferences Make and Lose MoneySelling TicketsRunning the EventAfter the EventSpecial Considerations for HauntersConclusionsAll in all, whether you're plannin

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's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBackground on Mardi GrasSaftey and Crowd ControlSeasonal Attraction AdviceGeneral Entertainment TipsConclusionsAll in all, this is one packed episode that you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

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 as positive as possible.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersWhy You Want Media Attention?How to Get Media AttentionGeneral Tips for Talking with the MediaTips for Print JournalistsTips for Broadcast JournalistsDealing with Bad PressAll in all, whether you're a home haunter or run a megahaunt, this is an episode you do NOT want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

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!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersMom's Lawsuit Claims Fright at Dorney's Halloween Haunt Caused Her Daughter's Injuries (https://www.mcall.com/news/police/mc-nws-dorney-park-girl-scared-mother-sues-20190131-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1CO66inaWDGFZx12a44hp1_vnGpwbpaLsmJvJVwo9SG2KRpafnpmWa_AQ)City Negotiates Prison Deal With Unnamed Firm (https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/01/22/city-negotiates-prison-deal-with-unnamed-firm/a5o9g81/)Danish Haunted-house Studies Seek to Reveal the

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 dive into the film and what it says about our beloved community.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBackground on SpookersWhat We Loved About the FilmTopics AddressedWhat We Would Have ChangedClosingAll in all, if you're interested in how our community is portrayed in the outside world, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

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 made and how it altered the entire haunted attraction industry. This is, to be blunt, not a fun episode. However, it is an important one and one we've been wanting to do for some time. So strap in for an episode that will, most likely, be a difficult one.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersCiting Our SourcesHistory of the Haunted CastleThe FireThe AftermathIndustry Impacts of the FireMistakes Made by Six FlagsIf you're interested in learning more about this tragedy, you can view the documentar

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 generally talk haunting with them.So, as we spend our Sunday evening recovering, we sat down to recap everything and there was a LOT to tell. Furthermore, we are 100% sure we forgot multiple items. That being said, it's still one bustling episode filled to the brim with haunt goodness.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersHAuNTcon OverviewFriday ActivitiesThe Haunt VisitSaturday's ActivitiesThe Costume PartySunday's ActivitiesConclusionsAll in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss,

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news!Unfortunately though, it's something of a somber episode as we have news not just of a tragedy in Poland but of the haunt industry losing one of its own. We also have irresponsible escape game owners in Canada and some news about planned haunt openings as well as one haunt that has, almost certainly closed.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersLast Minute HAuNTcon StuffScott Morrow Has Passed Away (https://www.facebook.com/149849045107258/posts/2079974995427977/)Escape Room Fire Kills 5 in Poland (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/world/europe/poland-escape-room-fire.html)Two Injuries Reported in Canadian Escape Room (https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1510627)Jefferson City, MO Haunters Hope to Open By Summer (http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2018/dec/30/portions-fun-factory-may-open-summer-2019/758772/)Indiana Company Offers Kid-Friendly Escape Game (https://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/escape-room-just-for-k

A recent question on Haunter's Hangout asked is 3K square feet big enough for a haunt. There was a great conversation about it with answers ranging a resounding no to many offering support. As overgrown home haunters, we have a lot of experience building in small spaces. Also, as haunt customers we've been to and enjoyed many haunts in that range. However, we've also been to a few that we enjoyed much less.With that in mind, we wanted to take our own stab at answering the question so we're bringing you a whole episode on small haunts including several tips for doing more with less!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersHAuNTcon UpdateDiscussing the QuestionAn Examination of DEAD RisingLayoutInteractivityActorsPricingMarketingCustomer ExperienceConclusionsMany of these tips and thoughts will work for haunts of any size, as such, regardless of how big your haunt is, this is an episode you do NOT want to miss. Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @Hau

Virtual Reality (VR) is rapidly becoming big business for haunted attraction. The ease of set up along with the novelty of the attraction and the slate of horror-related experiences makes it so that more and more haunts, large and small, are getting into the VR game.But is it worth it? What are the risks? How do you get started? We explore all of that and much more in this virtually incredibly episode of Haunt Weekly.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroductionConference RemindersWe Have a New Website (https://www.hauntweekly.com)Announcement on Haunt TourCheck Out our HAuNTcon Map (https://www.hauntweekly.com/map)Our VR BackgroundBackground on VR in HauntingAdvantages of VRRisks/Issues with VRHow to Set Up a VR SystemTips from CustomersConclusionsAll in all, thi sis one jam-packed episode that you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! As we're winding down 2018 we're also introducing a slightly new and improved Haunt Weekly as we've got some new kit we're learning to use. Hopefully, this week's podcast sounds a bit better than the previous 160.But this is a big episode for other reasons, we're giving you a local haunters guide to New Orleans for those of you coming to or thinking about coming to HAuNTcon. We have all the stuff you need to know including places to stay, how to get around, where to eat and what to do while you're here. This is especially useful if you're staying a few extra days as we will go over a few things that you might want to try.So, on that note, here is our tips and tricks for those coming to HAuNTcon in New Orleans!IntroConference RemindersHappy New Year's Eve!Housekeeping (New Microphones)Where HAuNTcon is LocatedGetting Around New OrleansOther Places to StayWhere to GoConclusionsAll in all, if you're coming to HAuNTcon (or just

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! However, it's also a Monday and that means it's time to do another Haunt Weekly. Furthermore, since it's another episode divisible by four, it's time to do the news.And what a lot of news we have, we have a lawsuit against a haunted house, updates on several stories we talked about earlier and even some great charity work being done by haunted houses.Most importantly though, we have some REALLY bad financial advice, if you want to throw away your money on something Halloween related.So  kick right back and let us tell you what all is going on with the industry...This Week's Episode IncludesIntroConference RemindersLawsuit Filed Against Haunted HouseDisneyland Paris Imagineer Talks About Phantom ManorUniversal Studios Opening Halloween Horror Nights EarlierSlipknot Shares Footage From Their HauntHaunt Closed for Fire Code Violations Becomes Apartments Closed For Fire Code ViolationsNetherworld Honestly Promotes Christmas EventFear Fair Holds Toy DrivePolic

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing things a bit different. I'm recovering from a significant surgery so we're taking the opportunity to not only let Crystal take the lead on the show notes but to do our usual holiday tradition of doing an episode just for us.So what are we doing with that episode? We're targeting Santa Claus. That's right, the fat man in the red suit might be considered a Christmas hero but, in any universe where he is real, he would be consider a villain.So put away your Krampus costumes, we know who the real bad guy of the Christmas season is and we aim to prove our case.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroUpdate on MyselfConference RemindersSanta is a CreepB&E EmpireMall SantasElvesElf on the ShelfBullyCredit ThiefCorporate ShillConclusionsAll in all, whether you love Santa or hate him, this is an episode you do NOT want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're celebrating Christmas... sort of.Ok, maybe we aren't big Christmas people but Christmas haunts are definitely becoming a big thing in the industry. Finally, we were able to go to our first one and have spent a lot of time talking about why this is such a major trend in the industry and what we can do to make it really work.So, without any further ado, we're talking about Christmas haunts, why they're big, why to be cautious and how to make sure that they're executed well...This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersWhy Christmas Haunts Are So Big This YearReasons to Hold OneReasons to Be WaryOur Experience Thoughts and Tips for Christmas HauntsConclusionsAll in all, if you're thinking about doing a Christmas haunt, this year or next, this is a podcast you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

When you've been to as many haunts as we have, it all tends to blur together some. We often struggle to remember what we saw in one haunt versus another and really struggle to recall when we saw something.But then there are those moments that really stand out, when we see something so unique and special that we have no difficulty remembering it at all. These moments are getting fewer and farther between, but are still so magical when they happen.Recently, long time listener and friend of the show Maximus Christian Bryant asked us to share some of those memories and we were more than happy to do so.So, without any further ado, here's a look at just some of the most unique things we've seen in haunts.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersRules of the PodcastRaven's Grin Inn - The Format13th Gate - Pumpkin PathFreaks of Fear - The BirdStateville Prison (And HellsGate) - Intro SequenceRisewell Asylum - Touch Done RightBasement of the Dead - Queue LineWaterloo Sportsman Clu

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news!This week is something of a catch up week as we cover stories that we either missed or didn't have time to mention last time and also cover some post-season news taking place in our industry.And what a wild week this is! We have a stabbing, a lawsuit over a mock rape and a customer who claims to have had three of his teeth broken inside a haunted attraction. And that's just three of the stories...All in all, this is one jam-packed episode filled with the best and the worst news in the haunted attraction industry.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersMan Stabbed at Nashville NightmareCouple Sues Akron Fright Fest After Alleged Mock RapeCustomer Sues Oregon Haunt Over Broken TeethColorado Haunt Accused of Not Paying Actors, Safety ViolationsAnother Setback for Old Joilet PrisonAn Exploration of Haunted Attraction ArchitectureHow Haunted Houses Are Good For YouDelray Beach Students Create Hell House for the EnvironmentIndiana Hau

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing something a bit different. Rather than just blabbering on about whatever is on our mind, we're taking a look at Black Friday deals and seeing what might be of interest to haunters.Tis the season for saving and that's true for us haunters as well as everyone else. Fortunately, there are some great deals of haunters to be found!So, without any further ado, here's a look at where some of the best deal for haunters are on Black Friday.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBlack Friday is NighEvil Olive Productions Group YouTube EventFroggy's FogFight PropsGore GaloreVon Grimm ProductionsPumpkin PulpShattered FX (Just Announced $100 Off All Silicone Masks)Monster Mafia FXLord Grimley's ManorSinister FXFS Kris FXSlaugherhouse StudiosMister Jimmy FX CreationsMissing Finger ProductionsUnknown Origin FXFrightmastersTNT Cosplay SupplyRIP City FXMonster MakersHallucinations CreationsXFX MakeupSinful AudioHome DepotLowe'sHarbor

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing something a little bit different. We're sharing with you the lessons we learned from our 2018 season.The season, overall, went very well and many of the things we tried went swimmingly and will be repeated. Other things we tried went... not so well. However, things that go poorly are often better learning experiences than the things that went well.So, without further ado, here's a look at the key lessons we're taking away from our 2018 season.This Week's Episode IncludesIntroConference RemindersOverview of the SeasonThe Need for More SignsOur Photo Op AreaHow to Deal with Crying ChildrenGimmick EverythingIce Chests for ActorsProper Actor AreaThe Need to Give Actors TimeThe Need to Move Actors TooOur Upcoming Rule ChangesClosingAll in all, this is one episode you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com