Haunted House Association 2010 Moves Forward

The Haunted House Association (HHA) is moving its organization forward for 2010. So far there are many things to come of the newly formed association for haunted and these are are couple of the items we can expect to see to help move Haunters forward with support, networking and more.

Release:

PR Campaign:
The HHA is embarking on a new PR campaign that is solely owned and funded by the HHA. As you know last year we participated with America Haunts in their campaign, but now that we are on our feet and rolling we are prepared to launch our own campaign. As always our focus will be to protect and promote the Haunted Attraction Industry, and promote our members’ haunts. You can be assured that the knowledge of our board and members will give this new campaign great chances for success.

New Web Site:
As you know last year we developed a web site on the Hauntworld owned URL www.HauntedHouseAssociation.org. This year we are now creating our new site on the HHA owned URL www.HHAssociation.com. It is important to note that this is being done with the full support and encouragement of Hauntworld, who additionally donated funds for the NEW website. The HHA board will be fully in control of the new site at all times, and it is planned to focus equally on all projects and entities that help the HHA and the industry as a whole to protect and promote Haunted Attractions. It is hoped that the new site will be online sometime before TransWorld, keep your fingers crossed! This new site will be a great resource for haunted house owners and operators to come together and help the industry.

Safety Campaign:
As you know we began a campaign last year, an outreach to teach new haunters safety. This will be a big focus in the upcoming year, as we feel that safety education should be promoted and distributed where it is needed most, to start up or home haunts that often have no interaction with local officials. Randy Bates, our new President, is well known as one of the industry’s experts on this topic, and plans to address this fully. Also key to this is the Crisis Plan that Randy developed to help Haunt Owners and the HHA deal with assorted problems that could occur on both a local or national scale.

MEMBER BENEFITS:
Of course member benefits play a major role when it is time to join an association. Here are some of the benefits a membership in the HHA will bring your event:

Publications: Members will receive subscriptions to 3 publications while they are members – Tourist Attractions and Parks, Hauntworld Magazine and Haunted Attraction Magazine.

Vendor Discounts: Members will receive extensive discounts from many of the finest vendors in the industry. Use of just a few of these discounts can pay for your membership in short order. This list is growing all the time, but we will post an updated list soon!

Haunt Directory: Member haunted houses will be listed in our new Haunt Directory on our new web site, www.HHAssociation.com. Assorted campaigns like the PR and Safety Outreach programs will drive traffic to the site and thus to your event’s listing.

Membership Directory: Once a year HHA will produce a comprehensive listing of our members, vendor discounts, by-laws, and other important information. This will be mailed out to our members.

Heraldry: Members will receive the right to use our logos and imagery to promote that they are members in good standing of the Haunted House Association.

Exclusive Meetings and Functions: Members will be able to attend exclusive meetings and events such as the upcoming Ultimate Brainstorm meeting at TransWorld this year for members only.

Participation in the Association: Members who are the owners or operators of a Haunted Attraction can vote for the board of the HHA. Members who are Owners or Operators of a Haunted Attraction with 5 years of operation can run for the board of HHA. Members are also encouraged to participate by joining committees and helping us protect and promote the industry.

Access to Networking: Members can participate on our NEW HHA Forum and on our Yahoo Group. Plus more to come! As you can see there are many benefits to joining the HHA and many important REASONS to help us protect and promote this industry. We look forward to sharing more of our plans with you soon and having you stop by our booth and join the HHA at the TransWorld show in a few short weeks!

For more information about the association be sure to visit the current site at: www.HauntedHouseAssociation.com

The INSANE SHANE Transworld Kick Off Party

So the Transworld Haunt Show is fast approaching this March. Then you can roll around in all your bloody glory with the newest animatronics, props, haunt ideas and more. And along with a fantastic Trade Show comes some social interactions with actors, owners, vendors and everyone! One way to kick things off is with the INSANE SHANE Transworld Kick Off Party.

The event is happening on March 24th in St. Louis, Missouri at the Renaissance Grand Hotel. Being held in the Landmark Ballroom from 7:30pm until Midnight, it will be full of All the best foods you can eat, a Live DJ Spinning some Dead Tunes, a Fully Stocked Bar, Costume Contest, and $1,000 in Cash Prizes. This in addition to thousands of dollars in door prizes from the Haunt Industry’s Top Vendors.

To get all of this, hang out, relax and get your Haunt On, its only $85.00 and that covers everything we just listed and more! So if you want to mingle with the best, then try the INSANE SHANE Transworld Kickoff Party!

For more information or to purchase tickets visit: www.GraystoneManor.net

The Evolution of Ghosts in Haunted Attractions

by: RFR Casket Crew Storm

Greetings Deadites,

Over the past few years, the popular opinion of what a ghost looks like has had some major changes. The days of Casper the Friendly ghost are gone, and no more cutting holes in the bedroom linens or spray painting a zombie costume white to have a ghost terrorize visitors to you haunt. Here are some of the challenging new forms ghosts have taken and how to incorporate them into haunt designs.

Orbs: Maybe it’s Uncle Marty, maybe its dust and a camera flash, regardless there are enough believers out there that haunt owners can put away the lemon Pledge and add more strobe lights anyplace for an instant Orb Ghost room when patrons are present

Voices: Disembodied voices and EVP type effects have always been a staple of haunts, but with this growing ghost phenomenon haunters have to be more creative with the content. Gone are the tried but true deep growling “Get Out” , and more common are the soft garbled sounds that resemble a bad drive through speaker. That might be good for concessions when patrons go through asking “Did you just say you died here or asked me if I want fries?”

Shadow People: These creepy ghostly shadows like to dart behind things in abandoned buildings and lighthouses, but they make the haunt budget happy when you can have a dot room without dealing with painting any dots.

Heat Signatures: Apparently the Predator could have also scored a role in the sixth sense with this new technology for Ghosts to reveal themselves. While the FLIR goggles for patrons might be expensive, the actors will appreciate the new sauna you install for them to relax in before running through the haunt ahead of the patrons touching and sitting in props.

EM Fields: Is there an evil presence in the basement or should you fire your electrician. While both scenarios are scary just hope your patrons know to look for Electromagnetic spikes when you send them into your new Basement of Spirits attraction with the prop EMF detectors.

Blurry Glowing Things: Was that a moth on the camera of the gas station or a restless Pony Express rider? The real fear will take place as you paint a thousand June bugs with phosphorescent paint and let them loose in your haunt.

Moving Stuff: What goes bump in the night? Well in your haunted house it can be everything if you loosen some floor boards and cut 1 leg on each table and chair a little short. The pain will be hiring actors to play the role of haunt pin monkeys for the reset.

Mist: Anyone gets creeped out by the low crawling fog that begins to take unearthly shapes. Only one good way to accomplish this on demand… Remote Control Fog, I’m sure there is some military research already on that one.

So until next time Deadites, Sit Back, Relax, and Rot Away…

The Darkness Behind the Scenes Tickets On-Sale

A good way for Haunters to learn how to herlp their event is to see what their peers in other markets are doing. See how they implement animatronics, actors, and more to their event and during the upcoming Haunt Show you will be able to experience both a Live Working attraction and a Lights On Behind the Scenes Tour of The Darkness Haunted Attraction.

The Darkness is a top rated, nationally recognized Haunted Attraction, that has been seen on the Travel Channel and in a variety of Publications.

For 2010 The Darkness is giving you a great tour for the Transworld Haunt Show and Tickets are on Sale Now!

The Darkness 2010 Live Actors Tour

Where:
The Darkness Haunted House
1525 South 8th Street
St. Louis, Missouri MO 63104
Located in downtown St. Louis next to Soulard Market off South Broadway. Just two miles from the convention center.

When:
March 26 & 27, 2010.

The Darkness 2010 Behind the Scenes Tour

Where:
The Darkness Haunted House
1525 South 8th Street
St. Louis, Missouri MO 63104
Located in downtown St. Louis next to Soulard Market off South Broadway. Just two miles from the convention center.

When:
March 25, 2010

To get your tickets be sure to stop by the Official Darkness Website at: www.TheDarkness.com

MORE ON THE DARKNESS HAUNTED HOUSE
Welcome to the 2010 Darkness Haunted House Tour at Transworld Haunt Show March 25-29, 2010. The Darkness presents three different attractions inside one 40,000 square foot building. First tour the all new Darkness haunted house then enter Terror Visions 3D and finally visit our new Monster Museum.

The 3 Darkness haunted attractions have been totally remodeled for the 2010 haunt season just for this tour at a cost of over $200,000.00.

Be the first to see all the new sets, special effects, custom props and much more at the 2010 Haunt Show in St. Louis, Missouri.

For more details visit www.TheDarkness.com

Shotgun Manor Voted Number 1 in Illinois

Sullivan Ambucs is proud to announce the 5th Annual Shotgun Manor, has been voted the number one haunt and number one Halloween event on HauntedIllinois.com. Victims of haunts are encouraged to vote on the website after they tour the haunt. Sullivan, a community of nearly 4,200, is the only haunt south of Chicago in the top five!

The haunt is located on the Square in Sullivan, across from the Little Theatre. Hours are 7:30 pm until 11:30 pm every Friday and Saturday in October. For further information or to buy tickets go to www.ShotgunManor.com or email binky@shotgunmanor.com

The story of this years haunt is “Emalee’s Knightmare.” The haunt is a two sided haunt with a different ending on each side. The unique story will end either with Emalee surviving or the BloodKnight winning the battle. The ending will be decided by the side of the haunt that gets the most visits and will decide what next years story line will be.

Sullivan Ambucs use all the monies generated from the haunted attraction to assist in funding: Moultrie County Senior Center, Cub Scout Pack #39, Moultrie County Head Start, Scholarships for Jr. & Sr. college students studying physical therapy, and ramps the Ambucs build at homes of people in need.

For more on th event: www/ShotgunManor.com
For more on Haunted Illinois: www.HauntedIllinois.com

Goatman Hollow: The Interactive Haunt Experience

by John Kennedy

After hearing about Goatman Hollow so much on Rotting Flesh Radio, I knew I wanted to swing by and see this Haunt. When I got there I was treated to a surprise celebrity appearance (well at least a surprise to me).

Fortunately, my Saturday evening was going smoothly so I would be able to visit Goatman Hollow Haunted House. When I got there, I find celebrity Jonathan Johnson from Rotting Flesh Radio there. And that’s me having fun calling him a celebrity and not Jonathan – he’s a humble guy and wouldn’t call himself that. I met the folks that make Goatman possible next, including Jay Wright. I went ahead and jumped in with the next group and what a crazy group it was.

The show is very theatrical with about 3 – 5 minute skits acted out in each scene that advance the story of the Goatman. The actor in the first room introduces himself as an agent and briefs us on the Goatman and our mission. The actor was cast perfectly and if you told me he was a real government agent, I would believe you. The story continues room to room through secret passageways and elevators.

The haunt has solid scenic design that hopefully you can see in some of the pictures below. The actors also did a good job with their dialogue. There is a nice bedroom scene with a ghost, a great looking attic set and a gruesome cannibal kitchen scene. However, the star of the show has got to be Doctor Fletcher who scared the hell out of my group during his skit. I don’t mean screaming scared, I mean running over your friend to get to the other side of the room scared. I hadn’t seen anyone scared like that until Goatman…..

CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE

originally published by Haunted Attraction Magazine

Reindeer Manor Abusement Park: 13th St. Morgue, Dungeon of Doom, & Reindeer Manor

Reindeer Manor Abusement Park, Located at 410 Houston School Rd. Red Oak, TX features 3 Haunted Attractions in 1 Terrifying Location. 13th Street Morgue, Dungeon Of Doom and Reindeer Manor. The events are now open for scaring!

Their Mission:
Reindeer Manor, in its 36th season, is a non-profit event dedicated to the enrichment of local area youth groups. Reindeer Manor Haunted House not only benefits Boy Scout Troop 1, Venture Crew 3 and Cub Pack 1, but also is actually planned, built, and run by the troop as well. Many of the kids who have worked at the Manor have gone on to do great things from rocket engineers to military commanders to entrepreneurs. Many other non-profits such as the Red Oak Hawkettes, Maypearl High School, Rotary Clubs and Explorer Posts have used Reindeer Manor as a fundraiser as well. In 2005, the addition of a separately owned attraction, 13th Street Morgue and the addition of a 3rd attraction in 2008, Dungeon Of Doom, previously located in Arlington, TX have caused the ever growing show at Reindeer Manor to become more popular, thus creating what is now known as Reindeer Manor Abusement Park. The park has received high ranks such as 13th Street Morgue’s readers choice award, Dungeon Of Doom twice being named Dallas Observer’s “Best Haunted House in the DFW Metroplex” and Reindeer Manor being featured in several newspaper publications, e-zines, magazines and DVD’s including “The Happy Haunting Of America”.

Our Mission is to continue this tradition of excellence as well as to foster new relationships while endeavoring to benefit the local community for years to come.

The Rumors Are All True:
Reindeer Manor’s true story starts as far back as the 1900’s when a wooden house stood on the site of the current house. Swedish immigrants occupied the house while James Sharp was away. In 1915, lightning sparked a fire, which consumed the house killing a family of sharecroppers and several small children. The house was to be rebuilt this time engineered of concrete, brick and steel so the house would not succumb to fire. Before the house could be completed James Sharp died. Reports are sketchy as to what happened. His son inherited the house in 1917. In 1929, the once wealthy family was thrust into abject poverty due to the depression. It is in this time that whispers of a Sharp family curse began circulating. Obsessed with finding a solution, many strange folk were seen entering the great house. No one is sure if they were instructed by a “spirit” or simply came upon a solution on their own, but soon the couple found a way to bring the Sharp Family out of the shadows. The history of the manor ended with Matt Sharp’s wife dead by poisoning in the main dining room and his lifeless body swinging from a noose strung from the rafters of the barn. It is not clear as to who killed whom or if it was a suicide pact, but the curse was lifted from the Sharp family to say the least. There was no heir. The house stood vacant and abandoned until 1974 when it became the Haunted House at Reindeer Manor. Over the years, folks that work and visit Reindeer Manor have experienced many strange occurrences. Will You?

For more on all of the events be sure to visit:
www.13thStreetMorgue.com
www.DungeonOfDoomTexas.com
www.ReindeerManor.com

House of Torment & Illusion Manor Unleashed on Austin

This past weekend many Haunted Attractions opened their doors to officially kick off the Haunt Season. And one of those is in the Austin, TX area and is a sure fire guarantee to scare the (you know what) out of you!

The House of Torment has been unleashed in Austin this past weekend and has pulled out all the stops. From the theatrical sets, detail, costumes and layout, this haunt takes you into their world and takes you out of reality.

All the fun began earlier this year with the debut of their new promo video that is more like a movie trailer, than a haunt commercial. But don’t let that kid you, that “movie trailer style” is just setting you up for what is really inside! Two full attractions including House of Torment and Illusion Manor they take haunting to new heights. Being featured on the Travel Channel and in a variety of newscasts and publications, this event keeps on growing and terrifying new customers every year.

The event is NOW Open for the 2009 season, so if you are in the Austin, TX area or within a close drive, it is a must-see event! Tickets will run you about $14.99 for general admission to the House of Torment, but you can upgrade for a combo pass of only $19.99 that gets you in the House of Torment and Illusion Manor. The event is located at: 523 Highland Mall Blvd; Austin, TX 78752. For more information to to visit this Top Rated Haunted Attraction be sure to visit: www.HouseofTorment.com and be sure to bring an extra set of panties or little whities!

Scare for a Cure 2009: Blood Ritual

Many haunted attractions work with charities to help causes, organizations, homeless shelter, and more. I personally think this is a great way to give back to the community and others. One that is ready for 2009 is the Scare For A Cure Haunted Attraction.

Scare for a Cure is an Austin-based nonprofit organization that raises money for local charities, “one SCREAM at a time.” Each year they produce Austin’s only extreme, full contact, interactive haunted house adventure—guaranteed to chill you to the depths of your soul! In 2007, Scare for a Cure raised $5,000 for breast cancer recovery. In 2008 they doubled that with $10,000 that benefited scholarship funds for four students affected by cancer. And for 2009 they have a lineup for you. This year their event is titled Blood Ritual. This event is meant to terrify you, scare you and make you soil yourself.

In Blood Ritual you will join a team of paranormal researchers to explore the mysteries and horrors of Dunstan Manor. Experience first-hand a twisted tale of vampires, blood-lust, abominations, survival, and evil’s quest for world domination. Do you have the courage and wits to save humanity, or will you end up as a snack at their victory party? Net proceeds will benefit their 2009 charity partner, the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas.

The best part is the kind of tickets they have. They have many levels for those of you who are hardcore, or light hearted haunt goers. In addition to getting your tickets online for $20.00, you can get a few choices to make your night just right. Regular admission gets you amazing thrills and chills in a 30-40 minute fear-filled adventure.

To up the stakes, for $25.00 you can make your way to a Red Level. The Red Level lets individuals who wish to more actively participate in their haunted adventure. This experience will be more extreme, more physically challenging, more intense, and much more fun for individuals who are ready for the extra challenge.

Now if you just aren’t up to a full night of nightmares, then the Green Level may be for you. For the same price as general admission the Green Level allows you to have an experience similar to regular groups but toned down as much as possible, with less interaction and lower intensity. But beware…if one person in your group requests Green-Level status, everyone in the group will receive the Green-Level experience.

Overall this is a great event if you are in Texas and for a great cause. To find out more check out the teaser below and also visit the official homepage at: www.ScareforaCure.org

SPFX Masks ALL-NEW Mask and CHOPPERS!

SPFX Masks are the makers of some fantasitc masks. From the Elder, to the Zombie and the ever used Vampire. These masks mold to your face and make any haunt, scene or event’s characters scary and realistic.

Well, Rusty Slusser has added an All-New product to spice up your Haunt and Costume….que in the Choppers! Not only has he released a new mask, with the addition of Choppers your character can now have some freaky real teeth to terrorize your customers and trick or treaters.

Check out the video below to see this in action. If you would like to order yours…and I say order now since it takes a few weeks for delivery…..be sure to visit: www.SPFXMasks.com

THE CHOPPERS AND NEW MASK