Haunt Weekly

This week on Haunt Weekly it is time to do the news! And it's a quiet month for haunted attraction news but there are plenty of stories for us to sink our teeth into.

We have the latest on the Hotel of Terror, a casket washing up on Galveston beach and, yes, that terrible Willy Wonka event in Glasgow.

So kick back and relax as we go through the haunt news that is not fit to print.

This Week's Episode Includes: 

1. Intro
2. Work We Did for the Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Conference Reminders
5. Springfield, KY Leaders Negotiating with Hotel of Terror - https://www.ky3.com/2024/02/13/springfield-city-leaders-discussing-proposal-end-debate-over-hotel-terror-property/
6. The Sad/Hilarious Willy Wonka Event - https://www.audacy.com/wwl/news/local/coffin-on-texas-beach-stirs-up-social-media
7. New Haunted Amusement Park Coming to NY - https://wyrk.com/haunted-amusement-park-clarence/
8. Scream Break Returns to Six Flags - https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/travel/scream-break-returns-march-16-april-7/ar-BB1jsTK6
9. The Tale of Peaches Christ - https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/midnight-mass-san-francisco-bridge-theatre-18680884.php
10. Slider Jesus Comes to Transworld - https://www.riverfronttimes.com/arts/slider-jesus-came-to-st-louis-and-shared-his-haunted-house-tricks-42061738
11. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a more positive approach as we discuss trends we're seeing in the haunt industry that we hope will continue and grow even stronger.

Whether it's better accessibility to all, improved marketing or a more diverse vendor landscape, there are a LOT of reasons to be positive about the future of the industry.

Here is just a handful of them!

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did for the Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Apologies for Being Late
5. Good Luck to Everyone at Transworld
6. A Quick Aside About Glasgow's Willy Wonka Event
7. Trends We Hope Will Grow in the Haunt Industry
8. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're letting you write the episode as we discuss 13 trends we hope will die in the haunt industry, as commented by you.

So what were your least favorite haunt trends and what are our thoughts on them? That's the exact questions of this week's episode and, believe me, there's a lot of trends to go around.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did on the Haunt
3. Conference Reminders
4. Intro to the Topic
5. 13 Trends You Said Should Die
6. Closing

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about haunt trends that we wish would just go away... permanently.

That's right, we're covering ten of our least favorite things we see in haunted houses and why we think it's past time the industry moved on.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Question of the Week
3. This Week's Question of the Week
4. 10 Haunt Trends We Wish Would Go Away
5. Outro

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news! We have a haunt putting on a special show for a conference, the world's smallest escape room and a petition to save a long-gone but still beloved haunted attraction.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did for the Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Conference Reminders
5. Spanish Company Introduces World's Smallest Escape Room - https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/worlds-smallest-escape-room-is-coffin-2024-01-25/
6. A Petrified Forest Does Special Show for Megacon - ç
7. Contain Introduces Haunt Elements to FPS GEnre - https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/this-spec-ops-haunted-house-shooter-got-me-thinking-about-unexpected-scares-in-call-of-duty
8. Anarchists Build Haunt to Raise Money - https://crimethinc.com/2024/01/19/how-to-host-a-haunted-house-with-a-video-walkthrough
9. Petition to Revive Long Gone Washington Haunt - https://www.change.org/p/reopen-our-beloved-haunted-attraction-in-washington-court-house-oh
10. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about empowering people, specifically how you can help empower your fellow haunters and your customers through the art of fear.

For many people, haunting gives them a very real sense of pride, control and achievement that they can take into other parts of their lives. Here's how to nurture that experience.

This Week's Episode Includes;

1. Intro
2. Work We Did for Our Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Intro to the Topic
5. Ways to Empower Fellow Haunters
6. Ways to Empower Customers
7. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a look at the things you can learn from reality TV and why your guilty pleasure TV time may not be as big of a waste of time as some may think.

To that end, you can learn a great deal from reality TV, from learning what your particular tastes are, mastering new techniques and even basic skills like communication and business operations.

"Trash TV" can be surprisingly useful to a haunter...

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Housekeeping
3. Work We Did for the Haunt
4. Question of the Week
5. Conference Reminders
6. Our Recent Reality TV Viewing Habits
7. Things You Can Learn from Reality TV
8. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, due to illness, we are revisiting an older episode where we sat down with Dwayne Sanburn from the 13th Gate. A great interview with a great haunter.

Check out part two of the interview here: https://www.hauntweekly.com/1991532/10646240-haunt-weekly-episode-70-dwayne-sanburn-2-13th-gate

-----

Previous Notes: 

This week on Haunt Weekly, we sit down with a legend in the industry, Dwayne Sanburn of the 13th Gate Haunted House, Necropolis 13, 13th Gate Room Escapes and Midnight Productions.

In this episode we sit down with Dwayne and discuss his haunt history including how he got started in the business, how he opened his first haunt and the path to having one fo the haunts that is consistently listed on top ten haunted attraction lists across the country.

What we learn is that Dwayne's path to haunt success was not a linear one, it was a journey that involved a lot of hard work, more than a dash of inspiration and suffering through a few setbacks as well.

So take a moment and spend the hour with us as we talk with Dwayne about his haunted attraction(s) and set the stage for our conversation next week about his room escape ventures. 

Hope you enjoy!

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This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing the news! 

We have a lot of important stories this week including the latest on a haunt owner pleading guilty to sexual assault, a haunt that is facing imminent domain and two major acts of haunt charity.

Not bad for a January.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Housekeeping Notes
3. Question of the Week
4. Conference Reminders
5. Haunt Manager Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault - https://gantnews.com/2023/12/20/clearfield-man-pleads-guilty-in-sexual-assault-case/
6. Field of Screams Gives Away 100 Christmas Trees - https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/field-of-screams-lancaster-county-christmas-tree-giveaway/521-81558f5c-dbe7-4c10-b469-d5832f03b15a
7. Canadian Home Haunt Donates $18,000 to Local Food Bank - https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/big-scares-generate-big-bucks-for-tri-cities-food-bank-8035888
8. Reaper's Realm Faces Imminent Domain - https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/hammond-moves-to-replace-reapers-realm-haunted-house-in-historic-indiana-botanic-gardens-mansion-with/article_26c99b4a-9f86-11ee-b0e8-cb52829c44e4.html
9. Mystery Manor Demolished - https://omaha.com/news/local/photos-mystery-manor-haunted-attraction-torn-down-after-decades-in-omaha/collection_2a26fcea-a5be-11ee-9258-f71b6affa696.html#1
10. The Challenges of Using Public Domain Characters - https://screenrant.com/steamboat-willie-horror-movie-winnie-pooh-blood-honey-director-warning/
11. 18 Year Old Opens Haunt Store - https://www.irontontribune.com/2024/01/10/it-grew-into-a-monster/ 
12. Haunting Helps Improve Stress - https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2023/12/21/from-one-season-of-terror-to-the-next-how-the-horror-genre-can-help-us-prepare-for-exams
13. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a look at the (now expanding) public domain and what in there might be of good use for haunted houses.

Due to a copyright extension, no new works entered into the public domain from 1999-2019. However, now things are lapsing every year including early versions of Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse and the rest of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

So what's in the public domain that may be good for haunters to use? It turns out a lot. There's even some weird quirks that caused much newer works to lapse way before their time.

Special Thanks:

Duke University Center for the Study of the Public Domain: https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/
Screen Rant: https://screenrant.com/best-public-domain-horror-movies-ranked/

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did on Our Haunt
3. The Question of the Week
4. Intro to Copyright and the Public Domain
5. 2019-2024 Public Domain Entrants
6. Random Things in the Public Domain
7. Historical Public Domain Characters
8. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do not want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're celebrating the new year by both looking back at the year that was and looking ahead to the opportunities and challenges we see for the 2024 season.

To that end, 2023 was a challenging season with many haunts reporting staffing shortages, lower numbers and rising costs. So, will 2024 break those trends? That's what we look at in this episode!

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro 
2. Work We Did for the Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Conference Reminders
5. Look at Last Years Predictions
6. This Year's Predictions
7. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about flat black walls. We promise, it's at least slightly more interesting than watching paint dry.

That's because we're talking about how to quickly and easily decorate such walls. After all, we've all been there and run out of time to detail, here's how to fix it. 

But if that doesn't sound interesting to you, that's ok. We also get to discuss Decomposed Haunted House's Christmas show, as well as Christmas shows more broadly.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did on Our Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Decomposed Haunted House
5. Fixing Flat Black Walls
6. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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Twitter: @HauntWeekly
YouTube: @HauntWeekly
Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're celebrating episode 420 (nice) the only way we can...

By doing a regular news episode...

That's right, we're covering all the haunted attraction news that is fit to print including a possible Terrifier haunted attraction, a huge home haunt that's avoided closure and much, much more!

This Wee's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did on Our Haunt
3. Update on Last Week's Episode
4. Question of the Week
5. Conference Reminders 
6. Haunt Owner Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Assault - https://www.seehafernews.com/2023/12/04/haunted-attraction-owner-pleads-not-guilty-on-sex-assault-charges/
7. Terrifier Haunts House a Possibility - https://screenrant.com/terrifier-art-the-clown-video-game-haunted-house-experience-creator-plans/
8. Spooktacular Documentary Looks at America's First Haunted Theme Park - https://horrorfuel.com/2023/11/20/documentary-spooktacular-explores-americas-first-haunted-attraction-in-new-clip/
9. Terror Vault's The Initiation Returns in February - https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/theater/halloween-comes-early-revival-terror-vault-s-18550470
10. New Hampshire Year Round Haunt Requires GPS to Find It - https://b985.fm/this-chilling-new-hampshire-haunted-attraction-is-open-year-round/
11. Four Scythe's Haunted House Donates $50,000 to Charities - https://www.forsythnews.com/life/faith-charity/spirit-giving-local-haunted-attraction-donates-50000-charities/
12. NC Haunt Named State Attraction of the Year - https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/this-central-nc-haunted-house-is-the-states-attraction-of-the-year/
13. Novak Manor Gets Reprieve - https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/west-allis-haunted-house-novak-manor-gets-approval-to-continue
14. Philadelphia Gets First Holiday Haunt - https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/entertainment/the-scene/for-one-night-only-lincoln-mill-to-debut-philadelphias-first-ever-holiday-haunted-house/3709653/
15. Haunted House Tower Defense in Roblox - https://www.pockettactics.com/the-house-td/codes
16. Haunted House Opens Christmas Themed Cocktail Bar - https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/ski-lodge-themed-christmas-pop-up-bar-opening-soon-in-westland
17. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're not discussing haunted attractions. Instead, we're taking our year "holiday" divergence to talk about something that means a great deal to us.

Rather, we're talking with someONE who means a great deal to us and that is George Patience, the performer behind I HATE XMAS, one of the all-time great anti-Christmas tracks.

So sit down with us as we sit down with him and he tells us the history of this amazing song in what can only be described as a celebrity-filled interview, that discusses the crazy times in mid-80s Hollywood.

Check Out I HATE XMAS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PrNn...

Also now available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms...

This Week's Episode Includes: 

1. Intro
2. Interview with George Patience
3. Closing

All in all, this is one amazing interview that you do NOT want to miss!

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Twitter: @HauntWeekly
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As per the intro, go check out George Patience's song "I Hate Xmas" here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PrNnVq3CAQ&t=0s

---- Previous Notes ----

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're not actually talking much about haunted houses and instead are looking at one of our holiday traditions: The Anti-Christmas Playlist

Our Anti-Christmas playlist is a (nearly) 20-year tradition that started on burned CDs for our car and has grown to a mammoth YouTube playlist with over 80 tracks and 4 hours of music.

For the first time ever, we're opening that list up to you and the world, you can view it here: https://tinyurl.com/antixmas2020

If you want a guide to that list, well, that's what this episode is all about!

This Week's Episode Includes:

Intro
Question of the Week
Housekeeping Notes
What We've Been Working On
Raven's Grin Inn GoFundMe (https://tinyurl.com/goravensgrin)
Why Do We Make the List?
What is an Anti-Christmas List?
Parodies of Christmas Songs
Parodies of Mainstream Songs
New "Christmas" Carols
Drinking/Family Songs
Depression Songs
Other Religions
Classic Comedy
Songs That Are Kind of Pro Christmas
Songs Not on the List
Our Personal Favorites
Revisit Question of the Week
Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss, regardless of how you feel about the holiday!

PS: Feel free to pause the podcast and play the songs on the list as we go through them!

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Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly we're sitting down with Japes Palles to discuss not only how the Niles Scream Park event went, but also the upcoming event supporting Jim Warfield and Raven's Grin Inn.

So, I'm going to skip the usual longer show notes and just encourage you to visit the event's page and get a ticket if you can go or donate if you cannot.

https://app.hauntpay.com/events/Forev...

Jim is an industry legend that needs to no introduction. However, that's not going to stop the three of us swapping memories about him and the house that he built.

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Interview with Japes Palles
3. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

Get in Touch and Follow Us!

Facebook: @HauntWeekly
Twitter: @HauntWeekly
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Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing the news! We have all the latest news from the haunted attraction industry, including an update on McKamey Manor, several stories of haunts being robbed and a small-town haunt that is approaching 40 years.

In short, we're wrapping up the 2023 haunt season with all the news that is fit to discuss!

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Congrats to Maximus
3. Question of the Week
4. Conference Reminders
4. McKamey Manor Investigated by Tennessee AG - https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/mckamey-manor-tn-ag-looking-into-claims-against-extreme-haunted-attraction/
5. Halloween Decorations Cause Controversy - https://abcnews4.com/news/local/halloween-decorations-stir-controversy-in-wagner-terrace-over-alleged-racial-connotations
6. Props Stolen from Fresno Home Haunt - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31ZJnMue584
7. Props Missing from Michigan Haunt - https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/lakeshore/muskegon/halloween-props-missing-from-popular-comstock-park-attraction
8. Florida Yard Display Has Props Stolen - https://winknews.com/2023/11/16/halloween-animatronics-stolen-haunted-house/
9. Des Moines Haunt Celebrats 39 Years - https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/2023/10/26/linns-haunted-house-in-des-moines-has-scared-kids-for-almost-40-years-halloween-attraction/71088737007/
10. Some Towns Bar Older Trick or Treaters - https://www.npr.org/2023/10/30/1209089947/halloween-bans-on-teens-trick-or-treat-say-it-isnt-so
11. The History of Edinburgh Manor - https://www.thegazette.com/curious-iowa/curious-iowa-how-did-edinburgh-manor-become-a-haunted-attraction/
12. Designers Discuss Making the 12 Foot Skeleton - https://www.polygon.com/23933590/12-foot-skeleton-tiktok-home-depot-skelly
13. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

Get in Touch and Follow Us!

Facebook: @HauntWeekly
Twitter: @HauntWeekly
YouTube: @HauntWeekly
Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're saying it loud and proud: Haunting is for everyone!

However, there are numerous people who are intimidated to try. Maybe it's due to a physical issues, a fear of being the new actor in the haunt and so forth.

So, if you think you can't be scary, here's why you're wrong

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Work We Did on Our Haunt
3. Question of the Week
4. Brief McKamey Manor Talk
5. Why We're Doing This Top
6. Reasons People Think They Can't Scare
7. Simple Scares That Anyone Can Do
8. Conclusions

All in all, this is one show that you do NOT want to miss!

Get in Touch and Follow Us!

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Twitter: @HauntWeekly
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Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, it's early November, so that means it's time to talk about how our haunt season went.

From a haunt perspective, it was our best season ever with great haunt, amazing visitors and plenty of laughs and smiles shared. That said, there are a few issues that we wanted to go over and improve next year.

So sit back and relax as we go through our 2023 season and what we're looking to improve in 2024!

This Week's Episode Includes:

1. Intro
2. Conference Reminders
3. Question of the Week
4. Our Haunt Season by the Numbers
5. Audio Walkthrough of Our Haunt
6. Front of House Discussion
7. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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Email: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're delving into the last three haunts we visited this season, namely Decomposed Haunted House, Haunting on Da Bayou and Rise Haunted House.

Spoiler: It is a very strong finish to our haunt visits this season.

In addition to that, we talk a bit about how our season is going and about a fun little game we've been playing with, Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, and invite you to go on a bit of a scavenger hunt at the festival itself.

In short, it's the perfect pre-Halloween episode!

This Week's Episode Includes: 

1. Intro
2. Brief Update on Our Season
3. Scavenger Hunt in Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival - https://adamgryu.itch.io/pumpkin-carver
4. Decomposed Haunted House
5. Haunting on Da Bayou
6. Rise Haunted House
7. Wrap Up
8. Conclusions

All in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

Get in Touch and Follow Us!

Facebook: @HauntWeekly
Twitter: @HauntWeekly
YouTube: @HauntWeekly
Email: info@hauntweekly.com