Haunted Attractions Podcast

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Begins Aug 15, following Aug announcements for Horror Unleashed & HHN; Marketing Your Haunted Attraction; Six Flags America To Close - ScareCON comes to Birmingham May 20th - 21st; Midwest Haunters Convention's Exhibitor List; Eli Craig Talks Clown in a Cornfield and Modern Horror; FX’s Alien: Earth Brings Immersive Sci-Fi Horror to AREA15. Read more here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/halloween-starts-in-august-now-disney-says-so

This week: Can Universal turn Spring into Second Halloween with Fan Fest Nights?; Theme Parks Turn to Diversification Amid Uncertainty Epidemic; Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Howl-O-Scream Mayhem Sale; Midwest Haunters Convention Friday Haunt Tour to Feature Abandoned Haunted House Complex; Fright Nights WV "Fright Nights Final Cut: Summer Slaughter"; Mars releases Tricks, Treats, and Trends Report. Read more here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/can-universal-turn-spring-into-second-halloween

East Coast Haunters Convention delighted attendees with haunt tours, programming, vendors, and more; Comcast's Stock Dips Despite EPIC Universe Opening; Wicked New England comes to Salem this Saturday; Creep It Real OC Tickets; The VHS Society presents "Mother of Evil" on May 16th; Street Food Cinema's "Boo-ze, Bites & Frights: Half-O-Ween;" Read the stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/east-coast-haunters-convention-draws-massive-crowds

Halloween convention season is underway with a myriad of events that are partnering with haunts for programming and attractions; TransWorld's East Coast Haunters Convention takes place next week with pre-con haunt tours on April 24th & 25th and convention days on April 26th-27th; The Spooky Swap Meet returns to Los Angeles on April 25th-27th; Universal plans for strategic geographic diversification with the newly announced Universal Studios UK; Meyer2Meyer Entertainment brings "Little Shop of Horrors" to The Nocturne Theatre; Reapers Realm to hold an online eminent domain liquidation auction; Field of Screams hosts Halfway to Halloween Haunt & Music Fest; Discover Spooky Spots with The Scare Factor's newest directory; Picklenose Halloween House creator Dale Parker passes. Read the full stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/haunt-halloween-conventions-2025

This week: The full OSCARES 2025 Awards; Dark Harbor returns on Sept 19th; Halfway to Halloween at Winchester Mystery House & Reign of Terror; The Mystic Museum's Horror High Prom; Previews begin for Dark Universe at Universal's Epic Universe; Zagone Studios to close. Read more: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/oscares-2025-ceremony-halfway-to-halloween-events

This week: Herschend to Acquire Palace Entertainment's U.S. Attractions; Limos: Immersive Tarot Experience Returns to LA; The John Wick Experience Opens in Las Vegas; The London Dungeon Seeks Haunted Items; Home Depot Teases "Ultra Skelly" Animatronic; "It's Alive" Panel Returns to WonderCon. Read the stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/herschends-acquisition-will-halloween-haunts-survive

Watch our video on the 25 Best New Products from Transworld 2025 here ( https://youtu.be/IwhslV-IJtk ) ; U.S. tourism decline threatens attractions; Epic Universe's Darmoor Monster Makeup Experience; UF Swamp Haunters host halfway-to-Halloween haunt; Haunters Toolbox to host a live Q&A with Philip Hernandez of the Haunted Attraction Network on April 8th

This week: Horror Unleashed Analysis; 18 Haunts opened for St. Patrick's Day events; Wicked New England plans Halfway to Halloween in Salem; Scarehouse Windsor wins Innovator of the Year Award; John Carpenter announces NYC concert; Disney Halloween Festival returns to Disneyland Paris; East Coast Haunters Convention exhibitor list. Read the stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/will-year-round-scares-succeed-off-the-vegas-strip 

Universal’s Horror Unleashed is set to bring year-round horror to Las Vegas, launching August 14, 2024, at AREA15. But can Universal’s seasonal HHN magic translate into a sustainable permanent attraction? During the TEA Stories from the Fringes series, a panel of Universal Creative team members—including Shelby Honea, Sean Chung, Abbye Finnan, and Corey Schurr—shared their vision for Horror Unleashed, from rotating IPs to a fully immersive, never-breaking experience. This episode features the edited panel recording, exploring the challenges and opportunities of bringing year-round horror to the Vegas Strip.

This week: Transworld RECAP; Midsummer Scream tickets now on sale; East Coast Haunters Convention and pre-show tours; Registration opens for Texas Haunters Convention; Six Flags prepares for a massive 2025 season; United Parks' earnings show trouble ahead; Field of Screams Montana Honored with Legacy Haunt Award. Read more: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/haunt-convention-season-is-upon-us

The 2025 OSCARES Awards celebrated the top vendors, haunts, and industry leaders during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show in St. Louis. As producers of this year’s ceremony, we had a front-row seat to the energy and excitement, from the debut of the Spirit of Leadership Award to the Lifetime Achievement honor for Timothy Gavinski. This episode features the FULL, UNEDITED recording of the ceremony, so you can experience every acceptance speech, surprise moment, and industry recognition. Plus, nominations for the 2026 OSCARES are now open! Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/hauntedattractionnetwork

Description: For 26 years, Field of Screams MT has been a staple of Montana’s Halloween scene, growing from a simple corn maze into a multi-attraction haunted destination. This year, they received the Legacy Haunt Award from the Haunted Attraction Association, honoring their decades of innovation and impact. In this episode, we sit down with the Kirkland family for an unedited, free-flowing conversation about their journey, the evolution of their haunt, and what keeps them scaring year after year. Support for this episode comes from Gantom Lighting and Controls. Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/hauntedattractionnetwork

Held annually at TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show, the State of the Industry Seminar brings together HAA board members, haunt owners, operators, and vendors for a candid look at the past season and the challenges ahead. Moderated by newly seated President Jim Werner (PennHurst Asylum) and outgoing President Spencer Terry (Fear Factory), this year’s discussion focused heavily on the insurance crisis, the future of CHAOS safety training, and expanding resources (including AI) to help members. Read our full recap here: https://hauntedattractionnetwork.com/haunted-attraction-association-state-of-the-industry-2025-recap/

This week: Universal's Horror Unleashed Opens Aug 14; The Haunt Industry will gather in St Louis this week for the world's largest Halloween Trade Show; Highlights from IAAPA's Middle East Trade Summit; "Alien: Earth" invades SXSW with an immersive pop-up experience; Spirit Halloween reaches $1 Million milestone in donations; Read the stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/hhn-vegas-details-transworld-is-this-weekend

This week: Universal Fan Fest Nights tests if guests will pay for hard-tickets outside of Halloween; Tokyo Disney’s Halloween investment; Disney’s pricing power is strong, but how high can prices go before guests push back?; HAA Annual Meeting & OSCARES; TransWorld’s free seminars; Netflix Bites in Vegas serves horror-inspired dishes. Read the news here: http://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/theme-parks-want-halloween-every-month

This week: 88 Haunts Open Nationwide This Weekend for Valentines; Disney Struggles to Impress Wall Street; Tokyo Disneyland Leans into Halloween; Spooky Swap Meet Tickets; TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show Updates; Haunted Attraction Association's C.H.A.O.S. recertification program. Read all the stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/halloween-remains-cash-cow-for-theme-parks

This week: 95 Valentine Haunts Opening this Month; Ed Roberts (West Coast Halloween Con; Nightmare Factory) passes; Insidious: The Further You Fear cancels tour; John Carpenter announces 4-night residency in Los Angeles; Tickets on sale for Universal Fan Fest Nights; 2025 expected to see growth in the Halloween retail industry; Transworld Updates. Read the news here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/95-haunts-opening-this-month-ed-roberts-passes 

This Week's News: Halloween Horror Nights Orlando Returns Aug 29; Six Flags Live Entertainment Open Casting; NEW Details: "Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After"; "Insidious: The Further You Fear" theatrical experience begins; CreepIE Con is this weekend; SCARECON returns May 20th - 21st; TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show adds an evening networking lounge at the Marriott hotel; Haunted Attraction Association board member nominations; "The Fright Stuff" documentary from Zombie Army Productions and Yokai Films to premiere at TransWorld. Read the full stories here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/halloween-horror-nights-returns-aug-29-valentine-haunts

This week: Disneyland's new ghost bride; A woman goes to court over her year-round skeleton display; Fear Fest Haunted Attractions given a rating of "F" by the Better Business Bureau; Derry Halloween's "Awaken the Walls" will remain free; Dark Universe Construction Updates from Attractions Magazine; Halloween & Costume Association announces inaugural Spooky Awards winners. Read the articles here: https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/disneylands-new-ghost-bride-12-skeleton-wars

Read the full stories here ( https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/sony-debuts-the-last-of-us-attraction ). This week's headlines: Sony Debuts "The Last of Us" proof-of-concept at CES; Updated Valentine's Day Haunt List; Salem adjusts safety plans for Halloween festivities; Former Haunted House of Wax to become a food hall; Vendor & haunt applications open for Spooky Swap Meet; Home Haunter Awards; Haunt Education Sessions.