Mikey
MIKEY
Mikey has been reviewing scare attractions since 2012. With a BA Honours Degree in Theatre to his name, Mikey uses his specialist knowledge of Artauds Theatre of Cruelty along with other detailed research when reviewing attractions. Mikey has conducted numerous haunt seminars and hosted an extreme haunt panel debate at recent scare conventions. Along side ScareTrack, Mikey also admins the ‘Scare Actors Group’ on facebook. This group helps aspiring and seasoned scare actors find new and exciting acting opportunities. Mikey enjoys attractions that aren’t scared to try new ambitious ideas.
MIKEY'S POSTS
2020 Haunt Awards From The Scare Factor’s Team Zombillies
TIS the season for giving. And besides one of those 12’ skeletons from Home Depot, a great gift for haunters this season is recognition for all of their
Postmortem: Chainer’s Field of Screams in Botkins, Ohio
Max gets a postmortem report from Pyle Hazard at Chainer’s Field of Screams in Botkins, Ohio. Chainer’s is a small family haunt, but they had a stellar
Postmortem: A Recap of Blood Prison 2020 Season
Postmortem: Blood Prison Max gets a Postmortem 2020 Haunt Season Report from Vic Amesquita at Blood Prison at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield Ohio.
What Makes a Good Villain? We Are the Monsters.
Crafting Villains with We Are The Monsters Mary Imagination has the unique perspective of being both a scare actor and a debut novelist. In this episode
This Haunt’s Christmas TikTok Has Over 3 Million Views
What you Need to know to get your Tiktok up and running Josh Sumsion from Dead City Haunted House comes on to discuss the process behind their TikTok
Thanksgiving Special: A Celebration of Robbi Lepre
The entertainment industry has been devastated by this pandemic, and we’re not out of the woods yet. But today, let’s pause and reflect on what we’re
Postmortem: The Garden of Spirits on Scaling & Contingency Planning
I had the delight of going on-site to interview Scott Swenson, the Creative Director for The Garden of Spirits at CW’s Gin Joint in Tampa, FL. Scott
Postmortem: A Petrified Forest on Online Sales
We stopped in at A Petrified Forest in Altamonte Springs, Florida to discuss takeaways from their 2020 season. Kaia Gondron said although 2020 was
Halloween Never Dies: Halloween 2020 Special
Happy Halloween! Today’s Halloween Special “Halloween Never Dies” is presented in two acts, with an intermission.Act 1 is the audio version of
INSIDE Brings Voyeuristic Horror to Downtown LA
When challenged with COVID restrictions, Just Fix It Productions figured out a way to color outside the lines to create a voyeuristic, inside-outside haunt
ZooTampa focuses on Creatures for family friendly Halloween
“Creatures of the Night” offers nine scare experiences, each of which is targeted at kids of a specific age—from toddlers to preteens—to deliver just the
Mid-Season Marketing Checklist
Timothy Sedillo of Scary Good Marketing discusses what you should be doing now to prepare your haunt marketing for 2021 It’s almost Halloween and, guess
Fort Edmonton Park’s DARK 2020 Event Goes (Mostly) Virtual
For this year’s Halloween season, Fort Edmonton Park in Alberta offers four virtual events—ranging from quiz nights to a dance party—and an on-site,
Digital Resources for a Safe and Fun Halloween
by Emily Louise Rua Home haunters face unprecedented challenges this year while preparing their yard displays. With rapidly-changing public health updates,
Survey: 40% to Celebrate Halloween Differently This Year
A survey by HalloweenCostumes.com found that people still want to celebrate Halloween and dress up in costume, despite restrictions imposed by the COVID-19
Reimagining Trick-or-Treating for a Safe Halloween 2020
by Emily Louise Rua When the CDC released their recommendations for Halloween activities, many communities throughout the country read through them with
Halloween Brief: Everything Ohio, Oprah’s Top Haunts, Candy Robots
Halloween News Brief for August 30th Up Today: Ohio ’s New Health Guidelines, Robotic Candy Delivery, The Haunted Drive-In Theatre, Oprah’s Top Haunt
Suds & Scares: The Rise of the Haunted Car Wash
by Emily Louise Rua Suds & Scares: Haunted Car Washes Transform an Everyday Service into a Fun Experience With rising demand for socially distant
Five More Zoos Announce Family Friendly Halloween Events
Among the spooky doins at these zoos are two drive-through adventures and “Boo at the Zoo” events including Baby Boo activities for the little tikes In the
The CDC Issues Guidelines for Halloween, Including Haunted Houses
The CDC issued guidance on coronavirus-transmission risk levels of Halloween activities including haunted houses and trick or treating The Centers for
Reign of Terror is Canceled for 2020
Due to newly announced LA County restrictions, Reign of Terror 2020 won’t open for Halloween season 2020. In a brief statement, Reign of Terror announced
Hong Kong Disneyland to Reopen on September 25
Following two previous closures, Hong Kong Disneyland leaves only Disneyland Resort in California as the only Disney park worldwide to remain closed. Hong
Theme Park News in 30: Everything Happening in Halloween BONUS
On this Bonus Green Tagged: What 11 drive-in haunted attractions have in common, where they differ, and why it matters; a rundown of what every major US
Two Zoos Offer Drive-thru Halloween Adventures for 2020
The San Antonio Zoo and the Little Rock Zoo feature drive-thru events for safe and spooky family fun during the pandemic. To address the pandemic and still
Toverland Announces a New Haunted House Experience
The Netherlands’ Toverland amusement park features redesigned scare zones at Halloween Nights Toverland amusement park in Sevenum, The Netherlands, has
CAPA Urges California Governor to Issue Reopening Guidelines for Theme Parks
California theme parks are “ready to roll” as soon as guidelines are issued On September 13th, The California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA)
The Pandemic’s Most Innovative Haunted Houses Originate From Tokyo
Kowagarasetai in Tokyo has created the world’s most innovation haunted houses designed for the pandemic, included the drive through haunt and haunted
Reign of Terror in 2020 Celebrates 21st Year With New Layout
Reign of Terror revamps its 120 scare rooms to terrify guests safely with new layout and more scares during their 21st Anniversary Reign of Terror Haunted
10 Years of Fear Commemorates Madworld Haunted Attractions
A celebration with new, bigger scares debuts on September 11th To commemorate its tenth anniversary, Madworld Haunted Attractions is debuting “10 Years of
Frightworld Cancels its 2020 Halloween Season in Response to Pandemic
America’s Screampark plans to reopen in 2021 Frightworld, America’s Screampark, located in the Buffalo, New York area, announced on September 3rd that it
LA County Issues Guidance for Celebrating Halloween
Trick-or-treating and haunted houses are out, but drive-thru events are OK. UPDATE: The County changed the guidance regarding trick-or-treating from
Fear Factory Paves the Way for a Successful Haunt Reopening
Following its successful reopening, Fear Factory provides guidance for haunts reopening during COVID-19 On May 29th, Fear Factory’s annual Halfway to
Hauntoween Brings Traditional Halloween Trick or Treat Experience
Door-to-door trick-or-treating, pumpkin picking, and photo ops highlight this Halloween drive-through experience in Los Angeles Experiential Supply Company
Green Tagged: Top Theme Park News For Sept 6
News about governors’ responses to reopening, IP developments, and the trend to virtual We divided this week’s news into three piles: the Florida and New
“Green Tagged” Podcast Covers Top Theme Park News from Last Week
An insider’s take on the attraction industry’s trending news. August 30th Edition – Welcome to the Green Tagged blog, based on our first podcast
Messaging for Your Haunt – What Do You Say To Them?
How to personalize your haunt messaging during the pandemic Continuing with our HAuNT Connect series, the Road to Reopening for Halloween, this article
Novel Ways Of Telling Our Stories: Scare Differently This Year!
How to scare with intent from six feet away By David Jones 2020 is giving haunters a wonderful opportunity to birth novel ways of telling our stories. In
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride Will be a Drive-up Experience This Year
A live, immersive, interactive drive-through adventure and drive-in-movie horror experience awaits guests this Halloween season. For the 2020 Halloween
Is Halloween Dead?
A rational look at the prospects for haunted attractions this year and for your haunt in particular Episode 46 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast (recorded
Remembering Robbi: Lessons Learned from a Reluctant Haunter
By Scott Swenson For over 25 years, I was lucky enough to have Robbi LePre as part of my life. She played many roles. She was my mentor, my boss, my
TEA and AECOM Release the 2019 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index
The annual publication lists new additions to the top 25 theme parks worldwide and provides data and trends on the global industry. The Themed
Phases of Recovery from COVID for Haunted Attractions
Approaches to Addressing a Crisis—Which Haunts Should implement All the Time By Scott Swenson Welcome back to the dark. I based this blog on Episode 45 of
Midsummer Scream to Host a Livestream “Telethon”
There in Spirit: Midsummer Scream — a Daylong Livestream Telethon Celebrating All Things Spooky Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and
5 Enormous Halloween Events Cancel Plans
While one haunt has reopened, Disney’s Halloween Party, Kennywood Halloween events, and Eastern Penitentiary’s Terror Behind the Walls announce canceled
The Power of Diversity in Your Haunted Attraction
Use Diversity in your team, in your scares, within your industry, and in your products to strengthen your haunt. By Scott Swenson Welcome to the dark. This
Don’t Panic, Pivot Your Haunt
Creative strategies for haunts and haunters to move through the COVID-19 pandemic and emerge on their feet. by Scott Swenson Episode 42 of my podcast, A
Marketing Your Haunted Attraction After a Pandemic
Strategies from FearWorm Hauntvertising for how to market your attraction during a post-pandemic Halloween season By HaunTopic Radio When a global crisis
Fear Factory Haunted House Successfully Reopens
Tickets sold out for the May 29 “Halfway to Halloween” Event at Fear Factory in Salt Lake City On May 29, 2020, Salt Lake City’s Fear Factory became the
So Now What? Haunted Attractions COVID-19 Edition
This unprecedented situation provides an opportunity for haunts and haunters to become more creative and support one another. This blog is based on Episode
Use Mobile Horror Experiences to Expand Your Haunt Brand
Use mobile, remote, horror experiences to keep connected to your guests and expand your brand. By HaunTopic Radio Each year, we should be adding
Empower Your Haunt’s Audience
By Ricky Brigante, Edited by Staff What follows is a summary of Ricky Brigante’s keynote given at the 2017 Haunted Attraction Symposium, the theme for
HauntQue Booking App Seamlessly Syncs Prescheduled Guests With Walk-Ins
HauntQue allows guests to schedule their visit to your haunt so it works best for them and for you. HauntQue virtual queue line is an “intelligent waitlist
Haunt Extreme Disaster Preparedness and Survival
Take steps now to prepare for any type of disaster to enhance the chances your business will survive it. By Carol Jeffers I am Carol Jeffers (CJ), Founder
Training Haunt Actors in Interactivity
By Dr. Margee Kerr, Edited by Staff What follows is a summary of Dr. Margee Kerr’s keynote given at the 2017 Haunted Attraction Symposium, the theme for
Bootstrap Your Haunt – a Guide to Saving Time and Money
Tips and tricks to save time and money on building or upgrading your haunted attraction. By Brian Foreman and Darryl Plunkie Time and money are the two
The February Meeting to Prepare for Your October Haunt
Get started early in the year to be better prepared for the Halloween season Welcome again to my blog, this one based on episode 40 of my A Scott in the
An Ode to Year-Round Haunting
The general manager of Haunted Mayfield Manor talks about the great hurricane of 1900 and women in haunting. This blog is based on episode 191 of our Haunt
Drop 96 FEET PER SECOND at This Haunted Mine
Developing Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s Haunted Mine Drop By Philip Hernandez Most of us have had the experience of stepping into an elevator on a top
Actor Safety in the New World – a Guide
We’ve always focused on actor safety, so build on what you already do well to care for them after the pandemic. By Scott Swenson We, in the haunt industry,
The Source for Uncommon Scents for Haunts
Mikey interviews Florentina of Aroma Prime about those weird smells at scare attractions. Hi, it’s Mikey, and this blog is based on episode 145 of
Designing a Fright Attraction from the Inside Out
A basic overview of the fright attraction design process! By Leonard Pickel, Hauntreprneurs.com Attraction Design and Consulting My background is
How to Get Away with Lighting in Your Haunt
4 lighting designers offer tips for pulling off effective haunted house lighting design using what you already have. For many haunted attractions, lighting
HAuNTcon 2020 – a Weekend in New Orleans
Seminars, a panel discussion, and chats with folks from Dark Woods and Raybourn Creative I recorded Episode 39 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast at the
7 Things We Wished We Knew About Haunting
Jonathan and Crystal Discuss Lessons Learned Over Years of Running a Haunt This blog is based on Episode 186 of our Haunt Weekly podcast, which was
Why You Need a Gift Shop at Your Haunted Attraction
Jonathan offers six plus two rules for creating a successful gift shop at your haunt. It’s Jonathan and Crystal here again, and this blog is based on
Engaging Fear for Your Haunted Attraction
Making an emotional connection through fear is the key to creating a powerful and memorable experience for guests. By Phil Raybourn For haunted
A Visit to the 2019 IAAPA Expo
Discovering what’s new and trending in the haunt and theme park industries Episode 38 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast was recorded at the 2019 IAAPA
Transitioning your Haunt to Christmas
A Haunter in Christmas Town: How to Do a Changeover from a Halloween to a Christmas Event This blog is based on Episode 37 of my A Scott in the Dark
The After Party – Bringing Haunters Together All Year Long
by Scott Swenson This blog is based on Episode 36 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast, which came right on the heels of Episode 35. I wasn’t planning on
The Power of the Paranormal — A Chat with Jill Witecki of Tampa Theatre and Jeremy Rettig of Genesis Paranormal Services
This blog is based on Episode 34 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast, entitled “The Power of the Paranormal,” in which I had the great opportunity to look at
‘Tis the Season – Summer is the Time to Start Preparing for Halloween
This blog is based on Episode 33 of my A Scott in the Dark podcast, which was called, “’Tis the Season.” This wasn’t a Christmas episode. No. It was
Planning Your Haunt’s Success
Tips and lessons for folks who think they might want to create a haunt by Scott Swenson This blog is based on episode 31 of my A Scott In the Dark podcast,
Listeners’ Choice, Volume 2…
…in which Scott talked about how he got into the haunt business and a few other topics. This blog is based on Episode 30 of my Scott in the Dark podcast.
Recipients of 2020 Haunters to Watch Awards Announced
The wait is over! In partnership with HAuNTcon, we are excited to announce the recipients of this year’s Haunters to Watch awards. Created to highlight
Transworld 2019
Highlights from my visit to this year’s Transworld in St. Louis, Missouri It’s time once again to step into the darkness… This blog is based on
The Majestic Repertory Theatre in Las Vegas Presents “Sweeney Todd”
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Comes to the Las Vegas Arts District from January 16 to February 16, 2020 Stephen Sondheim’s Tony-award-winning musical,
Welcome to Volume 1 of Listeners’ Choice
…in which I answer a few burning questions from listeners Welcome once again to A Scott in the Dark. This blog is based on my Episode 28 podcast, which was
Interviews with Friends at the 2019 HAuNTcon in New Orleans
TRADESHOWS ARE THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE FRIENDS AND GET EDUCATED ABOUT THE HAUNT BUSINESS We’re going to do something a little different in the dark this
Krampus Haunted Christmas Event Comes To 8 States This December
13th Floor Entertainment Group brings ‘A Haunted Christmas’ featuring Krampus to indulge guests in search of a demonic holiday experience. Krampus: A
7 Scary Holiday Events coming this December to Southern California
Need a break from Christmas holiday mayhem? Cleanse your palate with a little Halloween spice. Halloween is over for most people, but not for us! Keep your
Attending a Parallel Industry Tradeshow
What haunters can learn from participating in tradeshows outside the haunt world In this blog, I’ll be talking about my experiences at The Special
Shopping for Your Haunted Attraction Year Round
How and where to find bargains on stuff for your haunt throughout the year Welcome to my first blog of 2019. Since it’s right after the holiday season, I
Krampus Show Debuts in Las Vegas for the 2019 Holiday Season
Guests are invited to an immersive family holiday party with an unexpected guest and horrifying consequences On December 5, 2019, the Majestic Repertory
Installing “ Dark ,” my First Haunt in Canada, at Fort Edmonton Park, Alberta
Moving into new territory with the installation of a haunt at a historic site in Canada I was thinking this blog should probably be called A Scott After
ScareHouse Opens 2 New Experiences in Pittsburgh for 2019 Halloween
The Basement and Stalked by a Killer Open in Pittsburgh ScareHouse is on hiatus for 2019 while the attraction relocates, but the team announced two new
When the Tide Comes in, All Ships Rise
All the reasons to support fellow haunts and haunters – especially in online public forums. Welcome, once again, to A Scott In the Dark. We’re
Michigan’s Hush Haunted Attraction Grows 6X for 2019 Halloween
Hush Haunted Attraction in Westland, Michigan, is debuting three haunted houses in a new venue that’s 6X as large as the previous space. The trio of
New for 2019 at Cross Roads Escape Games —The Séance Experience
Debuting at Cross Roads Escape Games in Anaheim, California for the 2019 Halloween season is The Séance, a theatrical horror experience For the 2019
Dead Factory Haunted House in Mexico, Missouri Focuses on Phobias
Family-owned, home-grown haunted house in Mexico, Missouri focuses on phobias. Dead Factory, located in Mexico, Missouri, is a 30-minute, linear,
New Mazes and Special Events at this Year’s Haunted Fort
Historic, haunted buildings and real ghosts await guests at this unique outdoor haunt at Fort Abraham Lincoln on the North Dakota prairie. Haunted Fort is
HAuNTcon 2020 Announces First Sessions of Education Program
All-inclusive, full-weekend pass allows access to all education sessions, HAuNTcon and Halloween Party & Expo exhibit halls, and costume ball. HAuNTcon
The Four Levels of Haunt
The Importance of Targeting Your Haunt to One of the Four Demographic Audiences Welcome to the Dark! Here we are at the crux of the Halloween season.
Twilight Actors Visits 2019 Spirit of Halloweentown Festival in St. Helens, Oregon
Peter Facinelli, who played Dr. Carlisle Cullen in “Twilight,” will light the city’s giant Halloween pumpkin at this year’s 10th annual event. As part of
Tampa Theater’s 2019 “A Nightmare of Franklin Street” Halloween
A horror film festival, short-form horror story contest, campfire stories, and creepy storytelling for adults are featured in Tampa Theatre’s 2019
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor 2019 Event Overview
Open from Sept 26 – Nov 2 on 23 select nights, The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor occurs in the harbor surrounding The Queen Mary Ship in Long Beach,
Third Annual Haunted Little Tokyo Returns to Los Angeles this October
The Little Tokyo community transforms into family-friendly scares and fun on select days and nights in October. The Little Tokyo community welcomes
“Monster Movies for Music” Festival Debuts at San Diego’s Observatory Theater on October 20
The first-ever event sponsored by Spooks and Spirits podcast will premier on October 20 at San Diego’s Historic Observatory Theater. The inaugural Spooks
Marrying Location, History Inspired Story, and Party
EPIC Entertainment Group Launches Dark Horizon in Orlando By Philip Hernandez “Dark Horizon: Point of No Return” is a new haunted attraction produced by
Dark Horizon, Point of No Return 2019 Event Overview
Dark Horizon is at the Holiday Inn and Suites in Orlando, Florida from October 10 through November 2 on 16 select nights. This Halloween event has 200
The Director is the Lens, Not the Sun
What’s the role of the director in a haunt attraction, and do you need a director at your haunt? I’m really excited about this blog, which is based on
