Here is the Haunted Attraction Industry News for March, 20th.
If you would like to receive this in your inbox, CLICK HERE
U.S. Haunts & Events
Beep, Beep! It’s time to float! Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and Egan Escape Productions have joined forces to bring fans a new escape room experience in Las Vegas, Nevada – Escape IT – inspired by the horrifying and iconic film franchise IT. Spanning more than 30,000 square feet, Escape IT offers fans two multi-room escape adventures that bring to life IT and its blockbuster sequel, IT Chapter Two, both from New Line Cinema. The attraction includes more than 16 interactive rooms, state-of-the-art special effects, lighting, animatronics, and live actors to create a fully immersive and terrifying experience. “It’s been such an exciting venture to work with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and having the opportunity to bring some of their iconic characters to life in an immersive experience here in Las Vegas,” said Jason Egan, owner of Egan Escape Productions. “We are passionate about creating the most creative and interactive experiences, with this being the most terrifying one yet as Pennywise the dancing clown welcomes you into the town of Derry.” “Escape IT Chapter One” is now open, with the “IT Chapter Two” experience opening later this year. In addition to the two escape experiences, Escape IT includes carnival-styled midway games and a full-scale “IT” themed retail store complete with photo ops and exclusive custom merchandise. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $54.99 – $59.99.
Come experience the horror of the 2000s at The Mystic Museum (Burbank, CA) with their all-new exhibit, “Y2Kills.” Opening April 15th, 2023, Y2Kills will feature personal collections from Eli Roth, Mike Dougherty, and The Mystic Museum – but that’s not all! Douglas Pipes, the mastermind behind the iconic soundtrack of Trick r’ Treat has composed a thrilling score to set the tone for the experience. Three different ticket options will be available, each with its own unique set of exciting perks. Depending on which tier you select, you’ll have the opportunity to take home a variety of memorabilia, including a novelty photo; a CD featuring the original Y2Kills soundtrack; and a wind-up disposable film camera reminiscent of the technology from the early 2000s. Tickets will be available soon on The Mystic Museum’s official website.
Carnage Haunted House (Columbus, OH) will present Hidden: A Haunted Egg Hunt Experience on April 7th & 8th. Journey through two horrifying attractions and search for hidden eggs. Watch out for gruesome characters as they try to collect you instead! Tickets are on sale now, starting at $25 for General Admission and $35 for Fast Pass.
Deranged Haunted Attraction’s (Romulus, MI) Halfway to Halloween event is May 12th – 13th, 2023. Last May’s Deranged haunted trail gave people a closer look at Camp Zika. This year, visitors will dive deeper into that fictional story with the focus centered on Greeno Industrial, a company being blamed for the chaos and rumored to be disposing of toxic chemicals into Lake Zika. Could Greeno Industries have ignored local regulations and put the citizens at risk of increasing profits? Or is this all a bunch of hocus pocus? Enter through the gates of Greeno Industries on May 12th – 13th and find out the truth. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $20 for General Admission, $30 for Fast Passes, and $40 for VIP Axess Passes.
Celebrate halfway to Halloween with Field of Terror (East Windsor, NJ). The haunt’s three attractions – The Karnival, Timmery Manor, and Trail of Terror – will be operating for this off-season event. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $39 for General Admission and $59 for VIP Admission. Be sure to get your tickets in advance; there will be a limited number of tickets available on-site starting at $45 for General Admission.
Come and have a ghoul’s day out on March 31st & April 1st for Scream Break at Arx Mortis (Killen, AL). The event will occur in Arx Mortis’ newly updated 15,000 sq ft haunt, “The Underground.” Join this spirited spring party with pre-sale tickets for $10.00.
Countess Prospero invites you to a Macabre Masquerade ball presented by The Raven Societea May 21st at the Historic Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Dress in your finest attire and revel in a night of dark delights, music, dancing, beauty, and wine. Leave your identities at the door and explore the mysterious world of Poe. Tickets start at $79.99 for General Admission and $129.99 for “The Raven Package,” – which includes (1) Luxe Masquerade Mask, (1) Welcome Cocktail, (1) Memento Mori Commemorative Coin, (1) Dessert, Express Entry, and Early Access.
Join Dark Castle (Elgin, SC) on June 10th for a night to remember at Camp Terror, a 13-hour extreme horror campout experience. They have curated a particular collection of contorted sideshows, group games, and personal horrors to thrill, chill, and entertain! During Camp Terror you may be forcibly handled, moved, bound, hooded, chained, and subjected to simulated torture by scareactors. Participation is an individual experience and will not be the same for all campers. The $150 ticket price includes two meals and a snack during the night. Campers sleep in two person tents. If you come alone, or as the ‘extra’ person in any group of uneven number you may be paired with another camper group to tent share. If you would prefer not to, please ensure you book two tickets to secure an entire tent.
Theme Parks
Hersheypark (Hershey, PA) announced that Dark Nights will return from the shadows of Hersheypark Halloween with more dates than last year. The event will run weekends from September 15th – October 29th, and the park has added more Friday evenings for 2023. In 2022 Dark Nights featured four haunts, three scare zones, and themed food & beverages exclusive to the event. Maze and scare zone announcements will begin in the coming months. For now the website teases that “darkness is taking over even more of the Hersheypark landscape with more menacing characters roaming our mutated Midways anxiously awaiting your return.”
Conventions & Mixers
Fear Expo occurs this week, March 23rd – 26th, at the Owensboro Convention Center in Owensboro, Kentucky. The event begins on March 23rd with the Ultimate Haunt Tour, visiting 6 haunts in the region: Black Orchard Haunted House, Malice Manor, The Haunted Hotel, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, The American Horrorplex, and The Devil’s Attic. Friday – Sunday will feature seminars, networking events, over 100+ exhibitors on the show floor, Make-up Demo Stage, a costume party, and more. Seminar highlights include: Adding Sliders To Your Event (Friday @ 2:00 p.m., Speaker: Todd Patton from Con Nooga), Proper Care of Haunt Costumes (Saturday @ 1:00 p.m., Speaker: Rob O’Brien from ResirWrecked Costumes), and Care and Feeding of Your Haunt Team (Sunday @ 11:00 a.m., Speakers: Michael Hios from Mythos Ventures & Mandy Redburn from Factory of the Dead). Tickets are still available on the event’s official website, starting at $25 for General Admission, $65 for VIP Admission, and $199 for the Ultimate Haunt Tour.
Ghost of Summer, a Summertime Halloween Convention taking place July 29th – 30th in Portland, Oregon, is seeking home haunters for their Home Haunt Pavilion. Whether your attraction is a walk-thru, yard display, theatrical experience, or something un-categorizable, all home haunters are welcome to apply for a 10’x10′ display in the darkened Scare Zone hall. Fog and lighting effects are welcome, however, all displays will be examined by the Fire Marshal for safety. Participants will receive two-weekend exhibitor passes. Interested parties can fill out the Home Haunter Application for consideration.
Jobs
The Woods of Terror (Greensboro, NC) is now hiring for the 2023 haunt season. Training starts on March 25th from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The season runs Fridays – Sundays + Halloween September 16th – November 4th.
Film & TV
The Boulet Brothers (Dramorda and Swanthula Boulet) have announced that they will host and produce an upcoming Halloween-inspired variety show “Halfway to Halloween” which is set to air on AMC+ and Shudder on April 25th. “Halfway to Halloween” will pay homage to the classic holiday variety shows, featuring scripted skits, musical performances, and guest appearances — including David Dastmalchian (“Suicide Squad”), Kevin Smith (“Clerks”), Taran Killam (“Saturday Night Live”), Matthew Lillard (“Scream”), Jorge Garcia (“Lost”), Steve Agee (“Peacemaker”), Barbara Crampton (“Chopping Mall”), Felissa Rose (“Sleepaway Camp”), Katya (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Derek Mears (“Friday the 13th”), Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”), Kendra Onixx, Koco Caine & Melissa Befierce (“The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula”), and the Twin Temple band.
For Sale
A Zillow listing in Baird, Texas, has gone viral due to the Halloween-themed rooms. While the three-bedroom, 1.5-bath ranch-style house does not appear noteworthy, the interior listing photos show a home overrun by skeletons, spiders, and other Halloween creeps. The property owners operate a yearly haunt there called “Thirteen Vultures,” which draws over 1,800 attendees annually. The property is listed for $125,000, and the owners are willing to sell the name and rights to their haunt for an additional $75,000.
SHARE THIS
Upcoming Events: March - May 2023
March 23 – 26: Fear Expo (Owensboro, Kentucky)
April 29 – 30: Spooky Swap Meet (Los Angeles, California)
May 7 – 12: Southeast Hollows Haunt Convention (Savannah, Georgia)
Spring Haunts
All Saints Lunatic Asylum (Apple Valley, CA) – March 31 – April 2
Arx Mortis (Killen, AL) – March 31 – April 1
Asylum 49 (Tooele, UT) – April 7 – 8
Carnage Haunted House (Columbus, OH) – April 7 – 8
Dark Castle (Elgin, SC) – June 10
Deranged Haunted Attraction (Romulus, MI) – May 12 – 13
Field of Screams (Mountville, PA) – May 6
Field of Terror (East Windsor, NJ) – April 28 – 29, May 5
Fright Haven (Stratford, CT) – April 7 – 8
Featured Videos
Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In
Political Fights Affecting Theme Parks, plus Six Flags Expansions
Political clashes are shaking up the theme park world: Biden against Resort Fees and Disney versus De Santis. Plus, trends are unfolding in the world of Six Flags expansions.
Creature Trends with Allen Hopps and Stilt Beast Studios
Allen Hopps owns Stilt Beast Studios and is the Director of Dark Hour Haunted House. During this year’s Transworld, Allen brought several new costumes with an anti-reality theme, and he’s also been experimenting with gamification and off-season events at his haunt. Here’s Allen live at the show with more.
On-Location: Middle East Film and Comic Convention
Scott visits the Middle East Film and Comic Convention and draws parallels between horror culture and its impact across countries. The Middle East Film and Comic Con (commonly referred to as MEFCC) is a speculative fiction convention held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in April.
Haunted Attraction Industry News for March 14th
Read more here.
Universal Rebrands & Disney’s Price Ceiling
Universal announces a rebrand as their expansion in Texas is approved. Meanwhile, Disney is hitting a price ceiling due to a lack of demand for the Galactic Starcruiser.
Partner Stations
Craving more haunt goodness? We’re thrilled to be partnered with HaunTopic Radio, ScareTrack, The Scare Factor, and A Scott in the Dark. Give them a listen.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
