Here is the Haunted Attraction Industry News for August 9th.
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Theme Parks
The upcoming Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store at Universal Studios Florida is planning a mausoleum-themed corridor, and guests can be part of it! Guests at Universal Studios Florida can get their photo etched onto a mausoleum monument in the Halloween Tribute Store. For $129, you choose your name and send a photograph of yourself to be included on a plaque in the hallway. The visitor will pick their own “birth year” and “death year,” but both must be before 1954. Once the Halloween Tribute Store closes, guests can pick up their plaque in person at Universal Studios or pay to have it shipped to them directly. These plaques can be ordered at Five & Dime, the Tribute Store, or All Hallows Eve Boutique.
Universal Studios Florida is bringing a photo gallery experience and Spooky Swizzle Lounge to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. The Universal Monsters Gallery of Legends allows hotel guests an extra experience corresponding to the “Universal Monsters” Legends Collide” house. This isn’t the first time that Cabana Bay Beach Resort has hosted a tie-in to Halloween Horror Nights. Hotel guests could view Jack the Clown and Stranger Things photo opportunities in prior years. These experiences will be available from September 2nd through October 31st.
The Walt Disney World Resort has revealed the food for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2022 at Magic Kingdom. Several new items inspired by Hocus Pocus are on the menu this year, including Winifred’s Elixir of Youth; Binx Pastry Tail; and Cold Witches Brew Coffee.
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Conventions
Idaho Halloween & Horror Con is this weekend, August 12-14, 2022, in Boise, ID. The event, now in its 2nd year, features an exhibit floor, zombie walk, costume ball, education, celebrity guests, and more. Programming highlights for Haunters include an “Ask the Industry” panel featuring Haunt Attraction Association board members; An introduction to Animatronics & Pneumatics; Costume Design: Learn how to design & develop a costume; “Scary Shortcuts”: Tips & tricks from the Fear Factory makeup experts; and “Audio for Home Haunting.” Fear Factory Haunted Attraction (the first haunted attraction to reopen after the pandemic) is visiting from Salt Lake City to offer an open Q&A and help other haunters with any challenges this season (Sunday at 3:00 P.M.). Pre-registration for $35 for the weekend is happening now at IdahoHorror.com and closes on August 10th.
Registration is OPEN for TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show 2023, happening at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis, February 2-5, 2023. With over 500,000 sq. feet of event space, this annual one-of-a-kind show is also co-located with TransWorld’s Christmas Show and TransWorld’s Interactive Entertainment Show. The largest industry show, it’s described as a “MUST ATTEND event” for anyone involved in Halloween.
U.S. Haunts & Events
“WITCH!” an immersive experience based on the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, opens Friday, August 19, at the Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles. Experience a sleepy town’s descent into madness as the people of Pendle are led to see witches in every shadow and every stray dog as a familiar spirit. Prepare to be cast out of your group and spend a unique time with the “witches” and inquisitors of Pendle’s spooky forest; risk being accused of witchcraft; meet performers one-on-one. Complimentary Alcoholic Beverages will be offered before the show; Proof of Vaccination is required. Tickets are $70 and are available now.
Frightworld Returns for its 20th year to 1001 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, NY. This year’s event will feature FIVE indoor uniquely themed haunted attractions. “We have been part of the community’s Halloween season for the last 20 years and couldn’t be more excited to return here in North Buffalo,” commented Rochelle Finkelshtein, General Manager of Frightworld.
Attack of the Rotting Corpses opens August 19th at Zombie Joe’s in Hollywood. An evil water supply microbe turns condominium residents into flesh-eating Rotting Corpses, leaving the concierge Heros to save the day! This original horror play walks the line between funny and scary. Playing Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 PM, the play runs through September 10th. Tickets are $20 in advance.
Within Our Walls finished a successful run in Glendale CA. The show, created by Sam Kellman, a young home haunter, mixed voyeuristic horror theatre with haunted house-style sets and effects. “I think what’s really cool about that is it can all start with a story, right? Here’s the story we want to tell, will this work better as a cinematic experience or as a live experience? Wouldn’t it be fun to release a 25-minute short film, do a premier party or a screening, and then transfer people into a walkthrough based on that film? You know, do something like that where we literally merge them.,” commented Sam.
International Haunts & Events
Deadmonton (Edmonton, AB) announced the themes for their 2022 haunted houses: Icons of Darkness and Return of the Living Dead. In Icons of Darkness, the indoor attraction, you will become the star of a horror movie. The event will run from September 23 to October 31, with a LIGHTS OUT event from November 3 to 5.
Scare City (Manchester, UK) will open at the old Camelot Theme Park from September 30th through October. Park n Party, a Manchester-based firm, is the brains behind the scary attraction, which it claims will be the world’s longest outdoor horror experience. According to the organizers, the zone will run for 2 kilometers and include 12 sections. “Complete with live actors to scare you witless, this 2-hour immersive experience is for those seeking the ultimate fair of scares,” commented a spokesperson.
Directories
The SoCal Haunt List is now open for submissions through September 17, 2022! The SoCal Haunt List is a directory of every haunted attraction, from yard displays to theme parks, in the Southern California Region. This year the site will see a complete remodel, but haunters can submit early while the site is being populated.
Film
The first movie trailer for Spirit Halloween: The Movie was released. The film, which is set to hit theaters on October 11 is centers around three friends spending the night locked inside a Spirit Halloween store. “But their night of spook-filled fun soon turns to outlandish survival.”
In a recent interview with the Haunted Attraction Network, Norman Gibney (Founder of Horrorbuzz) discussed the importance of Nope to the horror genre. He highlighted the need for horror to center around relatable characters and not shy away from social issues.
Vendors
Garner Holt, the infamous animatronic manufacturer, debuted a Grogu animatronic during San Diego Comic-Con. “He is totally self-contained in his pram. He’s got about 15 animatronic functions. He’s very expressive and has many facial movements, body movements… The control systems used are miniaturized, they’re aircraft quality all the miniaturized controls are inside the pram itself, and all of the animation functions are inside Grogu,” commented Garner.
CFX masks also debuted a new “Forced Smile” mask during SDCC. “What makes him unique is he is one of our most natural humans/clowns that we have done in quite a while. He is also one of the designs from our Design a Mask contest winner, Dylan Macko,” commented Tabitha Barron.
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Auditions / Casting Calls
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream (Tampa, FL) – Various Dates
Creatures of the Night (Canby, OR) – Various Dates
Cutting Edge Haunted House (Fort Worth, TX) – Various Dates
The Dent Schoolhouse (Cincinnati, OH) – Various Dates
Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, PA) – Various Dates July 11 – August 25
Fear Factory SLC (Salt Lake City, UT) – August 20, 27, September 3, 24
The Haunted Forests (Newfane, NY) – Various Dates
Lake Hickory Haunts (Hickory, NC) – Ongoing
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride (Los Angeles, CA) – Various Dates
Netherworld (Stone Mountain, GA) – Various Dates
Red Vein (Ashland, VA) – August 10, 17, 26
Reign of Terror (Thousand Oaks, CA) – Various Dates
SeaWorld San Diego Howl-O-Scream (San Diego, CA) – August 9-11, 13-14
SHAQTOBERFEST (Long Beach, CA) – Various Dates
Southern Screams (North Charleston, SC) – August 12 – 13
Stalker Farms (Snohomish, WA) – August 17
Thrillvania Haunted House Park (Terrell, TX) – Various Dates
Undead in the Water (Tampa, Florida) – August 13
Upcoming Haunt Events
Summer Haunts
Saunders Farm FrightFest (Ontario, Canada) – August 12 – 13
Valley Fright Nights (Woodland Hills, CA) – August 11 – 14, 18 – 21, 25 – 28
Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In
The Best, Cheap Ways to Promote Your Haunted Attraction
We’re covering the top 13 cheap ways to promote your haunted attraction. On August 2nd, Brian and Philip taught a free class for the Haunter’s Toolbox Group members.
Spooky Music in Visual Media: Live from Midsummer Scream 2022
Coming up, discover how music supervisors select tunes that appear in spooky TV shows, movies, and even commercials.
Composers of the Apocalypse: Live from Midsummer Scream 2022
In this episode you’ll learn about the history, process, and musical challenges behind some of the most iconic horror film soundtracks of all time.
Should we be talking about a recession?
Today we discuss the CDC lifting restrictions for Cruise Ships; Hong Kong Disneyland Resort enhancing cast benefits; GDP data fanning concerns about a U.S. recession; and why Meta’s Profit is down 36%.
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