Here is the Haunted Attraction Industry News for June, 27th.
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Theme Parks
New house announcement! Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights in both Orlando and Hollywood will feature a double dose of terror with “The Horrors of Blumhouse” haunted house which brings to life Blumhouse’s supernatural thriller The Black Phone and horror-comedy Freaky. In The Black Phone, guests will find themselves trapped in the house of “The Grabber”, a demented magician best known for his sinister trick of making people disappear – permanently. Ghostly voices whisper hints on how to escape, but guests must tread carefully to outwit and outrun “The Grabber’s” twisted magic. Freaky will challenge guests to outrun serial killer “The Butcher” who has switched bodies with a high school girl after being cursed by The La Dola Dagger, an ancient Aztec blade. Guests will learn firsthand that looks can be deceiving as they encounter the sweet-looking teen who is actually “The Butcher” – and she is determined to hunt for their next victims. The frightening event begins at Universal Orlando Resort on September 2 and at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 8 and runs through Monday, October 31st. Learn more at HHN’s official website.
Adventureland Park (Altoona, Iowa) announced their new Halloween event: Phantom Fall Fest. The event will take place weekends September 30th – October 30th. Come early for fun-sized thrills like trick-or-treating, family-sized rides, and special food and drinks. Then at 6 PM Phantom Fall Fest takes screams to the extreme with four separate haunted houses (The Corn Stalkers, Spirits of the Swamp, CarnEVIL, and Alice in Wonderland) and three scare zones (MasqueRAGE: The Phantom’s World, Death Metal Vampires, and Arachnophobia). Unlimited admission is included with 2022 Platinum, Gold, and Silver Adventureland Season Passes. Single Day ticket prices and on sale dates will be announced later this summer.
Conventions & Mixers
The Idaho Halloween & Horror Convention will collaborate with The Haunted Attraction Association and Fear Factory Salt Lake City for their 2022 event. Members of Fear Factory Salt Lake City will take part in panels including, “Home Haunting Secrets”, “Animatronics & Pneumonics”, “TikTok Marketing”, “Scary Shortcuts”, “Painting with the Pros”, and “We’re Here to Help – Fear Factory Style”. HAA Board Members Krista Brower-Wood and Brent Wilson will be speaking at the “Ask The Industry” panel which will be moderated by Spencer Terry, HAA Board President and Fear Factory SLC General Manager and Equity Owner. Idaho Halloween & Horror Convention takes place August 12th – 14th, 2022 at the Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner. The event includes Vendors, Artists, Celebrity Guests, Celebrity Photo Ops, Make & Takes, Q&As, Panels, Discussions, Horror Ball, Paranormal Tour, Undead Buffet, Cash Costume Contest, and more. Purchase tickets online.
U.S. Haunts & Events
SHAQTOBERFEST Halloween event will come to the iconic Queen Mary in Long Beach, California this Fall. 15-time All-Star and basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal and ABG Entertainment announced a partnership with Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, the producers of world-class live events and location-based entertainment experiences including LA’s own Haunted Hayride, for the first-ever SHAQTOBERFEST Halloween event. Beginning late September through Halloween, SHAQTOBERFEST will include six thrilling Halloween-themed areas for guests to explore, each featuring Halloween trails, games, live entertainment, food and beverage vendors, and more. Each afternoon will provide family fun trick-or-treat offerings and entertainment for children of all ages who are encouraged to dress in their favorite Halloween costumes. Come nighttime, the energetic lights and music turn on as the witching hour begins, unleashing O’Neal’s ghoulish minions into the haunted trails and midways as the spirits of SHAQTOBERFEST are brought to life. More information – including dates and pricing – will be posted soon to the event’s official website.
Evil Intentions (Elgin, IL) is known for its “jungle gym” rooms filled with actors choreographed to original music. In a recent Haunted Attraction Network interview, owner Mike Fitzpatrick discussed the haunt’s actor-centric approach and the creation of their original soundtrack. For 2022 the haunt plans to re-do 2-3 areas to allow for new scares and scenes.
Massacre Haunted House (Montgomery, IL) is known for its large sets and dramatic yearly renovations. Owner Ryan Burke recently spoke with the Haunted Attraction Network to discuss the haunt’s focus on tall, dramatic set pieces and their approach to revamping the attraction for each new haunt season.
Retail
Grandin Road released their 2022 Halloween Haven Sneak Peek. New highlights for the upcoming season include: “Holding Hand Reapers” ($129.00), a set of three fabric figures with LED-lit heads that fade in and out; “Animated Haunted Librarian” ($329.00), a 66″ tall animated figure that recites four unique sayings plus laughter; and “All Hallows’ Eve Wreath” ($359.00), an oversized 3D haunted house indoor/outdoor décor piece. These new products will be available to ship various dates July – August.
Film & TV
In a recent Q&A at Sugarmynt Gallery, Executive Story Editor and Writer Dan Angel discussed his work on the Goosebumps TV series and other Goosebumps film & tv adaptations. Hear some behind-the-scenes stories and what it was like to work with the prolific writer, R.L. Stine in our recording of the entire presentation.
Livestreams
TransWorld Live will present The Road to Midwest Haunters Convention: The Aftermath Part 2 Tuesday, June 28th at 7:00 p.m. CDT. Guests will include Brian Blair (Pumpkin Pulp), Brian Mudgett (RIP City FX/RCFX), Pandora Rose (Haunters Hangout), Jim Slanks (Chicago Haunt Builders), and Maximus Bryant (Ohio Haunters Association). Tune in live on the MWHC Facebook page.
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Auditions / Casting Calls
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream (Tampa, FL) – Various Dates
Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, PA) – Various Dates July 11 – August 25
The Haunted Forests (Newfane, NY) – Various Dates
Lake Hickory Haunts (Hickory, NC) – Ongoing
A Petrified Forest (Altamonte Springs, FL) – July 9, 16
Undead in the Water (Tampa, Florida) – July 23, August 13
Valley Fright Nights (Woodland Hills, CA) – July 2 – 3
Upcoming Haunt Events
Summer Haunts
Carnage Haunted House (Columbus, OH) – July 29 – 30
Paranoia Haunted House (Canton, GA) – July 9
Valley Fright Nights (Woodland Hills, CA) – July 21 – 24, 28 – 31, August 4 – 7, 11 – 14, 18 – 21, 25 – 28
Vegas Fright Nights (Las Vegas, NV) – July 15 – 16
Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In
What Cruise Ships Can Teach You About Entertainment Design
They say that the best thing about cruising is seeing new places, but it turns out there’s more than just scenery on a ship. In this video, Scott explores how the new ‘Carnival Mardi Gras’ ship has been designed with entertainment in mind using space and activities. We’ll look at why their design is so successful and see if we can apply those principles to our own work.
Inside Look at Massacre Haunted House in Montgomery, IL for 2022
We’re going on-location to Massacre Haunted House in Montgomery, IL to learn about their 2022 season. Massacre is known for their large sets and dramatic yearly renovations.
Goosebumps Writer Interview – Dan Angel Talks About The TV Series
We’ll hear about creating the Goosebumps TV series with Executive Story Editor and Writer Dan Angel. Dan talks about what it was like to work on the series and the journey of adapting the series from the popular books. He also shares some behind-the-scenes stories from the show.
Haunted Attraction Industry News for June 21st
Read more here.
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