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Last week's episode was something of a downer. Luckily, this week we get to be a bit more optimistic as we talk about all of the signs that show the haunt industry's future is looking bright.Admittedly, this episode was a bit more difficult to research than I had planned but there are some very clear signs that the haunt industry, in spite of its challenges, is doing well and will likely still be doing well in the future.What are those signs? Well, here's a few just to get us started...This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersThank You for Being AwesomeInternational ExpansionHaunts as PromotionsSafety RecordGrowth of Halloween and HorrorImproving Racial DemographicsGrowing Desire for "Real" ExperiencesMore Haunts Than EverYear to Year GrowthConclusionsAll in all, this is an episode you do NOT want to miss, especially if you got a bit bummed by the last one...

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Depending on how you look at it, the haunt industry is either set to rocket to the moon or it's doomed to crash and burn.As small business people, we think a lot about the future of the haunt industry and have talked a great deal about it on the podcast over the past three years. The truth is, whether you're a doomsayer or a terminal optimist, you can find a lot of data to support your view.So, over these next two episodes, we're going to do just that and we're going to start by putting on our doomsayer hat. So get ready for a bumpy ride!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersHousekeepingReason 1: ConsolidationReason 2: Top Heavy IndustryReason 3: Higher Costs of OperationReason 4: A Very Small IndustryReason 5: Rising Ticket PricesReason 6: Still Almost Entirely SeasonalReason 7: Increasing Competition From OutsideReason 8: DemographicsConclusionsSure, this one is a depressing one, but believe me that this is an episode you do NOT want to miss.

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're sitting down Elizabeth Zibilich, the proprietor behind Crafty Li'l Devil (https://www.craftylildevil.com/), a New Orleans costuming company, and, as of this year, a first time haunter.Elizabeth cut her teeth this year doing makeup for the The Mortuary Haunted House and ended up getting into the scaring action a bit too. However, as a long time crafter, makeup artist and costume designer, there was some transition for her to the field.So, we're sitting down with her to discuss those speed bumps and learn both how we can recruit other crafty people into haunting and what lessons they might have to learn along the way.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroInterview with Elizabeth ZibilichConclusionsAll in all, this is one episode that you do not want to miss! Special Guest: Elizabeth Zibilich.

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This week on Haunt Weekly, it's time to do the news!And for a March podcast, we have a LOT of news to get through. We literally cover the entire continental United States, from Alaska to Miami. We have stories of haunt successes, a haunt closure or two, one that caught fire and a few more... interesting pieces that are also Halloween related.All in all, this is one packed episode that also includes some suggestions for what you could (and should) be doing with your haunt in the off season. So strap yourself in! It's going to be a bumpy ride!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersAlaska Haunt Burns to the Ground (https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Dungeon-of-Doom-haunted-house-burns-in-early-morning-fire-506026621.html)Oklahoma Haunt Goes Up for Sale (https://ktul.com/news/local/haunted-attraction-goes-up-for-sale-in-morris)Another Oklahoma Haunt Says First Year Was a Success (https://www.ardmoreite.com/news/20190224/haunted-forest-considered-success-will-likely-return-next-year)2 Chainz Touts the Success of the Pink Trap House (https://www.complex.com/music/2019/03/2-chainz-haunted-pink-trap-house-made-half-million-dollars)OWA Amusement Park to Get New Dark Ride (https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2019/03/paula-deen-restaurant-new-ride-coming-to-owa-for-2019.html)Miami Has a Year-Round Horror Maze (https://www.narcity.com/us/fl/miami/things-to-do/miami-has-a-terrifying-halloween-horror-maze-that-remains-open-year-round)Haunt Actors Attend Scare School (https://hoiabc.com/news/top-stories/2019/03/03/local-haunted-house-actors-attend-scare-school/)Attacker Identified By His Pumpkin Mask (https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article227987624.html)Arrest Made in Memphis Halloween Party Shooting (http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2019/03/13/memphis-man-charged-halloween-party-shooting/)West Virginia Haunt Hosts Second Annual Zombie Prom (https://wvah.com/news/local/second-annual-zombie-prom-held-in-winfield)ConclusionsAll in all, this is one jam-packed news episode that you do NOT want to miss!

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The haunted attraction industry loves its conferences but there are still plenty of areas that are either unserved or underserved. To that end, there are many out there who may be cnosidering setting up a conference or gathering of their own.Awesome!But here's the thing: If you want your conference to be a success, you need to take some basic precautions and have a few ideas on what will make your event great. Luckily, we're here to help with some of our best advice for when we have organized events in the past including tips on how not to brankrupt yourself, or your conference, trying to put on a great show.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersOur History Organizing EventsDo The Business StuffStart SmallCreating the IdeaChoosing the LocationChoosing and Caring for SpeakersThe Social AspectAnnouncing and MarketingHow Conferences Make and Lose MoneySelling TicketsRunning the EventAfter the EventSpecial Considerations for HauntersConclusionsAll in all, whether you're planning to start a convention or looking to go to one, this is one episode you do not want to miss!

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It's Mardi Gras here in New Orleans.That means the parades are rolling, beads are being thrown and the beers are being downed. However, Mardi Gras is realy more than just an amazing party, it's an amazing feat of security and promotion and seasonal entertainment.Now we know a bunch of other attractions that are season in nature and worried about crowd safety/control so that raises the questions: What can haunts learn from Mardi Gras? That's the question we're tackling here.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBackground on Mardi GrasSaftey and Crowd ControlSeasonal Attraction AdviceGeneral Entertainment TipsConclusionsAll in all, this is one packed episode that you do not want to miss!

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Pretty much every business owner hopes to get positive media attention. However, haunted attractions are uniquely positioned to make it happen. Still, dealing with the media can be stressful and it can be difficult to ensure you geet the coverage you want.Fortunately, we're here to help. As a haunt that's had great luck with the media and half of us holding journalism degrees, we have some tips, tricks and ideas to help you not just get the media's attention, but to keep the coverage as positive as possible.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersWhy You Want Media Attention?How to Get Media AttentionGeneral Tips for Talking with the MediaTips for Print JournalistsTips for Broadcast JournalistsDealing with Bad PressAll in all, whether you're a home haunter or run a megahaunt, this is an episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, it's another episode divisible by four and that means it's time to do the news!And boy do we have some doozies this week. First, we FINALLY get to cover the lawsuit filed against Dorney's Theme Park as well as provide an update on the Old Joliet Prison. However, we also have news on a new attraction at Legoland and new study that shows why people got to haunted houses.So strap yourselves in, we have a lot of news to go over and not a lot of time to do it in!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersMom's Lawsuit Claims Fright at Dorney's Halloween Haunt Caused Her Daughter's Injuries (https://www.mcall.com/news/police/mc-nws-dorney-park-girl-scared-mother-sues-20190131-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1CO66inaWDGFZx12a44hp1_vnGpwbpaLsmJvJVwo9SG2KRpafnpmWa_AQ)City Negotiates Prison Deal With Unnamed Firm (https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/01/22/city-negotiates-prison-deal-with-unnamed-firm/a5o9g81/)Danish Haunted-house Studies Seek to Reveal the Seductive Appeal of Horror (https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/danish-haunted-house-studies-seek-to-reveal-the-seductive-appeal-of-horror/)Legoland Windsor Unveils New Haunted House Attraction for 2019 (https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/17435789.legoland-windsor-unveils-new-haunted-house-attraction-for-2019/)Lego Hidden Side Sets Add Augmented Reality to Create a Whole New, Spooky World (https://www.pocket-lint.com/parenting/news/lego/147078-lego-hidden-sides-augmented-reality.amphtml)Universal: Buy 1 Night of Halloween Horror Nights, Get 2nd for Free (https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-et-universal-halloween-horror-nights-bogo-tickets-20190205-story.html)Los Angeles: Do You Like Scary Movies? Have We Got The Experience For You (https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2019/02/15/los-angeles-do-you-like-scary-movies-have-we-got-the-experience-for-you)A Year-round Halloween Bar Is Coming to Downtown Orlando (https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/02/08/a-year-round-halloween-bar-is-coming-to-downtown-orlando?media=AMP+HTML')ConclusionsAll in all, this is one jam-packed news episode that you do NOT want to miss!

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Haunted attraction documentaries are increasinly common. However, those that put the community in a wholly positive light are still somewhat rare. If that's the case, Spookers: A Family Like No Other, is a great rare gem of a documentary that takes a look bethind the panel walls of a haunted attraction and finds nothing but warmth and happiness. While not a perfect movie, it's a near-perfect representation of what haunting is about.As such, on this episode, we're going to take a deep dive into the film and what it says about our beloved community.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBackground on SpookersWhat We Loved About the FilmTopics AddressedWhat We Would Have ChangedClosingAll in all, if you're interested in how our community is portrayed in the outside world, this is an episode you do not want to miss.

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On May 11, 1984, a tragedy unfolded at the Haunted Castle at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. The fire took 8 young lives and started both criminal and civil proceedings against the company. The fire and the investigation that followed was not only a horrible tragedy, but an event that forever changed the entire industry. This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking a long, hard look at this fire, which turns 35 later this year. We look at how it unfolded, the mistakes that were made and how it altered the entire haunted attraction industry. This is, to be blunt, not a fun episode. However, it is an important one and one we've been wanting to do for some time. So strap in for an episode that will, most likely, be a difficult one.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersCiting Our SourcesHistory of the Haunted CastleThe FireThe AftermathIndustry Impacts of the FireMistakes Made by Six FlagsIf you're interested in learning more about this tragedy, you can view the documentary Doorway to Hell? for free on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QndKjUVG5mU&list=PLd9tbDMSONtVsO8sbN1nFUhsYJQUogyLj), read the book by the filmmaker (https://www.amazon.com/Doorway-Mysteries-Controversies-Surrounding-Adventure-ebook/dp/B006RD4BTU) or check out this mini-documentary by Theme Park History (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmiFdaJOihw&t=20s), which also has comments by Gary Kaplow. All in all, as difficult as this episode is, it's definitely an episode you do not want to miss.

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