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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing something a little bit different. We're sharing with you the lessons we learned from our 2018 season.

The season, overall, went very well and many of the things we tried went swimmingly and will be repeated. Other things we tried went... not so well. However, things that go poorly are often better learning experiences than the things that went well.

So, without further ado, here's a look at the key lessons we're taking away from our 2018 season.

This Week's Episode Includes

IntroConference RemindersOverview of the SeasonThe Need for More SignsOur Photo Op AreaHow to Deal with Crying ChildrenGimmick EverythingIce Chests for ActorsProper Actor AreaThe Need to Give Actors TimeThe Need to Move Actors TooOur Upcoming Rule ChangesClosing

All in all, this is one episode you do not want to miss!

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For us, the 2018 season is in the books. We are brain dead, dead tired and damn near just dead. However, it was a great season in every way, record numbers, amazing reviews and a perfect safety record.

So, since we are tired beyond belief, we are going to spend this week's episode talking about the only thing we can talk about, how it went.

So, sit back, relax and go on a trip with us through the season that was!

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroConference RemindersA Description of Our HauntThe Challenges We FacedThe AftermathClosing

All in all, this is, hopefully a fun and relaxing recap that you don't want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're winding down the season by doing the news.

And what a month for news it has been, with more than a few stories that will make you scream expletives at the top of your lungs. Stories of racism, antisemitism and a mock rape.

Though it's been a very good season for us personally, it's clear several other haunts have had much more rough seasons. So, without any further ado, here's the news.

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroConference RemindersHaunted Hoochie's "Swastika Saturday" Sets off ControversyAkron Fright Fest Closes After Actors Commit "Mock Rape"Scream Town Reopens After Racist Facebook PostHaunt Employee Groped on the JobHome Haunt Display Shuttered Over Lack of PermitsChicago-Area Haunt Raises Money for School SuppliesSC Teens Take Private Haunt PublicNew Orleans Family Runs Haunted House in Their Garage (wink)Conclusions

All in all, it's been a crazy month for industry news and this is one episode you do not want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about something that has been at the core of our lives this season, queue lines.

Whether it's the one we're building for our haunt or all of the queue lines we've stood in at the 15 we've been to so far, we've had a lot of time to think about queue lines from the perspective of both a haunter and a customer.

So what have we learned? Well, a lot. And that's exactly what we're sharing today...

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroConference RemindersOur Queue Line "Tradition"The Thread That Started ItComparing/Contrasting Different HauntsFundamentals for a Good Queue LineWhy Queue Lines Are ImportantQueue Line AlternativesConclusions

All in all, if anyone ever has to wait at your haunt, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're talking about kayfabe in haunting. What is kayfabe? It's a wrestling term that's used to indicate the presentation of fictional events and information as real.

However, kayfabe isn't limited to wrestling. We see it everywhere. Whether it's the craze over the Blair Witch Project, the "Is this place really haunted?" questions or just simply the feeling of being transported to a different place.

So how can you use kayfabe in your haunt? That's exactly what we're here to explore!

This Week's Episode Includes: 

IntroConference RemindersWhat is KayfabeHow to Build KayfabeGood Examples of Kayfabe in HauntingOne Not-So-Good ExampleWhen to Break KayfabeConclusion

Whether you're trying to improve an existing haunt or plan out a new one, this is an episode you do not want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're recapping what has beeen one of the best weekends of our lives for visiting haunts: The Lost Souls Chicago Haunted Bus Tour. 

To say it was an amazing weekend is an understatement. Not only were there six great haunted houses, but an amazing bus trip plus some great time with a good friend and friend of the show.

In this episode, we're recapping the weekend that was and, along the way, discussing why these kinds of tours are so great for customers and can also help out the haunts themselves...

This Week's Episode Includes:

Intro Conference RemindersOur Experience Planning our Atlanta TripWhy The Lost Souls Haunted Bus Tour and Ones Like It Are So GreatFriday's TourSaturday's TourA Big Thanks to Japes and TerryConclusions

All in all, if you're a fan of haunts, especially in the Chicago area, this is one episode that you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, it's another episode divisible by four so that means it's time to do the news!

But wait! Haunts all over the country are opening, what news can we possibly cover? Turns out a lot actually.

We have several stories of haunts being used for promotion, some tales of haunt promotion and at least a couple of stories about some really, really long-running haunts.

All in alll, there's a LOT going on right now and we're doing our best to keep you all up to date!

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroConference RemindersJoin Us on the Lost Souls Bus TourSlipknot-Themed Haunt to Open in Des Moines2 Chainz Bringing Back Pink Trap HouseFreeform Creating Hocus Pocus and Nightmare Before Christmas Haunt6 Flags Offers $300 to Spend 30 Hours in a CoffinStranger Things Cast Visits Stranger Things HauntToronto Italian Restaurant Opens Haunt in the BackChicago Popup Corn Maze to Feature Full BarElysburg Charity Haunt Returns for 42nd YearReinke Brothers Haunted House Celebrates 50th AnniversaryConclusions

All in all, this is one packed episode that you do NOT want to miss!

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This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing something a bit different: Answering a question that wasn't even asked of us.

The question was asked on the Haunter's Toolbox Facebook Group, which you should join and also join their main site, about how far people are willing to travel for a haunt. The asker was looking at land 45-minutes outside of the city and was curious if peoeple would make the trip.

There were a lot of great answers in the thread but, considering how many people have asked similar queries, we wanted to tackle it ourselves. So, that's what we're doing in this episode!

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroductionConference RemindersCome Join Us on the Lost Souls Bus Tour!The Question and the Responses So FarWhy It's a Complicated QuestionHow to Extend Your RangeHow to Discover What Your Range IsHow Far is Too Far?Conclusions

All in all, if you have a location away from a population center or are looking at getting one, this is an episode you do not want to miss!

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Back in episode 95, we took a look at all of the major retailers in our area and their Halloween sections. Well, it's 51 episodes later and we're doing it again, throwing in a few new stores to boot.

So, with that in mind, here's a look at what our local stores have for Halloween, who disappointed us, who enthralled us and where did we spend our money? Stay tuned and all will be revealed!

This Week's Episode Inlucdes:

IntroConference RemindersWe Are Going to the Lost Souls Bus Tour! (Buy Tickets here)Retail IntroductionRules for The EpisodeSpiritParty/Halloween CityHome DepotLowe'sWalmartTargetAtHomeBig LotsWalgreens

All in all, it's a good wrap up of some of the nation's largest retailers and what they're doing for Halloween this year. Whether you're just a fan of Halloween or a hardcore haunter, this is an episode you do not want to miss! 

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This week on #HauntWeekly, we're talking about a group we've neglected for far too long: Yard Haunters

It's a strange omission for us. Every year we put a lot of labor into our yard display and far more people see it. However, when it comes to talking about haunting, we're all about what's inside the haunt itself, at least on the podcast.

So, we're fixing that, with a full hour discussion of yard haunts including how we build ours, some tips and tricks for others getting into it and maybe a few suggestions to improve the one you already have.

This Week's Episode Includes:

IntroConference RemindersCatching up With Yard HauntsWhat We DoHow We Do ItCommon Concerns We Deal WithThings to ConsiderConclusions

All in all, whether you're a yard display veteran or just getting started, this is an episode you do not want to miss!

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Facebook: @HauntWeekly
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