Episodes

Aug. 18, 2025

NEWS: Horror Unleashed Opens; Park Announcements Galore

Last week was MASSIVE for Halloween Fans, beginning with the opening of Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, followed by Midsummer Scream in Long Beach. Haunted Attractions took advantage of the 50,000+ attendees at Midsummer Scream to announce their Halloween plans - and we've gathered EVERYTHING for you! Highlights: Universal Reveals Terrifier Haunted House Details; Five Nights at Freddy's Pizza Place Previews; Elvira moves in to LA Haunted Hayride; Delusion & Magic of the Jack-o'-Lanterns...
Aug. 13, 2025

NEWS: Midsummer Scream Brings Haunts & Halloween to Long Beach This Weekend

50,000 Halloween Fans will gather in Long Beach this weekend (Aug 15-17) for Midsummer Scream! Guests will experience 12+ mini-haunts, shop at 350+ vendors, and hear from local haunted attractions about this season. Also this week: Poltergeist Comes to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood; Six Flags Reveals The Conjuring Premium Experience; Kennywood's Phantom Fall Fest Expands; Universal Horror Unleashed Opens August 14th; Spirit Halloween Releases new Branded Merchandise. Read more here.
July 29, 2025

NEWS: SLASH at Halloween Horror Nights; Fire at Fear Factory; Candy Trends; and More!

This week's headlines: SLASH to Create All-New Experiences for Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood; Want us to visit your haunt? Tell us by July 31st!; Lagoon Show and Nightmare Fuel Return to Halloween Horror Nights Orlando; New Villains for Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland - Disneyland's Halloween Foodie Guide 2025; Tivoli Gardens Celebrates 20 Years of Halloween Festivities; Fire at Fear Factory SLC; Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Unveils Haunting Lineup of 2025's Special Events; Mars Releases Summerw...
July 25, 2025

NEWS: HHN Tests Street Experiences; Texas Haunters This Weekend

Halloween Horror Nights Orlando announced two "all-new street experiences - "Mel's Die-In Zombies," featuring zombie carhops, and "Club Horror," featuring undead DJs. While we've seen 'street' shows in prior years, they're not typically announced and this could mean a stronger entertainment for this year's event. Also: The Texas Haunters Convention is this weekend; Summerween Spurs Creativity and Spooky Vibes Before Fall Celebrations; Applications Now Open for the Haunted Attraction Association'...
July 17, 2025

NEWS: Stranger Things Haunts Heads to Singapore; Terrifier at HHN; & More

A Stranger Things Haunted House will debut at Singapore's Halloween Horror Nights, joining the returning house, Singapore's Most Haunted: Build to Horror, two yet-to-be-announced houses, two scare zones, and three live shows. Also this week: "Terrifier" Comes to US Halloween Horror Nights; Howl-O-Scream San Diego Returns; "Fresno Fright Nights" Comes to San Joaquin Valley; Freakling Bros. Pauses 2025 Event; Woods of Terror Hosts Behind the Scenes Tour; IKEA's Halloween Collection Returns; "Scary...
July 9, 2025

NEWS: Summerween Hits the Mainstream

With the last major holiday celebration of summer out of the way (no one really decorates for Labor Day), retailers are now fully embracing the "Summerween" season, stocking Halloween-themed products earlier than ever before. As reported in last month's newsletters, stores like Michaels, Target, and Lowe's took advantage of Friday, June 13th, to begin to release their spooky items. Now, even more stores are pushing the Halloween season forward into summer. Read more here.
July 1, 2025

NEWS: Universal's Chicago Haunt; Fear Dome; & HHN Houses

This week: Universal Destinations & Experiences Announces Horror Unleashed Chicago; Halloween Horror Nights Orlando Announced 5 Original Haunts; La Llorona, La Muelona, and La Siguanaba Come to Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood; Haunts Return to the Las Vegas Adventuredome with "Fear Dome"; Screams Halloween Theme Park Announces Closure; "Graveyard Games" Now Casting Horror Superfans; Spirit Halloween is Hiring 50,000 Retail Associates; Re more here.
June 18, 2025

NEWS: Festival Fright Nights, Hauntathon, & MHC Recap

This week: Winchester Mystery House Unveils Festival Fright Nights; Hauntathon seeks Haunted Attractions for 2025 Season; Midwest Haunters Convention Draws Massive Crowds; Oogie Boogie Bash tickets go on sale June 26th; Friday the 13th's Jason comes to Halloween Horror Nights; Universal Japan gets new maze and collab with KATE makeup; Top 5 theme park trends you need to know; Terror Vault presents Hexed. Read more here.
June 10, 2025

NEWS: Industry Mourns Sudden Passing of Edward Terebus of Erebus Haunted Attraction

This week: Industry Mourns Sudden Passing of Edward Terebus of Erebus Haunted Attraction; Fallout Comes to Halloween Horror Nighte; GUIDE to Halloween Horror Night Tickets; Ghost Boat Collaborates with Moment Factory; Haunt Shirts Announces Closure; Midwest Haunters Convention Returns June 5th - 7th, 2026. Read the stories here.
May 27, 2025

NEWS: Haunt Trends Playing Out in Real Time

This week: How trends from InterPark Magazine and theme parks impact haunts; Monsterpalooza Comes to Pasadena This Weekend; Six Flags validates horror IP expansion & themed F&B; Spirit Halloween Cancels Flagship Store Grand Opening; Queen Mary's Dark Harbor To Open June 13th; Zombies Takeover Hello Kitty Land This Summer; Ghostly Manor Debuts at Paultons Park; ScareCON's 2025 SCAR Awards Winners Announced; The Mystic Museum's Total Grotesque Live (TGL). Read the stories here .
May 20, 2025

NEWS: MHC Returns June 6-8; Theme Park Shifts

Haunted Attraction Industry News for the week of May 19th, 2025.
May 20, 2025

Theme Park Trends That Can Transform Your Haunt

Recently, I joined Tyler Barnett on the FearWorm show to discuss how major theme park innovations could transform haunted attractions, and this is the full recording.
May 13, 2025

Marketing Your Haunted Attraction: Full Haunter's Toolbox Masterclass

Today we're playing the FULL audio from a marketing masterclass I recently hosted for Haunter's Toolbox, answering YOUR QUESTIONS on marketing strategies for haunted attractions. This is the complete, unedited recording! If you're a haunt owner or operator looking to boost ticket sales and reach new audiences, you'll find tactics you can immediately implement. Examples from Hush, Woods of Terror, and Transworld included. Haunter's Toolbox hosts monthly sessions at haunterstoolbox.com, and you c...
May 13, 2025

Smart Stupid Horror: Director Eli Craig on Clown in a Cornfield

Director Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs Evil) breaks down his new slasher film, "Clown in a Cornfield," in this exclusive interview. Discover how he balances horror and comedy, creates authentic Gen Z characters, and draws inspiration from classics like Jaws. This is essential listening for haunted attraction creators and horror fans alike, with insights on the modern horror renaissance and the enduring power of communal fear experiences.
May 13, 2025

NEWS: Halloween Creep: August Becomes Haunt Season’s New Start

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Begins Aug 15, following Aug announcements for Horror Unleashed & HHN; Marketing Your Haunted Attraction; Six Flags America To Close - ScareCON comes to Birmingham May 20th - 21st; Midwest Haunters Convention's Exhibitor List; Eli Craig Talks Clown in a Cornfield and Modern Horror; FX’s Alien: Earth Brings Immersive Sci-Fi Horror to AREA15. Read more here. https://mailchi.mp/hauntedattractionnetwork.com/halloween-starts-in-august-now-disney-says-so
May 7, 2025

NEWS: Can Universal turn Spring into Second Halloween with Fan Fest Nights?

This week: Can Universal turn Spring into Second Halloween with Fan Fest Nights?; Theme Parks Turn to Diversification Amid Uncertainty Epidemic; Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Howl-O-Scream Mayhem Sale; Midwest Haunters Convention Friday Haunt Tour to...
April 30, 2025

NEWS: East Coast Haunters Convention Draws MASSIVE Crowds

East Coast Haunters Convention delighted attendees with haunt tours, programming, vendors, and more; Comcast's Stock Dips Despite EPIC Universe Opening; Wicked New England comes to Salem this Saturday; Creep It Real OC Tickets; The VHS Society...
April 24, 2025

NEWS: Tariff Terror: Will Halloween Decorations Double in cost this year?

This week: Tariffs Threaten to Raise Prices on Halloween Costumes & Decor; Creepy Creator Group Brings Easter Screams in Horror Parody Anthology; Complete Guide to the East Coast Haunters Convention; John Carpenter Comes to Midsummer Scream; Tokyo...
April 16, 2025

NEWS: It's Hot Haunt Summer! Haunt and Halloween Convention Season

Halloween convention season is underway with a myriad of events that are partnering with haunts for programming and attractions; TransWorld's East Coast Haunters Convention takes place next week with pre-con haunt tours on April 24th & 25th and...
April 9, 2025

NEWS: OSCARES 2025 Ceremony; Halfway to Halloween Events

This week: The full OSCARES 2025 Awards; Dark Harbor returns on Sept 19th; Halfway to Halloween at Winchester Mystery House & Reign of Terror; The Mystic Museum's Horror High Prom; Previews begin for Dark Universe at Universal's Epic Universe;...
April 7, 2025

NEWS: Transworld Recap Video & Tourism Struggles

Watch our video on the 25 Best New Products from Transworld 2025 https://youtu.be/IwhslV-IJtk; U.S. tourism decline threatens attractions; Epic Universe's Darmoor Monster Makeup Experience; UF Swamp Haunters host halfway-to-Halloween haunt; Haunters...
April 7, 2025

NEWS: Herschend's Acquisition: Will Halloween Haunts Survive?

This week: Herschend to Acquire Palace Entertainment's U.S. Attractions; Limos: Immersive Tarot Experience Returns to LA; The John Wick Experience Opens in Las Vegas; The London Dungeon Seeks Haunted Items; Home Depot Teases "Ultra Skelly"...
March 19, 2025

NEWS: Will Year-Round Scares Succeed Off the Vegas Strip?

This week: Horror Unleashed Analysis; 18 Haunts opened for St. Patrick's Day events; Wicked New England plans Halfway to Halloween in Salem; Scarehouse Windsor wins Innovator of the Year Award; John Carpenter announces NYC concert; Disney Halloween...
March 17, 2025

Universal Horror Unleashed: Can Year-Round Scares Survive in Vegas

Universal’s Horror Unleashed is set to bring year-round horror to Las Vegas, launching August 14, 2024, at AREA15. But can Universal’s seasonal HHN magic translate into a sustainable permanent attraction? During the TEA Stories from the Fringes..