Episodes

Sept. 20, 2020

Green Tagged: Top Theme Park News for Sept 20

This week on Green Tagged: Theme Park in 30 - Halloween-themed drive-in movies debut at theme parks in the US and UK; Round One is slated to Replace a Sears store in Florida; while droves of escape rooms pivot virtual others reopen in-person; updates...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 13, 2020

Green Tagged: Top Theme Park News for Sept 13

This week on Green Tagged: ‘Schoolcation’ packages debut at Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Cancellations for Mickey’s Christmas Party and IAAPA Expo, live performances are coming back, and the theme park capital of the world battles public attitude....

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 6, 2020

Green Tagged for Sept 6

We divided this week’s news into three piles: the Florida and New York governors’ responses to how themed attractions can move forward during the pandemic, the evolution of IP experiences, and the trend to virtual. Full show notes here:...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 6, 2020

How To Reopen Your Haunt During The Pandemic - A Case Study

Right now, the haunt industry is being faced with something we’ve never done before—reopening our attractions in the midst of a pandemic. We’re all wondering when and how to make this happen. In this article, you’ll hear from the general manager of...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 4, 2020

[A Scott in the Dark] Episode 47 - Come Together

Scott discusses the importance of unity within the industry during the 2020 Halloween Season.

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 1, 2020

How to scare with intent from 6 feet away!

2020 is giving haunters a wonderful opportunity to birth novel ways of telling our stories. In this podcast, presented by David Jones, we explore effective methods of scaring from a distance. Specifically, you’ll learn how to create a cohesive...

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 1, 2020

[HaunTopic Radio] How To Open Your Attraction in the Middle of a Pand…

Learn from the mistakes and accomplishments of the Fear Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah, and how they opened their attraction in the middle of a health pandemic and successfully did it! Here's a link to their Contingency Plan to help you do it....

Listen to the Episode
Sept. 1, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 248 - August News

This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing the news and, unfortunately, that means covering a lot of COVID-19 related things including limited haunt openings, closings and more things in between. But that's not all we have this week, we also have a spate...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 31, 2020

What Do You Say To Them? How to personalize your haunt messaging duri…

This podcast is a recording from a recent panel on personalizing your messaging to guests in preparation for opening your haunted attraction this season. The discussion is divided into three sections—recommendations about messaging for guests before...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 30, 2020

Green Tagged: Theme Park in 30 for Aug 30

“Green Tagged” - The Top News in Theme Parks This Past Week An insider's take on the attraction industry's trending news. August 30th Edition - Welcome to the Green Tagged blog, based on our first podcast episode of Green Tagged, in which we (Philip...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 24, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 247 - Virtual Escape Rooms

As bad as COVID-19 has been for haunts, it's been similarly bad for our sister industry: Escape rooms. However, many escape games have taken a different tact, launching virtual experiences that come in a wide variety of flavors. These include...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 11, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] - Episode 245 - Lessons From Our Closure

Last year was a very rough year for us. Due to some serious road work taking place, we were forced to cancel our 2019 season. Now, due to COVID-19, many haunts are finding that their 2020 season is hanging into balance. However, if you do have to...

Listen to the Episode
Aug. 1, 2020

[HaunTopic Radio] Pre Season Haunt Checkup: Getting things ready to o…

This is the year of COVID cancellations and many Haunted Attractions are closed for 2020. Those that will be opened are doing things a little differently. The Haunt Master members of the Haunter's Toolbox share their thoughts on this year's...

Listen to the Episode
July 29, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 243 - Social Media for Haunters

Pretty much every haunted attraction has a Facebook page. However, is there more that you could be doing with your social media presence? The answer is yes. Social media is a powerful tool for haunt promotion and, thanks to COVID-19, it's about to...

Listen to the Episode
July 26, 2020

[A Scott In The Dark] Episode 46 - Is Halloween Dead?

Based on the recent announcements that several large haunted attractions have decided not to open for the 2020 season, Scott discusses the options for both haunters and haunt fans to keep the spirit of Halloween alive.

Listen to the Episode
July 16, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 241 - Masks for Haunters

It's becoming more and more clear that, if haunts are able to open at all this year, it's going to be with a good deal of restrictions and limitations. Those limitations will likely include masks for actors and customers alike. While getting...

Listen to the Episode
July 10, 2020

[A Scott in the Dark] Episode 45 Phases of Recovery

Scott discusses the three basic phases of post-crisis recovery and how they apply to the Haunt Industry...its more fun than it sounds. PLUS He announces his new email newsletter, "A Shout in the Dark". To join visit ScottSwenson.com and click on the...

Listen to the Episode
July 7, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 240 - June/July News

This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing the news and what a rough news episodes it is. We slog our way through the first round of haunt closures due to COVID-19. However, we work hard to bring you a great deal of good news too, including at least one...

Listen to the Episode
July 1, 2020

[HaunTopic Radio] DIY Haunt Animatronics with Steve Koci

Steve Koci, many of you know him as Halstaff on the webs, is the author of The Ultimate Guide to DIY Animatronics. In this podcast, learn the best way to get started in moving props and how to animate many different types of props...Halloween Style.

Listen to the Episode
June 30, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 239 - What the Haunt Industry Can Learn from H…

No matter what happens between now and haunt season, the haunted attraction industry is facing an extremely challenging year. Even the best predictions call for smaller crowds, shortened seasons and limited capacity. In 2005, the city of New Orleans...

Listen to the Episode
June 23, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 238 - Making Haunting a Safe Space for Everyone

The haunted attraction industry prides itself on being a welcoming space for anyone who loves scaring. However, as some recent events have shown, that's not always an ideal we live up to. The truth is that we have many of the same issues as any other...

Listen to the Episode
June 15, 2020

[A Scott in the Dark] Episode 44 The Power of Diversity

Scott discusses how diversity, in every sense of the word, can improve the creativity and financial success of your haunted attraction.

Listen to the Episode
June 9, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 236 - May/June News

It's another episode divisible by four and that means we're doing the news and what a news week we have. Has the nation and world begin the process of reopening, haunted attractions and similar locations are starting to open back up as well. As such,...

Listen to the Episode
June 2, 2020

[Haunt Weekly] Episode 225 - 10 Things the Haunt Industry Needs to do…

Like it or not, the haunt industry is almost certainly heading into a period of great turmoil that is likely to be followed by a recession or even a depression. While that means some rough times are ahead, they are also an opportunity to change the...

Listen to the Episode