WEBVTT
1
00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:11.640
IAPA Expo is the biggest gathering of attraction's professionals in
2
00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.439
the world, and this year the Haunting Grounds returned with
3
00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:17.960
even more ways for creators, operators, and vendors to explore
4
00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:25.600
what's next for Halloween that's coming up on today's show.
5
00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:28.519
Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the Hunter Attraction
6
00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:30.960
Network show. We bring you the news and information you
7
00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:33.600
need to prepare for Halloween. This podcast is just one
8
00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:34.200
part of what we do.
9
00:00:34.280 --> 00:00:35.000
You can find.
10
00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:37.640
Videos, articles in our free weekly newsletter linked in the
11
00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:41.200
show notes. Today's episode is adapted from our full video
12
00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:44.600
tour of the Haunting Grounds at IOPA Expo twenty twenty five.
13
00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:48.240
I spoke with exhibitors, showcase and everything from scenic design
14
00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.840
to immersive ar dark Ride technology and family friendly seasonal installations.
15
00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:57.799
So this podcast features interviews with plaqu Productions, Nethercraft, IWG,
16
00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:02.600
Dogwind Entertainment Versus Immersive Iapas, Michael Shelton, and.
17
00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:04.079
Sally dark Rides.
18
00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:05.879
So we're just going to roll through these interviews one
19
00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:09.480
after the next. First up, there's John Cook with Play Productions,
20
00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:13.599
followed immediately by Nethercraft and Sally dark Rides finishes everything
21
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:16.879
up with their announcements of their animatronic reveal and their
22
00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:19.959
new spooky attraction coming to Qatar.
23
00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:22.120
Enjoy all right.
24
00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.000
My name is John Cook.
25
00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:25.400
I'm the owner of Plague Productions, where we work on
26
00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:29.040
turnkey attractions for the Haunted attraction and theme park industry
27
00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:31.239
for the Haunting. Guns is our first booth we've ever
28
00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:33.680
done at any trade show ever. We have put together
29
00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:36.840
a really fun little dark ride Condemned Dark Ride facade
30
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.319
and ode to the vintage dark Ride that I think
31
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:41.920
anyone that is a theme park fanatic has a special
32
00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:43.920
place in their heart for it looks like steel. It's
33
00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.319
all built out of woods, is really fun, and then
34
00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:48.400
we have these different columns and pillars with lots of
35
00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.079
different textures on them. We're wanted to show three different
36
00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.920
layers of what would happen. Of course it's all flow,
37
00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.560
but it's really going for that hyperrealism.
38
00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:58.959
We did the signage above the booth.
39
00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:01.560
That explained our show turn to Terror, which is what
40
00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:03.959
we're known for, and it's all hand painted. A lot
41
00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.079
of people think it's printed, but it's on that we're
42
00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:06.359
proud of.
43
00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.360
We do buy hand. We put this booth together.
44
00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:11.680
Everything you see here in less than one week, and
45
00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:14.520
this is what we do. We turn out fun, creative
46
00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:17.800
projects for immersive themed entertainment all across the country.
47
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.639
We make vacky form panels for all sorts of different things,
48
00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:24.599
from facades to photo ops, even just transition halls and
49
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.199
things like that. It's a quick and easy way to
50
00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.960
make an entire room and an entire experience for your
51
00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:34.159
haunted attraction. So for Haunting Grounds itself, we set up
52
00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:37.080
a big variety of our panels, showing them off in
53
00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.599
different photo ops and including a large facade so that
54
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.960
people can see that. There's a lot of versatility with
55
00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.319
the panels themselves. You can use them on a small
56
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.000
scale or a large scale to create either one room
57
00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:51.360
or an entire hont house. It took about three days
58
00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:54.439
to set everything up, that includes the facade, our booth,
59
00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.039
and for the Haunting Grounds itself.
60
00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:57.360
The cost is pretty nice.
61
00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:02.080
Almost every panel in our inventory for unpainted and one
62
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.759
in nine for painted. Of course, there's a couple exceptions,
63
00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:07.319
such as the rosewindow behind me, but that's a big kit,
64
00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.479
comes with a lot of pieces and parts.
65
00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:11.240
But you still get a good deal for everything.
66
00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:13.360
You can always look more into what we do in
67
00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.800
all the different panels we make at Nethercraft dot com.
68
00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:17.840
Today we're up in the Haunt area with a little
69
00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.400
bit of one of our show mirror mases that we
70
00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:23.560
specialize in. A mirror maze is basically one of those
71
00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:25.759
old time greats from the past that just keep on
72
00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:26.800
getting better with time.
73
00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.960
Try to get lost, try not to get lost. Whatever
74
00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:30.400
you want.
75
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.680
Iron Wood and Glitter or IWG is mainly a consumer
76
00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:38.000
events company. We specialize in a lot of theme parks,
77
00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:41.319
stuff for hot time or even your Christmas and a
78
00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.680
house needs. We do all types of large, over scaled
79
00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:49.599
theming decre pieces as well as smaller agro farmers.
80
00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:49.960
Stuff as well.
81
00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:52.240
If you have any questions about us, so you can
82
00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:54.719
visit us at IWG Productions dot com.
83
00:03:54.840 --> 00:04:01.560
Jogwood Entertainment builds bold scenic pieces, ur photo ops, full
84
00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:06.759
trail shows. Really any three dimensional or in some cases
85
00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.919
two dimensional prop or idea that a client has we
86
00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.039
bring that to life. So here at IAPA this year
87
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.520
we brought the Pumpkin Treehouse, which is our twelve foot
88
00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.639
tall immersive photo op designed for spooky, nott scary family
89
00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:22.800
friendly fall attractions. Nice photo op for the family, and
90
00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:24.839
we're going to have some interactive elements as well that
91
00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:26.959
the kids can touch and play with to activate different
92
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.160
pieces of the treehouse. A lot of our clients are
93
00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:32.879
farms or a themed attraction, so we're hoping to see
94
00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:36.240
this Pumpy live next fall out in the field. So
95
00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:38.839
if you're looking to add something to your attraction or event,
96
00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:40.759
just reach out to our sales team.
97
00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:42.959
Our website is Dogwin Entertainment dot com.
98
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.360
I'm Jack Meyra. I'm part of Verse Immersive. We're the
99
00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:49.600
only glasses based augmented reality attraction in the world in
100
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:53.439
over twenty five different entertainment venues across the globe. We
101
00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:58.480
are showcasing our newest experience by Legendary Entertainment called Trigger Treat,
102
00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:02.800
super engaging guests can still see each other, still see
103
00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:05.120
the room around them, engaging with the layer of three
104
00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.920
D holograms over the real world. The main reason for
105
00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:10.959
our showcasing within the Haunting Ground specifically is our newest
106
00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.800
release by Legendary Entertainment, Trick or Treat, where you get
107
00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:18.240
to engage with Sam and Laurie collecting candy, throwing candy,
108
00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:21.160
all that fun stuff. So really piggybacking off of that
109
00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:24.399
fear horror, but also that family entertainment.
110
00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:27.160
Michael Shelton, I'm the chief operating Officer and executive vice
111
00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:31.399
President or AYAPPA. AYAPPA is the International Association of a Music,
112
00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:34.839
Parks and Attractions, which is an association that tries to
113
00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:35.680
meet the needs.
114
00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.079
Of all the constituencies around the globe.
115
00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:40.680
This particular show is what we call AAPPA Expo, and
116
00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.879
it's really a trade component of what we do where
117
00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:46.160
buyers and sellers can come together and look for things
118
00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.279
that are really going to benefit them as they build
119
00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:51.319
their attractions and look for new ideas and new.
120
00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:54.040
Revenue sources in our industry. So far this year, you know, we.
121
00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:58.079
Are exceeding attendee expectations and attendance better than we ever
122
00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:00.199
have in any previous year. I think it speaks to
123
00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:03.759
the excitement around the attractions industry in general and are
124
00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.040
appealed globally here in Orlando. I think the two most
125
00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:09.720
popular trends we're seeing in our industry our seasonal events
126
00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:12.240
as our parks try to extend their seasons create new
127
00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:13.399
revenue opportunities.
128
00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.040
So haunted tractions at Halloween time.
129
00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:21.199
And Christmas attractions during the holiday seasons are becoming more popular,
130
00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:23.519
but food and beverage is really becoming a big thing.
131
00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:27.199
Alcohol different ways to engage a larger group of people
132
00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:29.800
at your venue. So as you can imagine, the trade
133
00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.639
show floor has grown over the years and we're really
134
00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:35.439
bursting at the seams, and to create new spaces for
135
00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:38.439
our members, we have to go outside of the traditional
136
00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:42.079
trade show floor, so we created these really specific areas
137
00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:44.920
to address the needs of our members. The Haunted is
138
00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:46.879
one of those areas, so they can go there and
139
00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:52.000
find attractions, vendors, and activations that are specific to what
140
00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:52.839
they're trying to do.
141
00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:54.759
And it's the same with the food and beverage.
142
00:06:54.839 --> 00:06:56.560
You want to give them a single source place to
143
00:06:56.600 --> 00:06:58.360
go so they're not searching all over the trade show
144
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.639
floor for different food and beverage, all in one place,
145
00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.519
kind of like a one stop shop. To be a
146
00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:06.160
great expo, you have to have a large conference program
147
00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:08.879
with a lot of different ways to engage. That involves
148
00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:12.399
edgeteurs that are specific too, maybe Haunting. You know, we
149
00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:15.519
have a Halloween Horror Nites edutur this year to universal
150
00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:18.399
We have a water park edutor to local water parks.
151
00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:19.680
Ways to engage.
152
00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:23.360
Those constituencies specifically, so we're always looking to make a robust,
153
00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.720
complete conference program. On Thursday night, we have i APPA Celebrates,
154
00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:29.560
where we've been able to secure the new Epic Universe
155
00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:32.120
just for our members and for them to experience what
156
00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:35.879
a new park really looks like. So as an organization,
157
00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:37.879
you know, we want to grow just like our parks grow.
158
00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:39.360
So we're expanding into the.
159
00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:41.879
Middle East, for an example, as a new market for us,
160
00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.160
where we're going to place an expo much like this one.
161
00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:45.399
It will be specific to that.
162
00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:47.360
Region in the Middle East, so we'll meet the needs
163
00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:49.759
of the people there, but in general, we'll speak the
164
00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:52.800
same global language that we always speak, so everyone understands
165
00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.199
and identifies with what we're doing at APPER. But we're
166
00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:58.160
not stopping there. Here in Orlando. You know, we've reached capacity.
167
00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:00.120
As I mentioned, we're looking for new areas to eight
168
00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:02.680
new spaces for our members, so we'll expand into the
169
00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:07.360
West Hall outside of this traditional North South Here's Convince Center.
170
00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:08.839
It creates more space.
171
00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.439
For more exhibitors, more opportunities for our members and our
172
00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:14.120
attendees to engage with our great industry. As I mentioned,
173
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:17.079
you know, Halloween and Halloween events are becoming more popular
174
00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:19.480
in all of our parksings. I think what's important about
175
00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:23.800
our show is that you're not just talking about creating
176
00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:26.759
a scary attraction. You have to get people in that attraction,
177
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.079
so there's marketing involved.
178
00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:30.439
You have to sell tickets, so there's ticketing systems.
179
00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:34.080
There's technologies that will allow you to upsell your event,
180
00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:36.320
to get people through the lines quicker, to give them
181
00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:37.200
better experiences.
182
00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:39.600
You can have food and beverage at your Hunt attractions.
183
00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:42.759
It's all part of that full picture if you want
184
00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:46.440
to be a successful operation. We have avenues and education,
185
00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.120
and our program is designed to really meet all of
186
00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:52.279
those needs. We're living in an incredible time. I think
187
00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:55.200
people are looking for new things to do at all times,
188
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:57.679
to be outdoors, to be with each other, to experience
189
00:08:57.720 --> 00:08:58.200
things new.
190
00:08:58.840 --> 00:08:59.799
This is what we do.
191
00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:03.159
This is exactly why we're here, and it's exactly why
192
00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:04.240
we've been so successful.
193
00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:06.919
People crave this and we're going to keep answering that call.
194
00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:10.759
We had a major announcement today, actually a reveal of
195
00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:15.440
our first animatronic characters for Phantom Theater opening Nightmare.
196
00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:18.240
This ride has roots.
197
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:22.080
It was open in the nineties for about ten years.
198
00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:23.679
People loved it.
199
00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:27.720
The King's Island fan base just absolutely were obsessed with
200
00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.519
that ride.
201
00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:30.960
It ran for ten years and actually was replaced with
202
00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:31.320
one of.
203
00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:35.279
Our rides, Scooby Doo, which was then replaced with another
204
00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:38.120
one of our rides, Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, and
205
00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.000
it ran for fifteen years. And a couple years ago
206
00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:44.799
we said, hey, guys, let's do something else together, and
207
00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:47.519
we started really listening to the King's Island fan base
208
00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:51.759
who were basically picketing for Phantom Theater to make a return,
209
00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:54.879
and we have made them very happy to say it
210
00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.039
is coming back in twenty twenty six with them all
211
00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:01.240
the cast of characters that you would excit, Maestro and
212
00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:04.399
No Legs, Larry and a slew of others. We actually
213
00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:07.679
have thirty three animatronics in the attraction. You know, it's
214
00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:10.960
a twist on the original. Fans of King's Island are
215
00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:14.600
now used to an interactive experience, having Scooby and Boo
216
00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:18.679
Blasters run for the last two decades, and they love interactivity.
217
00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:21.600
They love being able to play with their mom, their dad,
218
00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:23.399
their brother, their sister, their grandmother.
219
00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.039
Even so, we're.
220
00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:29.039
Keeping the activity in twenty six interactive scenes. It's a
221
00:10:29.159 --> 00:10:33.799
very long ride. It's multisensory. We've got wind and crazy
222
00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:37.120
special effects, and all the while we have these ghost
223
00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.840
notes that are wreaking havoc in the theater that we
224
00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:42.120
have to go and put a stop to with our
225
00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:47.360
interactive flashlight. In addition to the Phantom Theater character reveal,
226
00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.960
we also had a second press conference with Doha Quest.
227
00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:54.440
You know last year at this time we actually debuted
228
00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.639
the Many dark Ride to answer to the demand and
229
00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:02.720
the desire for dark ride attractions in small spaces. It's
230
00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:05.240
in between two thousand and three thousand square feet. It
231
00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:08.360
is an incredible experience, like a dark ride that you
232
00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:10.679
would find at a theme park, but jam packed into
233
00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:14.919
a small compact space. We've got large wrap around screens.
234
00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.679
We have turntables that have different scenic characters on them,
235
00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:22.879
so when you pass back by, you don't notice that
236
00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:24.240
you're going in the same space.
237
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:26.879
We've got lighting effects. Everything changes.
238
00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:29.840
As soon as you kind of go into one room,
239
00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:33.440
we flick on a different mode and next time you pass.
240
00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:35.159
Through it'll be a completely different experience.
241
00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:38.879
So this year at Iappa Expo, we announced our first
242
00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:42.039
partner for the Mini dark Ride, Doha Quest and guitar
243
00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:45.919
and actually, you know, a lot of our dark rides